A little story from Deutschland.

Saturday, September 21 2013 I was in Baton Rouge airport heading for Germany. This is not my first time travelling to Europe, neither the first time to Germany. Right, I have been to this country a year a go for the same purpose I was going there this year; attending a short physics school. What an interesting school and place to learn more about physics. But, instead of talking about the school, I am going to tell you a bit about my journey in this country.

The flight was safe and I transited in Amsterdam airport before arrived in Tegel Berlin airport. And guess what? Everything was so smooth and even in the immigration check point there was not much difficulty I experienced. Probably, because this was not my first time to Europe so according to their report I was not such a jerk who wanted to make troubles in Europe... :D

Deutschland, or Germany as International people recognize, is the second country I ever visited in Europe and I admire it because of the unique history and culture the country has. A bit history of Germany. The country has been known since the classical era (the 18th century); many brilliant artists and scientists like Beethoven, Bach, Kepler, and Gauss were from this country. Their legacies are still well known up to these days. The country started "showing-off" itself among other European countries as a civilized and advanced country when it entered the 20th century. The country had caused two great wars in the world (world war I & II) and were defeated in both wars. Despite the black history it left in the 20th century, Germany, has produced many brilliant scientists and engineers that have contributed to very significant development of science and technology for the world. And one thing that I admire from the people of the country is the spirit not to give up easily on their fate. Even after defeated two times in the wars they still have spirit to rise the country again from the ashes. Now, after decades, they are back becoming an advanced and modern country. And they even lead Europe and play a significant role to determine the future of the continent.

Reichstag: The Germany Parliament Building

Brandenburg Gate

Victory Column

View Taken from Victory Column

Post world war II Germany was divided into two countries; the west and the east Germany. The west adapted liberalism while the east communism and they were separated by the Berlin wall. The wall was then destroyed after the reunification in 1990. However, some part of the wall still is kept until now to remind the people of the tyrannical and oppressive power of Communism in the past. I visited the wall and it's filled with many graffiti. The graffiti really express the feeling and emotion the local people had. The graffiti now become common views almost in all cities of Germany. 

From my observation, overall, the country is beautiful and antique because the heritage from medieval and post medieval ages. Castles, churches, and palaces decorate many cities in Germany. Actually, they had more than these in the past but the wars have destroyed many of them. Now we can only marvel at some of those left. The country is also clean and the transportation is very good. Who needs personal vehicles if you have public transportation system like in Germany? Moving from one place to the other place is very convenient; the government provides very efficient and on-time transportation: trains, trams, and buses. They are really well developed and civilized. Different from other big cities in other countries, big cities in Germany, like Frankfurt and Berlin, are relatively friendly environmentally.

Cologne Cathedral

Another view we can observe easily in Germany is people biking everywhere nearby. Yup, here people like biking / walking to go anywhere in a city and the government facilitate it by providing many bike parking areas, bike routes and sidewalks, all motor vehicles are obliged to respect and yield to bikers and pedestrians. Germany becomes one of the most bike-friendly countries in the world.

However, as my friend said: 'every nation has some "weakness" even a developed nation', and so is Germany. They are well known for being emotionally cold; people with less courtesy to show. They like to express most of the things in a very straight way; if you offer something to them and they don't like it they will say it directly to you even though it may dismay you; it seems quite mean for most Asians but that's the way they are. But I like to look at it in a positive perspective: this attitude of Germans makes all things in the country run efficiently and somehow also shapes the honesty of the people. If you google it you'll find that Germany is one of the most honest nations in Europe.

