Oh Mister Andrae, Sign This Please!

funny that last week at Phie's house I watched Moonwalker for the first time! i remember friends and i were admiring MJ's poster at the movie theater when we were small. "how could he lean 45 degrees?"

it opens with Man in the Mirror. l'homme dans le mirroir! the song reminds me of This Is It and of course Andrae Crouch whose choir appears in the song. I still envy kak Es. When she went to Sydney in mid 2009, she went to Hillsong to join people singing the song for MJ's memory.


It takes me back to 2001 when i loved mall hopping to find rare albums. there was i at Plasa Senayan with this album Tribute: Songs of Andrae Crouch. i thought, who's he? but i did recognised the lineup: Take 6, MWS, The Winans. so i bought it for Rp 15.000 or about USD1.5.


when i played it, i was like, "i knew these songs! wow, all my life i been singing and listening to these songs!" of course the indonesian version.


years later in late 2008, i read that JakJazz invited Grammy winning soul/jazz musician Andrae Crouch. i was more than happy to get a free ticket to JakJazz. it was so good of Hera to agree to switch her ticket so i could attend the festival not on Friday but instead, on Sunday. 


i was mighty happy to watch the show. the stadium was filled with people, singing and dancing to his music. even my friends who never knew his music found his music interesting to dance to. "he's cool. who's he, Sem?"


"You may never heard of me...Indonesia was the first country i visited as a musician. i went here in 1971!" said Andrae .


it certainly wowed everyone so did he and his whole band (including the famous bassist Abraham Laboriel)


after the show, the LO said, there are Q & A session after this. 


i thought, my, i must go there! so i called Evi to lend me her ID. she said, OK. 


Inside, i was more than happy to meet him. he made everybody smile. he showed big enthusiasm in everybody. he reduced the LO to laughter and tears when he said, "hey, how could you speak that fast! please do it once more. i'd like to hear that again!"


he entertained everyone with fascinating stories. "When I came here in 1971 i did shows in Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, and Denpasar. I traveled with train. I sat with mothers and children...with chickens and vegetables....


"Our opening act was a girl named Henny hmmm... (someone shouted, "Purwonegoro?") ...yes, that's her. is she around?" 


it was an honor to meet him in person. 


"Oh my, i look so skinny there!" he said when I handed him my old cassette. 

(it reads: "To Sem, God Bless you, love, Andrae Crouch")

Lately i been listening to his songs. timeless pieces. songs that bless my whole being. how happy he must be, being a person who blesses many people though his arts!
and i just found out that even Elvis Presley recorded his song!

So now, I'd like to say, God bless you, Mister Andrae. Love, Sem

So This Is Christmas. What Have I Done?

Tonight, am having a moment like what Ebenezer Scrooge had experienced. am visited by Christmas thoughts. of course i consciously recall the memories--scenes i can remember. All beautiful. For me, Christmas is a special moment indeed.

I remember singing from church to church with Moses, Delsy, Andre, Johan, Angel, Diana, Kak ?, etc in Bali. That was 1997! Then with PS POSA UI at Balairung or some churches. I dont remember any Christmases at school or at church during childhood. but i can recall one day i realized it wouldn't snow in Indonesia that i ran to fridge to create snow!

Last year, i had a good one. I was traveling with Enti, Ocha, Fit, Siti Hajar, Yudi, and Cupay, en tour to Kudus, Ambarawa, and Semarang. It was Christmas Eve. Cupay and I went to the nearest church (forget the name). It was so nice of Enti, Ocha, Hajar, and Yudi (all of them are of Islamic faith) to accompany us to the churchgate! "We want to make sure you guys don't go elsewhere!" joked Enti. It was very nice of them.

When we returned to the lodgement, they were waiting in front, surprised us with gifts and Christmas log and "We wish you a merry Christmas"! these wowed me. i got a tee and cupay a bolero. oh the log! it was amazing! even at home, we never had any Christmas log! It was one of the best Christmas experience.
i was so happy. Being in the city of Kudus, it was a real Malam Kudus!

During the trip, i stopped playing the new Christmas albums of Tori Amos and Sting in my MP3 player. theirs were melancholic tunes. they only induced gloomy mood.

vertical limit

certainly, you need to learn to swim

Mecta Moya

Zhelayu shto ya zhivu v svoei mectoy:
puteshestvovat' po miru
medlenno, Bozhe, medlenno
Molyush' shtoby vsegda delat' eto
v budushem vremeni
Xocu issledovat mir
etu planetu, Zemlya

S samoletami

S vertoletov

S Deva Ruci

S Spirit Madzapaxit

Molyush' shtoby vsegda delat' eto

Again, To Dive For

(photo by Adrian Nugraha, Ricka Ristianti)

Phie suggested newbies to refresh diving each 6 months. With the exception of Rian and Ocha, none of us had dived since last April. we could not wait to plung. So here we were again. Too bad, Anien, Cupliz, Chokin, and Maria couldn't join the wet fun. 

Island hopping: Belanda, Magaran, Harapan, Kaliage, Kotok.

after the last dip, i climbed to the boat and lied exhausted. thought, ii'm going to die. but when i gazed skyward, saw a sea hawk soaring gracefully above Kotok. beautiful. thought, yesterday when i woke up , in my head was playing that song "my soul soars like an eagle up in the sky"

O Sailor!

