Solo Trip

Tuesday, June 26

I’m off again. Mbak Yuli was not really happy to know that I leave again because today is Lita’s 2nd birthday. She even remembers that I also missed Lita's birthday last year. I only remember that I gave Lita her baby-photo collage. I feel not so comfortable but what can I do?

We made a quick birthday ceremony with blowing candles. Lita is a cute little girl, she looks like her father. Like twins. I had pudding quickly and asked for the cake to be kept in fridge for later. I had to run as I could not be late to be in Majapahit museum tour at 10:00.

I only realized today that the new wing of Museum Nasional has been ready. It’s a nice presentation, much better than the old wing, at least from the first floor I’d been. I didn’t take time to check out the other floors as the tour started in the other hall.

The Majapahit collection takes place in a not-so-big hall next to the new wing. As I have been in and out Mojokerto – the Majapahit site – for some time, the artifacts do not look new to me. I am very familiar, even I have better collection in the past (or still?). But still, it’s nice to have someone who knows a bit more to take us around. So, I enjoyed the tour. An hour passed very quickly. Many continued the tour to Treasure Room that I had to skip as I needed to run to airport.

I made pretty quick decision to do this trip. Museum and old things interest me instantly, always. I realized that I’m tired just before boarding. What? I’m on my way again?

It’s been almost a year since my last visit to Solo. I’m not familiar with the city but I am with the people. I could see from the people who boarded from Jakarta. They are typical orang Solo. I don’t know what differs them with the rest Indonesian but they do look different. I giggled as part of my blood is also orang Solo.

Vic came from Yogya about the same time I arrived. It’s a nice sunny Solo but not hot. Vic’s friend picked us up to go to his house. He is in old wood business. It reminds me of what I do nine years ago seeing old furniture, table and chair. Too bad, before too long, it’s dark with lots of mosquito. I could not concentrate.

I was sleepy, I felt my eyes dry. I preferred to go by becak to have dinner in a well-known nasi liwet traditional resto. It’s strange after years of not riding becak. Nice dinner, I enjoyed it, and more… observing the people. I liked the street singers, they were wearing traditional outfit, singing traditional songs with traditional music instrument. Just before home, we had a chance to chat with the family who runs the business more than half a century. Amazing that a family can keep doing the same business for generations! And look at myself, always have new things to do every other year, or even same year. By half a century, I might have had many kind of businesses that I could not tell that I had been in business for generations :-)

After shower was good. I wrote a bit and later I found myself falling asleep. I awoke because the air-conditioner made noise. I didn’t have energy to find out why, I turned it off and back to sleep. It’s so nice to sleep after experiencing new things. I look forward to have another half day in Solo.

Photo of Lita and her birthday cake.