Lawang Sewu

On this weekend,  I visited Semarang, a capital city of Province central Jave because of my best friend wedding :). I went there from Jakarta with my best friend Sri by train. Our driver in Semarang was our friend at collage, thanks to Tirto Sunaryo who accompanied us patiently

Semarang has its own charming with contrasting modern mid-rises, Dutch colonial architecture, Chinatown, and small kampong jutting against each other. 

But, unfortunately We just have a little time to explore Semarang.  We visited Lawang Sewu  building which located at Pemuda roundabout. 

In the center of Lawang Sewu Building

Lawang Sewu which the meaning is thousand doors. See the pictures below and you'll see the reason why this bulding called Lawang Sewu... So many door, isn't  it?

Doors in Lawang Sewu

The history of this building cannot separated from Indonesia train history. Because this building has been built as Het Hoofdkantooor van Nederlansch-Indische Spoorweg Maatscappij  (NIS) or center officer NIS. NIS was the private train office in Indian-Dutch Government.

 

In that time, I think this building was really high-tech :D While society in Indonesia still take a bath at river side, this building has a beautiful toilet as seen below,  equipped with sanitary ceramic for had wash, closet, etc.

This building keep cool although weather in surrounding building is warm. Not because this building used AC, because that time when this building had built,  AC hadn't invented. This building keep cool because in  the  underground level has area  to collect water. The water from  well drain to upper level through pipe in the tower of this building. Because of drain of water makes this building keep cool. In addition,  the attic was designed to prevent the sunlight.

In the Japanese colonial period, this building become defense headquarters. So, in the underground used as a jail and the massacre of patriots Indonesia. This building has long been abandoned and  become famous because of  horror stories which spread among community.

But now  restoration has been performed, this building not scary anymore. In this building there a room to display historical story of this building. Sometimes we don't respect the heritage which we have, because we didn't know how meaningful the story behind....

Revealing the beauty of Jakarta

Yey.. my postcard to Portugal finally arrived.. And I got a massage:

"Hello Windar
Thanks a lot for yoir beautiful postcard.
Jakarta must be a nice city to live.
Have a nice day
Filomena"

 

I must agree that Jakarta must be a nice city  but only in the picture. I had taken several photos Jakarta at night and my friend also said that Jakarta looks so warm and beauty, only at night :)

Yes, I must be agree that Jakarta is beauty, but sometimes we (People who live in Jakarta) didn't realize it.   Because we see that view, the same view everyday...for example, people from remotes area when came to Jakarta will amazed with the flickering light of the skyscrapers.

Sometimes, this case  also happen in our life.. sometimes people look us very happy and people envy with our lives, but we didn't fell like that, we didn't felt great at all. Maybe people just look us only from the outer layer, didn't know the difficulties we have..

So, same with Filomena and my friend who said Jakarta is beautiful and nice city. They only conclude it from one side.. after see a picture of Jakarta in night.

Or maybe, I must change my paradigm.. When people said that I very lucky with my lives and I didn't fel lucky,  so I must see the positive side in my  lives then I can thankful for what I have in my live.

Same for Jakarta, I must see the positive side of Jakarta.  I must thankful can live in Jakarta, because I have limitless  access while so many people in other areas Indonesia  still face so many difficulties to get access to electricity, education, health, etc. Maybe I can revealing the beauty of Jakarta someday :)