tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80437100434470796872024-03-14T02:51:51.296-07:00Dream InterludeLife is that brief interlude between nothingness and eternity....Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043710043447079687.post-54771173675878239492007-05-15T06:25:00.000-07:002007-06-01T23:17:57.105-07:00Dibalik kesunyian di kota Changshu<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#663333;">Kota kecil ini dibangun untuk mendukung industri garment dan otomotif di china, terlihat dari banyaknya jumlah pabrik tekstil berikut industri kecil pendukungnya membuat kota mungil ini seringkali berselimutkan kabut kelabu dari asap industri. Dalam beberapa bulan selama musim panas, hari-hari dihiasi langit biru cerah dengan gumpalan awan putih bisa dihitung dengan jari. </span><br /><br /></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#663333;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Malah mendekati pertengahan musim panas, kabut tampak semakin menebal disertai dengan asap hitam disana-sini, dikarenakan para petani biasa membakar ladangnya secara masal untuk musim tanam berikutnya. </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Keunikan kota ini baru dapat ditemui di sela-sela kesibukan di pemukiman penduduk asli atau "hutong", di tepi-tepi sungai yang menghiasi kota dan di mulut-mulut pasar tradisional. Berbagai macam jajanan pasar yang menggiurkan. Mulai dari yang paling umum seperti gorengan, kue-kue kering, sate, sampai gerobak penjual bebek yang menjual berbagai jenis bentuk makanan dari bebek - sate bebek, leher bebek bumbu pedas, ceker bebek saus kecap manis, paha bebek panggang, bebek goreng gurih, lidah bebek, hati bebek goreng, sayap bebek panggang.....</span></span><br /></div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#663333;">Di musim dingin lebih banyak penjual sate dan barbekyu, di musim panas para penjual beralih menjajakan gorengan. Walaupun tidak ada tempe goreng ataupun combro seperti penjaja gorengan umumnya di Jakarta, bakwan atau bala-bala dan tahu goreng banyak sekali terlihat. Yang unik, para pedagang disini menyediakan lebih dari 6 macam saus yang berbeda untuk dicelup begitu bakwan keluar dari wajan panas-panas. Hmmmm, pilihan jatuh pada kombinasi saus cabai dengan saus coklat gelap yang ternyata perpaduan antara kecap dan tauco.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5071318063612924370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 327px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 416px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="409" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5acK-wLknlFBeceAaUCKRUXtSFw_wnpZobf9MXQSXrhZ9vy1QL_1zrXuIHXXirbBLKUUuqQ1vlylgYe5JhLsPU1hT9SWrQeJZN4Jw104Wa0JT3SlKrHyYGqCJtpQjaiUZDjX6cfHvH9w/s400/wonton2.png" width="311" border="0" /></div></span><div align="center"><br /></div><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ffcc00;"><em>Berbagai macam pilihan, bakwan, tahu, sate pangsit, sate panggang.....<br /><br /></p><p></em></span><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5071316895381819842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="392" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAMk1KVxyNz9ACfj2ttcquG9DqB7VVb2tRI8hg4CERdhycYLWlYJnAV-tpm2Ww_mG8Q17n0EMKrs4ZX8uM_bZKEH8efbBhBHS177HsYVYD3oOF-Sc68qPwcFS_oZK5npkUPu0Vu5lT7dY/s400/wonton.png" width="338" border="0" /></p><p><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5071319111584944610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4XZ-g27ZiP0IbXS_dzPBCPIRYxiqtIk0lvyoOzq5B488pFtuYEmtPPaOT8RIYNxOlaG-8drqDAadhYgDnjShNyNvVS_g3qdzD-Iea-i2l-OKPEhDznXcxe1dDC6nwhHyinFbCZt1ZTaM/s400/jajan4.png" border="0" /></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ffcc00;"><em>Fried cake, sejenis martabak dengan campuran bayam & daun bawang</em></span></p><div align="center"><br /></div><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5071345504158978546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Ik2pTLeJrFYW5FYgpIpxWbdfI92zbrGL6Uc45F73CZljAeyMHDGP2PWtZMWF9fHZ75JZdJOZq-o_9lA97iL9kwctKuJBzXl34BnaBvUUAQ8kGShpjSV7e_2z7w-sI3wpqICJxVz0suU/s400/jajan1.png" border="0" /> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ffcc00;"><em>Timbunan kue-kue kering, manis dan gurih</em></span></p><p></p>Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043710043447079687.post-68652506571592059102007-04-26T11:55:00.000-07:002007-04-27T09:48:19.494-07:00Morning Ritual<div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5057813787128749634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="400" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidoB1e-WRIpIOV3hE4SFmk5y3IsPErbdqlX0J4Ye_W2oyFoYc9SlGddrxZS3xpsfDRsgbH5LRW_2DQWLVpaeQLaai2cMHhpjdCcc359Sqo1PEixsNvKrT1J5idVMqvoSaTELmKWaRyhHU/s400/coffee.png" width="286" border="0" /><br /></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#663333;">A decent cup of coffee to start the morning is a necessity. But a kickass cup of coffee made to perfection with thick silky layer of foaming milk, followed by bitter sweet freshly brewed coffee perfect to the last drop is an absolute bliss which can also be a bless to start the day. Only certain places can make this kind of coffee, from personal experience, Illy coffee outlets are among those few. I was about to mention Starbucks, but recent visits to a couple of their outlets proved otherwise. Mind you, their coffee now tends to be overbrewed and slightly bitter. </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></div></span><div align="justify"><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#663333;">Since we live in nowhere land where it's practically impossible to get out and find these things, we resign to having our own coffee machine. Our home brewed coffee proves to be the best, even better than coffee from the hotel. It's quite easy to make those heavenly coffee, actually. </span><br /></span></div><div align="justify"><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#663333;">First thing is, of course, the coffee - freshly ground one, not one of those instant coffee *yuck, just throw them in the dumpster please.....* I personally prefer <strong><a href="http://www.illy.com/int/">Illy</a></strong> or <strong><a href="http://www.douwe-egberts.com/decs/pages/des.asp?siteid=de-portal&locale=uken1">Douwe Egberts</a></strong>. Second choice would be Lavazza and <strong><a href="http://www.excelso-coffee.com/excelso/content/main.aspx?form=coffeebeans">Excelso</a></strong> (I think Kalosi Toraja is the best one).<br />Then the milk. They've got to be fresh and cold! Non fat is supposedly making a better foam, but it makes the coffee less kicky lacking the richness of a full cream milk. This is when it gets a bit tricky. Foaming a milk takes a lot of practice. If the machine is too hot, the milk deflates, if the steamer is too deep, you get big bubbles. By surfing right on the surface of the milk, you'll get those perfect thick silky foam.</span><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong><span style="color:#ffcc00;"><a href="http://www.coffeegeek.com/guides/frothingguide/steamguide">Here're some tricks to steam the milk</a> </span></strong></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmQ-b40MAZM4lCg9tmuevgIe5qeF2GP1cJPRVkRVwQWC_N_l4LBpQrDPpWgwQ2iUhbpSt-ax4VwZwOpTNsxfiEfgf5rVnRFFKdXE-Lq0ST5HBkjVTOZVJVy6ijC6XdZEchyAdoMZHqN58/s1600-h/clickme.gif"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5057814203740577362" style="WIDTH: 49px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 50px" height="66" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmQ-b40MAZM4lCg9tmuevgIe5qeF2GP1cJPRVkRVwQWC_N_l4LBpQrDPpWgwQ2iUhbpSt-ax4VwZwOpTNsxfiEfgf5rVnRFFKdXE-Lq0ST5HBkjVTOZVJVy6ijC6XdZEchyAdoMZHqN58/s200/clickme.gif" width="76" border="0" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><div align="justify"></span></div>Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043710043447079687.post-28578901255523335452007-04-21T18:22:00.000-07:002007-04-22T06:02:03.080-07:00Hooked on the cute reapers<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnze59IYci9UblJn6iflGqonsnwwMcexRmCEvD5dgwhcjtRts7qeGHc-fk8fcvYjvefucFdiecCMRbmZZHhEbMb77M5AO0cj_5lMNiwJiKufusUSu3DJ-YZZ0F8HMKIMJwXfxRPs5nVM/s1600-h/dlm_wallpaper8.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5056090661894116994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnze59IYci9UblJn6iflGqonsnwwMcexRmCEvD5dgwhcjtRts7qeGHc-fk8fcvYjvefucFdiecCMRbmZZHhEbMb77M5AO0cj_5lMNiwJiKufusUSu3DJ-YZZ0F8HMKIMJwXfxRPs5nVM/s320/dlm_wallpaper8.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipPhHv9LQhRPQYHhe-97K0KEzWN_srCYbZz2x0qwKBxqGVDnB2SMSgXe9XFDAuJKJ00EziqbLv2Wk87luFyPjsfoiQ2uB9Sh4jXaTKF6cbpdcPuWlRn0xL-SW8oMih8EVTBez5RmJ-PUw/s1600-h/dlm_wallpaper8.jpg"></a></p><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This is my favorite movie to watch in my spare time, just to get back into my quirkiness then get on with the day. Although the title of the movie may put off some, this movie describes our most avoided topic a.k.a death in a strange, peculiar, quirky way giving it a new meaning to 'dealing with deaths' . </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />These grim reapers are assigned to handle 'accidental deaths' only which are mostly rather goofy actually; like a man who died choked by a candy on his daughter's birthday, or a newly wed couple who both died before they even stepped out of the church, or a grumpy old grandma who got squished under a garbage dumpster. </span></div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><div><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The first CD was the story before George, died after being hit by a flaming toilet seat fell from the sky, out of MIR space station. The rest of the story is about her coping with her undead - death, as she couldn't move on to the 'tunnel of lights' like the rest of dead people do, instead she had to stay with the living, but working for death. Her daily routine involves getting post-it from Rube which contains detail of the next person to die ETD (estimated time of death) and location where she has to be before death takes place. She has to tap them and release the soul, sort of a knock on the door before it hits you.</span> </div><div><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em>........George Lass is an 18-year-old girl whose life seems to be going nowhere. She is not motivated to do anything, including being a good person or a bad person. Bad people are punished by Man's Law, and good people are punished by Murphy's law. Under her mother's insistence, George is forced to get a job, which did not last long. </em></span><br /><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></em><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em>All of the reapers are all, like George, people who died with unresolved issues, and aren't allowed to go to their final destination until they have learned the lessons they failed to learn in life. Their job is to take the souls of people who die before they die. They don't do the actual killing. Gravelings, are the ones responsible for setting up the deaths. </em></span><em><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></em><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em><br />The undead can interact with the living (though they can't die again, but apparently they can feel pain.) Unfortunately, it isn't quite a free ride. </em></span><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />George doesn't want to be a grim reaper, but has to fill an unspecified quota of souls before she is done. She is slowly accepting her role, though she can't believe she has found meaning in her afterlife....