Kimchi, hate it or like it?

 I am English learner, so pardon my poor English (I will happy to receive some advice to improve My English)

Korean drama is popular in Indonesia. Many people sell  DVD copy with cheap price with new  or old serial of Korean Drama. When we usually spend 2 month to watch Korean Drama on TV's until last episodes, with only 30.000 IDR we can watch our favourite serial drama, without time limitation.

By that drama, we can see that Korean people like Kimchi very much. They always have it at their dining tables, and store it at fridge . Some even only mix kimchi with rice and eat as nasi campur. And the red color of Kimchi, made me imagine  if Kimchi tastes so good.

When first time I taste Kimchi at Korean Restaurant, the taste is not as good as the color, far diffirent from my imagination. Something that taste rather good on my taste is the bulgogi. The other food  who mostly have red color, for me it taste  rather plain, but becoz of my taste is universal, I can still eat that.

But recently, becoz of my activity at work, I rarely cook and eat vegetables, I usually buy my food, and only eat chicken or meat or fish with very small portion of vegetables, and usually they cook it very well (I like my vegetables not well cooked, or even not cooked at all). So I have an idea to make Kimchi by myself. It is healthy food and can last a month on the fridge.

I google about the recipe, I follow Indonesian adopt version, and taraaaa.....I have one box Kimchi for one month stock. For me, the taste is better than korean version becoz I added many sugar on it, so it taste not too sour and rather sweet and  spicy becoz I didnt have korean chilli powder, I use Indonesian chilli powder.

My first homemade kimchi...look yummy

Then someday, I packed lunch with some Kimchi, and chicken teriyaki. I had my late lunch and becoz of that I ate my lunch on my desk not at office dining table on second floor. And the noise was started. Most of my friends said that the smell from my Kimchi was very bad. They can't stand of the smell....Hmmm, and I did not feel that at all...I just smell the usual fermentated food. 

So I never bring plain Kimchi to office again. I try to make food combine to reduce the fermentated smell that most people said that was bad.  I google about it, and find Kimchi soup recipe and fried rice Kimchi recipe. The soup on the picture looked so good, so I decide to make it as a test. And that work. The fermentated smell of Kimchi change with the beef meat smell and the bombay union smell. When I take to my packed lunch and warm the soup  at the kitchen stove....my friend said, what you cooked, it smell very good. Hehehehe,  they just dont know the contain of the sup, if they know may be the will vomit,lol.

One more thing I like about Kimchi is it had good effect to my body. After eat Kimchi, plain or as a soup, my body feel warm. Now if I m not feeling well, I always make Kimchi soup, and so far it help to reduce my sickness. Like yesterday, I ate Soup Buntut Merah at some resto, it taste sour and spicy, and fatty, and after eat  that I was not feeling well. My stomach feel rather hurted and I often burp like so many wind on my stomach. I can't eat well becoz its taste bitter on my mouth. So I went to my kitchen, made some Kimchi soup,  eat when it still hot and 10 minutes later...I feel better.

Trip to Guangzhou, Shanghai, Zhengzhou (part 2)

I am English learner, so pardon my poor English (I will happy to receive some advice to improve that condition)

Our trip to China was quite busy, Jakarta - Guangzhou-Zhengzhou-Hualan-Zhengzhou-Shanghai-Guangzhou-Jakarta, all only in 5 days. What amazing journey!!!Actually our destination was Hualan, a small town in the Zhengzhou province,and Shanghai. But no direct flight to Zhengzhou, so we use Guangzhou for transit airport.

Day 1.

Our flight depart at 9 am, it took about 4 hours to reach Guangzhou and about 2 pm we arrived at Guangzhou airport, the temperature was quite cold, its about 15 deg Celcius, so we use the equipment we prepare before, except gloves and winter cap. Guangzhou airport is very big and clean, and not too crowded . May be that airport was new or post renovated. I tried took some picture but an officer came to me and gave warning that took picture was not allowed. Hmmm, but why?

 Guangzhou Airport

The imigration check also had many post, may be more than ten. While waiting my turn, my friend who waited on the line next to me said ,"Look who was behind you",I turn around and saw Marcello Lippi behind me,also waiting his turn to imigration check. Whoa!!!I m not football fan, but since I always watch worldcup, I watched him on TV several time when he was Italian coacher. I also watched some Italian football player who divided on many line, waiting imigration check too, but I dont have  any idea who they were. I only know old player such buffon, Del Piero, Totti or Inzhagi, They looked so young, may be new face.

I was thinking to ask some photo with him, but suddenly someone, probably his guide called them and ask them to move to VVIP check post. Well, I was not lucky. 

