Orchid of West Borneo - Dendrobium Singkawangense etc

Photo collections of Western Boreno orchids, as state in previous blog posting, this is photographed by friend.

Trichoglottis sp. (probably species of cirrhifera)

Dendrobium anosmum Lindl.

Dendrobium singkawangense jj smith

and un-identified species...

degree education on line , domain names

Orchids of Western Borneo

Western Borneo is a wild home to thousand of species orchids. I believe many still yet to discover, but species as Grammatophyllum, Paphiopedillum, Bulbophyllums etc. are hidden inside the rainforest to be discovered.

Travelling to Pontianak, capital of Western Borneo is easy. There are flight from Indonesia major cities such as Jakarta, Jogja, Batam etc. From overseas now there are direct flight from Kuching and Singapore. Just travel to Singapore via Air Asia and then board the domestic Batavia Air from these two cities to Pontianak. If you are a keen orchid collectors, I can help you around (I am a collector as well). Just drop a note in the comments.

Here some photograph of "popular" West Borneo orchid especially the Coelogyne pandurata or "Anggrek Hitam".

Coelogyne pandurata by hon-s4k

his cousin Coelogyne verrucosa

a neat terrestrial Bromheadia finlaysonia is easily found in

Aerides odorata

Cleisostoma subulatum

Cymbidium finlaysonia

Travelling West Borneo - Tayan Island Beach

Here panoramic photos taken at Tayan Island Beach, inner West Borneo. It 's an "island" inside a land.

This photos is not taken via expensive DSLR but just a cheap Nikon pocket camera, three pictures are merged into one, Photoshop use extensively here ;)

Empat Pandangan Millenium di Eskatologi

Berikut translate Bahasa Indonesia dari beberapa sumber mengenai empat pandangan study Eskatologi mengenai masa Millenium. Sebagian besar adalah berasal dari rangkuman Dr. David R. Reagan dalam website lamblion.com.

Di akhir ringkasannya Dr David menekankan dua hal yang perlu diimani setiap peneliti Kitab Wahyu / Revelation Book:

1. All agree that Jesus is coming back for His saints. / Semua setuju bahwa Yesus akan kembali.


2. All agree that the redeemed will spend eternity in the presence of God. / Semua setuju bahwa yang ditebus (oleh Yesus) akan menikmati hidup yang kekal bersama Tuhan.
 

dari berbagai sumber, terutama dari
http://www.lamblion.com/articles/articles_millennium1.php

Paganini 24th Caprice Madness

Have learn Paganinis's 24th Caprice in Am with your Ibanez? And think you want to show off a bit? I'm afraid these videos will demoralized you down.... LOL   (j/k)

Awesomes Paganini Caprice on different music instruments:

Standard Classical Guitar, blend perfectly:

Saxophone, did it suddenly become jazzy?:

In standard classical flute (I try to find the Dizi or other exotic wind instrument but couldn't find any):

Paganini on less string? No problem, here played with Er Hu, eat that metalheads!

And, did Paganini the synonym for neo-classic shredder? \m/

And for bandwidth saver, here more videos with stunning instruments:
with Cimbalom : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDQvE5pc8Jw
with Marimba : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qN_FG1WqdQ

And finally, play by the master himself:

Pontianak City for Backpacker

Pontianak is the largest city in West Kalimantan, province in Indonesia. It is one of lesser known destination in this archipelago nation, but worth traveling to. In recent days, I begin to see a lot of Western travelers storming the city. Most of them look like a travelers in "backpacking genre" aka. the backpackers. They are budget travelers and trying to reach as many place but with as minimun as possible in cost. I think this is quite a good sign that this little capital of province begin to emerge as one of the route for Backpacking travelers.

Pontianak is a good stopping route for two reasons:
1. Its has a land transport that goes to Kuching, capital of Sarawak (Malaysia). The travel time is approx. 6-8 hours daily, and in quite a number of bus company running the route. The cost is around Rp. 130,000 per person.

2. Its has a direct air transport to Singapore, via Batavia Air at around Rp. 900,000. The travel time is approx. 1 hours and air tickets around Rp. 900,000. As well air transport to Kuching in half the travelling time and cost to Singapore.

