Few months ago I told bff that I’ve booked the promo ticket back home. Her reaction,”What? Still 6 months to go?” I know, I waited anxiously.

Time flies. The waiting is over. I went and I came back to routine already. Whew..

It was a great five-days-trip. I get to satisfy my craving towards the foods, not all foods although I have eat 5 times a day, probably really need to stay longer. I get to catch up with friends. I get to spend time with dearest Dad and Mum. Most importantly, both of us didn’t fall sick throughout the trip, which we (or rather I) usually do, from sore-throat to fever.

Well, not much pictures were taken. Didn’t have the mood to record everything with the unglam digicam. If only I have the Olympus PEN or Sony NEX or even a sony handycam with me. Talk about wish-list.

Anyway, it’s been 9 months only since my last trip to hometown, and I already noticed a few differences with the city and the lifestyle.

Traffic jam is worse than before. The road is already so narrow while the amount of vehicles on the road is increasing. No such thing as left/right/middle lane (seldom), everyone just try to create a lane for themselves, hence it looks messier than before. Every minute you’ll hear car horn from here and there, it made me alert all the time.

7 out of 10 people have iPad or other brands of tablets. Not just youngsters but also middle-age uncle, and that includes my parent. *roll eyes* I looked at myself, who supposed to be an internet junkie, I only bring a digicam with me cause I forgot to bring back my mobile phone, ironic eh.

Things are getting more expensive, or it could be the way I value things are different now. Parking fee used to be Rp1000, now at some hotspot it can be Rp2000. Foods (the popular one) increase a few thousand rupiah, not much but it counts. My fave saloon, from Rp370000 to Rp400000, each time I pay a visit the fee surely increases one. The f&b price in cafes are about the same with the price of cafes in KL.

More new cafes are born. What used to be hot-spot two years ago has been replaced with the new one. Need to be more creative.

I like the environment of Lekker but don’t really like the drink, not sure about the food. 061 Bistro wins in term of strategic location, yummy and large portion food, and cozy environment. Too bad we missed out the stand-up comedian show.

Well, the place that I used to call home has changed. But the famous local culinary is still as yummy as before. Now, I already counting days to Chinese New Year trip back home.

We’re here in my hometown for five days. When my friends and family heard about that, their reaction was,”What? Five days only? Why so short? You usually come back for at least one week.”

I say, simple, because this time it’s not the usual trip, it’s a holiday for us. Eat, play, sleep. No work in between.

You see, if we travel for more than a week, we surely can’t leave our work behind and will still work on it everyday. But I don’t why, we work best (read: more productive) at our home office. Could be the environment. Just like how healthcare staffs need a proper medical cart in order to perform their work.

So yea, we decided to take a short break without bringing the work (still checking email though) and fully utilize the time (to eat and to meet friends). Then come back to KL with a fresher mind and enthusiasm to work before we close the year with another trip.

I’ve been busy living the best out of my life lately. When I’m not doing clients’ projects, you can find me working on our own projects. Aside from projects, there is house chore, grocery shopping, coffee time chit-chatting with dearest husband, watch Taiwan idol dramas, go to the mall, car washing, fetch friend from the airport, and whats not.

Now that I have a chance to blog, I realize we’ve passed mid October. Wow, Mr. Time, can you please slow down a bit?

Anyway, foodie pictures time, which I dig from my pic folders over the years. Cause recently I’ve been thinking and craving for my hometown’s food; ateng kwetiau which isn’t oily and dark like what they have in KL, a real big size of delicious coconut drink, sate padang, nasi padang, etc.

The grass is always greener on the other side. The plus size maternity clothes or other fashion stuffs in KL might be ‘greener’ (read: better) than in Medan. But no matter how better KL is compare to Medan, it won’t win on the culinary part (to me). Nothing beats hometown food.

It looks like super-heavy-rain-which-caused-flood-inside-and-outside-the-house always happens at least once in a year. October 2007 I wrote about When water turns into an enemy and October 2008 I wrote about Say Hi to Mr Flood.

This year, the flood came one month early which was on last Saturday. I went to Cambridge Mall with boyfriend in the afternoon, when the sky has turn extremely dark. Not long after that it rain heavily while we sipped our coffee and chocolate drink at Starbucks.

The rain haven’t stop after 2 hours. My Mum told me that the flood has come into the house and that it was impossible for my Dad to fetch us home. Flood here and there. Don’t even mention about sedan cause MPV like Innova also couldn’t go through the flood.

So, we were literally trapped at Cambridge Mall. Great! We had dinner and sat for few more hours before the flood had finally gotten better.

Long time no see, Mr. Flood! There was at least 5 cm height of flood in the house. Imagine how high it was outside there.

As soon as we got home, we boyfriend quickly changed and helped my parents in throwing the water away (to the bathroom, which is also the source of the flood in the house). Luckily my superman is here, else it would be me who did the task in above picture. But, poor him, had a body ache and sweat so much after that. Erm, see the bright side, it can be counted as fat burners although not an instant one.

Now, I’m just wondering (more into worrying actually) what if I am not here and my bro goes studying abroad, how does my Mum gonna handle the flood? Wait until the maid comes in the next morning? What if the flood comes on Saturday? The maid doesn’t work on Sunday.

Sigh.

Each time I pass by the Kesawan road, I always have a glance at the Tjong A Fie mansion and wonder when will I have the chance to explore the beautiful old mansion. Now, the place is finally opened for public! Yippie! But.. it is for a limited period of time, from June 18th to August 18th 2009, 9am – 12am and 1pm-5pm. Entrance ticket is at IDR35.000 per person.

Tjong A Fie mansion. View from Kesawan road.

Who is Tjong A Fie?
All I know is, Tjong A Fie is a well-known Chinese businessman from Medan who held an important role in building this town. A legendary Chinese figure in Medan. For more of his history, please go to his wiki page, cause I don’t recall I ever learnt about his history back in school. Seriously, I remembered about Sisingamangaraja (a hero from North Sumatra), Pattimura (from Maluku), Pangeran Antasari, Gajahmada, and other Indonesian-famous-man but not Tjong A Fie?Something wrong with my little brain or the person who wrote the history book is a racist? Haihz, whatever la.

Tjong A Fie (1860-1921) was a poor Hakka who sailed to Sumatra from Guangdong – China. Started off with only a few pieces of silver sewn, he managed to have a successful business along with his brother – Tjong Yong Hian. Tjong A Fie was known as a respected businessman who has good social networks and has build good relation with the Sultan Deli, Makmoen Al Rasjid Perkasa Alamsjah and Tuanku Raja Moeda. Tjong A Fie also became the first Chinese to own a tobacco plantation. He also developed and expanded to tea plantation in Bandar Baroe and large coconut/palm oil plantations. Also said to have a blood-relation with Cheong Fatt Tze (Penang).

picture credit: medanku.com

The above photograph of Tjong A Fie was showcased in one of the rooms along along with other old photos. I was amazed and couldn’t believe that this kind of clothes also existed in Medan back then. I mean, I thought this clothes only existed in mainland China? Ternyata sempit juga pengetahuan sejarah gue.

Closer look of the front gate. Too bad the ornaments on the gate was faded already.

I went there with my parent and bro on yesterday afternoon. Brought along my Canon digicam which is always ready to accompany me wherever I go. After paid the entrance fee, the so-called-tour-guide (native Indonesian woman) brought us to explore the mansion and explained some history of Tjong A Fie and family to us.

The latest generation of Tjong A Fie still lives in the mansion hence some of the room is not opened for public. And, visitors are not allowed to take pictures of some area, i.e. room filled with photographs of Tjong A fie and family. (more…)