Backpacker Girls

When i am about to leave Indonesia to Europe, my bedroom just like a sinking boat everything scattered around. Errhh ya i know my mom will say thats pretty normal hehe..

pilah-pilih pakaian buat liburan

But i did it for my suitcase. I am not really a big fan of traveling with suitcase. I think i prefer to use 60-80 liters backpack rather than the 60" wheeled suitcase.

Packing is the most essential thing in traveling, i wish i could give you a packing list here, but hey everyone had different needs. Some of my friends think high heels is important rather than a comfort boyish sneakers. Its just different for everyone, had to suit the needs and the personality.

pack your belonging wisely....

1. Clothes
I think the best is to know the details about where you about to go. You have to know about the weather and humidity. Why this is important?? you don't want to wear short at 13 degrees temperature-been there done that!! anyone from tropical country like me consider 13 degrees like -1.. exaggerate things? heheh for those who laugh at these i bet you had 4 season there... try to walk in Singapore for more than 2 hours at mid day.. then if you're not swearing because of the high temperature.... then don't laugh at me!! a good dress that according to weather would be matters!!

The other thing about clothes?? ladies and gentlemen... when you travel to another part of the world... please do respect other culture... we don't need to see your thigh inside a mosque, temple or other sacred places. If you want to go to this kind of places, please do dress accordingly!! prepare for something more closed, long trouser, jeans, something with sleeve, or jacket perhaps? even if its at boiling heat... in the name of respect please do dress like others.

Also when you pack and finish it... take everything out and try to reduce half of it... you wont need half of the things you bring! in my case it work this way! i get rid a red dress, a heavy doc marc Boots, another sneakers, and some sweaters. I prefer to use double dress, you could use two shirt at same time if its too cold!

All you need is 8kgs of bag/suitcase the max... i know they gave you 15 kgs.. but come on!! its too heavy! do weight your luggage before you go to airport... and do remember not all places like in Paris--as example-- they dont have escalators.. theres no such thing as lift as well at the metro station!! you will be lifting those heavy luggage every each of painful stairs that you goes to!! so watch the weight!!

And do leave fake stuff sista!! im talking about the fake Prada bags or Gucci shoes that you bought from a tiny shop down town of Hongkong. If you don't want to get hose stuff held by officer in any Europe airport. Safe your time and at least no shame!

2. Meds
Once my friends said, when she saw the whole medications that i bring during my trip said i was about to get arrested in airport as drug smuggler. I bring the whole plastic bag of medications that i use. Flu meds-check, antibiotics-check, antacid-check, diarrhea meds-check, high doze of vit C and other supplements-check, and the list goes on. The last thing i want is getting sick in other countries... i rather to had meal in a luxury Paris restaurant rather to buy an antibiotics for my food poisoning--maybe hahaha... but health is important! thats the point. Not all of our medications are sold free in every country.. example even in Singapore i can not get a panadol for my flu because they INSIST on doctors prescription which is i can not get because i am not seing any doctors (God know how much cost for a doc visit in Singapore!!)

In another note, please do check if the medications you bring is allowed to bring inside the country. There are several medications also banned in some country but allowed in other country. The last thing you want is to get arrested as drug dealers in airport--as i mentioned before!

3. Beauty Kits Ecetera (Girls section--most of it)
Helloww princess.... you know you will get your monthly timers (sorry guys...) so be wise... last thing you want here is to try to get a feminine pads while you're grabbing your tummy and walking in pain to the nearest drugstore just to find ANOTHER TAMPONS.

Tampons-eekkk... whats this?? (never seen it in Indonesia)

Yes... tampons... i don't know what the heck is that when i see it my self when the cashier hand me a box of that.. and i see it.. and say.. no... i don't know how to wear this because i dont think in Indonesia people use it!!! lucky its not a great flow that i could use my daily pantyliners.

What every girls needs!! the emergency leakage first aid!

In Indonesia we know feminine pads, and we find it hard to get to know "tampons" its another kin of the..errhh same thing heheh... well it goes same to some other countries... they only know tampons and rarely sold the feminine pads. And the price??? ohhh hahah.. don't ask.. i swear its more expensive than my undies (that bought in Indonesia!!) don't do a foolish mistakes its worth one meal perhaps!

Please bring your own fave one... don't make a mess please....

Ok.. general stuff??
Bring your extra moist hand and body lotion if you go to a 4 seasons country... its cold there.. its true.. but its also dry!! very dry! its not like tropical country where you could walk and sweat like in the sauna. In Germany i run from bottom of hills to the Neuschwanstein and had no sweat! if its in Indonesia i would barely breathe and swimming in my own sweat! this is included a lipbalm... and guys.. dont pretend to be too tough for this.. you had the same lips like girls, and last thing you want a chopped ugly lips yikess... not a major attraction guys.. not healthy either! better if it had sun blocks too! mine comes from Nivea, works just nice (no need one with colors..haha)

Winter doesn't mean you can not had the sun burn. Hiking on a snowy mountain the same!! i got darker skin after i spent whole day at Zugspitze! and its -1 degree!! bring your sunblock!

