On the last long holiday, Good Friday, in 2 – 4 April 2010, my family went to visit Taman Safari Indonesia which is located at Cisarua, Bogor. To mitigate the crazy traffic going to Puncak, especially on the long weekend, we went there starting on Friday morning.
At 10 a.m we arrived at Cimory restaurant that serves dairy products such as milk, yoghurt, steak and sausages as their specialties. The food was quite ok, although personally I would think that it is a bit overpriced. There were many visitors there, just like us, who tried to get an hour break of driving to Puncak. Luckily the traffic was not that bad at that time. Another special thing about Cimory restaurant is that they have a small farm containing several cows.
After having Friday pray at nearby mosque, we went straight to the motel. Luckily my father-in-law has already booked 2 nights of staying at Telkom motel for us. We arrived there at 2 a.m, and just spent the rest of the days in the motel.
Early in Saturday morning, we went to visit Taman Safari Indonesia, which is only 2 – 4 km from our motel hence we got there just in time before the busy hour of Taman Safari Indonesia. If my memory serves me right, then the last time I visited Taman Safari Indonesia was 10 – 15 years ago during my elementary or junior high school. The fun thing of visiting Taman Safari Indonesia is that from our car window, we could see animals in the outdoor area (not in their cage), although on some animals we were not allowed to slow our cars and open the window, such as lion, tiger, bear, etc.
The first animal that we saw was a bunch of elephants; unfortunately my daughter just went to sleep as soon as we entered the elephant’s gate, hiks. (the main idea of this trip was to show my daughter of many and varied animals that Taman Safari Indonesia), therefore we have to spend half an hour to wait for my daughter to wake up (forcefully waking her up, hehe..) before we could continue with the trip.
After spending almost two hours of sightseeing using our car, we went to the recreation area in Taman Safari Indonesia. In there, you could see many shows and attraction, starting from small zoo exhibition, penguin exhibition, reptile/snake exhibition, train ride, kids area, restaurant, acrobats show, Orang Utan show, Tiger show, and our favorite was Dolphin show where we spend the rest of the afternoon there watching clever Dolphin showing their attractions.
At 6.30 p.m. we went back to the motel feeling exhausted, tired yet content and happy. I would not mind going back there again sometimes.
How to get there: Take the Jagorawi toll road, exit at Ciawi toll gate, and then just follow the main street going to Puncak. Taman Safari Indonesia is located at your right side approximately 10 – 15 km from the Ciawi Exit gate.
Cost: Entrance Fee for adults is Rp 60,000 while for kids is Rp 50,000, Car is Rp 15,000 (price for Indonesia and international tourist is different)
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Monday, March 1, 2010
Up in The Air - Up Up and Away..
This movie tells us about an irregular job that someone has. Ryan Bingham (beautifully played by George Clooney), a person who is responsible for laying-off an employee, seems like having a thrill of the side benefit from his job. He got to fly all over America, with American Airlines, to go to a company who hire his specialties of terminating an employee. He works at CTC that stands for Career Transition & Consultation, that its job desk is to send out the bad news in time like this, tells someone that he or she is no longer needed in their company and offered them a severance package to start a new life, a life that they always wanted before but could not be achieved due to their daily routines at work. Obviously, it is not an easy job for someone to do but somehow Ryan Bingham successfully ‘lured’ the employee to take the severance package and just go on with their new life.
Another interesting story that this movie tried to tell is how Ryan travel all over America using an airplanes, how he is being treated as a privileged person by the airlines, and also by the hotels, where he spent most of his time at Hilton. This benefit comes because of his loyalty of using the same airlines all over the year. Imagine he has to go on travel for 340 days up in the air and just spend only 22 days in his hometown in Omaha, Nebraska. How many miles would he get from his travel? And it is also one of his goals in life, to get as many miles as possible, until he loose counts. By the end of the movie, he managed to fulfill just that. 10,000,000 miles of air travel. With that he is the number #7 person in America who could achieve this. He got to talk with the pilot and his name would then be carved at the side of the airplanes. Apparently, another privileges comes with his achievements, get a dedicated phone line from American Airlines, etc.
