Paris.. oh Paris..

I'm continue to share my summer trip on this post. My summer trip not only Rome-Vatican-Budapest-Prague, but 2 days after i back to NL i continue my trip to Paris.. yeeaayyy!!! :D

I'm decided to go to Paris after found super duper cheap Eurolines ticket, Eindhoven - Paris ticket = 4 euro + administration fee 5 euro => became 9 euro!!! I was directly messaged my friend ask for help to booked that ticket with his credit card. I was not thinking with whom i'll go, whether i'm still enough money after my "RVBP" trip, whether i'll get promo return ticket, i just think booked cheap ticket then go! But the sad thing came later, there's no promo return ticket.. :( i'm tried to check some ways to back but same, no promo.. i must let my 30 something euro ( i'm forgot for sure ) to booked return ticket.. -__-

After booked ticket finish, i'm start to ask my friend and post in Fb group hoping i can get accompany. But, not my luck, i didn't someone to go with. Ok, no problem, that's will become my solo trip experience for me.. :) Next step i'm search a couch in couchsurfing. My requirement is not a young man, i'm afraid after my friend told me she & her friends got couch in a porn actor house & he showed something disgusting to my friend.. iieerrlll.... >< Finally, i choose an old man profile named Rodney who live in Ville d'array, 'lil far from center Paris actually, but not a matter because i think he's really reliable good couchsurfer after i saw thet his CS profile is verified member and so many good testimonial about him. And thanks God he accepted me to surf his flat.

When the day came, i'm called my couchsurfer to make sure that he won't forgot to pick me up. I'm asked him to pick me up in Gallieni station where my bus stop. I took bus in Eindhoven near station but i don't know where the Eurolines office in there, i ask some people but they didn't know, until i asked an officer in the station then he told me in the back side. Eurolines office in there was so small, only 1 man inside there, i was waiting with black people family. It took about 8 hours from Eindhoven - Paris with 2 times break times in gasoline & Brussels. Actually i'm really afraid if can't meet my couchsurfer since i know nobody in Paris. I tried to sms or called my couchsurfer when still in bus. After reached Gallieni station i had problem to hear his voice when called my couchsurfer, but thanks God some minutes later i met him.. :) 

Rodney stayed in a small room, he rents it every summer. He's the creator of "le Paris Picnic du Jour" so he stay in Paris every summer and did picnic everyday,, yess.. everyday! But, i'm sorry Rodney, i have no enough time to join your picnic.. :( i'm only 2 nights in Paris.. -__-. And i saw he made note of people who will surf his place, everyday he checked CS website, wow.. very very excellent CS! In my opinion, he's a typical person who really enjoy life, he doesn't looks worried, just enjoy every minute. Rent room, go held picnic in Paris everyday, meet new people, even walk in the rain he still singing.. 

Ok, now let's start share my Paris trip. Because Rodney was busy with his picnics, so i travel alone for 3 days in Paris. First place is Chateau de Versailles which the nearest tourist spot from Rodney's place. Chateau de Versailles is a palace where Louis great family stayed. It's not only a great architecture building but also as a symbol of the system of absolute monarchy of the Ancien Regime. There is a big beautiful garden behind the palace, but because i didn't buy ticket to enter the garden so i don't know how beautiful the garden is. When i reached there about 9 am there was already long queque in front of the palace gate. Because my purpose is to see inside palace, so i must be patient to queque. But the stupid thing is when came time to go inside i don't have ticket, other people already have ticket, so they asked me to buy ticket in other side then can back directly to them. But, oh, no! long queque again.. i have no mood to queque again until there's a man who want to sell his palace ticket, then i bought his ticket. Thanks God, no need queque again.. 

Home..

It's been more than 2 months i didn't write on this blog.. Oh, ya FYI: i've made another blog on wordpress ( http://helchanstory.wordpress.com ) since in this blogspot people can't follow my blog, so i tried to moved some of my posts in here & writed on my wordpress blog, but no worry ( lho?!^^ ) i'm still write on this my 1st blog. Both blogs home have things that i like & don't like, i like my blogspot background, it's really show who i am, TraveLover.. but people can't follow my blog, on wordpress blog i'm not yet find background that really attract me, but people can follow my blog. Well, i'm still learn on wordpress, i'm not yet edit much my wordpress blog,, soonest i wish..

