lightning crashes photo journal

Journal 03 : The Majestic Mosque

2008-04-20T09:10:00.000-07:00

Muhammad Cheng Ho mosque is a perfect example of a cross product of religion and culture coming from completely different roots, resulting in this mesmerizing and unique mosque. As an Islamic mosque, it has Islamic roots coming from middle east, and it has a Chinese cultural influence expressed in the architectural way the mosque was designed. Dominated with red, yellow and green, also with the pagodas, passer by might mistakenly figure it as a Buddhist or Tao temple. But it still has the Allah calligraphy at the top of the highest pagoda, making it a genuine Islamic mosque.

The mosque acquire its name from a legendary Muslim Chinese Admiral, Cheng Ho, who legend has it, came to South East Asia to establish a friendship and commercial relationship between China and South East Asian countries, while introducing Islam to the natives.

Situated in a mostly Chinese populated neighborhood, this mosque has been a tourist attraction especially for Muslims and Chinese. Some came to pray, some came simply just to appreciate its beauty. Whichever, your visit are always welcomed. :)

Here are some other glimpse of the mosque:

A sneak peek inside the mosque.

Holy inscription at the wall of the mosque.

Cheng Ho mosque at dusk.

Journal 02 : The Retired Heroine.

2008-04-20T08:20:00.000-07:00

KRI Pasopati 410. SS Type Whiskey Class Submarine, hailed from Russia made in 1952. With the length of 76 meters, weighing over a thousand tons.

First served under our red and white flag at December 15th, 1962. Now she lays dormant far away from the depths of the sea, in the 'Monumen Kapal Selam' or Submarine Monument, located in the middle of Surabaya, besides a town mall, as a tourist attraction.

As an old war veteran, I imagine she had travel many endless horizons, dive ten thousand leagues below the sea through the pitch-black darkness of the oceans, and swam side by side with dolphins in a sunny blue sky day. The great adventures, sunsets in shores untouched by man, sunrises in perilous wars, journeying alone for months, thousands miles apart from civilization, danger in the unknowns... you name it. She was there, and survived through them all.

But unfortunately the retired heroine isn't quite so popular as the neighboring shopping mall... very few people came by to hear its war stories. When I visit her last week, I was one of probably only ten or twelve visitors for the whole afternoon. Most of the visitors were young couple looking to have a romantic date by the riverside inside the monument area, where you can enjoy the beautifully neon-lit view of Pemuda bridge when the nighttime comes.

Here's a view of the beautiful bridge :)

Journal 01 : The Patient Predator

2008-04-02T06:32:00.000-07:00

The Patient Predator

Frozen quietly on its web, the spider patiently awaits all day (and night) long for unfortunate bugs to come across its dominion. But the spiderweb doesn't built by itself, of course. It takes great amount of hard work and persistence. Wind, larger animals, or humans could very easily destroy the sticky web. But you can bet that this eight-legged (and eight-eyed) wonder will build them again.

Hard work... persistence... patience... the same virtues we humans need in life.
And if lady luck's on our side, a delicious bug might get entangled in our web... voila! bon appetit! ^^