Banjir Langka

Saudi banjir…? Mungkin ada baiknya kita merenungi salah satu hadist Rasulullah SAW: “Hari Akhir tidak akan datang kepada kita sampai dataran Arab sekali lagi menjadi dataran berpadang rumput dan dipenuhi dengan sungai-sungai.” (HR Muslim).  Kiamat benar2 di ambang pintu…

BANJIR LANGKA

Hujan sangat lebat dan banjir besar melanda Arab Saudi. Menurut gulfnews, 13 orang tewas dan ribuan jamaah haji terperangkap di bandara di Jeddah, Rabu kemarin (25 Nop2009).

Ada apakah dengan hal ini? Seperti diketahui, Saudi merupakan negara Arab yang panas. Jika pun terjadi hujan, itupun tak pernah besar dan hanya terjadi dalam waktu yang berjarak lama.

Ini adalah curah hujan yang paling berat selama bertahun-tahun, yang tidak pernah terjadi di kerajaan Saudi, banjir memampat banyak jalan dan bangunan di Jeddah. Saat ini sekitar 1,6 juta jamaah haji datang dari berbagai pelosok dunia.

Berikut kondisi yg sempat terekam…:

selengkapnya ada di alamat ini: Muslm dot Net

Videonya sebagai berikut:

TIGA TANDA NYATA:

Ada lagi tiga tanda fenomenal dari tanda-tanda Kiamat yang perlu diantisipasi dewasa ini oleh umat manusia pada umumnya dan umat Islam pada khususnya. Dua di antara ketiga tanda itu masuk dalam kategori tanda-tanda besar Kiamat. Satu lagi kadang dimasukkan ke dalam tanda besar, namun ada pula yang menyebutnya sebagai tanda penghubung antara tanda- tanda-tanda kecil Kiamat dengan tanda-tanda besar Kiamat.

Tanda penghubung antara tanda-tanda kecil Kiamat dengan tanda-tanda besar Kiamat ialah diutusnya Imam Mahdi. Imam Mahdi merupakan tanda Kiamat yang menghubungkan antara tanda-tanda kecil Kiamat dengan tanda-tanda besar Kiamat karena datang pada saat dunia sudah menyaksikan munculnya seluruh tanda-tanda kecil Kiamat yang mendahului tanda-tanda besar Kiamat. Allah tidak akan mengizinkan tanda-tanda besar Kiamat datng sebelum berbagai tanda kecil Kiamat telah tuntas kemunculannya.

Banyak orang barangkali belum menyadari bahwa kondisi dunia dewasa ini ialah dalam kondisi dimana hampir segenap tanda-tanda kecil Kiamat yang diprediksikan oleh Nabi Muhammad shollallahu ’alaih wa sallam telah bermunculan semua.  Coba perhatikan beberapa contoh tanda-tanda kecil Kiamat berikut ini:

* Dan perceraian banyak terjadi =  ويكثر الطلاق
* Dan banyak terjadi kematian mendadak (tiba-tiba) = و الموت الفجاء
* Dan banyak mushaf diberi hiasan (ornamen) = و حلية المصاحف
* Dan masjid-masjid dibangun megah-megah  =   و زخرفت المساجد
* Dan berbagai perjanjian dan transaksi dilanggar sepihak  =  و نقضت العهود
* Dan berbagai peralatan musik dimainkan = و استعملت المأزف
* Dan berbagai jenis khamr diminum manusia = و شربت الخمور
* Dan perzinaan dilakukan terang-terangan =  و فخش الزنا
* Dan para pengkhianat dipercaya (diberi jabatan) =  و اؤتمن الخائن
* Dan orang yang amanah dianggap pengkhianat (teroris) =  و خون الأمين
* Tersebarnya Pena (banyak buku diterbitkan)  =   ظهور القلم
* Pasar-pasar (Mall, Plaza, Supermarket) Berdekatan  =  تتقارب الأسواق
* Penumpahan darah dianggap ringan   =     استخفاف بالدم
* Makan riba =  أكل الربا

Jadi kalau kita perhatikan, contoh-contoh di atas jelas sudah kita jumpai di zaman kita dewasa ini. Bahkan bila kita buka kitab para Ulama yang menghimpun hadits-hadits mengenai tanda-tanda kecil Kiamat, lalu kita baca satu per satu hadits-hadits tersebut hampir pasti setiap satu hadits selesai kita baca kita akan segera bergumam di dalam hati: “Wah, yang ini sudah..!” Hal ini akan selalu terjadi setiap habis kita baca satu hadits. Laa haula wa laa quwwata illa billah….

Jika tanda-tanda kecil Kiamat sudah hampir muncul seluruhnya berarti kondisi dunia dewasa ini berada di ambang menyambut kedatangan tanda-tanda besar Kiamat. Dan bila asumsi ini benar, berarti dalam waktu dekat kita semua sudah harus bersiap-siap untuk menyambut datangnya tanda penghubung antara tanda-tanda kecil Kiamat dengan tanda-tanda besar Kiamat, yaitu diutusnya Imam Mahdi ke tengah ummat Islam. Hal ini menjadi selaras dengan isyarat yang diungkapakan Rasulullah shollallahu ’alaih wa sallam mengenai dua pra-kondisi menjelang diutusnya Imam Mahdi.

أُبَشِّرُكُمْ بِالْمَهْدِيِّ يُبْعَثُ فِي أُمَّتِي عَلَى اخْتِلَافٍ مِنْ النَّاسِ

وَزَلَازِلَ فَيَمْلَأُ الْأَرْضَ قِسْطًا وَعَدْلًا كَمَا مُلِئَتْ جَوْرًا وَظُلْمًا

“Aku kabarkan berita gembira mengenai Al-Mahdi yang diutus Allah ke tengah ummatku ketika banyak terjadi perselisihan antar-manusia dan gempa-gempa.  Ia akan memenuhi bumi dengan keadilan dan kejujuran sebagaimana sebelumnya dipenuhi dengan kese-wenang-wenangan dan kezaliman.”  (HR Ahmad)

Nabi shollallahu ’alaih wa sallam mengisyaratkan adanya dua prakondisi menjelang diutusnya Imam Mahdi ke tengah ummat Islam. Kedua prakondisi tersebut ialah pertama, banyak terjadi perselisihan antar-manusia dan kedua, terjadinya gempa-gempa. Subhaanallah.

Jika kita amati kondisi dunia saat ini sudah sangat sarat dengan perselisihan antar-manusia, baik yang bersifat antar-pribadi maupun antar-kelompok.

Demikian pula dengan fenomena gempa sudah sangat tinggi frekuensi berlangsungnya belakangan ini.