Oom Edwin Stube remains a mystery. Ever wonder what brought him here. don't recall much of him though, don't recall of meeting him. i only remembered several emails he sent me. he promised to send me some books. but the books never arrived because he passed away. our correspondence was a short one. and too bad usa.net closed its free service long long ago that all my correspondence got deleted.

now each time i opened that old old photo album, i'd ask mi, when was it? was he pleased with your cut? Mi would laugh, "Not sure, son. this photo embarrasses me. look at it!"

in the picture, Mi is cutting his graying hair with her right hand and her left palm rests on his head, preventing the hair on right side from being combed to the left direction. it looks as if Mi is anointing his head. That's impolite, Mi, i'd say. and we'd end up laughing. perhaps that was in 1991, his last visit to Indonesia (?).

many stories i heard of him are all "one day" stories. Pak Wilfried told this story: "One day, that yellow Kijang ran out of gas. He prayed and filled the tank with water. then he drove home." wow! Pak Darto said, "One day, sick and handicapped people flocked here and got healed miraculously after meeting him." wow!

and my late Oom Alex Tuarita said, "One day, Oom Stube said, Let's drink (beer) Alex! it's good for your health." Oom Alex told me, laughing, "Thee idea of drinking beer shocked me to death, thinking it was ungodly." wow and lol!

Who ever thinks he was also an accomplished musician. he left his accordion as the witness. remembering him now can rekindle this rusty restless soul. and my anger subsides. i learn to see things from a different point of view.

One song reminds me of him. i been listening to it recently. Sailor by Petula Clark. Good heavens, i know this tune well! since kindergarten i've knowned it! every time i play it, it takes me back to the big dining room where people hum the melody.  I think Oom Stube owes me an explanation. who else taught them the melody?

now i know the original lyric:

Sailor, stop your roaming
Sailor, leave the sea
Sailor, when the tide turns
Come home safe to me

As you sail across the sea
All my love is there beside you
In Capri or Amsterdam
Honolulu or Siam
To the harbour of my heart
I will send my love to guide you
As I call across the sea
Come home to me...


Ok let me play the song once more. And here's to your memory, Oom Stube!

No more instant noodle during dive trip

I've a hate and love relationship with instant noodle. It is one of tastiest foods. it takes less fuel to prepare it, compared to preparing rice. everybody knows hungry travelers love instant food. yet one day i realized how uncool it is.

The night before, Rian and I were in the state of can't-sleep-without-stuffing-stomach-first. Ocha, Ricka, and Sena had gone to sleep. so we decided to unpack Trangia and cook two pcs of instant noodles. we crushed some chillis to add sting to the boiling noodles. we ate and then had a good night sleep on the island."Heavenly!" I said. "Hellish!" said Rian. "Sem, it's really hellish!" added he. he was referring to the hot broth.

came morning and we rushed to pack everything. we won't be returning to this island, so better hiurry, said Ricka. again Rian and I prepared instant noodle.

in the first dive, i coughed and i could smell the instant seasoning-flavored oxygen. it was hellish. i surfaced, feeling weak. Rian did too. on the second dive, i was completely weak and all i breathed tasted like neoprene.

thus i learned: avoid it during dive trips.

Entertaining Angels Undercover

Umi sent writings abt her trip home to Yogyakarta, where Echi and more other travelmates came to join rescue.

reckon i've heard about Rian, Fida, and everyone's accounts on their trip there to help the volcano eruption victims.

travelmates with big hearts, i should say of them. hope they too entertained some angels undercover.

La Vie en Rose (Male version)

on last trip, i sang this song softly. and quelqu'un m'a dit the song i sang was female version. 
oh really? let me change it. if still incorrect, who cares? 
I'll sing my ass off


Des yeux qui font baisser les miens,
Un rire qui se perd sur sa bouche—
Voilà le portrait sans retouche
De la femme auquel j’appartiens. 

Quand elle me prend dans ses bras,
Elle me parle tout bas,
Je vois la vie en rose.
Elle me dit des mots d’amour,
Des mots de tous les jours,
Et ça me fait quelque chose.
Elle est entré dans mon cœur,
Une part de bonheur
Dont je connais la cause.
C’est lui pour moi,
Moi pour lui dans la vie,
Elle me l’a dit, l’a juré pour la vie.
Et dès que je l’aperçois,
Alors je sens en moi
Mon cœur qui bat. 

Des nuits d’amour à plus finir,
Un grand bonheur qui prend sa place,
Les ennuis, les chagrins s’effacent,
Heureux, heureux à en mourir. 

La Mer! Quelle Belle! (pt 2)

After some delay, we changed boat. it rained hard. we forgave the boat for having no plastic roof. it could speed! okay, we were already wet anyway.

landed we on that island with beautiful front whose shape is the its namesake. it belongs to somebody rich of course. we asked for permission and set up tents. Mamet and Echi fried the smaller fish and the rest of us were hungry cats. Now i knew the secret ingredient missing: salt. Tetty poured a pinch and the rest was history (all fish devoured).... Think i've come to know the meaning of "you are the salt of the earth". lol

after that Tetty and Umi decided to swim. some wind blew tetty's safety vest to the sea and she urged me to retrieve it! the sea was being unfriendly and the vest was drifting further. i jumped and grab it. sadly, i couldn't climb up the pier, so i had to swim to the shore, like 30 m from the spot. iws shocked to find everyone was posing and taking pics, ignorant to my suffering! damn! :) there was nothing relieving than airing my anger while joining the posing. it was a lol moment for us.

then we stare westward. the sky was bright with a golden ball. i couldn't say it was not beautiful. it was a mere sunset. i din find it romantic or whatsoever. i found it interesting only when friends began to mount their cams on tripod and meditated on the monitors. the sky changed colors like a lizard would: gold, yellow, pink, orange, dark red, blue. we watched it until it turned completely dark blue. thought, now that's beautiful.

the wind blew stronger and the wooden pier creaking. i chenged clothes and lied on the pier. Hamok and Tetty and i were talking of such and such, gazing at the starry sky.  then joined Bolang. and we talked of Mars, comets, stars--bright objects Ayu Utami termed "God's lamps". then joined Eep. how the topic changed i can't recall. reckon Hamok first brout it up: crossdressers or lady-boys. he talked of Madame X. another lol moment.

meanwhile friends were preparing dinner. my duty was collecting firewood to keep the flame. the smell was so inviting. who could resist grilled fish with soy and chilli sauce. yummy. and the boys played farah quinn. this is it.

i washed the dishes on the beach and was awed by the plankton. they twinkled in the saline water and on the sand. beautiful!

after the happy dinner, everyone busied themselves. Tetty asked for company to the pier. she wanted to shoot the stars. so Akbar and I went along, bringing sleeping bags to the pier. the wind blew strong and the chill pierced the bones, so we rolled into the bag. up there was only one bright star. Akbar left for some jacket. we talked about things including Wallace and stereotypes. a really hard talk. a bit unnecessary. lol. i guess i was carrying the weight of the world to this short holiday. lol

couldnt stand the wind. i farted time and again. so we returned to the campground, heating ourselves with hot tea and laying near campfire. heavenly! rain came, we went into the tents. sleep time.

