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  • Heritage House: Mendengar Usul Sang Pangeran

    <—-Kisah Sebelumnya

    Destinasi berikutnya….Masih berlokasi di Kawasan Heritage Distrik Deira….Adalah Heritage House.

    Lokasi Heritage House ini tepat berada bersebelahan dengan Al Bait Al Qadeem Restaurant and Cafe, di sisi selatannya. Tentunya Heritage House ini lebih menjulang tinggi karena memiliki dua lantai secara keseluruhan, memiliki warna coklat tua dan memiliki luasan hampir 500 meter persegi.

    Terletak di tepi Al Ahmadiya Street, bangunan bersejarah ini pun tampak tutup saat aku menyambanginya. Aku mencoba mencari tahu dari warga yang melintas di depannya.

    “This house is under renovation, Sir”, ucap seorang dari mereka yang mengerti pertanyaan yang kulontarkan.

    “Damn….Kenapa harus tutup segala sih….Hmhh”, aku mengeluh berat atas ketidakberuntunganku sendiri.

    Aku segera mengambil keputusan. Melakukan eksplorasi-eksplorasi kecil di sekitar Heritage House menjadi hal terbaik daripada aku pergi begitu saja tanpa hasil.

    Hal pertama yang kulakukan kemudian adalah mencoba melihat bentuk asli Heritage House dari sudut pandang yang lebih luas dan lebar. Cara terbaik untuk bisa melakukan itu adalah dengan menyeberangi Al Ahmadiya Street dan mengambil titik pandang dari trotoar seberang.

    Aku menarik nafas panjang ketika berhasil melihat bentuk rumah ini secara utuh….”Benar-benar klasik”, aku membatin kagum.

    Aku terus memandangi rumah berusia 132 tahun yang dibangun oleh Matar Saeed bin Mazina itu, bertanya kepada diri sendiri kenapa terdapat 21 jendela besar yang mengelilingi terasnya. Sedangkan balkon sepanjang tak kurang dari lima belas meter membentang megah di lantai duanya. Konon sang pemilik berikutnya yang bernama Sheikh Ahmed bin Dalmouk adalah saudagar mutiara paling terkenal di seantero kawasan Al Ras. Beliau membangun rumah megah ini dari asalnya yang memiliki dua ruangan kamar saja.

    Untuk mengurangi rasa penasaran, aku mulai berjalan melalui gang sempit untuk menikmati cipta arsitektur ini lebih dekat. Seperti bangunan-bangunan khas Timur Tengah lainnya, cukup jelas terlihat bahwa pilar-pilar bagian atap bangunan ini menembus tembok-tembok terluarnya.

    Sedangkan di salah satu sisi Heritage House, tampak gang sempit itu dilindungi oleh bentangan kain-kain polos berwarna coklat di atasnya. Sudah bisa ditebak bahwa hal ini dilakukan untuk mengurangi daya sengat matahari ketika siang tiba, sehingga bisa membuat nyaman para pengunjung.

    Jendela-jendela berukuran kecil yang terlindung oleh teralis-teralis besi itu dibiarkan terbuka, Hal itu memungkinkanku untuk mengintip bagian dalam Heritage House. Membuatku sedikit bisa tersenyum daripada aku tidak bisa melihat sama sekali bagian dalam rumah legendaris tersebut.

    Konon, 28 tahun lalu, pemerintah kota Dubai membeli rumah tersebut dari pemilik terakhirnya yaitu Ibrahim Al Said Abdullah dan kemudian mendedikasikan rumah tersebut untuk pelestarian budaya Dubai sekaligus sebagai tempat wisata.

    Dan menurut cerita, pemerintah Kota Dubai melakukan semua itu setelah mendapat masukan dari Pangeran Charles dari Kerjaan Inggris yang sedang melakukan kunjungan kenegaraan ke Uni Emirat Arab.

    Wah….Keren ya.

    Kisah Selanjutnya—->

  • Seeing Old Grandpa in Gamcheon Culture Village

    Eleven o’clock in the afternoon, Nopo-dong area, Geumjeong District….

    Finally I got a bus ticket to Seoul. Because bus departed tonight, I decided to continue my exploration in Busan until afternoon. Now I was starting to leave Busan Central Bus Terminal, walking down an integration corridor towards Nopo Station.

    Arriving at station, I didn’t have to wait long, Humetro Line 1 (Orange Line) took me to Toesong Station. It was twenty-four stations away. I arrived at destination station in almost an hour.

    Getting off at Toesong Station, looking for directions to Gamcheon Culture Village.

    Exiting west exit of Toesong Station, I then walked down Kkachigogae-ro Avenue. But before going any further, I found a street food which I had been aiming for before leaving for South Korea. Moreover, if it was not Bungeoppang, a street food made from flour and filled with chocolate. The uniqueness of this snack is its fish-shaped appearance which is very cute. I spent 1,000 Won to enjoying it.

    I enjoyed a serving Bungeoppang in front of a middle-aged woman seller. Chewing while food was still hot made her laugh at me who was having a hard time chewing. Moments liked this made me always happy when traveling, joking with street food sellers who show their modesty, as they are.

    From Kkachigogae-ro Avenue, I changed direction on Haedoji-ro Avenue heading south. The road was still flat, making me cross it with a smile. But I was only two hundred meters from Haedoji-ro Avenue section, because from then on I began to perfectly climb on Ami-ro Avenue.

    Police station at Kkachigogae-ro Avenue.

    I began to step at uphill road with a typical road topography, twisting, causing the road span to be longer. It was just that I didn’t want to be embarrassed by some of elderly residents who were nimbly climbing the road. Not even a few middle-aged residents happily jog up the hill. Extraordinary. I had to gasp up at Ami-ro Avenue to keep up with them.

