2 April 2011, Sun Bear Conservation

My beloved city Balikpapan's mascot is a sun bear which in Indonesian called Beruang Madu (literally means Honey Bear) and I have no idea whatsoever why it's called Sun Bear in English. Winnie The Pooh is a sun bear! However the real sun bear doesn't look anything like Winnie. Wanna know more? Sneak a peek here now. 

Still with the Couchsurfers I went to Kawasan Wisata Pendidikan Lingkungan Hidup in kilometer 23 north of Balikpapan to see the sun bears in their "semi" habitat. 


Pictures by Chitra. 

Welcomed by Panic! the dog, isn't he cute?

Mr Bear's lollipop 

This is the closest we could get, but even from a distance they look so fluffy! A hug?! Lemme think million times first.

Mbak Erry, Karin, Me and Rizal at a shaddy spot. Glad it was a sunny day after having a storm on the previous day.

Karin, our future model and what on earth the guy behind me was doing? 

FluffyButt, he didn't want to show us anything but his butt.

The whole crew minus Chitra the photographer

Heading to the information spot, unfortunately we didn't take pictures of it :(

gorgeous

One corner where you can sit and enjoy the view and they have ashtray there too :/

CouchSurfers' Trip, 2 April 2011 - Mangrove Conservation

Little that I knew we had a mangrove plantation in the city, as in we don't have to drive hours to see it, and it actually very near by my aunt's house!

April 2, 2011

Have you heard of Couchsurfing? If you haven't then you better click here and check out what kind of animal that is. Or you can trust my spoiler, its a community for backpacker or traveler in general, where you can meet, ask questions to, ask for helps from, ask for accommodation from... locals.  Bottom line is about you opening your arms for fellow travelers. Why it's called Couchsurfing? As a humble backpacker we are more than grateful if someone allows us to crash on their couch, so we call all the accommodation offered as couch :)

Anyway I thank Sony who introduced me to Couchsurfing, altho I haven't provided any couch or use couch from anyone I'm so glad I met fellows from Balikpapan Couchsurfing and had fun exploring our city. I will split it to some posts for the sake of your eyes lol. All credits on the pictures are given to Chitra, the photographer :)

Mangrove Conservation  

Me and my first Couchsurfing friend, mbak Erry 

In addition to the locals we toured around with Mike

THE ---- no other than mangrove itself.

Other tree, aint mangrove. I used to play chef-wanna-be with my friends and chop the flower of this tree :D

Pretty and long walk track around the conservation area. Our timing was the best, around 8 am. The air was so fresh. 

of course I posed! with my funny pants and shoes there :D

The end of the track, a lighthouse. You see something shining up there? Haha maaf :P

We took different route on our way back and met these cool kids hanging out on Sunday morning. Nifty place you got kids ;) 

Here we found Mike's future home, what do you think? 

The Day I Made Batik

At the Team Building, we were taught to make Batik and I was doing my part. It was pretty tough to keep the wax running in the right amount as you draw, mostly they run wild or don't run at all.

This is my work, not much :P

Voila, the team work. We made what almost be perfect map of Indonesia :)

Too bad I can't put all the pictures here, I don't know if exposing my co-workers online is acceptable or not. Bottom line is we had fun making Batik ;)

Kota Tua - Djakarta

24-28 February 2011

The office sent me for Division Team Building in Ciawi Bogor which enabled me to spend the weekend (after the office agenda) in Jakarta. I have planned to meet up with some friends from the moment I figured out I could spend the weekend in Jakarta (altho I'm not keen on the city). Watch the fun we had! :)

The locals and the tourists were spending their Saturday in front of what once was Fatahilah's office building. By paying 2000 rupiahs you can enter the building and have a little journey to the past from seeing the interior of the building. And thank god I have mas Chris to tell me about the paintings there! Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures of them :(

Super big bookshelf (twice my height!) well-carved, I won't try to explain more.

