Tuesday, August 29, 2006

May you rest in peace....

This evening I got an email from my brother
My uncle, Om Ventje, died this afternoon
Lung cancer took away his life
May you rest in peace, Om Ventje....
All things about you are safely kept in my childhood memories

Hopefully your family would be strong without you

All my prayer is for you tonight

(_ _o)

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Culture or habit?!

I don't know if this story is about culture or simply someone's habit.
There's a park nearby our apartment. Usually every late afternoon I bring Iki for a walk there. We can see many children playing, old people sitting on the bench, or couples having romantic chit chat. Around 4.30 pm, the big fountain is usually started. Then many children will play under it. Seems that in this hot summer weather, that fountain becomes one of the children in the neighborhood's favourite.

2 days ago I brought Iki to the park again. As usual, when the fountain was started, lots of children start to run under it. At that time there was an old woman as well. That granny was playing happily with the children. Quite a nice view actually.
But then, perhaps tired, she left the fountain to the bench beside me. Opened her wet clothes JUST LIKE THAT, and changed it into the clean one. I gasped. She really was naked in front of me. Though the view was not good for my eyes, I can't help not to watch :p

The other day, I sat together with some mothers at the same bench. I was just watching Iki talking in baby language with some other babies (we, mothers, just kept silent while our babies were chatting while holding hands hahaha). Suddenly 1 baby cried because of hungry. The mother soothed her and asked her to wait a second. I thought that mother would take a bottled milk for the baby, BUT she just sat down on the bench, pull out her left fully breast and fed the baby instead. I also gasped. This time the view was pretty good for my eyes so I can't help not to watch :p

Is it culture? or simply someone's habit?
I remember in Indonesia I also saw similar views several times, though I think I don't see much of them in higher level society.
That park, where I saw such views, is located at the highest society level in this city. Therefore I was wondering if it's about culture or habit....

Sunday, August 20, 2006

Our summer holiday

Just finished. Now back in Incheon again.
It was an exciting yet exhausting holiday. Long trip with a baby was not an easy journey after all hahaha

We went to Fukuoka first by plane from Incheon. From that city then we went to Hagi by renting a car. There's a baby seat available there, but was not a comfortable one. Poor Iki must sit there for 2.5 hours journey. It's so understandable that he was squeaking almost the whole trip.

Hagi, an old city located almost at the corner of Japan's main island (in Yamaguchi perfecture), is an old city with castles and histories. This small city is facing Japan sea with greenish hills at the surrounding. Really was a refreshment for my eyes after having tall apartments view in Korea for months.


Hagi from the hill

We visited a Hagi Yaki shop, feeding fishes near Mt. Kasayama, Interesting Yukawa Family Resident, a splendid stalagtit-stalagmit cave Akiyoshi-do, Tsunoshima island with its beautiful scenery, and joining the thousand lantern festival of Mukaebi Okuribi in Tokoji Temple.

Overall, I enjoyed our holiday. We had a great fun with Miyamoto's family. I learnt many new things as well. We shared great food, bottles of beers, and tons of laugh. It was just so nice to be welcomed in that family.

Another good thing, I got this HERMES watch as a present during this holiday. For sure it did complete my holiday hehehehehehehehe



Thanks for the wonderful holiday.
I enjoyed it TOO much that I gained 3 kgs (>_<)!!!!!

Tsunoshima

On the way home we went to Tsunoshima island. Connected to Japan mainland by a bridge. The scenery there was really breathtaking.



It was Iki's first time visiting a beach. Too bad he's too sleepy and it was too hot for him to enjoy :p

Akiyoshido

The other day the whole Miyamoto family guided us to Akiyoshi-do. It's a splendid stalagtit-stalagmit cave, known as the biggest in Japan. It's really really really big (covers almost all underground of one hill). Another God's amazing creation.

Mt. Kasayama

We visited a dormant volcano of Mt. Kasayama, called Kazaana. The area surrounding it was surprisingly cool. Only the surrounding of the kazaana. 10 steps out of it, back to hot humid weather. It's so mysterious how nature can arrange such a phenomenon.



Nearby, along the way to the kazaana, we can feed fishes and birds with bread at a beautiful seawater pond. Those fishes were so fat of bread hahaha. The view here was also amazing. Mt. Kasayama on my left hand and seawater pond on my right.


feeding fish

Yukawa Family Resident

During our visit in Hagi, we also spent some minutes at Yukawa Family Resident, now it's kind of museum. It's a samurai-mansion style architecture.


Garden

It has an old style yet high technique utility to take river water into the mansion, called Hatoba. This type of water utilization is typical in the households along Aiba river.


hatoba

The Aiba river itself, in front of the house, has very clear water. There many Koi fishes can be seen swimming around freely. It's public place, but no one take it. Hmmm I can't imagine what happened to those fish if they're swimming in Indonesian's river? =))


Koi fishes along Aiba river

Saturday, August 19, 2006

Hagi Yaki

Hagi is very famous for its pottery, known as Hagi Yaki. There're several famous artist (maker) known widely throughout Japan, and we were so lucky to meet one of them, Hamanaka Gesson, and had a visit to his splendid house and shop. A teacup made by his hands costs about 150 USD (and we got 2 for free!! Thanks to Miyamoto's mother-she works there). The pottery from this city is different from those of other parts of japan. More about Hagi Yaki can be read here. We brought back some pieces of this Hagi yaki. Two long fish plates, 2 small unique plate, 6 small round plates, and 2 tea cup made by Hamanaka Gesson. All for free hehehee. Thanks for Miyamoto family.


hagi yaki we got

Friday, August 11, 2006

I know....

Last night I saw it by accident
Argggh....you did promise me,
can't believe you're still doing it.
No need to say anything though,
I just want you to know that I know :(

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

F.R.I.E.N.D.S

Out of sudden I wanted to watch this drama series again. FRIENDS.
It can be said an old series, but I never can get enough of it. No idea how many times have I watched it already and how well I know every episode by heart, I just can't stop laughing at every scene of its every episode.

Last time I watched the episode when everyone just knew that Rachel's pregnant. It really made me laugh out loud. Any of you like this series and remember the story? ;-)



I heard a rumor that there will be a special episodes of FRIENDS?!
If so, really waiting forward for it then!

I miss the self centered Ross; the unique and sometimes-innnocent phoebe; sloppy but pretty Rachel; empty-headed Joey; cleaning-freak and perfectionist Monica; and one-who-claims-that-he's-the-funniest Chandler.

Today I found about this game
Want it badly huks huks huks. Anyone from Indonesia wanna send me a copied PS2 one? (^_-).
Original CD is so expensive hiks hiks....or...anyone kind enough to give me one? hihihi