Bogor Botanical Garden is one of my favorite places in my hometown. It’s always nice to get lost in the lush canopy of green, daydreaming by the lotus pond, or reading some good books while sitting cross-legged on the grass. Built during the Dutch colonial period by Stamford Raffles, the garden houses more than 15,000 species of trees and plants, covering an area of 80 hectares. I always love to see my City of Rain as a fried egg: the yellow part is the Botanical Garden, and the white part is the town–all around it. I went to the Botanical Garden again with Patricia, Ewan, and Vidi. It was a spontaneous decision, actually.
A few days before, I had just decided to let go and move on from something that had tied me down and made me sad. It was difficult, but like my dear friend Ollie said, we’ll get better at overcoming heartbreaks. And she is right. Being in the outdoors was good for me: laughing, walking for hours, taking pictures, telling stories, making jokes, eating out. For the first time after such a bad few weeks, I felt whole again. I felt genuinely happy and free. Suddenly the world turned beautiful once again.
In two days, I’ll be off to India, visiting Mumbai, Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur. Again, I am hitting the road, meeting people, enjoying life, reuniting with old friends, counting my blessings, and loving myself. And when people ask me how-are-you-doing, I can just give them a huge smile and say I-am-doing-great and it’ll feel so damn good because I know that this time, I am telling the truth.
Happy Valentine’s Day, lovelies!
xx,
22 Responses
“my City of Rain, as a fried egg” – a beautiful post, uplifting, and especially the end, when people ask you how you are: you remind me once again of me: you make my heart melt. Thank you for your words dear heart xx
Miss you! It’s always nice to wake up to some of your FB photos in the morning! 😀 Lift up my mood! ^^
The first time I took a photo of the “morning” I thought it would be something you would do, I am so pleased you like, it, I enjoy taking them on the weekend when the mornings start as early as in the week but they have a better feeling to them. Miss you love <3
nice picture.. sama mba aku juga baru ajah ke hutan2 liburan dan akan segera mempostingnya juga…
Wooow, hutan-hutan liburan ^^ Senang :)) Pingin deh piknik dan bikin photoshoot di hutan 😀
iyah mba, hutannya deket ama rumah tapi baru sempet ke sana. wess kalo yg ini hutan hujan tropis banyak pacet, hehehehhe, kalo photoshot keren kayanya. pada banyak bawa kamera yg pake teropong (maksudnya kamera canggih). LOL
memang rumah kamu di manaaa? kok menyenangkan sih dekat hutan 😀
di sangatta, kalimantan timur. iyah Taman Nasional Kutai mengelilingi kabupatennya 😀
Aaaa! Kalo aku main ke sana anterin main di hutan, yaaa ^^
sippooo…sippooo..infoin ajah, mudah2an pas aku cuti 🙂 atau di pas2in karna aku juga belom masuk ampe yg jalur terjauh
oh yah mba, aku baru ajah update ttg hutan yg sempat aku bilang. in case kalo mba tertarik bisa di check *promosi* kekekek
http://yunitagena.wordpress.com/2013/02/18/close-to-nature-prevab-mentoko-taman-nasional-kutai-kutai-national-park/
So you are finally coming to India! So happy for you … have an absolutely wonderful trip! 🙂
Yes! 😀 Hope we can meet up! Will be there for 2 weeks 😀
aww… love this post. the photos and your words. so inspiring. enjoy india! 🙂
supppppppppeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrbbbbbbbb post and I love the last para… hugsss to u too. Waiting to see u.
i like fried egg
and the stillness of lotus pond
the lost-looking mouse deer
and the yellow kite trapped in funny-looking tree
i too find heavenly sight of softened gaze and concealed smiles
streaks of sun rays webbing through the canopies
i find them insanely pure
as seasons wrinkled against perdu pokok
crushed falling leaves
and death of a flower.
how again do people move on
when time has simply refuse to age.
And I am in love with this! :’)
credits to your poetic photos to begin with. eyes could never tell a lie.
they captured everything. even sometimes unmistakably poignant.
Jalan-jalan di alam yuk. Aku rindu alam (kayak nama resto ..)
Yuk! Di mana? Di sekitaran Puncak dan Gunung Mas? 😀 Ke air terjun?
A day with nature can heal your heart