    I had walked one and a half kilometers until I finally arrived at the front gate of Gamcheon Culture Village. Meanwhile, it was half past one in the afternoon. Actually there was a public transportation number 2 which could take me from Toesong Station to Gamcheon Culture Village, but I was reluctant to use it, because walking is something that is fun and allows interacting with local residents.

    The front gate of Gamcheon Culture Village.
    The front gate of Gamcheon Culture Village.

    After enjoying the atmosphere at the front gate of Gamcheon Culture Village which was full of art, I began to entering the cultural village which had been intensely given a touch of art since eleven years ago. It’s said that this village can be visited by more than one million tourists every year. Wow, you can imagine the magnitude of economic cycle in this former slum village. The village that used to be just a slum village, where the urban poor live, has now turned into a tourist village with extraordinary income.

    The superior level of art has made Gamcheon Culture Village identified as the “Santorini of Korea”. Make Saha District pride, district where this tourist village area is.

    Art along Gamcheon Culture Village.
     Gamcheon Culture Village atmosphere.
     Gamcheon Culture Village atmosphere.

    Along the main village road, it was easy to find restaurants and cafes which pamper visitors. As far as the eye can see, there was ocean at the end of village when I enjoy its beauty from a house rooftop. Meanwhile, art and souvenir shops were scattered and easy to find.

    At a point, I was attracted by one of homeowners who wore crutches at both arms. He told me that he was proud that his house was on the edge of the village’s main road and became an interesting spot for tourists to visit. I and a tourist of Chinese descent from Malaysia were invited to enter to see the interior of his house. Well this was the bonus of my trip.

    But my time was so tight, it only took me an hour to walk around village and decided to immediately leave Gamcheon-dong area to go to another destination……

  • A Must – Visit Saloka Theme Park in Your Visit to Indonesia

    A guest post by a travel blogger, Emma Parker

    Whenever you make plans for vacation, one of the major problems that you face is that you may not have appropriate places to visit with your kids. But if your next vacation destination is Indonesia, you do not have to worry about such a thing. The country is perfect for travelers and tourists of all age groups and tastes. Whether you are someone who wishes to enjoy adventure activities or you wish to explore fun, Indonesia is a perfect destination.

    Also, the country is a great spot for traveling with your family and kids. One of the major attractions that you can visit with your kids in Indonesia is the Saloka Theme Park. This theme park happens to offer a wide range of surprises and exciting activities to visitors. It is known as one of the best theme park options in the Asian region.

    A Must-Visit Saloka Theme Park in Your Visit to Indonesia

    Whether you are going along with your friends or you are accompanying your family that consists of kids, this theme park in Indonesia is a perfect place to spend some quality time. The park offers fun and fiesta and you can surely consider it to be one of the best tourist attraction points while planning your travel list for Indonesia.

    Explore the Zones

    The theme park is divided into five different zones that offer you a taste and feel of different locations. These five zones are:

    • Pesisir
    • Balalantara
    • Kamayani
    • Ararya
    • Segara Prada

    As you leave one zone to enter the other, you will get to feel a different vibe. All 5 zones are designed in such a way that the interest and excitement of the visitors continue throughout the park.

    Rides to Go For

    Apart from exploring different zones, the theme park offers a wide number of rides for children as well as for youngsters. Choose the rides that you think are suitable for you and you can enjoy the fun at the park. Some of the famous and worth trying rides here at the park are:

    • Cakrawala
    • Semprot-Semprot
    • Lumbung Ilmu Galileo

    Also, there are many more rides to explore and enjoy while you are here at the theme park.

    A Haunted Experience

    If you are an adventure lover, you may find all the rides in the park to be extremely enjoyable. But if you are still looking for an adrenaline rush that is extreme, then you should try out visiting Adu Nyali.

    It is mainly a haunted house concept that has been designed to offer you the best scary moments. If you wish to challenge your patience and courage, this haunted house option is an experience that you should definitely look out to.

    Enter the house that is named Adu Nyali and spend a couple of minutes amidst a haunted setup created by the theme park. There are many people who actually enjoy the thrilling experience, while there are also some others who may get extremely scared. Hence, you should try it out only when you are sure that you are not weak at heart.

    Treat Yourself

    While you are enjoying yourself at the theme park, the authorities have also taken care of your refreshments. Hence, you will find a number of culinary options available within the park so that you can take a break and can refill your energy.

    If you are someone who has come up from some other country, you can enjoy local treats available here.

    Facilities for the Visitors

    You do not have to worry much when you are here at the theme park with your family and kids. The park authorities offer a wide number of facilities for the visitors apart from refreshments. Some of the other facilities that you can check out at the park are:

    • Wifi so that you stay connected with your loved ones over the internet.
    • A decent parking area so that you do not have to worry much about your vehicle.
    • Toilets and changing room
    • Nursery and breastfeeding room
    • Praying room
    • Wheelchair
    • ATM

    All these facilities are there to make your trip to the theme park even more comfortable and enjoyable.

    Operating Timings

    You should know the operating timings of the theme park so that you can enter on time and can enjoy all the activities and options at their best.

    Monday to Friday – On weekdays, the park is operational from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.

    Saturdays and Sundays – On weekends, the park remains open for an extra hour. This means you can be at the park from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm.

    Thus, plan your trip to the theme park accordingly to make the most of your time. 

    Ticket Bookings

    In order to avail yourself of entry to the park and enjoy all the elements available here, you need to make an online booking of the tickets. In order to get the tickets, you need to know that there are different tickets for weekdays and weekends. Even on public holidays, you will be charged the ticket price as that of the weekends.

    While you are booking your tickets for the theme park, there are a few features and guidelines that you should know to avail the maximum benefits.

    • You can book your tickets one day in advance and can get faster confirmation of your books.
    • In case of cancellation, you will get your refund quite conveniently.
    • Also, if you are not sure of the scheduled date, you can even avail the facility of rescheduling your booked date.
    • On special days, the park also offers a special price of tickets from time to time.

