May 23, 2018

[ENG] Bianglala, Pantai, dan Tulip - Western Europe Trip Pt. 4

[ENG Translations Available]

Waktu nulis Part 4 ini, hati kok rasanya lumayan baper ya. Sudah hampir 2 bulan sejak meninggalkan Belanda tapi nyawaku rasanya masih separuh melayang-layang disana. Masih lekat di ingatan dinginnya angin Belanda, enaknya stroopwafel dan coklat panas, bahkan tiap belokan dan sudut-sudut Amsterdam (oke ini lebay wong aku anaknya pelupa banget).

Tapi life must go on ya. Jadi marilah kita akhiri cerita tentang Negeri Kincir Angin lewat post satu ini. Hari ini aku akan main ke pantai, naik bianglala, dan bertemu Si Cantik Tulip. FYI, tahukah kamu bahwa "kantor" dalam Bahasa Belanda adalah "kantoor" dan "kamar" adalah "kameer"?

When writing this Part 4, my heart wasn't at ease. It's almost 2 months after leaving Netherlands but somehow my mind and soul still wander there. I can remember clearly how cold the wind was, how tasty the stroopwafel and hot chocolate were... even every corner of Amsterdam still stick to my mind (ehm, not this one though hahaha I'm a very forgetful person)

But life must go on, so let me end the story about Netherlands, the Country of Windmill, by telling you this story. On this day, we would visit a beach, take a ferris wheel ride, and finally meet the fascinating Tulip flower.



Akhirnya... / Finally...

RABU, 28 MARET / WEDNESDAY, 28 MARCH
Masih ingat dengan rencana Hari Ke-2 kami bersama Om Freek? Destinasi satu ini aslinya dijadwalkan untuk dua hari lalu, tapi karena kendala waktu kami tidak sempat mengunjunginya. Penasaran ingin melihatnya, aku pun 'menagih janji' kepada Om Freek yang dengan senang hati mengiyakan. Syaratnya, harus bangun lebih pagi agar bisa mengemasi koper agar sorenya langsung menuju bandara. Iya betul, hari ini adalah hari terakhir di Belanda. Sore nanti aku dan Mama harus berangkat ke Helsinki, Finlandia dengan maskapai Norwegian Air D8477 yang akan lepas landas jam 19.35. (Spoiler alert: manusia hanya bisa berencana!)

Still remember about my Day-2 plan with Om Freek? This destination was initially planned for that day but due to time limit we had to scratch it away. I was still curious about it so I asked Om Freek to visit before going to Keukenhof, and he said yes, only if I woke early enough to pack my luggage and bring it along to the airport. Ah... yeah this was our last day in Netherlands. In the evening we would fly to Helsinki, Finland by Norwegian Air D8477 with departing time of 19:35. (Spoiler alert: human could only plan!)

Sepanjang perjalanan aku puas merecoki Om Freek dengan berbagai pertanyaan. Mulai dari sekitar dunia keahliannya, sepakbola, sampai pengetahuan umum tentang Belanda. Dari beliau aku jadi tahu bahwa pajak penjualan di Belanda terbagi atas 3 jenis: 0% untuk pengusaha asing, 6% untuk kebutuhan primer (+ jasa kesehatan dan pendidikan) dan 21% untuk kebutuhan sekunder. Jadi baju dan makanan dikenai pajak 6% karena manusia tidak bisa hidup tanpa sandang dan pangan, tapi untuk bensin, ponsel, atau hiburan akan dikenai pajak 21% (WOW!) karena itu kebutuhan sekunder manusia.

Along the way to the first destination, I kept bugging Om Freek with questions. We discussed so many topics including football training, which was his field of interest, and general knowledge about Holland. He told me that the sales tax here was divided into 3 types: 0% for foreign entrepreneurs, 6% for goods of primary needs (+ health and educational services) and 21% for goods of secondary needs. So, clothing and foods were charged with 6% tax because men couldn't live without them, but for fuel, mobile phones, or entertainment services will be charged with 21% (WOAH!)


