The Uluwatu

Then the second destination after we visited GWK  was Uluwatu. All this time,  I just saw Uluwatu temple in the postcards. But yesterday, I saw it by my self. Really amazing, it is more beautiful than is postcards. The temple is perched precipitously on tip of peninsula, atop sheer cliff. But unfortunately I cannot entered the temple because of temple is being open to Hindu worshipers.

Uluwatu Temple

Beautiful seashore and cliffts

In this area, I saw so many naughty monkey.  My friend’s glasses and slipper was taken by monkeys. Not only taken it but also broken it, so, you must be very careful if you go to Uluwatu. Because that horrible experienced, we have spent very little time in Uluwatu. 

Naughty monkey who stolen my friend's slipper

 

Garuda Wisnu Kencana-Cultural Park

GWK Statue

The centerpiece of GWK (Garuda Wisnu Kencana) is the yet to be completed 66m-high statue of Garuda, to be erected on on the top of shopping and gallery complex, at total height of 140m. Touted as the biggest and  highest statue in the world, it is to be surrounded by performance spaces, art galleries, a food court and an adventure playground. The approaches to the statue will feature 250m lotus ponds in artificial canyons cut into the hillside, and huge murals of the Ramayana carved into limestone cliffs. (Source: The Lonely Planet book)

Garuda Statue

Vishnu Statue (a mere 22m high)

Artificial canyon

This place become our first destination .  I have already known that GWK is a place where art performance have been held. But, I just knew a fact that I Nyoman Nuarta, a Balinese who lived in Bandung have carved a Garuda-Wisnu statue. In this place, also we can see a Ngurah-Rai airport through the telescope, we just  need  to bought coin.

City view from GWK

Barong Dance Performance

In this GWK also held some traditional Balinese dance performance. When I have visited this GWK at Saturday 11pm, there held Barong dance performance. Unfortunately, I have watched Barong dance performance just a while, because my friends have already gone to the next destination.  O yeah, Barong mask in this performance only imitation, because the real one, must be held at temple (pura).

Peanut Seller

I took this picture because I like the wooden bamboo which was used by peanut seller. I never seen it before.
I wondering how this peanut still in that place?
In Indonesia, there a lot of people who sell something traditionally.
This man walking to offer the peanut,
I wondering, how long he has been walked? How far, he should be walk..

 Maybe if I ask him, I will get an answers..

Sunset From My Boarding House

An afternoon scene from my boarding.Always feel amazing with color of the sunset sky.
Wait the minute.. I think the clouds is like a pair of dinosaurs, or camels, or camel bird. How do you think?

My Study Place

I have to mentioned in my previous post, that I learning English in IALF. IALF has an office at Jakarta, Surabaya and Bali. Many of Indonesian scholar who apply for ADS scholarship has been improved their English for six months.

IALF bulding view from the outside

Receptionist at IALF

My Boarding House

OK, This is my boarding house :) I rent one room sharing with my best friend who work in the same place with me. My boarding house located at Bedugul street, it just need around 30 minutes to Sesetan street where IALF is located. Althought is quite far from IALF, but I like staying here because the place is so clean and have beautiful garden with colorful color.Beside that, I can find a halal food easily. There so many shop which sell halal food surrounding my boarding house. Also local supermarket can reached by 5 minutes walking.

And this pictures below is inside of my room

It's quite comfortable, isn't it?

Wellcome in Bali

Yey!! Finally, I officially  landed in Ngurah Rai airport in Bali :)

 
I have been in the most tourism destination Island in Indonesia for three months. Unfortunately I go to Bali not for holiday but for studying English. I have gotten scholarship from Research and Technology Ministry to learning  English for Academic Purpose. It's such a blessing to me!!! Really thankful for God. Because I really wanted to improve my English skill and explore Bali :D

We was piked by IALF (Indonesia Australia Language Foundation) staff at airport. We used a travel car to go to IALF place. In the car,  I found an unique thing which usually find in Balinese live. 

And almost in every corss road has a statue..

So, in the next posting I will sharing my experiences in Bali :)

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 :)

Jakarta's Carnival

Jakarta's carnival held annually for celebrate 484th anniversary of Jakarta.