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  • Lion Air JT 715 dari Pontianak (PNK) ke Jakarta (CGK)

    Usai Shalat Subuh aku kembali merebahkan badan di kasur empuk G-Hotel Pontianak. Hari itu akan menjadi hari terakhirku di Pontianak. Sore hari sekitar pukul tiga sore aku akan terbang kembali ke Jakarta.

    Maka tepat jam dua belas, bersamaan dengan waktu check-out dari hotel, aku akan meluncur menuju Supadio International Airport.

    Dan kali ini jejak Koh Hendra belum selesai, karena dia akan mengantarkanku menuju bandara. Padahal aku sudah menolak halus usai dinner semalam. Tetapi Koh Hendra merasa gak enak sama adiknya yang merupakan pimpinanku di tempat kerja jika tak mengantarkanku pulang menuju bandara. Walhasil, aku pun menerima tawaran itu dengan senang hati, kan aku ga perlu pesan transportasi online menuju bandara….Lebih hemat kan tentunya.

    Usai berbasuh aku menyempatkan diri untuk bersarapan dengan Pengkang yang semalam terbeli di Pondok Pengkang. Dua potong Pengkang ternyata cukup menjadi pengganti menu sarapan yang sengaja tak kupesan sebagai komplemen kamar di hari terakhirku di Pontianak….Sedikit berhemat.

    Menjelang tengah hari aku telah selesai berkemas dan bersiap menuju bandara. Aku duduk di salah satu sofa lobby milik G-Hotel usai check-out dan tak berapa lama Koh Hendra menampakkan batang hidungnya di pintu lobby. Waktu pulang telah tiba….

    Dalam perjalanan, aku kembali menjadi pendengar yang baik atas cerita-cerita Koh Hendra. Dia bercerita mengenai asal nama Pengkang yang sebetulnya berasal dari kata “Panggang” yang kemudian warga keturunan tak begitu fasih mengucapkannya sehingga keluarlah nama “ Pengkang”.

    Selain itu, Koh Hendra bercerita tentang suka dukanya menjadi ketua paguyuban ojek online di Pontianak. Perjalanan menuju bandara itu juga diwarnai dengan adanya insiden kecelakaan yaitu jatuhnya sepeda motor di depan mobil yang dikemudiakan Koh Hendra. Beruntung kedua pengendaranya selamat. Hanya saja sedikit membuat kemacetan sesaat.

    Kurang dari jam satu siang aku tiba di bandara. Saatnya berpamitan dengan Koh Hendra. Memasuki departure hall, aku segera menuju konter check-in. Sempat menunggu beberapa saat hingga konter check-in dibuka, akhirnya aku mendapatkan boarding pass.  Setelahnya aku menyempatkan shalat jama’ sebelum menuju ke gate.

    Menjadi imam bagi beberapa petugas Aviation Security akhirnya aku menyelesaikan kewajiban shalat dan segera beranjak menuju gate.

    Aku akan dijadwalkan terbang dari Gate 3. Mengingat aku akan tiba di Jakarta sore hari maka kuputuskan untuk membeli beberapa makanan kemasan sebagai bekalku nanti pulang dari Soetta ke Kampung Rambutan.

    Satu jam lamanya aku menunggu, akhirnya waktu boarding pun tiba….

    Melalui aerobridge, aku menuju kabin dan mencari keberadaan bangku bernomor 33F sebagai tempatku duduk. Kali ini aku akan terbang Bersama Boeing 737-800 (twin jet). Pesawat akan menempuh perjalanan udara sejauh 732 Kilometer dan kecepatan rata-rata 650 km/jam. Perjalanan ini sendiri akan memakan waktu 1 jam 10 menit.

    Tak perlu menunggu waktu lama bagi JT 715 untuk airborne dan memasuku cruise phase. Cuaca pada pernerbangan kali ini berlangsung dalam kondisi yang sangat cerah dibandingkan dengan keberangkatanku beberapa hari lalu.

    Aku dan Koh Hendra.
    Bersiap take-off.
    Airborne di atas kota Pontianak.
    Indah banget kan?….
    Gugusan pulau di sepanjang penerbangan.
    Di atas awan.
    Bersiap landing di Soekarno Hatta International Airport.
    Thanks Lion Air.

    Dari udara aku bisa melihat dengan jelas gradasi menarik warna biru pantai Belitung. Juga bisa melihat dengan jelas Pulau Karimata dengan jernihnya.

    Perjalanan yang sedetikpun aku tak mampu memejamkan mata saking indahnya pemandangan akhirnya mengantarkanku mendarat dengan mulus di landas pacu Soekarno Hatta International Airport.

    Setibanya di bandara, aku segera berburu bus DAMRI demi menuju Terminal Kampung Rambutan.

    Akhirnya aku pulang.

    TAMAT

  • Public Bus from EDSA LRT Station to NAIA

    If you heed the existence of taxis, then leaving Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to downtown isn’t an easy matter. On the other hand, returning to NAIA from downtown turned out to be the same. I hope that the airport train at NAIA is immediately built.

    I asked a young man at a 7-Eleven minimarket, there was no bus and a Jeepney to NAIA, “Will be better if you use a taxi to the airport, Sir”, was his short answer. Likewise bus timers, “No…No…No”, he briefly answered without looking at my face at all, maybe they didn’t understand English or I didn’t know myself because I didn’t understand Tagalog.

    I saw two police officers in blue uniforms controlling traffic under the LRT line, not far from EDSA LRT Station. I hurried across Epifano de los Santos Avenue to facing the two of them.

    “Can you help me, Sir? I want to go to airport. Which bus should I take?” I asked as politely as possible, I didn’t want to cause any trouble at the end of my trip back home.

