Welcome to Central Java - Indonesia

Central Java is a cultural heartland. Rice with emerald rice fields, majestic volcanoes, historical cities, towns and heritage sites of international importance, Javanese traditions are at their strongest here.

Indonesia's most active volcano, Mount Merapi makes for the most dramatic landmark on Central Java's horizon. While it is not safe to climb to the top of the mountain, viewing sites along its sides reveal a spectacular surrounding vista.

Dieng Plateau, which sits in the caldera of an extinct volcano, boats ancient Hindu temples scattered through rice fields and small villages. At almost 2000 meter above sea level, the misty and dramatic Dieng Plateau is named after "The home of the GODs". This ancient pilgrimage destination is at the geographic center of Java and is its highest inhabitable region. The ruins of Hindu and Buddhist temples line the caldera of an extinct volcano and at night, temperatures drop sharply, making the tropical world of the low - lands seem a continent away. The landscape here is lush and green, and there are a number of spectacular walks to surrounding mineral lakes and steaming craters. Various tour groups in Yogya organize trips to Dieng Plateau, often in conjuction with visits to Borobudur. If you're visiting both the plateau and the temple, be prepared to spend the whole day.


Sam Poo Kong Temple, also known as Gedung Batu, this well - known Chinese Temple is located about half an hour from the center of the city. Dedicated to the revered Chinese Moslem, Admiral Cheng Ho, whose fleet arrived in 1406, the interior of the temple is built to resemble a cave and is home to the Admiral's statue replica and two guardian dragons.

Lawang Sewu, This old Dutch colonial administrative building is said to have one thousand doors - and the ghosts to match. Should you be undaunted by the thought of spectral inhabitants, pay the guard a few thousand rupiahs and take a tour. During the Japanese occupation Javanese fighters used a building as a stronghold. Beautiful stained glass windows mean that a sunny day is the best time to visit.

Semarang Old City, In Candi, the higher part of the city, are remnants of the Hindu rulers. Prince Puger's fortifications and the grave of Ki Ageng Pandan Arang and Kyai Saleh in Mugas street are popular sites. To the west of the city is the fifteenth century Gedung Batu, which was dedicated to Chinese Moslem Admiral Cheng Ho, whose fleet arrived in 1406. Nearby in Lombok street is the Tay Kak Sie Buddhist Temple, built in 1772. Blenduk Church is the oldest Christian church in Central Java and was build by the Dutch in 1753. It has a huge dome and a baroque organ. In the streets around the church there are several other Dutch colonial buildings.

Ronggowarsito Museum, which located near the airport, has displays illustrating the cultural history of the area and a short history of the country.

Karimunjawa Islands, the national marine park is a collection of islands 90 kilometer northeast of Java. Of the 27 islands, only seven are inhabited, the largest of which is Karimun Jawa island. Boats make the trip from Semarang and nearby Jepara, and the main resort on the island, Kura - Kura, runs its own air service from Yogyakarta and Semarang. With their extensive coral reefs, the islands offer incredible snorkelling and scuba diving, and idyllic sandy beaches for soaking up the sun. The local wildlife is stunning - at certain times of the year, sea turtles come on the beaches to lay their eggs.

Guci is mountain resort, famous for its hot springs, lies south of Tegal. Accomodation is available, in the form of hotel or campsite, and there are children's activities available. The main draw is the spring, of course, which are said to have a chemical content that can cure myriad diseases.

The Borobudur and Prambanan temples are fascinating reminders of Java's long and complex religious history. Borobudur, the largest man - made object in the Southern Hemisphere and one of southeast Asia's most spectacular attractions. Borobudur, is a spectacular Buddhist relic that dates back to AD 750 - 850 (in 9th Century). which remained buried under layers of volcanic ash until it was excavated in 1815. Since its restoration in the early 20th century, people from all over the world have come to marvel at the sheer magnitude of this work of art. Six square stone platforms topped with three round platforms, host to 2,672 relief carvings, 504 statues of Buddha. Relief carvings on the walls along the various levels of the monument convey the Buddhist version of the cosmos, starting from the bottom with portrayals of the world of desires, pilgrims, spiral up each level, passing through the world of forms to reach nirvana at the top. From Yogyakarta, visitors have several transport options and many shuttle buses and tour guides organise trips to be at the temple for sunrise, an unforgettable experience and the best time to be there with least crowds. Though smaller, Prambanan is the largest Hindu temple complex in Java and no less important, decorated with sculptural remnants of the vast Hindu empire that once stretched across Java.

