Silent Shouts Louder

Who swim hard in the world film industry these days? New technology so-called 3D is growing; advanced filmmakers race to release their products to win the market. Then we also have movies with twists everywhere; or the ones offer "different" or out of the box storyline. I believe these players aim for big money, big honey (the fans), and the academy (awards) or other appreciations.

While those movies are speeding in the strong current of industry, this movie is floating calmly on the river's surface, and surprisingly made many racers slow down and look back as it took the Oscar of Best Picture 2012, and four other recognitions home.

I thought "The Artist" would be a silence black and white thoughtful art film. Silence and black and white indeed, but the last two adjectives gave me some reason to "procrastinate", until.... it won the award.

The reason why I said it is a light floating piece is the point which contradicts my assumption. The movie is light as a feather. I did not have to think much while watching it, like most of the previous Oscar winners, just sit back and enjoy. The story is quite linear yet beautifully simple. It was not a boring picture at all.

Love story which started from a gossipy kiss between old silent film star George Valentin and fan Peppy Miller. Miss Miller got some small movie roles afterward, and rose into a top star. As the talk film entered the industry, Valentin's career was dropping. Love and hate relationship between the two occurred as each artist's career went to the opposite direction.

I think the key strengths of the flick were the music and actors. Fantastic scoring from the very beginning to the end sounds on its place. Salute to the scoring director who has worked very well with the grand orchestra and some detail sound effects too. Actors are also the keys, not to be missed the dog! They all act finely. The film would be worse than crap if it possess not these two elements.

Therefore, congratulations Ludovic Bource for the original score Oscar and French actor Jean Dujardin for the best actor in leading role (first time nominated yet he took it away from George Clooney and Brad Pitt). To make it believable, the costume designers work hard too. The Academy awarded Mark Bridges and friends the best costume design. And finally the guy who make everything happens, Michel Hazanavicius got the best directing award.

Two Best Actor of the Movie: Dujardin and... The DOG!!!

Venezuelan Embassy Celebrates Dignity with Hispanic Film Enthusiasts

The Fourth February National Dignity Day goes beyond a historical event for Venezuelan. While the celebration has started a day before in the Bolivarian country, The Embassy of Venezuela in Indonesia had a film screening party with Club de Cine Amigos Cervantes (Amigos Cervantes Film Club) to commemorate its 20^th anniversary.

Two embassy’s cars parked in front of Aula Cervantes Jakarta that afternoon, 4^th February 2012. Some Venezuelan light bites, brought by the embassy, were served before the film projection started. The friendly Charge d’Affaires of Venezuelan Embassy Elena Csiky, blended easily with the crowd although it was the first collaboration ever between the two groups.

A fifteen minute opening documentary “La Revolución de La Mayoria” (The Revolution of The Majority) gives the depiction of people movement in 1992, which brought down Carlos Andres Perez. The special program by Venezolana de Televisión (VTV) also put the ongoing President Hugo Chávez on limelight, as he led the coup d’état.

The Head of Mission of Veneuelan Embassy to Indonesia (in pink)

“Although he (Chávez) was losing at that moment, the morality of the occasion is to open people’s mind to move forward after the Bolivarian thought, for the people to have a good life and integration to make a big nation,” the Venezuelan representative explained the importance behind the day.

The winning movie of 2006 Trieste Festival of Latin-American Cinema’s Special Jury Prize “El Caracazo” (The Caracazo) kept the audiences on their seat for the 110 minutes after. The feature also portrays the biggest riot ever in Venezuelan history, which took place in the capital Caracas.

Raise Your Glass!

The event drew more viewers than the club’s previous film screenings. It also pulled off promoting participants’ knowledge on Venezuelan history. Club de Cine Amigos Cervantes was initiated by Spanish language course’s students of Trisakti Language Centre Grogol, and supported by Instituto Cervantes, a worldwide Spanish language and cultural centre owned by the Spanish government. The club however does not confine its activity covering movies only from Spain, yet it supports also Latin-American cinema. They schedule the screening on the second and fourth Saturday every month in Aula Cervantes.