    “Use that bus, it will stop at that pole”, he pointed to a bus which a second ago drove in front of three of us. Then pointed to a pole near 7-Eleven minimarket where I had lunch earlier.

    “Thank you, Sir,” I happily said because I had just found my way home.

    15 minutes later, the bus came and without hesitation I boarded it after the conductor confirmed that he could drop me off at NAIA Terminal 1. A coincidence that made me happy, because I had to take my backpack first at Terminal 1 before leaving for Jakarta from Terminal 2.

    Getting in through its front door and out from back door.

    Paying the fare with 30 Peso, I headed to NAIA via streets of Manila. Didn’t imagine about how like to driving in Manila. Never mind, just likes Jakarta. Manila, which is the busiest city in Asia, had made the bus I was riding choked up along the road towards airport. “Luckily for me, I didn’t insist on going to Manila Baywalk. I can’t imagine, I might arrive when it’s dark at NAIA”, I thought with relief.

    Choking in a straight road, fulfilling the road, being stuck at every intersection, stopping at every red light made that afternoon so boring and exciting at the same time. Boring because of often experienced like it in Jakarta, exciting because I was getting the same thing in other country.

    Kept closer…..
    Honda Click, Yamaha Aerox, Suzuki Raider….Several motorcycle brands on the streets of Manila.

    The all-red bus which I was riding then replaced the boredom I experienced along the way by parking itself at a giant bus terminal. Titled as PITX, it acts as a transportation hub for every bus, jeepney and any public transportation which will go to south of Manila. This transportation integration building looks dashing and still looks new. Understandably, just two years i operation.

    Paranaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX).
    Getting closer to NAIA….Almost arrived.

    The clock almost pointed to number fifteen, I arrived at NAIA Terminal 1, bus conductor dropped me off right at a small bus stop where I left NAIA that morning. My face couldn’t hide the joy because Jakarta seemed to be in my eyes. Twenty-one days wasn’t a short time to leaving home to foreign places which separated by wide ocean.

    I took a backpack and went home.

  • Menikmati Udang Gala di Pondok Pengkang

    Usai menunaikan Shalat Ashar, aku menunggu kedatangan Koh Hendra di serambi Masjid Raya Mujahidin. Dia sudah menelponku sejak sebelum Ashar dan memintaku menunggu di masjid hingga dia datang.

    Dalam menunggu, aku selalu celingukan ketika melihat mobil memasuki area parkir, selalu berfikir Koh Hendra telah tiba, padahal aku sendiri belum tahu jenis mobilnya….Ada-ada saja.

    Hampir setengah jam menunggu. Akhirnya panggilan telepon dari Koh Hendra tiba.

    “Assalamu’alaikum, aku di parkiran masjid sebelah barat, Bang. Bisa jalan ke arah sini engga?”, Koh Hendra menegaskan posisinya.

    “Baik, saya ke sana, Koh”, tak berselang lama aku pun bersua dengannya.

    Perkenalan singkat terjadi di belakang kemudi Avanza berkelir biru muda. Dari perkenalan itu aku baru tahu bahwa Koh Hendra berasal dari keluarga multi agama yang rukun.

    Aku akan menempuh perjalanan menuju daerah Peniti di Kecamatan Siantan yang berjarak hampir empat puluh kilometer di utara Kota Pontianak.

    Sebetulnya aku sudah pernah melewati daerah Peniti, yaitu saat pergi menuju Singkawang beberapa hari lalu ketika pertama kali tiba di Pontianak. Jadi aku tak terlalu asing dengan suasana jalan menuju ke sana.

    Perjalanan itu berlangsung dalam suasana yang sangat akrab walaupun aku baru mengenal Koh Hendra. Aku lebih banyak mendengarkan cerita serunya ketika di berda’ wah hingga ke dalam pelosok Kalimantan Barat.

    Tak terasa perjalanan satu jam dua puluh menit yang kutempuh telah mengantarkanku di halaman depan Pondok Pengkang.

    Masuk ke dalam restoran, rasa budaya yang kental tersirat dalam interior rumah makan yang menggunakan tiang-tiang besar dengan ukiran khas Kalimantan. Sedangkan deretan meja makan dengan enam kursi berwarna hijau di setiap mejanya juga memilik ukiran kayu yang otentik. Aku dan Koh Hendra kemudian memutuskan duduk di salah satu meja di pojok selatan ruangan.

    Begitu tiba, tampak beberapa pekerja rumah makan mendatangi Koh Hendra dan interaksi pertama yang mereka lakukan adalah saling memeluk satu sama lain. Cukup kumaklumi karena area dimana Pondok Pengkang itu berdiri merupakan bagian dari kampung Koh Hendra semasa kecil. Jadi kebanyakan pekerja di restoran ini adalah teman semasa kecilnya, tak khayal pertemuan tak direncanakan itu menjadi reuni mini bagi mereka.

    Menghiraukan daftar menu di meja makan, Koh Hendra langsung saja menyebut sajian yang hendak kami santap, yaitu sebakul nasi putih, seporsi kepiting asam manis, sambal kepah (kerang), udang gala asam manis, cah kangkung dan dua gelas jeruk hangat.

    Aku faham, bahwa Koh Hendra tentu tahu menu andalan di restoran tersebut. Tentu aku hanya mengamini saja pesanan itu. Toh aku kan lagi ditraktir jadi aku menikmati saja sajian yang dipesan oleh Koh Hendra.