After passed imigration check ,we move to domestic gate to continue our flight to Zhengzhou. Our flight was at 7 pm , and arrived at Zhengzhou about 8 pm. On the Zhengzou , a hired driver pick us and deliver us to The Hotel. He can speak English a little and he said he who will drive us to Hualan for the next day.

China 's Car in Zhengzhou

Day 2.

At 7 am we 've had our breakfast becoz we will meet our driver at 8, and we already check out too, becoz after Hualan we will catch the flight to Shanghai.  The journey from Zhengzhou to Hualan is about 2 hours by car. And something that I admire about China is they have big road even only in small town and most of their cars use gas fuel.

 In front of the hotel Zhengzhou

Street in Hualan

After spend almost 5 hours in one plant  in Hualan, we decide to find someplace to eat, but the driver who was not the same driver with the night before, he is older and  can't speak Eglish at all, we can't communicate with, so we decided to eat at the airport (we use sign language with him).

It took about one hour flight to Shanghai from Hualan. At 8 pm, we arrived at Shanghai and the pilot  gave us information that the temperature in Shanghai that night was 5 deg Celcius. Brrrrh..it was very cold . I use my gloves and winter cap.  

Someone pick us on the airport,some people from supplier company we will visit the next day,  he deliver us to the hotel. 

Night in Shanghai Street

Day 3.

After breakfast, we took taxi to the supplier company we will visit becoz their  driver can't pick us in the morning. Shanghai is metropolitan city in China, so some taxi driver here can speak English. Our hotel is at the downtown, and the supplier company located at industrial suburbs area, about 30 minutes from hotel. Most of the company employee we visit can speak english very well, becoz it was Eroupe Company, some them from Eroupe too.

We did machines check and technical discuss with them, and at 4 pm  their driver deliver us to the downtown. We ask him to deliver us to the shopping center. We spend 2 hours at shopping center  (Shanghai Xinyang Fashion and Gift Market) becoz we will meet the supplier boss at 9 pm to discuss about the result of survey machines at Hualan

Near Shanghai Xinyang Fashion and Gift Market

Day 4.

After sleepless night becoz we back to the hotel at 1 am (after late meeting with the supplier), we must wake early becoz that day was the only day we can do city tour at Shanghai. And we only have time until 5  pm and later we will catch our flight to Guangzhou  at 8 pm. We already check out from the hotel and deposit our beloging there. Our destinations that day were Nanjing Park, The Bund and China Town. 

We use taxi, and for all taxi driver even they can speak little  English they can't read latin letter, so we use printed paper we already prepare. It really help!!!And one thing about Shanghai taxi, they are cheap and safe,  we only spend about 20-25 Rmb average for an route,  except to the airport who rather far.

Nanjing road is just a road who 've had branded stores along the road, but some stores sell food too. We buy some food there and walk to the bund who is not far from Nanjing road.

 Nanjing Road

The Bund is a big  river who have  many high bulding around. On the left of the river from Nanjing road side, it has Victorian Style Building, and the other side of the river , there are so many highest building in Shanghai, one of them is Shanghai TV Tower. I heard that the view at The Bund is very good at night, too bad we visit that in the morning.

The Bund

After The Bund, we walk to the China Town.

China Town in China???

We spend our time for shopping here.At 5, we back to the hotel by taxi to took our belonging and then continue our journey to Guangzhou use night flight. We use taxi to reach the airport and it cost about 90-100 Rmb (I forgot the exactly nominal but it was quite cheap). At the Guangzhou airport, we try to search taxi, but no taxi willing to drive us to the hotel, we dont know why. But so many rented car there and it was so expensive. Finally , after negotiation, they gave their final price, 200 Rmb. We were very tired and it was already passed midnight, we agree on that price. And the hotel is not far from the airport, may be only 5 km far?Fortunately, The Hotel was very good , it was five star hotel. It was 2 am in the morning and after took a bath we had our deep sleep at that nice hotel.

Day 5.

We wake up rather late, had our nice brakfast and use shuttle bus of the hotel to reach the city, we wanted to have our final shopping at Guangzhou. It took about a half hour to reach the shopping mall at the city. The mall was rather small, may be similar with Istana Plaza at Bandung, or a little smaller. But the price was good and had good quality. We spend our left money here, buying food at supermarket for friends in Indo (we already buy many souvenirs in Shanghai)  and buy some clothes for my family. And it was really cheap, even more cheap than in Bandung.

We use taxi to drive us the hotel becoz the shuttle bus not come back as he promise to us. And the taxi driver really really friendly and can speak English very a little, but still he try communicate with us on the way along to the hotel. May be he rarely saw Indonesian tourists?Lol. He said that he dont know where Indonesia located, but he know phillipine. 