It will not be enough to describe Germany  in a one-page writing. There are many other things about Germany I haven't described here as Germany is very rich almost in many aspects; the cities,  technology, environment and economics. Speaking of German cities I should tell that even each city in Germany has its unique local tradition but I'll save that topic and others for next time. Hopefully, I will have another chance (keep my finger crossed) to write more about these topics especially about each city in Germany I have visited and how they differ from one to the other. Until the next story then... (A T)

The agony of inter-season

Winter just passed in Baton Rouge and spring basically is knocking the door. Now we're just in the end of the inter-season from winter to spring. I don't quite like inter-seasons here; full of uncertain weather. We can have 4 kinds of weather in a day, it can be so cold in the early morning and as the day rises up the air becomes so hot and humid. Not to mention a rainy day that sometimes comes after a sunny day. Though nowadays weather can be predicted so accurately, still rapid changing weather can be so annoying because it's a matter of clothes you use in a week; of course you don't want to have 7 kinds of clothes in a week especially if you do the laundry yourself. :( The worst day is when it's so humid and cloudy (somehow a gloomy and cloudy day can affect my mood, too bad) and of course is the the day when you forgot to see the forecast and suddenly the rain comes when you're on your way and without an umbrella. :(

The other bad product of inter-seasons in Baton Rouge is strong winds that often so irritating. That bad wind is more irritating during inter-season from summer to fall; that creates what's called the hurricane season because during this period many hurricanes will be born in the sea and some of them will hit the land. It's just so frightening every time we enter this season but fortunately the local gov. has enough care to the people. They always prepare for what could happen ahead.

Despite this agony, I always like the sunny day after heavy rain; it's just so cool and cozy and the sunshine sheds comfort after some painfully gloomy day. Wish we have nice weather for the rest of the year. Even every cloud has a silver lining. Till the next story then... (A T)

Si-Hitam Yang Menginspirasi Dunia (I)

Legenda "Kaldi dan jumping goats-nya (kiri)"
dan biji kopi (kanan)

Sebagai salah satu minuman favorit, kopi tidak hanya menjadi sumber semangat di pagi hari tetapi juga inspirasi bagi pikiran saya. Cerita tentang Si-Hitam inilah yang saya ingin bagikan sedikit dalam tulisan singkat kali ini.  Dimulai dari sejarah penemuannya, konon kopi pertama kali ditemukan di daerah Ethiopia oleh seorang pengembala kambing yang secara tak sengaja membiarkan kambing-kambingnya memakan buah-buahan kopi. Gembala itu kemudian melihat bahwa buah-buahan itu memberikan efek yang membuat kambing tetap "segar" (jumping goats) sepanjang hari. Setelahnya kopi kemudian menjadi minuman tradisi orang Ethiopia bahkan mereka punya cermonial khusus untuk minum kopi dengan para tetangga & rekanan. Beruntungnya, karena saya memiliki beberapa teman Ethiopia, saya sempat beberapa kali dijamu dalam ceremonial minum kopi ini. Ceremonial ini sangat menarik karena nyonya rumah yang menyiapkan sendiri kopi di depan para tamu dengan peralatan khusus dan mereka menyajikannya dengan cangkir yang sangat kecil.

Buah Kopi

Kembali ke perjalanan Si-Hitam ini, singkat cerita kopi kemudian menyebar dari Ethiopia ke negara tetangga, Yamen. Dari para pedagang Yamen inilah kopi menyebar dengan pesat ke seluruh timur tengah, Afrika utara dan Eropa. Mereka memonopoli perdagangan kopi untuk waktu yang cukup lama hingga saat dimana orang Eropa memutuskan untuk mencari "dunia baru" tempat di mana komoditas-komoditas dunia saat itu (termasuk kopi) berasal.