SOLO

Solo, as known as Surakarta is often referred to as the smaller, quainter version of Yogyakarta. As well as being centre for traditional crafts and performing arts, the main attractions here include two beautiful palaces, the bigger of which is Kraton Surakarta, home to Solo's rulers from 1745 to 1939. The smaller Puri Mangkunegaran, home to the second house of Solo, is very well maintained and has one of the largest pendopo (pavillions)in the country. Intricately decorated with figures of the Javanese zodiac, the pavillion is where guests are received, and banquets and gamelan performances are held. Two sets of 300 - year - old gamelan instruments are on display and played once a week. The palace museum also has a large collection of antique costumes, jewelry, masks silver, and crystal wear and weapons. Beautifully kept gardens surround its central courtyard.

Solo is also home to what is reputedly known as the oldest museum in Java, The Radya Pustaka Museum. A statue of Ronggowarsito, a Keraton poet of the past, stands in the front courtyard. The museum houses an extensive collection of antiques, wayang, gamelan, keris, and Dutch and Javanese texts.

There are direct flights into the city, but at just 65 km northeast of Yogyakarta, a comfortable business class train will get you there in an hour and taxis are used to ferrying back and forth.

Mount Lawu, at 3265 meters high, this mountain is one of the most important to Javanese legend and its slopes the site of the a number of interesting temples. The most famous of these is Candi Sukuh, which was built in the 15th Century and since mystified historians with its unusual style.

Tawangmangu Mountain Resort, this popular weekend resort is home to the monkey forests of Grojogan Sewu waterfall and the Maria Cave.

Sarangan, with a cool climate and spectacular views, Sarangan is a popular base for treks up Lawu Mountain.

Sangiran, just north of Solo, a small museum here marks the site of the important 1936 archaeological discovery of prehistoric "Java Man (Pithecanthropus Erectus) fossils.


Migraine ... oh migraine ....

Today, I can't go anywhere because I've got migraen and it's uncomfort. When I tell to my mother, she said that because I've drink medicine from my doctor. I asked are there any correlation with my pain?. She answered maybe yes and she suggest me to drink a lot because my medicine restrain the water inside my body:(...Oh....it's painfull.

I don't like to have this pain. Usually when I've got this, I've just need a while so when I wake up in the morning I'm well again, but now it's almost one and a half days. What's wrong with my body?. It's hurt me so much. My husband worried about me when he knew that my pain didn't well in this morning. He told me that I must drink a lot and eat well. I'll tried to obey his suggest:) cos I know that he loves me:).

Love and Jealousy

Love, at the beginning is a game and at the end is seriousness. He can't be drawn but it must be do to know it. Religion didn't reject and the rules didn't forbid, because hearts is on the GOD's hand. He can make contradictory. If we talked about love, there are much love, there is love for Allah, love for human, even there is love for homeland, animal, etc depends on the definition of love. Love for human is different too.

There are love for man / woman, for our husband / wife, kids, mother, sister / brother and another people. Sometimes love can grow fast, sometimes can fade or love can be contrary slow to grow and slow to fade even there is love that hold out. The power of love in somebody are different and so with the period. True love between human are more intense if there are same characteristic among lovers.

This taste that push and makes love strong. It said by the great ulama Ibn Qayyim al - Jauziyah that lived in the middle of the 8th century (691 - 751 H / 1292 - 1350 M). If that so, love doesn't enough with the same characteristic with our couple's like but love must be realize and feel it with the partner.To avoid our love dreary, love created something that called "jealous" to remind couples about "me" so that both of them realize there are two "me" in their conversations and meet in one purpose not to make it one. Love can be draw as a bundling between hopes and worried. Love same as belief, that form as an effort to expose the truth. But, hopes and worried must be balance because if worried over than hopes, then will be born, over jealousy that can bury love while if there isn't hopes so the love doesn't warm and can dreary moreover their relationship can be broken. Feel of afraid and worried is a part of love substance, but it must be proportional, because if over he can make "blind jealousy" that is a feel of loss our love and sicerity our couple.