Morning broke. Umi cooked water and i made coffee. it never fails to "push" some sensation. i relieved myself  on some secluded beach. i must say i love this experience :)

then Umi, Bolang and I plunged to the sea. the owner made many wave breakers that this particular beach was calm, while outside the borders the wave blew strong. under it was not impressive but i love the sight of millions of silvery roast. they're so tiny! then everyone joined the wet fun except for Mamet who slept again. it was a very pleasant dip.

we breakfasted on instant noodles and sandwich (bread + fake cheese + condensed chocolate milk). tasty!

we packed things and left. we bid farewell to the old guards. they were very old and nice, albeit demanding.

with that fast speeding boat we sailed to Pulau Kayu Angin Bira. suddenly i got too emotional. last november 2009, we camped there. from our tents, we had to walk 5 m long to the beach. now the spot was gone. Abrasion is swallowing. A sad scene. Last year we could easily find clams on the beach. now no longer

Kayu Angin Bira is a conservation island but unlike Semak Daun, it is not properly maintained. there's no sign of any attempt to plant mangrove seedlings.

after one hr, we left for P. Harapan. sailed to the mainland.

while we were eating, thought of this: always hard lessons i get while holidaying, especially when i heard someone, why can't you see the sign? it was talk about salt. again. lesson learnt.

all in all it was a pretty nice holiday.

La Mer! Quelle Belle!

did look forward to it although i knew that quick packing would result to  disappointments. At least i leave for the sea, thought. rushed to D'Best where Budi waited. and there was Akbar. off we went to Muara Angke.

The air smelt familiar but had no complain. it was a relief to be here. only there was one sad scene. the ambulance behind my cab was delivering someone to his/her final place. they brought that someone into the boat and off it went possibly to Tidung.

then came Bolang, Eep, Tetty, Umi, Hamok, and Echi. as always, Mamet was struggling with her time management. the air turned a bit cheerful. and we climbed up to the roof. all of a sudden, some men in uniform came and acted uncool. we were forced to climb down. i had no probs with it since it means the boat became rather full. not overpacked. funny that after some minutes, the boat headed back to the smelly port. Mamet somehow was a lucky devil. she jumped three boats to join us.

i slept most of the time. when we arrived something weird happened. "Mister, mister, good morning!" screamed some schoolgirls. I looked around, there wasn't any bule. my, they were calling...moi! i bet it was my hat, hiding my black hair? or was it our distance of a well of 20 m? i din want to make my small audience upset. so i spoke some english and they became more excited. alas, it lasted brief. as i approached they sensed something. i could see it in their eyes :) "not bule!"

Meanwhile we stuffed our stomach with loads of rice and sweet drinks. Umi tried to contact our boatmen. the contact denied our pleasure. he canceled the boat. how rude! so we waited for an hour for the next boat. and to cheer her up, i told my two stories: about a cranky-man-in-taxi-who-forgot-his-wallet-and-forced-to-owe-some-money-to-strangers and a man-who-thought-he-was-oh-so-fashionable-that-he-wore-swimming-trunk-and-did-mall-hopping.

"Take us somewhere nice where there are nice corals," inquired we. so the boatmen took us to the middle of the sea where the corals are dull and the current was strong. "OK, better take us somewhere to buy fish!" said Umi. So we ended up on a floating house. the "keramba" was neat and clean. about the size of a unit in an apartment. it perches on a solid formation of corals with white sands as its floor. it was probably the most comfortable keramba i've ever seen.

the fishes here were expensive so we chose not to buy any but to ...swim with them instead! oh yes! the owner collects some cool looking fish like parrotfish, clonfish, "ikan roa", and a barracuda! everyone jumped into it and made some mess, the white sands flew here and there. it was fun!

After that the shopping continued....there was two boats unloading their catch and we were fortunate enough to buy 7 kg fish. 5 "ikan salem" and 2 "ikan selar". Umi, Bolang, n Mamet fried some on the boat. and i could say it was the tastiest fish i've ever tasted: juicy, fresh, savoury and in a way, sweet....

My Peruvians!

i don't really look forward to go to Taman Safari, Puncak. kinda boring. sure it's fun to take a close look at the animals but i've long realized i aint really excited to see grass munching mammals such as deers, oxen, primates, goats, and the likes. I prefer birds, fish, and reptiles. 

Think been there twice before. first with Cika, Roy, and Vit. The second was with Anast, Cika, Hendra...night safari when the animals' eyes are like Swarovski crystals, twinkling, reflecting light in the dark. we did plan to go there again with oh-yes-let's-buy-these-cheap tickets. the papers' expiry date was yesterday. so off we went . now with boy Nathan and his Grandma and nanny. was hard to wakte up early, but my decision to do so and have a cold shower was paid off. 

I was not excited at all at first. but then, i thought, it's better than staying in my room. so was it. Cika & I kidded, we should see them through different point of view: 
"Look at that llama. it's white! think the fur will make good and warm coat."


"See the zebra? love the pattern. We can ink jet it to an attache." 


"Giraffe! it can make a nice overcoat." 


"See the phyton? lovely! the skin makes good laptop bag!" 


"Blue monitors? ah yes, they're really blue. wonder how long they're gonna grow to reach the adult size. you know, i need some exotic skin for my camera case." 