    Sepintas dari papan nama restoran disebutkan beberapa menu di dalamnya yaitu Pengkang, Sambal. Kepah, Sate Kepah dan Burung Punai. Dan Koh Hendra sempat bercerita dalam perjalanan bahwa resep resotoran ini selalu diwariskan dari generasi ke generasi berikutnya. Jadi sudah dipastikan resep dan rasanya sangat otentik.

    Begitu menu pesanan itu tersaji maka aku yang kelaparan, menyantap segenap menu dengan sangat lahap. Ternyata menu pilihan Koh Hendra memang memiliki cita rasa yang luar biasa.

    Halaman depan Pondok Pengkang.
    Yuk cari tempat duduk yang nyaman….!
    Udang Gala Asam Manis.
    Sambal Kepah (kerang).
    Membakar dua ribu jepit pengkang dalam sehari dengan arang batok kelapa
    Udang Gala yang merupakan hasil tangkapan nelayan di sekitar restoran.

    Tak perlu menunggu lama, sajian di atas meja itu pun ludes tak bersisa. Berhubung masih berada di pertengahan waktu Shalat Maghrib maka Koh Hendra berinisiatif mengajakku shalat berjama’ah dengan karyawan restoran di musholla yang terletak di sisi utara restoran.

    Sekembali dari musholla, aku tertarik dengan aktivitas di dapur Pondok Pengkang. Maka aku memohon izin untuk memotret beberapa gambar di dalam dapur untuk kusajikan dalam tulisan ini.

    Kembali duduk di meja maka,. Ternyata Koh Hendra sudah memesankanku beberapa jepit Pengkang yang ditaruhnya dalam plastik dan dia telah membayar semua hidangan yang kita santap tadi. Jika memperhatikan daftar menu di meja makan aku memperkirakan bahwa semua sajian yang dipesan berharga tak kurang dari Rp. 400.000….Wah menu mewah tentunya buat seorang backpacker sepertiku.

  • Hunting for souvenirs on Metro Point, Manila

    I still enjoyed nostalgia by enjoying a serving of Busog Meal Tuna Omelette in one of 7-Eleven outlets at Epiphanio de Los Santos Avenue side, packaging rice which became my daily food when visiting Manila four years ago. Cheap, only 32 Peso I could enjoy lunch amid the hustle and bustle of Manila.

    At later, I began to climb the nearest crossing bridge. Citizen steps so quickly passed the crossing bridge, most of them didn’t escape to pay attention to me who preferred to be stop in the middle of bridge and looked at road congestion of one of its fence.

    That afternoon I canceled myself to visiting Manila Baywalk, I didn’t dare to take the risk of stuck in traffic jam and left behind the plane to return to Jakarta. In an hour in the future I would only struggle around EDSA LTR station and immediately return to NAIA.

    My trip on four years ago didn’t bring souvenirs, on that time Manila became my first destination before heading to Hong Kong, Macao and Shenzen. Everywhere, people usually would look for souvenirs at the end of traveling. And now Manila was my final destination of my adventure, then I decided to looking for it.

    Busog Meal Tuna Omelette.
    The crossing bridge towards EDSA LRT station.
    Enjoying congestion in Manila.
    Metro point sightings from crossing bridge.

    Now my attention was fixed on a shopping centre which is right adjacent and directly connected to EDSA LRT station. I slightly stopped to watching the station, remembering when I was searched before entering that station four years ago because I was too focus in photographing each side thus raised suspicion of security. Manila was indeed a little tight in security of every important public access.

    I just passed the station gate and walked into the connector towards Metro Point. The shopping centre which isn’t large enough. What I remembered that it only consisted of five floors. On the second floor there is a row of stores which are neater than counters at downstairs. Downstairs is the floor which allows me to finding souvenirs. I couldn’t explore the top floor, because there was a large outlet guarded by Security. Maybe the third floor is used for businesses which are more private and targeting certain customers.

    Practically I just went around downstairs and looked for some souvenirs, fridge magnets and key chains which I would share for my friends in Jakarta.

    The situation at Metro Point.
    Time Zone.
    The tip of floor which looked quiet.

    It didn’t take long to spend every side of ground floor. Trading on ground floor was more similar to the same activity in Pasar Baru, Jakarta. Very crowded. After finding some souvenirs I finally decided to get out of shopping center and prepared to get back to NAIA and then flied to Jakarta.

    Crowded counters on ground floor.
    Ground floor.

    I thought that my time in Manila that time had become a nostalgic transit even though it only for three hours in the middle of the city’s busy life.

  • Rezeqi di Masjid Raya Mujahidin

    Sudah hampir tengah hari ketika aku selesai mengeksplorasi Kompleks Perkampungan Budaya di Jalan Sultan Syahrir. Aku pun memutuskan untuk undur diri demi menuju ke destinasi berikutnya.

    Aku kembali berjalan kaki menelusuri Jalan Sultan Syahrir dan berlanjut ke Jalan Sultan Abdurrahman.

    Karena terpapar lapar maka di sepanjang jalan aku mencari keberadaan rumah makan. Hingga akhirnya aku menemukan rumah makan Padang di sisi jalan Sultan Abdurrahman, “Rumah Makan Mandala” namanya.

    “Cumi, Da. Makan sini ! ”, aku memesan sebuah menu ke pemilik rumah makan yang tampak asli berperawakan Minang. Seporsi nasi cumi itu kutebus dengan harga Rp. 27.000 bersamaan dengan tambahan segelas es jeruk.

    Aku memang tak berlama-lama bersantap siang, mengantisipasi langit yang semakin gelap. Melangkah sebetar daru rumah makan, aku mulai keluar dari jalan utama dan memasuki Jalan Mohammad Sohor yang kedua ruasnya dipisahkan oleh parit.