Another note that i took is... when i was back in Indonesia i was  thinking of taking a small package of toiletries... shampoo etc. But then i am glad i didnt do it. First of all, back to the price again...  my journey total in 20 days, and almost everyday i wash my hair.. i took my one bottle of shampoo... as hello i dont want to use others shampoo and the price also..ck ck ck.. different!! unless you had unlimited money then go ahead buy your Loreal's shampoo from champ Elysees.. i dare you!

4. Foods-Snacks
I like my MILO pack... its sweets, and its cheap. I also like oreos, INDOMIE, noodles, ENERGEN cereal and Veggies Jacobs. I bring small packs all of those fave snacks. Just in case i can not find any  halal food. Or in case i dont have time or small money to do breakfast. Breakfast is awesome in Europe, you could buy fresh bread in Paris and drink it with your own NESCAFE and keep half for lunch... well they had huge bread!! i bring my own SARIKAYA jam also, and share it with Mr T and he love it!! haha they don't have that there in Europe.

I bring some gado-gado paste also.. this is from Indonesia, we could mix this for veggies, just like salad dressing also you could do it with beef or meat and it becomes satay seasoning, or just eat it with plain rice!! very easy.... i bring two cube of this and give it to my host in Paris as gift.. he went to Indonesia several times so he knows about this gado-gado seasoning which is peanuts mixed with red/palm sugar and some chilli.. very nice!

Bring some of snacks and your fave food.. in case if you missing home, or if your host ask if you could cook your traditional cook... why not!!


......to be continued......

"  Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living."   ~ Miriam Beard

One thing that i did notice since i was landed in Munich May 24, 2011. How people in here so care about disabled person. People with special requirements, in wheel chair, or can't see... its amazing the level of caring that i can not stop feeling sad!!

I see one of these in Strasbourg...

And for those with all special needs, there are NO limitation for them to do activities like other people! go to school, doing sports, swim, going to cafe, had lunch in park, sun bathing.... no limitation!! they could mobile as easy as they could.. i feel so envy!

They build special ramp every where so it could easily accessible for wheel chair, start from castles, bus stop, tram, and trains!

Space for whee chair at Train/Metro

At cities, they build the side walk also accessible very easily for the disabled person. Even for city that had cobbled street like in Strasbourg or in Brussels, i could see many senior citizen with their electric/mobility scooter doing things like normal. Seeing friends, buy groceries.

My great great grandmother who live in mountains in Sumatra never see this for sure. Chance for senior people to do their activity like normal and not to depends to anyone!

Special entrance for wheelchair

This is also the very first time i see someone... who doesn't have legs to drive by him self (in Brussels) its amazed me!

........ i feel sad because.....

This is the countries that me and my friends used to called people "had-cripple-ice cold-emotions" too independent, high individualism and NOT CARE about their parents, and their neighbor. And when i see it now, it changed... if they don't care, they wont build ramps, they wont build things that made the life of those elders and "unique" people MUCH EASIER....

Toilets in train for wheel chaired people

In sight seeing places, there will be hundreds of signs show where these unique people could enter/access the places. Special parking, special entrance... oh my ....

In Indonesia where i thought people much "care" i could see lots of disabled person stay at home, doing nothing, old people on porch just sit on chair, can not do anything.. can not go anywhere as they wanted to... its just sad....

Special Bus ramps for special people ^^

Special kids with down syndromes wont go by them self in Indonesia, people will stare look down, others kids will laugh at them and oh my God... in Germany they could do high five on their wheelchairs and say see you again, and laugh and cross the street WITHOUT ANY HELP!! and no one will disturb them!!

I can not help to feel sad and envy... i wish one day Indonesia will be like that, someday my country will be more fair to those who in needs, and more caring to senior citizen. I could only wish........

All that is gold does not glitter Not all those who wander are lost. ~ J.R.R. Tolkein



I woke up at 6am. None woke up yet....

I already prepare my stuff last night, so i grab the toiletries and my chargers and attack every electric socket that i found the other night... its quite danger because you will never know who walk by and took it hahah.. but i only did it at toilet--girls toilet and at kitchen.

Hot shower made me really fresh! after drying my hair i went to dining, feel happy woke up early so i dont have to queue on shower and i got the socket for my self hahaha! at least i will have my ipod and cellphone the whole day!

But.. ekkkk... why theres already over 15 people on dining..lol... (disini lah puzzle kehidupan terungkap... cewek bule jarang mandi!! LoL)

Breakfast is free at Van Gogh... so i grab as many as i can.. this is breakfast i know.. but i want to eat a lot of bread!! and jams!! hahaha

After breakfast i went to Metro and go straight to the Cinquantenaire Park or some call it Jubilee Park (in Dutch) the home of lots of main monuments/must visits museum in Brussels.Its basically named "Park of the 50th Anniversary" in French language.