"Big cats! So cute! Think of a real animal print! Boots, bag, cap, and skirt!" 


"Cenderawasih? Ah, bird of paradise! my hat will look cool with its plumage, yes?" 


"Even now y can make a pair of sneakers using fish skin, I tell you!" 


"Don't we love animals?" yes yes yes. lol 

was superexcited to see the penguins. they were the main reason I went there. they're lovely and clumsy, and funny! Humboldt* they are: 1 foot tall, with highly streamlined body, lively in black and white antiwet feathers. they swam here and there, diving up and down, and walking around in tuxedoes! even saw a pair mating...in the water! wondered how they managed to ....ah well, to mate! 

I counted one two, three...twelve.... "Twenty two we've got here," said the guard. oh really? they successfully breed the Peruvian birds. perhaps to be exact: Japanese-born Peruvians, now naturalized (to be exact in 2006), holding Indonesian citizenship! I aint kidding. see the wings/flipper. they are tagged with some wire as an ID. I wonder what they should be called: a third generation penguins? 

From 10, they multiplied to 22! Heaven bless them! I only heard two eggs hatched! hey, there are 10 more. "And some will hatch soon," said the guard, adding the eggs take 30 days to hatch. 

Anast paid Rp 100,000 to buy some fish so that nephew Nathan could get near to feed them. "Sem, please tape us!" she said, handling her cam. oh, lucky moi! At your service! 


I couldn't hide my excitement.  I felt like a groupie granted wish to meet the stars.

The guard ushered us to the "backtstage". Inside the cage was cold. "We kept the temp at 15 degrees," said the guard who was wearing green coat over his green uniform. one penguin rushed to him, seeing him bringing a tray with 10 fish in it. it's cute! he knew my presence but ignored me. well, some stars have privilege to do that and still get overwhelming adoration! i forgive you!

When we entered the "main stage", other penguins rose and chased the guard. Meal time! oh they look very amazing! i watched them closely and they show no interest in me and thankfully, they were quite friendly as not to use their powerful black beaks to examine people (think of noisy ganders and some cockatoos!). I videoed Anast and Nathan feeding them. Their beaks clasped now and then, like black scissors any tailor has. funny to see they can't jump. they elongated their necks to snap the fish so quick. 

they left for the water as soon as they learnt there was no fish left. Only one left to examine my camera. or was it posing? the only thing i could be sure of was that people by the pool applaud our brief onstage collaboration. 

Peruvians, you made my day! 




* Humboldt penguins are listed as threatened species.

The ring of Fire

One thing I come to realize: volcanoes are beautiful. And scary too. And how close we are to them. Surrounded by volcanoes or in more adept phrase:  full of volcanoes. I lived exactly between a no-longer-active Arjuna and the tallest volcano, Semeru. Waking up, I used to open the window to its sight. It was always white at its cone and sometimes coughed some smoke. But I’d never consider it dangerous. I wondered why it kept coughing that the trees and vegetables in my garden covered with thin film of dust. Fine gray dust. When it coughed the morning became more chilly.

When friends and I climbed Papandayan, two years before it erupted, it was my first encounter with an active volcano. Hmm, I can still recall the sulphur smell! Then I had chances to get close to Dieng, Bromo, Krakatau, Ijen, and Gede. Those pungent smelling volcanos. The smell penetrated into the deepest layer of clothes! Even those wrapped in plastic inside my backpack!

How mighty they are! How beautiful they are. Rich in vegetation. People wrote, Indonesia is blessed with rich soil. Volcanoes play huge part in it. When I climbed up, i found water is always abundant and beautiful plants are everywhere in sight. Lilies, wild berries, erica bush, sweet smelling leaves and bark, wild sugar cane, snowbells, fuchsias. everything! The birds are most melodious there and I was always awed by the sight yonder from where I stood. Yet they are also scary. Now i think I understand how people in the past developed volcano worship. 

The scenes on TV are heartbreaking. The tsunami in Mentawai, the Merapi eruption, and the flood in Jakarta. For now I can’t laugh at Magica de Spell cartoon. The feline-eyed witch-duck is distilling some concoction inside Vesuvius. It ain’t funny now.

Stranger in a Strange Land

S: That's moi. but oh really?
K: ...and how so?
S: you know me well. think i been lulled by the song. it's bluesy. motown-y.
K: i've listened to it once. forget when.
S: don't know what it's all abt. thought it's a christmas song but then i doubted it. the title is catchy.stranger in a strange land. i'll play it.
K: when traveling, you are a strange face for others. but sometimes you do travel to people whose places and faces you are familiar with. and then wh...
S: don't think, just listen :)

Stanger in a Strange Land by Leon Russell

How many days has it been
Since I was born
How many days until I die
Do I know any ways
That I can make you laugh
Or do I only know how to make you cry

When the baby looks around him
It's such a sight to see
He shares a simple secret
With the wise man

He's a stranger in a strange land
Just a stranger in a strange land
Tell me why
He's a stranger in a strange land
Just a stranger in a strange land

How many miles will it take
To see the sun
And how many years until it's done
Kiss my confusion away in the night
Lay by side when the morning comes

And the baby looks around him
And shares his bed of hay
With the burrow in the palace of the king

He's a stranger in a strange land
Tell me why
He's a stranger in a strange land
Just a stranger in a strange land

Well, I don't exactly know
What's going on in the world today
Don't know what there is to say
About the way the people are treating
Each other, not like brothers

Leaders take us far away from ecology
With mythology and astrology
Has got some words to say
About the way we live today
Why can't we learn to love each other
It's time to turn a new face
To the whole world wide human race

Stop the money chase
Lay back, relax
Get back on the human track
Stop racing toward oblivion
Oh, such a sad, sad state we're in
And that's a thing

Do you recognize the bells of truth
When you hear them ring
Won't you stop and listen
To the children sing
Won't you come on and sing it children

He's a stranger in a strange land
Just a stranger in a strange land

A Tale of Two Cities (Semarang, Pontianak)

I love crustaceans! they look like mini monsters and whatever their colors are, they turn orange in the frying pan! love them even more :)

Last Thursday, I went to Semarang on assignment, with Ramdani. Like my previous trip in December, it only last less than 24 hr. but i could enjoy every moment of it. after photoshoot, off we went to Pesta Keboen. this is a restaurant that cherishes everything from the past. if listening to Green Green Grass of Home can transport me back to the 50s, then entering this restaurant really made me feel visiting Fred Astaire's home. First the wooden horses and the iron tricycle. then i had to put off my invisible hat and mantle, letting the invisible waiter hang it before leading me to my table. "Mister Astaire will be here, soon," he assured me.