    Usually, it takes about 3-4 hours to take a round of the entire park and enjoy all the rides and activities here. Of course, it depends upon you how much time you wish to spend here along with your friends and family. It is only that you need to make your bookings online and select the right dates for your trip. Apart from the convenience of flexible ticket bookings, check online to get deals and discounts that are ongoing so that you can get the tickets at a much-discounted rate.

  • Al Bait Al Qadeem Restaurant and Cafe: Khas di Jantung Distrik Deira

    <—-Kisah Sebelumnya

    Aku meninggalkan kawasan Gold Souk dari Gate 1. Gerbang itu tepat berada di pertigaan dari dua jalan utama yaitu Old Baladiya Street yang dipotong oleh ruas Al Ras Road di pertengahannya.

    Aku menyusuri satu ruas aktif di Old Baladiya Street sedangkan satu ruas lainnya dimatikan sebagi baris parkir kendaraan yang pemiliknya berkunjung ke kawasan bisnis tersebut. Menyelinap diantara jalan-jalan sempit yang diapit padatnya pertokoan, aku berusaha menghindar laju lalu lintas manusia dari arah berlawanan. Kali ini nuansa pertokoan sudah berubah, yang awalnya kental dengan perdagangan emas dan perhiasan di sepanjang Gold Souk, maka di sepanjang Old Baladiya Street pertokoan lebih banyak yang menjual pakaian-pakaian khas Timur Tengah.

    Aku terus melangkah sembari membuat rute kunjungan di tempat istimewa itu. Aku terus mengamati foto peta yang kuambil dari papan informasi di depan gate Gold Souk beberapa menit lalu. Aku sendiri berencana untuk mengekslorasi kawasan istimewa tersebut hingga tengah hari. Tujuan istimewa kali ini adalah beberapa spot Heritage yang tersebar di Kawasan Old Dubai, tepatnya di Distrik Bisnis Deira.

    Old Baladiya Street: Tempat sampah aja dipagerin lho di Dubai….Wkwkwk.

    Demi mencapai heritage spot pertama maka aku memutuskan untuk berbelok di Al Ahmadiya Street.

    Tak jauh, hanya berjarak setengah kilometer dari Gold Souk, maka aku mampu menemukan satu peninggalan sejarah berupa bangunan rumah tempat tinggal dari masa lalu.

    Rumah khas Dubai berwarna krem itu berasal dari masa 113 tahun lalu, Rumah ini dimiliki oleh Abdulla Bin Jamaan yang pada masanya adalah seorang saudagar kaya yang memiliki kapal-kapal pencari mutiara. Mutiara kala itu diambil dari dasar laut oleh para penyelam-penyelam tangguh yang bekerja di bisnis perburuan mutiara. Sesuai dengan nama pemilik awalnya maka rumah ini terkenal dengan sebutan Bin Jamaan House.

    Berlokasi di daerah berjuluk Al Ras, secara otomatis rumah ini tepat berada di jantung Distrik Deira. Perkembangan sejarah dan dunia modern menjadikan rumah tersebut dialihfungsikan sebagai sebuah restoran dan cafe.

    Lokasinya yang tepat berada di episentrum wisata Old Dubai menjadikan restoran ini cukup terkenal di khalayak umum. Al Bait Al Qadeem adalah nama dari restoran dan cafe tersebut.

    Aku sudah pasti bisa memastikan bahwa harga menu di restoran itu cukuplah mahal menurut versiku. Bagaimana tidak mahal bagi kantongku jika seporsi Emirati Chicken Stew di banderol dengan harga 35 Dirham, apalagi itu adalah menu termurah di Al Bait Al Qadeem Restaurant and Cafe. Selain hidangan khas Arab, restoran itu juga menyediakan menu khas Yaman, Persia dan India.

    Belum buka, Boy….
    Sepiiii nian….

    Walaupun terbilang cukup mahal, tetapi setidaknya aku masih sanggup untuk mencicipi kopi sambil menikmati suasana di restoran. Tapi rupanya aku harus mengurungkan niat karena pintu restoran masih tertutup rapat, padahal sangkala telah merapat di setengah sepuluh pagi.

    Lebih baik aku segera pergi dan menuju ke destnasi lainnya saja.

    Kisah Selanjutnya—->

  • Getting Risk at Busan Central Bus Terminal

    Bathroom dramas often coloring my travel stories, considering that I often chose a dormitory as a place to stay during my adventures.

    First night in Busan. I was really annoyed, I just flushed a closed toilet seat, I mean that I didn’t want to see “zonk” things when I opened it… But, water spilled everywhere along with its load.

    Damn it….This must be a behavior of the man who a few minutes ago passed me at shared bathroom door.

    Suddenly I went to another bathroom which was two floors above me. I had no desire to take a shower in bathroom even though there were still several more shower rooms available. In upstairs bathroom, conditions were cleaner, maybe guests were reluctant to bother going upstairs. Because of this incident, my heartburn suddenly disappeared. I prefered to go straight to shower room to wash my body with warm water.

    Olala….Turned out I was a same jerk…..

    After taking a shower, I lingered in front of the sink to dry my t-shirt and sock with a hair dryer, until they were completely dry. “Ah, It’s Okay. There’s no one. I’m paying to this hotel too,” a devil’s voice in my heart whispered. Understandably in this travel journey, I began to apply a strategy of carrying two pairs of socks to simplify my luggage. I will wash and dry unused socks in preparation for next use.

    —-****—-

    That morning I woke up on time. After Fajr prayer, I no longer felt asleep. I prefered to open itinerary sheets while waiting for light of the day. When sun started to come, I started to leave Kimchee Busan Guesthouse after taking a shower, considering that this inn didn’t provide breakfast for dormitory room.

