Wednesday, August 31, 2011

AIR TRAFFIC | Yogyakarta

An inch of Memories in the Mind
I'll drift nostalgia as we often take some time. Enjoy the atmosphere with Yogya.

Piece of music tracks from the group band is still humming in your mind every time I mention the name of Yogyakarta. This cultural city has indeed made a lot of people fall in love and frequently slipped the nostalgia.



Starting from Malioboro atmosphere that is so crowded by tourists, who packed the snacks along the hallway, up a place to eat at sidewalk so legendary.

Yogyakarta has long been one of the favorite destination in Indonesia, which suck up a lot of visitors, both local and foreign tourists. There are some objects that constantly obliged to visit the high demand, namely the Prambanan Temple, Sultan Palace, and many more.



Bergam legacy is one proof of how Yogyakarta still trying to reconcile traditions of ancestors and relics of the past with a difficult life modernization dammed.

However, not only the life of a successful town into a magnet. Northern region was no less store charm, especially with the air temperature is still fairly cold and overlooking the beautiful nature.

Towards the north also the place to see the relics of Hindu and Buddhist civilization that is still standing strong, while listening to the story of history behind it. There is also a museum Ullen Sentalu, Kaliurang, Yogyakarta, which invites everyone to menyelamai Yogyakarta keratin family life, as well as teradisi and culture.

museum Ullen Sentalu

In the northern area that also usually everyone can enjoy tours of Merapi to walk across the slopes of Merapi, while seeing the wealth of flora and fauna in the vicinity. Including enjoy the rural atmosphere and life of people around the slopes of Merapi.



Merapi volcanic eruption events that crowded the front page news papers for more than a week even though it brings back memories of each trip. A natural event that can not be prevented, bringing pain and sorrow but will leave a smile bitterly at a later date with the proliferation of soil around.

Merapi story has not ended. But hope never over, waiting for a warm smile that had once encountered.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Side of a Glittering American West and Wild

Executive summary by Darmansjah

America, also called "dream land" or land of dream by immigrants who landed in San Francisco on the California Gold Rush era.

 golden gate

Precisely in 1848, when gold was first discovered in Coloma, northern California, about 300 thousand immigrants flooded California through the Golden Gate, San Francisco to take part in the biggest gold mining wave ever recorded in the history of the United States.
  
San Francisco


 california beach

From California, the miners penetrated into the plains of west-central United States which is largely a desert, covering Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, and Utah, the area is still inhabited by the Indians.

arizona desert

From the wild west is where the name originated, which in the modern era, the impression is still attached, along with familiar Hollywood, Disneyland, and Las Vegas.

 Disneyland


Las Vegas

In addition, there is one interesting attractions for travelers, the Grand Canyon.

Grand Canyon.

The series of giant canyon that stretched across much of the State of Arizona is "carved and engraved" naturally from the flow of the Colorado river, rain, and wind friction during the approximately two billion years.

Colorado river

Grand Canyon also is home to three Indian tribes, Hualapai, west, south Havasupai, and Navajo in the east. Of the three, south and west is the most popular.

Part of south has natural scenery (panoramic) attract and are part of the Grand Canyon with the most stunning scenery, where we personally are not adequate as ego centric centric masterpiece of the creator, whereas in the western part of the traveler can enjoy the exciting and thrilling sensation of walking on the Skywalk , glass bridges as high as 1450 meters above sea level, from which anyone can see to the bottom of the canyon is 1,000 meters prominence under glass where we stand. 

the Grand Canyon Skywalk 

 Seeing the potential of tourism, TravelerGuidance.Blogspot.Com as one information provider for the purpose of touring the U.S., in collaboration with Singapore Airlines' inaugural flight in order SQ Airbus 380 aircraft Los Angeles goals by offering package tours West Coast + Grand Canyon, what if sufficient budget harm, ventured into the western side of usa wild and wonderful is not it?

 grand canyon panoramic

Monday, August 29, 2011

Shanghai-Suzhou: Europe Have Venice, Asia?

Executive summary by Darmansjah Godjali
If Europe had a Venice with canals, bridges and gondola, then the continent of Asia also have a lot of cities are similar. His name was Zhou  ZhuangZhou  Zhuang, a small town located in the administrative area of ​​Kunshan, Jiangsu Province, China.

Zhou  Zhuang

City Zhou Zhuang Water was built in the Ming and Qing (1368-1911). At first a fief of land Yaocheng, the year 1086 most of the city was granted by the owner, Zhao Digong, Quanfu to the monastery, and later named as Zhou Zhuang.