Soon a real waiter brought us this delicacy. it looked really inviting. a group of prawn, shiny, oily, orangey. the smell of cut kaffir lemon (jeruk purut) leaves filled my nostril. what an aroma! these were the juiciest prawn i've ever tasted. fried freshly, i guess. the shells were soft and crunchy that i left onlt some unchewed! just forget about Mister Astaire, I said, munching.

the magic itself lies in the spices: sauted garlic, paprika, chilli pepper, onion. very delicious!

Two days later on Saturday and Sunday, I visited Mi n Pi in Pontianak. The first time i went there, it was 10 yrs ago. This was my second time. it was a grateful moment for me to witness Mi getting stronger and better. They had prepared a surprise for me. "In the bucket, son!" said Pi. 

My breakfast! i scrubbed them clean but MI said nay when i was about to cut them into halves. Mi prepared her magic formula: lots of garlic and some sauce. in 7 minutes, the crabs turn into very appealing shade of orange. lovely! and yummy too!

 

the meat: juicy and tender. it had eggs too! cooking them whole preserved their meat's juice. so when i cracked open them, i found the tasty golden liquid. yummmy!

Marley & Me(i)

Marley is every backpacker's dream travelmate. He is friendly, knowledgable (having visited so many places and hidden paradise in Indonesia), and loves sharing (his) stories (meaning he can be noisy) :)

I remember our singing days back at uni. he was tenor and then expelled to lower class (of voice). I din remember who moved him to join basses :)

So after long since we sang together, we met again on to hit the road. to Ujung Kulon on last year's Easter holiday. on the pier of Sumur, I joked, somebody, snap us! do us a Marley & Me shot.

Months later, and a few singing and trip together eventually brought us .... apart. no touchy feely here. Marley is getting married to Mei ("an old acquaintance from uni years") which is an eqally friendly and smiley person. Marley & Me has become Marley & Mei! Gonna miss their big and noisy wedding!

I'm happy for you guys! :) congrats! See you on the next trips!

Four Bags, One Flowery Face

Two years ago, these very times. I love the experience.

Plastic Fantastic (on "Kresek")

S: what's that sight?
K: I'm hanging them. plastic bags as you see.
S: they're dripping.
K: Yes, mind you, I just washed them.
S: huh?
K: To reuse them. You can wash them using second or last rinse. Hang it to dry. Voila. You can use them again.

Closely Monitor-ed (at Pulau Biawak)

One scene in Ocean movie keeps playing in my mind every time i think of the sea: lighting crashes, rain falls, it storms. one coconut tree is struck, falls into the sea. Meanwhile, a medium-sized monitor (biawak) rushed to the scene and swims to the fallen trunk, embarking on a journey to an island or a beach or ... to uncertainty.

The scene was repeated when friends and I stepped aboard a small boat on our way from Pelabuhan Karangsong, Indramayu. Destination: Pulau Biawak.

Sailing to Uncertainty

The clouds hung heavy above our heads and the wave caused headache. (To my shock, it was a tiny boat, it don't even have a cabin. here we were, all 13 of us plus two boatmen.) sleeping was the only option.

after 3 hrs, we met other boat. The boatman asked, where's the island? That way, replied the men on the other boat. and our boatmen changed the direction.


"Bon Dieu, these guys navigate by sight!" thought I. "How can they see it when all is dark blue on the horizon?" To turn back would be a defeat yet to go further seemed impossible. we were already halfway of 40 nautical miles distance.

I was reminded of the scene. I was worried we were drifting to uncertainty... It was magical that the worry din keep me sitting stiff. Instead I fell asleep again. I guess Atticus was right, It's not time to worry yet.

Waking up, it rained and wet us all. fortunately, the island was at sight. large and green. with a white lighthouse, a legacy of colonial era, towering near its pier. What a relief!

Picture Perfect Holiday
The weather wasn't our friend yet friends and I could enjoy the short holiday on the Pulau Biawak. We built three tents, snorkeled around, cooked this and that menu (almost constantly), and devoured (we being "nggragas") anything before us, sang to the half moon, chasing monitors, and climbed the lighthouse up to 60 m to the top! very exciting!

While sitting near the lamp cage on the lighthouse, I observed the island. it reminds me of Pulau Rambut in Kepulauan Seribu. Both are dense with lush carpets of mangroves and palms (conifers too!) and are birds sanctuary. big water birds like ibises, herons, and cormorants were seen here.

While snorkeling, I noticed that the reefs and the fishes aren't so colorful nor plenty. I guess it's due to 2004 oil spill. It still affects the island although I can see it recovering. Perhaps that explains why the fishes are of small sizes.

(a "hi there" look from Monsieur le Monitor, photo by friend Tetty alias 'tettyyangmotoloch')

Meanwhile the residents whose identity become the entity of the islands were rarely seen. I only spotted four. Most of them are of slender features and their skin patterns are interesting. Only one is very fat! couldn't believe it. how can a reptile grows so fat? guess that's the benefit of being the only predators on the island.

