my long long vacation to North Sulawesi

As i said in my previous post, i had a month vacation to my parents hometown Manado, located in north part of Sulawesi island. It was my forth visit and my longest one, last time i went there was about 4 years ago and it was a short stay, so i barely remember the place.

In a month i visited most of the tourist destination there, mostly beaches ^^
My first impression of manado was, it got a hell lot of coconut trees!! Believe me, you'll be amaze! The trees cover the land anywhere you go, from beaches, hills, mountains, and even at the side of the road... unbelievable!

Here are some great places that i visited when i'm there, maybe it could be your choice for your next vacation destination ;)

1. Tangkoko beach
This beach has pretty black sand. Located in the area of Tangkoko Nature Reserve, home of the smallest and the only carnivorous primates in the world tarsier/tarsius.

2. Benteng beach
Its a white sandy beach with clear turquoise colored water. Though the sand was very white, but it wasn't very soft. There's big rocks that put squared around the beach, so that people could swim safely without feel afraid got swept away by the strong tide.

3. Love hill (bukit kasih)
Its a hill where they have five house of worship from five official religions in Indonesia on top of it. People have to climbed about 2000 stairs to reach the top. FIY, i did reached the top of the hill! I was so tired when i got to the top and my heart beating like crazy, that i seriously think i'm gonna die of heart attack! It was a bloody accomplishment!

4. Linow lake
The lake water have a pretty emerald green color. There's a coffee house by the lake side, where you could enjoy the beauty of the lake while chit-chatting with friends and sipping coffee or tea. The place defines the word tranquility, it was so peaceful and beautiful there.

5. Tondano
It's a small town outside manado city. The town is surrounded by hills, mountains and rice fields. The air is so clean, i think i breathed too much clear oxygen.. as i live in the polluted city like Jakarta, my lungs was not used to it!

6. Kora kora beach
It takes more than 2 hours ride by car from Tondano town to this beach, but it was totally worth it. The beach was undeveloped but clean... such a perfect laid back beach! I felt like i could hang out there whole day, it was like my own private beach. The only problem was that they don't have shower to clean up there, so you must endure the salty water lingering on your body for the whole 2 hours way back home.

7. Lembeh strait
This place is rrreally famous for its diving spots, its one of the top 5 greatest diving spots in the world! But since i don't have diving license so i cannot dive there.. it's too bad:( Even so, me and my friends got a chance to ride on coastal police speed boat and beach-hopping around lembeh strait and even go to restricted areas with 2 coastal police as our guide.. luckyyy (^_^)v I got the most amazing experience there, it was my first time swim in open sea! it was a thrilling experience, since the depth was more than 10 meter (i was not brave enough to look down for a long time), and i feel like some wild shark might show up anytime and drag me under water, so scary..! (i blame JAWS for my scary imagination of sea).

(yess its me, i didn't want to get separated from the safety belt.. go on n laugh!)

8. Lihaga island
I swear on Jay Chou (believe me, Jay Chou means everything to me!) that it was the most beautiful beach i have ever visited in my whole 23 years of life! Lihaga is a very small uninhabited island, that have soft white sand beach and crystal clear water. Beautiful is an understatement! What makes the place more special was that we were the only visitor, it felt like our very own paradise island. We spend a whole day there, and it wasn't enough. They said that the owner was foreigner, and in the near future they will make the island private so that public is not allowed to go there anymore.

What i get from the whole vacation (besides a completely tanned body of course..) was that Indonesia is a REALLY beautiful country, most of the beautiful places here is undeveloped and unknown. I mean this country got 17,000 freaking islands! and how many islands have u ever been to in your life? maybe two, Java and Bali? You can see my point here, eh! I am so sure that this country could get rich by tourism industry alone if the government and people know how to take care and develop their land.

Finally home

This is the first post since I'm back from my vvvery long vacation with my family n friends.
I've been away to Manado in North Sulawesi. It's my parents home town which means that its my home town as well, even though i only went there like 4 times in my 23 years of life n i barely know the place. Still, its where my parents, grand parents, grand grand parents, grand grand grand parents -keep going until god knows when- got their family history.

Lets pending the story about my vacation for now. Since its already 5am in the morning, I feel so damn sleepy n there's too much that i have to tell about the vacation.