But that’s not all, one of his lucky privileges is when he met Alex, a career woman, who turns out to be a frequent flyers as well. Hence they spend some quality time together by having an affair that Ryan soon realized that she already has a family and children.
Another part of the story is when he got back to his hometown and met his boss and briefly told about the company’s plan to apply the video conference termination through the internet. With this plan, he would no longer be needed to travel all over America and just simply do his job at his office in Omaha. This brilliant idea was brought up by Natalie, a young ambitious girl, who followed his boyfriend to Omaha just to get engaged, but later shown that love was not on her side. This plan is brought into the company to reduce the travel and insurance cost. Felt being threatened of losing all of his privileges, Ryan told his boss that Natalie should join her to know what the real deal of their job was, by flying all over America and handed over the news directly and face to face with the employee, not through some internet protocols. Along the journey they found themselves opening up for a different side of their life, Ryan by trying to settle down with Alex, and Natalie by learning how to deal with different effects from people after having a sad news about termination.
Overall, it is a good movie and really meant a lot personally by viewers in America especially in times of crisis like this. No wonder why it is being nominated for 6 Academy Awards for this year including Best Picture and Best Actor. Well, good luck for them, let’s see the result soon in early March. As for me, I definitely need to be Up in The Air again, last time we done that was last year, July 2009, traveling to Yogyakarta.
Another interesting story that this movie tried to tell is how Ryan travel all over America using an airplanes, how he is being treated as a privileged person by the airlines, and also by the hotels, where he spent most of his time at Hilton. This benefit comes because of his loyalty of using the same airlines all over the year. Imagine he has to go on travel for 340 days up in the air and just spend only 22 days in his hometown in Omaha, Nebraska. How many miles would he get from his travel? And it is also one of his goals in life, to get as many miles as possible, until he loose counts. By the end of the movie, he managed to fulfill just that. 10,000,000 miles of air travel. With that he is the number #7 person in America who could achieve this. He got to talk with the pilot and his name would then be carved at the side of the airplanes. Apparently, another privileges comes with his achievements, get a dedicated phone line from American Airlines, etc.
But that’s not all, one of his lucky privileges is when he met Alex, a career woman, who turns out to be a frequent flyers as well. Hence they spend some quality time together by having an affair that Ryan soon realized that she already has a family and children.
Another part of the story is when he got back to his hometown and met his boss and briefly told about the company’s plan to apply the video conference termination through the internet. With this plan, he would no longer be needed to travel all over America and just simply do his job at his office in Omaha. This brilliant idea was brought up by Natalie, a young ambitious girl, who followed his boyfriend to Omaha just to get engaged, but later shown that love was not on her side. This plan is brought into the company to reduce the travel and insurance cost. Felt being threatened of losing all of his privileges, Ryan told his boss that Natalie should join her to know what the real deal of their job was, by flying all over America and handed over the news directly and face to face with the employee, not through some internet protocols. Along the journey they found themselves opening up for a different side of their life, Ryan by trying to settle down with Alex, and Natalie by learning how to deal with different effects from people after having a sad news about termination.
Overall, it is a good movie and really meant a lot personally by viewers in America especially in times of crisis like this. No wonder why it is being nominated for 6 Academy Awards for this year including Best Picture and Best Actor. Well, good luck for them, let’s see the result soon in early March. As for me, I definitely need to be Up in The Air again, last time we done that was last year, July 2009, traveling to Yogyakarta.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Zeus, Poseidon, Hercules, Athena, Aphrodite. Do you remember those names?!.. Yupp, they are the God and Goddes according to the ancient Greek myth. Well, there is more.. such as Perceus/Percy, Luke, Annabeth? Ring a bell? Guess not… they are the Demigod, half-human and half God, they are the offspring of the God with their human wife/husband.