My lovely friend and host in Jakarta, Ulfa, and I posed in front of a painting and do-not-sit-on furniture.

Another lovely person I met in Jakarta, mas Chris who knows the area so well! And also good places to eat and hang around. Apparently me and Ulfa hung around in places he doesn't like haha, therefore the pics won't be here :P 

The statue of Hermes, and the teenagers who spent their weekend together, how fun!
Around that time of us sightseeing the building, there was a group of tourist with tour guide and we stood near by them catching information for free. 

The Debus entertainment in front of the old governor building, nothing really serious was going on, JUST guys with whips (even some little guys). Usually this kind of entertainer shows hand-cutting, tongue-slicing, self-whipping and yet stay in one piece. 

We stopped here to watch cos we were curious about the boy being wrapped and tied down. We assumed he would be whipped so hard till the rope is torn :o
Too curious I asked the girl who went around collecting money from the audiences, thank god they were just about to put the boy in the black clothe there in the middle and then he would escape from the rope.

I was really eager to be part of their conversation, the man and lil man's, but I wouldn't risk myself to get whipped. My curiosity is still guarded lol. 

Had enough with the Debus show, we looked around for nice bike to ride on. Our pick was based on the HAT lol, there sure were a lot of options but I (considering of where we were) wouldn't pick one of those colorful beach hat. We gone colonial! 

Thats the hat Ulfa picked, so much better AND heavier than the one I picked, it was there hung on my bike. We chose the sepeda ontel (old bike) it's only fair with the idea of the town. 

Seeing this picture now makes me wonder why I don't have picture of me riding the bike. Actually mas Chris did take some with his camera, have to ask him to send them :/ 

My fave pic, taken by the second stranger I talked to during the day trip. I really enjoyed the whole experience biking around the old building complex and seeing many people dressed either casually or nicely. We bumped into some photographers taking pics of people or building (including what I suspected as pre-wedding pics) and there was even movie/music video shoot as we walked back to the bus stop while having cheap Indonesia version of ice cream (read: es potong). If ever I consider to move to Jakarta it's because of the hella fun I have when I'm there, ignoring all the worries of getting lost and robbed etc etc. 

My idea was to be a short-haired Rapunzel climbing up the tower

Beaches, baby!!!

These are some beaches I've been to, too lazy to give long description tho :D 

Pasir Panjang Beach in Singkawang 2006
Indonesia-Canada World Youth Exchange 

The group piling up picture. Look at the far end part of the beach, was it a mountain?

Now the other side of the beach, some huts where people sell food maybe. My bad I preferred spending time playing with friends instead of exploring the whole beach. But I saw Maya's pic where she napped on a big rock. 

Parking lot at the back of Balikpapan Plaza, yes it is by the sea. Two things I'm grateful about Balikpapan, 1) its by the sea and 2) its not threatened by Tsunami. 

The other side of the back part of Balikpapan Plaza, they were constructing new building which is now become Hypermart building. I wonder why people keep building shopping center while we need amusements in GREATER effect than just (window) shopping.

The suicidal picture was just an act :P

Empty Lamaru beach, we sneaked in when it was under "reconstruction" although later I found nothing has changed. It was a lovely day for picture taking.

To show you how empty the beach was, from different angles :D 
Private BEACH!!!

My infamous flying style, only can be taken on one given day with no audiences.
I love the blue of the sky in this picture.

Good veil selection by Yesi, it matched the blue blue sky.

Crescent Beach, White Rock - British Columbia, Canada

One cold afternoon at Crescent Beach, when the sun started to hide and sleep.

The famous White Rock, the name of the city and the land mark, lies at White Rock Beach by Marine Drive.

Family leisure spot White Rock Beach, but I never even stepped my feet into the water once. Too cold for me!

The railroad by the beach, its pretty long and blocks your way to the beach as it passes. 

The view of the beach and city from the pier.