Unlike the Venetian is the only one,  Zhou  Zhuang is one of several ancient water city that belongs to China. There was also a Zhujiajiao in Shanghai, and Suzhou Tong Li, also in Jiangsu Province. Zhou  Zhuang is very easily accessible, either from Shang Hai via public bus, or from Suzhou, which is only approximately 35 miles of Zhou  Zhuang.

Coach bus I was riding that day set off early from Suzhou, after a previous stay in Suzhou. The journey takes about about 45 minutes it passed through the ranks of yellow plants are very beautiful (I do not know the exact name, a kind of infant,  perhaps Chrysanthemum), which seems to be cultivated. At about 9 (or 10 o'clock our time) coach buses have arrived in Zhou Zhuang. My guide, originally from Henan province, undergo a fairly rigorous. Special inspection guide is done to ensure that the guide have official permission, and responsible for the overall group (I went along with the troupe). After examination of approximately 15 minutes, my guide explained that many incidents where criminal act like stealing guides or leave the group in the middle of the journey.

Go to the gate of Zhou Zhuang was not as smooth as imagined. That month was the entrance to the attraction repaired, causing a tremendous traffic jam. We waited half an hour, before we get into the ancient city. My guide, A Cing, asking all passengers to get off and walk toward the gate, 300 feet away, because congestion is likely to last long enough. Spring breeze and Yun Hai Pagoda towering greet me when I get into the ancient city complex.

addressed by Yun Hai Pagoda

These attractions are popular, so popular that at 10 noon, thousands of people pass through the entry gate, the result is remarkable sweaty, combination of crowded visitors with hot spring. Before 9 o'clock in the morning or late evening is a good time to visit Zhou Zhuang. Admission RMB 100, or about 12 dollars. 

Impression of an ancient water town is deeply felt when entering the complex. Ranks of the old buildings of brick still neatly arranged, with windows and doors decorated with geometric patterns of cross-cross (latticework) the distinctive taste makes me enter the cities in martial arts movies made by director of Hong Kong. I began to feel the beauty of this ancient city while walking along the edge of the canal water, shaded by hundreds of willow trees along the canal.

Gondola rowers old mother

Can not wait to get up the gondola seemed to wander the old town. After crossing the bridge Fu'an, I look for counter inside the gondola. I paid 30 RMB, or about 45 dollars, and then my gondola along with seven passengers, accompanied by a boater, a 60-year-old elderly mother who apparently still strong and full of smiles, immediately left the dock
.


Zhou Zhuang-style gondola, up to 12 person!


This is the moment to down the Zhou Zhuang, apart from the crowd of tourists like me. A breeze accompanied me when it's gondola slowly left the dock. With the Chinese language I did not understand, old rower's mother offered to accompany the 30-minute trip with a typical song. We nodded in agreement. Immediately, his old voice began to sing Mandarin songs twisted.

Zhou Zhuang is different. Down the canal, enjoying the ancient residential buildings are well-preserved ancient times, enjoy the sound melodious old rowers, and splashing the water when the gondola through the water canal ... ..


Zhou Zhuang down the canal water

Unfortunately, drive 30 minutes it was very quick end. The old mother was smiling broadly at the end of the journey, may also be due to RMB 15 that we gave him to wage singing. Gondola stops immediately greeted with a narrow alley with old houses and souvenir vendors on the left side. Remember, do not let you be fooled here. Almost all the souvenirs here 4 times more valuable than if purchased at the checkout Zhou Zhuang. Save your money to buy cheaper later. Down the houses of the ancient dwelling, with walls that are cracked and worn, the sloping roof, where the site of this old city are still inhabited by residents until now, presents an interesting glimpse of Chinese history to be learned.

Attractions outside the city gates were colored with hundreds of souvenir vendors who sell a variety of objects, the main characteristic of Zhou Zhuang. If you are interested in buying, look for objects typical of the area, such as wall hangings, carvings price about RMB 40 -70 (remember, your ability to bargain is required here!), Balls of colorful gold (for whatever) , leather wallets, and if you are not a Muslim, you should try souvenirs typical of this, sorry, roast leg of pork Wanshan typical. With a price around RMB 70-80, you can enjoy the pork legs weighing about 5-7 ounces of a delicious and not  fat. Food here is also unique, such as turtles, eels, freshwater mussels, but I do not know the taste.
Twin Bridge Zhou Zhuang
Suggested Itineraries:
1. Stay first in Shanghai or Suzhou.
2. Depart early morning to Zhou Zhuang, via Shanghai / Suzhou by public buses. Although usually travel Zhou Zhuang is a one day trip, do not hurt you to stay there. It costs about RMB 200-400. Experience the night in Zhou Zhuang no less interesting.
3. Returned to Shanghai, Suzhou travel or continue.