</span> <strong><a href="http://www.entertainyourbrain.com/deadlikemerev.htm">**Article from DLM Review</a> </strong></em></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><strong><br />Grim Reapers</strong></span>: <em>(Wikipedia:)</em> <span style="font-family:arial;">Death personified ~ Death has been</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmt4DBHWpQXXP39tTFLdRQBHkQ0txmNf9Rks0o50AElQs31I5KVZGt8oqWJ2WovQUz-dZyoZE9eCkCqehJqaxL-Z6N9l3wKyXfQE_u3I60r1NlQ-UekIlkmNfH2XbmM6VzDNhEYlEM3j8/s1600-h/deadlikemes1dvd.jpg"><span style="font-family:arial;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5056084773493954146" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" height="200" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmt4DBHWpQXXP39tTFLdRQBHkQ0txmNf9Rks0o50AElQs31I5KVZGt8oqWJ2WovQUz-dZyoZE9eCkCqehJqaxL-Z6N9l3wKyXfQE_u3I60r1NlQ-UekIlkmNfH2XbmM6VzDNhEYlEM3j8/s200/deadlikemes1dvd.jpg" width="135" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"> personified as a figure or fictional character in mythology and popular culture. Because the reality of death has had a substantial influence on the human psyche and the development of civilization as a whole, the personification of Death as a living, sentient entity is a concept that has existed in many societies since the beginning of recorded history. In Western cultures, death is usually given the name "the Grim Reaper" and shown as a skeletal figure carrying a large scythe, and wearing a midnight black gown with a hood.</span></div><br /><br /><object height="80" width="300"><param name="movie" value="http://media.imeem.com/m/rsJffkUPek"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://media.imeem.com/m/rsJffkUPek" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="300" height="80" wmode="transparent"></embed></object>Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043710043447079687.post-50194963814074209042007-04-20T16:45:00.000-07:002007-04-22T05:09:39.349-07:00Jajanan di Changshu<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFws7bEzMZOoYLv4_zYeR90aMIuapFJPTt9LrTqiWkUBxH9XW7HP3fcdOuXRrDj_TNgGmL-8FshwFfmfBZKCrQtVsdLhFeJ0Z9UoHUUrJspLYHMI30zWkoXjQtAprBf_7zztoteIG5ZBQ/s1600-h/changshu3+026.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5056220593244755794" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFws7bEzMZOoYLv4_zYeR90aMIuapFJPTt9LrTqiWkUBxH9XW7HP3fcdOuXRrDj_TNgGmL-8FshwFfmfBZKCrQtVsdLhFeJ0Z9UoHUUrJspLYHMI30zWkoXjQtAprBf_7zztoteIG5ZBQ/s200/changshu3+026.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Beberapa hari lalu sempat jalan-jalan keluar karena udaranya udah lumayan menghangat. Akhirnya spring sampe juga disini, biarpun terlambat dan kadang-kadang cuaca masih nggak jelas - masih sering mendung, hujan dan berkabut tebal. On the way ke RT Mart, tebak coba gue ketemu apa di pinggir jalan? Tukang gorengan!!! Aaaahhh, udah segini lama tinggal disini, baru nemu kemaren itu. </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />Sering sih gue nemuin gerobak ibu-ibu yang mangkal di depan supermarket atau di tempat2 rame. Biasanya gerobak datar tanpa atap yang memajang deretan kotak-kotak plastik berisi berjenis-jenis sate ayam, bebek, tahu atau sosis dengan marinate macem-macem. Disampingnya ada pemanggang sate - bukan wajan. Tapi ini wajan!!! Berarti ada yang digoreng dong.... Dengan semangat gue deketin gerobak si ibu. Bener aja, gorengaaannn... </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></div></span><br /><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5056219970474497842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJq6Ca9it-NNMlth775OdpGf61lD9dzE9qw55cCe_Yxi6WiGSq90i5SRUWIn8U-gymMtpUd_wleK_Qh6aFczuOk6nP0sQpl2yam2Py1Nzf1sdpKPo6bU7ESmOj96ZZeKzUEmgmDH_D3vk/s400/changshu3+027.jpg" border="0" /></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em><span style="color:#ffcc33;">Macam-macam gorengan..... ada bakwan & tahu juga loh!</span></em><br /></span></div><div align="center"></div><div align="justify"><br /><br /></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5056220305481946946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3m0zKwdVYUnE46VNVnKcgol2FLyQRgBKfKha17Ytf79s8moh0TPARrkXEIWR8lZL3YMax7APneSYSzFrrJgrdbzZ85uL_OUWozPalPg7Ow9s6xfqYxP3cj-qJolibmq8C8ro5qSBHxag/s400/changshu3+028.jpg" border="0" /> <span style="color:#ffcc33;"><em>Tahu satu porsi seharga RMB 1 = Rp. 1100,-<br />udah pake saus siram plus irisan cabainya</em></span><br /></span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></div></span>Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043710043447079687.post-71881727179861291462007-04-16T20:52:00.000-07:002007-04-23T23:07:22.104-07:00It's Crayfish season!<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Feeling a bit adventurous today, we walked by the aisles in Auchan supermarket this afternoon and passed by a bucketload of chinese crayfish on the fish section - apparently in season now. I have never cooked them before but their appearance is quite intriguing, surely challenging to cook. I wondered if the green curry sauce which I had in Auckland served with green lipped mussels can do. I decided to buy a handful to try. Upon a closer look, I noticed that these things didn't swim in water, instead they sort of walked on one another's back, had really really dark shells with tiny scorpion-like claws. Eeeekks!!! That put me off for a moment.....</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></div></span><div align="justify"><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">All the 15 crawlers arrived safely at home. Mike helped to clean their guts simply by pulling their middle tail off - alive. Oef! Please, enough of this 'cruelty' - just dump them in the boiling water, will ya? After 5 minutes of steaming they looked almost edible enough ...... </span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><br /><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054619480796159970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhetaAJVhKgVfpVHQgZKae_YqNmdmJ3xuYE-OFKgar7cxwxHpGfNDOroyXiNQ2lzrlx1HyfwX0OsKCKXWF4kTg2JAGSHXcQsJS1_0zRVOj3KORfyZNk3X0rvrMvZfualgMfm1LeRb9x3nQ/s400/steamed+crayfish.jpg" border="0" /></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><div align="center"></span></div><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em><strong>Freshly steamed chinese crayfish</strong></em></span><br /></p><br /><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Jiangsu province, where we live now, is quite famous for crayfish - which are also known as 'mini lobster' because of they're only as big as a thumb, with 3/4 of its length is the head. When in season, all local restaurants served them as a special offer - we just had the Hairy Crab season in last winter. Locals usually cooked them in light chili curry sauce.</span><br /></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It turned out that the green curry of our choice was a perfect one. I added a dash of coconut milk for the taste and sprinkled thinly sliced kaffir lime leaves. It tasted and smelled beautiful.</span> </p><p align="justify"><br /></p><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054618943925247954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKdI5jfwGdYxvxL60zfkgtT-2ItnyX2i9jjuJGGsIaiPl3W96jxXn3ba0gdygfhLmHdUFWFUuhXb75efmDjQhUYbM-Tge3_wQ9jPndQpHThSXjXxGPIJISxQ7aV3KoCTEe4Nz_C-0F_Q8/s400/crayfish+005.jpg" border="0" /></div><div align="center"></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054618939630280642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp1wT6JOqqwvw2oIdzd64e_QRI6pKQVQrorLiiW5L0G2YjZvWTDd3p-o-OOG4N-tCw5AnaEWa4WmVQCEb_GqsSQJk-ndm2W4IOofspKg3vZqzz2LcZNss1Q8AIp9vVbAj2AAfKZjmIqUk/s400/crayfish+006.jpg" border="0" /></div><br /><div align="justify"></div><p></p><br /><p align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong><a href="http://chocolatesprinkles.wordpress.com/2007/04/24/crayfish-in-green-chili-sauce/">View Recipe Here</a> <a href="http:www.imageshack.us"><img style="WIDTH: 167px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 44px" height="44" alt="" src="http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/4123/cookie1oj0.png" border="0" /></a></strong></span><br /></p><div align="justify"></div>Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043710043447079687.post-66466096549814859512007-04-07T23:55:00.000-07:002007-04-22T23:57:14.028-07:00Toasting away by the lake side<div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5056511521444484978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdmu7hAMudxGRRu0fqAb02fQccy2JeLJj-ludJbvoXMHS0-tx8Rw_Jw57uVcZ1HmXi_bWztyU5oo4zwfxNRp3qhp_lNMp0IYA-Vr7EemLgH15onJXPWZK67vnpzihKnOBnlNSPGeSfUI/s400/NZ-3+169x.jpg" border="0" /><br /></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Got up late that morning, like always :D, feeling completely refreshed. Since we needed to get internet access in late afternoon, we decided to hang around in the city center. There're rows of cafes right across the lake, but it seemed that the crowd were attracted to something else. Large billboards bearing colorful photographs from around the world with a little description below were lined up along the park. </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Wait, there's something else..... a few local artists placed blocks of tiles in the park, some sort of "walk of history", dating back from 1800 up to 2007..... Quite an interesting touch.</span><br /></div><div align="justify"><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It was still 3 more hours to midday. Got plenty of time in our hands and we decided to spread our blanket on a carpet of fresh lime green grass by the lake. What a great spot! Chilled white wine in a glass, a plate of sliced cheese & smoked salmon. Perfect! We're all set for the afternoon. I've never realized how much I miss the sun. How warm it felt brushing against my skin. Hmm, toasty! </span><br /><br /></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Lazying under the afternoon sky, giggling, sprawling, breathing in the breeze coming in from the lake. Aaaahhhh..... Luv spending days like this with you, babe.