A R U M

Hi …

Continuing from my Saturday gate away last week. We didn’t just end up going home after three hours of sightseeing. We went to a famous mosque up in Puncak, At-Taawun Mosque which is the last time I went there, it was 20 years ago. Yes, I know I’m a vintage person now, but huh …

in my time, the mosque is famous because there’s a child singer who filmed a music video there. As you know at 90’s, child artists are big hit, so I eventually knew it. In my mind, the mosque is really big and luxurious, but when I get there … it’s just regular mosque …? I don’t know is it because we have many more luxurious and new mosques or is it only me, but really, it’s not what I have in mind. 

But, it’s not what I’m going to talk about. Is about the drive to that mosque which quite an adventure. 

As you my know, technology now growing very rapid. As a person in twenties living in big city, I have to always up to date what technology brings to my city. Like payment. Indonesia these days really advancing their payment methods so people like me, who is sometimes a mess with coins, can pay anything with only cards or QR code. I’m used to only carry IDR 100.000 cash in my wallet for emergency, everywhere and it never be a problem. Like, you know, card exist, phone exist, internet exist. It’s easy, convenient, and I will not have any problem with small changes. 

It does a problem when I went to Puncak. 

I lived in Bandung for almost the rest of my life before I moved to Jakarta. Both of the city I live in are big cities. They will not have a problem with technologies as technology itself grow there. 

But Puncak is another story. It’s a small city. No … Puncak is a connection area. 20 years ago, Puncak is the connection between Jakarta and Bandung that took 5 hours drive to go both cities. 

As someone who grow up in big city, I have this thinking that people or area are always growing with technology. So, went there, thinking Puncak will be the same as our city, and we almost have a problem with that.

We have to buy gas for our car on the way the mosque, right? We went with that until they declined my husband’s friend card because there’s no debit machine available there like gas station usually have. I only have like IDR 50.000 in my wallet and with everyone addition, it covers up the expenses. 

For your information, I brought like, IDR 250.000-ish for this trip, but I bought McDonald on the way, I should have known it so I will not pay McDonald with cash, I paid for lunch that only accept cash, and I bought something inside the recreation area. Thinking that there’ll be any ATM on the way, or something. But, it’s, of course, not. 

The one more problem we encounter that day is the mosque parking fee. We don’t have cash anymore, I have like … coins, which I don’t know how much I have, and again thinking that it’ll no more than IDR 5.000. 

It was IDR 20.000 …

We have to scratch our wallet and pay with coins.

So, yeah, that’s the story how different area is different experience. Big city habit may not suitable yet to smaller area. I have to carry more cash everywhere I go to some new town to avoid any of these events happen again. 

Bye~

Hi …

At the very last weekend of June 2022, my husband’s friend and his wife, invited us to a one-day trip to Cimory Dairyland. I’ve never been there before as I’m not an outside person (half shut in), but for once-a-month trip, why not, right?

We started our drive from my house because it’s closer and the night before both of them stay the night at out house to minimize the time of our drive. We planned before, to wake up at 3 in the morning, went out from my house at 4, so we can catch up the sunrise at 5 in Puncak. But then we just ended up wake up at 5. So, no sunrise for us. 

We started late, but the drive was fun and we arrived at 7.30-ish at the place after having McDonald for breakfast on road. No traffic, no something unusual, just a good morning drive. This is the first time after 10 years I went to Puncak for holiday so I surprised Puncak isn’t really changing since the last time I went here. So, yeah …

Cimory Dairyland has three sections of experience and the price are varied. We just went to two, the main area and the one called De Windmills. For two experiences, we only paid 65.000 IDR for each person and get one Cimory yogurt and two discount vouchers for ice cream and ice lemon tea. 

The concept for this recreation area is like … Holland farm? Wait, for you don’t know, Cimory is a milk and yogurt brand, so for them to use farm theme is kind of on point. I use Holland is because the place kind of inspired from Keukenhof Tulip Fields, but instead of tulips, they went along with bright and colourful windmills. 

