PH (pae-ha:) Stories @ Jogja

Guess...we missed the PH in Jogja. (suddenly...I became delirious^^)....Yup, it's been almost three years since the last time we had PH Time. Frankly..one of the reasons was simply because we never had one in Seoul. So, when I had a chance to meet Nana, my colleague, ..the only place that popped out of my mind was..well, PH.

And..since Eyra & Freya also wanted to meet her (affectionately lovable) eonni a.k.a. baby sitters (no..no...my students, Beth & Dewi whom they met in Seoul), why not asked them to join us @ PH? * Thanks girls..for taking our daughter to Timezone and let us enjoy our dinner. ^^

We might as well .....meet..greet...chat...and catch up what we'd been dying to share for the past two years...(c'mon...like there's no such thing as Whatsup ...and Facebook...

 or Path?) ^^

Then..another time..different location..but still @ PH^^, we had lunch along with my other colleagues. Yes...'spending time' at PH @ Jogja was so much fun.

oops!

And it's Lunar New Year's celebration...and we surely did take some time...

to seize the moment.

*Thanks, friends*

Highlights of Our Vacation Back Home= It's Mostly about Meeting Others^^

Preparing for departure @ Incheon Airport, Korea.

Taking the kids to the zoo...Gembira Loka Zoo @ Jogja. 

Taking the kids to Water Park @ Kediri, East Java. 

Bumping into my students back home @ Jogjakarta.

Taking the kids to Bali Bird Park @ Batu Bulan, Bali. 

Meeting with my wife's brother and sisters @ Panasan, Jogjakarta. 

Going to Jogjakarta from Jakarta @ Soekarno-Hatta Airport. 

Meeting with my parents back home @ Kediri, East Java. 

Seeing my brother off to Brisbane @ Jogja Train Station, Yogya.

Having lunch with friends and colleagues @ Bumbu Desa, Jogja.

Enjoying sun and sand @ Kuta Beach, Bali. 

Having a Transit-Trip @ Bali Bird Park, Bali.

Yes, it's all about fun and meeting others--that's what counts.

Adi's Visit

Adi (my former student) just graduated from Graduate School. I'm proud to say that he finally finished his Master Degree in Linguistics. Since he knew that I was in Jogja for 3 weeks, he'd told me that he'd wanted to meet me. 

Oh, Adi was also the one who taught Eyra 'Hangeul' prior to Eyra's departure to Korea back in 2011. Congrats, Adi.

@ De Plonthos: Where I Used to Have My Hair Trimmed

I was so happy to be back to Jogja although just for 3 weeks since it meant that I could pay a visit to the place where I always had my hair cut. Yes....and these three guys are my friends who work there.  

We met again, guys. Thanks for being there when I (my hear>:) needed you, guys. 

(at the waiting room of the so-called beauty salon).

See you, again.

Home We Left in Jogja....

We're waiting for the taxi that would take us to the home we left in Jogja for almost 3 years. This is the gate to Panasan village where we stayed during our stay in Jogjakarta.  

This used to be our home in Jogja before we left for Korea. Now it's been deserted for almost 3 years....:( We visited our home and gee...we got to wear masks all the time....) 

I couldn't believe it myself. One thing for sure...we got to think of what to do with the house when we come back from Korea someday (hopefully in 2015). 

Eyra just finished collecting her toys she found again to...be brought to Korea. 

and...this is ..wow...the deserted car....we saw it two years ago..and it's intact...only that it's fully covered in dust. 

@ Mirota Batik (Handicraft Store)

Freya and Eyra were busy selecting key chains and other knick-knacks...brick a brack. I got a feeling that they're lost into a maze of confusion of what to choose from thousands of key chains in front of their eyes.  

Me myself..I was also amused and somewhat entertained. So many things to choose from. Wooden handicrafts to silverware to...well....gold..and silk...and...you name it...you got it. 

Mirota Batik is the must-visit place in Jogja for anyone wishes to buy souvenirs from Jogjakarta. 

One of the highlights that I think cracked me up was THIS. 

Got no idea who put this colorful wooden puppet on this toy-car. What made it strikingly eye-catching was nothing more than its contrasting color. 

Then..to my surprise...I found a statue of Jokowi (the present Jakarta's governor) at the store. Couldn't believe my eyes. How could his statue be arranged right next to the statue of the first president of Indonesia, Mr. Soekarno. ^^??* I found out later ...that Jokowi statues were removed from the store. hmmm.....suspiciously interesting. 

Mirota Batik consists of two-story building where we could immerse ourselves to appreciate Javanese culture as displayed through myriads of souvenirs and handicrafts.  

Now...let's go home. We did our shopping!!!

At Zero Kilometer of Jogjakarta

This is the zero kilometer of Jogjakarta where distances to four-corners of the city are calculated. The old post office stood afar. Lots of people (locals and visitors) gather at this place to see and be seen. 

OMG..I bumped into Javanese-style ghosts. Two of them. But...instead of being wrapped in whites, they're wrapped in blue and red clothes. Geez...people would find it bizarre and intriguingly amusing at the same time. 

Since it was about to rain....we sped up our stroll along the area and got to see any shelter in the neighborhood.  

Then...we passed the old Presidential Palace--used when Indonesian capital was moved to Jogjakarta (from Jakarta) during the Dutch Aggression in 1945.  

Since it was already closed, I could only take a peep from its main gate. 

Gaming Agaiiin? Well....

What could I do to stop them from not going to Timezone? ^^ Nothing...after all I didn't want to. Okay...Timezone's been one of the places of *interest* for the kids to play..and for parents to spend *money* (chuckles). 

But that day..it's 100% Off. WHat does it mean? well....we got tons of time to spend with little money to spend. 

and the kids got a great time to spare...and as for me...I'd let them hang out there in Timezoen Jogja..... After all....we don't go to such places in Seoul.^^

Masjid On TOP of the Mall

Yes..It's been almost 3 years since the last time I visited this mall. What Mall? The picture shows a Masjid. Well..yes..this is--I think--the tallest or wait..should I call it the highest Masjid in Jogja? It could be..since it is located at the top parking lot of Amplaz Mall. 

I just couldn't help but taking the picture since the blue sky and the Merapi Mountain at the back...seemed to be so irresistible to miss. 

Wow. A striking contrasting color of the dome (at least to my opinion) was one of the reasons as to why I kind of 'salute' the management for upgrading the used-to-be temporary Musholla into Masjid.

*Well, who would've thought that this is actually a Masjid at a mall.:-)

Yup, this mall & Hotel. Royal Ambarrukmo.

Before & After (My Jogja)

I didn't know as to why I took all of these pictures when I was driving around Jogja. I guess..I was just intrigued by how green everything was at that time. Yes...I love the fact that Jogja has lots of trees in some part of the city. 

It's near Kotabaru region, just a kilometer away from my campus. 

Then...I turned left and then..I saw a familiar line up of trees in Sudirman Street--one of my favorite streets in Jogjakarta..simply because it boasts itself as having lots of trees. 

And..I kept on taking pictures....still in Sudirman Street. 

Then..I arrived at my campus. Yup, the trees were green and boy oh boy...this time of the year...was the best way to explore the campus. Not many students were back to campus since it was still a semester break. 

Kept on going up.... 

until I reached Kaliurang street with less trees or no trees at all since most of the lots are reserved for shops and restaurants and cafes and...well..business. BUt..boy..the sky's blue.....until... 

February 14, 2014 when I learned that Jogja was covered in volcanic ash from Kelud Volcano (some 300 km away from Jogja).

My Jogja..I learned that it's been raining...and I do hope that everything's back to normal again. Amin.