Chinese New Year at home

Chinese New Year 2006 start on January 29. We have an official holiday until 1 February. This is really a great time for taking rest and meet my local friends. Usually, I receive anpow (Angpow is a red envelope that is used to put money inside) and I still keep them until today.

The first day, the downtown is very quiet, all the shops are closed until 30 January. I can only see some restaurant are opened and people only sit and chat with friends. I spend time at home and watching a film "Chicken Run" from a TV station. Maybe, "Chicken Run" is the right film to pass the year of chicken 2005 and to welcome the year of dog 2006, which is believed by Chinese people.

Back to the Chicken Run, it was a best animated comedy film in year 2000, I remembered watching this with "lima sekawan" and laughing a lot. How chicken can fly and run away from their owner ?. This is different with dog, dog is so faithful to their owner. He...he..:-) anyway I really enjoy this film.

Anti Cancer - Traditional medicine

Lately, I heard some local people in Jakarta using a traditional medicine for anti-cancer. There are Daun Sirih Kodok (piper bittle) and Kunyit Putih (Carica mangga). Both of them are boiled and drink together once a week.

Dance of Prosperity

Time is really flying so fast. I can not imagine, just a view days ago the New Year 2006 then Chinese New Year will be in soon. Downtown is really busy today, there are many performances, mainly music and dance. I see a Dance of prosperity which is managed by one of the Shopping Mall in orchard area. Although I do not understand in deep about the message in dance, but generally it tell that the Lion works so hard before the New Year finding what he needs. He walk, run, climb and jump to find foods. This is really showed how he is so active and optimistic.

I have an appoinment to meet Conny for the lunch, pick up the photos and then we went for lunch that afternoon, then she continue her trip to Kinabalu and say bye then....

GONG XI FA CAI - HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR

Indonesia Archipelago - Yogyakarta

Just in the 50 minutes, we arrived in Yogjakarta. This is like in dream, suddenly we got to stay in around Malioboro's street which is the most famous street in Jogyakarta with shopping, batik, and eating place. This is our first trip to this city, so after we put all bag, we walk around up to Suryadiningratan which is famous for painting gallery and Kota Gede for Silver Design. We are all 5 with friends from Singapore, join the trip as well. The plan to go for visiting Borobudur Temple, Prambanan, hunting for painting,Kotagede for silver design and ofcourse Malioboro, Sultan's Palace and Kasongan. There are so many places to visit in Yogja and the people is very friendly.

The first day we went to painting gallery and Kotagede. I am just surprise the process is so manual, the local people design the silver so patient. There are so many painting gallery in Yogya, but we have appointment to visit Godod's gallery to hunt for his modern painting. Wow, so many modern and traditional painting that were displayed every where in his place. This is very interesting part. At night time, we went for eating in lesehan place (sitting in the floor) which is the popular way to take a eat in Yogyakarta. All the lesehan place only serve chicken and some with seafood.

We plan for the second day, visit Borobudur, Prambanan and Agrotourism Salak Pondoh Farm. Now I can see, that many stupas in Borobudur, body without head. The local people said that the heads have been stolen. I remember one day read about this in the newspaper, some of the heads have been found in Paris, Nederland and many places. At night time, Yogya got raining, but we still continue with shopping at night time as many markets still open.

The third day, visited Sultan's Palace, Batik painting & design, Dagadu's cloth, bought some cookies and food for family at home. One of the popular food from Yogya is called "gudeg" which is one of my favourite food. Wow, put on weight ofcourse after this trip.

My friends from Singapore told me, they are very satisfied with the trip, they bought a lot of painting and handy craft and ship all of them by cargo to Singapore. They plan to go back to Yogya again. Maybe see Yogya again next time, bye....

Some information about Yogyakarta and Hotel can be found in here: YogYES

and more complete hotel can be found here : HOTEL YOGYA , recommended to stay in Jl Dagen which is very close to city center and only walking distance to Malioboro Street.