The whole journey was pleasant. Picture perfect. I even came to appreciate God's Lamps and learn to take chances. When arriving on the mainland, I texted Papi immediately, Pi, I been to Pulau Biawak (Varanus salvator), next is Pulau Komodo (Varanus komodoensis)! :)

"Menyelami Bali, Menghargai Bumi"

"Menyelami Bali, Menghargai Bumi" by SemSPurba.

I love the title. It wasn't the title I submitted to the editors. it appeared on Sunday 16 June 2010 issue of daily Media Indonesia. Now the article is online at Media Travelista or http://www.mediaindonesia.com/mediatravelista/index.php/read/2010/6/13/875/2/media_travelista_headline

want to deflate and dive deeper! :)

Old Man & The Sea (at Pantai Pangandaran)

and here i am standing

much awed by the mighty ocean

by the Window, Absorbed, Once More

I used to go to Vit's room back then. He owned a supercool tape, a large window to sit by, and being a student of Indonesian Literature a great selection of books. he introduced me to Burung-burung Manyar, Bumi Manusia, and Catatan Seorang Demonstran among others. (I'd sit by his window, reading while Vit would played metal bands whose music I could bear like Extreme.)

I grew very fond of the latter book, colored red, written by  Soe Hok Gie. i was hooked instantly. it was 1999. it was fun to read and very inspiring. he visited Mt Semeru in my hometown. not even I have climbed it. it's where he died. quite young.

Last Wednesday Deste introduced me to one online site. she was ordering a book written by her friend. i asked her, does it have Soe Hok Gie's? No, she said. meanwhile i was clicking about this book by Rudy Badil, entitled Norman Edwin. I said to her, Pls order me this one and we can save delivery money.

two days later the book hadn't arrived yet. I grew impatient. i lost my newly sown faith in online shopping!, i said to Deste in an air of a drama king. lol. i ws expecting to read it over the weekend!

this morning the two books arrived. Norman Edwin from that lazy online store and Catatan Seorang Demonstran from Adeste (she lends it.)

i had a difficulty in choosing. i want to read both. While lunching, I skimmed Norman Edwin and read through everything written about Gunung Gede, the volcano friends and i climbed last week.

now here i am, sitting by my window, renewing acquaintance with Soe Hok Gie. once again i put layers of respect for this person. ever productive, idealist, brave and honest person, activist, gentleman. (i had been looking for Gie's book for a very long time.)

then in the middle, i switched to Norman Edwin and learnt both Gie and Norman had things in common: Mapala members, UI students, conquered mountaintops, and died there.

Norman Edwin contains the travel writings he submitted to media, while Catatan Seorang Demonstran contains diary entries by Gie.

it's timely that the books arrived at the same time.

inspiring. good reads i will recommend to anyone!

Castle in the Sky ("Negeri di Awan")

Last night, it was German's triumph over Argentina. but Anast, Erika, and I din care much. we chose to sing the night away in a panic room. amid the playlist, i inserted "secretly" Negeri di Awan (Land in the Clouds, its literal translation), a song by Katon Bagaskara. it was my only favorite Indonesian song because I loooved--and still do--the video. it was done by Garin Nugroho. it is very indonesian both in scenery and feel.

watching this video again, i was moved. i jumped and thought, i know this place! Ambarawa, no? i remember last December I went there with Ent, Fit, Ocha, Cupay, and Yudi, riding the train to the rice fields and Lake Rawa Pening nearby.

and while i was being mellowed out by the video and the music--and the lyric, Erika ruined it all. she exploded at the sight of Katon's mullet. Lol. Annast and i couldnt not laugh along.

"hey, you must forgive him. it was the coolest look back then," i barked :))

and now i am checking it once more.

Sometimes, I Love Getting Lost

because it's fun sometimes. (never have i intended to get lost!) i have to ask people for directions. and most of the times, i receive more than just directions but also kindness. i guess, they are angels unaware.

Happy Sunday, Class of 1987!

(from Abbe de Witt and Ron de Witt)

i was so sad to lose the bundle. it contained about 25 letters from other continent. they were children my age. i was 9 back then. i used to store it in the rack in the grey cabinet Papi built to cage the TV set. one day the bundle just disappeared. i was so sad.

one boy told me of his opossum pet, another told me of their siblings, and another told about their separated parents. the letters were colorful, i mean they drew pictures of themselves, opossums. it opened the world of a 9 yr old boy i was. they even said, they hanged my pic in the classroom! i was so flattered. they din even know me and i couldnt even speak english! i had no idea in which place they lived. they signed every letter. Abbe de Witt and Ron de Witt, their teachers, encouraged them to write to me. from that day, i often went to library to learn about the States and dreamed someday i'd go there.

one card survived to this day. it's very special. it reminds me of the act of kindness. would love to know who they are, what they are doing, and where they live. i've tried to search the teachers via internet but it haven't been fruitful yet.

wherever you are, whatever you do, the 9 year old boy would like to thank you once again. happy Sunday to you, Class of 1987!

In a Glade, Chasing Rainbow's End

From the top of Gunung Gede, I look beyond this open space or meadow or what i consider very poetic: a clearing in the wood. seeing glade Surya Kencana from above reminded me of a scene from Finian's Rainbow.

it's as if i saw a rainbow's end.

i wonder how vast it is! very beautiful from above, lined with Javanese edelweiss bush--all in bloom! all my sorrows (headache from midday heat, dehydration) soon were forgotton.

it was bliss!

what's up doc?

last Wednesday, the doc told me to have some rest but the offer was too interesting to resist: friends asked me if i could join them climbing Gunung Gede.

reading their mails, i was taken back to 2000 when friends of Garda Hijau and moi tried to climb it. amateurs we were--as i still am today--we only made it to Cibereum Waterfall and camped nearby. This time i have to make it to the summit, i said to myself.

so i did quick packing and off I went to meet Umi, Mamet, Phie, Jainer, Rudy, Toto, Emma, Hanum, Adink, Jaman, Dony. happy to see them!

i only guess that the track would be as "easy" and as "short" as in Mount Ijen (3 km from Post I to the summit) in East Java.

