Nijmeegse Vierdaagse 2008

Nijmeegse Vierdaagse 2008 is an annual event in Nijmegen, and possibly one of the biggest events in the Netherlands.

As in the name, Vierdaagse, vier means four and dag means day, so it's a four-day event held in the city of Nijmegen. To simply put, Nijmeegse Vierdaagse is a mass-marching event, held in four days in the mid of July.
It stated in the Wikipedia that this event is the largest marching event in the world.
The opening of the Vierdaagse is always celebrated with a grand fireworks. Everybody can participate in the marching. There is an option of 30, 40, and/or 50 kilometers walking. Above 40 kilometers walk, the participants will receive medal at the end of the marching.


During the Vierdaagse, what makes this event is a lot more preferred, especially for the young ones, is because of the festivities during those days. There are free outdoor music concerts everywhere, beer stall, food stall, and all kinds of games stall just like a carnival. In almost every spots of Nijmegen, you can see the parties, the crowds, the stalls, the outdoor bars, the musics, etc.

So, if you would like to experience a whole week of party in the Netherland, mid of July is the best timing to visit Nijmegen ^___^

Nijmegen, the oldest city of Netherland

Nijmegen is a special city for me.

As the oldest city of Nijmegen, this city holds a memory as a city that united me and my husband once upon a time :D. Though we both are Indonesian, and of course are always proudly be, but my husband loves Nijmegen so dearly as he has been staying in this city for quite a while ever since he got a job in NXP Semiconductors. Thus, as I get married to him, I start to like this city as much as he does.

To be honest, there's still some confusion whether or not Nijmegen is true the oldest city of the Netherland, since Maastricht, as well, claim themselves as the oldest one. But despite all the arguments and claims of which one being the oldest, i think Nijmegen is one of the beautiful cities that Netherlands own (without reducing the admiration I'm having toward Maastricht, of course!).

No one can describe Nijmegen without mentioning these several city icons that Nijmegen has;

1. Waalkade Bridge

Picture's taken from graafschap

Shame on me that I don't really know the name of this brug (bridge, Netherlands). It's not just the bridge that is so special, but also its surroundings. Sitting or dining in the side of Waalkade during sunset is the most romantic thing for a couple.

2. Nijmegen Markt

Picture's taken from Vinue

Still, shame on me!

I don't know the name of this spot. Or maybe there is no special name for it. But whatever its name is, as it is surrounded with old architectures and located in the very center of Nijmegen, this is really something to remember Nijmegen by.

3. Kolpinghuis

This is like a convention hall, specially for meeting, feast, party, etc. In terms of architecture, it's not a very special building I might say. However, what makes this building so special is because it is located in such a strategic place; in one of the busiest intersection of Nijmegen.

For the full description you can visit here.

4. Valkhof

Picture's taken from Wil Zoetekouw

What is so special about this architecture is not only that this is a historical chapel that is so centuries years old, but also it is located in such a place that enables you to perfectly see the panoramic view of the famous icons of Nijmegen; the bridge and the Waalkade.

5. Fifty-two Degrees

Picture's taken from Fifty-two Degrees' website

This is a new building, previously owned by the local government of Nijmegen, but now is sold to a consortium from Frankfurt. This building has been set as a new icon of Nijmegen because of its special architecture; skew up to 52 degrees.

That's why the name of this building is Fifty-two Degrees.

At night, this building is very eye-catchy by its blinking colorful lights on the top floor of it.

Click here to find more about this building.

Well, blogmates, if you plan to travel to the Netherland, don't forget to visit Nijmegen !!

Have a nice trip ^___^

Novio oh Novio...

It's been a countless time that Novio, I mean the Netherland's national public transportation (Novio, Conexxion, Hermes, etc.), are on the strike to fight for arise in salary :D

Hmm... sounds familiar, I might say ... ;)

Though in Indonesia we have lots of strikes to fight for almost everything, but nothing like what we have here in Holland. The strikes (stakingacties in Netherlands) is not about gathering up people and yelling, shouting, and even destructing things, but the strikes go in the way that all the buses go free before 9am and after 4pm, and they stop working in the hours between. This, of course, leave us with only two option to travel; either by walk or with bicycle. What an impact we have here!!!