They have a lot of farm animals such as cow, sheep, chicken. And then they also have the not-so farm animals like camel, ostrich, and snakes. 

I like the donkey, sheep, and otter the most. Donkey because they’re small, cute, and when I’m there, they’re seems itchy, so they’re rub their head to the gate and it makes them even cuter. We had sheep feeding session with carrot that we purchased (it was 10.000 IDR for a cup) and it was fun. Otters are smart, aren’t they? I love them. 

We only spent three hours there. The place is actually quite small so, as we all are adult, we can walk fast through everything. Apart from sightseeing animals, they have riding a horse and ATV experiences, too. We didn’t do any of that because we only care about petting animals. 

They have souvenir corner at the exit way. Not only they sell their milk and yogurt, they have their own cake and pie as well. I bought only the cookie and cream pie to try which is I don’t really like … sorry … and I’m not interested buying their cake. If you ever happen to go there, please try it and tell me how’s it like?

Before I leave, my advice, do not use white shoes and white pants. 

Bye~

Hi ...

When you are a child do you ever have things that you wanted to buy but you never get it?

Or ...

Do you have things that you own but not anymore, but suddenly you want to own it again?

Well, I do. 

This was last year. When I got Covid out of sudden despite I always at home, I happen to scroll online marketplace and I saw a second-hand bookshop in it. They have so many comic books and as you can see, I love comic books. But, since digitalization exist, I rarely buy it anymore. I only bought it if I really like the series, mainly as collection for my bookshelf. 

So, I found a comic books that somehow, I remember wanting it when I was a seven-year-old. I never actually found that title on the shelf back in day, but I found it through the book recommendation at the back of another comic book. I become interested after reading the summary and how cute the artwork is. But, if I went to the bookstore, it never there. So, subconsciously I remembered it.

I asked the seller; do you still have this comic book title? But unfortunately, they said no, which is kind of annoying, because why they put it on display if they don't have it. I had Covid, right when I surfed the online marketplace. I’m dizzy enough to find another seller, but the child in me already awaken, so I scrolled it out and found two other seller that have it on display. I asked them one by one. The first one said they still have it, but after I paid for it, they want me to cancel it because apparently, they didn't keep track their stock, so the book that I wanted isn't there anymore. 

...

For God sake ...

...

Then I asked the other seller. They said, they're going to check their storage first, so I said to them, I hope you have it because I've been searching this book for ages (pfft) and they said okay, but not promised it will be there. 

Three days later, they said they have it and if you really want it, please check it out fast because they’re not going to keep it to only one person (?). Like, if they found another buyer that check out faster than I am, the book goes to them. Then, I check it out very fast and three days later …

Here it is, the comic book that I always wanted. 

A miniseries called Melody & Christopher by Naoko Moto. 

Both are little detectives but Melody can speak to animals. A simple story, simple characters, and a simple problem, yet captured my heart to own it. First published in 1999 in Indonesia. It's a 22 years old comic book. No wonder I never found it, I'm three years late. 

This kind of comic books cover is such an old school cover. Red is for feminine kind of story and dark blue is for masculine story. Light blue is for Doraemon. The Indonesian publisher did this until maybe, 2004? They didn’t do this kind of cover anymore. This comic book and my other old collection is called vintage now. 90’s kids like me are considered as vintage. 

I know this is just a small thing, but for me it's kind of achievement. I am now in a position that, in small step, fulfil my childhood 'craving'. Never know that brain can remember something that I, myself, didn’t know or didn’t imagine, about my forgotten wish like this. And I don’t know either that simple things like a comic book can makes me happy. 

People often said, why are you still reading these kids book? Isn’t it time for you to change or move on to more adult reading material?

Well, listen. I’m growing. At this age, I can read both kind of book or any book that I wanted. Why should I leave one behind just to feel or look more adult? If become adult is like shoving all the little fun I have, what’s the point of become adult?

Why would I stop liking things that makes me keep going?

You know, I will always have this child side. It will stay, like, forever. Doesn’t mean I will not responsible as an adult, just you know … you get it. Maybe, you have it, too. So, bye~

Hi ...

