Sego Tumpang (Nasi Tumpang) ' Tumpang Rice"

It may not look much. It may look so simple and decent. But,..hey..this is EXACTLY what I've been longing for. The very first morning I woke up again back home in Kediri, my Mom cooked some tumpang rice--my favorite traditional food ..native of Kediri. 

This tumpang rice was served with a complete side dish....tempe and tofu, my favorite...especially since they were all from my Mom's very own hands. ^^

역시...엄마 손의 맛이 최고다.^^ 

I just love my Mom's way of frying some tempe and other side dish.

One just needs to feel the gratitude of being home...to admire and be thankful ....for what has been granted to one's life.

I do and I am.

Alhamdulillah. 

Thanks, Mom. Makasih ya, Ibu....untuk nasi tumpangnya.

On the train from Kertosono to Jogja

Daddy&his 'ngedot' angels:)

It was a trip back home to another hometown of mine...Jogjakarta.

Freya having dinner

Papa, Freya, Eyra

It was the first time ever that we took a train in the near end of Ramadan month. The tickets were only Rp 130,000 each. It was still comparatively cheap compared to the high/peak season of mudik-which would be just two days afterwards. So, we were kinda lucky to get the cheap prices for an executive class train for our round trip Jogja - Kediri - Jogja.
Eyra and Freya did enjoy their time being on the train again with us.
It was indeed a memorable time to behold, since we knew that time that we were about to leave Kediri for at least 3 years. So, we pretty much enjoyed every minute of it.
Lots of things were going on with the kids: as usual: eating, playing, screaming out loud, running, walking, and sleeping, of course.
The 4-hour trip also highlighted our Ramadan's breaking the fast on the train for the first time ever.

sunset

Freya at Tugu railway station

It was a good thing that.....and very considerate of my Mom to prepare the food for us. In fact, we did not have to buy any food to break the fast that time. Of course, the temptation to buy the famous pecel madiun when we stopped for a while at Madiun was setting in.

But, hey...it was more than enough to enjoy the food that my Mom made for us. It was more worthwhile.
Even, my kids ate a lot--as long as I recollect--which was a good thing.
The sunset view along the way also gave additional mixed eerie feeling in a good way, for sure.

At around 8 p.m. we arrived safely at Jogja Railway Station.
(Jogjakarta, August 21, 2011)

nasi pecel dan tumpang Kediri

Pecel tumpang

I just want to talk about the pecel and tumpang dish: two specialties from Kediri, my hometown. So, it was Ramadan and I still remembered that we had actually had our dinner already. But, the idea of going to town and having the traditional food to enjoy while being home was so intriguing and hard to put down that we just decided to go and eat.

It was pretty late and a bit windy. We were sitting on a plastic and bamboo mattress(?) on the side walk. Yes, this is a lesehan ‘ no-chair’ restaurant where we had to sit on the floor or mattress available. The kids loved it, too I guess. But, mostly..I was the one who was so excited of having this tumpang simply because I know that it will be a long time again..for me to taste this tumpang. So, it was a great time for me and my wife who turned out to be an avid lover of pecel and tumpang.

I think it was a good time to eat tumpang at the birthplace of tumpang itself. Hahaaha…I think I am being sentimental here. I guess it was pretty much a good time we did have. One more thing: tumpang has been in my life since I was a kid, I presume. So, having to eat this particularly interesting and delicious traditional meal is a feat in itself; for many people are looking to have one of those.