This story tells us about the adventure of Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman), Poseidon’s offspring, Groover (Brandon T. Jackon), a Saythr and Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario), Athena’s offspring in their conquest for the saving of Percy’s Mom from Hades (Steve Coogan), God of the Underworld. It all began when Zeus (Sean Bean), God of the Sun and Poseidon, God of the Sea involved in small dispute up in the Empire State Building asking who might have stolen the Lightning Bulb which is the most powerful God’s weapon created by Zeus. All along Zeus suspected that it was Percy who had stolen it. This has created a quarrel between Zeus and Poseidon. Zeus ordered him to bring the Lightning Bulb back before the War between Gods begin, a.k.a, the end of the world.
On the other part of the story, Percy just found out that he was one of the Demigods, for instance he able and like being in the water for a very long time, has the ability to cure himself by having water and most of all his ability to control the water. He was being protected by Groover all along. Hence, when trouble comes, this is when a Rufy and a Minotaur hunted him in order to get the Lightning Bulb, he was instructed to be at the Demigod’s camp, where there were plenty other Demigods. (Yupp, apparently God or Goddes often come to the earth to make out with human, hehehe.) In that camp Percy was taught on how to fight and develop his ability by Mr. Brutner (Pierce Brosnan), a Centaur who along the way told him about his background. On this camp is where he met Luke, another Demigod, Hermes’ offspring, who kind of helped him in bringing his Mom back from Hades lair in the Underworld by giving him a Treasure Map of the Three Magic Pearl location and also the Underwold location. He also gave him the Magic Shield where in it the Lightning Bulb being hidden by Luke all the time. So now, you have figured out who is the bad guy here.
In his journey of finding the pearl he, Annabeth and Groover met with Medusa (Uma Thurman), also with a five-headed beast in Nashville, a Lotus seduction in Las Vegas casino and also with Perseipon (Rosario Dawson), apologize for my lack of knowledge in spelling the God’s name. She was kept by Hades in his lair forever and have tried to escape from him forever,. Apparently she is one of the good guys.
In the end, there is a happy ending, where he could have his Mom back and get a chance to talk to his father, Poseidon, who had left him when he was only 7 months old.
Overall, this movie is one of the “just-ok” category movie especially when you are a kind of person who digs an adventure, myth, fantasy and also special ability/power type of movie.. And most probably there will be a sequel of the movie that I might look forward to, just to have a leisure time with my wife.
One tips: you might want to browse and learn again the Greeks Gods and Goddess myth before you go to the movie
This story tells us about the adventure of Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman), Poseidon’s offspring, Groover (Brandon T. Jackon), a Saythr and Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario), Athena’s offspring in their conquest for the saving of Percy’s Mom from Hades (Steve Coogan), God of the Underworld. It all began when Zeus (Sean Bean), God of the Sun and Poseidon, God of the Sea involved in small dispute up in the Empire State Building asking who might have stolen the Lightning Bulb which is the most powerful God’s weapon created by Zeus. All along Zeus suspected that it was Percy who had stolen it. This has created a quarrel between Zeus and Poseidon. Zeus ordered him to bring the Lightning Bulb back before the War between Gods begin, a.k.a, the end of the world.
On the other part of the story, Percy just found out that he was one of the Demigods, for instance he able and like being in the water for a very long time, has the ability to cure himself by having water and most of all his ability to control the water. He was being protected by Groover all along. Hence, when trouble comes, this is when a Rufy and a Minotaur hunted him in order to get the Lightning Bulb, he was instructed to be at the Demigod’s camp, where there were plenty other Demigods. (Yupp, apparently God or Goddes often come to the earth to make out with human, hehehe.) In that camp Percy was taught on how to fight and develop his ability by Mr. Brutner (Pierce Brosnan), a Centaur who along the way told him about his background. On this camp is where he met Luke, another Demigod, Hermes’ offspring, who kind of helped him in bringing his Mom back from Hades lair in the Underworld by giving him a Treasure Map of the Three Magic Pearl location and also the Underwold location. He also gave him the Magic Shield where in it the Lightning Bulb being hidden by Luke all the time. So now, you have figured out who is the bad guy here.
