When in Medina

When traveling to Saudi Arabia for umrah, the pilgrims will pay a visit to Medina and stay there for a few days. However, visiting Medina is not obligatory. But, no moslems would skip a chance to visit the city of our beloved Prophet Muhammad Shallallahu ‘alaihi Wa Sallam. This is the city where Prophet Muhammad Shallallahu ‘alaihi Wa Sallam lived after hijra from Mecca.

A Classic Yet Elegant Salamanca!

"Salamanca lies smiling on its three hills. Sleeps to the sound of mandolins. And wakes up startled by the shouting of its students." – Victor Hugo

Students! It would be the first thing come up to mind when talking about Salamanca. Situated in the central of Spain, Salamanca has become home for both Spanish and International student. On the top of that, it’s said that Miguel de Cervantes was one of the student of University of Salamanca.

Pisa, Where The Miracles Happen!

When I was a child, I loved to stare to the pictures of the seven-wonders of the world in my text-book. One of them was The Leaning Tower of Pisa. Since then, I dreamt of going to Italy one day. At that time, I used to think that the Leaning Tower was in Rome, just like Colosseum. 

Bangkok's Chao Phraya, Venice of the Far East?

Three years ago (July 2013), I went to Bangkok. It was my first time going there, and I couldn’t say it was a vacation. Liverpool FC had a tour in Bangkok, my friends and I caught them there. We stayed at Plaza Athenee Hotel, the same hotel where the players stayed. Well, at that time I still run a groupie’s life.

Of course, I’d also like to see Bangkok as a tourist. But unfortunately, I only have a limited time left because of those LFC things. It’s not possible for me to visit the famous Grand Palace or the temples like Wat Po and Wat Arun. I decided to feel the life of this Thailand’s capital from its famous river, Chao Phraya.

Enjoying the days in an adorable Spain's capital. ¡Madrid!

Having holiday in the capital of Spain, the place like Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Palacio Real, Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Plaza de Cibeles would be written in your itinerary. Yep, they are must-visited sites in Madrid. I already wrote about them in my previous article here. This time, I will share the other ways to enjoy this adorable capital, from visiting museum, shopping, to having a picnic in the park.

Get Lost in Another World Named Valencia!

August 11, 2013. I arrived in Valencia early in the morning after spent 2 days in Barcelona. It was the first day of Ramadhan, I had sahur in bus station. I waited till the sun rose before leaving the bus station.

Ketika Tommy Page Pulang ke Rumah Keduanya

Jika seseorang pulang, bukan hanya raganya saja yang pulang tetapi juga kenangan yang pernah dibawanya pergi. Itulah yang dilakukan Tommy Page pada Jumat, 15 November 2013 lalu. Setelah konser terakhirnya di Indonesia pada 15 tahun lalu, dia kembali menyambangi Jakarta dan rindunya pun bertemu dengan rindu dari sekian banyak fansnya. Maka pantas jika konsernya kemudian bertajuk"Come Home".

Uncovering Paris In A Day!

6 August 2010. Paris was the last city I visited before flying back to Madrid. Boarded from Pisa Airport at 16:30, I arrived in Paris Beauvais Airport 2 hours later. The budget airline like Ryan Air, which I flew with, doesn’t stop in Charles de Gaulle Airport. Beauvais is located approximately 85 km from Paris. The only way to reach Paris from this airport is by taking a bus which is available in the airport parking area after every flight arrival. It’s not difficult to find the coach, you will simply notice it as you walk out from the airport terminal.

Valladolid Memories: Love is Everywhere!

UVa (The Law Faculty) at Plaza de la Universidad

July 4, 2010. That was a date when I stepped my feet for the first time in the purple city. ¡Bienvenido a la Pucela! Valladolid is a city in northwest of Spain and the capital of Castilla y León region. I arrived in Valladolid Campo Grande Station at 16:00 pm after spending 2,5 hours trip on train from Madrid. The sun was shining so bright. It was a beautiful summer!

Barcelona, a football heaven on The Mediterranean Sea!

9 August 2010. I arrived in Barcelona Nord Station after 8 hours of road trip by taking a night bus (ALSA) from Madrid. It was still early in the morning that I decided to stroll around Arc de Triomf located not that far from the bus station. This triumphal arch is bit different from the well-known one in Paris. The design was affected by Moorish architecture. The reddish brickworks dominate this arch. As you enter the gate, you will find a long and wide pavement with a lot of park benches along its right and left side. This morning, I saw people here doing some activities like biking and running while some of them were just walking to breathe the fresh morning air. 

A wonderful seven-hours in Firenze!

December 25, 2001. I couldn’t take my eyes off the TV. A movie being showed on it successfully captured my full attention. 

EPL Masters: When The Legends Came to Town

Menyaksikan aksi mantan pemain klub kesayangan secara langsung, apalagi berbincang-bincang, pada awalnya hanya menjadi bagian dari impian yang sepertinya tetap akan menjadi impian. Tapi impian tersebut berubah menjadi suatu kenangan manis yang tidak terlupakan di saat saya mengikuti event bertajuk “EPL Master Football”.

I left my heart in Segovia!

Acueducto

17 July 2010. “Wow, I am in Rome”, those words spontaneously came out as I got off from the bus. In front of me, the great Acueducto was just standing solidly soaring into the sky. Constructed based on Roman civil engineering, it’s used to supply water to the higher place of the city. With 28 meters of heights, it’s comprised by 166 arches and supported by 120 pillars. Located in Plaza del Azoguejo, Acueducto has already become the main attraction in Segovia.

Ikrar Setia Berkostum si Merah

Photo: injuryleague.com

Datangnya musim panas bagi penghuni benua Eropa mempunyai arti bahwa liburan telah tiba. Hal ini kontras dengan aktifitas beberapa klub sepakbola di Eropa. Disaat musim semi berlalu, tibalah waktu untuk bergerilya mencari beberapa nafas baru untuk memperkuat tim masing-masing. Pun Liverpool ikut berpartisipasi dalam kesibukan bursa transfer musim panas ini. Geliat ini akan berlangsung hingga penghujung Agustus 2012.

Ciao, Roma!

3 August 2010. I’ve been dreaming to go to Rome for my whole life. Yep, Olimpico is my main destination. I’ve been a Laziale since the first time I watched football. I always keep in my mind that I have to go to Rome one day to visit Olimpico.

I Love Liverpool FC

“I love Liverpool FC!!”, itulah kalimat yang saya ucapkan sejak usia remaja di saat pertama kali mengenal dunia si kulit bundar. Kalimat itu juga lah yang beberapa tahun kemudian mengantarkan saya untuk menjadi bagian dari keluarga BigReds. Suatu siang yang indah di bulan Maret awal tahun milenium, saya menerima sebuah kiriman dari Bandung yang  menyatakan bahwa saya resmi menjadi anggota BigReds. 

Madrid, At the First Glance

1 July 2010. This date was one of a big occassion in my life. I was ready for a trip to Spain that would be my first journey to a dream continent, Europe!  Qatar Airways QR 671 [Jakarta – Doha] and QR 71 [Doha – Madrid] was ready to serve and take me to a country I could only see in my dream before.