All my friends said, when I am about to go to Kalimantan, don’t forget bring a souvenir from there. I asked what they want me to bring. most of them said: Diamond!
Helloo… Excuse me diamond are expensive..
My husband take me to Martapura that day. We went to the central of Diamond and precious stone in this city. My mother going crazy when she saw there are so many shops selling many kinds of precious stone and they’re cheap too. I know nothing about precious stone nor diamond. I thought that they’re just a colorful stone. The one that I saw there looks like fake. But it is not. The truth is the fake stone looks like the real one. That is why, people who knows nothing about precious stone are not aware of the fake or the real one. Just like me..
My mother starting busy choosing and bargaining some precious stone for herself, for my father, for this, for that and for souvenir. The price for one set precious stone is started as low as Rp. 30.000. I think that is cheap. Because, even the fake bracelet with fake stone priced higher than that in Bali. Me and my husband are just looking around while moms busy with the stone. I saw my mother tested all the stone with the testing machine that she borrowed from the seller. Yes that is important, to know if the stones are real one.
My mother asked me if I want to buy a diamond for my pendant, I said no. I already have the fake one for my white gold necklace. She insist to buy me one. After a long bargain and testing and asking for the clarity, carat, etc.. She ended up with one medium sized diamond in a triangle pendant. I kinda like it too.. So when I asked about the price, the seller said he already gave a huge discount plus guarantee certificate to my mother. Well now I know that Diamonds are girl’s best friend. I never have a diamond before, but when I wear it, I feel like it just fits me well. It’s sparkling on my neck. I thank my mother for the diamond and she said ok! She asked me to consider it as my wedding gift..
Oh my glad, I am so delighted!
Showing posts with label banjarmasin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label banjarmasin. Show all posts
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Floating Market
I have already put this place on my agenda as a must see! I know that Kalimantan is very famous for its floating market. I saw it a lot on TV. We went very early in the morning because the market only opens in the morning. It’s about 6 am, I woke up in the rush knowing that I am quiet late to visit the market.
We went there by traditional motorboat named “klotok”. It look the same as “ jukung” in Bali. Only different name. The river name is Barito, one of the most famous river in Kalimantan. I know that this river is huge but I don’t know that it is as wide as the sea. I saw lots of big ship taking lots of wood logs. The journey took about 15 minutes to reach to the floating market. It is actually can take only 10 minutes if the motorboat is not having a problem. The motor is stopped, I don’t know, by something in the water. It took five minutes to fix it and the current of the river took us backward.
I saw the floating market full of another smaller and bigger “klotok” The seller yelled offering their goods and the buyer paddle their boat from one seller to another. Me and my mom are excited. We saw a “klotok” full of traditional cakes. Some other “klotok” are surround it while buying cakes and enjoy it with a hot coffee or tea. The seller gave us a stick with a small hook on the other edge. While I am confuse what is it for? He told me that I can use that to pick the cake I like from his boat. Oh..that is interesting.. I pick one cake that looks delicious with that stick and ordered a glass of hot tea to accompany.
I sat in the front of the boat enjoying my tea and my cake. There is no cold wind, eventhough it is early in the morning.. The sun is already risen up but still not hot yet. My mom, my mother in law and my aunty in law sat in the middle of the boat enjoying their cakes and hot tea while chatting. My husband are busy photographing everything he saw
Some local tourist like me passing by and smiled (I know they are tourist, because thay bring camera and their face is just as excited as we are). I smiled back and waive my hand. They waived back to me too. I am glad to know that Indonesian people are still friendly. Smile is a polite manner to say hello.
My eyes catch a small café on the boat. It says” Soto Banjar”. Well that food is also on my list for must eat!. So I told my husband that we have to go to that Café Boat after looking around. The floating market is so busy, just as busy as common traditional market in Bali, except we are on the water not on the ground.. We bought some bananas, my mother in law said it’s for the monkey we will visit on the way back.
We have our breakfast at the Café Boat. I feel dizzy because this Café is keep on rocking. I could not enjoy the food so much because of the boat swinging. I think I got seasick, oh no, it’s riversick. I finished my meal fast and back to our “klotok”. I feel more comfortable here.
As my mother in law said before that we will visit monkeys. I was wondering where is that. We passed a small land in the middle of the river. It is looks like a small island raised above the water. The boat stopped there, and closer… I saw lots of monkeys, maybe hundreds of them. They are occupying the island. We throw the bananas from our boat and immediately they began to catch it. The monkeys are friendly so we step into the ground and gave the bananas to them.
On the way back, it’s about 8 am. The floating market was quiet. Only few boats around. I am wondering how wide is this river. My husband said it’s about one kilometers. He said he will bring me to see the bridge across this river. The name is Barito bridge. The same name as the river itself.
We went there by traditional motorboat named “klotok”. It look the same as “ jukung” in Bali. Only different name. The river name is Barito, one of the most famous river in Kalimantan. I know that this river is huge but I don’t know that it is as wide as the sea. I saw lots of big ship taking lots of wood logs. The journey took about 15 minutes to reach to the floating market. It is actually can take only 10 minutes if the motorboat is not having a problem. The motor is stopped, I don’t know, by something in the water. It took five minutes to fix it and the current of the river took us backward.