Instead of doing rebellious things, I think this action is much more impacting, I can say. Though there's still no result whether or not they will get arise on their income, yet I know they will win this case. Because imagine how much money the company lost, realizing that all the bus drivers give free ride to people during busy hours and even stop working during the day. No management can stand to loose their money!!

By looking at what happen here, I come to realize that no country in this world lives free from strikes or any other protest actions. However, what makes a country different from another is the way they do the strikes, and the way the government handle such matter.

Well.... go Novioooo!!!!!!

Hmmm...

...it's been a while since i could remember of having so much passion on writing a blog. It's not because I don't like writing right now, it's just because I have been in a Sleeping-mode in quite some times that my thought has become so tiring in formulating words to put on blog.

Sad, though, but real :D

And those all, I put the blame so much to UPC to make our internet down for a month, and thanks to the nature to make me suffered from the most gross disease I've ever seen, which made me realized that from all the uncertainty in this world, only three things that are certainly certain (hehehe): birth, death, and... chicken pox ^___^
You could imagine how desperate I was, having all the nightmare-on-my-skin, should be staying home all day long, and realizing that we had NO internet connection.... what a pathetic day !!!! wakakakaka....

Anyway, ... I'm back!!!

I'm ready to color my blog. But not now... I think I still have some itchy spot left ;). Let me do my thing on entertaining my skin, and I'll be seriously, I mean seriously, back :D

Enjoy your day, blogmates!!!

Soeharto, the Untouchable !!

I saw this picture on TempoInteraktif and started to think and be amazed; how come we have had 4 presidents after Soeharto, and none of them were able to bring Soeharto in to justice ... ???
What makes thing even worse is that when he is now diagnosed as in the state of terribly ill, not just few good, and I bet expensive, team of doctors taking care of him, but many governments officials, such as parliaments members and ministers come and visit him as if he is the good old man that has to deserve the care and respects from those who proclaimed themselves members of a new revolutionary-reformed governments.

It is indeed amazing how the power and influence Soeharto has, enables him to be out of justice and to still receive respects and honors from other important people. He didn't just receive it from people inside the country, but outside as well, like for example the recent guests he had; former Cambodian Prime Minister, and the Philippines' Chief of Parliament.

If you ask villagers, they will mostly rather prefer the regime of Soeharto than this era where the government proclaimed to be a newly fresh independent and democratic, yet democratic is failed and independence is still troublesome. Villagers argued that though in the era of Soeharto the corruption was smoothly hide and political violence were nicely condemned yet the development is fixed. The nation could still feel and see the development growth.
Though Soeharto has a bad name, yet important people from other countries are willingly to come and pay a visit as a tribute to his past works.

Compare from Soeharto-regime to reformed-government era, I can't say that one is better from another. But for sure, having the development going in our country is the most important to-do task.
For that matter, few questions arose; should we or should we not better to have the Soeharto-like regime reign again in order to have a fully recovered development??
Are we or are we not a country which still need an iron hand and a superior head to be able to fix all the chaos and to run this country firmly?
I don't know the answer. You answer!!

Tap vs Bottled Water

I just read this article from Yahoo! and felt necessary to share it to you.
It's about the importance of consuming tap water instead of bottled one.
Besides the ecological reason of recycling the waste of bottles and the fact of 1.5 millions barrels of crude oils were used for the production of those bottles annually, tap water is seen better to be consumed than those in bottles.
The article propose 4 reasons to support that statement, but I want to highlight only 2 of those reasons;

1. Tap water is tested daily. This is, of course, not the case in the country like Indonesia (hmm...). But for you who are living in foreign countries where drinking from tap water is possible, I believe you will agree with this point that the hygiene of tap water is clinically proved. Because if not, you can simply sue the government otherwise.

2. Tap water is a tooth saver. I am so surprised yet happy with this fact !!
The article says that tap water has more fluoride than bottled water, which helps prevent tooth decay.

To be healthy, live longer yet look younger is just as far as few glasses of water. When it turned out that a tap water has several additional advantages, hope this makes you drink water even more in your daily life. Water and fruits are all you need to stay healthy and fresh.
Be economist in life! Don't waste your money for any chemical medicines and expensive treatment. Start your day with consuming something with the least effort of getting, as supposed to water and fruits, in order to get the maximum result of being healthy, clean and fresh.


Complete article.