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Monday, June 26, 2023

The Europe Trip: Lyon

Our train ride in Europe began with Lyon. It was an entirely new experience but I did my homework the day before, when we did the sightseeing and stopped by the Geneva railway station. I knew now that Platform 7 and 8 are dedicated for trains to France. 

You'd think that the ticketing system in Europe will be high-tech, but no, it is still using a dial and buttons, not touch screen like what we normally see in Singapore. As I was trying to figure out how to buy my tickets, a kind passer-by noticed that I was confused and he gestured that I should rotate the dial, haha. By the way, like I said previously, credit or debit cards are the way to go in Western Europe. Purchasing tickets was much easier with cashless payment. 

At the Geneva railway station, waiting for the train to Lyon. 

After getting our tickets, we made our way to Lyon. It took about two hours to get there. The landscape view during the journey wasn't exactly brilliant, certainly nothing to shout about if I were to compare it with what I would see throughout Switzerland, but Lyon was a much livelier city than Geneva. There was a big city vibe, the rowdy and dangerous feeling, in Lyon. 

We arrived at Lyon Part-Dieu and already we could see the crowd. When we stepped out, there are high-rise buildings. Right across the street, there is this mall called Westfield. It was dark and quiet. I thought we were too early, but I'd learn later on that is how Sunday looks like in Western Europe. No shopping, only restaurants and cinemas are open.

nouilles au saumon.

We walked from Westfield, following the route on Google Maps and heading to Hard Rock Cafe. When we passed by Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, it looked interesting that we decided to enter. It turned out to be an indoor market. I had nouilles au saimon (salmon noodles) as it looked Asian. My wife got herself a box of strawberries for breakfast. When in France, we also bought macarons and another local delicacy called pink praline tart.

We continued our journey afterwards, crossing Pont Lafayette (it's a name of a bridge) while enjoying the beautiful view of Rhône and the Old Town. But Hard Rock Cafe wasn't open for another hour when we reached there, so we walked towards the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière. 

Emily in Lyon, enjoying croissant at Maison Antoine.

There was another river named Saône before the Old Town and we were already on the bridge, but as I looked back and saw those roadside coffee shops that reminded me of Emily in Paris, I just had to sit down for a while to enjoyed a cup of coffee and a croissant. I went back and did just that. My daughter's middle name is Emily, so as I watched people passing by, I said to her that this is a scene from Emily in Lyon, haha.

In the Old Town, we visited Musée Cinéma et Miniature. It's a museum for French and Hollywood movies. Didn't see much of it as my daughter Audrey was kind of bored with it after a while. After that we walked to Metro Vieux-Lyon to take the funicular to the top of hill. It was worth the time. This Notre-Dame was the most beautiful church throughout the entire trip. We also saw the city of Lyon from the hill. 

Lyon, as seen from Fourvière.

We completed Old Town just in time for Hard Rock Cafe. When we came down using the funicular, we could walk directly to the metro platform. This is where it is different than Singapore. In Lyon, it seems like you pay only for the entrance. We could get out from any station as there isn't a need to tap the metro ticket anymore. 

The visit to Hard Rock, a tradition started back in 2018, was a quick one. We returned to metro station and made our way to Westfield. In the late afternoon, it felt weird that to see a mall so dark with most of the shops closing. So odd that it occurred to me such a thing would never happen in Singapore. 

Hard Rock Cafe Lyon.

We had Vietnamese food there, while we could. It was sickening to have too much French fries, so anything different than that was much welcome. I also met my old acquaintance Vincent while I was there. Nice guy, someone I knew almost 10 years ago during his stay in Singapore. I was curious why a person living in Lyon was working in Geneva, so we spent my last hour in Lyon catching up and talking about that, haha. 

Lyon Part-Dieu station was crowded and chaotic, so Vincent offered to bring us to the correct platform. That was very nice of him. Then the train came, quite on time, but not as punctual as the train system in Japan. As we boarded the train, we waved goodbye to Lyon and returned to Geneva...

With Vincent at Lyon Part-Dieu.



Liburan Ke Eropa: Lyon

Perjalanan menggunakan kereta antar kota dalam liburan kali ini dimulai dengan kunjungan ke Lyon. Ini adalah pengalaman yang sama sekali baru bagi saya, tapi saya sudah mengerjakan PR saya sehari sebelumnya, sewaktu kita berjalan-jalan dan singgah di stasiun Jenewa. Dari situ saya tahu bahwa hanya Platform 7 dan 8 yang melayani tujuan ke Perancis. 

Jadi kita mungkin berasumsi bahwa sistem tiket di Eropa seharusnya canggih, tapi ternyata tidak begitu. Mesin tiketnya masih menggunakan tombol tekan dan putar, bukan layar sentuh seperti yang biasa kita lihat di Singapura. Saya baru mengetahui hal ini setelah pengguna kereta yang kebetulan lewat melihat saya kebingungan. Dia lantas dengan spontan memutar tombolnya untuk memberikan contoh, haha. Seperti yang saya beritahukan sebelumnya, akan lebih baik bila menggunakan kartu kredit atau debit di Eropa. Membeli tiket sangatlah praktis dengan pembayaran non-tunai. 

Di Stasiun Jenewa, menantikan kereta ke Lyon. 

Sesudah membeli tiket, kita pun menuju ke Lyon. Kira-kira butuh dua jam lamanya untuk sampai ke tujuan. Pemandangan selama perjalanan tidaklah begitu menakjubkan bila dibandingkan dengan apa yang akan saya lihat saat menjelajah Swiss. Kendati demikian, Lyon jauh lebih hidup daripada Jenewa. Ada nuansa kota besar yang ramai dan rasa kurang aman di Lyon. 