Venezuelan Yumm

Generousity in Jogjakarta, A New Year's Note

Beautiful artworks. Awesome things to see. Those were my expectation before wandering around Jogjakarta last New Year trip. Yet shoe-stringing allowed me to find something I didn't expect before: people generousity; which amazed me more than artworks and tourist attractions.

KALIURANG GODDESS

In the first two days in Kaliurang, northern Jogjakarta, my friend Margareth and I absolutely acted like a tourist. We visited a museum of Javanese art and culture Ullen Sentalu, which I believe the best repository I've ever visited in Indonesia. It is well-designed, well-organised, and most importantly well-maintained. I was happy spending IDR 25 thousand for a museum tour and a special royal drink they served. 

One of Well-designed Spot the Museum Has

Meanwhile in the second day, we went trekking the volcano which just erupted last year, end of 2010. It was indeed a though journey, not only because of the challenging trek, but also seeing the ruins it caused. My mind went to hundreds lives taken by it.

We love Kaliurang and we love the hotel Vogels. Cool weather and warm host, yet transportation access to get back there at night is quite difficult. With taxi it may cost IDR 100 thousand, too luxurious for backpackers. So we decided to go downtown by a public bus the next day, then tried to find a hostel there. As we were waiting for the transport to come on the road, the son of the host texted me. His big family who was staying there for a vacation wanted to go downtown too, and we could go with them. Offer was accepted.

At Vogels, left to right: Mr. Christian Awuy, me, the friendly ibu who works there,
Margareth, and Aldrin Mr.Awuy's son

I thought they would drop us somewhere close to the city central area Malioboro Street, but they took us to the beach. It is supposed to be their family holiday, I thought, yet they allowed us two strangers to join. Moreover, we had have not talked more than five lines to the auntie before she invited us. Aunt Yoshiko, yes her father is Japanese, treated us like family. Okay not only her, everyone in that big warm family.

"Come on Florence, Margareth, let's play on the beach," she asked. Then another auntie said, "just order the grilled corn if you like some" as some members of the family were enjoying the common Indonesian street food.

It was lunch time, then again we were invited. We told them about our plan down town. Well not exactly a plan as we hadn't known yet where to sleep that night. An uncle came to me and handed me his name card. On the back of his name card was written an address of Museum Batik Hotel. He said, "if you can't find anywhere to sleep tonight, please come here." I knew later that the hotel belongs to a relative too. Free ride, free lunch, and now free hotel? No no... the ride and the lunch are more than enough. Of course we did not want to bother more.

Mrs.Yoshiko in the black and white stripes shirt and her family and the two strangers
during lunch in Depok Beach

CITY KINDNESS (and not so kind too)

We arrived downtown in the evening, 30th December 2011. As everyone has predicted, most inns would no longer able to accommodate guests. We walked with hope despite we were quite exhausted. We checked a few hostels which seemingly doubled their price, yet could not give double advancement on their facilities, so we kept saying no. Most importantly, their price did not match our budget. 

Finally we found this place, a house of Mr.Inul, located in Sosrowijayan area too. He doesn't advertise like other hostels, not even a signboard was placed, but he did rent rooms. He has three guests rooms and we were lucky we could rent one at least for a night, as it had been booked for the following night.

It is located in a Sosrowijayan's gate

Trying to get a place to sleep the next day, we went to our French friend Phil's place. We talked to the owner of Anda Losmen, where he stayed, but he kept rejecting our advance booking. The next morning Phil saw someone checking out, then he wanted to book for us. 

Then again he said no for an absurd reason: foreign clients only! I was not happy at all with it. If only I had not spoken to him in Indonesian the night before, I might get a room. According to my previous travel experiences before, I didn't look Indonesian to some people. In Bali they kept asking me whether I was Japanese, Korean, Thai, even unusual ones like Dutch or Swedish (haha...). Anyway, I could not believe he was quite discriminative to his potential guests.

Margareth and I thought: Okay it's New Year anyway, let's go through the night without sleep as we would have an afternoon shuttle bus back to Jakarta. So, we decided to put our backpack to Phil's room as we would travel back to Jakarta together. 

Phil and we went to the Sultan Palace that morning, then we met Phil's friend Susan a Singaporean and Ivy a local. Then we went to Taman Sari and met Laura a solo traveler from New Zealand and Theresa a Jakartan. We had dinner at the sultan's brother house, which made a very beautiful Gadri Restaurant. He still uses the place as his home, so I still am wondering now how his family can handle with such little privacy with customers keep coming in and out. 