Back to the topic on this post, i'm already back! Yea, i was back to Indonesia on 5 March evening. Actually my aupair program is end officially on 9 April, 1 year after i'm first came to NL, but the next aupair of my hostfam who is from Phillipines already got visa and my hostfam already booked flight for her on 4 March. I was amazed when my hostmom told me suddenly about that because i thought i'll be back on 9 April & my Dutch course still there 7 more classes,, dat is zo jammer.. why they didn't tell me before? why they aren't think about my Dutch course? That's my right to finish study.. Yea,, laat maar.. everything were done, no problem for me, i'm thankful that they already let me to experienced Europe for 11 months.. :)

But u know, before i know that i'll back home on March, i was counting weeks until early April. I was really missing to come back to indo, to see my family. I often said to Marcel "Nog 7 weeks, nog 5 weeks" ( "7 weeks more, 5 weeks more" ) and then Marcel will said "Nee, ik wil niet" ( "No, i don't want" ), Marcel doesn't want i back to indo. Until i knew that i must back on March, i became sad. I know that 1 week before the date i must back home, so it's really sudden to me. I often said to Marcel that i'm so sad that i must leave NL then hug him tight.. Yea, human is complicated, we really want something but when that thing comes we become sad.. -__-

And now i'm in my parents home, i can see my 2 new nephews who i'm never see face to face before, i can take care my parents, and the main thing is i can do anything in my parents home.. :)

Niet meer Koningin..

Hari ini Ratu Beatrix ( Ratu Belanda ) mengundurkan diri dari jabatannya di masa jabatannya yang ke 33 tahun sebagai pemimpin kerajaan. Jabatan selanjutnya diserahkan kepada putranya Pangeran Willem Alexander. 

Waktu makan malam, hostdad sampe rumah langsung ngomongin tentang ratu, ga biasa2nya, siap2 setel berita jam 19.00 ternyata ratu belanda mengundurkan diri alias turun takhta. Inaugurasi Pangeran Willem-Alexander akan dilaksanakan pada tanggal 30 April 2013 di Amsterdam. Nantinya tidak ada lagi ratu Belanda, tapi raja Belanda. Dan tidak ada lagi perhelatan ( ??? ) acara "Koninginnedag" yg tiap tahun setiap tanggal 30 April dirayakan di Amsterdam, tapi berubah jadi "Koningsdag" dan mulai tahun 2014 akan dirayakan setiap tanggal 27 April sesuai dengan tanggal lahir Pangeran Willem-Alexander. Btw, kok tanggal ulang tahun ratu & anaknya ga beda jauh ya?!..

Anyway, Gefeliciteerd Koning Willem-Alexander.. :)

My First Winter.. My First Sneeuuuww.....

From yesterday 'till today snow showered whole Nederlands. Before that, on Monday, i already felt that snow will fall, the temperature slowly dropped, from about 7 C around Christmas then fell become -2 C on Sunday. I was said to Marcel "Ah, hon -2?!" and next day i said to Kaylee "Ik denk op Dinsdag gaat sneeuw, ik heb zo koud" ( "i think snow will fall on Thursday, i fell so cold" ) And then on Tuesday morning i woke up, and it's true, outside already become white all.. not so many snow like snow on last December.

I remember i was so excited since it was the first time i see & feel snow directly. I took many pictures around. For me snow is beautiful, even it's so cold until my hand freezing. I don't like too cold actually ( who like too cold?! heh ), i hate when walking too long when the weather below 0 C, but.. never mind.. i already used to the winter weather here. I'm happy i can feel snow finally, this is my first snow, too bad not my first white Christmas.. :( Hmm.. maakt niet uit.. Here are the pictures of snowfall that i took on last December.

Blokhut in backyard 
   

That was coldest football field

That is called slee in here, used to bring kids.

Bicycle parking spot in station

Railway station 

My neighbor, Opa van Hoos, He just finished clean snow from his house hall.