In his journey of finding the pearl he, Annabeth and Groover met with Medusa (Uma Thurman), also with a five-headed beast in Nashville, a Lotus seduction in Las Vegas casino and also with Perseipon (Rosario Dawson), apologize for my lack of knowledge in spelling the God’s name. She was kept by Hades in his lair forever and have tried to escape from him forever,. Apparently she is one of the good guys.
In the end, there is a happy ending, where he could have his Mom back and get a chance to talk to his father, Poseidon, who had left him when he was only 7 months old.
Overall, this movie is one of the “just-ok” category movie especially when you are a kind of person who digs an adventure, myth, fantasy and also special ability/power type of movie.. And most probably there will be a sequel of the movie that I might look forward to, just to have a leisure time with my wife.
One tips: you might want to browse and learn again the Greeks Gods and Goddess myth before you go to the movie
Sunday, February 7, 2010
From Paris With Love
This movie tells about the newly recruited secret agent, Reese (Jonathan Rhys Myers) who is working for the United States Ambassador in Paris. Part of him being the Ambassador’s personal assistant, it turns out that he has been recruited as a secret agent by the U.S Department of Defense. His first job was to change a license number of an operation car that will be used by a more senior secret agent. He successfully nailed that easy job. His second task was even harder; he got to set a bug/ recording device at office of the Foreign Minister of France while at the same time attending a meeting along with the ambassador, after several attempts he finally set the device.
Now, the real action began when he was told to pick up Charles Wax (John Travolta) at the custom’s office in the airport who turns out to be the best secret agent who was sent to wipe-off terrorist chain in Paris. His slogan was Wax-On, Wax-Off. All the guns fire, butt-kicking action and bomb blast comes after he joined him finishing the tasks. The action happened at the Chinese restaurant, which turns out to be a kokain dealer spot, Chinese factory, slumdog apartment, rooftop, highways, and almost everywhere.
Here we could see that the newly recruited, Reese, still has the beginner’s nerve breakdown while holding a gun, and even to make his first shot, who in the end belongs to his fiancée.
Overall, it was a good movie, filled with action and blast, and some jokes during the assignment and recommended for the action-thirst movie goers.
Now, the real action began when he was told to pick up Charles Wax (John Travolta) at the custom’s office in the airport who turns out to be the best secret agent who was sent to wipe-off terrorist chain in Paris. His slogan was Wax-On, Wax-Off. All the guns fire, butt-kicking action and bomb blast comes after he joined him finishing the tasks. The action happened at the Chinese restaurant, which turns out to be a kokain dealer spot, Chinese factory, slumdog apartment, rooftop, highways, and almost everywhere.
Here we could see that the newly recruited, Reese, still has the beginner’s nerve breakdown while holding a gun, and even to make his first shot, who in the end belongs to his fiancée.
Overall, it was a good movie, filled with action and blast, and some jokes during the assignment and recommended for the action-thirst movie goers.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Kampung Sawah - Soreang
Some people might ask, “Why do you have to go that far to find something to eat?” the answer is simple, when it comes to foods and restaurant; we will go to China even. Yes last weekend we went to Bandung to visit my parents in law. At the same time, it was my sister in law’s birthday; hence for the birthday brunch we decided to go to Kampung Sawah which is located somewhere before Soreang, it takes about 1 until 2 hours of driving from Bandung city. Yet the trip was paid off, as soon as we arrived there we were greeted by the vast rice paddy field and a traditional Sundanese restaurant. The view was great; Next to the restaurant was a water park and swimming pool compound. At the middle of the restaurant you could see a fish pond where the owner of the restaurant farms his fish.
After finding our seat, we ordered the menu and this time we felt like having a fried chicken, satay udang, fried calamari, and cah kangkung for our lunch and of course some drinks. While waiting for the foods to arrive, we opened the birthday cake and made a small birthday bash for my sister in law.