Gadri Restaurant

Gadri's Blewong Rice and Javanese Beer

Before midnight, Margareth and I went to Mr.Inul's house to get our bags. We had a conversation with him. He knew that we could not find a place to sleep that New Year's eve, so he insisted us to use his living-room freely. Not even a penny we had to pay as he said he could not give us a proper room to sleep. What a very nice man! He believes "pay it forward" concept. He helps people now, and maybe someday his son needs help like we did, other people may pay his generousity back to his son. However, according to our plan, we would get our bags and put it at Phil's. So, we thanked him for his goodwill, but no thank as we did not want to bother him more. 

Other friends had been waiting at Anda. As Phil had just entered the main door with our bags, the owner showered him with rejection. He said that it was Phil's room and no one (or no bags) deserve the room but Phil himself. All of us, we went: WTF???!!! Even my bag, a dead thing which actually is foreign produced, he could not receive. So, we went back to Mr.Inul's house to put our luggage there. Two locals which live only steps away, yet they have a very different attitude. Wow! 

Forgot the rejections. It was New Year; maybe he will be given a new heart in 2012 (LOL). So there were seven of us during the countdown. Happy New Year! Beer toast in front of Sosrowijayan's Circle K, fireworks rocketed and one failed to fly (Thank God no one was injured), then we ended up in a small cafe nearby. The only cafe which still had seats available.

NY Fellas. First row left to right: Margareth, Ivy, and Susan. Back row: Laura, Phil, There, and Me

There were two foreigners with giant backpack came, looked tired and hopeless. Laura and I had a conversation with them then we found out that they are British, they had just climbed Bromo Mountain, they had just arrived in Jogjakarta at 11 by bus, and they could not find a place to rest. They could not even think anymore due to the great tiresome. So, I took them to Mr.Inul's place, hoping that he would also accept these two travellers. Just as I thought, Mr.Inul rocks! He let them stayed in his old couch, even offered them coffee and tea to relax.

No matter how beautiful the city of Jogjakarta is, it was the beautiful heart of the people awestruck me. The warm big family of Mrs.Yoshiko and lovely small family of Mr.Inul gave me more than just a fine experience in Jogjakarta. I will always remember the New Year's Eve 2011-2012 as the time of people generousity, which I'll try to pay to others along the way in 2012.

Some other random pictures I took:

another hilite: Kopi Joss, cafe with charcoal

street art

another street art, it is said: Jogjakarta still is special

found this signboard in Sosrowijayan. I guess not so international then?

Jogjakarta's Seven Eleven, they literally open from seven to eleven

Jogjakarta, the home of leather puppet's makers

Beauty of The Flood

It started with small rain then became bigger bigger and bigger until the water hit inside the house via the bathroom drainage. I checked on outside and found that the street, even the drain, had been scuttled with water. No wonder!

When the rain had stopped, I went out trampling the inundation which reached my calf. After the aggravating flood inside my house, I realised the beauty of it outside. From the children laughs as if they were in a swimming pool playing, beautiful shapes the water creates, to a cute molluscan that cannot be found when it is dry.

Going to The Palace

Honour. Power. Grand. Aristocracy. Those what came to mind as I recall a palace. Yesterday morning (3rd Oct 2011) I went to one. It belongs to the Vice President, Mr.Boediono.

It was indeed big and well-organised, offered me a sense of privileged while entering the area. Guards were stopping my car in the entrance, before I could even reach the parking lot. I had to go through body and bag checking first. The program was started at 10, yet people should be there an hour before. Thirty minutes to ten the gates have been locked. No one could enter nor exit as the VP was arriving.

Yes it was a bit uneasy for me on the other hand. As I enjoy more spontaneous, vibrant, relax atmosphere, a protocolary and formal situation discomforted me a bit.

Let's get straight to the story. I write quite much lately at work, thus I don't feel like snaking the story up. My writing for Youthspeak, partnering with intern Callista, "Living Hygienically Starts Small" won first place of The Ministry of Public Works' Journalistic Writing Competition. I therefore, for the very first time in life, was invited to the VP palace to attend the awarding ceremony.

