Wayang Museum (Shadow Puppet Museum).

 

Wayang Museum (used to be called as Shadow Puppet Museum) is museum that keeps collections of wayang from various territories in Indonesia and even from other countries.

 

Wayang Museum Building was constructed at a former old church location, which built by VOC in 1640 with a name of “de oude Hollandsche Kerk”. The church was functioned as a house of worship for Dutch civil and military in Indonesia until 1732. In 1733 the church was renovated and the name was changed to be “de nieuwe Hollandsche Kerk”. The building existed until 1808, until an earthquake broke it making the church could not be occupied anymore. On the location where the church previously stood, a building then constructed, it's the one stands there currently, which initially functioned as a warehouse belonged to Geo Wehry & Co. Initially in 1912, the front side of Wayang Museum was constructed with a Neo Renaissance style, but then in 1938 the whole building was renovated and adjusted to be like Dutch buildings in the colonization time.

 

 

 

 

 

Fasting Break

Weeks before Lebaran, my office held a breakfasting event at a nearby restaurant. Its a famous one located within Industrial Estate that split in two areas, outdoor and indoor. While waiting for the breakfasting time, the event began with a short speech from Board Member. A warm night shared with colleagues, was truly a blessing night full of cheerful moments.

Batukaras Beach

Batu Karas is a little village 1 hour away from Pangandaran. Batu Karas offers a nice beach for swimming and surfing. There are also several restaurants and hotels. This is a simple and remote village that will appeal to surfers, those wanting to immerse themselves in another culture, or anyone who just wants to get away from it all.

If you want something simple and peaceful, this is the place.

Saung Angklung Mang Udjo (SAU)

Sponsored by a 4 stars hotel in Purwakarta, I visited Saung Angklung Udjo (SAU) a one-stop cultural workshop, consisting of: performance venue, bamboo handicraft centre and bamboo instrument workshop.

 

The performance at Saung Angklung Udjo features the Angklung, but also incorporates Wayang Golek (wooden puppets), traditional dance, and the children’s orchestra into the show, so it’s interesting to watch as well as listen to.

The audience gets to participate during the show too. They teach everyone to play the Angklung by giving everyone an instrument that plays a single note. Each instrument is numbered – the conductor uses a variety of hand signals to let you when to shake your Angklung. And, following the final dance, the audience is invited onto the dance floor to dance with the performers. It’s all good fun!

It was established in 1966 by Udjo Ngalagena and his beloved wife Uum Sumiati, by a strong purpose and dedication to conserve and preserve Sundanese traditional art and culture. SAU illustrates nature and culture in harmony, it is no wonder SAU becomes a noticeable destination where people could experience Sundanese culture as a part of world heritage.

Apart from that, SAU has an honourable function as an educational laboratory and training centre to preserve the Sundanese culture - Angklung in particular.

Sangkanurip, Kuningan

This was very unusual vacation. On the way back to Jakarta from ‘Kampung Nenek”, we decided to drop by at Sangkanurip, Kuningan. It is located in the foothill of Mount Ciremai, approximately 35 Km from Cirebon towards Kuningan. Surround yourself in the beautiful sceneries and fresh mountain air.

Sangkanurip is one of the tourist villages that do not only rely on beautiful panoramas, but also water for health. In the small village at the foot of Mount Ciremai that mineralized hot springs flow. 

The point of the flow is not so much, only in certain joints. But that’s precisely what makes the Village Sangkanhurip be special. Hot water is contains various mineral elements, especially odium, used by the visitors to relax the muscles. Also believed, hot water, by use of routine, it is an effective way to combat rheumatism and destroying fat. Therefore, hot water pool in the cool area in the valley of Mount Ciremai was visited by many tourists.

The Green Festival

This is a festival for all.

The public is free to visit bringing their children, because this arena also provides a learn-as-you-play arena about the environment.

Visitors are first greeted by a model red earth made of steel showing how hot the planet can get. A virtual ice floor, where the ice cracks when someone steps on it, brings a sense of how fragile the ice in the North Pole is. The experience was heightened by screens showing flooding, the melting glaciers and storms. Cartoonists Benny and Mice put on a playful show about Jakartans' wasteful habits, with Mice watching three television sets, with the radio, fan and air conditioner on, and Benny talking about buying new cars that will only add to the pollution and long traffic jams. Bad habits related to global warming were highlighted in cartoons and pictures, depicting leaving the AC and TV set on when not in use and letting the water run when brushing teeth.

The free-of-charge event was collaboration of Kompas, MetroTV, Female Radio, consumer goods manufacturer PT Unilever Indonesia and state oil and gas firm PT Pertamina.

They are my Sisters!

I have four sisters and all of them are older than me. I love my sisters. They are truly my best friend and the women I most admire. We grew up in tough circumstances and we are so close as adults. Sometimes it brings tears to my eyes when I think about how lucky I am!

 

Having a sister is like having a best friend you can't get rid of.  You know whatever you do, they'll still be there.  ~Amy Li