i was shocked to learn it took 8 hrs to reach campground Kandang Badak and another 2 hrs to the summit! 1 hrs down to glade Surya Kencana, 30 min to its edge, and as if not enough: 5 hrs walking in the darkness to reach Gunung Putri.

beyond my calculation, I did it. We did it. and on the last few miles I walked in the moonlit path and thought, how can't i be ungrateful?

we made it and i felt so much healthier despite some leg fatigue :)

Songlist for Trip (Pt. 2)

the last time i went on trip, i played Nine Million Bicycles and halfway Up the Hindu Kush on and on and on until the battery worn out and Maria had no chance to play the player :)

 1. Nine Million Bicycles, Katie Melua
2. Crazy, Alanis Morissette
3. Photograph, Diane Birch
4. Gun Shy, 10,000 Maniacs
5. Precious Declaration, Collective Soul
6. Halfway Up the Hindu Kush, Katie Melua
7. Gone Fishing, Louis Armstrong & Bing Cosby
8. I Say Grace, Hayley Westenra
9. I Guess The Lord Must Be in New York City, Harry Nilsson
10. Window in the Skies, U2

the song

 out of nowhere i remember this sweet song. even sweeter when i heard Mbak Aning long ago sang it. lyrical. guess it was penned by Guruh Soekarnoputra. eighties spirit yes? :) 

and i say to myself, do i love this country?

Pada mulanya hanya mitos belaka
kemudiannya menjadi nyata
Indonesia mengejawantah di dunia
Adi Nugraha Sang Maha Pencipta

Nun dari Sabang hingga ke Merauke
terhampar luas nusa nan permai
Indonesia negeri yang sangat kucinta
dengarlah bisikan patriot bangsa

Indonesia jiwaku
bersemayam di hayatku
Indonesia semangatku
kau kubela s'panjang hidupku

Romantic Tea Walk

A couple was seen having a nice midday tea walk in Gunung Mas Tea Plantation, Sunday June 13, 2010. 

the lady wore red 'dress' full of plumage, so did the gentleman. time after time, the couple chatted in loud voice, especially the gentleman. it seemed as if he was telling his lady about some exciting news. The lady keep nodding, agreeing on every sound he made.they even didn't care people were watching--and taking picture of--them. People thought the couple was left behind by the group (Walnut Unika Atmajaya). but then people were sure that they would find the group, thanks to the sign.

Jive & Dive!

from pdf. version downloaded from http://epaper.mediaindonesia.com on Sunday June 13, 2010

Miss the Wet Fun!

 (love this photo taken by Phie Raditya. Yudhi caught a catfish and a transparent jellyfish. we took a closer look, 
counted the catfish's whiskers and counted the stitches mark in jellyfish body, 
before releasing them back to the sea)

miss the island hopping.

City by the Ocean, Cilacap

(with Dian, Enti, Maria, Santi, Madame)

Friends canceled the Sawarna trip, so I jumped on the bus to Cilacap with a group of friends. the city is of Nusa Kambangan, Tanjung Intan Harbor, and of tempe mendoan fame.

we had fun, driving three hrs up to the stream. The prime destination was supposed to be Green Canyon but too bad, the water was flooding due to heavy rain the night before. (the water was muddy that we called it Brown Canyon!)

we were happy to dip in the beaches of Batu Karas, Batu Hiu, and Pangandaran. even after the wave rolled me and i landed on my belly! we had a pleasant holiday here.

The Lake at Uni

this sunday Cika, Anast, and moi went to the uni. it was their first time since long while.
meanwhile it was only months since i came to prewed shoot Lia n her then fiance.

Mamet, Budi, Rudy, Bolang, Echi, Uwice, Tetty had already hanged their hammocks and played around. they brought some bycicle. Mamet's brought her folding bike which is cute. It was tetty's bday. we had nice late lunch.

and there was a very familiar sight: Marley. he and her fiance was doing their millionth pre wedding shoot.

(Marley and Me err Mei)

(Pras n Lia)

it was fun. look forward to more hangout by the lake

Old Man and The Sea

(photo by Echi Mono)

Young Man and the Sea, to be exact :)

For a Sound Judgment

this morning started early so did i. after waiting for two felt-like-forever hours for Ocha n Fit, i arrived there for Jakarta Highland Gathering, a festival i had heard of many times. the sun wasn't friendly but then i needed it to warm my pale legs n hands.

happy i was at the first sound of bagpipe. it was what i came here for. men in skirt were playing the highly sophisticated instruments. their skirt was a curious thing and so were the felt bags. and most of the players are of young age and have Asian facial features--meaning they are Asian!

one by one they came up to the "stage" and played the bagpipe, caught breath, fingered the holes, and danced. sometimes a piper or two accompanied a drummer. it was a competition and there were two skirted men nearby judging the players.

upon hearing the music playing, people came. they--just like i was--were "pied piper of Hamelin-ed"! it was just good.

I said it

Let there be light!

Sobirayu Voskhod

I collect sunrises
precious moments of gold
how rich i am
thus my heart told

(voskhod, v Tulambene)

La peinture évocatrice

it was like a slap in the right cheek when I saw it: duotone it may be, but that morning it evoked vivid memories. how brilliant!

(curious painting; Tulamben; courtesy of Rosa Widiyarini)

One Lonely Town

i put the photograph inside the frame of my mind
that there millions of cheers ain't hard to find

My Photos for Justravellers Gathering

am happy! these photos got selected (curated by JUST Travellers committee and Arbain Rambey) for the upcoming Justravellers gathering in May 1 and 2, 2010. moi am one of 35 photographers whose works are selected to be exhibited there.

"Morning Has Broken"
Caption: Mount Puntang in Bandung Selatan, Jawa Barat, was crucial in the time of Dutch colonialism. It's where they built the first modern communication station. All it has to offer now are interesting stories and ruins. When camping there with friends last October, I woke up to witness the beautiful and poetic morning: The sun was peeking through the slender conifer, the river was singing, and so were wild birds.