    Berjalan keluar dari jalan utama sejauh lebih dari setengah kilometer aku berganti arah di Jalan H. Siradj. Aku mulai memasuki jalur perkampungan dan menyasar Masjid Raya Mujahidn dari sisi belakang.

    Taman Akcaya di Jalan Sultan Syahrir.
    Ujung Jalan H. Siradj.

    Genap berjalan kaki selama setengah jam dan menempuh jarak hampir 2,5 kilometer untuk kemudian aku tiba di Masjid Raya Mujahidin sisi selatan.

    Usai mengambil beberapa foto masjid dari beberapa sudut pandang di halamannya, aku memutuskan untuk menunaikan Shalat Dzuhur yang sudah terlambat.

    Selesai bersuci di bangunan yang terpisah dari bangunan utama masjid, aku segera memasuki ruangan utama masjid di lantai dua. Masu untuk pertama kalinya, aku terkesima dengan desain interior masjid yang super megah.

    Nama “Mujahidin” tak lain untuk menghargai perjuangan rakyat Pontianak dalam perjuangan kemerdekaan serta perjuangan syiar agama Islam di kota itu. Masjid berusia hampir setengah abad itu tentu menjadi kebanggan masyarakat Pontianak karena kemegahan dan kemakmurannya.

    Menempati lahan seluas 4 hektar, masjid ini mampu menampung hingga 9.000 jama’ah di dalamnya. Dipergagah dengan keberadaan 4 menara kembar di setiap sisinya dan disetiap ornament masjid mengandalkan mozaik khas Kalimantan.

    Masjid Raya Mujahidin.
    Ruangan utama di lantai 2.
    Ruangan utama di lantai 2.

    Adalah empat bangunan terkenal yang mengilmahi arsitektur masjid ini, yaitu Masjid Cordoba dan Istana Alhambra di Spanyol serta Masjidil Haram dan Masjid Nabawi di Arab Saudi.

    Purna menunaikan shalat tetiba gawai pintarku mengantarkan sebuah pesan. Ternyata pesan singkat itu berasal dari salah satu pimpinanku di kantor yang asli Pontianak. Dengan kebaikannya, dia menawarkan aku berwisata kuliner ke Pondok Pengkang di daerah Peniti, Kecamatan Siantan.

    Sebetulnya aku menolak dengan halus permintaan itu, tetapi memang dia memberikan saran “ Belum ke Pontianak kalau kamu belum berwisata kulier ke Pondok Pengkang, Donny. Jangan khawatir, kamu tunggu saja di masjid, nanti abangku akan menjemput dan mengantarkanmu ke sana, Namanya Koh Hendra”, begitu ucapnya.

    Apa boleh buat, tentu ini menjadi sebuah rezeqi yang tak boleh ditolak. Maka aku segera menghentikan eksplorasiku di Masjid Raya Mujahidin dan mengambil duduk di salah satu sisi terasnya demi menunggu kehadiran Koh Hendra yang akan datang menjemputku

  • Public Transportation from NAIA to Downtown Manila

    Like in my first visitation to Manila on 2016, this time my transit visitation would go to the same first place, EDSA LRT Station.

    For some reason, EDSA LRT Station was always the first place I pointed to when looking at the city’s transportation map. As if that place is the easiest way to reach from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). Then from the station, I can go wherever I want to explore Manila.

    EDSA stands for Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, the name of street which passes under the station. While Epifano de los Santos is the name of a famous Filipino historian and journalist.

    Alright…Let’s went to EDSA LRT Station and got to know it better.

    Outside the terminal building, a white uniformed security guard with high-powered firearms called out to me. They apparently noticed that I was hesitant to choose a direction. As I recall, to ride a Jeepney to downtown, I had to turn left from terminal exit gate liked during my 2016 visitation to Manila. Or maybe I got off at a different terminal.

    Security : “Hello Sir, come here, please!”, he said with a firm and fierce expression.

    Me: “Yes, Sir”, I approached slowly, rather than causing a bigger problem.

    Security : “Show your passport to me!”, he sharply looked at me.

    Me: “This”, I handed it over firmly and boldly.

    Security : “Where do you go in Manila?”, he asked while handing me my passport

    Me : “Can you show me, Where should I stop a bus or a jeepney to Manila Baywalk?”.

    Security : “It will be better if you go to EDSA station, then you can go to Manila Baywalk from there”, he pointed to a street to the right of terminal building.

    Me: “Thanks, Sir”

    Security : “In Manila, if you don’t know Tagalog language, It will be better if you ask to the bus driver about their destination”

    Me: “Oh okay I see”.

    I exited the NAIA Terminal 1 building.
    It was at this small bus stop which I waited for the city bus to go to EDSA LRT Station.

    I kept watching every city bus which passed, I kept looking for EDSA writing on every bus windshield. Fifteen minutes without finding it, I ventured to start asking every bus which stopped to picking up passengers.

    Me: “EDSA Station, sir?”.

    Conductor : “No No No”,

    The question and answer kept repeating until some city buses didn’t care about me because I wasn’t the passenger. Until finally, a cream colored bus with a combination of blue arrived with the nameplates for Boni, Ortigas, Cubao and finally EDSA hanging in a row down on its windshield. It seemed that those were the names of LRT/MRT stations which the bus passed through.

    Me: “EDSA?”

    Conductor: “Come in!”

    I entered the bus and sat in the middle seat on the right. On the dashboard above was clearly written Jayross Lucky Seven, the name of bus company. Fairly comfortable city bus, air-conditioned and LCD TV at the front. Shortly after sitting down, liked most buses in Indonesia, the conductor approached me and charged me 30 Peso.

    Finally found a bus to EDSA LRT Station.
    Sat and got ready to enjoying the streets of Manila.

