Soto Ayam Branggahan @ Kediri

One of the must-eat dishes in Kediri is Soto Kediri, especially the one in Branggahan area...known for its locally and specially cooked soto--a soup or broth. anyway...

This is Pak Benno's stall: one of the so many famous soto stalls that dot the streets in Kediri. 

Freya and Lala also had their own portion. One bowl each.

The sprouts, the soup, the chilly, the sambal, the ingredients authentic of Kediri were all mixed into a unique combination of flavor that makes up ...Soto Branggahan. 

The green beverage on the picture is dawet. It's a jelly made of glutinous rice mixed with coconut milk and palm sugar. A refreshing dessert on a hot day.^^ 

See the simple stall? Yes, this is Pak Benno's famous Soto Ayam. The locals find this local dish a delicacy. 

My Mom, me and my Daddy. 

We were enjoying our portion of soto.

Seoul Nuclear Security Summit in Korea 2012

Nuclear Security is a series of preemptive measures introduced to prevent internal and/or external threats directly or indirectly related to nuclear materials, radioactive substances, relevant facilities or other associated activities. In the case of imminent threat, it consists of countermeasures to detect, delay and prevent illegal acts, as well as administrative and technical measures to minimize the damage caused by accidents. (www.the nuclearsecuritysummit.org) 

So,  the 2012 서울 핵안보정상회의 or this Summit is an important action or summit for the world.

I learn that as many as 58 leaders of states attend the summit held in Seoul.

*From the official website of the summit, I also learned that 58 head delegates (54 from participating countries and 4 from international organizations) attend the summit from March 26-27, 2012.

The summit will bring together forty five leaders, including those of the Republic of Korea, the host of the Summit, the US, China, Japan, Russia, India, Indonesia, France, the UN and the EU with 13 countries to be represented by their Deputy Prime Ministers of Foreign Ministers on behalf of their leaders.

*This is the largest ever number of leaders will visit the ROK for the Seoul Summit. The head delegates from 20 countries including the leaders of 12 countries, such as the Netherlands, Spain, Chile and Thailand, will make their first-ever visit to the country. Meanwhile, the leaders of Lithuania, Italy and three other countries will be visiting the ROK for the first time since taking office.

*Seventeen of the participating leaders will be accompanied by their spouses for whom events separate from the Summit have been arranged. Upon the completion of the formal meeting on March 27, the leaders and their spouses from 39 countries will enjoy the special dinner with cultural performances to be hosted by President and Mrs. Lee Myung-bak.

Now, it comes as a surprise to myself..as to why President Yudhoyono comes here. It is a good and great thing of course..considering the important role of Indonesia nowadays. In term of the bilateral ties between Indonesia and Korea, I could proudly say that this is the lucrative and harmonious moment of the two countries which have become closer thanks to their cultural and economic cooperation. 

*Still...Indonesia's visit and attendance to the Summit does indicate that Indonesia could have/must have something to do with this nuclear-stuffs. Be it...Indonesia's decision to build nuclear energy plants.....which I think....Korea would be more than willing to take part or be a part of it...because it will be (once again) a tremendous economic partnership. ^^ Isn't so?

As long as it would be for the best and the good purpose,....why not. I am all for it.

an Ad about the summit on subway

I took this picture on March 24, 2012 while riding a subway back home. 

Korean people should be reminded or at least be well informed about this huge-scale Summit in Korea this year. 

Nice job!

  

점을 본다 'Fortune Telling'

Although I have to admit that I find this kind of things being interesting.....somehow I have yet to make sure that I do not believe in such things as psychic or any palmistry reading.....^^
Ok...I'm not going to blurt something out about the stuffs. I just want to say that from what I learned from my today's class discussion, I learn that there are lots of Korean people who still find this kind of divine specialties being important in their daily life. I think it makes sense..in a way that mudang or a spiritual sort of healer does exist even in the modern day Korea. Some people do indeed seek advice from someone deemed to possess such power to tell as to whether a certain date or day is good or appropriate enough to do business, to meet a client, to open a store, to have a trip, to get engaged, to get married, to find a job, and the list goes on.....
When I learned about this, I recollect my experiences of being raised in Indonesia where this kind of belief also (Indeed it does) persists.
Some Indonesians believe in dukun (Indonesian word for mudang)
Out of the discussion, I came to a preliminary conclusion that these two cultures share a relatively similar  tendencies of being a spiritual culture--especially in the sense of mudang or dukun's presence in the society.
What I did not find in Indonesia is the fact that.....some people with no previous experiences or learning whatsoever...could suddenly become mudang after he or she got suddenly sick or terribly ill. Some doctors or any modern-day diagnosis would call this person as having a psychological disorder. He or she might have nothing wrong whatsoever with his/her body. It's just....apparently they are okey but they are suffering. Some say...the only solution to cure this kind of illness is for them to succumb or surrender themselves or to accept themselves as the newly appointed mudang. It's a very very interesting remark in Korea's mudang existence.
I also learned that there were artists or singers who later on became mudang after being suffering from this kind of sickness...which to not-everyone's surprise...the only way for them to be cured is by being a mudang. Hmmm...I think this is quite an interesting fact.
Oh..one more thing....there are also numerous kinds of mudang to begin with. Even there is this so-called a child-mudang. Not that the mudang is a child, instead....it was a grown up woman (usually) who is possessed by a child's spirit which later on urge or makes her speak like a child and chant or cast a spell or give a blessing to those who are seeking a future-reading on their fortune.
I think..this one, too, is a very challenging thing to see more.