If you like to land yourself to the third largest island on Earth, Western Kalimantan should be a better choice rather than go to the Eastern for those both reason above. It can direct you to Sarawak, which is a better organized site for tourism.

Now, after you landed on Pontianak airport, Supadio, the only transport reliable to back to the CBD of Pontianak is via airport taxi, which is around Rp. 50,000/trip. In the CBD the standard hotel will be cost very cheap due to IDR against your western currency. Pontianak don't have the vibe of backpacking hostel style accomodation yet, (it has, but mainly a homestay or for business salesman from other island of Indonesia, mean it can not accomodate even an English speaking services).

The public transportation is quite an amaze, for it's almost will not serves foreigner/outsider well. This is due to the lack of information on the public transportation without asking around. The city commuting transport is a small colorful mini van, which is named as "Penjara", "Gajahmada", "Jawi" route rather than numbered. And most of it differentiated by its color. So if you plan to travel via this mini van, try to research by asking around. The cost is very cheap.

The other alternatives is travelling a short distances via the tricycle, or "becak". The concept is similar to a taxi, which you can ask to transport you to your destined addresses. And finally a city cab is available as well.

Now, what should you do in Pontianak. While the beauty of Western Kalimantan mostly can be enjoyed outside Pontianak (the western coastal site is the recomendation), the city itself is a small busy in economic activities. So less tourism site around, .... but , if you enjoy street walk, and cuisine (mostly Chinese cuisine is well representated here), try to walk around the Jalan Gajahmada , Jalan Tanjung Pura dan Jalan Pattimura for city viewing. These roads will have lots of street food that cook original and authentic local foods.

And if you really get lost in the city (or doesn't even understand what I'm writing), just type in a comments, and I will answer for you. Or even organized a city viewing..... for foreigner only.

Kapuas River, one of sceneries to look up in Pontianak

Penghormatanku PPK314 - Chord

Lagu PPK yang cukup seru untuk dimainkan dengan solo piano. Berikut chord dan text terjemahan Indonesianya.

Penghormatanku PPK 314 (My Tribute)
keyboard transpose -2 C=1
Andrae Crouch - original in Bb



C               Em   Gm                A7
Bagaimanakah Kuucap Syukur Pada-Mu,

  Dm        F#dim7      Dm7                  G7

Aku Tak Layak, Namun Kau Mengasihi Daku.

      C                  Am                            F#dim7 F maj7

Pujian Ribuan Malaikat Tak Cukup Nyatakan Syukurku.

    C A7                    Edim7 Dm    C G7       C


Aku Jadi S'bagaimana Diriku, S'mua Itu Karya-Mu.



     C Em7 A7           Dm       G7

Mulia Bagi Allah, Mulia Bagi Allah,

   Bm7 E7 Abdim7 Am    D7     G7

Mulia Bagi Allah, Untuk S'mua Karya-Mu

            C Em7      A7              Dm         G7

Darah-Mu S'lamatkanku, Kuasa-Mu Bangkitkanku,

 Bm7 E7 Abdim7 Am         D7       G7

Mulia Bagi Allah, Untuk S'mua Karya-Mu



          Bm E7                               Am         (E7)

Biar hidupku, slalu menyenangkan Mu Tuhan ku

            F             Am                 D7 G7

Sgala puji bagi karya yang gnap di Kalvari

           C Em7 A7                        Dm                 G7

Darah-Mu S'lamatkanku, Kuasa-Mu Bangkitkanku,

Bm7 E7 Abdim7 Am         D7          G7

Mulia Bagi Allah, Untuk S'mua Karya-Mu

dan for real, see this video:

Patung Kamen Rider di tengah Gempa Jepang

Kamen Rider adalah tokoh pahlawan televisi anak-anak Jepang yang sudah ada sejak 30 tahun silam. Kang Kamen Rider ini adalah tokoh "tokusatsu (special effect)" paling senior, kalau dibanding Ultraman, Super Sentai (alias Power Ranger) dan Metal Heroes (Gavan, Sharivan, Shaider cs.).