After gathering our belonging, we reach the airport use hotel shuttle bus and had our flight to Jakarta. At 10 pm we reach Jakarta and  using rental car that our company hired, we touch down Bandung at 00:00 am (and must work on Monday to prepare ISO audit on tuesday)

My Notes about China :

1. No traffic jam, and they have large  road, good public facility

2. Shanghai is metropolitan city, people have good style, good clothes, and clean.  But its diffirent at small city like  Zhengzhou or Hualan, we saw peoples live in the slum  apartement  (similar with rusun in Indonesia),notes this only my opinion of what I saw.

3. Probably the water is very limited in China (except Shanghai), that why some peoples not bath everyday?or becoz the weather is so cold?

4. Most of China people dont know about Indonesia, but they know Malaysia and Phillipine. They often think that we are phill 's people from our look. When we ask if they know about the famous  Bali, they said they did'nt know neither . I wonder the theory that China people was Indonesian ancestor, who migrated from Yunan to Java Island , that really our ancestor who didnt recognize us (joking)

5. Best place for shopping, becoz the price was so low. But be carefull at the Shanghai shopping center, it was dangerous place. Some people will getting mad if we try to negotiate about the price (even if the price they give very high), and dont even try  to ask about price or even ask about  things u interested if u not serious to buy. I know that weird, becoz the passion about the shopping is to ask as many as possible and get the price as low as possible. And sometimes we buy things we not really interested or need becoz of the sellers are nice and the things are cheap enough..
And BIG NOTES ....Dont try to shop alone . We saw a caucasian who seems travel alone ,  went to one shop and then running away , and  the sellers who already mad still hunt down him, and may be try to hurt him.We didnt  know  wether the mad sellers truly hurt him or just try to scare him becoz we didnt follow them.  I myself  had some sellers getting mad at me too, but I was safe becoz I was with many friends and most men.  But if you are solo traveller and urgently need shopping, just choose to shop in the malls.  The price in China Malls are cheap too,  or you can choose to shop to the place who the sellers have friendly face .  Many are friendly and kind too.  ^_^ you will be ok.

6. They not shy to express themself ^_^, so you will often heard weird voice come from their throat  to remove phlegm, especially on the domestic flight or even when passing on the good street .

That my experiences, hope that soon Indonesia have large road and good facility as good as China so I dont need to have traffic jam almost everyday in my live???.

Trip to China (part 1)

I am English learner, so pardon my poor English (I will happy to receive some advice to improve that condition)

In 2009, I 've made my first passport. At that time, me and 2 of my friends had planned to have trip to Phuket Thailand , but becoz of it was  very difficult to arrange same day for holiday for the three of us , and later  my friend married and got pregnant, that plan was canceled. Both of my friends often had assignment abroad from their office becoz they work for international company (so they who hand on experience went abroad).  But   becoz I was only junior staff in the company I worked and its just middle class company , I never had opportunity like that, I had no experience at all,  and also I did not  have the courage to go abroad alone , so I decided not to use my passport. That passport  was idle for almost 4 years.

Since years of 2011, I had joined a team project in the company I work , to develope our production methods of manufacturing. So we did many research etc and in years of  2013, the big bos ask me to join machine survey to China. Well, a little surprise becoz in the initial plan I was not included in the list of survey members (I was the youngest member at the team). So I just had 2 days to prepare everything (they ask me on friday, and we depart wednesday morning). But becoz of that was assignment abroad, so all prepared by the HRD (travel agents who worked for them) such as plane tickets, money exchange  , itinerary  and also our visas,.  All we did only gave some documents and photograph. 

6 persons including me who went to that survey, and 1 person was from machine supplier, so he had arranged all the transportation in China  also the hotels for us becoz he had some China's friend who work in the same company with him. And 2 of my friends had visited China before, so all I need only to prepare my personal needs.  So the informations I need to gather to prepare personal needs when will go to abroad :

1. The weather.    China has four season,  I went in April when it was the the transition from winter to spring. And      we googled the temperature it was 5-15 degree of Celcius. That a little colder than temperature when rainy season in Bandung. So I buy some winter jacket, some sweater, boot shoes  ,gloves, sunglasses (protect eyes from cold), and winter hat.

2. Plugs, becoz  we cant live without mobile phone and we need digital camera .  Some country has different kind of plugs,  many blogs discuss about that, so you just need to google what kinds of plugs of the country you will visit. China has same plugs with Indonesia, so I dont need to prepare.  But if you  needed, some equipments stores such as Ace Hardware has universal plug adapter.

3. Language, if u dont have guide. Most of people in China can't speak English (even just basic ) and can't write latin letter, they use Kanji. So my friend printed the name of all the places we will visit in kanji version . It ll needed when u ask direction or as taxi driver to deliver you to some place. And chinese pronunciation is rather difficult, they will never understand what you say except you understand their language.