    I exited to the inn alley, and followed Hwangnyeong-daero Street heading west, to Beomnaegol Station to continue my journey. But of course I had to get breakfast before boarding to Humetro. I stopped at a CU minimarket to then enter it and hunted for breakfast in it. I found a handful of rice filled with corn at a special food rack, went to cashier, paid for it and then ate it on a seat inside the minimarket.

    Soon I ate it. I immediately entered the station building and looked for a ticketing vending machine to buy a one day pass, then headed to platform after holding a one day pass for 4,500 Won.

    That morning I would head to Busan Central Bus Terminal to buy a bus ticket to Seoul which would depart at night. Humetro Line 1 (Orange Line) softly screeched to a stop at platform. I immediately sat at one of its seats in a half-empty carriage to then follow the train to Nopo Station, a station where Busan Central Bus Terminal is integrated. I arrived in 45 minutes.

    Getting out of the carriage I looked for clues that could lead me to the terminal. It’s not hard to find. A clue which then continued with the next clue directed me to arrive at the Busan Central Bus Terminal.

    Busan Central Bus Terminal ticket sales counter.

     “Hello, Miss. How much is a ticket to Seoul? “I asked to ticket sales staff in a long row of ticketing counters.

    “32,000 Won, Sir. Bus will depart on around 16:00 hours”.

    “Miss, What is the cheapest price and what time does the bus depart?”, I bluntly remembered that my pockets were running low.

    “23,000 Won and bus will depart on 20:30 hours, Sir”.

    “Okay, Wait Miss”.

    I left her and sat at waiting chair. I started to calculate, if I departed early then I would be relatively safe because I would arrive in Seoul before nightfall. But that means I had to increase cost to rent a dormitory sooner. Of course it would be expensive.

    If I took a night ticket, then inevitably, I would spend the night at Seoul City Bus Terminal, a little risky, but it was most possible choice with my money which was running out.

    Okay, I would do that….. I got up from my seat and returned to a female staff.

    “Yes, Ms. I take the night one”.

    “Ok. Sir”

    I handed her the money and she gave me a ticket to go to Seoul.

    Busan-Seoul bus ticket costs 23,000 Won.

    Okay, one important part I quickly finished. I would spend the remaining time in Busan that day.

  • Duo Kapoor di Koridor Gold Souk

    <—-Kisah Sebelumnya

    Sebagaimana janjiku teruntuk Uncle Neval pada saat makan malam, maka pagi itu aku menyempatkan diri untuk bersarapan di tempat makannya lagi, Golden Star Restaurant nama restoran milik Uncle Neval.

    Dia tersenyum lebar sembari melambaikan tangan ketika aku yang masih berjarak puluhan meter dan sedang mengambil gambar di sekitar restoran mungilnya.

    “Good morning, my brother….Come…Come!”, sembari menggeleng-gelengkan kepalanya khas gaya India.

    “What is this?”, aku menunjuk pada tumpukan kue di pojok etalase makanan.

    “Puttu, brother”, Uncle Neval sigap menjawab.

    “Hmmmhhh, benar-benar sama”, aku membatin atas kesamaan kue itu dengan kue puttu yang sering kubeli dari amang-amang penjual kue puttu yang sering lewat di depan rumah.

    Hanya saja kue Puttu khas India ini ukurannya sangat besar. Saking gurihnya kue itu, aku meminta seporsi tambahan lagi setelah porsi pertama kulahap dengan cepat.

    3 Dirham untuk dua porsi kue Puttu dan segelas chai.

    Usai bersarapan, maka aku bersiap langkah menuju ke tujuan pertama pada hari keduaku di Dubai. Tujuan itu hanya berjarak kurang dari dua kilometer, jadi untuk menghemat ongkos, aku memutuskan untuk berjalan kaki menujunya, tentu aku akan diuntungkan dengan peluang untuk dapat melihat suasana kota lebih dekat. Tujuan itu adalah Gold Souk, pasar emas tradisional yang terletak di daerah Al Dhagaya.

    Sangkala tepat bertengger di angka sembilan….

    Tanpa berpanjang waktu, aku mengayunkan langkah menuju barat, mengikuti arus Naif Street. Dalam perjalanan, aku merasa terlalu sering menengok ke belakang, ini karena Naif Street adalah jalur satu arah dengan 3 ruas dan satu kolom parkir di sisi selatannya. Ya….Aku terlalu megkhawatirkan diri dengan laju kendaraan dari belakang yang sangat cepat.

    Sepengamatanku, usai melintasi Naif Police Station, maka bangunan di sisi kiri dan kanan jalan didominasi oleh pertokoan dan jasa penukaran mata uang asing. Hal ini menunjukkan Deira sebagai distrik bisnis di kota Dubai.

    Salah satu sisi Sikkad Al Khail Road.

    Dalam tiga puluh menit aku tiba di tujuan….

    Untuk pertama kalinya, aku dihadapkan pada gerbang Gold Souk bernomor 2 dengan tengara Gold Tower di sisinya. Gold Tower sendiri adalah pusat bisnis penting di Kawasan Gold Souk.

    Memasuki gerbang, maka aku dikejutkan dengan seorang petugas yang menarik mesin vakum besar untuk membersihkan koridor utama yang lantainya berbahankan batu andesit, sedangkan koridor itu memanjang dengan naungan atap, menjadikan Gold Souk sebagai tempat perniagaan yang bersih, dingin dan nyaman untuk dikunjungi sepanjang hari.

    Sedangkan di sepanjang koridor itu, spanduk-spanduk promosi berukuran kecil tampak tergantung di langit-langit dengan interval teratur. Adalah Malabar Gold & Diamonds yang merupakan salah satu peritel perhiasan emas dan berlian terbesar di dunia dengan lebih dari 280 toko yang tersebar di 10 negara yang ternyata melakukan promosi masif di seluruh penjuru Gold Souk. Tampak jelas dua bintang film asal India menjadi brand ambassador peritel emas  raksasa itu, yaitu Anil Kapoor dan Kareena Kapoor.