Berarti kedatangan Imam Mahdi merupakan tanda Akhir Zaman yang jelas-jelas harus kita antisipasi dalam waktu dekat ini. Dan jika sudah terjadi berarti kitapun harus segera mempersiapkan diri untuk mematuhi perintah Rasulullah shollallahu ’alaih wa sallam yang berkaitan dengan kemunculan Imam Mahdi. Kita diperintahkan untuk segera berbai’ at dan bergabung ke dalam barisannya sebab episode-episode berikutnya merupakan rangkaian perang yang dipimpin Imam Mahdi untuk menaklukkan negeri-negeri yang dipimpin oleh para Mulkan Jabriyyan (Para penguasa yang memaksakan kehendak dan mengabaikan kehendak Allah dan RasulNya).

فَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمُوهُ فَبَايِعُوهُ وَلَوْ حَبْوًا عَلَى الثَّلْجِ فَإِنَّهُ خَلِيفَةُ اللَّهِ الْمَهْدِيُّ

“Ketika kalian melihatnya (Imam Mahdi) maka ber-bai’at-lah dengannya walaupun harus merangkak-rangkak di atas salju karena sesungguhnya dia adalah Khalifatullah Al-Mahdi.” (HR Ibnu Majah)

Imam Mahdi akan mengibarkan panji-panji Al-Jihad Fi Sabilillah untuk memerdekakan negeri-negeri yang selama ini dikuasai oleh para Mulkan Jabriyyan (Para penguasa yang memaksakan kehendak dan mengabaikan kehendak Allah dan RasulNya). Beliau akan mengawali suatu proyek besar membebaskan dunia  dari penghambaan manusia kepada sesama manusia untuk hanya menghamba kepada Allah semata, Penguasa Tunggal dan Sejati langit dan bumi. Beliau akan memastikan bahwa dunia diisi dengan sistem dan peradaban yang mencerminkan kalimatthoyyibah Laa ilaha illAllah Muhammadur Rasulullah dari ujung paling timur hingga ujung paling barat.

Ghazawaat (perang-perang) tersebut akan dimulai dari jazirah Arab kemudian Persia (Iran) kemudian Ruum (Eropa dan Amerika) kemudian terakhir melawan pasukan Yahudi yang dipimpin langsung oleh puncak fitnah, yaitu Dajjal. Dan uniknya pasukan Imam Mahdi Insya Allah akan diizinkan Allah untuk senantiasa meraih kemenangan dalam berbagai perang tersebut.

تَغْزُونَ جَزِيرَةَ الْعَرَبِ فَيَفْتَحُهَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ فَارِسَ فَيَفْتَحُهَا اللَّهُ

ثُمَّ تَغْزُونَ الرُّومَ فَيَفْتَحُهَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ تَغْزُونَ الدَّجَّالَ فَيَفْتَحُهُ اللَّهُ

“Kalian akan perangi jazirah Arab dan Allah akan beri kemenangan kalian atasnya, kemudian kalian akan menghadapi Persia dan Allah akan beri kemenangan kalian atasnya, kemudian kalian akan perangi Ruum dan Allah akan beri kemenangan kalian atasnya, kemudian kalian akan perangi Dajjal dan Allah akan beri kemenangan kalian atasnya.” (HR Muslim)

Lalu kapan Nabiyullah Isa ’alihis-salaam akan turun dari langit diantar oleh dua malaikat di kanan dan kirinya? Menurut hadits-hadits yang ada Nabi Isa putra Maryam ’alihis-salaam akan datang sesudah pasukan Imam Mahdi selesai memerangi pasukan Ruum menjelang menghadapi perang berikutnya melawan pasukan Dajjal. Pada saat itulah Nabi Isa ’alihis-salaam akan Allah taqdirkan turun ke muka bumi untuk digabungkan ke dalam pasukan Imam Mahdi dan membunuh Dajjal dengan izin Allah.

Begitu Imam Mahdi dan pasukannya mendengar kabar bahwa Dajjal telah hadir dan mulai merajalela menebar fitnah dan kekacauan di muka bumi, maka Imam Mahdi mengkonsolidasi pasukannya ke kota Damaskus. Lalu pada saat pasukan Imam Mahdi menjelang sholat Subuh di sebuah masjid yang berlokasi di sebelah timur kota Damaskus tiba-tiba turunlah Nabi Isa ’alihis-salaam diantar dua malaikat di menara putih masjid tersebut. Maka Imam Mahdi langsung mempersilahkan Nabi Isa ’alihis-salaam untuk mengimami sholat Subuh, namun ditolak olehnya dan malah Nabi Isa ’alihis-salaam menyuruh Imam Mahdi untuk menjadi imam sholat Subuh tersebut sedangkan Nabi Isa ’alihis-salaam makmum di belakangnya. Subhanallah.

” ينزل عيسى بن مريم ، فيقول أميرهم المهدي : تعال صل بنا ،

فيقول : لا إن بعضهم أمير بعض ، تكرمة الله لهذه الأمة ” .

“Turunlah Isa putra Maryam ’alihis-salaam. Berkata pemimpin mereka Al-Mahdi: “Mari pimpin sholat kami.” Berkata Isa ’alihis-salaam: “Tidak. Sesungguhnya sebagian mereka pemimpin bagi yang lainnya sebagai penghormatan Allah bagi Ummat ini.” (Al Al-Bani dalam ”As-Salsalatu Ash-Shohihah”)

Saudaraku, marilah kita bersiap-siap mengantisipasi kedatangan tanda-tanda Akhir Zaman yang sangat fenomenal ini. Tanda-tanda yang akan merubah wajah dunia dari kondisi penuh kezaliman dewasa ini menuju keadilan di bawah naungan Syariat Allah dan kepemimpinan Imam Mahdi beserta Nabiyullah Isa ’alihis-salaam.

Ya Allah, masukkanlah kami ke dalam barisan pasukan Imam Mahdi yang akan memperoleh satu dari dua kebaikan:

’Isy Kariman (hidup mulia di bawah naungan Syariat Allah) au mut syahidan (atau Mati Syahid). Amin ya Rabb.

Wa Alloh a’lam…

reff:

1. Banjir di Saudi
2. Tiga-tanda-kiamat
3. Muslm dot Net

Liberty Center, deschis in sectorul 5 din Bucuresti (in strada Progresului 151-171) a pregatit pentru acest weekend spectacole de magie, sesiuni de painting pentru copii sau un spectacol cu dansatori profesionisti.

Pentru 1 decembrie, Liberty Center a pregatit o editie speciala “Neata” cu Razvan si Dani, in direct din centrul comercial, iar incepand cu ora 17.00, Puya isi asteapta fanii la un concert. In plus, pana pe 20 decembrie, Liberty Center continua tombola cu masini Seat Ibiza sau console Nintendo Wii.