Kita tiba Lyon Part-Dieu dan stasiun tersebut dipadati oleh penumpang yang berlalu-lalang. Di depan stasiun ada mal bernama Westfield. Gedung ini terlihat gelap dan sunyi. Awalnya saya sangka bahwa kita datang terlalu awal, namun kemudian saya menyadari bahwa memang seperti inilah situasi hari Minggu di Eropa Barat. Tidak ada toko yang buka. Yang ada hanya restoran dan bioskop. 

Mie salmon.

Kita berjalan dari Westfield mengikuti rute di Google Maps dan menuju ke Hard Rock Cafe. Di kala kita melewati Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, tempat ini terlihat menarik sehingga kita pun masuk untuk melihat. Ternyata Les Halles adalah semacam pasar. Saya mencicipi nouilles au saumon yang artinya mie salmon karena terlihat Asia. Istri saya ke supermarket dan kembali dengan sekotak stroberi untuk sarapan. Karena ini di Perancis, kita wajib membeli makaron. Kita juga membeli kue lokal yang disebut tar pralin merah muda. 

Perjalanan pun dilanjutkan dan kita menyeberangi jembatan Pont Lafayette sambil menyaksikan indahnya sungai Rhône dan Kota Tua. Akan tetapi Hard Rock Cafe belum buka, jadi kita berjalan ke arah Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière. 

Emily in Lyon, bersantai menikmati croissant di Maison Antoine.

Kita harus menyeberangi sungai bernama Saône sebelum kita mencapai Kota Tua. Saat kita sudah di jembatan, saya menoleh kembali dan melihat toko kue dan kopi yang mengingatkan saya kembali pada serial Emily in Paris. Saya jadi ingin duduk sebentar di sana untuk menikmati croissant dan secangkir kopi. Nama tengah anak saya adalah Emily, jadi saya pun berguyon dengannya bahwa ini adalah adegan dari Emily in Lyon, haha.

Di Kota Tua, kita masuk Musée Cinéma et Miniature. Ini adalah museum untuk film Perancis dan Hollywood. Saya tidak sempat melihat-lihat banyak di sini karena putri saya Audrey mulai rewel. Dari museum, kita lanjut ke Metro Vieux-Lyon untuk naik trem ke atas bukit. Perjalanan ini tidaklah sia-sia, sebab Notre Dame ternyata merupakan gereja terbagus dalam perjalanan kali ini. Pemandangan seluruh kota Lyon dilihat dari bukit pun sangat memukau. 

Lyon dilihat dari bukit Fourvière.

Jalan-jalan keliling Kota Tua berakhir dengan kunjungan ke Hard Rock Cafe. Dari stasiun trem, kita bisa langsung turun ke bawah tanah untuk menaiki metro. Sistem transportasi di Lyon ini berbeda dengan apa yang saya kenal baik di Singapura. Di Lyon, sepertinya kita hanya membayar untuk masuk. Kita tidak memerlukan kartu lagi untuk keluar dari stasiun mana pun. 

Kunjungan ke Hard Rock, sebuah tradisi yang dimulai sejak tahun 2018, tidak berlangsung lama. Dari situ, kita menuju ke stasiun metro terdekat dan berjalan kembali ke Westfield. Di sore hari, aneh rasanya melihat mal yang gelap dan tutup toko-tokonya. Begitu janggal sehingga saya pun membayangkan bahwa hal ini tidak pernah terjadi di Singapura.

Hard Rock Cafe Lyon.

Kita menyantap makanan Vietnam di mal, mumpung lagi ada. Kebanyakan kentang goreng membuat saya kapok, jadi makanan apa pun yang berbeda akan disantap dengan senang hati. Selagi di restoran Vietnam, saya juga bertemu dengan Vincent, orang Perancis yang saya kenal di Singapura sejak satu dekade yang lalu. Saya penasaran kenapa orang yang tinggal di Lyon mau bekerja di Jenewa, jadi saya banyak bertanya kepadanya di satu jam terakhir di Lyon, haha. 

Stasiun Lyon Part-Dieu sangat ramai dan hirup-pikuk di sore menjelang senja, jadi Vincent menawarkan diri untuk mengantar kita ke platform kereta. Sistem kereta di Eropa cukup tepat waktu, namun tetap kalah bila dibandingkan dengan ketepatan waktu di Jepang. Beberapa saat kemudian, kita telah berada di kereta, meninggalkan Lyon dan kembali ke Jenewa...

Bersama Vincent di Lyon Part-Dieu.

Wednesday, June 21, 2023

The Europe Trip: Geneva

Geneva was... an expectation mismatched. Prior to the visit, my first and only impression of big cities in Europe was London and Paris. Since it was famous for Geneva Conventions and known as the home of the United Nations office, I imagined that Geneva would be on par with the two cities I saw back in 2016. But no, Geneva was, as it turned out, a small town.

We landed in Geneva quite early in the morning. The airport was small, slightly old-fashioned but cozy. After figuring out how to buy the bus tickets to the city (I wasn't charged even though I tapped my debit card to purchase them, so I'd reckon the ride was free), I had my first glance at Geneva. From the airport to Meininger Hotel, the view was kind of suburban.

The ride from airport to hotel.

I booked a room for a family of four. The check-in time was 3pm, so we stored our luggage and began our holiday in Geneva. Since the distance between hotel and Palais des Nations was only about 2.5 KM, I decided that we should walk.