    Aku terus masuk lebih dalam hinga ke pusat pasar emas yang sudah berusia lebih dari delapan puluh tahun tersebut. Panjangnya koridor yang ada di dalamnya membuktikan bahwa pasar ini benar-benar dihuni oleh lebih dari tiga ratus toko emas yang konon jika dijadikan satu semua dagangannya maka akan terkumpul emas senilai tak kurang dari 6 miliar Dollar Amerika atau setara dengan 80 Trilun Rupiah….Aje Gileee.

    Promosi lain yang kulihat di sepanjang koridor Gold Souk adalah Infiniti Mega Raffle, yaitu undian dengan berbelanja minimal 200 Dirham di Gold Souk dengan hadiah utama berupa mobil Infiniti QX80, brand mewah milik pabirkan Nissan asal Jepang.

    Gate 2 Gold Souk.
    Aku terlalu pagi untuk berkunjung.
    Suatu titik di pusat Gold Souk.
    Cekreeeekkkk……
    Emas milik Toko Al Romaizan

    Berada di dalam Gold Souk, bagi saya adalah pengalaman nan mengesankan. Karena setiap toko memamerkan etalase emas yang sangat megah dan menawan. Salah satu etalase yang membuatk terdiam dan terpaku di depannya adalah toko milik Al-Romaizan yang merupakan salah satu perusahaan emas dan perhiasan ternama di Kawasan The Gulf Cooperation Counci (GCC) yang berkantor pusat di Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

    Al Romaizan memawarkan kemewahan bagi para penggemar emas. Jangankan para penggemar emas, aku yang biasa aja dengan emas bisa dibuat terpana….Hmmh.

    Hampir satu jam aku berada di pasar emas terkenal tersebut.

    Saatnya membagi waktu untuk mengunjungi destinasi lain di Kawasan Old Doha.

    Yuks,,,,Ikut aku lagi!!!

    Kisah Selanjutnya—->

  • Lantern Show at Gwangalli Beach

    It was almost nine in the evening when I decided to leave Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) Square in the Nampo-dong area. I started walking away from an official UNIQLO counter at BIFF Gwangjang-ro and then continued down the main street, Gudeok-ro. One hundred and fifty meters ahead was Gate 7 of Jagalchi Station which was the target of my steps to immediately leave Jung District.

    I was heading underground ten minutes later. In warm basement, I didn’t have to bother looking for ticketing vending machine because I still had a small piece of One Day Pass I bought this afternoon when I arrived in Busan. Walking past automatic fare collection gate, I waited for arrival of Humetro Line 1 (Orange Line) at station platform.

    One Day Pass costs 4,500 Won.

    The Humetro quickly arrived, opened its automatic doors and I quickly entered center carriage. Sitting on a seat, I kept an eye on the busyness of Busan residents after work. Humetro slowly crept through underground line, dropping me off at Seomyeon Station after passing through nine stations, then I changed to Humetro Line 2 (Green Line). And similarly, after passing through nine stations I arrived at Gwangan Station in Suyeong District. It felt that trip towards this station took quite a long time, forty-five minutes.

    I rushed down the carriage and back to surface using escalator. Then took exit at Gate 5 of Gwangan Station which was directly opposite Gwangan-ro Avenue. The street’s air temperature was already at the level of one degree Celsius. I was forced to walk with an occasional shaking body for seven hundred meters towards beach. The presence of several groups of tourists heading in the same direction, made me a little calm, considering that it was almost ten o’clock at night.

    I arrived at the beach twenty minutes later after walking nearly seven hundred meters. Standing on the beach as far as the eyes can see, the luminous stretch of the second longest bridge in “Ginseng Country” was truly stunning….Yup, that was Gwangandaegyo Bridge, a seven and a half kilometer long suspension bridge which connects Haeundae District and Suyeong District.

    Gwangandaegyo Bridge.
    Festive decorative lights.

    Now I have mingled with tourists and other locals enjoying the festive atmosphere at Gwangalli Beach. I continued to observe the show by residents airing mini-sized lanterns. Parents, young people and small children were almost all immersed in the excitement of show.

    While some others seemed to enjoy decorative lights in the form of various kinds of fauna which were pleasing to eyes. In the other hand, the beach looked crammed with multi-storey buildings which gave an impression that the beach area had been touched by technology. But everything looked clean with a well-maintained and organized environment.

    Several hotel buildings on the beach.
    Aqua Palace Hotel.

    I was only able to withstand cold air for forty-five minutes. Surely the air would approach freezing point when night reached its peak. I hurried off the beach and headed back to station. Quickly stepping to escape growing cold, I arrived at station breathless, then rushed to platform and a few minutes later Humetro took me, to then drop me off at Seomyeon Station. Humetro then transferred me on Line 1 to Beomnaegol Station, a station where the hotel I was staying at was located….Yup, Kimchee Busan Guesthouse.

    Now it was time to rest for next adventure tomorrow.

  • Kembali ke Zain East Hotel dari Palm Jumeirah

    <—-Kisah Sebelumnya

    Sangkala menuju setengah enam sore….

    Aku telah memutuskan untuk menghentikan eksplorasi karena sebentar lagi hari akan berganti gelap. Kembali menuju pintu belakang Nakheel Mall yang menjadi akses terakhir yang kugunakan demi menuju area residensial Palm Jumeirah, akhirnya aku berhasil menggapai bagian dalam mall tesebut. Usai menunaikan shalat jamak takhir di salah satu mushola di dalam mall, kini perhatianku tertuju pada pintu bagian depan mall yang bisa mengarahkanku menuju Al Ittihad Park.

