Kantor Pos

Kantor Pos - Pasar Baru

Ada satu tempat yang jarang dikunjungi oleh para traveller saat berkunjung ke suatu negara. Biasa kita suka pergi ke museum, pusat perbelanjaan, theme park, ataupun pusat jajanan kuliner. Tetapi siapa yang mengunjungi kantor pos untuk berwisata, ayo unjuk tangan .. Tetapi itulah yang dilakukan oleh Musafir minggu ini. Sebenarnya ada alasan nostalgia juga karena sewaktu kecil, Musafir sering diajak oleh orang tua berkunjung ke sini untuk mengirim surat, ambil paket, kegiatan filateli sampai memiliki Po Box sendiri untuk kepentingan surat menyurat, maklum karena ada beberapa kerabat yang tinggal di luar negeri. Tetapi bagi generasi saat ini filateli, Po-Box, bahkan berkirim surat pun sudah menjadi istilah dan kegiatan yang jarang dilakukan.

Fatahillah Museum

How horrible the underground prison at Batavia old city. Space which height is only two and a half meters, filled dozens of people.Their legs tied with iron balls. Hans bonke, the dutch historian said that until 1763, the goverment allowed to detain a person for life because only of debt. These eight dungeon - we can see in the Jakarta History Museum - known as Fatahillah Museum.

Negeri Tetangga

Bagi yang pernah melihat pemandangan ini, tentulah tidak asing lagi dengan Negeri Tetangga.

Baiklah, mari kita mulai bercerita .. Setelah beberapa kali menulis dalam bentuk essay, Musafir merasa sekali-kali perlu untuk menulis dalam bentuk travel report dalam gaya anak muda karena permintaan beberapa pembaca .. ups .. ;)

Diawali tibanya low season - ehm para petualang jalan atau backpacker atau budget traveller biasa menunggu-nunggu waktu ini ..  dan seperti tahun-tahun sebelumnya akan disertai dengan munculnya promo-promo tiket murah dari airline company. Bak gayung bersambut, Musafir pun dengan tidak malu-malu ikut serta dalam kehirukpikukan menyambut promo tersebut. Dengan berjejal dan berkeringat, serta begadang, akhirnya Musafir pun mendapatkan sejumput rumput jelai eh maksudnya tiket murah ..

Footprints Theory

Pandawa Beach June 2015 - taken by samsung note

Some say that if we look at the picture of a landscape or beautiful place, it is not as beautiful as if we ourselves were there. Maybe it was pleasant for our eyes but remains incomplete if we do not feel the breeze, difficult journey to reach it, smell the fragrance of flowers around, or in other words it is not complete if we do not set our foot there.

Footprints - Pandawa Beach - also taken by samsung note

Our presence somewhere gives more meaning than just hear or leave a message. It is simply often we experience that we are more happy if our friend is present in our wedding celebration invitation than simply entrust congratulations. Hence we understand that in the Javanese culture, there is a saying ‘mangan ora mangan sing penting ngumpul’. The presence is more important than food. Footprints are meaningful. We feel that something wrong in our family when the members rarely meet. Especially in modern times (or anyone name it the post-modern era), many are saying that is practically enough if send a greeting via whatsapp or ask somebody just by phone. Is this correct? Our parents are happier if we come to visit their home rather than just asking for news through social media. Online learning is often considered weighs less than a lecture in class?  Also communication by face to face directly gives us more meaning than just through a piece of paper - memo.

Ehm .. so footprints talks more .. I would like to bring this idea to the greater things in life. Often we feel that other people's lives more interesting than our life. Our neighbor’s grass is always greener. The apple in the garden next door, redder than me. Such things make us not wholeheartedly in living. Always compare and do not feel satisfied. We like to imagine or fantasize yourself in the position of others who are more fortunate. I like to be a Cinderella with her handsome prince. I would like to be a rich man who live in a big castle surrounded by the beautiful garden. If we do this, then there is no footprints of yours. All is in your fantasy with the ungrateful heart.

Sound exhausted? Indeed ..

beyond our control

My D90 has fallen into the sea and being washed. Totally damaged and no longer functions.

In our life, increasingly feel that there are many things beyond our control. Maybe we feel that we are able to organize our lives well, but the reality is often what happens is something we do not want at all. 

We want to always be happy and all went well, so that when people ask us how are you, we are with a smile answered all is well. At the time there was a friend's birthday, we gave utterance may longevity. At the moment there are married, we gave utterance may be happy. At the moment there is a school exam, we give utterance may graduate with good grades. Also when there is a long journey, we say hopefully arrive safely.

But what happens is not always in accordance with what we want. It is often the opposite of what is considered good by the human eye. There is sadness, difficulties, failures, broken spirit, a long struggle .. All of this is part of life's journey. Life is not always sweet. Life is fragile.

So this awareness leads us to a hope. Expectations for a strong hand that holds our fragile life is. Hope for a person with whom we walk in the valleys of life that is bleak. Indirectly, if we're honest, inevitably we want God's face shining on our lives, his strong hands direct our steps .. Guided us in the struggle in love. It may not be obvious but feels strong. Like the breeze that are not felt his presence but soothing and give peace on a sunny day.

The beauty of Siak River

Siak River - taken by BB 10

When I flew to Pekanbaru - a city in east of Sumatera Island, I am amazed on beautiful scenery of a river. Then I have a chance to ask somebody, that is Siak River. Was a deepest river in Indonesia - for about 30 metres depth, but due to silting now just about 18 metres.

Still loved, still missed, and very dear

One gloomy morning a week before - San Diego, Cikarang 

Those we love don't go away
They walk beside us every day
Unseen, unheard, but always near
Still loved, still missed and very dear

When reading the poem above, my mind drifted away eight months ago. My friend lying very weak and dying. It was late in the day and knew when I came, she tried to sit down to talk. I helped to carry her down from the bed to the couch on the side. She tried to say something with a hoarse voice barely audible. Finally I just heard a word of thanks. An expression of the most sincere gratitude that I have ever heard. And within two days later my dearest friend had died.

Today I am writing this short article because tomorrow is her forty nine birthday. Be a friend for twenty-four years, I have learned a lot of wisdom in her journey of life. Not always positive things but also about many difficulties. Not always a smooth path but rather in her difficult journey I learned a lot. I can do everything through him who gives me strength, she often said this favorite bible verse.

Our life really a journey that is fragile, short, and like the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown. But like my dearest friend life story, God put the meaning in her life. The meaning of our fragile journey, depends on one question, what are you seek in this life ..

My friend had found what she is looking for. How about us?

(special note for KA, AA, and PA)