Oftentimes childhood memories will blindside me from nowhere and I’m compelled to blog about them, especially since I wish I hadn’t been such a shit of a child.

Mommy! I need my shitty Pampers changed!

I recall an incident where I was a fucking brat, and old enough to not be throwing temper tantrums. I’m guessing I was 11 or 12 years old. I was at a mall with my mom and brother. For whatever reason, I got an attitude. That was when my mom told me that now we were not going to see Lethal Weapon after the mall. I started bawling and begging and saying I would be good. All this for Lethal Weapon. Wow, I had fucking issues.

Don't make me shoot you, you whiny little bitch!

And how about all those times I refused to eat fish sticks for dinner? Everytime my mom served them to me I whined and cried. And everytime I was sent to my room, where I proceeded to gag and heave, for a whole bottle of tartar sauce never killed the taste for me. Eventually I was let out of my room and there those fucking fish sticks were, still sitting on my plate at the table, waiting to be eaten.

I'd eat fish dicks before fish sticks. Believe me.

I’m sure I threw more tantrums than Satan as a baby. I was a brat, a spoiled fucking brat. Don’t argue with me. If I had a baby picture handy, you’d agree. Cause I’m probably crying in the photo.

Ieri am petrecut dupa amiaza la Scanteia, in compania unei simpatice prietene … v-am mai povestit eu de barul asta. Am baut, am mancat bine, desi simpatica si-a dorit meniul zilei nu i-a mai fost servit doar pentru ca trecusera cateva minute dupa ora 17…in fine, la ora aceea barul era destul de gol, adica la primul etaj nu eram decat noi si vreo trei pustani la alta masa…ei beau bere, jucau carti si se contraziceau daca la un moment dat canta Queen sau nu (baieti, era clar Queen)… mi s-a parut foarte dragut un moment care m-a facut sa imi reamintesc de adolescenta mea destul de zbuciumata, de plina de probleme, mai ales cu parintii si profesorii… unuia dintre pusti ii suna telefonul, era mami pe care micul pletos incerca sa o convinga ca s-a terminat filmul acum cateva minute si se mai plimba un pic prin mall, ca o sa ajunga acasa repede, intr-o juma de ora, desi el abia isi incepuse a doua bere, iar prietenii lui pareau foarte bine dispusi si cu greu si-au tinut pentru ei glumele cat micul serios o convingea pe mami ca mai are ceva de vazut la zara… Cand eram de varsta lui aveam un mare noroc, nu existau telefoanele mobile, ma rog existau dar nu aveam noi, ai mei nu puteau sa imi dea de urma de nicio culoare si ma puteam distra fara sa ma piseze nimeni la cap din cinci in cinci minute…pe de alta parte stiam ca daca nu respect ora de ajuns acasa si intarzii o juma de ora, mi-o luam zdravan…

Acum, ce sa zic, sper ca mami sa nu-mi citeasca blogul 

Sau mai bine zis 11 ore pierdute departe de casa.

Deci. Azi a fost ziua aia pe care o asteptam asa mult, ziua in care am fost la mall cu mama. Initial am vrut sa mergem sa vedem New Moon la cinema dar ne-am hotarat sa plecam mai devreme sa ne scapam de niste bani. Pe la 11 dimineata am ajuns in Timisoara. Prima data am oprit la Praktiker (asa se scrie?). De acolo am luat niste flori si eu mi-am luat un cactus mic. Am eu o pasiune pentru cactusi, de fiecare data iau unul cand vad. Ii tin cateva zile la mine in camera si cand vad ca sunt pe moarte ajung la bunica. Are o groaza de cactusi numai de la mine. =))

Apoi la mall. Am mers sa luam biletele pentru film ca nu cumva sa ramanem fara si de atunci aveam vreo 4 ore la dispozitie pana la film. Sau totusi cred ca 5 ore. Am mers sa mancam pranzul. Am descoperit un loc in care nu am mai fost niciodata; erau mancaruri pe tari. Eu de mult imi doream sa mananc mancare chinezeasca. Asa ca am mancat mancare chinezeasca. Si mi-a ajuns. Deci nu mi-a placut deloc, cam tot era crud si naspa. La desert am trecut pe ciocolata. =))

Dupa pranz am mers la Auchan parca, un nou hipermarket deschis in mall. Are de toate, de la mobila pana la jucarii, de la mancare la flori. Cand am intrat am vazut multe jucarii de plus si m-a intrebat mama daca nu cumva vreau un urs mare de plus acum (ca vroiam unul de Craciun). Si l-am gasit. Unul mare (are un metru), pufos, draguuut… si ieftin. =)) Si am mai luat coarne de ren cu clopotei. =))

Ne-am mai plimbat pe acolo si prin mall si s-a facut 15.30. Nu mai puteam astepta inca 2 ore, asa ca am zis sa mergem la un magazin in Timisoara. Dar nu l-am gasit. Aproape o ora am pierdut plimbandu-ne prin Timisoara. Ne-am intors la mall. Am mai stat in parcare si pe la 16.30 am mers la cinema. Acolo credeam ca ne lasa in sala la 17, adica cu o jumatate de ora inainte de film, ca deobicei, dar ne-au lasat abia la 17.30. Macar a meritat sa asteptam atat, filmul a fost misto. Chiar mai misto decat ma asteptam. Dar am avut locuri in randul 2, deci ma durea capul ca trebuia sa ma uit in sus. =)) Revenim la film. O singura parte nu mi-a placut, pe la sfarsit a fost o conversatie care nu mi-a placut deloc.

Bella: I love you. (i-a spus lui Jacob) Dar nu ma pune sa aleg dintre voi 2 (adica Jacob si Edward), ca tot Edward e alesul.

Imi era mila de Jacob. Adica de ce ii face sperante, ii mai si spune ca il iubeste dar ii spune ca tot il prefera pe Edward? Si finalul a fost sec. Ultima replica suna cam asa:

Edward: Marry me, Bella.

Si s-a terminat. In rest a fost misto filmul. Ma cam enervau niste disperate in spate care tot chicoteau cand aparea pe ecran Robert Pattinson sau Taylor Lautner. :|

Apoi acasa. The end.

So today is Black Friday otherwise known as the day when everyone shows their evil, animalistic ways. I was talked into going to experience this phenomenon for myself. Me and Alex and Ana stayed up all night long watching movies and it was fun. So by 4 in the morning we are in SooFoo at the mall and it wasn’t too bad. I mean..tons of people but no one was overly evil. There were tons of teenagers who thought they were gangsters or general misfits, really young girls with their parents who were trying to dress like they were 20, aggressive house wives that rushed past you with a grim set to their face, and quite a few stylishly dressed gay men who were quite friendly and I love them.