    Ah, I would be skipping the Jeepney trip this time. “It’s okay, I’ll take a Jeepney to NAIA when I get back later,” my mind won over. But somehow, I suddenly got up from my seat when the conductor shouted “EDSA….EDSA….EDSA”. I received information that I had arrived and I had to get off, the conductor certainly didn’t know the destination of the passengers one by one, so he let me walked down from front door.

    The bus left me. There was no sign of the existence of LRT line which was clearly memorized in my memory from my first visitation. “It’s not here yet,” I thought with a wry smile, until a Jeepney approached. “EDSA?” I shouted at the driver. “Come on!”, he simply answered. I went up through back door. I didn’t know street’s number of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue when got on to Jeepney. Finally, I got to ride again the most popular mode of transportation among Filipino people. Now I paid less because the distance was close to destination, only 10 Peso. Five minutes later I arrived at EDSA LRT Station.

    Riding the Jeepney again.
    Jeepney interior, looks like an angkot (public tranportation in Jakarta), right?
    Where the Jeepney stops and departs.

    I was just amazed by tbusy activities of Manila citizens that afternoon. Similar to streets around Pasar Senen, Jakarta. For a long time I stood in an open stall  which selling fresh fruit. Paying attention to traffic jams, Jeepneys which the middle and lower class people were scrambling for and LRT Line 1 going back and forth above my head.

    Ah, the beautiful and short transit time I have and enjoyed……

    This was the EDSA LRT Station….What did it look like? Good or usual?

  • Lambang Persatuan di Sepanjang Rumah Radakng

    Usai mengunjungi Rumah Adat Melayu, aku bergegas menuju pelataran sebelah barat. Di pelataran itu terdapat satu lagi rumah adat yang nampaknya lebih ramai dikunjungi oleh wisatawan dan masyarakat lokal terutama para pelajar.

    Adalah Rumah Radakng yang merupakan rumah adat terpanjang di Indonesia. Panjangnya mencapai hampir 140 meter. Rumah Radakng ini dibangun untuk mengembangkan sekaligus melestarikan adat istiadat Suku Dayak di Kalimantan Barat.

    Boleh dikatakan Rumah Radakng adalah landmark kedua Kota Pontianak setelah Tugu Khatulistiwa yang terletak di daerah Batu Layang.

    Pemandangan di Rumah Radakng siang itu tampak didominasi oleh kehadiran para pelajar Sekolah Menengah Atas yang entah sedang mengerjakan tugas apa dari sekolahnya karena banyak diantara mereka duduk berkelompok dan sedang berdiskusi.

    Di sisi lan tampak para wisatawan begitu ceria ketika mengenakan baju adat Dayak dan berpose di beberapa titik untuk diambil foto oleh sesama temannya.

    Ketika aku menjadi begitu penasaran untuk mengetaui bagian dalam Rumah Radakng, maka aku mendapatkan kesempatan melongok ketika bercakap dengan tiga pria yang sedang mengeluarkan beberapa pot bunga dan meja dari dalam rumah. Tampaknya mereka sedang membereskan peralatan yang digunakan pasca event tertentu yang berlangsung di dalam Rumah Radakng.

    “Tak ada apa-apa, Bang di dalam, hanya ruangan kosong saja mirip hall”, begitu dia menjelaskan dengan singkat kepadaku. Aku pun menyempatkan diri melongok sebentar untuk menghapus rasa penasaran. Ketiga pria itu pun tertawa memperhatikan tingkahku yang tak percaya dengan apa yang mereka katakan.

    Ruangan itu memang hanya berebentuk ruangan kosong memanjang. Adapun filosofi asli dari bentuk Rumah Radakng adalah apabila ada seorang anak yang sudah berumah tangga maka dia akan tinggal di ruangan berbeda dari orang tuanya dan dia akan dibuatkan ruangan yang bersambung dari rumah orang tuanya, begitu seterusnya hingga menyebabkan Rumah Radakng akan semakin panjang dengan kehadiran keluarga-keluarga baru karena ikatan pernikahan. Konon rumah sepanjang 138 meter ini bisa digunakan oleh 30 keluarga….Wah banyak juga ya.

    Aku begitu gugup ketika harus menaiki tangga utama yang terbuat dari segelondong kayu utuh hanya dengan pegangan besi tunggal memanjang dari bawah ke atas di sepanjang tangga. Harus ekstra hati-hati menitinya karena kemungkinan jatuh bisa saja terjadi apabila aku lengah.

    Gerbang masuk Rumah Radakng.
    Tampak belakang.
    Sculpture burung Enggang di halaman depan.
    Bagian atas Rumah Radakng.
    Rumah Adat Melayu terlihat dari atas Rumah Radakng.

    Sedangkan sculpture enam Burung Enggang menjadi ikon utama di halaman depan Rumah Radakng. Burung Enggang sendiri adalah burung yang dikeramatkan oleh Suku Dayak. Burung yang memiliki sebutan lain Burung Rangkong ini adalah lambang perdamaian dan persatuan bagi Suku Dayak. Suku Dayak menganggapnya sebagai panglima dari segala macam burung sehingga tak pelak burung ini bisa ditemukan di setiap sendi kehidupan masyarakat Dayak seperti pada patung, ukiran, pakaian, lukisan, interior rumah, monumen dan makam-makam suku Dayak.

    Tentu mengunjungi Kompleks Perkampungan Budaya yang luasnya lebih dari empat hektar dengan cuaca kota yang panas bisa membuat kita kehausan. Tetapi tentu tak perlu khawatir karena tersedia  kedai minuman yang terletak di kolong Rumah Radakng ini.

