Purified

Balinese firmly believes there's a constant battle between the good and the evil, which somehow I think  influenced them to have such a balanced life between worldly and spiritual one. Just as this young woman who's bathing at the holy water temple, and pray in each showers. There are 13 showers and she baths and prays on each of them. Simply amazing. ~oph


photo events: Three Days in Bali / random photo hunting
photo venues: Tirtha Empul Temple, Tampaksiring, Bali, Indonesia; 02 March 2012
cameras: Canon EOS 1000D

Happiness is Me

A year ago, out of nowhere my dad said, "Let's go to Bali." He barely asked for anything and I couldn't remember if he ever asked for leaves, throughout his dedication to be a priest, for such family leisure. So my sister, her hubby, and I myself arranged for the three nights three days trip to Bali. As a grown up, you would realise that making your parents happy, to a certain level, is a satisfaction. Just as my sister would ensure the happiness of her baby once she/he is born.

Somehow happiness is a word that encircled me lately. I'm reading a book about the research/search of happiness. Transcribing some interviews of a woman who believes love is happiness. And just now a friend from across the ocean said, "You look so happy all the time!" Honestly I was slightly surprised and it got me thinking, am I that happy? I wonder why he thought I am happy. Was it because in all those pictures from my various trips where I always smile and had this huge grin on my face? Naturally, unless you're in a professional photo session, I am sure everyone will put a smile when having their pictures taken. Right?

During my short trip to Bali, I witnessed how Baliness have a certain way of life. They pray regularly, have shrines all over the places, and they did not do all of these for tourists attractions. They are who they are regardless what all of those people, from various nations and ethnicity with their own religions, think about them. I reckon that is happiness. To be who you are exactly and be comfortable with yourself.  ~oph

Photo events: Three Days in Bali / Random photo hunting
Photo venues: Tirta Empul, Tampak Siring, Bali / 02 March 2012
Photo cameras: Canon EOS 1000D

Jejak (Footprints)

Somehow this pic was burried and left out in my photo folder, it's lacking in exposure and composition so it's simply an ordinary pic. Then recently, whilst transcribing an interview the heroine says something that stayed with me for several days,

"Do many great things with your small footprints on earth."

She was talking about carbon footprints. As an environmental supporter she has big concerns on those who prefer fancy private cars over public transportation, or those who keep opening rainforest for cow's grazing. For few days it makes me think, after all the devastation that we made to mother earth, how much actually we do to humanity? To help others who are in need, really need our helps? I want to do something great with smallest impact to the environment, starting by supporting my sponsored daughter and enable her to read and learn as many as she could in her young age. ~oph

photo events: Gabung Mulung Tidung 2 / random photo hunting
photo venues: Tidung Isle, Thousand Islands, Northern off Jakarta
photo cameras: Canon EOS 1000D

Bride Stories

Will & Winda's  4 February 2012

Overwhelmed, on one side I couldn't believe my little brother is having his own family now. This same little brother who used to play with me in rice terraces lol AND on the other side I couldn't stop answering all the questions about when will I get married then? They're all assuming, my family will hold another wedding around February next year. Let's not damped their hope with telling them the truth it's not in my agenda yet.

I noticed that throughout the wedding ceremony, I tell you Bataknese custom wedding is really a tiring one, his bride, Winda, always has this huge smile on her face. I can fell and I believe she is really happy on her biggest day, well second only to giving birth to her baby(ies) maybe.

On contrary, last Sunday I went with some friends in a Chinese-Indonesian cultural trip to Tangerang, Banten Province and lucky for us when we're on the last temple of the trip, a newly-wed couple were doing their pray to Gods and to honour the elders and ....

The Bride was pouting! I am not quite sure was she pouting because all of us there immediately took out our cameras and taking their pictures the minute the couple walking in or because, this is Echa's theory, they were an arranged-marriage couple and she was obliged to marry the Groom. She has her reasons I'm sure, and who am I to judge her however it was a pity that despite being beautiful, she's not glowing on her big day.

Whatever her reason, I now have things to see and stories to share. Bride stories is always interesting isn't it? ~oph

photo events: William & Winda's Wedding, 4th February 2012 and Cina Benteng Short Trip, 12 February 2012
photo venues: Medan, North Sumatra and Tangerang, Banten Province
photo cameras: Canon EOS 1000D

Blast from the Past

mood modes: melancholy, we're visiting a museum and immediately felt the blast from the past. throughout my childhood, these what usually we had for snacks in various occasions.

events: short trip to east java, random photo hunting

venues: house of sampoerna, surabaya, jakarta; 13th november 2011

cameras: canon eos 1000d