After the mall we went to walmart. Whoa. What is wrong with people? The line to check out honestly and with no exaggeration in the least spanned the entire store. The whole frong aisle was just a mass of people waiting to check out. It was horrible. You could barely get past the barrier to get to the rest of the store. People at walmart sucked. They were pushy and mean and I wanted to punch them all in the face. Ok, only two of them. And one woman who was buying awesome videogames I wanted her to adopt me. Pending negotiations. Some bloodshot eyed mexican cut in line and I wanted to kick him in the junk but I realized by being aggressive I was becoming them. So I just let it go. Worse things could happen. In Sioux Falls, for example, there was a bout of fisticuffs in the checkout of Kohl’s and a deranged woman was shoving people out of her way and literally yelling at people at Target to get to the front of the check out. Security was called, she responded that there were no rules on Black Friday. Quite the day. There is something fun about it, though. I dont know what..but it has a certain allure.

So I hung out with my dog today. I’ve been doing more with her because she rocks and my love for her keeps growing. I get down on the ground and wrestle with her. I took her with me to watch the meteor shower. Today she went with me to Trosky and we rocked out to Gaga (or as some say Godga which is sacrilege and is frowned upon in most religious societies). We shared some delicious caramel corn and we still had a plateful when I went to the bank and I assumed she would eat it because..it’s good and she’s a dog. But she didn’t. I said ‘Dont eat that, Tabitha. I mean it.’ and she didn’t touch it. I come out and she’s just sitting in the driver’s seat cocking her head at me. I love that beast.

So I’m posting this mostly for the benefit of the people who did not get a chance to see Singapore during their short trip to and from AFA, for those who want to know more about Singapore, and also for those Singaporeans who are expats, and miss home. (Yes, you chun!) Considering that Singapore is the next most proliferant anime hub this side of the english internetz community, it makes sense to know more about Singapore’s people, and its infrastructure and land. I’m not going to delve into the history or its culture. You can find all that on wikipedia or something. I’m more interested in covering the more important aspects… the food, and the shopping!

A typical morning breakfast traditional amongst the Chinese group, you get various forms of deep fried dough, or Chinese doughnut, some with fillings such as red bean paste, or crushed peanut. Served with a side of sweet soy milk. (warm).

A pancake! Very similar to Tayaki, this one contains a delicious chocolate filling.

A typical food court in Singapore. This one is located at Changi Villiage. Changi is where the airport is located, which is the eastern side of Singapore. Each food stall is privately owned, each stall renting from the people that own the entire complex. Typically, the owner of the complex is also the stall that sells beverages. Beverages make the most money in the complex, charging nearly 40% more for their drinks. Everyday, these people toil, day in and day out, while the patrons are local regulars with their own jobs and problems. This kind of cycle has been ongoing since forever.

More of the food court. This particular one is a massive pyramid-type building, with stalls lined all around, and more stalls filling the center.

Just outside the food court is a sort of open restaurant. It’s too early for dinner at the moment. But these kinds of restaurants function exactly as it would a typical asian restaurant, with menus, servers, bus boys, etc. Since Singapore weather is hot and consistent all year around, this type of business is sustainable.

Just outside the food court, you get a nice view of some trees. This is combined with the residential blocks around the area. Nothing really special except it shows what the edges of Singapore are like.

Lots of motorcycles. Purchasing cars are very expensive in Singapore due to import taxes and such. The total is typically TWICE the cost of buying a car in North America – the price of a luxury sports car like a Porche Boxter would get you a crappy Kia in Singapore. Motorcycles are a cheaper alternative. But even though there his a high price luxury for cars, there are still a lot of them in Singapore.

The central area of the food court. The one in pink with the bag is my wife! The photo isn’t clear, but there is a lot of smoke in here. It’s incredibly hot with everyone cooking their food. There is no air conditioning. Couple that with the extreme heat, and you’ve got a recipie for a headache.

A stray cat. Stray cats are a lot more typical in Singapore. They’re like the rats of Singapore so to speak, so as such, there aren’t many rodents around.

They were out of chicken rice, and everything else was either spicy, or unappetizing to me, or it was fish. Mostly fish. I made the mistake of settling for western food, and was also given this strange cakebread. That part isn’t white. It’s green. And that part in the middle isn’t chocolate. It’s bread. I don’t know why it looks like that.

The fries were decent, but the porkchop tasted like nothing. The good thing about it was it was a screaming deal.

Sugar Cane drink. Freshly squeezed! It’s incredibly refreshing and delicious! First time I’ve had one! Doesn’t top the Bandung though.

The back side of the food court. This is not a storage area. These are actually retail shops. It’s a huge reality check of what life is like for these people who share the same 42km wide island with other Singaporeans who spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on merchandise. No offense meant by that statement.

Further along outside of the food court, we get to the beach. This is an inlet on this side actually.

Shot from the other side of the inlet. I wish I had brought my DSLR.

Yeah, the effects of a point and shoot just don’t do this area any justice.

Walking further we get to the beach proper. Lots of transport ships and things happen around here, so it’s rarely a peaceful horizon, but the breeze is cool, and the air is clean. The sand is also quite white and fine. It’s very relaxing here compared to the bustling life of Singapore’s downtown life. Many people purposefully travel out here to escape the busy lifestyle once in a while.

No idea how grass is growing out of the sand, but it’s very cool.

Feels like Singapore. Changi Village is situated near the Changi Airport, so every so often, you’ll see an airplane fly across the horizon from behind these trees. Like so:

Switching gears, here I am at one of Singapore’s countless shopping centers. I tell you, there is a shopping mall in some form at virtually every MRT station. MRT is Singapore’s “monorail” transit system (it’s not really a monorail, but it’s the most common descriptive I can think of at the moment. Singapore’s malls are just as proliferant as Singapore’s anime fandom blogging on the internet. I absolutely love shopping in Singapore. This is a shot of a restaurant called Long John Silver’s. Perhaps you’ve got one of these where you come from, but not me. As such, I haven’t had LJS in like, 4 years or something!

One of the many Kopitiam food courts. Kopitiam is sort of a franchise food court. It works similar to the rural food court where stall owners rent the stall from the building owner, but Kopitiam is on a much larger scale, with franchises in malls everywhere. I’m under the impression that Kopitiam also does some sort of quality control on the food they allow.

Watermelons. I’ve never seen a watermelon that’s yellow inside. Never in my entire life. From what I know, these are actually quite commonly found in Malaysia. Unfortunately, these unusually colored melons don’t taste as refreshingly sweet as their red counterparts.

Hand-pulled noodles with chicken cutlet, and a side of chicken broth with egg. I must say that it’s the best chicken cutlet I’ve ever had. Very crispy, not at all made soggy by the noodle sauce. The noodles were just the right consistency with a nice “bounce” to the chew. The savory sauce was just right, not too salty, and not too dry or wet. The veggies were also very fresh and tasty. All this for like, 5 bucks!