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5056513402640160658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi45vWVO26eZU46VPvVAZbVx8ZyaaUeV0QrkSpgZ4PKyWsc1FzmTWMilS1mV6Gt83mGYGyW8016W2i_rJHjCbSxn4EqVxb-562iB9oSWgA8w8WIfdwP2c-63u8rFTnk1FhAN3SUqYQAGZ0/s320/NZ-3+172.jpg" border="0" /></div>Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043710043447079687.post-46721564552228521172007-04-06T01:01:00.000-07:002007-05-06T06:42:48.569-07:00Day 6 ~ Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu<div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#663333;">That afternoon, we rushed down to Queenstown to watch a rugby match; Highlanders vs Chiefs. I thought it would be an interesting thing to do, at first, never seen a live match before. Once I went to the Bronco's in Denver Colorado, but that was a long time ago, and I barely remembered anything of the game. </span><br /><div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#663333;"></span></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061428401540292194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJYvoud342VjKcXiRpozo6fQSwdHPHe0PPbFvBSfLvDqBT4zA_N3I1sDt4LeK0ish-71NyjofIH01gJCc-pPZl4HlFWKmux7J8lYju4TgqZEBRII15UauKGlF8ap1l_KanM3bW72PMXc/s320/NZ-3+090.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#663333;">It was pretty small in comparison to other live sports I'd seen. Ha, that only one game, of course. In short, I lasted only about 10 minutes. It was too cold, too uncomfortable and I was too grumpy to enjoy the game. I'd rather stay inside the van having wine and cheese. There's this great brie cheese we got the other day. Yummie. </span><br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#663333;">Trying to get out of the park after the game was a bit ridiculous, almost an hour and half we were stuck there. Finally when we got out, we headed directly downtown Queenstown. Streets and alleys were totally full of people that afternoon. It was very touristic though, there were a couple of Indonesian student groups went shopping in the same souvenir store we were in. Babe was in a rugby craze mode - so it was REALLY important for us to find the nearest sports bar to catch the next rugby game on TV. </span><br /><br /></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#663333;">Let's just say he got his rugby and I got my nice dinner. Too bad no photos. It was almost 11pm by the time we're done. Too late to get a spot in holiday park. We drove around finding nothing. Luckily babe decided to go by a lake side in Frankton. It was a great choice!</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#663333;"></span></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061430664988057202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPawZaaWCAOpY1uf6i9SHu_O8TRkOTjQmdZhQU_KoBbYsoGK6f-cW7GOnzu336CK-jdd691bh2zd6DtJqGWOtexXjzzaM0y1ehofRpjYUs5ct38X6hmSZVZ-zFCp-UTeGoR3o1iGWl2T8/s320/NZ-3+105.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#663333;"></span></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061430669283024514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZG6RXlfOKOZxsp45pV2z9B7QipXLB_zaJmaEG3b0Ua5e1e4yyUWpSlTOppkuQIo18PkCoakhGOMMk5HOox9jK7K_iuDy-DYJm2DwfjrqRWQqZTbB1js1skn_8Jiu2e8oeZQ2pckeNwcM/s320/NZ-3+095.jpg" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061442480443088530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2mSf0A-_jC7WqHcBLzKq2T8z1Tj0eZQFMQYEUAOeGLZLPB8ojXg43B8Rw_GBqLy1JYq3_AT7FSIH8YM33uouc3aMH03PBOBWrv1Hhg0hwBY1GJm8EzjmABy6EjH6LDxw50wmivJDBG0w/s320/NZ-3+096.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#663333;">It was tucked away from the crowd, great view of the lake and the next morning we woke up to the family of ducks swimming nearby. They joined us for breakfast, sort of, fighting for bread crumbs leftover. At one point, the ducks got too friendly and started to follow Mike around, begging for more crumbs. I thought I'd join them for a swim, although Mike tried to convince me that the water was still freezing cold at this time of the year.</span><br /></div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#663333;">I made a bet with him, I said I'd swim. It wasn't a bluff. He called the bet and said he'd put his money on it. Hehehhe, and guess who lost? I did jumped into the lake. It was like an instant brain freeze, only this went throughout my whole body. It was FREEZING COLD!! The coldness numbed my mind and the rest of my system, I just automatically swam quickly across and back, while the other campers on the other side obviously saw me jumped in. I heard them laughing. </span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#663333;">The best thing after the swim, was sitting in the sun with a warm coffee in my hand. Mike made it for me....</span></div><br /><div align="justify"> </div></div></div>Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043710043447079687.post-87461002412152108252007-04-06T00:25:00.000-07:002007-05-30T08:55:50.486-07:00Day 5 ~ Lake Tekapo, Mount Cook<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#996633;">It was such a beautiful drive, stopping here and there, lots of coffee and wine. New Zealand is just an amazing land with so many untouched nature's beauty. Everything is still intact, well kept, the river is so amazingly clear with light turqoise color resulting from the melting glacier of the surrounding mountains.</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#996633;">First night on the road, we parked in a holiday camp by Lake Tekapo. It got quite chilly in the evening, good thing that the camper had a good heater inside. It felt awkward at times travelling with a full kitchen and a toilet at the back of the car. Hot coffee or chilled wine is just two steps away. </span><br /></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#996633;"></span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#996633;">The next morning we stopped by at a salmon farm along the way to Mount Cook. </span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#996633;">Let me tell you, fresh salmons off the river are just awesome!!! A full plater of sashimi that we shared looked positively beautiful, fresh, vibrant orange color and those thin slices were simply melt in the mouth. We met a few other asian groups who went absolutely crazy over the salmon platter.... the japanese, thai and chinese.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#996633;"></span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#996633;"></span></div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/3462/nz3017xdw4.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#996633;">After that refreshing but yummie lunch, we continued along the road to Mount Cook. The landscape got more breath taking, those backdrop overlapping mountains were sooooo beautiful. Massive spread of untouched beauty right in front of the eyes the whole time.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div>Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043710043447079687.post-10564093267163355432007-04-03T23:01:00.000-07:002007-05-06T00:15:36.906-07:00Day 3 ~ Wellington to Picton<div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#996633;">We're off to Wellington by plane from NPY. It was such a tiny neat airport. Something about the angle of the sunlights, created such a nice feeling about the airport, getting ready to board that twin engine plane. Almost movie-like, you know, when it's almost the end of the movie and the audiences are swept through an awesome scenery of sun lit airstrip with bright blue sky as a backdrop..... Ah well, maybe it's the foolish romantist in me that's talking.</span><br /></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#996633;">Spent a night in Wellington. The city has a lot of water around. Not the kind of city I would like to live in. Auckland maybe, NPY could be a bit too quiet for us, but we both love Arrowtown.</span></div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#996633;"></span></div><a href="http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/2486/nz2121bq9.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/2486/nz2121bq9.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#996633;">The next day we started off early around 8am. After grabbing a quick bite of pastries and strong coffee down @ Coffee Bean, we rushed off in a taxi to catch up the earliest ferry to Picton. We got in just in time... phew! Ferry was a bit too long and I wasn't really in the mood to be excited - coffee hadn't kicked in yet. Besides it's still too early.</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#996633;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#996633;">Got off Picton around noon to pick up the train tickets. We had around an hour before the train arrived, so we had a time to explore a bit of Picton. Hmmmfff, already craving for real asian meals, lunch was a bit of a disaster. Kiwis food are still way too bland for me. Second option would be fast food joints, KFC or McD, which of course don't exist here.</span><br /><br /></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#996633;">I've never sat this long on a train before. This by far, the longest train ride I've ever had. TI was a 5-hour ride. Whahahaha.... thank God my babe was there with me, otherwise I would definitely have gone insane hearing the entire conversation of the two groups sitting behind us - a German old grandma who loudly shared the story of her life, which was very very very long... she hasn't finished when we got off the train. The other one was a group of Americans <em>*you know how loud they can be*</em> sharing their "amazing" travel stories, always topping up one another. I felt like I'm tuning into one of those "marathon amazing race" program on AXN.</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#996633;">At one point I reached the "I've had enough of this" and just tuned out completely, they're voices simply become incomprehensible gibberish. </span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#996633;">Christchurch was the last stop. Whoa, finally! Train ride was interesting but I wouldn't do it again, no thanks! Now, this is the city that seems livable.</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#996633;">The next morning were a bit easy, we didn't get up until late. No tight schedule. All we needed to do was to pickup our campervan at Maui, near the airport. We got the 4 berths campervan, a bit more space than we needed, but kitchen was just perfect!!! Full cabinets of cutleries, pots, plates, bowls and glasses. Tiny fridge that fits just enough for the road. The next thing was stock up for the road. </span><br /></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#996633;"></span></div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#996633;">South Island, here we come!</span></div><div align="justify"> </div></div>Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043710043447079687.post-23504650525030689482007-04-01T22:15:00.000-07:002007-05-06T00:54:09.416-07:00Day 1 ~ New Plymouth<a href="http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/7046/nz2070nf8.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/7046/nz2070nf8.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#663333;">This is the beginning of our trip to the south island of New Zealand. First stop was Dad's house in New Plymouth. It's been quite a while since the wedding in Bali, October two years ago. Nice to see him and Helen again. </span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#663333;">The neighbor's cat I remembered last time, was still there. He used to be so huge and healthy though. Dad said he barely comes over anymore, he seems a bit sick and has lost weight. Helen still cooks delicious lunch and dinner as always - she adds a special touch to food decoration adopted from Rumah Bali. Hehehe....