Until The Time is Through

Usually before the year ends, I make a list of what I did in this year, what accomplishment that I've done, and all the stories of my life in the current year. Here's mine this year.

I started this year with a lot of plans and hopes. I must admit that my two big plans didn't really happen this year. And I must say that the challenge I face every year keeps going uphill. I've met a lot of failure this year. I have also faced a lot of disappointment. It was really not easy. I don't have to go into details, but the disappointment mostly came from people who were close to me. I tried to be more considerable, understanding, and forgiving. But finally I had to give up on the reality that some people were not meant to be in my life forever. Some of them will finally choose their own path and leave us. That doesn't mean our story ends. It means that their part of their story in our life has just ended. So all we can do is just move on. We can't force the world to revolve around us. We can't force a friendship. We can't force a relationship. When everything is shattered after we're being so patient, the best thing to do is to let go. Don't ruin our life because other people fail to see our sincerity, worth, and dignity. 

This year I also have learned to not to be too attached to people. I learn to be more independent. I learn to enjoy my solitary moment. I learn to be alone but not lonely. It reminds me about the beautiful quote of Yasmin Mogahed:

 “Why do people have to leave each other? Because this life isn’t perfect; for if it was, what would the next be called?”

Attachment to something beside Allah can just leave us in pain, worry, and sadness. Because it is not a real attachment. Attachment makes us expect so much on people. And when they can't fulfil our expectation, we will be heartbroken. The best thing to do in life is not to get attached to anyone, even to our spouse. We have to learn to break the chain of attachment and treat all people the same. Just be in normal terms with people. So when they show their behavior that is irrelevant with what in our mind, we will not take it personally. Isn't it difficult? Now I can finally relate to the various Islamic talks on how any attachment in this world can break us if we cannot handle it properly.

Apart from the emotional ups and downs which I experienced this year, I did also have some wonderful experiences, about finding new pursuits, about finding my passion, and about doing so many more projects for myself. Now I know what I really have to achieve for next year. Now I know what I want and what I don't want. Now I can set my priorites straight. For once in my lifetime, finally I know what I am looking forward to. Isn't it amazing? I think when the direction is now headed back to ourselves, there are so many things we look forward to doing.

I feel that I am so "deep" now :D

Anyway, I hope for the better year and the better me! Aameen!

Pekalongan - Another Batik Town

I almost forgot to post about this one day trip. It happened last February. My friend, Tami, was visiting my hometown. She really would love to visit Pekalongan. It is a town in Central Java for approximately 3 hours from Purwokerto (my hometown). The main attraction of this town is its Batik industry. Do you know that the famous Indonesian muslim designer, Dian Pelangi, is also from Pekalongan? 

Batik is the heritage clothing of Indonesia, especially of Javanese. The cities which are famous with Batik industry are Cirebon, Jogjakarta, Pekalongan, Madura, and many more. Almost all cities in Java island have their own design of Batik. 

I went there with my mom and brother as well. Basically all we did was hopping from one batik store to another one. I purchased one blue batik skirt and my office mates and my friends often compliment my skirt by saying "Cute skirt, where did you buy that?" I said I bought in Pekalongan for only IDR 40k. I wish I bought more skirts. It's an excuse, I know right :D

We also tasted some local cuisine, such as Nasi Megono and Garang Asem. Then we also visited the Grand Masjid there to pray. 

It is quite my ambition to be able to visit every town and city in Java. Pekalongan is now checked :)

International Batik Center of Pekalongan

Batik Shopping

We googled the famous dish in Pekalongan and this is one of them

This is called garang asem. Basically it's a spicy beef soup.

Mom and Tami in front of Masjid Agung Pekalongan

Another Batik center at Kampoeng Batik Kauman. Mostly home industries here.

Old style house

My bro tried on a batik shirt

Another local dish named Nasi Megono

Basically just rice with some vegetables. Spicy too

Mom, Tami, and Me

How To Start Blogging

Few of my friends ask me how to set up a blog. I am not (yet) a good blogger myself because I don't post articles regularly. My blog isn't that famous as well. I mean some blogs have reached million views. While you can see I just have 12 thousand views. Certainly I am still nobody :D

However, for you who are interested in blogging I can share a few tips on how to begin. These are just some simple tips from my own experience. 

• Sign up for free blogging platforms

Unless you want to be a commercial blogger by having your own domain, you may start with free blog platforms. There are some free ones available such as Blogger, Tumblr, Wordpress, LiveJournal, Weebly, etc. I personally prefer Blogger because it is easier to set up. But it is entirely up to you what platform you will choose. If you want to go pro, you can buy your own domain. The fee is around USD 25 - 200 per year. With your own domain you can link to Google Ad and you can get side income from the ad click of your readers when they visit your blog. That's another benefit of blogging.

• Decide what you want to write

The initial reason for me to make a blog was to write about my travel experiences. However, sometimes I write about books, movies, self help and religious articles. You can basically write everything in your blog because there is a label feature. If readers just want to read about your travel experiences, they can just search in travel section. Some bloggers do make specific themes for their blog. For example, they make fashion blog, cooking blog, or DIY blog. I like blog walking and I am fascinated on how people sometimes are so creative with the content of their blog.

• Visual is important 

Not many people like to read. When I blog walk, I am usually attracted with the pictures first before I read the articles. Therefore, don't forget to put on related photos in your articles. That will attract more readers for sure.

• Consistency is the key

Don't let your blog dusty and rusty. Update it regularly. At least posting once a month is sufficient. I don't write a lot too. I write when I have desire to write. But to be a good blogger you must write regularly so your readers will not forget you. 

