From the outside it is a structure of plain layers of bricks protruding from the exposed weathered pink wall, supporting a massive dome flanked by four minarets varying in size and color. A dull outer narthex with a more elegant marble-walled inner narthex separate the […]
Istanbul, A Prologue
Crisp winter air caresses my face, a delightful sensory sensation after a 14-hour flight escaping the tropical humidity. The sun has just started to peek into the sky a few moments earlier, leaving a warm hue coloring blocks of apartments with bright tint. The minivan […]
The Heritage of Cirebon
Throngs of vendors fill the narrow alleys outside the royal courtyard. Colorful shirts for souvenir and appetizing scent of bakso – meatball soup – keep bargain hunters and tourists stay in this maze-like seasonal market for hours, among other things. It takes a while for […]
A Travel Through Time, Coventry
In a summer afternoon my cousin and I arrive at the Coventry Bus Station, after a 45-minute journey from Birmingham. Contrary to my expectation, the bus station looks unassuming and drab with rather tedious interior, making me wonder if the rest of city looks as […]
A Walk in The Neighborhood
It is a sunny and quiet morning in Kemang, a district in South Jakarta. The usual traffic congestion is absent, supplanted by silence, the occasional sound of chirping birds and the faint banter of breakfast vendors. I walk around the neighborhood and turn down one […]
2012, A Look Back
If I had to describe the year 2012 in only one word, it would have been ‘change’. A change of my traveling speed and style, a change of my job, and a change in the place where I live, to name some. I chose Hong […]
Within the Walls of Intramuros
On a sunny Saturday morning at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, I look around, trying to locate the taxi stand. 200 meters to my right, less than ten cabs are parked while the drivers are having their morning banters. I walk towards them and […]
Divide et Impera: From Borobudur to Vredeburg
When I learned history at school, there was one particular maxim that was repeatedly mentioned in various topics on the histories of nations around the world. Familiarized by Julius Caesar as the strategy used by the Roman Empire to conquer other nations, it was later […]
The House of Indonesian Treasures
It was in 1778 when a group of Dutch scholars established a scientific institution to promote research in the fields of arts and sciences in the Dutch East Indies, following the Age of Enlightenment in Europe. When the British ruled Java for a brief period […]
Secluded and Mysterious Plaosan Temples
What would come first in your mind if you have to mention one of Southeast Asian ancient temples? Angkor? The temples of Bagan? Borobudur? For those who have visited Indonesia or are planning to go must have heard about Borobudur and Prambanan temples – both […]
On The Bank of A Prehistoric Lake
Bandung has been a popular choice of respite for Jakartans since 2005 when the highway connecting both cities was inaugurated. Every weekend cars with Jakarta plates roam Bandung’s narrow and maze-like streets, often driving local people crazy. However, that brings huge economic opportunities for the […]
Nuremberg: The Ups and Downs
“Nächte Haltestelle, Hauptbahnhof.” The distinct melodious southern German accent from the automatic announcer in the tram signaled my destination, the Nuremberg (German: Nürnberg) central train station which is located in a beautiful Neo-Baroque building and facing the Altstadt (old city). Right across the station lies […]
What an Amazing World! 