</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#663333;">It was a relaxing two day at New Plymouth.</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div>Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043710043447079687.post-48600869709594160732007-03-20T18:35:00.000-07:002007-03-23T09:46:16.994-07:00Oleh-oleh dari Inner Mongolia<div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5044931094993111522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyXXOLRbzAOkr6_6CEsWmppvHQhXkvMjLNmcRJX0PfnY1EHjSDB7VAS__un9Z1Gcm1x4lBaLD7ufDYmfKkE2ODx-yad0NEzXmLctE-r6hO5ukPg-4JB15EaZRkw0qIf1D-6rTgsk1t8fE/s400/Hohhot1+022.jpg" border="0" /></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ffcc00;"><em><strong>Main street of the "moslem area"</strong></em></span><br /><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAsc7imQ2NojuzZ5ihTJMwNIjhiFs7qgkHJtGNBQ0ymfKG9UTtjng7P2ZbXAjDq0TVDvh_YYi-DCvkoF9C0n2LamGlAo4oObtPAPP0HCq_GSEVbri0JLoY0Zim4q52Qd0k9fQF64HyVm0/s1600-h/Hohhot1+025.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5044930777165531602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAsc7imQ2NojuzZ5ihTJMwNIjhiFs7qgkHJtGNBQ0ymfKG9UTtjng7P2ZbXAjDq0TVDvh_YYi-DCvkoF9C0n2LamGlAo4oObtPAPP0HCq_GSEVbri0JLoY0Zim4q52Qd0k9fQF64HyVm0/s400/Hohhot1+025.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Dari sebelum kita berangkat, sudah diwanti-wanti kalau disana bakalan jauh lebih dingin dari kota kecil tempat kita tinggal, bahkan lebih dingin dari Beijing. Malah ada yang bilang sekarang lagi musim sandstorm di Mongol sana. Perjalanan dengan pesawat dari Pudong Airport di Shanghai memakan waktu hampir 3 jam. Nyatanya sebagai gerbang Mongolian grassland yang terkenal itu, lumayan banyak juga turis yang berkunjung. Kali ini kita satu flight dengan group turis dari eropa. Begitu pintu pesawat dibuka, disambut dengan udara dingin yang kering dan bau khas batubara - karena ternyata Hohhot memang salah satu penghasil batubara dan masih banyak industri kecil yang memakai bahan bakar batubara. Ciri khas kota di China memang. Sama seperti Harbin. Hasil jalan2 diluar tanpa pelindung mulut & hidung bisa membuat lubang hidung jadi hitam. </span></div><div align="justify"><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Nggak ada badai pasir saat kita disana, mungkin belum waktunya. Katanya sekitar bulan April, saat musim semi. Hohhot ternyata lebih besar dari yang kita bayangkan. Jalan2 besar, gedung-gedung megah, stadium olah raga yang 3 kali lebih besar dari yang ada di kota Changshu. Wah, pemerintah sini jor-joran banget kayanya.</span> </div><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5044933482994928130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9LWbBQDn6D1OQyUFZ8Ykp6j-sWvErJbhMFmagoP1CQ-H2E-xYT1c6GbHGnQ8AsgBOVKejqE0i5n-YoT00irkqtOw0l8JMG4gsDhHbY3XZohaOClf9s_tPwvxWzeIcuUDNkp6b6IjgYc4/s400/sweets1.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;color:#ffcc00;"><strong>Sweets anyone?</strong></span><br /></span></em></span><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Malamnya acara dinner, kita diajak ke salah satu resto yang lumayan terkenal katanya. Chinese food ala moslem. Loh? Ternyata di daerah situ sebagian penduduknya beragama Islam. Bener2 kontrast dengan arsitektur gedung disekitarnya, karena di salah satu sudut kota dengan latar belakang hamparan gurun yang luas, satu jalan utamanya dihiasi dengan arsitektur gedung2 bergaya islami. Papan nama dan jalan ditulis dalam 3 karakter - chinese, mongolian dan arabic. Wah, cantik banget...... </span></div><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></div></span></div>Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043710043447079687.post-4621293594045402412007-03-13T18:10:00.000-07:002007-03-20T06:21:33.051-07:00Ada Apa Dengan Cina<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrt9aKgBuNTax3Oq1Xz-QnLyAnN8NLRbYsaSKr6HP-y7pgmTJJ4hLOSxVhSVWBb6PLpH7fHoSJlcAEKc9M6ODpsLcHI_BPf-OEWfbVdg-2_o5fVuMEolR-vtjFaYYXo45rM3K87v3U3U/s1600-h/ketapel.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5043995131424999874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrt9aKgBuNTax3Oq1Xz-QnLyAnN8NLRbYsaSKr6HP-y7pgmTJJ4hLOSxVhSVWBb6PLpH7fHoSJlcAEKc9M6ODpsLcHI_BPf-OEWfbVdg-2_o5fVuMEolR-vtjFaYYXo45rM3K87v3U3U/s320/ketapel.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#666666;">Tumpahan rasa kekesalan .... *maaf ya jangan tersinggung* ini cuma observasi sepihak, selama setaun lebih tinggal disini dan dari segi pandang gue yang kadang-kadang agak rasis kalo kepepet karena pasti mikirnya "Gila, jelek-jeleknya orang Indonesia, kita masih diajarin sopan santun"</span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><div align="justify"><span style="color:#666666;"><strong>This is China, man!</strong><br /></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#666666;">1. Upon entering a restaurant or any public places, completely ignore the rest of the world. If anyone greets you warmly, ignore the f*cker and walk past him/her rudely<br /></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#666666;">2. Queuing is for suckers. Shove and push whenever you can - or someone else's gonna take your place.</span></div><div align="justify"><br /><span style="color:#666666;">3. Taxi regulations, refer to number 2 above. If someone stops a taxi in front of you, rush to get in. The taxi driver will stare at you blankly anyway. Try to keep a straight face when the other person is glaring and cursing at you from outside.<br /></span></div><div align="justify"><br /><span style="color:#666666;">4. In supermarket, ensure you take note on other people's shopping items - make sure you're making a point by walking closer and checking out into their trolleys. Blank facial expression is a must while doing this. You can spit on the floor afterwards for extra effects.<br /></span></div><div align="justify"><br /><span style="color:#666666;">5. Staring bluntly at foreigners is considered polite. Turning to your friends next to you, whisper and giggle while looking back is a sign of friendship.</span></div><div align="justify"><br /><span style="color:#666666;">6. Standard shopping outfits are pajamas, baby dolls and all of those funky looking bedroom clothes. Don't bother combing your hair, people will stare at you coz you look 'too different'</span></div><div align="justify"><br /><span style="color:#666666;">7. Ignore any attempts from foreigners to explain to you that they do not understand chinese. Laugh out loud and give them a whiff of that killer garlic breath of yours and continue jibbering.<br /></span></div><div align="justify"><br /><span style="color:#666666;">8. Standard photo posing for chinese are the two finger 'victory' sign. Even kids at young age learn to do this so well</span></div><div align="justify"><br /><span style="color:#666666;">9. Take loads of wet tissues when travelling. Those public toilets always run out of tissue somehow. Lucky if you get squatters, some of them are just a wide split on the floor with no running water to flush. Pray that you don't see 'leftovers' when you walk in....</span></div><div align="justify"><br /><span style="color:#666666;">10. Blaring music is cool. Wherever you are, whatever you sell, you gotta have defeaning music on speakers. All trees in the park and in nature should be fitted with speakers and flickering lights. That's how nature should sound and look like.</span></div><br /><div align="justify"><br /><em><span style="color:#333333;">**Dari pengalaman pribadi......</span></em><br /></span></div></div>Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043710043447079687.post-1211911135986568142007-03-12T16:51:00.000-07:002007-04-21T20:43:29.190-07:00When the Goddess become matchmakers<div align="left"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdiQppeoPHutHpC0hiaJdAbxhpDjSxrkhokLp5EgZ-qHD662qrn8NKPCRmydSXVZbPI5DdwHQkfAdmgMweQdyCPxrGEy_3ojBW8iNobs231o-8rknpoxm_ZOXDhWsjNmVNXiVLm0I0Dnk/s1600-h/padlocks.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5043991888724691330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdiQppeoPHutHpC0hiaJdAbxhpDjSxrkhokLp5EgZ-qHD662qrn8NKPCRmydSXVZbPI5DdwHQkfAdmgMweQdyCPxrGEy_3ojBW8iNobs231o-8rknpoxm_ZOXDhWsjNmVNXiVLm0I0Dnk/s320/padlocks.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This is something I've never heard before "Temple of Matchmaking Gods" .... Interesting enough to check out. Strangely, somehow the place looks familiar, I'm quite sure I've seen similar photos before...Initially I wasn't really looking forward to this trip. Wuxi, an hour or so drive from our place. So what, it's going to be one of those so-so touristical places crowded with hundreds of people making a total mess everywhere. So typically chinese. The only thing that kept me going was the fact that we'd be travelling in a big group of americans plus a few of the hotel's staff, which are quite a fun crowd. After there're several of long stay guests I am quite familiar with. Shouldn't be that bad. </span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><div align="justify">First stop would be a lake, Taihu Lake. My thought was "another not-so-special lake spot that the chinese are so crazy about" and I was right. It was a plain boring lake with greyish cloudless sky and nothing to do. Entrance ticket costs RMB105/pax included the ferry across to Fairy Island. *yippee...NOT* Again, as I've mentioned in my previous posts about the description of some god-knows-where supposedly tourist attraction in china, do not believe 100% what they write. </div><div align="justify"><br />Quote : <em>"........The Taihu Lake is characterized by its picturesque natural scenery. The Turtle Head Islet, Fairy Islands (The three-Mount Island), the Three Kingdoms City and Water Margin City etc. are all the spots that worth a visit in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province..... "</em> </div><br /><div align="justify">Honestly, what ARE these guys ON?? But then again, most of these reviews come from a gov website or travel agent. Yeah, well....</div><br /><div align="center"></div></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5043991897314625938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgffwHGJ0sL5Emkosa5QKcbBDQTzhkTrojzuGUZ0gO_J_8oPVkYn4uuK-2_fteEfZbsLbSaP0fpt4DTzTItcomYFdiQF-DNiETM5GioCT74MdH0KPgMEtZYtko1UAgKv_OgSHnLAA96c30/s320/babe+pray1.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="justify">After like a 25 mnts ferry across to Fairy Island - with what looked like 500 other chinese, we got there. As this is supposed to be the place where they produce fresh water pearls, we saw many clam shells along the lake shore, some were as large as the palm of my hands.<br /><br />Ancient remnants of Taoism dotted a few spots in here. Some are quite interesting for photo objects. Just to let you know, it's very difficult to shoot an object here in china, as there's always some smart-ass trying to get into your shooting range. Mostly would prefer to stop and gape when you decide to press the button. Mind you, the chinese are quite known for subtlety....not!