• Have manners too

Eventhough it's your personal blog, you must write with manners too. Don't write about sensitive issues, racism, religious attacks, and better avoid puns. Don't put adult content materials as well because who knows children will bump into your blog. Be responsible with what you write.

• Share, share, and share

After you write don't forget to share your articles in social medias. Usually I share my articles in Google+, Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook. There are share buttons in every blog platforms or you can just copy the URLs. The science of social timing is important too. If you post your articles during high-activity hours, chances are people will notice more. Try to post early in the morning or after lunch time. Again, this is something I neglect too. I post when I want to :p

I hope the above tips will be beneficial for newbie bloggers. Happy blogging!

Exploring Semarang, The Multicultural City

I was born in Central Java, but I rarely went to Semarang in the past. I only remembered my Dad made a work trip a lot to Semarang. But I had ever been there just for a night and didn't have a chance to explore much. True traveler never leaves a city unexplored. So, last independence day holiday, which was on August 17, I asked my friend who lived there if I could visit her. And she welcomed that plan. Then I asked my friend in Surabaya to join as well.

We stayed in Star Hotel and Apartment. It is the highest building in Semarang. We can see the view of the city from above. It is a cozy place to stay and it has sky pool. Too bad we couldn't swim there because it was under rennovation.

View from top of Star Hotel and Apartment

The places we visited were Lawang Sewu (built as the headquarter of the Dutch East Indies Railway Company), Kota Lama (Old City), Grand Masjid of Central Java, and also a Buddhist temple named Sam Poo Kong. We also visited an old railway station in Ambarawa, which was one hour journey from Semarang city and then we went to a hill there to see the view of Lake Pening. The railway station was the first station built in Central Java during Dutch occupation in Indonesia. Somehow Semarang reminds me of Manila. The city is full of old well-kept building, historical places and museum, and the same hot weather!

Semarang symbolizes unity in diversity in Indonesia. People from different ethnic and religion live together in harmony. You will notice that news like chaos due to ethnic or religious issues exist in Semarang . Not like in other big cities such as Jakarta, Surabaya, or Makassar.

When you happen to visit Central Java, don't forget to explore Semarang as well. Happy exploring!

Lawang Sewu Building, an old building used to be a railway office center

Inside Lawang Sewu

Train Miniatur inside the museum

The founders of Lawang Sewu Building

The idea of railway system in Java was from Kolonel Ven Der Wijk. Why I took this pic because it reminds me of an Indonesian movie named "Tenggelamnya Kapal Van Der Wijk"

I currently have a fascination towards old buildings :D

Flag of our fathers

The minaret of Grand Masjid of Central Java

Those giant umbrellas are like the ones in Madinah

Old building in old city of Semarang

Pavement and old buildings. Purfect!

Gereja (Church) Blenduk

Some statues in Sam Poo Kong Temple

Sam Poo Kong Temple

Somewhere in Beijing (look alike)

Ambarawa Railway Station

The view of Lake Pening. Reminds me of Taal Lake in Tagatay, Philippines

The lake was dry due to dry season

Just the three of us

Mount Padang Trip - A Meet Up Experience

The trip was made on October 3. This was my first experience for me to travel with bunch of strangers actually. I usually travel with people I know like my family, friends, or office mates. I have never traveled with strangers. But it was indeed my intention to know how it is like to travel with people you're not familiar with. So I decided to join a trip which was conducted by Meet Up. One social application which enables you to create an event and connect people. It was a very sudden decision actually. The trip was on Saturday and I only decided to join it on Tuesday. I was actually nervous about what it was gonna be like. Would I be lonely? Would I be looking miserable? It was like I was battling with my own fears. It was like I forced myself to get out of my comfort zone. 

But guess what? It wasn't that bad. I made friends easily. The first time I shook hand with a girl named Fanny and then a man next to me named Budi. We talked a lot during the trip. The most common question we asked each other was "how did you know about this trip?". Of course I answered I knew this from Meet Up. Most of them brought their friends along. Only like three people including me came alone.  But I didn't feel like an alien at all. Then I too got along with Fanny's friends, Syukur and Khamid. And I also got to know two very adventurous girls Desi and Selly. I recalled so because the way they dressed, like real travelers and aventurers. 

The trip was exhausting and it took 4 hours to the site due to traffic jam.We explored two places which were Lampegan train station and Mount Padang itself. At Lampegan station we walked through a railway tunnel, which was around 500 m length. It was so dark and creepy. After that we went straight through Mount Padang. The trekking was quite short, only half an hour. But the rocky stairs were very steep. I didn't work out for quite sometimes so I felt completely worn out. 

Mount Padang megalithic site was known from 1763. The research was done from 1982 and started again in 2012. The stones were estimated from 5000 years before century. The unique thing is the stones are mostly pentagonal sizes (segi lima). It was used as place of worship in the past and some of them were cemeteries.

Over all I enjoyed the trip because I got to know some new friends. Then the organizer made a new whatsapp group so we could be in touch even after the trip was over. I would love to travel solo in group again. May be next destination is to Baduy and Mount Galunggung. I only regretted one thing, why didn't I start this earlier? If I did that in my early years of traveling, may be I already have so many friends and connections in travel world, and I could be a more independent traveler without having to rely on my friend's availability to go to certain places. 

And perhaps, I would already have a soulmate? #eh

Lampegan train station

About to walk inside the tunnel

A very old tunnel

Inside is like Japan cave. So dark and creepy.

Around the railway station

Stairs to Mount Padang

The megalithic site. Full of stones from before centuries

Full Team