I saw the floating market full of another smaller and bigger “klotok” The seller yelled offering their goods and the buyer paddle their boat from one seller to another. Me and my mom are excited. We saw a “klotok” full of traditional cakes. Some other “klotok” are surround it while buying cakes and enjoy it with a hot coffee or tea. The seller gave us a stick with a small hook on the other edge. While I am confuse what is it for? He told me that I can use that to pick the cake I like from his boat. Oh..that is interesting.. I pick one cake that looks delicious with that stick and ordered a glass of hot tea to accompany.
I sat in the front of the boat enjoying my tea and my cake. There is no cold wind, eventhough it is early in the morning.. The sun is already risen up but still not hot yet. My mom, my mother in law and my aunty in law sat in the middle of the boat enjoying their cakes and hot tea while chatting. My husband are busy photographing everything he saw
Some local tourist like me passing by and smiled (I know they are tourist, because thay bring camera and their face is just as excited as we are). I smiled back and waive my hand. They waived back to me too. I am glad to know that Indonesian people are still friendly. Smile is a polite manner to say hello.
My eyes catch a small café on the boat. It says” Soto Banjar”. Well that food is also on my list for must eat!. So I told my husband that we have to go to that Café Boat after looking around. The floating market is so busy, just as busy as common traditional market in Bali, except we are on the water not on the ground.. We bought some bananas, my mother in law said it’s for the monkey we will visit on the way back.
We have our breakfast at the Café Boat. I feel dizzy because this Café is keep on rocking. I could not enjoy the food so much because of the boat swinging. I think I got seasick, oh no, it’s riversick. I finished my meal fast and back to our “klotok”. I feel more comfortable here.
As my mother in law said before that we will visit monkeys. I was wondering where is that. We passed a small land in the middle of the river. It is looks like a small island raised above the water. The boat stopped there, and closer… I saw lots of monkeys, maybe hundreds of them. They are occupying the island. We throw the bananas from our boat and immediately they began to catch it. The monkeys are friendly so we step into the ground and gave the bananas to them.
On the way back, it’s about 8 am. The floating market was quiet. Only few boats around. I am wondering how wide is this river. My husband said it’s about one kilometers. He said he will bring me to see the bridge across this river. The name is Barito bridge. The same name as the river itself.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Banjarmasin Traditional Wedding Costumes.
Well..well..well..
I really have no time to write on my wedding day because I am just too busy with my wedding plus busy exploring the city.. I don’t know what to say. The traditional wedding costumes is just very different from my place. I am wearing so many flowers that have strong scent, from Jasmine, rose, cananga. Plus my head is so heavy with all these flower.
The thing that interest me is the flower bouquet. It is just really different from others. It is made of Jasmine and roses and some leaves, it doesn’t look like a hand bouquet.
I am just too exhausted. The reception start from morning till evening. I changed my dress 3 times and still have to smile to all the guests.
When the time is up. I am so glad that I want to put all the flowers that crown my head. I am glad to be the queen of the day. I just now realize that it is hard to be the queen, especially on the dress, make up and the hair do..
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Banjarmasin, Here I come!
I am going to Kalimantan.. Hooray!!
It’s been so long since the last time I am traveling to visit another new place in Indonesia. This time I am going to Kalimantan, Banjarmasin exactly. Me and my husband are going to have our wedding reception there because most of his family and relatives are there. This is my second reception after the one we did in Lombok, my hometown.
The journey begin with Mandala Airlines from Denpasar to Surabaya. The plane is new and all the interior are still shiny. It only took 35 minutes to reach Surabaya airport. From above I saw Surabaya is full with buildings and factories. The land are red, unlike Bali which is green from the above. We passed Krakatau mountain. It looks so beautiful from the above, I can’t imagine how bad the damage it cause when last time this mountain blow up.
We met my mother at Surabaya Airport. She arrives from Lombok and then together we take Lion Air to go to Banjarmasin. Nothing special with this flight except the plane is old and we sat on the back of the plane and I can hear the sound of the machine which makes me worries, just in case the sound is getting slower then there must be something happen with the machine. Thank God we arrived safely at Banjarmasin Airport.
My first impression of the city is hot, even hotter than Bali, I think. The sun is hot and the wind is hot, plus lack of trees on the road.. There are lots or river I saw on the road and wooden house are everywhere. I can’t wait to explore this place more but I have to wait till the day after tomorrow because tomorrow is my wedding reception..
It’s been so long since the last time I am traveling to visit another new place in Indonesia. This time I am going to Kalimantan, Banjarmasin exactly. Me and my husband are going to have our wedding reception there because most of his family and relatives are there. This is my second reception after the one we did in Lombok, my hometown.
The journey begin with Mandala Airlines from Denpasar to Surabaya. The plane is new and all the interior are still shiny. It only took 35 minutes to reach Surabaya airport. From above I saw Surabaya is full with buildings and factories. The land are red, unlike Bali which is green from the above. We passed Krakatau mountain. It looks so beautiful from the above, I can’t imagine how bad the damage it cause when last time this mountain blow up.
We met my mother at Surabaya Airport. She arrives from Lombok and then together we take Lion Air to go to Banjarmasin. Nothing special with this flight except the plane is old and we sat on the back of the plane and I can hear the sound of the machine which makes me worries, just in case the sound is getting slower then there must be something happen with the machine. Thank God we arrived safely at Banjarmasin Airport.
My first impression of the city is hot, even hotter than Bali, I think. The sun is hot and the wind is hot, plus lack of trees on the road.. There are lots or river I saw on the road and wooden house are everywhere. I can’t wait to explore this place more but I have to wait till the day after tomorrow because tomorrow is my wedding reception..
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