As an hour ceremony lasted, we were served lunch which I had not have the chance to grab much, as people kept coming to congratulate me and brought me into long conversations. Afterward Callista and I finally got a chance to capture the moment in some places of the palace. Here they are.

Together with co-writer Callista

Meeting The Vice President Boediono

the winning piece

A Thousand Suns in Jakarta

Never in my life I watched a rock concert else than LINKIN PARK. I went to their "Meteora" concert seven years ago at Carnival Beach Ancol Jakarta, and yesterday the awesomeness back at Gelora Bung Karno National Stadium also in Jakarta.

Okay, here is a flashback of the 2004 concert I can recall. People need a long walk to reach the venue, don't remember how far as am not good with distance measurement either. The nice thing was we walked along the beach, and yes it was a beach side concert. There was an unfortunate opening DJ who got the boos from all audiences as the afternoon show started very late. The ticket concert was relatively cheap, approximately IDR 350 thou (USD 40), but I got a pretty distant spot from the stage although it was VIP ticket. The stage was okay with a giant blue Linkin Park backdrop. Mike Shinoda and friends played only for an hour, yet they were quite interactive. The songs were taken from Hybrid Theory and Meteora Album. Overall, I thought it wasn't a great show, but as it was Linkin Park, still it was awesome for me.

The 2011 "A Thousand Suns" concert was way more fantastic. The ancient canvas backdrop was substituted with large interactive LED technology, the audio and lighting were better too. Although it also started late, the performance was satisfying. Better stage act, sure they have done it for years now, and they played 1.5 hours continually. The playlist ranged from the first to the fourth album, but surely they played the fourth A Thousand Suns album more and also quite a lot of tracks from Hybrid Theory. This time I was in festival spot; cannot afford the VIP and VVIP, yet for me festival was the best area to watch. We were the closest to the stage, yet we had to stand throughout the concert. Come on it's a rock concert! You don't want to watch it sitting, right? For the treat I got yesterday, I spent IDR 1,2 million (app. USD 136) for the ticket.

Here are some shots from yesterday's performance.

PS: Mike Shinoda rocks!!!!

Be A Coral's Friend While Snorkeling/Diving

Coral Reef Location in The World

Look at the picture above, and what can you tell? Lots and lots of red dots in Indonesia. It is indeed a fact that the total of 5,8 million square km Indonesian ocean keeps the most corals in the world, where 60% of the world's reef species or 590 types of coral can be found there.

Had never knew the fact before, I snorkeled several times in Seribu Islets and Lombok. I always aimed for the same mission "finding nemo" down there, but the stupendous marine world managed to give me a better show: Corals come in different colours and shapes, so do the fishes and other sea creatures. It felt magical.

Coral Scenery of Payung Island's Water in Seribu Islets

It breaks my heart that 70 % of Indonesia's coral is death and 15% more is predicted to be vanished in 10 to 20 years. Coastal reclamation, potassium and cyanide fishing, coral mining, anchoring, are some coral destructive acts. Meanwhile, ignorant tourism activities like snorkeling and diving contribute to the damaging progress as well. Sadly, I did it as the snorkel guides told me so.

In order to repeat the same mistakes, and for you readers to snorkel and dive greener, please do the following guidelines from greenfins:

• Choose environmental-friendly snorkel/dive operation
• Do not throw anchor to coral reef to moor, it is better to park with buoy
• Pay attention to disposal, keep all the garbage stay on boat
• Practice the skills away from coral reef areas
• Make sure your equipment (goggle, fins, etc.) fit perfectly before getting into the water, because
• Do not rest, step, or stand on the reef
• Do not touch too!
• Pay attention to your fins, let them not stir up sediments or damage coral
• Do not chase, harass, ride on, or feed marine life
• Take nothing (live or dead) out of the water
• Enter and exit the water away from reef

If you'd like to take pictures underwater, please advance your skills (buoying) so that you do not have to touch the objects. Please not buying souvenirs from coral and other marine life, they are illegal. Last but not least, spread the words to other snorkelers and divers.

Coral and marine lives give us so much beauty to enjoy, why don't we let them enjoy themselves thus the beauty remains? Let's be friendly to our marine buddies!