</div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5043991897314625954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4PI2AeICwFO3kzD0VwMVIrE1eVMzFcGlbmr9q6DRn_fedu3Sfu0mfX3SxanatuBe7eTKgMzaZHdS3XNPTO4GAstHOSqQOdojNPRG1JM6gpiIb5iZbGMKEgi3fJL-BKZiHnbMbhJ70DNQ/s320/Dragon.jpg" border="0" /><br />A simple lunch to end the lake tour. Cold cuts of bland steamed chicken, seaweed pickles which were quite disgusting, dark soy fried fish, baby shrimps, stir fried tofu & crab meat, and a couple of other fish dishes which were quite edible. A few guys who seemed unfamiliar with this type of dishes looked quite uneasy, obviously they're first timers in china. Without missing a beat, Mike and one of the guy said that in chinese culture, guests of honor usually have the fish' eyes and head. First timers in china are considered as 'guest of honor....'<br /><div align="justify"><br />I couldn't believe they pulled this off together. The guy actually swallowed the fish eyes without blinking. We tried so hard to keep a straight face when he did it, but I just burst out laughing when he commented that it was quite tasteless, but kinda gooey, then someone answered "Oh, it's probably the eye socket...."<br /><br />I think he lost his appetite for the rest of the afternoon. Oh yeah, I didn't know americans could handle spicy food better than the kiwis. The handy travelling size bottle of my 'sambal ABC' from mom went around the table that afternoon</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">For more photos of the trip, <strong><a href="http://www.slide.com/r/AjzZ3xlr6z8Pe4jjLn4z8KqLnJGA3a8D?previous_view=lt_embedded_url"><span style="color:#ffcc00;">click here</span></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRja4_5Y-6siDJDGXAVlOFPvUK8bqGLzsqGpeW8o0n_PPgKC0qcFSuFPilTdXy3d03Pjh7ebGAVebl9qjNN_C1uKHtZjhRAjNyrxDafF-dgxQitKJDeMyV4Tlw1zT-KndUGkDaYrZ2PFw/s1600-h/clickme.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5056092448600512162" style="WIDTH: 49px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 48px" height="48" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRja4_5Y-6siDJDGXAVlOFPvUK8bqGLzsqGpeW8o0n_PPgKC0qcFSuFPilTdXy3d03Pjh7ebGAVebl9qjNN_C1uKHtZjhRAjNyrxDafF-dgxQitKJDeMyV4Tlw1zT-KndUGkDaYrZ2PFw/s200/clickme.gif" width="90" border="0" /></a></strong></span></div>Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043710043447079687.post-89791419467700716502007-03-07T00:59:00.001-08:002007-03-07T02:29:32.533-08:00Do you believe in soul mate?<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;color:#ff6666;"><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#ff99ff;">** I've kept this article in my old journal a long while ago, adopted from one of sites that I frequently visited - James Redfield or Cayce.</span></em></span></div><br /><p align="center"><img class="alignmiddle" src="http://images.dhilicious.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/ReZNvAoKCrkAAHSofPI1/dv1874013.jpg?et=VbMaVWqJyFHtJ3W85GXtew" border="0" /></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;color:#ff99ff;">Every individual that you have encountered or will encounter is your soul mate. Each human is a soul that has voluntarily entered Earth school in order to experience certain circumstances and to contribute certain gifts. It is a path that you have chosen - and that everyone you have met or will meet has chosen.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#ff99ff;"></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;color:#ff99ff;">Your challenge is to determine how you will relate with the millions of soul mates that you will encounter in the course of your lifetime. The relationships that you now have are with fellow souls. The relationships that you will form in the future will also be with fellow souls. Relationships illuminate parts of yourself that need healing - e.g. parts that dominate others, try to please others, judge others, or exploit others. Changing your relationships will not heal those parts. Changing the way you perceive things will.</span></p><p align="justify"></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;color:#ff99ff;">Changing relationships without intending to change yourself is like changing the actors on a stage. The play continues - only scenery and actors are different. But when you heal this part in you, the play changes. You will no longer need abusive relationship, or no longer need to dominate other or be submissive to another. That part of your journey is complete. Other new paths are now open for you to explore and learn....</span></p><br /><p align="center"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;color:#ff6666;">" Your soul mates are not your saviours. They are your fellow students in this earth school"</span></em></p><br /><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></p>Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043710043447079687.post-35965929069282741092007-03-04T00:28:00.000-08:002007-03-07T00:38:57.444-08:00Antara Brandon dan Bambang<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#996633;"><span class="insertedphoto"><a href="http://dhilicious.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/Re01EQoKCrkAADk4qME1"><br /><center><img class="alignmiddle" style="WIDTH: 260px; HEIGHT: 258px" height="283" src="http://images.dhilicious.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/Re01EQoKCrkAADk4qME1/clean4.jpg?et=lyBLFASGPomY6mJOMpc4WQ" width="283" border="0" /></center><br /><p align="justify"></a></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Ini kisah seorang istri yang kesabarannya hampir habis menghadapi kebiasaan sang suami yang nggak mau ambil pusing menjaga kebersihan rumah. "Dia sama sekali nggak perduli rumah mau berantakan kaya apa, sementara saya dibesarkan di lingkungan yang sama sekali beda, semuanya serba teratur rapi pada tempatnya". Sudah berbagai macam nasehat dari teman2nya yang menyarankan trik-trik dalam menghadapi tingkah laku pasangan yang bikin cape ati. Beberapa anjuran yang paling jitu yaitu :<br /></span></span></p><br /><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#996633;"><strong>Trik 1</strong> : Ngalah Aja Deh, emang dasarnya laki-laki dimana-mana sama aja<br /><strong>Sumber</strong> : Nyokap - hasil dari 40 tahun pernikahan<br />Daripada ribut nggak jelas, mendingan kerjain aja semua sendiri. Memang sih trik ini kedengeran jadoel banget a'la Stepford Wives, jadilah selama 3 hari aku mengerjakan tugas2 membersihkan rumah, buang sampah, cucian dsb - sepulang dari kantor!<br /><br /><strong>Hasilnya</strong> : rumah bersih, tapi tetep jengkel. Aku ini istrinya atau 'Inem'nya sih? Mungkin trik dari nyokap udah gak jaman lagi dimana peran istri bukan lagi sebagai tukang bebersih di rumah - tapi sudah sebagai partner, bagi tugas sama rata. Sama-sama kerja di kantor juga kok!<br /></span><span style="color:#996633;"></p></span></span><br /><p align="justify"><span style="color:#996633;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>Trik 2</strong> : Cuekin Aja<br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>Sumber</strong> : Kakak - sudah 7 tahun nikah<br />Trik nomer 2 dijalankan selama seminggu, rumah dibiarkan berantakan. Ternyata gampang juga ya! Seminggu berjalan mulus tanpa ribut-ribut dengan suami. Sampai satu hari saya mengundang teman-teman <em>*yang sebelumnya sudah dikompakin soal aksi mogok beberes ini*.</em> Ternyata mengena juga trik ini. Suami menegur saya sambil panik beberes "Bisa2nya kamu bawa teman padahal rumah berantakan kaya gini". Aku cuma tertawa "Berantakan apanya?"<br /></span></span><span style="color:#996633;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>Hasilnya</strong> : Berhasil! Tapi kok rasanya bersalah juga ya memakai reverse psychology macam ini.</span></span></p><br /><p align="justify"><span style="color:#996633;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>Trik 3</strong> : Mogok Servis<br /><strong>Sumber</strong> : Teman - *<em>frenemy itu maksudnya friend-enemy gitu?*</em><br />Gampang kok, tinggal bilang NO - tapi terus terang aku nggak gitu sreg dengan cara ini. Terlalu manipulative. Ternyata cara yang paling tepat bicara terus terang kalau kita merasa pembagian tugas rumah kurang adil. Solusi bisa diupayakan bersama. Yang jelas kaum lelaki itu memang agak kurang sensitif kalau hanya diberi sindiran halus atau sinyal-sinyal nggak jelas, musti bilang terus terang "Aku nggak suka A karena ini dan itu"</span></span><span style="color:#996633;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Secara suamiku sendiri juga suka agak kurang tanggap sama hal-hal seperti ini. Aku suka sindir memanggil dia dengan nama-nama yang berbau jawa. Tadinya dia sempet tersinggung karena disamakan dengan laki-laki jawa, yang manja & maunya diladeni aja, tapi sekarang udah enggak kok........ Iya kan Bambang?</span></span></p><br /><p align="justify"><span style="color:#996633;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">**Article is adopted from </span><strong><u><a href="http://www.thenest.com/articles/article_love.aspx?articleid=A50209142303"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The Nest online magazine</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span></u></strong></span></p>Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043710043447079687.post-45583072651630503782007-03-01T10:46:00.000-08:002007-04-21T20:44:50.340-07:00Lantern Festival<span class="insertedphoto"><p align="center"><a href="http://dhilicious.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/ReaOjQoKCrkAADuE5fM1"><img class="alignmiddle" src="http://images.dhilicious.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/ReaOjQoKCrkAADuE5fM1/72586180.jpg?et=hTEJs3FyRkjoRTrYG7mPLw" border="0" /></a></p></span><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;color:#333333;">Lantern Festival this year falls on March 4. It's a national carnival to welcome Spring after a long dark cold winter. The other two major traditional festivals in Chinese are Spring Festival and Mid-autumn Festival. The celebrating activities consist of three parts: the daytime Huahui (lively and jolly celebrations), the nighttime Denghui (display of various lanterns) and eating Yuanxiao (sweet dumplings made of glutinous rice flour).</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></span></p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;color:#333333;">Huahui is held at daytime and mainly on famous streets or in big temples. It's made up of various entertainment activities including yangko opera, stilt walking, landboat rowing and the most fabulous lion dance which, accompanied by the clamors of gongs and drums, always gathers the most spotlight on the site.</span><br /><br /><p align="center"><img class="alignmiddle" src="http://images.dhilicious.