    Aku mencapai pintu depan mall itu dengan mudah, untuk selanjutnya bergegas melahap jengkal demi jengkal jogging track di Al Ittihad Park. Suasana taman lebih ramai sore itu dibandingkan dengan suasana pada saat ketibaanku pertama kali di taman tersebut beberapa jam sebelumnya. Sudah tentu, penduduk Palm Jumeirah sedang menikmati waktu bersantainya bersama keluarga setelah seharian penat beraktivitas. Aku hanya menikmati sekelebat saja suasana itu karena aku sedang berlomba dengan gelap demi menuju ke penginapan yang jaraknya tak kurang dari dua puluh kilometer.

    Tepat pukul enam sore….

    Aku tiba di Al Ittihad Park Station. Walaupun di Nakheel Mall terdapat stasiun monorail, tetapi aku tidak bisa menaikinya dari sana, karena pada siang sebelumnya aku membeli kartu akses monorail seharga 15 Dirham untuk berangkat pergi dan pulang dari Al Ittihad Station.

    Aku tak terlalu khawatir karena monorail datang tepat waktu dan sewaktu kemudian aku telah berjejal di salah satu gerbongnya dengan penumpang lain yang mayoritas baru saja usai berwisata di ujung pulau, apalagi kalau bukan dari Aquaventure.

    Dalam sepuluh menit aku tiba kembali di The Palm Gateway Station yang terintegrasi dengan Lantai 3 Palm Jumeira Gateway Towers, sebuah apartemen di pangkal pulau reklamasi Palm Jumeirah.

    Kembali menyeberangi King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street melalui Palm Jumeirah Monorail Footbridge, aku dengan cepat berusaha mencapai Palm Jumeirah Station yang menjadi akses Dubai Tram terdekat untuk kugapai.

    King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street.

    Memasuki stasiun dengan akses Nol Card yang kumiliki, aku pun berdiri menunggu kedatangan tram. Tak sampai lima menit, tram itu pun tiba dan aku segera masuk ke gerbong tengahnya, kembali berjejal dengan penduduk setempat.

    Tram meluncur ke arah selatan, sasaranku kemudian adalah Dubai Marina Station yang merupakan stasiun tram yang terintegrasi dengan jalur Dubai Metro. Titik integrasi itu terletak DAMAC Properties Station.

    Hampir pukul tujuh malam….

    Dengan biaya perjalanan sebesar 3 Dirham, akhirnya tiba juga diriku di Dubai Marina Station untuk kemudian naik melalui skywalk yang akan mengarahkanku menuju DAMAC Properties Station. Tak terasa aku telah tiba di jaringan Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) kota Dubai kembali.

    Di DAMAC Properties, sembari menunggu kedatangan kereta, mataku terus menatap sebuah sisi platform yang ditandai dengan signboard emas bertajuk “GOLD CLASS”, itulah kelas utama dengan tarif lebih mahal yang difasilitasi oleh Dubai Metro bagi penumpang berdompet tebal.

    Kereta tiba, karena keisenganku yang ingin melihat kondisi gerbong GOLD CLASS maka aku memasuki gerbong tersebut, menyusuri jengkal demi jengkal GOLD CLASS, merasakan kemewahannya dan kemudian bergegas keluar di sambungan gerbong untuk menuju ke gerbong reguler….Aku tak bisa menahan senyum atas kejahilanku sendiri itu.

    DAMAC Properties Station….Di ujung sana itu adalah akses masuk ke gerbong GOLD CLASS.

    Selanjutnya aku mengikuti arus Dubai Metro Green Line untuk kemudian bertukar ke Red Line di UNION Station. Dari stasiun tersebut aku dengan cepat mendapatkan kereta menuju ke Baniyas Square Station, sebuah stasiun yang memamerkan deretan sister citynya kota Dubai. Setelah kusebutkan lima diantaranya di beberapa artikel sebelumnya, maka kini akan kutambahkan lagi lima sister city berikutnya yang dimiliki Kota Dubai yaitu Casablanca (Maroko), Busan (Korea), Barcelona (Spanyol), Geneva (Swiss) dan Gold Coast (Australia).

    Pukul setengah delapan malam….

    Dengan biaya Dubai Metro sebesar 4,5 Dirham, aku tiba di Baniyas Square Station dan kemudian aku keluar menuju permukaan tanah. Benar saja seperti dugaanku….Suasana telah berganti gelap. Malam telah tiba di Dubai. Tetapi aku tak perlu khawatir, penginapanku tidak jauh lagi, hanya berkisar satu kilometer lagi.

    Mengabadikan suasana malam Baniyas Square sejenak dengan kamera maka untuk kemudian aku melanjutkan berjalan kaki melalui Al Musalla Street. Suasana jalanan sangat ramai dan macet, pertokoan masih bergeliat dengan transaksi mereka masing-masing. Mungkin malam itu adalah keramaian paling padat yang pernah aku rasakan selama berada di Dubai.

    Tiba juga di Baniyas Square Station.
    Suasana di Baniyas Square saat malam.
    Suasana Al Musalla Street di malam hari.
    Macetnya Al Musalla Street.

    Aku berbelok menuju Naif Street di Naif Park untuk kemudian melangkah menuju kedai khas India langgananku selama menginap di Distrik Deira. Adalah New Golden Star Restaurant dengan pemiliknya yang sering kupanggil dengan sebutan Uncle Neval yang berkarakter ramah nan murah hati.

    Aku mencicipi dual lembar Paratha beserta sepotong chicken fry andalan kedai itu. Uncle Neval selalu menawariku untuk menambah Paratha jika merasa kurang.

    “My dinner portion isn’t much, Uncle” , jawabku sekenanya yang membuat dia dan pelayannya terkekeh demi mendengarkan jawabanku itu.

    Pukul setengah sembilan…..

    Aku telah menyelesaikan segenap aktivitasku hari itu. Segenap badanku terasa lengket dengan sisa keringat sesiangan. Aku berpamitan kepada Uncle Neval untuk kembali ke penginapan sembari berjanji bahwa esok pagi aku akan bersarapan di kedainya kembali.