No one i can ask to take my picture, so i ask myself to took of mine.. -_-

2012,, Year of My Dreams...

2012 already over..

Oh, man it's so fast year..

Many new things happened, 

new people came to my life, 

new experiences i learned, 

new circumstances i faced, 

new seasons i felt.. 

Ah, thank u so much God for all ur blessings..

I looked back to my 2012 resolution's post, i found some points i can realized, some points can't.

One point that i'm so thankful that it can be realized is visit Europe for some months, but God gave me chance to live in Europe for 1 year!! Yeaaayyy!! :) 

One point that i can't ( read: not yet ) realize is travel to some places in Indonesia. Well, that's make sense since i don't stay in Indonesia last year. I'm so thankful that i can experienced Europe before my age is 30 yo ( i was 25 yo ). I remember, i ever prayed that i want come/visit/travel/stay in one of EU country before my age is 30 yo and before i marry. And the main thing is travel to Rome and Vatican.. And 2012 is the year of my dreams.. Remember guys, always keep your dreams on your mind & pray, i am sure God will not let His kid begging to Him all the time.. ;)

Prague.. i'm in love

A chicken sound from alarm on my phone woke we up, it shows already 5 am. My eyes still so sleepy after chit chat with Andor & his friend last night. But we must go, our bus to Prague will leave at 7.30 am, better wait than late. We just wash our face and go, take tram and metro, i don't remember which tram, what halte/station we must stop since i go travel with my friend ( man ) who has better understanding in reading map than me, so i believe all in him.. ^^

About 30 minnutes we waiting for bus that will bring us to Prague. We took orangeways bus after we found that it has cheaper price than another buses brands that we already asked. The duration from Budapest - Prague is about 8 hrs. Never mind, since we got nice sunflower field view when passing Slovakia.

Our bus arrived in Florenc Station, my friend's friend already waiting us. Yup! She is our hosted in Prague.. :) We were stayed in her dormitory, quite nice dormitory with kitchen, bathroom, 4 single bedrooms, wifi, better than backpacker hostel and we stayed for free!! Thanks Ana!

Next day morning, we start our journey from Vitavzka ( if i'm not wrong, since place name in Prague is hard to remember for me ) we hiking from there because long queue to take sky train, but in the mid hiking we took sky train actually. The sky train brought us to a nice garden, not far walking then we found Petrin View Tower. Petrin View Tower is like little Eiffel Tower and actually it's true since the making of that tower is directly inspired by the Eiffel Tower.

We continued walked through, sometimes we took pictures, i like the view of Prague from the top, looks so pretty with orange rooftops, castle, cathedral, and Vltava river. We arrived in Parliament building, as usual there's guardian people who must keep stand still even many people took pictures with them ( include me & my friends :) ). Nothing special with that building, we went walked till St.Vitus Cathedral, that's so typical Germany cathedral architecture with its gothic style, remind me of Koln Cathedral. We also found other 2 cathedral nearby which are St.Wenceslas and St.Adalbert cathedral.

After passing 3 cathedral, we kept walked and saw grapes field to make wine. From there we arrived in big road and saw beautiful Prague castle, we can't wait to reach there.. ^0^ Due to its beautiful, no wonder some couples held or take shoot for pre-wedding around Old Town Hall, Prague Castle, Charles Bridge. Like we saw, there're 2 couples who wore white wedding gown around there, one are western and other are Korean.. hmm... I like Old town hall Prague, in the old days it was used for administrative centre of the country. But now the most famous from Old town is its Astrological Clock. Every 1 hour many people waiting under the Astrological Clock and there will be someone who wearing something like traditional dress and blow something like flute then the puppets will moving around. That's good tourist attraction right,, Around old town hall you can find some restaurants or food stall, souvenir store. Well, i like souvenir stores in here, so pretty but quite expensive. My friend told me that i can buy cheaper souvenir in open market in other side. Along the Charles bridge there're many stalls who sell painting mostly and people who sing or play music. Beautiful place!

We also passing the famous Dancing Building.. not forget to took picture with that background.. ^^

Tired for today, we took rest and planed for tommorow..