Fish soup. Piping hot from the “I sell fish type food products!” stall. It’s interesting how each stall specializes in one thing.

A true traditinal Singaporean breakfast. You can’t say you’ve truly lived in Singapore without having one of these – Kaya Toast (Kaya is like a kind of marmalade) Kopi (Singlish for Coffee!) and half-boiled eggs.

When I mean half-boiled, I mean very runny. Pour some soy sauce on it, stur it up, and drink! Mmmmmm!

Unfortunately, nobody seems to carry Orange Qoo anymore. Grape is an unworthy substitute.

Typical Singaporean mall design – lots of floors up. What I find absolutely incredible is that this used to be a double floor, totally ignored hole in the wall shopping center with a Value Village type of clothing store coupled with a low-end electronics store. Less than 4 years later, it’s now a bustling shopping mall featuring the latest and greatest merchandise, food, and even a two storey upside down xmas tree!

Singaporeans truly amaze me in terms of their constant updating, expanding, and augmenting. Heck, one of the department stores I used to go to (Metro) was torn down, and converted into a gauntlet of specialty boutiques! I couldn’t recognize it anymore – it was like a whole new mall!

zero percent “alcoholicity”. I found this product quite interesting, as what’s inside wasn’t alcohol, or even a beverage…

… but an umbrella. Innovative because you don’t need to place your wet umbrella into an umbrella stand, or hang it on your chair dripping wet. And you don’t have to wrestle and put it into a flimsy wet sleeve either. Just roll up, and put it into the plastic container. Done.

Cute asian products are cute.

This is an arcade “dress up your doll” game, where children can create an avatar, and literally buy clothes for it. The data is stored on the card. Thanks for ruining the young generation, Sega.

A new DJ Max of some sort. The entire thing is touch screen based with a bar that swipes over. There are prompts to tap, slide, and make patterns. I’d say this game is a combination of Project Diva meets Ouendan/EBA.

The latest new LG Chocolate. I believe it’s targetted towards the female market, as the adverts feature runway models. It’s got an ultra-wide screen for you to video capture those ultra-wide cat-walks. Honestly, I think it’s a very slick and sexy phone.

This ends my first post of Singapore. I apologize for my crappy photography, as most of these were taken in the spur of the moment, and mainly to remind me of what to write about. It gives you a general idea of what Singapore is like, but it most certainly doesn’t beat actually being here and living and breathing it (humid air and all).

But before I go, Singapore is an interesting balance between different worlds, different lives, and different goals, yet it all coexists together on this small island. It’s moments like these that are magical:

Stay tuned for my next post, as I visit Vivo City and other places!

I was telling my sister recently to just keep going.  She was sharing with me how she’s having a hard time landing a job and was ready to quit.

I had my share of those moments when things seem to not favors me no matter how hard I try.  Many times I kind of given up too.  Other times,  I just had kept on.. something  made me go on and I did.  And looking back, those were the times when I kept going that I was able to reap rewards.

I started reading Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich free ebook and I got pass the Three Feet From Gold story that reminded me of an experience about a wild trip to Baguio.

It was  ”…three feet from where the Darbys had stopped drilling that the gold is found.” by the ‘Junk’ man to whom Mr. Darby sold his machinery for mining ore for a few hundred dollars .

Indeed, one of life’s irony is just when we feel so defeated and about to give up on something that the answer shows up all of a sudden.  And we later realize the lesson.

The Baguio Wild Trip

It was a chapter in my life when I decided to start over.  I talked my  friend Leo into accompanying me and since he’s never been to Baguio he was delighted. Not to mention that it’ll be an all-expense paid  for him which I shouldered. He was kind of broke at that time.  I didn’t have much either.  But it was the way to go for me.

Another buddy named Joey went along.  So it was three of us.  I told them my plan which is to look for a job and stay for good.  I kind of gave myself a one-week target to get settled.  It was a do-or-die situation.

We got very limited money and no definite place to go in an unfamiliar place. It was crazy.. and perfect.  Amidst the uncertainty is the incomparable freedom of a dare-devil adventure.

We got there late in the afternoon and set out to our first task of finding a place to stay for the night.  The boarding house hunting started the next day.

Our first stop at Joey’s church friend in Crystal Cave did not go well.  I remember how some of the house structures there with base posts on slopes kind of given me a scare and wonderment at the same time.  I was used to seeing and inhabiting level ground houses.

Come dark we were exhausted and so beat, we settled with the second immediate option we got.  They slept over at one of the church centers, I in one of the several market stalls owned by another of Joey’s church friends, walking distance from them, which I remember to be nearby the airport.

It was frightening for me to be separated from them on that first night in a cold place and to be sleeping at someone’s stall that has wood strips for a door.  I scolded them in the morning for making me sleep there alone.

We grab some quick food along the way as we search for a boarding house.  It started out exciting as we explore the roads and sites of Baguio until after several failed inquiries for a prospect pad.  The thought of sleeping again in that stall made me cringe, we have to find a house to crash in tonight, I told myself.

So, after several more road blocks covered and seen houses, still no success. It’s either beyond our budget, not so cool for our tastes (but we’re not that choosy alright.. ), no vacancy, or the owner or landlord simply doesn’t want to take us in.. maybe for some ethical reasons.

Imagine a girl with two bisexual-looking guys with baggages and a sleeping bag, who looks like stowaways without much, looking for a place to stay.  Hmmp.. maybe I would think twice too if I were in their shoes.

By late afternoon we were tired and desperate.  The guys were deciding to call it a day.  I feel them but wasn’t gonna give up yet and so beg for one more house.

We trudged wearily up the hill as the sun was setting down and knocked on one more door.  Finally, a sense of hope.. the owners seemed accommodating and empathic of our situation.  We know we’re not that appealing group of boarders.. we told them our story, of me staying for good…  They probably took pity and admitted us that night.  What a relief. Whew!

And thank goodness we decided to check one more house.

The days that followed were mixed feelings of ecstasy being in ‘paradise’ and the stress of job-hunt and getting by each day with mainly noodles or canned sardines, rice and bread.  It was a humbling and empowering experience all at the same time.  We had to call long-distance for some money support from close sources to survive that week. We weren’t let down.

Before the week ended, I scored a job as a graphic designer for a mall with a very minimal pay compared to my last in Manila.  I was culture-shocked.  Anyway, that will do for now I thought.  One day at a time.

On the seventh day, I move in to a new room-for-rent just a stone’s throw away from work.  We were evicted from the first boarding house by this time.

It was the last day of our adventure together, as planned.  So that same day Leo and Joey bid me goodbye and good luck as I escorted them to the bus terminal.