    Usai menikmati tegukan terakhir dari cangkir Chai yang tersaji, maka aku membayar segenap pesananku seharga 7 Dirham.

    Bersama Uncle. Neval di New Golden Star Restaurant.
    Tiba si Zain East Hotel.

    Aku memutuskan kembali ke Zain East Hotel untuk beristirahat.

    Sampai bertemu lagi esok hari….

    Kisah Selanjutnya—->

  • One Hundred and Twenty Thousand Won at Busan Immigration

    All Air Busan BX 123 passengers were already standing in cabin aisle to prepare to get off the plane. After one of flight attendants coordinated with ground staffs, finally an aerobridge perfectly sticked in the fuselage and the door was safe to open. Not long , then I followed the lead of passenger line to get out of the cabin.

    Throughout the aerobridge, my worries weren’t as bad as when I entered Narita International Airport a few days ago. “I’ve been to entering Japan several days ago, It isn’t possible if I can’t enter Korea,” I thought to calm myself. I continued to steadily walk through corridor after corridor at arrival hall of Gimhae International Airport Terminal 1. Continued following signboards to immigration counter. After finding it, I immediately stucked to back end of one of the queue lines. I still look relaxed and full of smiles. And didn’t think that the drama had just started

    I took the leftmost queue, tourists from China seemed to dominate in front. They looked very smooth going through immigration staff. “Looks like this will be easy”, I finally came to a conclusion. I was now at the head of queue, waiting for a female Chinese tourist to finish her process at counter. The bespectacled male officer quickly approved one by one Chinese tourists from earlier.

    “Neexxxttt”….He called out with his eyes still staring at computer screen

    Immigration Officer : “Have you been to South Korea before?”

    Me : “Not yet Sir, this is the first time”

    Immigration : “Where did you visit before South Korea?”

    Me : “Malaysia, Taiwan and Japan, Sir”

    He started suspiciously watching me.

    Immigration : “Which other countries have you visited?”, he handed me a paper and pen for me to write

    I started writing one by one until I copied eleven names of countries I had been to.

    But his reaction was so unexpected, he just shook his head. I didn’t lose the initiative when he behaved like that. From inside my backpack, I took out my old passport which had one of its covers cut off, “You can check it out here, Sir”.

    Immigration: “I don’t need this”, he pushed my old passport with his index finger at me as a sign he didn’t want to see it

    Damn…..“Dag dig dug”, my heart started beating above its usual rhythm.

    Immigration : ”Please take out your wallet!”

    That short snapping made me automatically crouch with my hands rummaging through all contents of my backpack with an added panic. I got my wallet in a few moments, indeed I put my wallet in the innermost part to be safe.

    I started to stand up and handed over my worn out wallet….Hmmhhh, a wallet with peeling leather upholstery on some ends. Made me helpless. The immigration officer began to open my wallet and counted each sheet in it. He shook his head when he only found 120,000 Won notes.

    He started to stand up and walked out of immigration counter box and started to close the queue with a standing barrier and hung the words “CLOSE” in the middle. All tourists who queued behind me were asked by him to move to a counter next to him. Every tourist regularly moved while sadly looking at my misfortune, some looked astonished and curious.

    “Wow,” my voice began to wry.

    The immigration officer immediately stepped back into the counter and put my wallet in front of him. He started to stare at me intently.

    Immigration : “Do you bring an ATM?”

    Me: “No, Sir”…. My mind refuted, “Isn’t it that I already have a Visa, why bother?”

    Immigration : “Credit Card?”

    Me: “No, Sir”….My mind was muttering again, “Isn’t it important that I have enough money to travel in Korea?”

    Immigration : “ID Card?”

    Me: “No, Sir”….I thought back to fight, “Isn’t the ID Card for tourists a passport?”

    Immigration : Browsing firmly with red face, “Aiissshhhh….No ATM….No Credit Card….No ID Card….You only have a small amount of money…. You can’t stay in Korea”

    “Ouch, Deportation”, I thought to myself instantly.

    Immigration : “What do you do in your country?”

    Me: “Marketing”

    Immigration : “Show your business card!”

    Me: “I don’t bring it, Sir”

    Immigration : ” Aiissshhhh …”

    He started rubbing his forehead and eyes, not believing he had met a tourist like me. Now he had closed my passport. He stood back up and called his friend. Quickly his friend came over and started talking seriously leaving me on the verge of being deported.

    I didn’t know what they’re talking about, it was definitely about me. I noticed he kept shaking his head and his friends occasionally looked at me like a suspect….Aahhh, this situation was really uncomfortable and made me nervous. But I tried my best to put on a calm face. I even prepared to clarify before he decided anything.

    OK, he had finished his dialogue with his friend and sat back at the immigration counter. Before he uttered a word, I began to make a final plea. No matter what the result….

    Me : “ I have a return ticket, Air Asia 5th January, from Incheon to Jakarta. I will stay at Kimchee Guesthouse Busan and Kimchee Guesthouse Seoul….these are my itinerary and my budgeting during in Korea.”

    The immigration officer was angry and put a finger to his mouth… “Shhhhhhh”, a sign he was asking me not to babble too much in front of him. But the good thing was that he was willing to read my itinerary and budgeting sheet.

    Me : ”Please Sir, I am just a backpacker…..just for sightseeing Korea this time….No more….Please…..I will go home….Believe me!”, I begged begging.

    The immigration officer looked back at me, this time he really looked me in the eye, maybe he was testing my honesty. He seemed to be starting to feel pity. He started flipping through each page of my new passport and my old passport which a second ago he pulled from in front of me.

    Immigration : ”OK, You can….You can….But promise me to return to your country!…. Or you’re in big trouble”

    Knock….The arrival stamp was clearly affixed on my passport….Oh, what a beautiful moment that was.