Scheveningen Strand

Destinasi pertama kami hari ini adalah Scheveningen Strand, kawasan wisata tepi pantai dengan dermaga yang berada di distrik Scheveningen, Kota Den Haag (The Hague). Banyak yang bilang kota Den Haag lebih nyaman dibandingkan Amsterdam, dinilai dari tingkat keramaian dan kepadatannya. Amsterdam yang lebih touristy memang enaknya dijalani 3-4 hari saja, lebih dari itu akan terasa sumpek.

Our first destination was Scheveningen Strand, a tourism attraction by the sea with a pier located in Scheveningen district in Den Haag. Many people say that Den Haag is more comfortable to live in compared to Amsterdam, judged by its crowd and population level. It's true though. Amsterdam is more touristy and only suitable to be explored for 3-4 days.


Dermaga / The pier

Aku terkejut begitu menginjakkan kaki di kawasan wisata ini. Ada ferris wheel di tepi pantai! Waaah baru kali ini aku melihat bianglala berdiri persis di atas pasir, di atas air laut. Kalau di Duffan ada juga sih "bianglala tepi pantai" tapi kan tidak dibangun tepat di atas pasir. Bianglala ini menawarkan pemandangan cakrawala di Laut Utara dan boulevard Scheveningen.

Nama bianglala satu ini adalah Skyview de Pier, terdiri dari 36 gondola yang bisa menampung hingga 6 orang. Bianglala dibuka untuk umum setiap jam 10.00-18.00 dengan harga karcis €9 (Rp153.000,- untuk kurs Rp17.000,-) untuk dewasa dan €7 untuk anak dibawah 12 tahun. Ada juga gondola versi mewah dengan lantai kaca dan waktu tempuh 20 menit, harganya €55/kabin/4 orang.

I was surprised when arriving at this tourism area. There was a ferris wheel built on the sand! It was my first time seeing this kind of ferris wheel. In Jakarta, we have ferris wheel in Duffan but it was not built on the sand. The wheel offered a view of North Sea's horizon and Scheveningen's boulevard.

The name was Skyview de Pier, consisted of 36 gondolas that could accomodate 6 person in each. The wheel operates daily from 10.00 to 18.00. The ticket price was €9 for adult and €7 for kids under 12 y.o. If you want something luxurious, try their VIP gondola with glass floor, the price was €55/cabin for 4 people with 20 minutes ride-time.



Bianglala yang berdiri sejak tahun 2016 ini memiliki ketinggian maksimum 40 meter. Seru banget, Readers. Seakan kita melayang di atas air. Maafkan aku yang tidak sempat banyak memotret dari puncak bianglala. Aku terlalu larut dalam asyiknya obrolan dengan Om Freek. 10 menit di dalam gondola kami habiskan untuk bercerita sambil menikmati minuman soda di tangan masing-masing. Om Freek akhirnya membocorkan rahasia bahwa dia takut dengan ketinggian, meskipun sudah pernah 10 kali terjun payung saat di militer dulu. Astaga! "Lalu kenapa mengajak naik ini, Om?" tanyaku saking kaget dengan pengakuannya. "Yah karena aku tahu ini aman, jadi kita nggak bakalan jatuh..." jawabnya santai. Ajaib emang pamanku satu ini.

Stood since August 2016, the 40-meters tall ferris wheel gave me an amazing experience like I was floating on top of the sea. Pardon me for not taking a lot of pictures from above, because I was too drowned in conversation with Om Freek while sipping our soda drinks. 10 minutes ride passed by so fast without me realizing. Om Freek admitted that he actually is a bit of acrophobia. He had jumped from a plane and performed sky-diving ten times (!) when he was in the army, but still... the fear of height is still there. "Why did you want to take this ride, Unc?" I asked him. "Well because I'm sure that this ride is safe. I wouldn't suggest to get on this ferris wheel if I felt unsure about its safety," Om Freek replied calmly. Hahaha. This uncle is really fun and cool.




Dari ketinggian bianglala bangunan yang terlihat paling mencolok adalah Grand Hotel Amrâth Kurhaus, sebuah monumental building yang telah berdiri sejak tahun 1885, terkenal berkat spa-house-nya. Aku ingat bangunan ini dari obrolan dengan Om John malam sebelumnya. Pulang dari main bowling, aku mengobrol sebentar dengan Om John, Tante Grace, dan Julie. Aku ditunjukkan video YouTube tentang Scheveningen dan Keukenhof agar bisa berekspektasi wajar saat mengunjungi kedua lokasi ini. "Bangunan hotel ini bagus, tapi rusak karena gedung-gedung apartemen yang baru dibangun di sekitarnya," komentar Om John waktu video Scheveningen diputar.