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/ReaO3QoKCrkAAE4Fy281/71645708.jpg?et=Zk2Fe%2BR9inceSZTgyxsd2Q" border="0" /></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#333333;">Denghui is held at nighttime and it's where Lantern Festival gets its name from, a festival to appreciate various lanterns. Lanterns will be made into various shapes, the lotus flower, the aniseed, the dragon and so on. </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#333333;">Yuanxiao to Lantern Festival is the same as dumplings to Spring Festival. It is sweet dumpling made of glutinous rice flour. Traditional Yuanxiao stuffings mainly are hawthorn white sugar, mashed Chinese dates pine nut and sweet bean paste, which are enriched in modern society to include cream, chocolate and so on. Yuanxiao is available at various supermarkets. Long cherished Yuanxiao brands include Daoxiangcun, Gongyifu, Yixinfu and so on. </span></p><p align="justify"><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ff0000;">**</span></strong><a href="http://ezine.chinadaily.com.cn/?vol=7"><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ff0000;">More on Lantern Festival photos & facts</span></strong></a></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="color:#333333;">** Source from <strong><u><a href="http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/citylife/2007-03/01/content_816663.htm"><span style="color:#ff0000;">China Daily</span></a></u></strong></span></span></p>Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043710043447079687.post-21921385256302421552007-02-25T01:54:00.000-08:002007-02-25T01:57:23.869-08:00Green Fried Rice<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;"><div align="justify"><span style="color:#006600;">Ide sebenernya terinspirasi dari masakan nyokap, ikan sepat cabai hijau. Kalo pas nyokap masak ini, kita jarang banget nggak nambah. Kombinasi bau gurih cabai hijau dan daun jeruknya itu loh. Jadilah, acara dinner tadi malem, nasi eksperimen ini jadi salah satu suguhan. Ternyata sukses!<br /><br />Masaknya gampang banget kok, yang udah sering masak nasi goreng dan sukses, pasti bisa bikin sambil merem. Preparationnya sama dengan bikin nasi goreng, tapi bumbunya agak beda sedikit.... Sebenernya gw udah biasa masak tanpa resep, jadi rada susah kasi ukuran tepatnya. Dikira2 aja ya.</span></div><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="center"><img class="alignmiddle" style="WIDTH: 363px; HEIGHT: 256px" height="381" src="http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/1754/greenricefo7.jpg" width="492" border="0" /></div><br /><div align="justify"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;"><span style="color:#006600;">Porsi nasi untuk makan 2 orang<br /><br /><u>Bumbu halus:</u><br />* Cabai hijau besar 7-8 pcs<br />Cuci bersih & buang bijinya supaya nggak pedes. Kalau mau pedes bijinya jgn dibuang<br />* Bawang putih 4 siung besar<br />* Tomat 1 pcs<br />* Maggi rasa ayam 1 cube<br /><br />1.) Bumbu dihaluskan lalu tumis dalam 2 sdm minyak sampai harum<br />2.) Masukkan nasi yang sudah matang<br />3.) Aduk rata, tambah garam, merica<br />4.) Terakhir banget masukkan daun jeruk yang diiris halus2 memanjang.<br />5.) Bisa dihidangkan pake ayam goreng atau kering kentang... lebih bagus sih pake piring<br /><br /></span></div></span>Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043710043447079687.post-22339869685835144452007-02-22T13:11:00.000-08:002007-03-24T01:36:39.084-07:00One Day in Hangzhou<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ-97GtiGMgqfSGKLxH2TM3DXkDMHhYuVy4m6pL8MhOJ5g1HI0QhXSANansKj0D5h6s2sDPG5xwTKmIhyphenhyphen3kyQjC-72Dwl6_NJWsDoZciHDRVaHP5ZOtHhi04TLmvguanpI4umV1pL45Nw/s1600-h/Hangzhou+127x.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045403717489330818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ-97GtiGMgqfSGKLxH2TM3DXkDMHhYuVy4m6pL8MhOJ5g1HI0QhXSANansKj0D5h6s2sDPG5xwTKmIhyphenhyphen3kyQjC-72Dwl6_NJWsDoZciHDRVaHP5ZOtHhi04TLmvguanpI4umV1pL45Nw/s400/Hangzhou+127x.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Liburan Imlek disini berlangsung agak lama, sekitar semingguan, at least 10 hari sesudahnya pun masih banyak kantor2 yang libur. Denger2 dari cerita temen2, Hangzhou katanya lumayan juga buat jalan-jalan. Sedikit refreshing liat danau dan spring yang katanya udah mulai disana, sementara Changshu tempat kita tinggal masiiiih aja gerimis dan temperaturnya dibawah 5 derajat. Brrrr..... Sedikit info tentang Hangzhou, kota kecil di provinsi Zhejiang, sekitar 2 jam perjalanan dari Shanghai, dan 2 jam dari Changshu. Populasinya sekitar 6 juta orang *Biasanya gw nggak terlalu peduli sama urusan populasi..... Tapi waktu kemarin jalan-jalan ke danau, ada kali tuh setengah populasi penduduk yang juga jalan2 ke danau*</span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045404993094617762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnEWvNOCUGOl_qG0sJIrI1MNW7tjyiHILRVAgVzx5FqzieaZPMa_49noGszUytVhA-qYLgMZhwFM8wW1gA-03s49l7RMYiHJvm3cIk842EtsvdryBHmC-nbPlPjjuS3ZU8dFaQs_-iF78/s400/Hangzhou+064x.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="justify">Oh iya, gw juga belajar untuk gak percaya dengan kata2 surga di fast facts google search waktu nyari info tentang satu kota di China. Menyesatkan tuh fakta2nya. Ngaku-ngaku aja sebagai "the most well-known and popular tourist destination on earth"....... In reality the most interesting thing you can find is either a man made lake (like in Suzhou) or this so called famous gardens and parks (like in Changshu). Which tourist in the right mind would fly across the world to visit a lake or some gardens??? <em>*gilingan banget gak sech, kolam aer mancur pizza man di Sudirman aja lebih bagus*</em></div></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045405572915202738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgue8i4Y-InfPD9B6kx0JIRCuEIMd7Fw4vxITxyc27J2P7s-oFCOYc1CRkPbGUC_9fJt8Qe17djPQwb9oZ2s3Hp7vBenaFVp7ROzzIDiOKfQX1PvA2sdFWXO8phxuxVn2SgE1IIo-gNf3U/s400/Hangzhou+095.jpg" border="0" /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><div>Untungnya Hangzhou agak mendingan dari perkiraan. Pemandangan di sekitar West Lake (Xihu) lumayan laaahhh.... cantik juga saat sunset. Selain jalan-jalan ke West Lake, di sekeliling danau memang banyak banget tea houses - salah satu specialtynya Longjing Tea yang memang asalnya dari Hangzhou. Longjing lumayan enak, tapi jenis yang lainnya belom kepengen nyoba karena menurut gw rasanya mirip kaya rumput laut!</div><div> </div><div></div><div align="justify"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045404408979065490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_1hx-bOLQXJqmr_4mA9RicjChb8MwbjThr_Mc0l3mkXyXzzttO3vxOUwNm29e3VsQvLosGFFFG5XWNAxPL9vuzUuI2Y1beJvE8ZJZTQeq84Z9ACImk70jXo5y0RVqGJlbx61DVnaMNE/s400/Hangzhou+131x.jpg" border="0" /><br />Local signature dishes yang sempet kita cobain malemnya enak banget dan definitely an addictive material. <strong><a href="http://maywind.vox.com/library/photo/6a00c2251e25868e1d00c2251da175f219.html">West Lake Sweet Vinegar Fish</a></strong> yang juicy karena sang ikan setelah di-marinate, di-steam sampai lembut banget trus dilumuri gravy cuka coklat kental yang rasanya gurih asam menggigit dan manis. Hmmmm. Bikin ketagihanlah pokoknya. Cuma, tulang-tulangnya agak ribet makannya. Kalo nggak mau tulang, bisa minta dibuatkan ala Sweet & Sour aja, yummie juga kelihatannya. Mereka ambil ikan2nya langsung dari tambak di danau depan restauran. Jadi masih fresh banget! Nama Inggrisnya fresh-water grass carp, nama Indonesianya gw gak bisa inget... yang jelas dulu waktu kecil gw sering banget makan gituan. Bukan ikan sepat, bukan ikan gurame, bukan lele, duuuh, apa ya???<br /></div><div><br />Satu lagi yang katanya signature dish, Longjing Shrimp, udang di stir fried dengan bumbu minimalis dan ditaburi teh hijau. Rasanya...... agak hambar kalo menurut gw sih. Bukan pencinta masakan udang minimalis sih, at least musti pake cabe atau di-asam manis. </div><br /><div>Spring udah mulai dibagian dunia sini. Weeping willows udah keluar tunas2nya, juga cherry blossoms yang kecil2 kaya kancing tapi wangi banget. Foto2 masih gw update, belom sempet kepegang secara malem ini gw 'dipaksa' masak dinner buat boss nya Mike. Hiiiihhh.... </div><div align="justify"><br /><strong><a href="http://www.xihutiandi.com/en/hangzhou_tour.htm">Xihutiandi</a></strong> - scenic garden surrounding the lake with great cafes to soak the evening sun and sip a great cup of coffee.</div><div align="justify"><br />Must-try signature local dishes from Hangzhou:</div><div align="justify">West Lake Sweet Vinegar Fish, Dongpo Pork, <a href="http://maywind.vox.com/library/photo/6a00c2251e25868e1d00c2251d9fb58fdb.html">Beggar's Chicken</a> and <a href="http://maywind.vox.com/library/photo/6a00c2251e25868e1d00c2251d9f28549d.html">Shrimps in Longjing Tea</a></div><br /><div align="justify"><strong><a href="http://www.louwailou.com.cn/english/mingcai.asp">Restaurant LouwaiLou</a></strong><br /></div><div>30 Gushan Road, Solitary Island</div><div align="justify">West Lake Side</div><div align="justify">Ph: 0517-7965416 </div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_chinaway/2003-10/17/content_27834.htm"><em>** Resep Sweet Vinegar Fish bisa dilihat disini</em> </a><br /></div></span>Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043710043447079687.post-22485238104725664012007-02-18T02:05:00.000-08:002007-02-25T02:13:37.785-08:00Chinese New Year<span class="insertedphoto"><center><center><span class="insertedphoto"><a href="http://dhilicious.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/Rdc1twoKCrkAAAqaXgQ1"><center></a><a href="http://dhilicious.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/RdcxCAoKCrkAAG58f441"></span><img class="alignmiddle" height="280" src="http://images.dhilicious.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/RdcxCAoKCrkAAG58f441/71251594.jpg?et=zgQJz%2CCcQH%2CoFX4WyVmwmA" width="281" border="0" /></center></center></center><p align="justify"><br /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;color:#cc0000;">Happy Chinese New Year everyone.... Gong Xi Fa Cai.<br />Udah dari jam 5 sore tadi orang2 disini mulai rame pasang petasan dan kembang api. Nggak tanggung-tanggung mereka kalo main petasan loh. Ngalah-ngalahin petasan menjelang Lebaran di Jakarta. Kita punya petasan renceng cabe rawit yang namanya memang sesuai dengan bentuknya, kecil2 tapi suaranya dahsyat nyebelinnya. Trus ada juga petasan banting, belom lagi petasan yang disundut satu2, petasan irit kali ya..... bunyinya sama juga bikin sakit kuping.<br /><br />Lain di Jakarta, lain di Cina. Lebaran cina pertama kali dilewatkan di Beijing. Petasan bukan cuma mainan anak kecil seperti di Jakarta, disini hukumnya wajib pasang petasan, termasuk owner2 hotel berikut direktur-direktunya. Ukurannya juga nggak tanggung2, bukan rencengan lagi, tapi sudah gulungan yang dikemas segede ban mobil!!! Ya ampuuunnn.... Cara masangnya juga nggak digantung, tapi diletakkan di tanah, trus ban petasan itu digulirkan panjaaaaaanggggg kira2 bisa 5 - 7 meter.<br />Itu baru petasannya. Belum kembang apinya.<br /><br />Jadi inget jaman kecil dulu, kembang api dikemas di bungkusan dengan 10 tangkai kembang api yang cuma seukuran tusuk sate. Disini kembang api dikemas segede-gede ember. Gue pernah beli di market, ternyata seember itu beratnya kira2 5KG, 10KG dan seterusnya. Makin besar, makin lama sampai kira2 20 menitan baru habis. Dan itu suaranya lumayan berisik....</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;color:#cc0000;">Kebayang aja deket2 tengah malam di Changshu sini, orang2 udah pada mulai semangat pasang kembang api dan petasan tanpa berenti. Tiap pojok rumah, atap2 gedung dan jalanan, semuaaaaa pasang beginian. Halaaaahhh..... gimana mau tidur nech??