I expected to see a city with grand and high-rise buildings, but it was nothing like that. The road to the United Nations was considerably quiet. We were supposed to have breakfast, but we saw none that was attractive enough for us to stop by. Lots of McDonald's ads, but the fast food restaurant itself was not found. We saw quite a fair bit of pizzerias instead. We hadn't eaten anything by the time we reached the Broken Chair and Palais des Nations.

Audrey and the Broken Chair behind the fountain.

From there, I thought we should walk to Java Nations, an Indonesian restaurant. A bit hard to find, as it was apparently nestled inside the apartment complex. When we got there, the owner told us that she only opened at 12pm. The owner was from Pangandaran, so we chatted a bit before continuing our journey. On our way out, I saw the menu on the blackboard. Indeed things are expensive in Switzerland! A plate of fried rice was CHF 23!

As we couldn't find any suitable eateries, we headed to the Old Town. This area looked more like those pictures I saw on Google. We had McDonald's there, the first of many throughout the trip. At CHF 29.70 for the whole family, it was not cheap for fast food. But as our first meal, even my daughter Linda made a comment that the food was surprisingly fresh in Switzerland.

Family picture in front of Jet d'Eau.

After lunch, we walked a bit to see Jet d'Eau, the famous water fountain in Geneva. That's when I noticed how clean the water is in Geneva. I could see the bottom of the lake! 

We went back to hotel after that. We didn't have a proper sleep in the plane and the timezone difference only made it worse, so we just had to rest a bit. My wife Yani asked me to buy some stuff at the supermarket nearby because we were told that in Switzerland, we should cook to save cost. We lazed around in the room and what was supposed to be a short nap turned out to be quite a long sleep. We woke up at around 11pm! Only managed to get some sleep again much later on.

Breakfast time in the kitchen.

The next day, Yani made breakfast for us (and I had a banana for the first time in a very long time). We took the bus to this place called Quartier des Grottes, which turned out to be just another neighborhood, since I couldn't really appreciate the building architecture. A bit about taking the public transport, it makes more sense to buy a 24-hour ticket as it's more economical. It's also interesting to note that nobody seemed to be asking or checking the tickets in Switzerland.

Not very far from Quartier des Grottes is the train station. We went there as I'd like to understand better how to buy tickets and depart from the station to Lyon. We also walked around and it was good to see Pret again! I loved it since the first time I tried it in London! 

Pret a Manger.

From the train station, we walked to Monument Brunswick, then continued to Ile Rousseau, a small island where we could sit for a while to see ducks and swans swimming. Just a stone's throw away was the Old Town. Again! I was like, "oh my, this town was so small that on the second day, I had gone back to the same place."

My wife dragged us to Caran d'Ache again. It's a shop that sells coloring pencils. She was there yesterday and she came back for more. The kids and I waited for so long that we ended up eating at the restaurant next door: Chez ma Cousine. The poulet looked tempting and was indeed delicious! On top of that, it was very much affordable!

Audrey at Chez ma Cousine.

After lunch, we walked to Muséum d'Histoire naturelle. The museum was decent, but the kids weren't interested. Linda preferred to go back and play Zelda instead, but her mom wasn't done yet. She insisted that we should not skip the boat ride while in Geneva, so we went to Port Noir, missed the boat right in front of us, waited for another 30 minutes, then eventually made it. 

Once the wish came true, we walk back to where we came from: the train station. We bought KFC and brought it back to our hotel room. Then, on the floor, we had our dinner together. Simple but yet a memorable ending for our second day in Geneva.

The boat ride. 

When the rest of us retired to our bed, Yani still did some grocery shopping at Centre Commercial Planète Charmilles, a tiny shopping mall within the walking distance from our hotel. Being a great mom and wife that she is, she was determined to ensure that we had something for breakfast before our trip to Lyon early in the next morning!



Liburan Ke Eropa: Jenewa

Ada perasaan tidak sesuai harapan kalau saya berbicara tentang Jenewa. London dan Paris adalah kesan pertama dan satu-satunya yang saya miliki tentang kota-kota besar di Eropa. Sebagai kota yang terkenal dengan Konvensi Jenewa dan kantor PBB, saya awalnya membayangkan bahwa Jenewa akan mirip seperti dua kota yang saya kunjungi di tahun 2016. Tapi tidak, Jenewa sungguh berbeda jauh dan ternyata hanya sebuah kota kecil. 

Kita mendarat di Jenewa di pagi hari. Lapangan terbangnya kecil, tidak terlihat modern, tapi cukup elegan. Setelah memahami cara membeli tiket bis ke kota (saya tidak membayar sepeser pun walau saya menggunakan kartu debit, jadi sepertinya memang gratis), saya pun melihat Jenewa. Dari bandara ke kota, pemandangannya seperti daerah pelosok. 

Perjalanan dari bandara ke hotel.

Saya memesan kamar keluarga untuk empat orang di Hotel Meininger. Jam masuk adalah pukul tiga sore, jadi kita lantas menitipkan koper dan mulai menjelajah kota. Karena jarak dari hotel ke gedung PBB hanya sekitar 2.5 KM, saya putuskan untuk berjalan kaki.

Saya membayangkan kota dengan gedung-gedung pencakar langit yang menakjubkan, tapi Jenewa tidak terlihat seperti itu. Jalan ke kantor PBB pun tergolong sepi. Kita ingin bersantap pagi, tapi tidak ada yang terlihat menarik. Ada banyak iklan McDonald's di jalan, tapi entah di mana restorannya. Yang terlihat justru tempat-tempat makan yang menjual pizza. Bahkan saat kita sampai di Broken Chair dan Palais des Nations pun kita masih tidak menemukan restoran yang mengundang selera.