"The White Lion & How-Small-We-Are"
Caption: Everything in the peak of Mt. Ijen, East java, is in big scale: the caldera, the crater, the sulphur lake, the hills. and I felt so diminutive in the presence of the Creation. I could not be not moved by the sight. PS: it was my first hike to an elevation higher than 9,000 feet. Feb. 2010.

"For Better or Worse"

Sure there are plenty of
fish in the sea
Flocks of birds on the rise
Baby, not for me
'Cause I live in paradise
(For Better or Worse, Debbie Gibson)

When buddies and I went down to the wreck in Tulamben, I felt most happiest. I can remember every second of the descent! bubbles! here's where I remembered my silent wish: to be able to enjoy it.

and here's where the playlist changed! I used to sing in mind: What a Wonderful World. but seeing the school of jacks, my archive opened that old Debbie Gibson disc and the needle played it loud :)

(not for worse but) for better, I love it!

time

waits
for none

Adagio

my feet sing a song or two
upon anyone's request
or upon your caressing them
the left paddles
the right one giggles
while the hair on the left
and the right
they catch bubbles
of air
it slows down the song
--and the movement


[shest, djesyat, dvesyachi tri]

The Wall

an awesome trip. unthinkable. how my buddies and i got through it is a wonder and we were glad we were able to enjoy each dip.

of course it will be ungrateful of me if i din thank the Lord for it. i still want to know what was on his mind when he created the life in the wall and the floor. moreover, what was on his mind when he created the universe? it's like this: where could i go? where could i run? nothing is beyond you!



as of today (earth day), I think he is thinking, what was on my mind when i created the universe?



(photos courtesy of thedivingdugongers)

The Songlist for Trips

1. Smashing Young Man, Collective Soul

2. Kinderly, Mediaeval Baebes

3. A Design of Life, Manic Street Preachers

4. Son of a Preacher Man, Dusty Springfield

5. Fireflies, Owl City

6. Aha!, Imogen Heap

7. Flowers, Emilie Simon

8. Sweet the Sting, Tori Amos

9. Lost in Space, Lighthouse Family

10. Bette Davis Eyes, Kim Carnes

11. On My Way Home, Enya

12. The Big Rock, Maire Brennan

13. Everyday I Wrote the Book, Ron Sexsmith & Elvis Costello

14. Nothing Else Matters, Metallica

15. Grace, Jars of Clay

16. Stuck in the Moment, U2

17. Breath Your Name, Sixpence None the Richer

18. Bratislava, Beirut

19. Fix the World Up for You, James Morrison

20. What a Wonderful World, Louis Armstrong

By Saving The Corals, We Help Local Fishermen's Welfare

My friend's Lisa Saputra and my entry for Deep Indonesia 2010 Poster Contest
It didn't make into final but I love it that we tried

the idea: campaigning against fish and coral bombings and overfishing. local fishermen can choose to preserve them instead and associate themselves with (or become!) dive operators!

Excuse me Mister! (Danau Singkarak, Musi, Padang)

What do you know about the world Sir?

you ain't know nothin

they said, last month you were just born again

but how come? then we're older than him

while moi? moi's been around since first time i saw the world

(i heard that small, big boned boy chirping

to his two friends in the back seating)

the car stopped by the river

everyone needed meal and the car a washing

down the river went the boy, screaming

as the wide, shallow river

his naked back sweeping

with its mighty cold water

That Sir was just smiling

his grin was saying

ah li'l boy, what do you know of this world?

you know nothing

than the oversized pants you are wearing

i might be born last month

but the world i have known

(thought i have developed this thing

a talent to lip reading)

in the evening

the car stopped for a while

for heavy meal and a bathing

this time, they went inside a village

dark was it, sky clouding

and the children i saw doing something

they thought smart of doing

excuding soap to make it bubbling

applying them on their skin

to get rid of mosquitos bitin'

(i smiled at their new invention)

then to the children happened something

the big boned boy thought it wasn't worth trying

his skin got itching itching

thus he went down to the river a washing

putting his toes first, water temperature a testing

dark was it, water sky mirroring

but he still thought of shrimp catching

along the grass towering

all grown up men had just finished a washing

he was left all alone, standing

the boy decided to be friendlier

to the straight haired born again Mister

Hey Mister, did you happen to cempedak fruit tasting?

it smells nice but why i felt like sleepy when sniffing?

is it really edible or what Sir? the boy went asking

(this time i pretended not to be eavesdropping

i was pretty sure that was his way of saying

I am so sorry for ignoring)

the Mister looked down smiling

perhaps thinking of the boy he longed to have

or just remembered he once was a youngling!

before he opened his mouth answering

the boy went on saying

Mister, like your crooked nose!

and why you always go uff uff

every five minutes or three?

(Guessed the Mister had been deciding

whether to like this boy or nothing)

have you eaten Son? Mister only said one thing

the small big boned boy looked up, nodding

*of Danau Singkarak, Padang, Musi*

Stranded (Sanur)

i thought God spilt the beans

when the the first time i saw the beach

Its sands wwere like mung beans
of different color, I mean
split all over the beach

or they resemble the cardamom seeds

small, yellowish, round

covering the whole ocean and beyond

it was like a big discovery for the boy that was me

and thought friends must see

hard and fine a grain

i laid it on my palm

i picked them up one by one

beige, reddish, yellow

colors that made me wow

how did they came to be like this?

a greedy child was I

harvesting as many

digging deep with hands

the precious round sands

colorful shells and pieces of corals

added to my collections inside my bag

the greedy child smiled

and then ran to the adults

satisfied, smiling as if nothing happened

it's only me and my marine treasure

can't wait to show them to friends

said the child which was I

and i glanced back

and smiled at the fine, round sands

i'll be bringing the whole sea

to my neighborhood

up in the mountains

*of Sanur, 1986*