From the ferris wheel, we could see the Grand Hotel Amrath Kurhaus stood out beautifully. It was a monumental building from 1885 that got popular because of its spa-house. I remembered this building from my conversation with Om John the night before. Yeah, last night me, Aunt Grace, Julie, and Om John had a short discussion after our family bowling. Om John played me YouTube videos about Scheveningen Strand and Keukenhof so I could know and expect what to see when visiting today. "The old hotel building in the middle is beautiful, but those modern ugly apartments that were newly built just simply ruined the sight," Om John commented about the view on picture below. 

Hotel megah dan gedung-gedung modern / Grand hotel and modern buildings

Rupanya gedung-gedung tua di Scheveningen Strand ini dirobohkan pada tahun 1970. Semuanya musnah kecuali hotel Amrath Kurhaus yang oleh demonstrasi masyarakat diminta untuk dipertahankan. Pantas saja hanya gedung ini saja yang terlihat unik dan antik di tengah-tengah puluhan gedung modern di sekitarnya. Warna emas-krem si hotel yang mewah tampak kontras dengan abu-abunya gedung apartemen di kejauhan.

Turun dari bianglala, kami memutuskan untuk turun ke pasir, sekadar menyentuh air laut. Di kejauhan tampak satu-dua pengunjung tengah berenang dan berselancar. Kok bisa ya di cuaca sedingin ini mereka main air? 😆 Selanjutnya kami berjalan-jalan di boulevard yang masih sepi aktivitas. Area ini dijejeri streetfood, restoran, bar, butik, dan toko suvenir, namun beberapa masih belum buka. Om Freek menraktirku kibbeling untuk dinikmati sambil berjalan balik ke tempat parkir, tapi harus waspada dengan burung merpati di sekitar. Kalau lengah, bisa-bisa makanan kita dipatuk. Selain makan, minum, dan belanja, pengunjung juga dapat main ke kasino atau nonton film di bioskop.

All the old buildings here were demolished in 1970, but because of demonstration and protesters, the government left Amrath Kurhaus behind. That's why it is the only antique building stands among those modern new buildings. The gold-brown color stands out in the middle of those monochrome colored apartments.

After a round of wheel ride, Om Freek and I walked to the beach-line. I wanted to have a taste of sea while in Netherlands. My first time touching the sea in windy spring weather, it was real cold. Even my long puffy jacket couldn't cover me well from the winds. From a far we could see people swimming and surfing. Whoa, how come?! 😆 We then continued walking along the promenade, the boulevard, that was still quiet. On the YouTube video last night, I saw that in the summer this area could be very packed: people on the beach, people inside restaurants, people playing in casino. On the beach there was barely no space left for people to lay down and get sunburned. For now, it was quiet and peaceful hahaha. Om Freek treated me a portion of kibbeling that we ate while walking back to the parking area.

Di musim panas, pantai ini akan sangat ramai pengunjung yang ingin berjemur /
In summer this beach would be full of sunbathing tourists

Captured by Om Freek


Satu hal yang aku sesali setelah pulang ke Jakarta adalah... ternyata di Scheveningen terdapat karya seni hasil ukirannya Igor Mitoraj! Pertama kalinya aku kenal pemahat satu ini adalah waktu baca artikel tentang seni patung dan melihat hasil karya Igor Mitoraj yang nyeleneh, berupa wajah-wajah manusia raksasa. Aku tidak begitu paham seni tapi aku langsung jatuh cinta. Ealah... aku malah melewatkan kesempatan yang sudah ada di depan mata 😓 Readers yang kebetulan main ke Scheveningen dan ingin melihat karya beliau, bisa main ke Museum Beelden Aan Zee ya.