Audrey and the Broken Chair behind the fountain.

Kita lantas berjalan ke Java Nations, restoran Indonesia yang tidak jauh lokasinya dari gedung PBB. Agak susah ditemukan karena lokasinya yang menjorok ke dalam kawasan apartemen. Setibanya kita di sana, ternyata restoran baru buka jam 12 siang. Pemiliknya berasal dari Pangandaran. Sewaktu kita berjalan keluar, saya melihat harga yang tertera di papan tulis. Sungguh benar bahwa semuanya serba mahal di Swiss! Sepiring nasi goreng harganya CHF 23 alias 380 ribu rupiah! 

Karena tidak menemukan tempat makan yang cocok, kita pun mengunjungi Kota Tua. Kawasan ini lebih mirip dengan apa yang kadang saya lihat di Google. Kita akhirnya menyantap McDonald's di sana, McD pertama dari sekian banyak yang kita santap dalam dua minggu ke depan. Fast food seharga 494 ribu rupiah terasa melubangi kantong, tapi makanannya terasa segar. Bahkan putri saya pun bisa merasakannya dan berkomentar tentang hal yang sama. 

Foto keluarga dengan latar Jet d'Eau.

Setelah makan siang, kita berjalan ke arah danau untuk melihat Jet d'Eau, air mancur terkenal di Jenewa. Air danaunya begitu jernih. Sungguh mencengangkan. Saya bahkan bisa melihat sampai dasar danau!

Dari situ kita kembali ke hotel. Susah bagi kita untuk tidur selama di pesawat dan perbedaan zona waktu membuat jam tidur semakin kacau, jadi kita pun cape dan mengantuk. Yani meminta saya untuk membeli bahan makanan di supermarket terdekat karena sangat dianjurkan untuk masak sendiri di Swiss supaya menghemat biaya. Kita bersantai di kamar dan ketiduran sampai jam 11 malam! Butuh waktu lama untuk bisa tertidur lagi setelah terbangun. 

Sarapan pagi di dapur hotel.

Keesokan harinya, Yani menyiapkan sarapan untuk kita (dan saya makan pisang untuk pertama kalinya setelah sekian lama). Lalu kita naik bis ke Quartier des Grottes yang merupakan kawasan pemukiman dengan arsitektur yang cukup unik. Oh ya, tentang sarana transportasi umum, lebih praktis dan ekonomis bila kita membeli karcis 24 jam. Menarik untuk dicatat pula bahwa tidak ada mengecek apakah kita sebenarnya memiliki karcis atau tidak. 

Stasiun kereta terletak tidak jauh dari Quartier des Grottes. Kita pun mampir ke sana karena saya ingin tahu cara membeli tiket dan berangkat ke Lyon. Kita juga melihat-lihat stasiun dan akhirnya menemukan Pret lagi! Saya suka tempat makan ini sejak pertama kali saya coba di London! 

Pret a Manger.

Dari stasiun kereta, kita mampir ke Monument Brunswick, kemudian lanjut ke Ile Rousseau, sebuah pulau kecil di mana kita bisa bersantai menyaksikan bebek dan angsa yang berenang ke sana kemari. Lokasinya tak jauh dari Kota Tua. Saya jadi merasakan betapa kecilnya Jenewa karena di hari kedua, kita sudah kembali ke tempat yang sama. 

Yani singgah lagi ke Caran d'Ache, toko pensil warna yang dikunjunginya kemarin. Anak-anak dan saya menanti lama di depan toko, sampai-sampai kita akhirnya makan di restoran sebelah yang bernama Chez ma Cousine. Ayamnya terlihat menggiurkan dan ternyata memang enak! Harganya pun terjangkau!

Audrey di Chez ma Cousine.

Setelah makan, kita berjalan ke Muséum d'Histoire naturelle. Museum ini lumayan, tapi anak-anak tidak tertarik. Linda lebih memilih untuk pulang dan main Zelda, tapi Yani masih ada satu tujuan lagi. Mumpung sudah di Jenewa, kita wajib menaiki kapal di danau. Kita pun berangkat ke Port Noir. Setelah ketinggalan kapal dan menunggu lagi selama setengah jam, kita akhirnya menyeberangi danau. 

Setelah keinginan Yani terpenuhi, kita pun berjalan kembali ke stasiun kereta. Kita membeli KFC untuk disantap di hotel. Saat tiba di kamar, kita makan malam ala lesehan di lantai. Momen sederhana tapi berkesan itu mengakhiri hari kedua di Jenewa. 

Naik kapal menyeberangi danau. 

Selanjutnya kita bersantai di kamar. Yani sendiri lanjut ke Centre Commercial Planète Charmilles, pusat perbelanjaan kecil di depan hotel, untuk membeli bahan makanan lagi. Sebagai istri dan ibu yang baik, dia memastikan agar sarapan pagi siap sedia di meja besok pagi, sebelum kita memulai perjalanan ke kota berikutnya: Lyon!

Wednesday, June 14, 2023

The Europe Trip: How It Began

Switzerland had always been in my wife's wishlist long before she started seeing the country's photos and reels on the feed of her Instagram. On the other hand, I was also inspired by my friend Isaac. He brought his family to France last year and it got me thinking that at least once in my life, I wanted to bring my family to Europe while I could. It'd be nice to look back and reminisce these memories and togetherness one day.

Geneva, Switzerland.