Di kota Ishinomaki prefectur Miyagi, di tengah reruntuhan kota akibat terjangan tsunami dan gempa, sebuah patung Kamen Rider tetap berdiri selayaknya pahlawan. Di kota ini terletak stasiun KA yang dihiasi patung-patung superhero, nama jalannya adalah Manga Road dan di sinilah patung Kamen Rider standing still undefeated by the tsunami.

Di tengah berita kurang menyenangkan akibat bencana ini, masyarakat Jepang memberi banyak pelajaran berharga untuk dunia. Pelajaran bagaimana sebuah bangsa metropolitan harus berdiri kembali setelah diterjang tsunami, pelajaran bagaimana harus menghadapi musibah nuklir abad XXI, tapi pelajaran terpenting adalah, bagaimana harus tabah menghadapi cobaan gempa. Anak-anak dan orang tua berbaris rapi menanti antrian bahan baku dan makanan. Tidak ada jarahan, amarah (cuma dipendam) dan politikus saling mendukung. Kata orang inilah contoh hasil mental masyarakat yang sudah terdidik selama ratusan tahun. Bangsa Jepang adalah salah satu dari pemilik rata-rata IQ tertinggi di dunia.

Mari kita mengamati dari jauh, di tanah nusantara yang katanya pertemuan dua lempeng tektonik, serta ada baiknya segera memungut sedikit-sedikit pelajaran dari negeri matahari terbit. Dan yang paling penting mencontoh bagaimana harus bertabah ... ala Kamen Rider.

Album Baru Stryper The Covering 2011

UFO, Iron Maiden and Van Halen in one album? That's right, it's all in Stryper's new album, The Covering. Surprise little for a Christian Metal Band also covering Black Sabbath 'Heaven and Hell', no other reason because it is more Metal and kick X>< classic. Songs are very close to original, but with re vocal by Michael Sweet it is sound Stryper as usual.

See Stryper The Covering here.



Band:

Michael Sweet (vocals)
Robert Sweet (guitars)
Oz Fox (drums)
Timothy Gaines (bass)

Track listing:
1. Set Me Free (Sweet)
2. Blackout (Scorpions)
3. Heaven and Hell (Black Sabbath)
4. Lights Out (UFO)
5. Carry on Wayward Son (Kansas)
6. Highway Star (Deep Purple)
7. Shout it Out Loud (Kiss)
8. Over the Mountain (Ozzy Osbourne)
9. The Trooper (Iron Maiden)
10. Breaking the Law (Judas Priest)
11. On Fire (Van Halen)
12. Immigrant Song (Led Zeppelin)
13. God (new studio track)

Cap Go Meh Singkawang 2011 Video

Here uploaded Cap Go Meh Singkawang 2011 video. Showing Tatung street festival and "Jelangkung" / Basket Ghost attraction.

Cap Go Meh 2011 Tatung

2011 Tatung festival in Singkawang, photo impression. For other posting see here.

Tatung Festival on Tribune Diponegoro

Ethnic dance in Chinese, Malay and Dayak costume.
Photos by "H"

Cap Go Meh 2011 in Singkawang

Singkawang,120km away from Pontianak City, this small city is even more famous than Pontianak for its Cap Go Meh celebration. For this 2011 year, the city put in even more solid attractions to attract more national and international tourist. The attractions includes : Tatung festive, Old Singkawang Photography Exhibition, Lantern Eve. Festive etc. The final attraction and closing ceremony happened in local football stadium. Here're some photos from the events :

Tatung parade in Singkawang 2011

Tatung Parade

The Closing Ceremony, children wearing ethnic costume to celebrate the
diversity of Singkawang

Thousand Palms Kwan Im Dance in Closing Ceremony

Korean Arirang dance

The lions ushered in the year of Rabbit

Singkawang city decoration

Memoar Orang Singkawang Photo Exhibition

Chinese New Year in Pontianak City

Pontianak City (="Khun tien" in Chinese dialect) is a capital of Indonesia's West Kalimantan (Borneo) province. Home to a large Chinese community, it is no doubt prepared himself ready to celebrated the 2011 Chinese New Year. The festival was especially celebrated in the city's signature street, Jl. Gajahmada, where lots of Chinese cuisine decorated in the street side. To ushered the Lunar new year, the less than a kilometer street also has additional decoration, the red lanterns.

