3.4.16

A Cyclista: Wandering Around Surabaya


my electric blue
Hey, I'm officially a cyclist since February 2016. I just want to wander around the city, that's my motivation, getting slimmer is a bonus. Cycling is a super economical and recreational sport I've ever experienced. No serious pain, at least no joint paint. I just found out that my bike is heavier than any common bike, so I plan to sell it and buy a lightweight one like racing bike. Of course it cost more than this one. So far, I cycled from west Surabaya to Jembatan Merah, but several weeks ago I got sick and the farthest route was to Gentengkali/ Taman Ekspresi, I like that place, so peaceful and not too crowded like Bungkul. My favorite route is always Jl. Tunjungan. This week I have to re-start cycling everyday. At least by the end of the week, I will be able to cycle to Jembatan Merah again. Since the bike is too heavy, it needs a lot more effort. My worst enemies so far are reckless motorcyclists and my anemia plus low blood pressure. The more I'm cycling, the less anemia symptoms I experience. Bicycle makes me a lot happier I guess, I can pause my trip whenever I find something good to be captured and post it on social media. It turns out that I love car free day. The city filled with a truly live motion of its people, the city become more human. I think we need a really huge park like Central Park in New York as a recreational park so that people can live healthier and happier. It helps people to get extra supply of oxygen from trees instead of air conditioner. 

Anyway, here we go, some snapshots I took on the streets every weekend. 

Mountain bike vs. road bike
Craving for more oxygen
Museum Surabaya
A Dutch architectural building at Jl. Veteran
Music and cycling, perfect combination to enjoy the trip
Quiet morning at Jl. Gentengkali
Anno 1912. Ex-building of Rabobank, now left without name, Jl. Tunjungan

15.11.15

Goa Cina, Sumbermanjing

Seminggu yang lalu (lagi-lagi) kami merencanakan dadakan untuk lari sejenak dari ibukota. Setelah mencapai Malang kota, semuanya ragu untuk menuju pantai yang mana, pantai di Malang kan banyak, dan.. yah lumayan lah merasakan segarnya angin laut. Kami berangkat dari Surabaya sekitar pukul setengah Sembilan pagi,  sampai di Goci  menjelang sore, medannya cukup membuat pilotnya misuh-misuh, padahal aslinya dia emang lagi baper ama lagu yang lagi diputer.  Sesampainya di sana, kami segera terjun dan menikmati dinginnya air laut sore itu. Sedangkan cuaca di Malang sudah mulai mendung dan hujan, jadinya kami tidak sempat melihat matahari terbenam. Malamnya kami balik kucing ke Alun- alun Batu demi ketan durian dan susu yang nikmat, 











4.10.15

Breathtaking Selorejo

I always love spontaneous weekend! I love to travel, even to the nearest place I have never been. For me, to travel is not always  about spending your time and money on the weekend, or going to hype tourist attraction. For me, it is more like seeing different point of view and to learn about how people live out there, to find out local wisdom that we can adapt from them. Most of all, to see beautiful view that God has already created for us in the form of beautiful nature. See? God must be really loves us by giving us giant green carpet in our country.

Yesterday we went to our office mate's wedding at Kasembon, Malang. Then, we continue our journey to Selorejo. At first I thought we're going to Alun Alun Batu. I love that place! Makes me remember about my senior year when we were transit at Alun-Alun Batu before heading to Cuban Rondo Camp Area, either I feel so happy about student orientation that happen at Cuban Rondo every year or that's the only vacation I have for the whole year. Well, since working and having such adventurous friends, I feel so happy about going there and there. Being young is adventurously happy! We can go anywhere we like, experience things, and learn as much as we can. In Alun-Alun Batu we can enjoy their trademark milk! But we cancelled the plan to Alun-Alun because we don't wand to go back to Surabaya late at night, it's a bit far from the wedding location. 

Back to Selorejo. It's a kind of water reservoir located at Ngantang, Malang. In the height of 600 meters above sea levels, Selorejo is beautifully surrounded by Mt. Kelud, Mt. Kawi, Mt. Arjuno and Mt. Anjasmoro. The reservoir was built in 1963 to avoid flood and settle water from Konto River, Brantas River's creek, irrigation and to supports hydroelectric power plant. 

There are so many fun activities we can do nearby, such as rafting, boating around the lake, riding ATV, or enjoying freshwater fish dishes, such as prawn, barb, gouramy, and tilapia with fresh vegetables and sambal terasi. We decided to boating around the reservoir. Many locals fishing around the reservoir, some of them do that for a hobby, but some of them ekin a living from that. The hobbyists spend all day long with their umbrella, waiting patiently until their boat pick them up in the afternoon. in the middle of reservoir, there are few mainlands, I only found a photographer alone with his camera, excitedly took photographs and looked so serious. In the middle of the reservoir there was also a kind of big machine and a medium motorboat. They are doing such kind of cleaning the waters from mud and dirt. 

Oh, there was also a hanging bridge with maximum 10 person. Super exciting! Overall, the view is really breathtaking. I always love being around mountains.

there's a whale in the boat, haha

boat behind






Work mates aka family. Silly face Mamah Lia haha

Pretty face mamah Lia
*All photos are taken by Asus Zenfone 4s. I don't like the camera's quality, well thanks to VSCO then! haha, and I really need to save my money to buy a compact camera. ;)