And so we listed down the places we were going to visit. I read about the cities on Wikivoyage and all the outdoor destinations for nature lovers were planned by my wife. Since I included the need to get a Hard Rock t-shirt or two, Lyon was part of the itinerary since the beginning. I also wanted to go to Hard Rock Hotel in Davos and this small country called Liechtenstein, but my wife reasoned that it didn't make sense to waste time traveling a rather similar route two days in a row. 

Eventually I decided to forgo Davos. We'd go to Vaduz in Liechtenstein instead. As I looked at the map, I began thinking, "what if we visited Austria, too, since it's already so close to Liechtenstein?" There was this town called Feldkirch nearby and I told my wife that it'd be cool to go to a rarely visited town in Austria.

Salzburg, Austria.

She, of course, didn't think it was a cool idea. If we were expanding our itinerary to Austria, then we might as well visit the country properly. This is why Salzburg was included. My wife loves the Sound of Music since she was a little girl and the city was the birthplace of Mozart, too. I concurred, but with one condition: let's stop in Innsbruck for another Hard Rock t-shirt.

We continued to refine the details of our itinerary, but it was more or less fixed since then. Once the schedule of school holiday 2023 was out, I booked the tickets in November 2022. I checked the flights with one stop over. Emirates was excellent but a bit on the high side, so I decided that we should try Qatar Airways instead. 

Since this would be a trip to Europe, I had no misconception that everything was going to be pricey. Hence I spent bit by bit in the coming months. In December, I bought the travel insurance. In January, I booked the hotel in Geneva and so forth. That's when I realized that there are a lot of Meininger Hotels scattered across Switzerland and Austria. Since the price was very reasonable, it became my preferred hotel. Turned out to be good, except the last one in Salzburg.  

A typical family room at Meininger Hotels.

In the meantime, my wife also got busy. She worked on the cost comparison between Swiss Travel Pass and Eurail Pass, then cross-referenced it with places she'd like to visit such as Jungfraujoch to see if it was covered by the pass. Quite an impressive spreadsheet, I would say. As luck would have it, by the time we bought the pass, there was a promotion of 4+1 days going on!

Apart from changing cash to CHF and EUR, I also topped up my UOB Mighty and Youtrip cards. As a back up, I also brought my Instarem along. Had been loving debit cards since my last trip to Japan! Much to my surprise, it happened to be very useful in Europe. Cards are the preferred method of payment these days!

Last but not least, I activated my Airsim and bought one for my wife, too, so that she could stay connected while traveling. It's very convenient to travel using Google Maps in 2023, therefore having the internet is a must! At the same time, I was toying with the eSIM technology as well. After comparing few options, I went for Airalo. It worked well in Europe. Airalo's data subscription price is competitive for European countries, but more expensive for Asia.

At Hamad International Airport in Doha.

Now that all were set, a new adventure finally began when the day came. We flew to Doha at night. I was curious to see Hamad International Airport, the best airport in 2022, but it didn't turn out to be fantastic. I don't know, may be it's because I didn't had a chance to explore much during the layover. After an hour or so in Doha, I boarded the plane again. Next stop: Geneva!



Liburan Ke Eropa: Asal Mula Cerita

Swiss sudah dari dulu menjadi tempat yang ingin dikunjungi oleh istri saya Yani, jauh sebelum foto dan video singkat tentang Swiss bermunculan di akun Instagramnya. Di satu sisi, saya juga terinspirasi oleh teman saya Isaac yang membawa keluarganya ke Perancis tahun lalu. Semenjak itu, saya berangan-angan untuk berlibur bersama keluarga ke Eropa selagi saya bisa. Pasti berkesan rasanya bila kebersamaan tersebut dikenang lagi suatu hari nanti. 

Geneva, Swiss.

Jadi saya dan Yani pun membuat daftar tempat-tempat yang ingin kita kunjungi. Saya membaca Wikivoyage tentang berbagai kota di Swiss sementara istri saya merencanakan kunjungan ke tempat yang indah pemandangan alamnya. Karena saya ingin membeli kaos Hard Rock, Lyon menjadi bagian dari destinasi. Saya juga ingin pergi ke Hard Rock Hotel di Davos dan juga negara kecil bernama Liechtenstein, tapi istri saya menyarankan pilih salah satu saja, soalnya rute ke dua tempat ini hampir sama, sebelum akhirnya berpisah ke jalan yang berbeda. 

Akhirnya saya memilih ke Vaduz di Liechtenstein dan melupakan Davos. Sewaktu melihat peta, saya jadi berpikir, bagaimana kalau kita main ke Austria juga, mumpung sudah dekat? Ada kota bernama Feldkirch di samping Liechtenstein dan kita bisa ke tempat yang jarang dikunjungi turis ini. 

Salzburg, Austria.

Setelah mendengar usul saya, Yani justru berpendapat, kalau sungguh mau ke Austria, mungkin sebaiknya ke tempat yang lebih berkesan. Dari diskusi inilah Salzburg akhirnya masuk ke rute perjalanan. Yani suka the Sound of Music dari sejak kecil dan lagi pula kota ini terkenal sebagai tempat kelahiran Mozart. Saya setuju dengan idenya, tapi dengan satu syarat: kita singgah ke Innsbruck untuk membeli kaos Hard Rock.

Meski detil rute perjalanan masih berubah, secara garis besar sudah dipastikan kota tujuannya. Begitu jadwal liburan sekolah 2023 dirilis, saya lantas membeli tiket di bulan November 2022. Saya cek penerbangan dengan sekali transit di Timur Tengah. Emirates memang bagus dan sudah saya coba sewaktu ke Inggris, tapi lebih mahal juga tiketnya, jadi kali saya putuskan untuk membeli tiket Qatar Airways.