Now I'm just gonna tell u about the fact that i feel happy n also sad to come back in my practically hometown Jakarta.
I'm sad because..
1. I've got to leave the beautiful beaches n places there
2. I've got to say goodbye to my old n new friends that made the vacation 100times more fun
3. I've got to come back to urban traffic n pollution
4. My lazy ass got to kiss the laid back days goodbye

I'm happy because..
1. I finally get to see theBoy's face
2. I could finally meet gorilla again
3. I get to go to the movies n catch Alice in Wonderland, and other new movies that I've been looking forward to see (not the expected grand reason to feel happy, but it'll do for me)
4. I get to face the reality (a part of me do missed the so called real life)

This come back will mark the starts of my 1 month delayed preparation to go abroad.

To hell with all the negativity

When all the world doubt my 'surviving ability', I never lose faith in myself.

They shall say all they want about me..
That I wouldn't be able to take care of myself if I live alone by myself
That I couldn't do housework good enough
That I will always depend on my family n even my maid to lookout after me n cater for my needs

They may see me as this girl that can't survive on her own in this big wild world.
But I know myself better. I know that I'm ready to embark outside my comfort zone.

I will study
I will try
I will learn
I may fall down but I will stand up n try again

I know how to take care of myself, at least I know enough n strong enough to live my life. N I'm willing to learn if I don't know. Cos as long as I open myself to learn, I know I will be able to live well just the way I want.
I will feel scared, but I know I've got some people who care enough to be there for me n encourage me.

I don't need other people's approval to rise.
As long as I believe in myself n have faith, I know I can do it!




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Anna Paquin vamps it up!

one of my favorite True Blood actress Anna Paquin features in the March 2010 edition of Marie Claire UK. she looks stunning in those fabulously hot dresses.. plus the shots are sexy!
im drooling over these dresses!

1. Stretch tulle and sequin dress by Viktor & Rolf
2. Tweed dress by Chanel
3. Plex crystal dress by Prada
4. Red & blue silk dress by Lanvin
5. Silk dress by Josh Goot
6. Silk chiffon and diamante dress by Alexander Mcqueen
7. Silk dress by Salvatore Ferragamo

Pic credits: style.com; marieclaire

long day long night

LBD - Gaudi, Headband - Diva

I look like hell!
I've been out all day today, i mean yesterday,

n just got home half hour ago at 4am in the morning.
There's a lot of things to do during the day,
i was busy running errands.
As i live in the big crowded city called Jakarta,
instead of get the things done,
i wasted most of my time got stuck on the car
in the middle of heavily jammed traffic.
I traveled around the city
from south to center to east to north and back again to south
it was a loooooong day.

After an exhausting day of going from one place to another,
at night, i hit the club with my friends.
I drink, i laugh, i drink, i dance, i drink, i meet new people,
i dance, i dance, i drink, i dance, i drink, i dance.. til dawn!
Now i'm finally home,
feeling tired, tipsy, dizzy, hungry,
but somehow i come online
n even managed to write this meaningless post.
I rocked! seriously. haha.

I know that i better get some sleep
but not now my friend.. not now..
Now i still got energy left in my poor body n soul.
My body screams for sleep,
but i insist to keep myself awake.. for nothing!

am i drunk??

PS: for you who didn't know me well. yes, i AM a camwhore :D

RIP Lee Alexander McQueen

i couldn't believed what i read on news today "British fashion icon Alexander McQueen commits suicide days after death of his beloved mother".

i'm in disbelief, why would someone so young, so talented and so successful passed away tragically.
he wasn't just a designer he was an artist, every piece he created was a work of art. he was a creative genius.
fashion industry suffer such a great loss. The world will no longer be stunned by his unconventional fashion inventions.

These are my recent favorite of Alexander McQueen's

autumn(fall)/winter - 2009/2010 women's collection

McQ - autumn/winter '09 women's collection
The world will surely miss him.

Pic credits: Style.com

electro electro electro!!

i found myself headbanging to electro music this past week. from electro pop to electro hop, i just can't get enough of it!
my favorite would be LITTLE BOOTS, MSTRKRFT and LMFAO.

These two songs are repeatedly played on my music player:
1. Little Boots - Remedy


2. MSTRKRFT feat. John Legend - Heartbreaker

i played this songs wayyy to much that i successfully made my cousins join my addiction :D

PS: Click the hyperlink on title for better video.