<br /></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;color:#cc0000;">Foto2 di bawah diambil dari jarak yang deket banget, secara ada orang pasang pas banget di depan balkoni apartment kita.<br /></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;color:#cc0000;"><br /> </p></span><p align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:100%;color:#cc0000;"><img class="alignmiddle" src="http://images.dhilicious.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/Rdc1dQoKCrkAAA9Gg281/CNY%20006.jpg?et=z2ot2PubRlvGS82ACsohTQ" border="0" /><br /><br /></span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:100%;color:#cc0000;"><img class="alignmiddle" src="http://images.dhilicious.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/Rdc1twoKCrkAAAqaXgQ1/CNY%20009.jpg?et=qMK4Znp458DGDQdt1p656g" border="0" /><br /><br /></span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:100%;color:#cc0000;"><img class="alignmiddle" src="http://images.dhilicious.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/Rdc18QoKCrkAABaekSc1/CNY%20005.jpg?et=e1jaZlyRZmEPqt9%2Bg2LF6g" border="0" /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:100%;color:#cc0000;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:100%;color:#cc0000;"><img class="alignmiddle" src="http://images.dhilicious.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/Rdc2GAoKCrkAABDRCOc1/CNY%20014.jpg?et=%2CgnJIkvgJO1BKeKIoyNuUQ" border="0" /></span> </p><p align="center"></p></span>Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043710043447079687.post-30943249496754109512007-02-05T20:08:00.000-08:002007-04-24T03:09:00.575-07:00Dinner @ En Japanese Resto Plaza EX<span class="insertedphoto"><span class="insertedphoto"><center><span class="insertedphoto"><center><center><span class="insertedphoto"><a href="http://dhilicious.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/RdRzIAoKCrkAAAOG8Ik1"><center><img class="alignmiddle" src="http://images.dhilicious.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/RdRzIAoKCrkAAAOG8Ik1/Jakarta1%20027.jpg?et=qXmcPiI3v7pomaqgLPhEiA" border="0" /></center><br /><center><span style="color:#ffcc00;"><em>Appetizer - Melt-in-the mouth Deep Fried Oysters</em></span></center><br /><center></a><a href="http://dhilicious.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/RdRxwgoKCrkAAHYvdEs1"></span><img class="alignmiddle" src="http://images.dhilicious.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/RdRxwgoKCrkAAHYvdEs1/Jakarta1%20033x.jpg?et=3bUvxOWdhtMR3vxDfJmBCg" border="0" /></a></center></center><br /><center><em><span style="color:#ffcc00;">Assorted Skewers: shiitake mushrooms, sweet marinated eel<br />(unagi), chicken, beef and fish</span></em></center><br /><center><br /><a href="http://dhilicious.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/RdRxowoKCrkAAHTjZ241"></span><img class="alignmiddle" src="http://images.dhilicious.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/RdRxowoKCrkAAHTjZ241/Jakarta1%20038x.jpg?et=1IUUbxA33uU64frGTrpSOQ" border="0" /></a></center></center></center><br /><center><em><span style="color:#ffcc00;">Grilled Salmon, main course</span></em></center><br /><center></center><br /><center><a href="http://dhilicious.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/RdRxhwoKCrkAAHgLgt41"><img class="alignmiddle" src="http://images.dhilicious.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/RdRxhwoKCrkAAHgLgt41/Jakarta1%20037x.jpg?et=8EXdbEhGKYCLoKs9guS4YQ" border="0" /></a></center><br /><center><img class="alignmiddle" src="http://images.dhilicious.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/RdRx6QoKCrkAAHhSkiM1/Jakarta1%20050x.jpg?et=3Nu6nuVAxUibsHJWqDMwCw" border="0" /></center><br /><center><em><span style="color:#ffcc00;">Vanilla Ice Cream on a bed of puffy crispy bread</span></em></center><br /><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">Chic bar dengan Japanese fusion sepertinya lagi seru-serunya di Jakarta. Gue sih dari dulu taunya cuma Blowfish aja - konsep pertama makan cantik yang dikombinasi dengan bar, tapi harganya gila-gilaan mahalnya. Huh, bikin bangkrut kalo makan disana.<br /><br />Tapi karena kita lama tinggal di daerah 'pedesaan', jadi agak haus dengan yang berbau fusion food. Udah lama banget kita nggak sempet ke tempat2 seperti ini. Tempatnya & deco nya lumayan, pas di seberang Hard Rock Cafe. Service juga ok, mbak2nya sabar banget nungguin kita order makanan, padahal sambil becandaan melulu. Cuma yang bikin agak nggak sreg di mata, kok ya di restoran Jepang yang konsepnya modern minimalis, ada chandelier segede2 gaban ngegantung pas di depan hidung??? </span><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">*higs, keselek*<br /></span></p></em><br /><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;color:#6600cc;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Makanannya oke banget, bener2 melebihi expectation kita berdua. Enak banget, dan presentasi yang cantik bikin kita ngalah buat harga. <em>*maklumlah, kita berdua emang pecinta presentasi makanan cantik.... dan rasa yang oke dong*</em> Agak mahal sih, tapiiii ambience dan experience nya sepadan kok.</span><br /></span></p><br /><p align="justify"><strong><u><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><img class="alignmiddle" style="WIDTH: 56px; HEIGHT: 55px" height="79" src="http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/7906/clickmekm2.gif" width="86" border="0" /></span><a href="http://www.endiningbars.com/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">En Japanese Dining Bar</span></a></u></strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6600cc;">Plaza Indonesia, EX Center 2nd Floor<br />Jl. MH Thamrin Kav. 28-30<br />Ph: (021) 31990207</span></p><br /><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;color:#6600cc;"></span></p></span></span>Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043710043447079687.post-11979156310887688782007-01-30T19:19:00.000-08:002007-03-05T19:35:18.261-08:00Warung Nikmat Kuta Bali<span class="insertedphoto"><center><span class="insertedphoto"><span class="insertedphoto"><a href="http://dhilicious.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/RdFhFQoKCrkAABgFF981"></a><center><a href="http://dhilicious.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/RdFg0AoKCrkAABSYApQ1"><center><img class="alignmiddle" src="http://images.dhilicious.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/RdFg0AoKCrkAABSYApQ1/Bali%20Day2%20033.jpg?et=JUGB%2BoT4qCPZ5OLZrLpDcQ" border="0" /></a></center></center><center></center><br /><center><a href="http://dhilicious.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/RdFhFQoKCrkAABgFF981"><img class="alignmiddle" src="http://images.dhilicious.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/RdFhFQoKCrkAABgFF981/Bali%20Day2%20030.jpg?et=HVUqrtqobw9Peg3OFvPNvA" border="0" /></a></center></span></span></center><br /><center><span class="insertedphoto"><span class="insertedphoto"><em><span style="color:#ffcc00;">simple lunch menu for Rp. 8000,-</span></em><a href="http://dhilicious.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/RdFhFQoKCrkAABgFF981"></center><br /><div align="justify"></a></span></span></span></div><span style="color:#006600;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Pertama kali dikenalin warung ini dari Mia, adikku yang saat itu masih tinggal di Bali, dan jadi tempat tongkrongan favorit kru Garuda plus turis2 Jepang yang kadang2 suka agak keterlaluan jiwa jurnalis nya. Warung Jawa sih sebenernya, mungkin cita rasanya agak terlalu manis buat kebanyakan orang Bali. </span></span><br /></span><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#006600;">Pilihan makanannya banyak, tipikal warteg gitu deh, cuma lebih bersih dan kualitasnya jauh di atas warteg2 umumnya kok. Satu porsi nasi campur dengan menu pilihan dari kira2 20 sampai 25 macem menu - kira2 Rp. 7000 sampai Rp. 15,000 (itu kalau yang porsi dagingnya dobel). Enak kok!<br /><br />Mulai rame sekitar jam makan siang. Dan biasanya banyak yang sudah habis sekitar jam 4-5 sore. Jam 6 pasti udah tutup. Enaknya sih dateng lebih awal sekitar jam 11 siang gitu. Menu favoritnya ayam bakar - rendangnya juga enak kok. </span></p><br /><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong><u><a href="http://www.baliblog.com/travel-tips/warung-nikmat-kuta-bali.html"><span style="color:#006600;">Warung Nikmat</span></a><span style="color:#006600;"><img class="alignmiddle" style="WIDTH: 46px; HEIGHT: 44px" height="92" src="http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/7906/clickmekm2.gif" width="85" border="0" /></span></u></strong><span style="color:#006600;"><br />Jl. Bakung Sari - samping Hotel Bakung Sari<br />Di seberangnya supermarket Supernova</span></span></p><br /><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><a href="http://dhilicious.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/RdFg9QoKCrkAABRrAVY1"><img class="alignmiddle" src="http://images.dhilicious.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/RdFg9QoKCrkAABRrAVY1/Bali%20Day2%20031.jpg?et=7QWKQd88PfcdRgn1hLMECA" border="0" /></a></span></p>Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043710043447079687.post-72860148251831896962007-01-28T11:13:00.000-08:002007-03-23T12:19:27.853-07:00Drops Restaurant at Casa Suites Legian<div align="center"></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjphHNsHzwJvaYeguHZ84LlXj5YqAVip9gJSgQ3gUDzlCrGsNoOH3pDi82DsrQUrvsFQYnlXKp_kzCopIwIg7inzZYdAUJ1Ur9QD4s5O5cLNVsBgeiiqJ_2PwROrJtaIR6wZPw_7x6bNcQ/s1600-h/Jakarta1+021.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045195695043316242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjphHNsHzwJvaYeguHZ84LlXj5YqAVip9gJSgQ3gUDzlCrGsNoOH3pDi82DsrQUrvsFQYnlXKp_kzCopIwIg7inzZYdAUJ1Ur9QD4s5O5cLNVsBgeiiqJ_2PwROrJtaIR6wZPw_7x6bNcQ/s400/Jakarta1+021.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Cinta banget sama makanan disini. Chef nya orang Bali asli - tapi katanya pernah ditraining 2 taun di Belanda. Taste & flavours nya pas banget, presentationnya unik... lucu.....Gue sampe terus2an pesen sate campurnya, karena dihidangkan di dalem batok kelapa dibelah plus sambel matahnya yang supeeeerrrrr enak! Duh.... jadi bikin lapeerrrr</span> </div><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045197735152781922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdw2X1RcoQSznKjBejwJSPq6fRtBvjl6X1MEeX0GuCs9mLttvQoryVnj8FSKq7MP_U9Pb_6Q6h37DZK8o4_JHkIo71rwApNRk1dJ4V_7NuGiDqJSozJdhoym9rWeyIPrFqhctiTAGTRIw/s400/Bali+Day+5+108.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ffcc00;"><em>Sate Campur komplit</em></span> </p><p align="center"><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045196498202200626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3_3pRcTE_WaLfYHnT8OaioES02LYmCktfwbFlICpOsE5HPHG4wz-bB3Jpb-OKZ0uyPAyiXaOoqZSsSIC2Iqx6tN8-VaAEhQ9CqDOeTHeL4Mil-aW2YfTwFT64nGrMf_FM7jF3YK9H5I/s400/Jakarta1+018.