One thing I regretted after being back in Jakarta is... apparently there was an artwork of Igor Mitoraj in Scheveningen! I knew him from some articles about art of sculptures, there were pictures of his unique artworks, giant faces of human. I'm not a big art fan nor I understand art, but I fell in love right away with Mitoraj's works. The chance to see it directly passed just like that, so sad. If you happen to visit Scheveningen and curious about this sculpture below, please pay a visit to Museum Beelden Aan Zee.

Karya seni Igor Mitoraj di Museum Beelden Aan Zee /
The artwork of Igor Mitoraj at Museum Beelden Aan Zee

Meski masih belum puas keliling Scheveningen, perjalanan harus kami lanjutkan. Baru 15 menit keluar dari parkiran, pesan WhatsApp masuk dari "Holland Xperience 2018" (grup bikinan Om Freek dalam rangka pesiar aku dan Mama di Belanda) yang mengabarkan bahwa Tim B beranggotakan Oma Kosakoy, Tante Grace, Om Ronald, dan Mama sudah tiba di Keukenhof. Waduh! Padahal dari Den Haag masih berjarak 45 menit lagi, semoga Oma tidak keburu capek menunggu kedatangan kami.

We had to continue the journey although I still felt unsatisfied by the short visit. Only 15 minutes after leaving the car park, a WhatsApp text appeared on my phone. It was from "Holland Xperience 2018" group, a WA group specially created by Om Freek for me and my mom's vacation, informing that the Team B (Oma Kosakoy, Tante Grace, Om Ronald, and my Mom) had arrived at Keukenhof. Oops, we were still quite far, approximately 45 mins more to Keukenhof. Hopefully Oma didn't get tired early while waiting for me and Om Freek.


Si cantik ini berada di dekat pintu masuk /
This beautiful tulip lies near the entrance gate

Setelah 'insiden' salah parkir, Om Freek dan aku akhirnya tiba dengan selamat sejahtera ke depan pintu gerbang kemerdekaan Indonesia di Keukenhof. Waaah, ramai sekali pengunjung hari itu. Aku semakin bersyukur karena datang kesini masih di awal musim semi. Kalau sudah puncaknya, jumlah manusia ini bisa berkali-kali lipat lho. Duh bisa-bisa aku kurang menikmati dan malah sibuk menyinyiri tingkah orang lain meski hanya di dalam hati.

After a wrong parking 'incident' (everyone made little stupid mistakes, so it's okay 😆) we finally arrived at the main entrance of Keukenhof. I was amazed at how much crowded this location was. The ticket cashiers were empty but the parking area was quite full, so everyone must had been wandering inside the garden. I was even more thankful that we came in early spring. It's going to be more crowded and packed at peak season. I would definitely be less enjoying the garden and be busy staring at people instead of flowers. 

Belum mekar / Haven't bloomed yet

Harga tiket masuk Keukenhof Tulips Garden adalah sebesar €18 (Rp306.000,-) karena Mama (sudah pasti) dibayari oleh Tante Grace, aku pun membayari karcis dan parkir untuk Om Freek. Satu hal lagi yang aku senangi dari Om satu ini, dia memberikan aku kesempatan untuk menjadi "orang dewasa", kali ini dalam hal gantian membayar. Readers pasti pernah kan rebutan membayar kalo lagi bertamu atau dijamu di negeri orang, kalo bagiku pribadi rasanya ada yang mengganjal. Seperti ada 'hutang' yang harus kita bayar kembali entah kapan. Makanya aku senang sekali kalau punya host yang menerima urunan atau mau gantian dibayarin.

The entrance fee was €18. Om Freek allowed me to pay for him. It was another thing I liked from this uncle, he gave me the chance to be a "responsible adult" in terms of paying for food or attractions. Readers, you must have been in a position where you and your host/friend insisted on paying for each other while being abroad. Personally I'm not comfortable in such situation, like there's a debt you need to pay later somehow. Having a host/friend that allows me to pay or pay him back makes me really happy.