Apparently it did not take a long time for the food to arrive, yet another thumbs up for the service in the restaurant.
Afterwards, there was only small noises of nyam, hmmm, huhaah, due to the deliciousness and spicy of the foods. Another good stuff is the playing area for the kids, starting from Ayunan, Perosotan, Jungkat Jungkit, etc. and also other necessary facilities, such as musholla and a clean toilet.
After spending 2.5 hours of eating and relaxing there, we went back to my parents in law house with the feeling of satisfaction, full, and relaxed.
How to get there:
From Bandung city, find a way to Kopo area, through the Jalan Sayati, and go straight until Soreang, make a left turn at the Soreang/Banjaran intersection. It is only 15 – 20 km from Jalan Sayati until Kampung Sawah location, which is 30 minutes to 1 hour of driving depending from the traffic
The price is cheap, yet the foods were great. It is recommended for a family lunch trip, if you were looking for something different.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Immigrant
Knowing that it will be full schedule with wedding reception on our weekend, me and my wife took the courtesy to visit one of the happening clubs in Jakarta on Friday night. It is called Immigrant. The place is located at the 6th floor of the extension building in Plaza Indonesia. It is a combination of fancy restaurant and cool bar and lounge. Here you will find a seriously long bar ready to serve your drinking appetite until late at night. The entrance fee is only Rp 100,000 per person and you will get a free drink according to your preference, alcohol or non alcohol drink.
We arrived there at 10.30 pm and were told by the reception that it will be a guest DJ coming all the way down from UK to perform, I forgot his name. When we arrived, there was only a few people, well it is still early, right? So, we wandered around the clubs and there was an outdoor area where you could see the beautiful city light of Jakarta and also look directly down to the famous Bundaran Hotel Indonesia. The view was superb but it was a bit humid and hot outside, thus we went back inside to enjoy the ambience of the club.
People started coming in at 11.00 pm and so does the guest DJ. He finally made his first appearance at 11.30 pm and it was a rocking night ever since. The sound system inside the clubs is nice, you could hear loud music that he played very well and of course there are pretty ladies inside. It seems that the crowd in Immigrant is mostly occupied with adults just like in Blowfish (it will be in our next schedule) and it is not like what would be in Public, Embassy, etc. where you could find teenagers there, not that I am complaining though.
Unfortunately we have to go back to our house soon, so after an hour or so enjoying the guest DJ performance, at 00.30 am we went straight to our house and the traffic was great. For sure, there will be other clubs to visit in Jakarta just to taste a thrill of music here in the city.
We arrived there at 10.30 pm and were told by the reception that it will be a guest DJ coming all the way down from UK to perform, I forgot his name. When we arrived, there was only a few people, well it is still early, right? So, we wandered around the clubs and there was an outdoor area where you could see the beautiful city light of Jakarta and also look directly down to the famous Bundaran Hotel Indonesia. The view was superb but it was a bit humid and hot outside, thus we went back inside to enjoy the ambience of the club.
People started coming in at 11.00 pm and so does the guest DJ. He finally made his first appearance at 11.30 pm and it was a rocking night ever since. The sound system inside the clubs is nice, you could hear loud music that he played very well and of course there are pretty ladies inside. It seems that the crowd in Immigrant is mostly occupied with adults just like in Blowfish (it will be in our next schedule) and it is not like what would be in Public, Embassy, etc. where you could find teenagers there, not that I am complaining though.
Unfortunately we have to go back to our house soon, so after an hour or so enjoying the guest DJ performance, at 00.30 am we went straight to our house and the traffic was great. For sure, there will be other clubs to visit in Jakarta just to taste a thrill of music here in the city.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Taman Menteng - Barry oh Barry..