I'm so happy that I finally meet my friend from university days. 

Prior to this post, the meet up actually happened quite a time ago, at the end of May 2022. As you can see from this blog, I kind of laz ... inconsistent of posting right on time. Please, bear with it. 

This is our first meet up after a year with full members! 

Ah, I should make a separate blog post about this last year meet up as well. It’s so long ago, but I guess it’s still worth it(?).

At that time, I supposed to go to Bandung, but have to cancel it because one another and my friend who lives in the same city as me, cancelled his plan to go to Bandung as well. Not because of me, it's just happened. So instead, my Bandung friends came to Jakarta to have a glimpse of life as Jakartarian. As my friend, who is living in Wakanda (Flores, but he said it is Wakanda) for the past year, never ride MRT before. And there’s a restaurant that we want to try, located in South Jakarta. 

I haven’t ridden MRT for a long time. Pandemic shut me in at home, so kind of lost about what to do there. It’s raining and cold, not many people at the station at the time, although it’s nine in the morning. Their convenience store still closed and I really have to top up my card as I don’t have NFC on my phone. Thankfully, my credit is still enough for one-way train ticket. 

The restaurant we wanted to go is Naughty by Nature KFC. I’ve never been there before. They said it’s a gourmet version of KFC. We met up at Senayan MRT Station, the closest one to that place with only 10 minutes’ walk from there. 

We came for brunch. The food is good. I ordered KFC roasted chicken and Caesar salad for Rp 68.000. I love the salad the most because it’s fresh and well-seasoned. Prices wise, well, if you compare with standard Jakarta’s mall, more or less the same. But, if you’re from Bandung or another small town, it’s quite expensive. I completely forgot to take picture of the food. 

We went to Ashta, which is only across the restaurant, after we finished our brunch. My friend said, there’s a quite hit photo spot in the top of the mall. It’s a rooftop and glass railing with the scenery of tall buildings in the background. The place is so full with people who want to take a photo at that spot.

To be honest, rather than the photo spot, I rather curious with their bakery that has a delicious smell and a long queue to it, and their chocolatery(?). I care more about food and taste. The chocolatery looks expensive and delicious. But I didn’t buy both, I don’t know why. Someday, right, I’m going to get it and describe the taste … poorly.  

We're ended up chilling at Hutan Kota after a long time of walking. Our main purpose in this meet up is actually chatting in person. So, we did that while snacking. We bought our snack at the supermarket near Ashta. We mostly buy imported snack, because we’re curious human. I love it because our conversation is really chill. Not laugh too much, not serious too much. As friend conversation normally. 

We went out for dinner after that. To a ramen place with an hour waiting list. It’s not even dinner time yet, but we’re waiting. All of us met at Japanese club, so eating out at Japanese restaurant is become a habit. I’ve tried this ramen chain before, but Bandung doesn’t have this ramen chain yet, and they said the ramen is delicious. No photo of the food because I’m tired already and I always forgot to take a photo of my food. I need to improve …

And, time to go home …

Bye ...

Hi ...

Couple days ago me and my entire family celebrated my grandma 88th birthday. We had lunch at some sundanese restaurant which my grandma loves, for a couple of hours before my grandma got tired. It was a good time. 

Isn't it amazing that my grandma already in this world for 88 years? Not many people make it through the age of 80s and maybe i will not either, we don't know.

Speaking of birthday, I had my 28th birthday back in February. So nostalgic, because in my earlier post in this blog, I kind of celebrated my ... is it 23 or 24 birthday? I don't remember, and now 30 is just two years away. Anyway, nothing special happened. As I grew older, my birthday is just a date. 

I don't want to hit 30 yet. 

That's what I feel since I turned 26 two years ago. Because I think that 30 is old and people expect you, well me, to have anything prior of being 30 and I don't think I have any of that. Adulthood is scary. Nobody can predict what will happen when I hit 30 and not being anything. 

Neither is tomorrow ... 

I'm trying to be positive in any way. 

I will try to live my life until my age reach 70s so I can appreciate my birthday again. 

Bye ...