"Diskusi perang di sebuah Cafe di Paris"
The Illustrated London News 17 September 1870
Sumber: Wiki

Hal yang menarik ketika Si-Hitam ini mulai diperkenalkan di benua Eropa. Sebelum orang-orang Eropa mengenal kopi, mereka terbiasa meminum minuman beralkohol hampir setiap saat bahkan di waktu kerja sekalipun. Minuman beralkohol juga disajikan saat pesta atau acara besar lainnya dan saat mengobrol-ngobrol santai dengan teman (bersosialisasi/hangout). Kebiasaan orang Eropa mengkonsumsi minuman beralkohol awalnya adalah bukan karena mereka suka bermabuk-mabukan tetapi karena saat itu minuman beralkohol lebih "bersih" dibandingkan air putih biasa. Ini dikarenakan jarangnya sumber mata air di Eropa yang menghasilkan air putih yang bersih sedang minuman beralkohol karena komposisi alkoholnya membuat minuman ini terbebas dari berbagai kuman. Akan tetapi karena efek memabukkan dari minuman beralkohol orang-orang Eropa saat itu cenderung kurang produktif terutama dalam hal berpikir. Kehadiran kopi di Eropa kemudian mengubah segalanya. Kopi menjadi pengganti utama minuman beralkohol terutama saat mereka bersosialisasi dalam diskusi, pesta atau acara kumpul-kumpul lainnya. Kopi menjadi salah satu menu utama di kafe / kedai. Dan karena efek menyegarkan yang ditimbulkan oleh kafein kopi, para pengunjung dapat bertahan lama menghabiskan waktunya hanya untuk berbincang-bincang/berdiskusi di kedai-kedai kopi itu. Dan budaya berdiskusi sambil menikmati kopi inilah yang berdampak positif bagi komunitas pemikir di Eropa. Dari diskusi-diskusi di kedai inilah banyak dilahirkan pemikiran-pemikiran baru yang positif. Konon kabarnya, salah satu faktor utama yang menudukung terjadinya revolusi-revolusi besar di Eropa adalah kopi dan kedai kopi. Di kedai kopi banyak orang-orang Eropa berdiskusi tentang politik, sains, ekonomi, dan banyak bidang lainnya sambil menikmati sedapnya kopi. Konon, Newton banyak mendiskusikan ide-ide sainsnya bersama teman-temannya sambil menikmati kopi di kedai sekitar Cambridge. Para revolutionists Perancis melahirkan ide-ide tentang kebebasan, persamaan dan persaudaraan (liberty, equality, and fraternity) melalui diskusi-diskusi di kedai kopi.

Seorang pengunjung kedai sedang
menikmati secangkir kopi

Kebudayaan diskusi sambil menikmati kopi ini tetap berlangsung di Eropa hingga saat ini bahkan menyebar ke daratan Amerika dan kedai kopi masih menjadi tempat favorit untuk bersosialita/hangout bersama teman-teman. Masih banyak hal-hal menarik tentang kopi yang bisa dipaparkan; jenisnya, jenis minuman yang bisa dibuat darinya, penyebarannya ke asia dan perannya dalam ekonomi dan revolusi dunia dan sebagainya. Namun ada baiknya cerita itu disimpan untuk tulisan berikutnya. Until the next story then... (A T)

Menulis (II)...

Walapun secara pribadi menulis masih bukan aktivitas terfavorit saya (bahkan masih sangat bergumul setiap kali ingin melakukannya) namun sedikit demi sedikit saya mulai mengerti kebaikan di balik aktivitas yang satu ini; setidaknya setelah melihat beberapa tulisan beberapa blogger (yang sengaja dicari atau ketemu secara kebetulan) dan cerita beberapa teman tentang mengapa dia suka menulis di blog.

Seorang teman (baru), lulusan S1 psikologi dari salah satu PN terkenal di Indonesia ;), beberapa waktu lalu memberitahu saya kalau menulis bisa dipakai untuk menjadi alat untuk mengurangi atau bahkan menghilangkan rasa depresi/stress karena suatu perisitiwa sedih yang muncul secara tiba-tiba dalam hidup seseorang. Dia mengambil contoh B. J. Habibie; Presiden Indonesia yang juga seorang teknokrat. Sepeninggal istrinya yang sangat dicintainya Habibie merasa tertekan sekali bahkan hampir gila (ini berdasarkan cerita dari teman itu loh.) Habibie, masih menurut teman ini lagi, kemudian diberi 3 pilihan untuk mengobati depresinya, yaitu: 

1. menceritakan semua perasaannya kepada kerabat terdekatnya,
2. dirawat di rumah sakit dengan dampingan psikolog,
3. menuangkan perasaannya dalam tulisan dengan monitoring psikolog.