    Jadi sehabis berkeliling kamu bisa menikmati minuman dingin di kedai tersebut.

  • Wrong Date at Ninoy Aquino International Airport

    Serving 47 million passengers every year.

    Philippine Airlines flight number PR 685 smoothly landed on one of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA)’s runways. This large-bodied aircraft gallantly taxied to the apron at Terminal 1. This plane should have landed at Terminal 2, because it was in the process of being renovated, the terminal was diverted. Terminal 1 itself is the mainhub of Cebu Pacific airline, while the mainhub of Philippine Airlines is in Terminal 2.

    This wasn’t my first landing in Philippines because I had visited this country four years ago. Now I have landed at NAIA again, not for a visitation but only for transit before actually arriving in Jakarta. And this is Donny who didn’t want his transit only used to staying at the airport….Yes, I would go to downtown within 7 hours of the transit time.

    The name Ninoy Aquino International Airport itself is dedicated to Ninoy Aquino Jr who was killed in Terminal 1 after returning from exile in United States on 1983.

    The atmosphere of Christmas celebrations still felt at conveyor belt area.
    Tourist Information Center.
    Arrival Hall.

    PR 685 slowly passed through the hangar belonging to Lufthansa Technik Philippines, Inc. which is an aircraft maintenance service company at this airport, then passed a row of yellow airlines “Cebu Pacific” which is the Low Cost Carrier (LCC) of the pride of Duterte’s country, through Terminal 2 Domestic Departure and finally stopped at Terminal 1.

    The beautiful Philippine Airlines staff carried a small sign that said “transfer” and stood in the middle of corridor to collect passengers who would continue their flight to their next destination. They would be taken by Airport Shuttle Transfer Service to Terminal 2. I who stated that I wanted to go to downtown during transit was given a piece of paper which must be filled out and would be attached with a ticket to Jakarta to be submitted to immigration counter.

    Immigration Staff : “Where will you go in transit time?”.

    Me : “Manila Baywalk, S”

    Immigration Staff : “What for?”

    Me : “Just sightseeing, Sir”.

    A brief conversation at immigration counter which got me through with Philippines immigration stamp on my green passport. I had to ask an Aviation Security officer to find a luggage storage location to put my backpack to make my steps easier to get to downtown. I handed over 20 Peso to Baggage Assistance Counter and they put my backpack on its shelf.

    Hunting Peso in money changer.
    Baggage Assistance Counter.
    Luggage storage racks belonging to Orbit Air Systems (The ground handling company at NAIA).

    Passing the exit gate, I headed to a counter belonging to PLTD Enterprise which offered free SIM cards with “Smart 5G” brand for travelers. I politely declined the data package they offered because I only needed GPS service from this prepaid SIM card.

    Departure

    After finishing a short tour of the city, I was dropped off by city bus driver at Terminal 1. Saving time, I headed to luggage storage area and grabbed my backpack. Then go to Airport Shuttle Transfer Service waiting room to moving to Terminal 2, the terminal where I would fly to Jakarta.

    Terminal 2 itself was completed in 1998 and was nicknamed Centennial Terminal because its completion coincided with the centennial anniversary of Philippines’ declaration of independence from Spanish colonial rule. This terminal was originally designed by Aéroports de Paris.

    In front of Terminal 2, I was dropped off. Many location points were covered by project boards, indicating that this terminal was being renovated. The remaining pesos which failed to be exchanged at Terminal 1 money changer on reason that money which I exchanged was in small denominations, was finally able to be exchanged at a money changer outside Terminal 2 building. Now Peso has turned into US Dollars.

    A little incident happened at immigration counter, an immigration officer of Spanish descent was a little confused and asked other immigration staff. It turned out that the date stamped on my passport when I entered Manila this morning was still tomorrow’s date.

    ArDirections to Airport Shuttle Transfer Service Terminal 1.
    Airport Shuttle Transfer Service @Terminal 1.
    Drop off zone in Terminal 2.

    Immigration Staff : “When do you entering Manila? “.

    Me: “Last morning, Sir”.

    Immigration Staff : “Why don’t you check the date?”

    Me: “What’s wrong, Sir”.

    Immigration Staff : “The date in your free visa is tomorrow”.

    Me: “Oh I’m sorry, I don’t aware about it”

    Immigration Staff : “Can you show your arrival and departure boarding pass?”

    Me: “These are, sir”

    Immigration Staff : “Okay, It’s no problem. You can go”.

    Finally I was allowed to leaving Manila and preparing to return to my hometown. I felt very calm, having arrived three hours before boarding time. But for hours sitting in the waiting room, I didn’t immediately find my flight number PR 535 on the LCD information screen. I ventured into the Mabuhay Lounge to inquire about the official schedule of my flight to a Philippine Airlines staff on duty at reception lounge. She said that my flight had a delay which couldn’t be announced until when, but I was shown the gate number where I had to wait which was Gate 11.

    I just sat at Gate 11 for a while, when I heard an announcement that the flight was postponed until 23:00 hours due to flight traffic disruptions as a effect of the eruption of Mount Taal in Tagaytay area.

    Check-in counter.
    Departure Hall.
    Laptop station.
    Mabuhay Lounge.
    Waiting room in front of Gate 11.

    Exactly at 23:00 hours, I started boarding and left many impressions at Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Thank you NAIA, see you later.

  • Tukang Foto Keluarga di Rumah Adat Melayu

    UP2U Food Court.

    Aku baru saja usai menunaikan Shalat Maghrib di dalam kamar bernomor 319 milik G-Hotel Pontianak untuk kemudian waktu biologis makan malamku pun tiba tepat waktu….Aku kelaparan.