Briefly trying to survive the urban development, the lanterns found themself enough space to blend into the street's facade. The Jl.Gajahmada street facade is signatured with many chinese-style "ruko" or shop house, now being in a danger of being vanished. Shop owner choose the modern yet uninspiring metal cladding to covered their building as a decoration. Quite a shame, but for this little concern, the red lanterns still provide enough evidence, that the street will never in danger for its lack of excitement over Chinese New Year.

Come to the City, briefly an hour flight from Singapore and Jakarta, it is a home of multietnis town and exotic food.

35th Super Sentai and Sentai's Top List

It's super hero time!!!!!! Once again rise by unknown power of good, a five (or more) teenages (in Japan) choose to sacrifice their live and wear a costume of magic, to be come .... the Super Sentai.

2011 is a year more to celebrated for Super Sentai fans, the new issue, Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger will celebrated as 35th edition of the series, right from Goranger in 1977 till now. It's older than me, and supposed to be... older than anyone interested to read this post (LOL).

I am going to compiled my personal Super Sentai List... a big project biting my office hours ..!

Top 10 Favorite Super Sentai:

1. GoGo Sentai Boukenger  - this is a new millenium Sentai series, using latest digital 3D rendering to capture the best imagination. But what made this one my overall favorite sentai series are:
a. story line : about adventurer trying to collect precious (artifact) similar in Indiana Jones-style
b. excellent characterization : all five members are well written with excellent background story
c. enemy design : perhaps the first and only sentai to have more than one group of enemy party
d. casting : Haruka Suenaga, Chise Nakamura... !
e. others : excellent basecamp design, I love the interior. Footage of previous sentai in the end of episode.

2. Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger - two series before Boukenger, the series is top for its uniques:
a. story line : adapting space police theme, simple and straightforward per episode story
b. characterization : one of most memorable and complete characterization for all members
c. enemy design : most unique, using independent enemy per episode but also one "ultimate nemesis"

3. Dai Sentai Goggle-V  - prototype for SE Asian sentai lover. the story is classic and simple to understand for kid! Classic series with memorable character

4. Mahou Sentai Magiranger - has excellent storyline through the series. a complex series not exactly can be understood well without watching the whole series.

5. Gekisou Sentai Carranger - are you kidding? no, if you're watching super sentai in your adult form, you are actually looking for a parody, and Carranger is the best super sentai to entertaint you. And notable female cast (!)

6. Chikyuu Sentai Fiveman - classic sentai that more advance than Google V. memorable family theme
7. Chōjin Sentai Jetman - best of sentai adopting more mature theme, classic excellent design as well.
8. Choudenshi Bioman  - perhaps most popular sentai worldwide, so breakthrough in design for the 80s
9. Hikari Sentai Maskman - best robotic design of the classic sentai that make all children cried for it
10. Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger - a breakthrough series, imported to US, nice story and new sixth member


Top 10 Favorite Sentai Costume (and Helmet)
mostly from the 80s but Dekaranger win in overall design:
1. Dekaranger
2. Flashman
3. Abaranger
4. Timeranger
5. Bioman
6. Maskman
7. Liveman
8. Changeman
9. Jetman
10. Google V

Favorite Songs:
mostly because I forget the old sentai series, and not watching in detail for all series
1. Dekaranger
2. Boukenger
3. Google V
4. Hurricanger
5. Magiranger

Favorite Red Male character and casting:
1. Google Red
2. Boukenger Red
3. Deka red
4. Red Carranger
5. Five Red

Favorite Female character and casting:
do yu really need recomendation?
1. Jasmine - Deka Yellow
2. Sakura - Boukenge Pink
3. Miki Momozono -Google Pink , our big sister
4. Umeko - Deka Pink, the only bath scene in sentai
5. Nanami Nono - Hurricane blue

Favorite Themes:
1. Adventure - Boukenger
2. Police - Dekaranger
3. Pirate - (current) Gokaiger ( pre emptive..)
4. Ninja - hurricanger
5. Martial art - Gekiranger (but quite weak storyline)

For (almost) complete list of Super Sentai fan subs to English check this BLOG.