Sebenarnya tidak boleh menginjak rumput / It's actually forbidden to step on the grass

Banyak Oma-Opa di taman :) / So many old couples in the garden :)

Masuk ke Keukenhof otomatis mataku langsung mencari-cari pemandangan kebun luas berisi jejeran bunga tulip warna-warni. Eh, kok nggak ada ya? Oalah aku lupa ini masih awal musim semi yang artinya banyak bunga yang masih berbentuk kuncup. Masa pembukaan Keukenhof di tahun 2018 memang baru dibuka pada tanggal 22 Maret sampai nanti tanggal 13 Mei, hanya 8 minggu saja. Biasanya pemandangan terindah bisa dilihat saat akhir April ketika bunga tulip bermekaran.

I automatically looked for a view of a vast and large field full of tulips once entering the main gate. But there was none. For a brief moment I forgot that we were still in early spring where flowers were not fully bloomed yet. The 2018 exhibition started at March 22 until May 13, only for 8 weeks. Usually it reaches its best view in late April when all tulips are fully blooming.

Dekorasi serba pink / Pinkish decoration

Puji Tuhan kami tetap bisa menikmati bunga tulip dan bunga-bungaan lain meski tidak berwujud hamparan tulip di kebun luas. Salah satunya adalah di Paviliun Oranje Nassau di bawah ini.  Paviliun satu ini menampilkan pameran bunga potong yang berbeda setiap minggunya. Minggu ini temanya... bunga apa ya kok aku lupa hahaha, yang pasti dekorasinya serba pink dan "penuh cinta" 💞 Tante Grace sempat menggodaku, "Nanti kalau nikah (sama Mas Bule) pakai dekorasi begini ya." Iya-in aja deh dulu, mikirin budget dekorasi belakangan aja hahaha.

Thank God we could still enjoy tulip and other kind of flowers even though not in the form of large field. We entered the Paviliun Oranje Nassau which displayed different cut flower shows every week. I forgot the name of the flower on display today but the paviliun was decorated in pink and full of "Love" theme 💞 Tante Grace teased me, "On your wedding day (with your boyfriend later) please put on this decoration." Hmm alright, Ma'am, let's just say yes for now and think about the budget next time.

Senyuman Oma penuh sukacita / Oma smiled joyfully

My only favorite Dutch auntie 😍

Cinderella, apakah itu kamu? / Cinderella, is that you?

Semua orang sibuk foto-foto / Everyone was busy capturing the flowers

...termasuk si Emak / ...even Mama

Paviliun selanjutnya yang kami kunjungi adalah Willem-Alexander. Ini nih highlight utamanya Keukenhof. Berbagai jenis bunga mulai dari tulip, lili, hingga bunga matahari ditampilkan di sini. Ada yang ditanam di tanah, ada yang dimasukkan dalam pot bunga atau dirangkai berbentuk gaun pengantin dan simbol hati. Ah, indah banget pokoknya Readers. Sepertinya sih ruangan yang tertutup dengan penghangat ini juga mempercepat mekarnya tulip. Tulip yang ditanam di udara terbuka lebih lama mekarnya karena pengaruh suhu yang masih dingin.

The next paviliun we entered was Willem-Alexander, basically it was the main attraction of Keukenhof. There were so many flowers and plants inside this building: tulips, lilies and sunflowers were put on display. Most of them were planted on the ground while the others were put inside a vase or arranged into some beautiful mosaic such as wedding gown and heart symbol. Maybe the closed paviliun with heater made it possible for the tulips to bloom faster than the tulips outside.


Memukau / Enchanting

Ada yang di pot juga / There were also tulips in vase




Entah berapa kali aku mengitari area ini untuk hunting foto, sembari di dalam hati berjanji untuk memutuskan mana jenis tulip favoritku. Hasilnya? SEMUA. Hahaha aku tidak bisa memilih :( Semua tulip ini cantik banget. Nggak kebayang sih kalau misalnya kami berada di kebun tulip yang luas, bisa-bisa tulang dan otot jadi rontok semua karena pengen melihat setiap jenis tulip disana. Untunglah exhibition hall ini memudahkan pengunjung melihat dan mempelajari ratusan jenis tulip.

I lost count to how many times I walked around this area to photo hunt. I made a promise to myself  to find one favorite among these many kind of tulips... but in the end I chose: EVERYTHING. I couldn't decide :( All these tulips were so beautiful, enchanting. I bet, if we visited the vast tulip field, we would have been very tired from walking from one kind of tulip to another kind. This exhibition hall made it easy for us to see hundred kinds of tulip in just one room.