    Aku memutuskan untuk segera turun ke lobby dan mencari tempat makan terdekat dari hotel. Berjalan menuju timur akhirnya aku menemukan sebuah food court yang menyediakan banyak pilihan. Adalah UP2U Food Court yang menyediakan beberapa outlet kuliner di dalamnya, seperti MEAET, ToriFuru, Sumo Squid, Ayam Gepuk Djogja, Tarohouse dan lainnya.

    Tanpa pikir panjang, aku segera memasukinya dan segera berburu menu yang cocok dengan seleraku malam itu. Puas berkeliling, akhirnya aku memesan sate cumi dengan sambal terasi untuk kemudian kusantap di sebuah meja di pojok food court yang cenderung jauh dari kerumunan pengunjung.

    Dan di akhir cerita, makan malam itu aku tutup dengan membeli segelas jus mangga di sebuah kedai “Aroma Jus” yang berlokasi di samping timur hotel.

    —-****—-

    Pagi kembali tiba……

    Dari semalam aku sudah menetapkan rencana untuk mengunjungi Rumah Adat Melayu dan Rumah Radakng di daerah Sungai Bangkong yang berjarak hampir empat kilometer di sebelah barat G-Hotel Pontianak.

    Tak ada pilihan yang lebih baik tentunya selain memesan transportasi online menuju ke sana. Oleh karenanya sehabis sarapan di restoran hotel aku segera mengambil duduk di lobby untuk berburu trasnportasi online melalui aplikasi.

    Tak lama kemudian….transportasi online itu datang. Usai mengonfimasi tujuan aku segera naik dan meluncur ke tujuan.

    Tetapi memang dasar kebiasaanku yang lebih suka berjalan kaki, maka dalam perjalanan kali ini aku hanya memesan transportasi online ini hingga di Kantor Pertanahan Kota Pontianak. Dari kantor itu aku memutuskan untuk berjalan kaki ke tujuan akhir.

    Ternyata ideku tak berjalan mulus. Begitu aku turun, hujan gerimis datang. Beruntung aku menyimpan sebuah payung lipat di dalam folding bag sehingga perjalananku menuju tujuan akhir tak tertunda.

    Aku terus melangkah di sepanjang Jalan Sultan Abdurrahman dan berlanjut ke Jalan Sultan Syahrir. Ketika sebagian besar pengendara motor menghindari gerimis dan memilih berteduh justru aku berasyik ria berjalan kaki menggunakan payung yang kubawa dari rumah. Tak sedikit dari mereka yang akhirnya memperhatikan tingkah lakuku di sepanjang jalan yang sering berfoto selfi dan mengambil beberapa foto di spot kota yang menarik.

    Aku akan memulai eksplorasi kali ini dari Rumah Adat Melayu.

    Setelah berjalan sejauh satu setengah kilometer, aku tiba di Kompleks Perkampungan Budaya. Terdapat dua rumah adat di kompleks ini, yaitu Rumah Adat Melayu dan Rumah Radakng khas Suku Dayak.

    Dimulai dari bagian luar, tepatnya di sepanjang trotoar di depan rumah adat ini dihiasi dengan tiang-tiang lampu berbahan kayu penuh ukiran yang membuat suasana semakin kental dengan budaya Melayu. Pintu gerbangnya pun dibuat anggun dengan ukiran khas Melayu

    Bentuk rumah balai dalam adat Melayu melambangkan falsafah gotong royong dan kesetiakawanan sosial. Rumah Adat Melayu ini selain berfungsi sebagai tempat tujuan wisata, juga berfungsi sebagai pusat acara adat dan sebagai tempat musyawarah bagi Majelis Adat Budaya Melayu.

    Rumah adat berusia 17 tahun ini memiliki bentuk yang anggun dengan model rumah panggung dan memiliki atap Lipat Kajang dengan kemiringan yang curam. Berwarna dasar kuning khas Melayu yang melambangkan kejayaan.

    Sedangkan di halaman Rumah Adat Melayu tampak beberapa patung lelaki Melayu yang sedang mengeluarkan jurus dalam pencak silat yang merupakan kesenian bela diri khas Melayu. Tepat di depan rumah terdapat Meriam tunggal berukuran besar. Sedangkan tanaman-tanaman hias tampak membuat suasana semakin asri di halamannya.

    Aku menyempatkan diri mengelilingi rumah adat ini walaupun tidak bisa memasukinya karena tidak dibukanya akses masuk.

    Melintas di depan Pontianak Convention Centre.
    Bagian terluar dari Rumah Adat Melayu
    Tampak depan.
    Halaman berhiaskan meriam besar.
    Salah satu sculpture di Rumah Adat Melayu.

    Sebelum meninggalkan area Rumah Adat Melayu, aku bertemu dengan satu rombongan keluarga asal Bandung yang sedang kesusahan mengambil foto dengan tripod. Oleh karenanya , aku berinisiatif untuk membantu mengabadikan foto mereka di halaman utama Rumah Adat Melayu ini.

    Kiranya kunjungan ke Rumah Adat Melayu telah usai, saatnya bergeser ke sebelah barat. Terdapat satu lagi rumah adat di Kompleks Perkampungan Budaya ini.

  • Philippine Airlines PR 685 from Doha (DOH) to Manila (MNL)

    PR 685 flight path (source: https://www.radarbox.com).

    If you want to feel the sensation of riding the first commercial airline in Asia, then take Philippine Airlines, then you will automatically be honored to have boarded the oldest airline in the Asian continent. And Philippine Airlines became the 28th airline which I boarded throughout my journey as a backpacker.