Remember! We must make different two kind of jealousy, (a) jealous that can make effort to maintain our marriage and dammed from anything that can destroy our marriage, dan (b) jealous that come from "third part" try to take our couple's sympathy and affection. If that so, there is jealous with the reason and there is jealous without reason. If jealous without reason it can't make right. It's a proof of "over worried plus somebody's defeat against himself. because love and sicerity can not be reach if there is force or pass through our suspicious and supervision. Love can be reach with struggled that covered with freedom and control. For us, control means our belief and our culture. ( From Pengantin Al - Quran, page 24 - 25 and 32 - 33)

Tips for Travellers

Here some tips if you want to go by travel agent :

  1. They should know what their budget is, what they want to do, where they want to go, and how long they want to be away from home
  2. Trying to fly on a weekend is always more expensive than during the week
  3. Don't take a lot of luggage.
  4. If you are going somewhere sunny, tke sunscreen
  5. Know what weather is going to be like, so you can take appropriate clothing
  6. You may want to get international travel insurance
  7. When you arrive in your hotel, put your passport and cash in the hotel safe
  8. You should learn how to say simple things like "thank you", "please", "excuse me" and "hello"
  9. Don't forget to write down the address of your hotel
  10. Don't forget to bring your medecine
  11. Bring a little suitcase in cabin if you are going by plane

TIPS of THRIFT

  1. Makes complete budget

We must arrange budget according to priority. Always fulfill it.

  1. Knows where it goes

Makes a note all of our expanding money in a notebook. Do it for couple of months.

  1. Expanding selection

At the end of month, check your budget and determine which one is important and which one is not important for next month.

  1. Learn how to cut main cost

If we spend for eating higher, we can cook by itself at home. Reduce for electrical fee with by using low energy. For call, we’d better receive than calling.

  1. Spend money for thrifty

Buy certain tools for reduce in the long term. Likes, refrigerator which for keeping foods.


  1. Paid our obligation

We must pay our credit card as soon as possible. Because, the interest is higher. So, with the other credit.

  1. Change our Life Style

If our house needs a lot of cost for everyday, we must think to move.

If our job didn’t pay enough, we must consider to have career in another place or else.

(From Cosmopolitan, 1997 page 47)


Happy Birthday My Dearest Hubby….Yuwono Ratenha, on March 16, 2008

Today, my hubby celebrating his 29th years anniversary. I wish he can lead me as his wife to the good way, May Allah SWT always give him patient, happiness, wealthy, safety, health, and strength, also I pray to Allah SWT that giving a baby to make our relation more complete, amen. Tonight we celebrate his birthday with eating barbeque J…. Today, my aunt’s family was coming here also to celebrate my hubby’s birthday. We ate pudding in Halmahera. Last night, in the middle of the night….I came to our room to give him a big presentJ. I gave him a wedding photograph to remind us. Actually, I love my hubby….He’s patient, clever, but sometimes he makes me angry because sometimes he didn’t care about meL especially when he concentrate his games. He can play games on computer until 02.00 a . m, I’ve just afraid with his health. But, when I told him he didn’t want to hear me. Beside games, I’m jealous when he was busy with his job. Did he knows that I’m miss to have a baby ?. OK, I’ll understand if he’s got good salary on his office but he must remember that my ages nearly 30 years old. It’s a dangerous age if I want to plan having a baby. I’ve just pray that Allah SWT give us the way to have a baby, amen. He’s touching when I gave him a present and pray for him in the middle of the night. I’m almost crying to see his eyes looks cried. I knew that he loved me also, he loves me with his way. He’s not romantic person. He is a realistic person. I can’t force him to be romantic because I don’t like with a man that he’s romantic in front of me but behind me he has another relation with other woman. I likes with an honest person. I’m enough with romantic manL. I can only pray that my hubby always walk in the right way, amen. In the future I’ve just only pray the best for my lovely hubby likes I mentioned at the beginning my letter, amenJ.

One’s more …….Happy Birthday my Yuwono Ratenha on March, 16 , 2008. May Allah SWT bless your wishes and guides you to the right way, gives u health, wealthy, happiness, safety, patient and May Allah SWT protect our family from evil and bad people, gives us best baby to make our marriage complete, amenJ…..Loves U, babe.