A nice way to spend your Sunday afternoon is by wandering around the Jakarta city with your family since you don’t get that opportunity a lot in the city, especially on weekdays. It seems that Jakarta offers a different joy and fun during weekend, one of them is the less traffic at Jalan Sudirman and M. Thamrin. I took the courtesy of having my family, my Mom and little sister to visit one of the cool places to hang out in Jakarta, it is called Taman Menteng. We departed from our house at 3 p.m. and we arrived there at 3.30 pm.
The place is famous with its two glass-buildings and surrounding greenery and also its football/basketball court. But nowadays Taman Menteng is even more famous with the controversial Little Barack Obama statue, which they called it the Barry statue.
Well, the reason of being controversial is because some people in Jakarta believe that there are other significant person or hero from Jakarta that deserves a spot or place in the park such as Muhammad Husni Thamrin, Benyamin Sueb, etc., So, why it has to be Barry (little Barack)? Is it just because he went to the elementary school in Menteng area, near the park itself, and now that he has become the president of USA? During the first week of its installment people kept discussing and opposing it, even some are willing to take it doen from the park. Nevertheless, we were lucky enough to see the statue before something bad happened to it.
Aside from the controversial statue, the park was crowded with teenagers and lovers who seemed to be in their own world. Hehehe..
We spent the rest of the afternoon by taking pictures and wander around the park.
Too bad the park is less maintained because you could see garbage, trash and some writings on the wall. Plus it was raining at that time; hence you could see some of the spots in the park are flooded by water, even the parking spot is a bit drained by water. Why do some people just could not appreciate art and maintain the park for our own amusement? Sometimes I feel pity to those kinds of people.
After spending an hour of enjoying the view in Taman Menteng, we went back to our car and headed straight to Plaza Senayan for some late lunch there. Now here is one place of a high maintenance building.
The route is going to Jalan Sudirman, until you find the Bundaran Hotel Indonesia where you could see the flushing fountain and also the Selamat Datang statue. Afterwards you take the right turn going to Kuningan or Menteng area, passing the Hotel Nikko entrance and just follow the road until you find the second intersection, make a right turn and then you will see the Taman Menteng on your left side. Or if you are from Kuningan area, just follow Jalan Rasuna Said going to Menteng, you will find the park on your right side.
Entrance fee is only Rp 3,000 for car parking
The place is famous with its two glass-buildings and surrounding greenery and also its football/basketball court. But nowadays Taman Menteng is even more famous with the controversial Little Barack Obama statue, which they called it the Barry statue.
Well, the reason of being controversial is because some people in Jakarta believe that there are other significant person or hero from Jakarta that deserves a spot or place in the park such as Muhammad Husni Thamrin, Benyamin Sueb, etc., So, why it has to be Barry (little Barack)? Is it just because he went to the elementary school in Menteng area, near the park itself, and now that he has become the president of USA? During the first week of its installment people kept discussing and opposing it, even some are willing to take it doen from the park. Nevertheless, we were lucky enough to see the statue before something bad happened to it.
Aside from the controversial statue, the park was crowded with teenagers and lovers who seemed to be in their own world. Hehehe..
We spent the rest of the afternoon by taking pictures and wander around the park.
Too bad the park is less maintained because you could see garbage, trash and some writings on the wall. Plus it was raining at that time; hence you could see some of the spots in the park are flooded by water, even the parking spot is a bit drained by water. Why do some people just could not appreciate art and maintain the park for our own amusement? Sometimes I feel pity to those kinds of people.
After spending an hour of enjoying the view in Taman Menteng, we went back to our car and headed straight to Plaza Senayan for some late lunch there. Now here is one place of a high maintenance building.
The route is going to Jalan Sudirman, until you find the Bundaran Hotel Indonesia where you could see the flushing fountain and also the Selamat Datang statue. Afterwards you take the right turn going to Kuningan or Menteng area, passing the Hotel Nikko entrance and just follow the road until you find the second intersection, make a right turn and then you will see the Taman Menteng on your left side. Or if you are from Kuningan area, just follow Jalan Rasuna Said going to Menteng, you will find the park on your right side.
Entrance fee is only Rp 3,000 for car parking
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