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ffcc00;"><em>Bebek Betutu lengkap dengan sambal matah</em></span> </p><p align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045198478182124146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 398px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 277px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="277" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUvKLlvhjsqOIlMLq-mPw_FW1h10cjc_q-zU9l9ymqYDd3X_kLz9QvDEJi7R3b4_ppVyk85HOa5XcJOuFQjGxKEEGQuRKy05n26RJpBpmzQ56wBuWhCCth2XRWWK0MvkThQQqAwh0Lqrs/s400/Jakarta1+014.jpg" width="378" border="0" /></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6633ff;"><strong><a href="http://dhilicious.multiply.com/journal/item/83">More on Drops Restaurant and Casa Suites in Legian Bali</a></strong></span></p><p></p>Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043710043447079687.post-12183707825415560762007-01-25T17:24:00.000-08:002007-03-05T19:31:26.227-08:00Jurus jitu memilih kursi strategis di pesawat<span class="insertedphoto"><span class="insertedphoto"><span class="insertedphoto"><a href="http://dhilicious.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/RbhrWwoKCrkAAAHeegI1"><center><center><img class="alignmiddle" src="http://images.dhilicious.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/RbhrWwoKCrkAAAHeegI1/dv2074028.jpg?et=rjfyYtUuFrEvKs3esh7YxA" border="0" /></center></center><div align="justify"><br /></a></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6666cc;">Orang yang sering traveling dengan First Class, pasti nggak pernah pusing dengan urusan seat di pesawat. Tapi yang biasa jalan-jalan dengan tiket murah, duduk di kelas ekonomi dengan jam terbang melebihi 6 jam - saat high season lagi - urusan tempat duduk bisa sama pentingnya dengan urusan hidup & mati. Masih untung kalau dapet mas atau mbak yang baik saat check-in. Kalau tidak, siap2 berjuang mempertahankan ruang dengkul dari penumpang di depan yang berniat membuat kursinya sedatar papan cucian, sementara sikut-sikutan berebut armrest dengan penumpang sebelah. Halah, mana masih 12 jam perjalanan........ampuuuunnn</span></span><br /><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6666cc;">Ada beberapa tips buat memilih kursi yang lumayan strategis, walaupun tidak 100% bebas gangguan menurut pengalaman saya. Yaaaa, namanya juga kelas kambing.</span></p><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;color:#6666cc;"><a href="http://dhilicious.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/RbhpoQoKCrkAAFauu4g1"><img class="alignmiddle" style="WIDTH: 350px; HEIGHT: 221px" height="208" src="http://images.dhilicious.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/RbhpoQoKCrkAAFauu4g1/seatconfig2.jpg?et=i13i2jCCajOGCNECyu5d%2Bg" width="344" border="0" /></a></span></p><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;color:#ffcc00;"><em>Seat configuration untuk B747 - kursi strategis <strong>30 ABC</strong> dan <strong>30 HJK</strong><br />Berikutnya kursi <strong>44 ABC</strong> dan <strong>44 HJK</strong>, lalu <strong>55 ABC</strong> dan <strong>55 HJK</strong></em></span></p><br /><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6666cc;">1.) Kursi yang paling strategis : <strong><span style="color:#6600cc;">Exit Row Seating</span></strong>, tepat di sebelah pintu emergency, karena ruang dengkul dijamin paling luas - lebih luas dari ruang dengkulnya pilot loh. Kalau mau ke toilet nggak perlu melewati deretan dengkul tetangga, atau dorong-dorongan kursi dengan penumpang di depan. Cuma, kursi ini paling susah didapet, harus diminta saat check-in. </span></p><br /><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6666cc;">Menurut aturan FAA & FAM seat ini di-reserve untuk ABP (able bodied person) yang bersedia untuk dijadikan relawan saat darurat; kalau evakuasi, nggak bisa kabur duluan, harus bantu penumpang lain lah. Syarat utama harus sehat fisik dan bersedia jadi relawan. Tapi setahu saya, di SQ, banyak penumpang2 dari business class yang suka booking seat ini saat mereka kehabisan favorite seat di business class.</span></p><br /><p align="justify"><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6666cc;">Hati-hati: daerah sini kadang-kadang suka jadi tempat parkiran meal cart, lindungi dengkul!</span></em></p><br /><p align="center"><img class="alignmiddle" style="WIDTH: 291px; HEIGHT: 335px" height="314" src="http://images.dhilicious.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/RbhpvwoKCrkAAFgS0bA1/seatconfig1.jpg?et=JiNhrQN04GTLXrAn7chvtw" width="271" border="0" /></p><br /><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6666cc;">2.) <strong><span style="color:#6600cc;">Jangan ambil kursi yang paling belakang</span></strong>, karena biasanya tempat duduk tidak di desain untuk recline penuh karena terhalang oleh dinding pembatas, selain juga bersebelahan dengan toilet yang biasanya berjumlah lebih banyak dari toilet di depan. Dijamin nggak akan pernah sepi pengunjung. Tambahan pula, kursi belakang itu dekat dengan galley atau dapur yang juga jarang sepi dari kegiatan nyiapin makanan/minuman plus tempat ngerumpi cabin crew *hehehe, pengalaman soalnya bikin ribut di galley.......*</span></p><br /><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6666cc;">3.) Usahakan ambil <strong><span style="color:#6600cc;">kursi yang agak di tengah menjauh dari bulkhead</span></strong>, karena biasanya bulkhead seat - deretan kursi paling depan yang berhadapan langsung dengan tembok pembatas - biasanya di-reserve untuk bayi & anak balita (yang kemungkinan bakal rewel sepanjang penerbangan). Biasanya row kedua dan ketiga dari depan juga termasuk deretan favorit tuh buat tempat balita. Jadi ambil jarak aman dari tiga rows itu.</span></p><br /><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6666cc;">4.) Oh ya, boarding pass itu cuma berlaku saat boarding aja. Setelah pintu pesawat ditutup, cepet-cepetlah cari kursi strategis. Tapi hati-hati jangan sampai pramugarinya liat, bisa kena marah loh & disuruh balik lagi. Kalau flight nggak terlalu penuh, <span style="color:#6600cc;"><strong>cari deretan kursi di tengah dengan 4-5 kursi</strong> </span>sebelum penumpang lain liat. Cepet2 didudukin, tas/barang bawaan ditaro di ujung satunya lagi sbg tanda daerah teritorial sudah diambil alih, sebelum penumpang lain ikutan mengklaim juga. </span></p><br /><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6666cc;">5.) Kalau beruntung bisa dapet beberapa kursi sekaligus, saat berbaring usahakan posisi kepala jangan menghadap aisle. Meal cart yang wara-wiri itu lumayan juga rasanya kalau sampai mampir di jidat.</span></p><br /><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6666cc;">6.) Tips terakhir, kalau masih nggak nyaman juga, cari kursi kosong lain atau minta bantuan cabin crew dengan alasan kursinya rusak atau apalah *<em>namanya juga usaha*.</em> Biasanya alasan keamanan atau kesehatan lebih diperhatikan daripada alasan kenyamanan. Kalau bisa bicara langsung dengan chief cabin atau pursor nya.</span> </p><p align="justify"><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#6666cc;">Seat configurasi untuk lebih lengkapnya bisa dilihat di <strong><a href="http://www.seatexpert.com/_SQ_Boeing_747_400_V3.html">SeatExpert Website</a></strong> <img class="alignmiddle" style="WIDTH: 46px; HEIGHT: 46px" height="70" src="http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/7906/clickmekm2.gif" width="76" border="0" /></span></p><p></p>Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043710043447079687.post-12247213842224201092007-01-20T19:10:00.000-08:002007-01-21T20:31:33.663-08:00Leisure walk on one Saturday morning<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtqDz7DCGaMP_FUhgbNusMA159Uvy82XNv8xYK5jUfi293mtQajeyweEHDdUkvhFOcpquvtDuaYbh1hs1-FdagTZ3uoCX1d8cDgVbfBBYT_QQdXboYN4MuDGBAk2MjUzxLadtv0aXm5M/s1600-h/set1.png"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5022705688581328962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 326px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 374px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="358" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtqDz7DCGaMP_FUhgbNusMA159Uvy82XNv8xYK5jUfi293mtQajeyweEHDdUkvhFOcpquvtDuaYbh1hs1-FdagTZ3uoCX1d8cDgVbfBBYT_QQdXboYN4MuDGBAk2MjUzxLadtv0aXm5M/s400/set1.png" width="314" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9iHmzHyTAGN5T4kdTRVtEFCw9Uk9qWApXxbcDDtgrjJJgR5G3AjbggX9K5EaPF_RnyBlDC-MjHFGiz9TAd_u27TXZSXKflnMJPJv5qw0DqKPJ1BtqSA02mYMaQMNmzMuVbS01cHXBAyo/s1600-h/set1.png"></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We both woke up a bit late today, really late round 11am. Clear day but still too cold to get out and do stuff. Yeah, like there're anything to do here anyway. I wasn't in the mood for preparing breakfast, so we'd just pop by the hotel for a quick lunch.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The weather was crisp cold but still slightly bearable to go for a short walk. I sort of excited to try out the new camera. And there're quite a few photo ops on the way - like this funny looking curly cabbage-look-alike that had been planted since the beginning of winter. Not edible apparently, just part for decorative purpose in the parks. I think they look amazing this morning, especially with last night's drizzle, all dotted beautifully in strands of pearl-like morning dews. They look amazing! Anyone knows what it's called, pls let me know. </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></div></span><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5022706246927077474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HGjNeD2ILqCboYkwnax2DkqUBdSthjx1BBZOk3wuG55uutadB0oGJ62Lukq35TSBBweVSOtKp272wIn7Es4tVE6AjJYg2cjfe9AtvqvJ_i-mczBGsAbAhbxB7L1irt1-7hfXElf-Hq8/s400/wkblog1.jpg" border="0" /><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5022706242632110162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 345px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 241px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="270" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9EZtjw5j7FgBTZRjCXqqdVXH9wIr-7PGVEdFlK1kR1RbRLsLlWAsIKmfTWVooNMPd8RCMEeB1rPbw8d8f6-cdq_JhrHmxj0bS1IHOO_k-iFKjGjYmDlpb7ZIvVHnhhc247ZDlwhIQkJE/s400/wkblog3.jpg" width="384" border="0" /><br /><div><br /></div><br /><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We took the back alley of the hotel which is a local residency area. Farmers mostly, have massive vegetable plantation in front of their houses. These people really know what they're doing, the vegetables look absolutely delicious!<br /></span><br /></p></div>Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8043710043447079687.post-61344644674695536692007-01-18T08:18:00.000-08:002007-01-17T20:41:13.579-08:00And so the world disappears....<div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Woke up this morning to find the world had vanished. The fog was so thick, we could barely see anything out there. Still freezing cold, below 5 degrees C. Should be getting a bit warmer later today, but still won’t make me want to go out and do stuff. Gotta get up to get brekkie ready for B. See ya later!!</span><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/6041/home18009rt9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 304px; height: 227px;" src="http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/6041/home18009rt9.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Indigohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13654486729250793556noreply@blogger.com0