Key To Start Business

1. Courage
There are several people feels hesitate to start business, they felt unlucky or didn’t have good fortune. If we have that attitude, we do anything without planning / preparation to start it. The worst attitude can makes all suspicious are true. If we want to start work, we need courage and measurable self – confident, not just be brave, but there can be counting.
a. Brave to begin
b. Brave to exhale our extra energy
c. Brave to take a risk

2. Motivation and Belief
The biggest and greatest to start work is on our confidence. It means that we must sure to our work and we must responsible to any kind of risk. It’s natural if someday we feel uncertain or we don’t have motivation. To solve that, we need :
a. Friends of motivation amplify
b. Consultant

3. Diligent and Patient
After we have strong motivation in our heart, we must diligent and patient. It means that we must diligent in our work and patient to wait the result.

4. Honest and Trusted
Honest and trusted are one of the main key to become an entrepreneur. Consumer will be our permanent client because we have product that appropriate with what we bargained. If we honest to pronounce about the quality of our product, it can make our client trust to use our product.

5. Never give up
Wise aphorism said that “ failure is postpone successful “. It means that never give up, never hopeless or submit to the condition when we face failure. There must be meaning behind the failure, there must be way out, and finally there is another successful from another failure. Al – Quran on Al – Insyirah (94): 5 – 6 said that “ Karena sesungguhnya sesudah ada kesulitan itu ada kemudahan.

6. Creative and Innovative
There is no doubt that one of the key to success in business is depend on our creativity as a businessman, means that although there is the same product, but if there is special touch from producer that have good creativity it can change the price of the product.

7. Never Fed up to Learn
It means that we must increase our knowledge from any other media likes reading a book, radio, television, expanding our social life and any other activity that can increase our learn period. If we have an opportunity, we can follow a workshop or training. From workshop we can have another value added that make more innovative.

8. Evaluation
Evaluation is the most important part to build our business. We can know about our movement to manage our business. For to do evaluation, you must routine and have special time to evaluate.


(from “Muslimah goes to CEO)

Mean of Zakat

Ramadhan is a month to pray and self – approach to Allah SWT. This month is a moment to all people as tithe months and give alms although in tithe paid by the rich people and give alms is not absolute to related on Ramadhan months.
Because of tithe, people have sense to give alms in the holy months, so there are no wonder that so many people mustadh’afin that looked downstream-upstream, throw away their left face, to get their rights. In here and there looked as “destitution exhibition”, is something that not blessing in religion. Destitution is close with unbeliever, isn’t it?
This is interesting to learn carefulness about Al – Quran , one of them is about responsibility to tithe. The language of Al – Quran is force to :
First, tithe must give with consequence and honest attitude so there are not dishonest in counting, choosing and distribution.
Second, we must hurry and quick in expending of money, this mean we can not delay until the time goes by.

Third, make it easy in excepting, even in delivery to the right person until there are not destitution exhibition and without losing their face.
Fourth, they do this direction is a noble and wise person.
If we watched and understand those meaning in order to do this responsibility, so we believe that wealth that we come out is becoming as “tithe in the meaning of “purifying” and “expanding” soul and wealth person who this.
Holiness soul make composure our soul, not only for receiver the tithe but also for the person who give tithe. Because of envies and jealousy can grow when person didn’t have and saw rich person but they don’t want to help. Envies can make restlessness for both of them. In spiritual aspect, tithe is base on verse of Allah SWT destroyed excessive interest and expanding to give / tithe (QS 2:276). Tithe must be look from economically-psychological, from giver can make calm and quiet, he can more concentrate to their work and thinking of expanding their wealth. Besides that, giving tithe can effort the new energy of buying and energy to produce from the receiver. (LENTERA HATI, page 191 – 193)

Message for women

Imam Al Bukhari and Moslem said from Abu Hurairah r.a which told that Muhammad SAW ever told that, “ Everyone who trust in Allah and The End of the day, so please speak right or be quiet also give instruction to women. Because women made from rib. Ribs are something bend, and always need protection. If we force, so they will broken but if we ignore in bend condition, so they still bend. Give good advice for women. (From “BUKU SAKU NIKAH”, page 67).