4. Food. For muslims is difficult to find halal food in China, so if you very strict about food, you need to gather many information about that. I heard some places provide halal food . I read that Beijing have one Indonesian restaurant , but I dont know about Shanghai, Guangzhou or Zhengzhou and our schedules were very busy so we did'nt  have time to find   such restaurants. So We bring  cup noodles  and some snacks. And FYI, chinese food in China is rather diffirent with Chinese food in Indonesia who already adopt Indonesian taste. Most of us, not suitable with Chinese food in China, except me. May be I have universal taste (or tongue),lol.

5. Habits. Indonesian have habits to wash after pee or poo with water, and all the China's toilets I found  only provide water for flushing in toilets,and no water for others need. My friends who mostly had experiences with that told me to always take a botle of mineral water when go to toilet, or wet tissue.

6. Money changer. China use Rmb money.  Do not change money in the airport becoz it will cost you  more expensive than in money changer such as dollarindo or GMC (Golden Money Changer)  in Bandung. When at GMC  rates for  1 Rmb was 1500 IDR, at the Soekarno Hatta airport it was 1700 IDR.

7. Transportation methods, printed transportation methods map (preferable) or google map by mobile phone (can use wifi at the hotel)

So , on tuesday we got all we need, plane tickects, visas, and money supplies (in Rmb and US dollars). Dont bring limited money, at least you need dollars for critical condition, or  credit card or debit card (atm) who can withdraw cash in abroad. I hear that we can use M**dir* Atm or B*A Atm, but as much as possible avoid use credit card or debit card becoz mostly have diffirent rates , more expensive several % than money changer rates.

On early of wednesday, on 3 am our company car deliver us to the Soekarno Hatta Airport in Jakarta. It took about 2 hours from Bandung to Jakarta by car (in the morning), but if your flight more than 9 am, it may took more hours ,5 hours minimal and can be more depend on traffic condition.Jakarta traffic can be so bad and usually  happend after 6:30 am. At 6, we arrived at Airport and after had some breakfast we check in to Imigration.  Our flight was at 9 am, Jakarta time.

Driving Course,Yes or No (extended)

Becoz tomorrow I ll have my ITEP English test (its a must in my company and I feel discourage about that), I will post something in English today. Pardon my English if it is very poor ....TT.

In my post before about driving course, I said that I ll let you know how long it ll took to be able to drive car well enough . Now is more than a year I had My Baby B (my car), and she already accompany me in many condition, heavy rain, sunny day , chill day dan now my skin become more lighter (hehehehe). And after 1 year, finally I can say that now I can drive well...yayayayayayayay....The one and only thing that can make that possible is ...practice. Yes, practice make perfect. True!!!

Everyday,  twice a day for 3 or 5 times a week I always practice.  I ride  My Baby B to my office  although my office is only 3 km  distance  from my house. As I ever told before, I live in industrial area that had very bad traffic condition ,almost everyday traffic jam happend. The best transportation mode in such condition is motorcycle, and many people change from cars to motorcycles and I change from motorcycle to a car. Crazy, isn. it?...May be . But that a sacrifice to get what I want, ability to drive well. 

After 1 month I ask friend to accompany me driving everyday, finally I try drive alone without company. At first, I felt very very nervous, especially when on uphill road (my complex have that), and got across from  my complex to highway or from my office to highway (that was very very  difficult).  Even to got across is very difficult becoz this is Indonesia, dan especially this is Bandung coret, no red light lamp here (they try to put red lamp but only make traffic jam even worse), we have only Pak Ogah (A called to someone who help cars to across the street in Indonesia). And most of people didnt want to stop his car to give us a way, motorists driving recklessly, and also angkots (Indonesian public transport similar to tuk tuk in Thailand) who have no manner on highway.

 I had to wake up early in the morning, at least I must leaved at 6:45 am (when use motorcycle I leave at 7:20,my office start at 7:30 am). If I was lucky I arrived at office before 7:00 am, but If the traffic jam was so bad, I arrived at 7:39 am and got penalty from HRD (it actually happend several times TT). Finally after 1 month  I was not nervous anymore, 1 month later I can park well, turn spins, and 1 month later can park underground or top floor with rotating road up/down, and also reach Lembang (mountain areas in Bandung) who have dangerous uphill road . So with  the worst condition such as Bandung, I need at least 5 month to drive car well. That was my experienced, diffirent people may had diff experience, some faster (becoz they reckless,lol) and some slower, even if they are a man. 

There were some scratches in My Baby B (poor her) but I was too lazy to claim insurance. But in my opinion, she  still the cutest baby ever.
So who need a ride or tourist guide in Bandung?hehehe,if u not mind inexperience driver,LOL!!!

And now time to sleep, hope can wake up early for the ITEP test, goodnight.