I welcomed my new life in ‘paradise’ and the new work the next day with a smile.  The end.

We Hope everyone had a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving. As you may know, today is the day after Thanksgiving. Which to many is known as Black Friday; one of the busiest retail shopping days of the year. Furthermore, here are some tips for both online and retail shoppers from the Better Business Bureau and The National Retail Federation.

• Hold on to your bags. Don’t let anyone else “watch” your bags while shopping.

• Protect your computer. When using it for online shopping, make sure you have the most recent updates, such as spam filters, anti-virus software and anti-spyware.

• Educate children before heading into the melee. Go over what will happen if you get separated. Some ideas include teaching them to look for a uniformed security guard, police officer, or head to the customer service desk.

• Scrutinize. Make sure you’re ordering from legitimate sites. The Better Business Bureau provides a “trustmark” for sites that it approves as valid with good customer satisfaction records.

• Park close to your destination, if possible, or under a light at night. Store packages, electronics, and other valuable items in the trunk.

• Trust your gut. If Web sites and e-mails have deals that sound to good to be true, they probably are.

• Be careful with cash. Count discreetly. Don’t bring out an entire stash from your wallet. Consider bringing only what you might need for the shopping trip.

By Following these simple tips it will allow for a safer holiday shopping experience on Black Friday. For more information or questions visit our website at www.kimberleyvassal.com

Let me get this out of the way: Black Friday/Midnight shoppers are a  crazy breed. What possesses folks to come out–after supposedly eating themselves senseless–to shop? Dealing with massive crowds isn’t my idea of  post turkey activity, yet for thousands it’s a rite of the season. I’m guessing for some it’s the event status. For others, maybe it’s that feeling of being a part of something and coming back with a story to tell. I’d also bet a few are simply looking to get an early jump on getting some sense of the holiday spirit.

Of course the most fearsome is The Bargain Hunter. With almost lethal accuracy, The Bargain Hunter is the one who can spot a deal a mile away. Put those groups together and you have an anti-recession armada, hellbent on getting this economy back on track one credit card swipe at a time.

I had never been to a midnight Black Friday mall opener. In deciding to take one for the team, now seemed as good a time as any to go.

At Concord Mills Mall in Concord, North Carolina, the Black Friday Shopper was in full force. The Black Friday Shopper is an expert at waiting on lines. The line to get into the mall by 11:15 pm snaked from one of the main entrances over to The Children’s Place, no small line. I saw a line that started from the Coach Factory and stretched past at least four additional stores. A mob waited outside of the Old Navy Store. There was a line outside of Game Stop that was so long that you could not fit all of those people inside. Several stores needed crowd control as there was no way to fit all of those people inside at one time. All of this before midnight, the time slated for the everything to open.

By 12:30, many stores were jammed. Lines were still forming outside several. The smaller the store, the more sardine-like it became.  About half of the food court was open and crowded as well. Given the amount of business Sbarros was doing, it’s safe to say that the turkey people supposedly ate earlier in the day wasn’t enough. Even the Black Friday Shopper needs nourishment before seeing out the next bargain. Insanity was officially settling in (as if it weren’t already).

The parking situation by 1 am was atrocious. The only spots left were the ones that required quite a hike to get to the first entrance.  Numerous Black Friday Shoppers were already doing The Shopping Mall Stalk, the act of driving slowly behind you so as to be the first to nail your spot. On the inside it was total choas, out of hand in ways that even I didn’t expect. It became wall to wall people.  Moving freely was a fantasy an hour into the mall’s midnight opening.  Not one to mix well with thousands of Black Friday Shoppers, I had decided to bail out. This excursion was officially over. I’d had enough.

Oh, I didn’t buy a thing while I was in there. Time wasted? Perhaps, but sanity intact and you can’t beat that.

To all Black Friday Shoppers, I tip my hat to you. How you do it year after year is nothing short of amazing. The pushing, the shoving, the maneuvering (and those Shopper Jockeys who maneuver with baby strollers, what a strategy!), it’s more of a skill down to a science by this point.

My next Black Friday will find me returning to more familiar territory. Sleeping.

Think outside the box for exercise opportunities—soup can weights, for instance, or...

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! If you stayed within your calorie range for the day, stand up and take a bow. (Is anybody standing??) If, like me, you went into the day knowing you’d exceed your goal, that’s ok. Just start from here and resume your plan. (It’s kind of like the miracle of repentance: you can be forgiven at any point, put the “sin” behind you, and start fresh from where you are!)

So today, if you’re ready to exercise some of those calories away but the weather’s just not conducive, here are some ideas that will allow you to rev up indoors:

1. You don’t have to go out and buy weights to help you build muscle. Instead, use whatever you have around the house: soup, vegetable or fruit cans (yes, FULL!), water bottles—whatever’s a comfortable weight for your strength level. Use progressively heavier ones as your capacity expands.

2. Pop a DVD or video into the player and exercise along to an established routine. (Note: The public library loans video recordings for FREE!)

3. You might want to think about a gym membership for the winter months. Money a problem? Check unlikely facilities. Here in my home town, a nursing home opens its fitness center to the public for a pittance (about $15 a month). Contact me if you’re local and need more details.

4. Hit the mall. Many open at 6 am for folks who need a warm, dry place to walk.

5. If you have an indoor pool in your area, swim.

So there are five tips to keep you going. If you’d like to share your ideas, please feel free to comment. ’Til tomorrow, stay strong and resolute! I’m proud of your progress!

It was the American Thanksgiving yesterday.  9J and I went to have Thanksgiving dinner with my friend.  We also took some pictures of the Christmas decorations at Times Square.

Moreover, in the middle of the resort will be located a petit and exclusive shopping mall, where it will be placed 6 different boutique (armani, missoni, ferragamo, versace, bulgari and fendi brands). The shop will sell just selected and premier garment, exclusively chosen by the creative director of each of  fashion brand.

I Visited Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day. Most Meaningful day of the year to visit Washington D.C. As i was waiting to board the flight i was Texting away…. (As usual) and must have set the phone down (GRRRR!). The flight was ready for take off before i was even in my seat! I was the last person to board the plane AND my seat was at the very last row so by the time i made it to my seat, bucked myself in and decided it was time to send another text… the plane was ready for take off.. and my phone was MIA!!! I flew out of PHX on flight 42 departing at 1:10pm and arrived just before 8pm DCA Time. Five hours later upon landing at DCA i asked the gate to call PHX and see if my phone had been turned in… No Dice.. The gate agent was super sweet and went out of her way to call 3 or 4 different numbers to try to track down my missing phone. She even offered me her personal cell to use while she was onthe company phone making calls!! Way to go US Airways Customer Service!!! (I didn’t even mention i was an employee so i know she was not just being partial). I called my phone several times and even left a message on my VM in case someone found it. I text myself also. I thanked the agent and went on to catch the metro. Conveniently, the Metrorail station is connected to the concourse level of terminals B and C at Reagan National Airport. These are the directions to get to the hotel: Take the Metro BLUE line to Rossalyn. Get off at Rossalyn. Take the Orange line to Ballston. Walk straight and go up two sets of escalators MAP

My fare to Rosslyn was $1.35.