My walking tour start with the huge Europe Union building just outside the metro. Itsthe executive HQ for EU in Brussels.

European Union Berlaymont-HQ of Execitive EU in Brussels

Me in Brussel European Union HQ

EU Comission Building in Brussels

Not far from there just one left turn i could see the entrance of the park. You could see Robert Scuman head statue.. first i was thinking who the heck is this guy?? first theres a street with his name on, building and now statue... and then i learn that he is a politician whos twice being the French Prime Minister. He was one of the founder of the Europe Nation.

Robert Schuman Statue at Cinquantenair Park

Walk to the park oh i love the air smells of the flower and fresh air! Its so green and there are plenty statues there.

Memorial Statue of General Albert Thys

Theres some people running and doing sports, mommies with babies and some kids with bicycle its very neat!

Park for Family

The park also so clean... its so big that i can not see the end of it beside the triomphe arc on the other side. Later i found out that the park size was 30 hectare! no wonder i can not see the edge!

Cinquantenaire park map

Its an amazing park.. i think i can not describe how beautiful it was... al i could do is post as much as possible pictures here! so you could see what i see back there!

Cinquantenaire Park statue

Walking by my self on the white pebbles road only my step sound and trees above me the sky are blue... smell of roses in the air.. oh yeah.. its a beautiful day to visit a park!

Cinquantenaire Jardin at Brussel.. the tree and flowers also the art work.. so beautiful! (me too!)

Cinquantenaire park with Triumphal Arc on background

Small flowers on the grass.. wild flower..just like me hehe

Small flowers on the grass..its wild flowers!

Some of the art work at the Cinquantenaire Park Brussels

Triumphal Arch at Cinquantenaire Park Brussels

I loooove this picture so very much (pre-weds kind of?)

Why we can't build any park like this?

The thing that really draw attention from me is the Cinquantenaire Arch, from it history it took quite a bit more time to finish than was originally intended. To celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Belgium’s independence, King Leopold II wanted to erect this triumphal arch in time for the 1880 world exhibition, but sometimes things just don’t go according to plan. By 1900, the Cinquantenaire Arch still wasn’t finished, having been quite a bone of contention between the king and the Belgian government. It must have seemed to many Brussels citizens at the time that the arch would never be completed. Alas, in 1905 the monument received its final touches, and today it graces Jubelpark with undeniable grace!

Cinquantenaire Arc for Leopold II

Work on Jubilee Park Brussels and its central Cinquantenaire Arch started in the 1870s, though as mentioned, not everything was ready for the 1880 celebration. The arch proved to be a larger and more expensive task than originally thought. Only the column bases were done by the exposition, and so wooden panels and plenty of imagination were employed to create a temporary arch. Far less spectacular than the finished product, this temporary Cinquantenaire Arch nonetheless served its purpose. After the Golden Jubilee was over and it was time to get back to business, the Belgian government didn’t take too kindly to the idea of spending a considerable amount of money on an arch. King Leopold II got his way in the end by use of private funding. While the Cinquantenaire Arch may have not been ready for Belgium’s fiftieth anniversary of independence celebration, it was looking quite dapper for the country’s 75th anniversary party in 1905. Its better than nothing tho!

Brussels Triumphal Arch

The Cinquantenaire Arch at Jubilee Park Brussels is the world’s second tallest and widest triumphal arch. Its only less smaller than the Arch de Trimphe in Paris. And also on the top of Cinquantenaire Arch there is an impressive bronze quadriga (horse-driven chariot that was used for races in the ancient Olympic Games in Greece, and Romans also raced them in other games).

The 2nd Largest Arch after Arc de Triomphe in Paris

I though it was certain Greek and Roman gods and heroes characterizes the quadrigas, and the one atop the Cinquantenaire Arch represents the province of Brabant, which was formerly a major Belgian region. The central figure in the quadriga is raising a flag of independence, marking Belgium’s 1830 break from the Netherlands it neighbor country now.

Quadrigas on top of the Cinquantenaire Arc

There are also mosaics along side of the Cinquantenaire Arch in Jubilee Park Brussels,  the rights and lefts wing. It was added between the years of 1920 and 1932, these mosaics is friendly scenes that are intended to show Belgium’s peaceful nature.

Attached to the arch is the Belgium Royal Museum of the Army and Military History and the Auto world. I went to Royal Museum of Army because its free (heheh i am a freebies person!). 

Brussels War Museum

This is for 5 years old prince... so... tiny

Time bomb with actual..clock!! hahaha

I adore him for his leadership-admit it, he is great leader! meet Mr Hitler

SS Troops uniform

More armories.. ohh my knights!!

Brussels Flag

Anyone i know???

My last visit at this park i went to the mosque.... where  everyone stare at me hahaha.. its because i went there and i dont think my out look represent moslem at all! But anyway when they know me they're very friendly actually!

Great Mosque of Brussels