Habibie akhirnya memilih pilihan ke tiga dan jadilah sebuah memoir yang cukup terkenal di Indonesia hingga memotivasi seorang Faozan Rizal untuk memifilmkan memoir Habibie tersebut. And I guess that has also relieved Habibie's pain and depression. Fair enough.

Khusus untuk blogging, saya juga banyak menjumpai hal menarik dari blog-blog yang saya kunjungi (sepertinya saya lebih menikmati membaca dari pada menulis blog :D)  yang mungkin menjadi motivasi para pemilik blog tersebut untuk membuat blognya tetap aktif. Ada yang bercerita tentang pengalaman perjalannya seperti saya, ada pula yang menceritakan pengalaman hariannya (mirip-mirip status FB tapi tentu dengan lebih detail), ada yang mencurahkan perasaan tertentu, dan ada pula mengungkapan ide/gagasannya tentang suatu hal/topik tertentu, tapi banyak juga dari antara mereka yang menjadikan blognya sebagai diary pribadi. I don't know that's good or not and I don't have rights to say right or not in that issue. Nonetheless, I know that quite often things you can't speak of, you can easily write it in a diary or blog. Thus you can get rid of burdens/things in your mind that you can't reveal verbally. I guess that's so understandable because it's more burdensome and painful to bear things mentally than physically. I am very impressed with the consistency they have to keep writing and make their blog active. To sum up, I guess I need more writing. Keep my finger crossed... :) Till the next story then... (A T)

Revisiting Paris van Java

I've almost forgotten to tell about one more city in the series of 'the Journey to the six cities in a month.' It should have been put before Singapore actually but by any means it won't make this city to be least among the others. In fact this city has set a significant memory from the past. Bandung, a friendly city in Java, is the capital of West Java. People often call this city as Paris van Java since during the colonization era it was developed so much as Paris in Europe, although after the independence it's no longer much developed as her twin in France. It's growing so rapidly nowadays but not without social problems; the city use to be very cold even in the day but as the city becomes more and more industrial the growing number of industrial activities cannot be avoided and the environment becomes less and less friendly. After all, the people are still friendly.

 

 

I can still recall the first time I visited the city, it's when my friends and I went there for a 3-day weekend. It's a memorable moment because that's the first time I went to another part of Java island out of Jabodetabek. :D I feel this city is quite romantic not only because the weather that makes it so but also the neighborhood; the friendliness of the people, its natural environment, and those preserved old fashioned buildings just make this city a very good place to walk and relax with your girlfriend/boyfriend or even best friends. :)

There is a famous street in the down town called jalan Dago where many people really enjoy hanging-out and have fun with their friends and also engage in some social activities. There are many fun things you can find here, hangout places, street cafes or bistros. The street is most crowded in weekends.

However, this time I didn't much go around the downtown actually. I did go to some historical sites  (as usual) ;) which located near to downtown, but most of the time I spent in the country side of the city.  I went to Tangkuban perahu, a dormant volcano with its amazing natural view. It's a very beautiful sight that make you amazed. All surrounding the place is also so peaceful. It has a natural hot spring where we can steep our feet into it and relax all of our feet muscles; it's just very enjoyable. There is also mud around the spring that you can use to clean your skin (I used it only for my feet). All in all, it's a priceless experience to have myself there. Sometime in the future I'd like to come again to this beautiful place, but that time will be with someone special (wishfully). Would you like to accompany me? ;) 

More photos can be found here. Till the next story then... (A T)