Bunga putih ini bentuknya lucu sekali /
This white tulip has a very unique shape

Salah satu favorit / One of my favorites

Tulip kuning selalu menarik perhatianku /
I have a crush in yellow tulip






Area ketiga dan terakhir yang kami kunjungi di Keukenhof adalah kincir angin. Aku tidak punya ekspektasi apa-apa saat menaiki kincir angin ini. Sekadar hanya ingin naik saja, karena di lokasi-lokasi sebelumnya aku belum pernah naik ke puncak kincir angin. Eh ternyata dari kincir angin yang satu ini aku bisa melihat kebun/ladang tulip yang berada persis di belakang Keukenhof. Boro-boro mau lihat kebun penuh tulip, justru terlihat bibitnya baru mulai ditanam. Hmm ataukah traktornya sedang memberi pupuk? Jika cuaca sudah hangat, pengunjung dapat menikmati indahnya kebun tulip dengan perahu atau sepeda.

The third and last area we visited was the Dutch Windmill. I had no expectations when I set a foot on its climb ladder. I just wanted to climb because I haven't climbed any mills in previous destinations. Later I found out that from the windmill's top, visitors can enjoy a great view of the tulip fields located behind Keukenhof garden. The field was so empty, still far away from blooming. I wasn't sure whether the tractor was planting the seeds or fertilizing the land. When the tulip fields are ready, we can take a wonderful boat trip surrounding the fields or riding a bicycle and explore the fields.


Kincir angin Belanda / Dutch Windmill



Di samping kincir angin terdapat kios penjaja suvenir khas Belanda dan Keukenhof. Tante Grace dan Om Ronald tahu-tahu sudah memborong sejumlah suvenir sebagai buah tangan untuk keluarga di Poigar dan Manado. Aaawww manis banget kan mereka? Padahal sudah ada beberapa kotak coklat dan permen yang disiapkan Tante Grace, lengkap dengan koper pinjaman darinya karena koper kami tidak muat lagi untuk menampung coklat-coklat itu. Bisa terbayang deh betapa bahagianya nanti om, tante, dan sepupu-sepupuku di Poigar/Manado saat menyambut kepulangan Mama. Oh ya di kios ini juga Mama sempat membeli beberapa bibit tulip untuk ditanam di Manado. Kira-kira bisa bertumbuh nggak ya?

Beside the windmill there were kiosks selling Dutch/Keukenhof souvenirs. Without us realizing, Aunt Grace and Om Ronald had already bought many souvenirs for the family in Poigar and Manado. Aw... aren't they super sweet? As if not enough that Aunt Grace had already prepared boxes of chocolate and candies back at her house. She even lent us her spare luggage since ours couldn't fit any additional stuffs. I could imagine just how happy my family would be; my uncles, aunts, and cousins in Poigar and Manado, they all would be joyfully welcoming Mama home. Ah, Mama also bought several flower bulbs at the kiosk to be planted in our home in Manado. Can it grow well in Manado's climate?


Ladang tulip yang masih kosong / The empty tulip fields
Kami mengakhiri tur Keukenhof pada jam 4 sore. Masih ada cukup waktu untuk berkendara ke bandara Schiphol, yang mana hanya butuh 15-20 menit, serta nongkrong bentar sebelum berpisah dengan Keluarga Kosakoy. 

Saat tinggal 10 menit dari bandara lah aku baru teringat bahwa pasporku tertinggal di rumah Tante Grace. Luar biasa. Mari berikan tepuk tangan meriah untuk Erlin dan kepikunannya! Astaga, berkali-kali aku (dalam imajinasiku) menampar diri sendiri karena kesal dengan sifat pelupa akut ini. Paspor itu tertinggal karena malamnya aku sibuk mencoba online check-in dan langsung jatuh tertidur begitu sukses check-in setelah percobaan ke-10, tanpa sempat menaruh lagi dompet paspor (dan uang!) ke dalam ransel. Kalau yang ketinggalan cuma uangnya saja sih, tak masalah... lah ini paspornya, guys. Gimana caranya aku terbang ke Finlandia-Dubai-Singapura-Jakarta tanpa 'jimat' satu itu.