We decided to go to Chesky Krumlov. My friend said it's one of UNESCO Heritage List. Chesky Krumlov is a small city in the South Bohemian Region of Czech Republic. In there usually held a number of festivals and other events each year. But we don't find any festival when went there, just take a walk. The city, actually like village, still beautiful with its architecture and decoration in each houses, store, restaurants. We also went inside castle where there're bears in under the castle.

Gloomy Budapest..

Now, i want to continue to write my summer holiday trips. Sorry, took for long time to continue my writing,, very very long time from my summer holiday finished.. ^^ 

On the last post, i wrote my trip in Rome, after Rome i moved to Budapest, still with Ryan Air. My flight was   in night ( i'm forgot the time ) so i arrived in Budapest T2B airport in midnight around 00.00. My friend already arrived in Budapest in the afternoon and already stayed in Andor's flat, our couchsurfer in Budapest. So, because there's no more transportation in midnight, then i must waited in airport 'till morning.. glek! :(  Then i started close my eyes, slept, awake, slept, awake till time shown 6 am then my friend came to pick me up.. finally!

We went to Andor's flat, unpacked my bag, washed face, change dress, then ready to explore Budapest. Budapest is very different from East Europe countries, i saw Budapest got influenced from Russia in architecture, transportation ( and maybe the people also?! ) U want see? Check these pictures below..

At first, we need to get ticket whether bus or train to Prague, our next spot. My friend, Emil, queque in station locket, so many backpackers inside there,, then my friend found that train ticket was quite expensive. Then i suggested to looking for bus ticket whether Eurolines or Orangeways, quickly we moved to another station, asked price in Eurolines ticket service, then went to Orangeways and our choice went to Orangeways with its good price.. :) 

Ticket to Prague already in our hand, that means we ready to enjoy Budapest.. :D Since we tired after moved from one place to another place, we decided to have lunch first. My friend told by his friend that there's Javanese restaurant in Buda side center ( if i'm not wrong! ) so we walked searching restaurant named "Cafe Jogya" and we found it.. :D It was so relieved that finally we can eat, we already very hungry actually at that time. We saw some Indonesian sitting in there, the decoration of that restaurant remind me with Jogja itself with keroncong music and Javanese statue. I ordered nasi goreng seafood & jus alpukat.. :) 

Inside that Cafe Yogya, we met with an indonesian woman, knew that our next trip is Prague then she said Prague is beautiful,, made me can't wait for Prague!!

Finish eating, we started walking to reach the famous Budapest bridge and Parliament building. We were sitting on the banks of Pest side, was so romantic while enjoying Danube river with the chain bridge on the left side. There're some restaurants with pretty decorations along the Pest side. We continue walked to a little island called Margaret island in the middle of Danube river. In there you can do romantic walkways, see medieval ruins, a small zoo, musical fountain, swimming in a relaxing atmosphere. We only sited in the side of fountain, enjoying the play of fountain with a classical music as the back sound while we ate ice cream.. :) 

Enough for Margaret island, we passing the street, walked to Buda side, our plan is to enjoy Parliament building & chain bridge view from Buda side, and my special plan iiisss... waiting the sun go down & the light in Parliament building & chain bridge is on, so it would be perfect for me to shot with my camera.

We were sitting on the banks of Buda side, i told my friend that i want waiting for light blue sky as i seen in my friend's pics,, then my friend said "No, i don't think so. The sky shows that it will be rain, so no light blue sky.." I said "Hmm.. but still, i want waiting,, i want keep camera battery for light blue sky & the Parliament's lamps on" So, we waiting then walk little, the take pictures, then i felt waters dropped in my hand.. Argh,, noo.. please no rain.. I ignored that little rain, but some minutes later came heavy wind, storm,, 'till we need to put our hand on face because of flew dust & we hardly to walk. Oh, noo... Then i saw light in Parliament building & chain bridge is on,, but rain getting harder.. we ran to tram shelter and took our tram. Then i only can shoot the light of Parliament building in the rain from inside tram with my wet camera.. :(   

Well, there's also happy & sad story from traveling..