blog | leonardus depari

shanghai: rise of the big apple

leonardus — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 17:06:03 +0000

After successfully bringing the Walls Street’s Charging Bull from Manhattan to the street of The Bund, it is now the time for Jonathan Ive to put a show here.

Another Apple store has emerged from the ground of Shanghai IFC.

barcelona: campeones mundial

leonardus — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:04:26 +0000

The final match of WC2010 is said to be a battle between youth academy of Ajax and Barcelona, where the likes of Gerard Pique and Cesc Fabregras are starting the professional careers. And after the winning goal in extended time, King Juan Carlos has quietly spread his wings beyond Europe, much more than what Ferdinand Magellan has reached during his voyage. Moment when the trophy was lifted up by Ikker Casillas, there is finally a good reason for both the Catalunya and Castillas to stay united … as it is Guardiola’s squads who formulates the stylish play of the national team.

penang: waka waka

leonardus — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 18:21:04 +0000

With no matches broadcasted to any TV channels in my room, there is no way but to spend my late hours in the bar located right on the hotel lobby. It was supposed to be nights with crowds of soccer fans shouting for goals in midst of deafening vuvuzela’s bang; but yet it turned out to be ones with dancing crowds under the melody of a highly talented Philippine band. Though Malaysia is so famous with its conservative values, who says that night life is nowhere be found here. Moment when Shakira’s Waka Waka was brought down, the whole floor was suddenly trembling and I could hardly see anyone looking at the screen. Even if Fernando Torres finally broke his egg, no one really seems to care.

But when a dangdut song titled Cari Jodoh was played, I was totally stunned and suddenly … I feel like home. (tomorrow another busy day in office will kill my eyes).

jogo bonito

leonardus — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 17:16:12 +0000

The nuclear weapon proliferation in North Korea, the deepening debt crisis in Greece, and the worst oil spills in Gulf of Mexico are just historical things from the past.

Let’s embrace the charms of jabulani and turn your eyes towards South Africa !!!

kunshan: ao zhao mian

leonardus — Fri, 14 May 2010 16:44:26 +0000

The city of Kunshan is just another sattelite city outside Shanghai which is dominated by many Taiwanese companies. Well-known for its nickname as “Little Taipei”, few may know that this is where Apple Inc. produces all of its iPod Touch. The presence of Foxconn in Kunshan simply signifies its great contribution to global demand of Apple’s brands. Surrounded by major attractions like Zhouzhuang, Suzhou, and Hangzhou; I would guarantee that all foreigners who come here are mainly either for business purposes or for its famous dishes. My first visit here about three years ago during autumn was in a right time when the delicious hairy crab are on its harvesting period in Yangcheng lake. But during this spring, I have no other option but to try Kunshan’s second best specialty: the traditional Ao Zhao noodles in Tinglin Road. The duty manager of the hotel I stayed said that the restaurant has been around for more than 100 years and becoming the icon of Kunshan.

After stopping by the train station to buy a ticket to Shanghai, I was sitting by myself in an empty restaurant with standard looking noodles on the table. Indeed, it really tastes so good (though some may find it too salty) and definitely worth a visit.

basel: lost

leonardus — Fri, 07 May 2010 17:32:24 +0000

It was early morning at about 1am when the ICE train was welcoming the passengers to Switzerland … and I woke up immediately to join herds of passengers who get down from the carriage. Minutes after some orientation, I gave up looking for right connecting train and show my ticket to an officer who look at me amusingly while saying: “This is not Basel SBB station, this is Basel Bad Bahnhof !”Unwilling to spend 25 Euro for just one station away, I finally leave the taxi driver and get myself walking across the city center amidst dozens of adults who had their Saturday night party.

The cold dark forty minutes walks was enough to give me a lasting memory to a city who I heard only of its football team FC Basel.

lucerne: a sabbatical day

leonardus — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 17:12:23 +0000

The bad wheather and cloudy sky in Engelberg forced me to leave the city earlier and headed to Lucerne for some shopping activities. Buying a swiss-made watch for my wife is a wish-cum-terror that kept me worry of not getting what she wanted. Few hundreds meters from the Lucerne train station, a poor plan and under-estimating attitude led me to a nicely packed shopping corners with hundreds of stores but closed. Silly I am that sunday is a sabbatical day and I will be damn lucky to find an opened stores with good collections. In the end of the day, I ended up dissapointly with few souvernirs and t-shirts in hands and dozens of photographs.

titlis: clear crystal

leonardus — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 21:32:34 +0000

Though the northern Europe was covered by volcanic ashes, the Alps keeps showing its majestic view, seen from the peak of Mount Titlis of Switzerland.

Great are the works of our Lord !

frankfurt: when the sky went silent

leonardus — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 21:52:59 +0000

Time after time, my works will bring me back to this city again with loads of targets to achieve. Everything goes as normal until suddenly, the sky turned off its space and gave a very strange atmosphere to one of the busiest airport in Europe. With thousands of passengers are still stranded on its terminal, only God knows when its kitchen will stop coughing out its ash and if I can still fly back right on time to Asia.

I can’t wait to see my heart in the can’t-stand-of-its-noisy traffic of Jakarta.

eat, pray, love

leonardus — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:07:40 +0000

Elizabeth Gilbert may find her most divine satisfaction through a food fiesta in Italy and may have achieved her ultimate enlightenment through a spiritual journey in India, as described on her book. But when love is what matters most to one’s life; Bali has the answer. My words will only give little justification to the charms of Bali; but a set lunch of Babi Guling Ibu Oka in Ubud, a sunset-view in Kudeta, and a seafood galore in Jimbaran will do a justice. Love is in the air in Bali …