We ended the Keukenhof tour at 4 p.m. there was still enough time for a ride to Schiphol airport which only took 15-20 minutes driving, also some times for a brief hangout at some cafe before parting ways with the Kosakoys.

Only 10 minutes away from the airport, I suddenly remembered that I have left my passport at Aunt Grace's house. Great. Ladies and gentlemen please give a round of applause for Erlin and her senility! Geez, I was very mad at myself and this forgetful habit of mine. I took the passport out last night to do online check-in. After succeeding in my 10th attempt of checking in, I right away fell asleep and completely forgot to put my passport back into my (money) purse. If the purse only had money in it, I wouldn't be this stressed, because money could be retrieved retrieved. But the passport... I needed it to fly to Finland, Dubai, Singapura and then Jakarta. Ugh.

Betah banget ya Lin sampe nggak mau pulang Jakarta? :p

Aku berkali-kali minta maaf pada Om Freek lalu pada anggota keluarga lainnya yang sudah menunggu kami di depan counter check-in bandara. Tante Grace memastikan dengan menelpon Ruben di rumah bahwa dompetku itu memang ada di kamar, tepatnya di bawah selimut di kasur Julie. Oke, mantap. Tidak ada yang bisa kami lakukan mengingat jarak dari Arnhem ke Schiphol adalah 2-3 jam, artinya aku harus membatalkan penerbangan dan membeli tiket baru.

Kalau cuma 'sekadar' batal terbang, rekorku sih sudah melangit ya hahaha (ketawa miris). Tapi kali ini aku menyeret serta Mama dan membuat kehebohan bagi keluargaku. Mereka 'terpaksa' harus menampung kami satu malam lagi dan mengantar kami ke bandara lagi. Aku benci sekali merepotkan orang lain :( Puji Tuhan, Keluarga Kosakoy menerima kondisi ini dengan lapang dada dan terus menenangkan aku agar tidak stress dengan hal ini. "Don't worry please, if you have problem with money please don't worry and just tell us," Om Freek membesarkan hatiku sambil merangkulku hangat. Atuhlah, sudah lama rasanya aku tidak mendapat penguatan sejenis ini :') Biasanya saat ketinggalan pesawat aku selalu sendirian dan terbiasa menyelesaikan masalah sendiri.

I sincerely apologized again and again to Om Freek and the other member of Kosakoys who waited for us in front of the counter check-in area at Schiphol. Tante Grace made sure about my passport location by calling Ruben at home, it was covered under the blanket in Julie's bedroom. Nothing could be done now because the far distance from Arnhem to Schiphol. It meant only one thing: cancel the flight and buy new tickets.

Actually I have had many experiences in failing to fly, either because of arriving late to the airport or other reasons. But this time, I involved Mama and my family, it was way more embarrassing and upsetting. We needed to stay one more night in Arnhem and being taken to the airport once again. Ugh how much I hated doing this to the Kosakoys :( Thankfully, my family was being so kind about it. "Don't worry please, if you have problem with money please don't worry and just tell us," Om Freek calmed me down and hug me warmly. Aaww, I couldn't remember my last time hearing such nice things when I got caught in similar problem. Usually I am alone and must handle all problems by myself.

Oh ya, masalah uang... sebenarnya ini masalah super besar. Hahaha. Berhubung tiket kami tidak bisa langsung di-refund karena tidak ada perwakilan Norwegian Air di Schiphol, aku harus membeli tiket baru. Reschedule? Bisa saja, tapi jadwal penerbangan Norwegian Air yang masih tersedia adalah tanggal 1 April, YAKALEE~ Aku buru-buru menelpon 'para malaikat'-ku di Jakarta sana. Pertama: Bang Supriadi. Ugh, tidak diangkat. Wajar saja sih, disana sudah jam 12 tengah malam. Malaikat keduaku: Nopri. Diangkat! Yeay, segala puji syukur bagi Tuhan Yesus! (Ini beneran pengen sujud syukur lho pas Nopri menjawab telponku) Sahabatku satu ini bersedia meminjamkan kartu kreditnya, bahkan memesankan tiket baru untuk aku dan Mama. Dalam waktu 30 menit, terbelilah dua buah tiket Transavia HV5003 untuk hari Kamis, 29 Maret 2018 jam 06.40. Makasih banyak, Nopri oppa!  Pulang ke Jakarta nanti saatnya membanting tulang untuk membayar tagihan kartu kredit 😅