    Starting with a small incident that was quite embarrassing. That afternoon, the area in front of check-in counter looked vacant, then after flight number PR 685 had the status “open”, I strolled through lane which was formed by boarder tape.

    And suddenly there was a loud voice….

    “Hi, please queue, Sir!” a ground staff reprimanded me who automatically braked my steps. He pointed to the queue of passengers from Philippines that started from a building pole. They all laughed at me and lowered my face in shame. Trying to smile but still unable to hide the frown on my face, I passed the passengers who were almost the entire queue laughing at me. Until finally, I was standing in the queue, far behind.

    Check-in counter.
    The 11th ticket in my year-end adventure.

    Leaving the check-in area and finishing my business at the immigration counter, my steps were halted for a moment.

    “Where are you from, Sir?”, I said in Indonesia language to two middle-aged men who had been holding a green passport with a picture of an eagle. “Oh, there are Indonesians here, brother,” said one of them to his friend. I just smiled to warm the situation.

    “Is you taking Qatar Airways flight too, right?”, the question that may wish that three of us could fly in one plane. “I stopped by in Manila, Sir, I take Philippine Airlines flight, my final destination is Jakarta. Where are you going? “, I briefly asked before parting. They seemed busy in putting their immigration document, passport and ticket into their bag. “We are from Surabaya, Sir”, his warm smile made me feel not far from home.

    According to them, they were on an assignment to Doha from their company. Whereas, I confidently replied that I had just finished backpacking alone in Middle East. “Wow, that’s great, Sir, traveling alone”, they said closing-sentence before we parted towards our respective gates.

    Then I went down the escalator and passed the duty free zone around the “Lamp Bear” mascot. Continued again by taking the escalator to take the skytrain to concourse D. Finding the gate I was referring to, then I sat down while munching remaining parathas for dinner while waiting for Philippine Airlines to pick up me.

    Exactly on 20:45 hours, I started boarding through aerobridge. I entered the plane from left cabin corridor. Once seated in 39K window seat, my dream of the grandeur of plane cabin that from the beginning when I was buying ticket finally disappeared. It turned out that this plane wasn’t equipped with LCD screens on each seat. You could imagine, this long flight of 7,277 km will definitely be boring. But finally I said okay to myself, “Just enjoying your flight with happiness, Donny”.

    Airbus 330-300.
    Wings which flaunt valor.
    Started to looking for a seat.
    Well here it is, my seat for 9 hours 35 minutes.

    I sat next to a big woman on the left, while at the end of the row, have sat a middle-aged man of opposite stature, tall and thin. Ninety percent of passengers were of course Filipino nationals. Because this was their country’s plane.

    I kept an eye on a stewardess with bob hair, purple lipstick and slender body. Who doubts the beauty of pinays, Philippines is indeed a producer of beautiful women in the world…. Hmhh.

    Befora demonstrating the flight safety procedures, flight attendants  distributed amenities in the form of blankets, towels, brushes and toothpaste. I started reading some of the safety procedures on this Airbus plane. Read the fight magazine and prepared for the second dinner after take-off.

    Thanks 12Go.
    Goodbye Hamad International Airport.
    Blanket for each passenger.
    Mabuhay….Inflight magazine owned by Philippine Airlines.

    “Sir, I have ordered the menu. My menu should be a Jain Meal, not Seafood Meal, Sir”, I asked to a flight attendant. “Dinner menu must be ordered 3 hours before flight, Have you ordered it?”, he answered. “Oh okay, Sir, It’s my wrong”, I replied.

    Dinner menu: rice and seafood.
    It turned out that my order of Jean Meal came out in the morning with coffee…Oh my God.
    Wasn’t it beautiful, the stretch of golden lines formed by Doha earth lamp? Look at the waters of Persian Gulf!.

    After all passengers finished with their respective dinners, the cabin crew started asking every passenger who sitting in the window seat to close the window. Ah, I didn’t listen to orders, instead I noticed the pretty face of flight attendant who I had admired since the beginning of this flight. I just realized the order when a flight attendant continuously smiled and pointed at my window while raising and lowering her index finger as a signal for me to close it immediately…. The incident made the passenger next to me laugh….Was I messed up, hahaha?.

    That night my flight was very smooth without turbulence. The pilot informed to all passengers that we was traveling in a plane at a speed of 800 km per hour. Extraordinary. That night I didn’t sleep well, and was anxiously waiting to arrive in Manila. On a time,  I didn’t know where I was next, but flight attendants went back around cabin corridor and asked every passenger in window seat to open the window again.

    This was a natural drama that I have experienced for first time. I closed the window in complete darkness and suddenly opened it in the bright light. Like a magic game in the sky, looked like that the sun seemed to appear sooner than normal.

    Good morning….I didn’t know where I was?.
    The mountain which stood out in the crowd of clouds….Amazing.

    The queue at each toilet were so long. With a stutter, I began to queue. I had to brush my teeth and wipe my face with warm water before landing. This was brushing teeth on an airplane for the first time in my life.

    Shortly after sitting back down, the pilot informed that the Philippines’ flag carrier would soon land at its main hub, Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). The airline with the logo of two blue and red sails symbolizing the nation’s flag and an eight-ray yellow sunburst would land at Terminal 1 as planned.

    Preparing to landing in Manila.

    The plane smoothly landed on the runway and then taxied with a quick view of the hustle and bustle of airport. I deserved to thank for the services of this 79 year old airline.

    Miss Cebu Pacific….Remember riding it four years ago..
    Thank you Philippine Airlines “The Heart of the Filipino”.

    Time to transited and exploring Manila in short time.

    Came on….. Traveling again!

    Alternatives for flight tickets from Doha to Manila can be found on 12Go or the following link: https://12go.asia/?z=3283832