Karena tujuan liburan kali ini adalah Eropa, saya tahu ongkosnya tidak akan murah. Oleh karena itu saya cicil biayanya di bulan-bulan berikutnya. Saya membeli asuransi perjalanan di bulan Desember, lalu memesan hotel di Geneva di bulan Januari dan seterusnya. Di saat itu saya menyadari bahwa ternyata ada banyak Hotel Meininger di Swiss dan Austria. Karena harganya yang bersahabat, saya akhirnya memesan hotel tersebut. Hotelnya bagus, kecuali yang terakhir di Salzburg. 

Kamar keluarga di Hotel Meininger.

Sementara itu, istri saya juga mengerjakan bagiannya. Dia membandingkan harga Swiss Travel Pass dan Eurail Pass, lalu dicek lagi apakah tempat yang ingin dikunjunginya, misalnya Jungfraujoch, juga sudah termasuk. Perbandingan yang dibuat olehnya di Excel sangat informatif dan mudah dimengerti untuk membuat keputusan. Saat kita beli, kebetulan ada promosi harga 4 hari plus gratis ekstra satu hari pula! 

Selain menukar uang tunai dari SGD ke CHF dan EUR, saya juga mengisi kartu UOB Mighty and Youtrip. Sebagai cadangan, saya juga membawa kartu Instarem. Saya suka kartu debit sejak liburan terakhir saya di Filipina dan Jepang! Ternyata di Eropa juga sudah lebih condong menggunakan kartu, bahkan untuk transaksi seharga dua franc dan euro. 

Saya juga kembali mengaktifkan Airsim saya dan membelikan satu lagi untuk istri saya supaya dia tetap memiliki internet. Berkelana di tahun 2023 sangatlah praktis, tapi dengan catatan harus memiliki internet! Selain itu, saya juga mencoba teknologi eSIM juga. Setelah mengamati pilihan yang tersedia, saya akhirnya mencoba Airalo. Jaringannya bagus di Eropa. Harga pun bersaing, tapi lebih mahal bila digunakan untuk internet di Asia.

Di bandara udara Doha.

Setelah persiapan beres, liburan pun dimulai. Ketika tiba harinya, kita terbang ke Doha di malam hari. Saya penasaran dengan Hamad International Airport, bandara terbaik di tahun 2022, tapi ternyata tidak sebagus Changi. Mungkin juga ini dikarenakan saya tidak sempat menjajaki lebih lanjut di saat transit. Namun setelah sejam lebih di sana, saya pun meneruskan perjalanan lagi. Pemberhentian berikutnya: Geneva! 

Friday, June 9, 2023

Behind The Camera

The thing with this guy named Fendy is, I'd known him since college and he didn't seem to be one that would pick up photography. So there had to be a story behind it. True enough, there was one, and it was the kind I like: one that was based on an inspiration.

His story began back in 2018. While doing the research to buy a mirrorless camera, he stumbled into two news feeds on social media. The photos were so brilliant that he just had to find out more. The camera was Fujifilm X-Pro2. It was above his price range, but instead of being discouraged, he settled with one with a lower spec: the X-T30.

Now armed with camera, he attended the workshops to find his way. He fell in love with landscape and cityscape. Eager to practice, he participated in a photo trip to Bali. God knows how he survived that as a beginner, but what he didn't do right, he evaluated and asked. He also watched YouTube for tips and tricks. 

Exploring the nature.

Up until here, you could see that Fendy's basics were interest and hard work. But photography is an art, hence I had to ask the default question: is it something one can learn or does it entirely depend on talent? According to him, it was 30% theory, 30% talent and 40% practice. That's what it takes for him to churn out photos using his trusted X-T5 these days. 

The camera is the top end of the range and it's water resistant, too. And that might get you wondering if photography was an expensive hobby or not. Well, it is certainly not cheap, but Fendy would reason that a good photo came with a price. 

Luckily for us, that isn't the only thing that matters. Editing is now inseparable from digital photography and the touch up really helps. For a simple one on the phone, Fendy uses Lightroom. For heavy lifting, he'll go for Adobe Photoshop on a computer. The same thing can't be done for the conventional film photography, hence Fendy doesn't dabble in it.

Jakarta.

Fendy worked hard on his craft to the extent that he is now capable of leading the photography trips and giving workshops. His arsenal includes stuff likd long exposure and neutral-density filter. If the terms sound alien, perhaps they can be described like this: the photo with long, laser-like in the night, that is the result of long exposure. The one that gives the cloudy effect to the sea waves, that is the ND filter.

Throughout his adventures thus far, one would forever stand out. It was the five-level Kuweg Waterfall. The road trip to the destination was long and challenging. Car could only bring him so far and he had to continue with a motorbike due to the challenging terrain. Then he had to climb up. In total, it took him about 10 hours to get to the destination from Pontianak, but it was worth it.  

And finally we got to the part made possible by technology these days: videography. Since today's cameras are able to film, I couldn't help asking if Fendy loves it, too. He did video recording from time to time, but he didn't really like it. Unlike photography, video-editing is too much work. That explained his lack of interest, haha. Anyway, if you are keen, check out his Instagram account @fendy_chandra!

Kuweg Waterfall.



Dari Balik Kamera

Saya kenal Fendy dari sejak kuliah dan tidak terbayangkan oleh saya bahwa suatu hari nanti dia akan menekuni fotografi. Karena itu pasti ada kisah di balik semua ini. Dan benar saja, ceritanya menarik. Saya suka karena asal mulanya berdasarkan inspirasi dan juga menginspirasi. 