Now these directions are entirely too simple for me to follow. My impulsiveness jumps on the first train i see; however i’d like to blame my intensive lack of sleep;) As soon as the doors close i realize im on the yellow line! *($)#!@ and i have no idea which direction im headed! Quickly, i exit at the first stop and walk up and over the metro in plans to take the yellow line back to the airport and start over. While waiting for the metro to take me back to to square one i glance at a MAP and see just how simple my journey was: No need to go back to the airport i simply had to take the BLUE ->ORANGE. ORANGE -> HOTEL. DUH!!!!!!! I must say the convenience factor is in huge play here in DCA. The Hotel Hilton Astoria in Arlington Virgina950 North Stafford Street, Arlington, Virginia, United States 22203 is located at Ballston Station. Tel: 1-703-528-6000

SUPER!!! Guess i would have know all this prior had i installed the wheretraveler.com iphone app on my phone.. oh wait i don’t have my phone GRRRR!!! Nor the step by step instructions where to go on the website haha All these helpfull hints i found in the free magazine in my hotel room! The magazine Where: 2009 November was a great resource to me as i planned out my tour of the city.
This time i got it all figured out:
Orange line to Rossalyn. Rossalyn take blue line to Arlington Cemetery. Easy. Ballston -> Rossalyn. Rossalyn -> Arlington Cemetery.
..Rossalyn Pic here…

The Cemetery is massive.

I have been applying to architecture/construction jobs all over the country, and for the most part, the places I’d like most to work in I had never been to, including DC/Baltimore, Denver, Portland, Houston/Dallas. I love that DC was everything I had imagined it would be and better. Wonderful. It’s a good balance of city and town. I loved it there.

Here’s just some pictures I took and ran through Poladroid.

Because he’s sexy. Don’t ask.

How was everyone’s Thanksgiving? Good? Good. Good… Mine was…good. I guess. Actually, it was rather boring. My parents decided to go to the woods to hunt and cook a gigantic meal down there, but they’re not coming home until Sunday. So I said screw that and hauled booty to Courtney’s house.

Just so the whole world knows, I am thankful for my parents, Katelynn Cohenour, Kayla Bailey, Katie Graves, Tyler Hyde, Courtney Herrin, Chris Gaar, Jesse Strange, Kim Aubin, Hector Aguirre, Bradley Doyle, Ashley Graves, and Kelsey Herrin. And…probably some other people that I just can’t think of right now.

So I’m sitting at Courtney’s house in Kelsey’s room talking about books and boys and video games. I’m not too sure that this is the NORMAL type of gossip, but oh well. It’s what we like.

Let me tell you guys about effin’ YEC. We decorated the van wih our phone numbers, got our passes (these uber cool army-themed bracelets), headed to the mall until the first session, then listened to Ed Newton preach and Matt Papa sing. Ed Newton is a pretty good preacher…and he’s eyecandy. Matt Papa’s a pretty good singer; I looked him up on iTunes later and he’s actually a lot better live than he is on his CDs.

Of course I have to mention the fact that I got saved. Ed Newton asked those who wanted to be saved to approach him at the stage. I almost didn’t… I almost chickened out, because I stood there for two minutes thinking to myself, “What if I stop believing again? What if I do all of this for nothing?” I was crying and shaking my head as Kayla, who automatically understood how I was feeling, said “You know I’ll go down there with you if you want me to.” But soon my outlook changed to “Only I can let that happen. I am the only thing holding myself back right now.”

So I grabbed Kayla’s hand and we trotted down rows and rows of bleachers and halfway around the Coliseum to Ed, tears rolling down my face the whole time. I then had to go into a room and I was set up with a counselor… Her name was Stephanie and she was extremely nice. She listened to my story and I could tell it meant a lot to her to hear it. She gave me her phone number and email address and told me to contact her if I wanted to know anything at all.

Day two… Complete ownage. More Ed Newton and Matt Papa, more mall shopping, Real Encounters, and an epic Hawk Nelson concert. I got two feet away from Jason Dunn, the vocalist, and he smiled at me. I totally love them now. They put on a great show. (Of course, I had the chance to see them at Rock the River over the summer too but paid no attention to them since I was with Bradley.)

Day three was really short; we had one more session with Ed Newton and Matt Papa, and went to eat at CiCi’s Pizza afterwards. I totally had a spasm in the restaurant because Kayla texted me and told me she got me Ed’s autograph. Then I went home and…slept.

I totally forgot to tell my blog about me winning a drawing. I never ever believed that online giveaways were real; I just thought they were fake promotional tools, but I entered them anyway to see if they were indeed true. And now I know the are. When the Beta club went on a field trip to the district convention (that I won a trophy at for taking an English test and placing second, by the way) and stopped at McDonald’s afterwards, I was drinkin’ me a chocolate milkshake and I got a phone call from this random number. My first instinct was to not answer because I hate talking on the phone, but I didn’t want them to keep calling me, thinking they had the “right number” when I really wasn’t whoever they were looking for.

So I pick up the phone…and this dude named Nick starts talking to me about how I won a two hundred dollar prize package from Atticus Clothing and a blessthefall/Fearless Records package. He got my address, shirt size, and that was that. A week later, six beautiful shirts and a warm pimped out jacket show up at my door. The blessthefall/Fearless Records half of my prize package came in yesterday. They sent me two shirts — one white Fearless Records shirt, and one black blessthefall shirt — blessthefall’s Witness CD and a poster signed by all the members, and a buttload of stickers. I was mega stoked. I still am, actually. I can’t believe those things are even real.

Anyway, I am really tired of typing and Courtney has asked me like four times if I was done yet, so I’m gonna finish it there. I might update tomorrow…after I get back from Black Friday shopping for the first time!

This absolutely gorgeous image is a giclee print of a relief painting done by Mall for Gallery Nucleus. She paints on wood and usually builds up the texture so that there’s a 3-D effect. I saw the print in Nucleus’ bin when I was at the end of my ten-minute shopping trip through CTN, and the colors just drew me in. I honestly wasn’t planning on buying any thing during this con, let alone any art, and I really just couldn’t walk away from the print. The 18th out of 25, I guess you could say I got suckered in by the “limited edition” defense.

I know I’m 25 and shouldn’t be buying clothes like this – pajama-comfortable and yet not pajama – but after feeling the fabric (and being offered the exhibitors’ discount – Yay!), I couldn’t say no. Part of John Loter’s Good Girl Bad Girl series.

