A GOOD DAY TO ENJOY BALEKAMBANG PARK

Another tourist destination in Solo! It's a great opportunity to join the Management Student Summit in Solo last year. We had a field trip to Balekambang Park, a huge park located in Ahmad Yani street. This park's opened at seven o'clock and will be closed at six in the afternoon. You can consider this park as a city forest because it's green everywhere. But it's not only about plants. You can find animals, too. I think this park is like nature, education, and  art combined.

Two thumbs up for this park! I saw the great balance between ecosystem and recreation. Deer and turkeys are the example of the goodness of the habitat. And it has a pool at the back named PARTINI TUIN. Based on what I read on the internet, Partini was one of KGPAA Mangkunegara's daughters. The pool's beauty was completed with Partini's own statue. You can also enjoy the pool by boat.

There's one more statue; PARTINAH's statue. It's located in PARTINAH BOSCH, an area in which the trees grow well. I admit it, I liked the park simply because of the trees. Talking about art, this place has a little amphitheatre. There was a traditional dance practice when I was there. Since it's a multi-functioned place, we can even had a wedding party here. So, if I ask you "what are you going to do at Balekambang Park?", what will you answer me?

SEMARANG, THE CITY WHERE I WAS BORN (part 2)

Wow, it's rainy here. Flood's everywhere, including Semarang. Rainy season hits Indonesia for months but Semarang won't let you down with some spectacular tourism destinations. And now, we'd tell you about Lawang Sewu. Why Lawang Sewu? Because it's the icon of the city and the location is easily accessible; it's in downtown of Semarang. The entry gate faces Tugu Muda roundabout. Yes, lawang sewu means thousand doors. Some said that Lawang Sewu is  scary especially at night; it will fill you with extra horror.

Let me tell you the truth. This "haunted house" was once a Netherland railway company office. So, no wonder if this place now exhibits the history of railway evolution in Indonesia. The classic-style building gives an advantage for the photographers. I think the building is perfectly complete. It has large attic and complicated underground tunnel system. The guide said that the underground tunnel was used for something like cooler. It worked out only when rainy season came.

Everything changed when Japan invaded Indonesia. Japan turned the basement into a horrifying prison plus the execution place. As the time goes by, after a rejuvenation, it's now one of Semarang's tourist attractions.

Nowadays, you'll need more than a word to describe this site; spooky, beautiful, complicated, sophisticated, and historic, of course.