Kisah Fendy sang fotografer dimulai di tahun 2018. Ketika dia mencari tahu tentang kamera mirrorless untuk jalan-jalan, dia menemukan dua penggiat sosial media yang mengagumkan foto-fotonya. Fendy sangat terpukau, sampai-sampai dia tergelitik untuk mengetahui, kamera apa gerangan yang bisa menghasilkan foto sebagus itu. Mereknya adalah Fujifilm X-Pro2, investasi yang cukup mahal untuk pemula, jadi dia pun membeli kamera yang spesifikasinya sedikit lebih rendah: X-T30.

Berbekal kamera tersebut, dia pun menghadiri kelas-kelas pemula. Ternyata pemandangan alam dan kota terasa lebih cocok baginya. Terpicu untuk lekas praktek, dia turut serta dalam acara foto di Bali. Fendy yang masih pemula pun menjepret sana-sini sebisanya. Apa yang tidak terlihat baik lantas dievaluasi dan ditanyakan kepada yang lebih mahir. Dia juga melihat YouTube untuk mengetahui lebih lanjut tentang seluk-beluk fotografi. 

Menjelajahi alam.

Sampai sejauh ini, bisa kita lihat bahwa basis Fendy adalah minat dan upaya keras. Akan tetapi fotografi adalah seni, jadi saya pun wajib bertanya, "apakah fotografi ini sesuatu yang bisa dipelajari atau sepenuhnya tergantung pada bakat?" Menurut Fendy semua ini adalah 30% teori, 30% talenta dan 40% praktek. Ini adalah kesimpulannya setelah menghasilkan foto-foto bagus dengan kamera X-T5 sekarang ini. 

Kamera ini adalah yang paling bagus dari kategorinya dan anti air pula. Anda mungkin jadi berpikir, kalau begitu, apakah fotografi ini adalah hobi yang mahal atau tidak. Fendy berpendapat bahwa hobi ini tidaklah murah, tapi di satu sisi, kualitas kamera tidak berbohong.

Namun untunglah kamera bukan satu-satunya faktor penentu dalam fotografi. Editing juga tak kalah pentingnya dan sangat membantu meningkatkan kualitas foto. Untuk yang cepat dan ringkas, Fendy mengunakan Lightroom di hapenya. Untuk yang kelas berat, dia akan berkutat di depan komputer menggunakan Adobe Photoshop. Hal yang sama tidak bisa dilakukan dengan kamera biasa yang masih menggunakan film, jadi Fendy pun tidak mencobanya. 

Jakarta.

Fendy tekun di bidang yang disukainya dan kini dia bisa memimpin liburan tim fotografer dan mengajar di kelas fotografi. Tekniknya dalam berfoto antara lain long exposure dan filter densitas netral. Jika istilah ini terasa asing, penjabarannya kurang-lebih demikian: foto yang memiliki cahaya panjang dan mirip laser di malam hari, ini adalah hasil dari jepretan long exposure. kalau yang memberikan efek mirip awan pada ombak dan buih di laut, itu namanya filter ND. 

Dari berbagai objek wisata yang sudah dikunjunginya, ada satu yang memberikan kesan mendalam baginya. Tempat ini namanya Riam Kuweg yang memiliki lima tingkat air terjun. Perjalanan ke sana memakan waktu lama dan sangat menantang. Mobil hanya bisa sampai separuh jalan karena buruknya kondisi sehingga ia harus naik motor. Setelah itu pengunjung harus mendaki ke atas. Secara keseluruhan, perjalanan ke sana memakan waktu 10 jam dari Pontianak, tapi semua kelelahan itu terobati oleh keindahan alamnya.

Dan akhirnya kita sampai di bagian yang kini dimungkinkan oleh kecanggihan teknologi: videografi. Di zaman sekarang, kamera pun bisa merekam film, jadi saya pun bertanya apakah Fendy juga menjajal bidang ini. Dia ternyata juga membuat video dari waktu ke waktu, tapi dia kurang menyukai prosesnya. Berbeda dengan fotografi, editing video membutuhkan waktu lama. Karena alasan inilah Fendy kurang berminat, haha. Bagi yang berminat, bisa liat karyanya di akun Instagram @fendy_chandra!

Rian Kuweg.


Thursday, June 1, 2023

Remembering Dad

Dad was a truly remarkable person who lived life to the fullest and found joy in even the simplest of pleasures. He was a casual and down-to-earth individual, someone who always reminded us that life is meant to be enjoyed.

He was never one to stay at home. Dad loved to go out and explore the world around him. Whether it was a short walk around the neighborhood or a spontaneous trip, he always had this curiosity. But when he did stay home, you could always find him in the company of his beloved TV and newspaper, keeping up with the latest news and stories, although sometimes the news was misinterpreted.

One unforgettable memory that perfectly captures my dad's playful and mischievous nature was during Chinese New Year. As tradition dictates, Dad would serve delicious bakwa, a delectable treat enjoyed during the festive season. However, he also had a mischievous surprise up his sleeve. On one occasion, he decided to amuse our friends with fake electronic firecracker toys. The toys were so convincingly loud that when they went off, our unsuspecting friend was startled and left everyone in fits of laughter. It was a testament to my dad's ability to find joy in pranks and his love for making others smile.


I will forever cherish the memory of my dad's returning home. As soon as I heard the familiar sound of his footsteps approaching the front door, I would rush to be the first to open it. And there he would be, arms full of things he had bought during his outing—delicious treats or some surprise trinkets. It was a small gesture, but it symbolized his thoughtfulness and the joy he found in making others happy. 