At first I thought I should dress up for Thanksgiving at the Presings’, but I’m pretty sure I’m just going to go in this now.

My name is Mayka, and I am thankful for all my opportunities to meet and greet with new artists and support their creativity.

La verdad no sé, que desesperación es esa. Digo si estamos en una celebración tal y ponemos los accesorios de la siguiente inmediatamente después ¿no estaremos confundiendo al cliente con el significado de las celebraciones?

Sé que hay que ahorrar tiempo y todo eso pero se ve mal que todo sea tan rápido, es como cuando sales de una relación sentimental y al día siguiente de cortar ya andas con alguien más. Digo, no es sano, es mal visto por la “suciedad” y no le diste chanza al “momento del duelo” para sanar las heridas.

Ja, ya nos estamos yendo por otro lado, pero volviendo al tema, recuerdo una vez en Laredo,TX que en fuimos de sales-hunting a principios de enero y mi sorpresa fue no ver ni un mendigo pino, ya ni luces había ni siquiera en remate. Wall*Mart (como diría SouthPark) había aniquilado todo lo referente a Xmas para volver su tienda roja con corazones rojos, chocolates en cajas rojas y peluches cafés.

Eso fue hace tiempo pero ya en la actualidad esta metodología la volcamos al mexican style y aquí después de la onda de Halloween, que cada año se hace mas fuerte dejenme decirles, todas las tiendas se brincaron la revolución mexicana para poner pinos. Por cierto ya hay unos pinos en Serezas con las luces incluidas en sus ramas, y ¡cambian de color! tipo la fachada del Palacio de Fierro.

En fin, esta modalidad es para introducirte en el mundo de la festividad en marcha para que se te antoje realizar una compra pero necesito mi duelo después de cada fecha. Me gustaría que hubiera un lapso de al menos 15 días para llorarle al día de brujas, navidad, pascua o lo que sea que haya. Y en esos días podemos recobrar fuerzas y llenar el bolsillo para la siguiente fiesta en donde podamos vivirla y comprar al máximo.

According an article, in 2009 Jakarta has something around 130 shopping malls, which is one of the biggest in the world. Another article said that in 2008 Jakarta has 90 malls. So estimated, 40 malls was built in Jakarta during 2008-2009. No wonder, as a routine visitor of malls, I am a little bit left behind: There are some shopping malls I have not visited yet. So, I went to five malls on Saturday and Sunday, which are nothing compared the whole mall population in Jakarta.

On saturday, first mall I visited was Plaza Indonesia complex in the central of Jakarta.  It consists three malls : Plaza Indonesia, Plaza Indonesia Extension, and eX. There are different segment targeting in each mall. Plaza Indonesia targets mature and rich people, eX targets younger rich people, while Plaza Indonesia Extension reach mix of these target groups.

With many tenants from exclusive brands, Plaza Indonesia is one of very limited choice for brand shopping. Let say one brand which is not common in world of handphone. Vertu, a high-end brand of handphone, has only three stores in Jakarta and Bandung, one of them is in Plaza Indonesia. Classic luxurious brand like Gucci, Bvlgari, and Ermenegildo Zegna give Plaza Indonesia high reputation as a high class mall in Indonesia.

eX is another story. This is the mall for young rich people. There are many famous brand store here specializing in young people lifestyle, mostly from gadget-electronic store and restaurant-coffee shop. Apple  and Panasonic store are some of their famous tenants from gadget-electronic side. Hardrock Cafe and F Bar & Restaurant are the unique and very famous tenants in the restaurant-cofee shop side. Not to mentioned XXI Cinema theatre, Celebrity Fitness, and Spincity Bowling & Billyard. These tenants make eX as a famous malls for the young and teenager.

Talking about brand new Plaza Indonesia Extension, like its name, it is an extension mall concept for Plaza Indonesia. Nowadays, mall is not only shopping center. Mall is a place where you can spend time with your whole family. So, a mall should contain complete place for each family member.

Before, mall consists only fashion and accesories stores which serve mostly mommy and teenager girls. How about daddy? Maybe he will go to electronic or workshop store. How about teenager boys? Maybe he will go to sport store. How about younger boy and girl? Plaza Indonesia Extension provides Miniapolis. This complex consists of many fascilities for children, like railless train and carrousel. There are also many famous stores related to children fashion and accessories.

Another thing, Extension’s interior design is also fresh concept. All store provides new design which will not be found in all mall in Indonesia and maybe in old mall in the South-Asian region. First time I went there, I felt confuse like I was in a labyrinth. There is a pathway to reach a place. But, after sometimes, I memorized and got used to it.

Not to forget, every travelling should contain culinary travelling. Fatburger is this culinary travelling. Fatburger restaurant is an American franchise provide fresh burgers. The store in Plaza Indonesia Extension is their first store in Indonesia. I sat in front of their open kicthen and saw how they provide a fresh burgers to their customers. That made me review my concepts of hamburgers as junk food when I saw how they made burgers from fresh meat, fresh bread, and fresh vegetables. Great taste anyway!

On Sunday, I went to Mangga Dua Square malls. Different from Plaza Indonesia, Mangga Dua Square provide very low price product. As a part of old city of Jakarta, Mangga Dua is very famous for their low price market.

In line with one stop shopping mall concept, you can find many kind of low price product here, of course not branded one. You can find many stores of fashion product and  electronic-computer product. This will fit if you want to do straight forward shopping.

Mangga dua square is a convinient place to explore, not so crowded in weekends and enough room-air conditioning. This is very contrast with outside of the malls. You will find a river in front of the malls which very easy to get flood when rain comes. Also, the traffic in front of malls get crowded easily.

On Sunday night, I went to Grand Indonesia, a brand new mall complex in front of Plaza Indonesia. Owned by Djarum, a big Indonesian cigarrete company, Grand Indonesia is a direct competitor for Plaza Indonesia, targeted same segment : rich people in Jakarta. Grand Indonesia is very big (640,000 m2) and consist of two part, West Mall and East Mall.

Grand Indonesia is too big for me. I can never finish to explore the mall in one visit. Anyway, I like to explore inside the malls which has fantastic interior. You can find replicas of many classic scenes like Hollywood. You can find replicas of classic train station of America, windmill of Holland, China town.

Gramedia has the biggest store in Grand Indonesia. In front of the store, I found architecture exhibition. My brother put his masterpiece there, Bamboo Museum Park. I took some picture of the scenes.

***

The Jakarta Mall Tour is one of travelling activities. I can see many behaviour of Jakartanese people here, of course ‘the have’ people of Jakarta. A very contrast with the poor who lives below the bridge, beside the train rail, and street..