Uhm about money, just because I don't want you guys to have a wrong impression about me being rich and all, actually it was a big problem for me. Our tickets could not be refunded directly because Norwegian Air had no branches in Schiphol, hence I needed to buy new tickets. What about reschedule? Well it was possible but the nearest available date was April 1. So I had to find source of funds right away... by calling my 'angels' in Jakarta. First, I called Bang Supriadi but he didn't pick up since it was already midnight in Jakarta. I put all my hope to my second 'angel' now, Nopri. And... he picked up! Thanks Jesus! (I really wanted to sing praise & worship songs at that moment) Nopri, my best friend, was willing to lend his credit card for me. He even helped in booking new tickets for me and Mama. In 30 minutes, we were able to buy 2 tickets of Transavia HV5003 departing Thursday, 29 March at 06:40. Thank you so much, Nopri, I had no idea what will I do without you! 


***

Mengakhiri blogpost ini, izinkan aku menyampaikan rasa syukur dan terima kasih sebesar-besarnya untuk Keluarga Besar Kosakoy. Terima kasih atas kehangatan, kebaikan, keramahannya bagi kami. Terima kasih sudah memberikan kami tumpangan yang nyaman, makanan yang lezat, serta sejumlah pengalaman baru yang layak dikenang.

To end this post, please allow me to deliver my gratitude for the big family of Kosakoy. Dank je wel for your warm courtesy, for providing us a comfortable bed and amazing foods. You guys gave us soooo much memorable experiences, me and my mom are really thankful for everything. 

Malam pertama di Arnhem langsung disambut jamuan lezat /
First night in Arnhem, welcomed with warm feast

Bowling and (taking a rest from) trekking

Midnight conversation with Julie (all my male friends have a crush on her 😅)

Lovely family :)

Terutama untuk Om Freek, terima kasih sudah menjadi full-time tour guide dan mengantar-jemput kami ke sekitar Belanda. Satu hal yang patut disyukuri adalah jalanan di negara ini tidak 'seganas' Indonesia, apalagi Jakarta. Aku bakalan nggak tega melihat Om Freek nyetir dan akan menyarankan naik transportasi umum saja, hehehe. Makasih mau melayani setiap keingintahuan dan rasa penasaranku, semoga Om Freek tidak sakit kepala dan terpaksa harus menenggak aspirin setiap pulang dari mengantar kami 😛

Especially for Om Freek: thanks for being a full-time tour guide and taking us around Netherlands. I am so grateful that the street of Netherlands is different with Indonesia a.k.a Jakarta's. I could not bear seeing Om Freek driving in such crowded street, like the one in Jakarta, and would just ask him to get on public transportation hahaha. Thank you so much for answering my curiosities, I wish Om Freek didn't get a headache from all my random questions and forcefully took aspirins every night 😛

Terima kasih banyak, Om Freek! / Dank je wel, Om Freek! 


Selesai deh rangkaian blogpost tentang Negeri Kincir Angin. Akhirnya ya aku bisa mulai move on, 'melupakan' cantiknya bianglala tepi laut Scheveningen dan warna-warni tulip di Keukenhof. AH TAPI KAYAKNYA NGGAK BISA 😂

Terima kasih sudah mampir ya, Readers. Nanti datang lagi yaa untuk penutupan rangkaian Western Europe trip review tentang Helsinki, Finlandia. Tot ziens! ("Sampai jumpa" dalam Bahasa Belanda.red)

Finally the blogpost about Netherlands is finished. Now I need to move on from this trip, forgetting the amazing ferris wheel by the shore in Scheveningen and the colorful tulips in Keukenhof... ah, wait a minute, I DON'T THINK I CAN MOVE ON! 😂

Thanks for stopping by, Readers. Please visit this blog again later to read the closing post for Western Europe Trip Review about Helsinki, Finland. Tot ziens! ("See you" in Dutch)



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