It's true that my dad didn't always express his affection in overt ways. He did not present in certain family occasions, but there was no doubt that he loved us and his grandchildren deeply. He might not have been one for grand display of affection, but his actions spoke volumes. The care he gave, and the little surprises he brought home were all expressions of his love. 

My dad is a people person. He had this incredible ease in connecting with people from all walks of life. His friendly and approachable nature made him a cherished companion to both young and old, male and female alike. I dare say that most of my childhood friends proudly call him their friend as well. He had an ability to bridge generational and gender gaps, effortlessly build meaningful connections with everyone he met. His genuine interest in people and his warmth, welcoming spirit left a mark on the hearts of those fortunate enough to know him. 


In addition to his many wonderful qualities, my dad was undeniably a handsome and lucky gentleman. His charm would light up a room, and he had a way of making everyone feel at ease in his presence. He lived a fortunate life, surrounded by the love of his family and the friendships he cultivated throughout the years. "He is one of my favourite uncle," one relative quoted. 

As we say goodbye to my dad, we want to remember him for the incredible person he was. Let's celebrate his love for life, his enjoyment of the simplest pleasures, and his ability to find happiness in every moment. And as we carry his memory in our hearts, let us strive to live our lives with the same zest, patience, and kindness that he showed us. 

Thank you, Dad, for the legacy of love and joy you have left behind. You will be dearly missed, but your spirit will live on in our hearts forever. Rest in peace May your soul find eternal happiness.



Mengenang Papa

Papa adalah seorang pria luar biasa yang menjalani hidup sepenuhnya dan selalu bersuka-cita bahkan dalam hal-hal kecil. Dia adalah individu yang santai dan sederhana, sosok yang mengingatkan anak-anaknya bahwa hidup itu seharusnya dinikmati. 

Papa senang keluar dan melihat dunia di sekitarnya. Entah itu jalan-jalan singkat di dekat kawasan rumah atau bepergian secara spontan, dia selalu penuh dengan rasa ingin tahu. Saat dia di rumah, bisa dipastikan dia berada di depan TV dan membaca koran. Dia gemar mengikuti berita terkini, meskipun apa yang ditonton dan dibacanya kadang disalahtafsirkan.

Satu kenangan yang dengan sempurna menggambarkan sisi Papa yang suka bercanda dan iseng adalah suatu ketika di Tahun Baru Cina. Sudah menjadi tradisi di rumah bahwa Papa akan menawarkan bakwa, cemilan lezat di salah satu toples di meja saat Tahun Baru Cina. Di hari itu, siapa sangka dia masih memiliki satu kejutan lagi? Tiba-tiba saja dia menyalakan petasan listrik yang nyaring seperti aslinya, sampai-sampai seorang teman terlonjak kaget. Yang lain pun tergelak. Kenangan di hari tersebut menunjukkan kecintaan Papa dalam membuat orang lain tersenyum. 


Saya akan selalu mengenang saat Papa pulang ke rumah. Begitu saya mendengar suara langkah kaki yang saya kenal baik mendekati pintu rumah, saya akan berlari dan membukakan pintu. Dan dia pun berdiri di depan saya dengan tangan penuh makanan dan hadiah lain yang dibelinya saat bepergian. Lewat hal kecil seperti ini, beliau menunjukkan perhatiannya.

Papa tidak selalu menunjukkan kasih sayangnya secara berlebihan. Bahkan ada kalanya dia tidak hadir dalam acara keluarga. Kendati begitu, tidak ada keraguan bahwa dia mencintai anak-anak dan cucu-cucunya. Dia bukanlah tipe yang ekspresif mengungkapkan perhatiannya, tapi perbuatannya mencitrakan semua itu. Kepedulian dan hadiah kecil yang senantiasa ia bawa pulang ke rumah adalah wujud dari cintanya pada keluarga.

Sebagai orang yang ramah, Papa gampang berkenalan dan membina hubungan dengan siapa saja. Gayanya yang bersahabat dan tidak mengintimidasi membuatnya disukai oleh tua-muda, baik pria maupun wanita. Saya berani menjamin bahwa teman-teman dari masa kecil saya juga menganggapnya sebagai teman. Papa mahir dalam pendekatan antar generasi dan juga ke lawan jenis. Dia luwes dalam bergaul dengan setiap orang yang ditemuinya. Keingintahuan yang tulus dan keramahtamahannya meninggalkan kesan yang mendalam bagi mereka yang mengenalnya. 


Selain kepribadian yang memikat, Papa juga tampan dan bagus peruntungannya. Pesonanya tidak bisa dipungkiri dan dia memiliki cara untuk membuat orang lain di sekitarnya merasa nyaman. Hidupnya dikelilingi oleh keluarga dan teman yang mencintainya. "Dia adalah paman favorit saya," demikian ujar seorang kerabat. 

Dalam perpisahan ini, kami ingin mengingat Papa sebagai sosok yang mengagumkan. Mari rayakan kecintaannya akan hidup, caranya menikmati hal yang paling sederhana sekalipun, dan juga kemampuannya dalam bersuka-cita di setiap waktu. Dan dengan kenangan akan dirinya yang membara di hati, semoga kita pun bisa menjalani hidup seperti apa yang sudah beliau contohkan. 

Terima kasih, Papa. Terima kasih untuk cinta dan kebahagiaan yang sudah engkau tinggalkan. Kami akan merasa kehilangan, tapi semangatmu akan hidup di hati kami selamanya. Beristirahatlah dengan tenang. Semoga engkau menemukan kedamaian di sana.