    I was very relieved

    This was a valuable lesson that in the future I would become a backpacker who was more detailed and prepared things very well. After that incident, I always carried a business card, ID card, credit card (even though its limit was small) and an ATM (even though the values were minimal) every time I traveled to another country.

    Thanks to good preparation, I was greatly helped by the existence of that cards when facing similar random checking at Woodlands Checkpoint in Singapore seven months after this incident.

    The incident was over, I stepped out of immigration counter triumphantly.

    Welcome Busan, Welcome South Korea!

  • Palm Jumeirah: Isi Dompetku Tak Akan Cukup

    <—-Kisah Sebelumnya

    Palm Jumeirah dilihat dari ujung pulau terluar.

    Hampir setengah lima sore ketika aku berhasil keluar dari Nakheel Mall melalui pintu bagian belakang. Jika pengunjung mall paham, pintu itu bisa mengoneksikan pengunjung dengan jalanan menuju ke area residensial di Palm Jumeirah.

    Menuruni tangga, aku berhasil menginjakkan kaki di jalan utama sisi utara Nakheel Mall. Aku hanya perlu menyeberangi jalan utama itu untuk bisa mengeksplorasi salah satu kawasan residensial di sebuah area berbentuk daun palem di pulau reklamasi Palm Jumeirah.

    Perlu diketahui bahwa Palm Jumeirah merupakan pulau buatan terbesar di dunia yang dibangun di pesisir Laut Arab dengan bentuk pohon palem. Bentuk detailnya terdiri dari area berbentuk batang pohon palem dimana Al Ittihad Park dan Nakheel Mall yang sempat kukunjungi berada, sebuah area berwujud mahkota dengan 16 area berbentuk daun palem dimana kompleks-kompleks perumahan mewah di tempatkan,dan kemudian tiga pulau yang membentuk bulan sabit dibuat mengelilingi kesemua area pulau dimana hotel-hotel mewah didirikan. Luas keseluruhan Palm Jumeirah adalah tak kurang dari 800 kali luasan lapangan sepak bola standar internasional.

    Di tengah arus kendaraan yang melaju kencang, dengan penuh kehati-hatian, akhirnya aku tiba di seberang jalan utama. Urusan menyeberang jalan memang selalu menjadi perhatian serius bagiku setelah kejadian hampir tersambar mobil di Bandar Seri Begawan dan Phnom Penh beberapa tahun silam. Sejak itu, aku tak mau main-main ketika berada di jalanan negeri orang. Siapa yang akan menolongku jika sampai terjadi sesuatu di jalanan ketika sendirian berada di negeri orang.

    Di seberang jalan, aku berdiri tepat di depan Palm View East, sebuah apartemen lima lantai yang dibangun memanjang di tepian jalan utama dan sebuah kondominuim 17 lantai terletak di sisi barat apartemen tersebut, Marina Residence 4 adalah nama kondominiun itu.

    Aku berusaha mencari gang masuk menuju boat parking place yag berlokasi tepat di belakang apartemen Palm View East. Bukan…..Aku tidak bermaksud menaiki yacht-yacht mewah yang terparkir di dermaga, tentu aku tak memiliki anggaran untuk melakukan itu.

    Aku hanya perlu untuk mengintip salah satu daun pulau yang berisi deretan perumahan mewah milik penduduk Palm Jumeirah.

    Aku menemukan sebuah gang kecil beralaskan pavling block menuju ke dermaga. Tanpa ragu aku menyusuri gang itu hingga tepat berada di bibir perairan.

    Wooowwwww…..Woooowwww….Woooowww

    Kini aku dihadapkan pada sebuah pemandangan epik. Di sebelah kananku adalah sebuah dermaga dengan deretan kapal-kapal mewah, sedangkan di sisi kiriku adalah deretan perumahan-perumahan mewah berukuran besar memanjang mengikuti kontur area berbentuk daun dari Palm Jumeirah.

    Mungkin hanya inilah cara terbaik bagiku untuk mengintip deretan perumahan itu. Jika aku harus memasuki gerbang perumahan pastilah aku akam memiliki kemungkinan kecil untuk bisa menembus penjagaan pos security yang super ketat.

    Suasana jalanan utama di dekat Nakheel Mall.
    Apartemen Palm East View (kiri) dan Marina Residence 4 (kanan).
    Dermaga di belakang apartemen Palm East View.
    Deretan perumahan mewah di Frond A (area berbentuk daun pertama di Palm Jumeirah). Area ini berjuluk berjuluk Al Fardh.

    Usai puas memandangi perumahan mewah dan indah tersebut, aku kembali ke jalan utama. Aku berhenti sejenak, memandang penampakan mewah nan lamat di kejauhan. Di depan sana adalah area Palm Jumeirah yang berupa tiga pulau yang membentuk bulan sabit. Di sanalah jenis wisata mewah ditempatkan dan hotel-hotel kelas atas diisi oleh para wisatawan berduit.

    Ada dua cara menuju ke sana, yaitu melalui terowongan bawah laut jika menggunakan kendaraan roda empat atau menaiki monorail dan turun di Atlantis Aquaventure Station.

    “Tidak….Aku tidak akan  ke sana….Isi dompetku tak akan cukup”, aku membatin kecut sembari dengan berat hati harus mengucapkan selamat tinggal kepada Palm Jumeirah. Inilah waktu terakhirku mengeksplorasi Palm Jumeirah. Karena dalam waktu yang tak akan lama lagi, aku akan kembali menuju ke hotel.

    Gerbang di kejauhan itu adalah hotel bintang lima yang bernama Hotel Atlantis yang sekaligus menjadi gerbang taman rekreasi air terkenal di Dubai, Aquaventure.

    Sebentar lagi gelap, aku arus mengamankan diri dengan berdiam diri dan beristirahat di hotel.

    Kisah Selanjutnya—->