November 03, 2009

JOGJAKARTA

Setelah cukup lama (hampir 7 tahun) aku gak ke Jogja .... eh 2 bulan belakangan ini, September dan Oktober, aku sempet ke Jogja walopun cuma sebentar ...

Berhubung mepetnya persiapan pergi kali ini (namanya juga mendadak), jadi aku gak bikin itinerary ... begitu sampe sana aku sama temenku bingung mau kemana ... Eh pas kita lagi menyusuri jalan Malioboro ... tiba2 ada Trans Jogja lewat ... temenku langsung ngajakin "kita naik Trans Jogja aja yuk, muter2 sesampenya aja dimana" ... Aku setuju aja daripada gak tau juga musti kemana dan ngapain ... Ternyata Trans Jogja yang kita naiki itu rutenya lumayan jauh ... hampir 2 jam kita muter2 hanya dengan membayar 3000 rupiah seorang ... kita sudah bisa me-lihat2 kota Jogja walopun gak semua wilayah terlewati ... Sayang aku gak sempet foto bus-nya ... yang pasti busnya lebih kecil dibanding Trans Jakarta ...

Aku sama temenku juga sempet jalan2 ke mall yang ada di Jogja ... Saphire Square (mall ini kebanyakan jualan batik2 gitu tapi masih banyak kios yang kosong juga sih), Plaza Ambarukmo (menurutku mall ini paling lumayan lah ... dan disinilah aku nonton THIS IS IT malemnya) dan ke Malioboro Mall (makanannya pilihannya lumayan banyak ... yang aku inget ada Pizza Hut, KFC, Texas Fried Chicken, J-Co) ... dasar Ewi yang diinget makanan aja ... dan aku sempet makan KFC disitu ... Jauh2 ke Jogja kok makannya KFC juga yah ... Oh yah aku juga sempet beli sesuatu disitu, tapi gak bisa diceritain ... too personal sih ...

Yang namanya jalan2, walopun sebentar, tetep aja kalo urusan belanja di-sempet2in ... he he he ...

Kebetulan hotel tempatku menginap masih berada di kawasan Malioboro ... jadi aku tinggal jalan kaki aja untuk menyusuri jalan Malioboro itu. Disitu aku beli kaos dan daster buat dipake sendiri juga buat oleh2 ... dan yang pastinya aku beli baju batik ... walopun cuma 1 ... tapi secara batik lagi booming ... itung2 buat nambah tumpukan baju batikku ... Kalo di-itung2 ada 4 kali deh aku menyusuri jalan Malioboro ... lumayan pegel juga sih ...

Selain kaos dan daster, aku juga beli bakpia buat oleh2 ... Beli bakpia ini aku baru lakuin pagi harinya sebelum aku balik lagi ke Jakarta ... Nah untuk menuju ke toko bakpia itu aku pilih naik becak ... sekalian muterin kota Jogja walopun gak semua terlewati sih ... tapi lumayan lah ... Sayangnya aku gak sempet naik andong ...

Muter2 naik Trans Jogja udah ... ke mall juga udah ... beli oleh2 juga udah ... saking bingungnya gak tau mau ngapain lagi ... temenku akhirnya ngajakin nonton ... he he he ... Di Jogja aku sempet nonton 2 film ... THE LAST LEGION sama THIS IS IT

THE LAST LEGION

The film is narrated by Ambrosinus, native to Britain, who knows of a legend concerning the sword of Julius Caesar, which was hidden away from evil men. It begins shortly before the coronation of Romulus as Emperor in 460.

Having traveled through much of the known world in search of Caesar's sword, Ambrosinus has then become Romulus's tutor. A Druid and part of a secret brotherhood protecting the sword, he at times gives the impression he is a magician, but his "magic" is just trickery. Romulus's father Orestes rules Rome but is not Emperor himself.

On the day before the coronation, Odoacer, commander of the barbarian Goths allied with Rome, demands a third of Italy from Orestes, but is rebuffed. The same day, Romulus meets the general of the Nova Invicta Legion, Aurelianus Caius Antonius, called "Aurelius".

The night after Romulus is crowned, Rome is attacked by the Goths. Most of Aurelius's men, pledged to protect the emperor, are killed, though Aurelius is only stunned and left for dead. Orestes and his wife are killed by Odoacer's lieutenant Wulfila, who captures Romulus.

Next day, Odoacer, now ruler of the Western Empire, plans to have Romulus killed. However, Ambrosinus convinces Odoacer to spare the boy. Instead, Romulus is exiled to Capri along with Ambrosinus, guarded by Wulfila and his men. His prison is a villa constructed more than four centuries earlier by the emperor Tiberius.

With Ambrosinus's help, Romulus discovers a hidden chamber within the villa. He comes across a statue of Caesar holding the fabled sword, forged by a Chalybian smith after his military campaigns in Britain. Writing near the statue's feet proclaims the sword was made for "he who is destined to rule". This is interpreted as a prophecy by various characters, and Romulus keeps the weapon.

The two are rescued from Capri by the loyal Aurelius and three surviving legionaries, accompanied by a female agent of the Eastern Roman Empire - a Keralite Indian warrior named Mira (trained in the martial art of Kalarippayattu). They take Romulus to a seaport where the Eastern Roman Empire's emissary (whom Mira works for) and the senator Nestor have promised safe passage to Constantinople. However, they barely escape after they learn the Senate and the Eastern Empire have betrayed them and sided with Odoacer.

Ambrosinus persuades Romulus to seek refuge in Britain, where the Ninth Legion (called the Dragon Legion) may remain loyal, being far from the events. They are followed by Wulfila and his men; the Goth covets Caesar's sword after learning the prophecy. Crossing the Alps and the English Channel, the party travels to Hadrian's Wall and initially find no evidence of the legion until a farmer approaches and reveals he was its commander. With the collapse of Roman support of Britain, the legion had decided to disband and settle as farmers. They also did not want to antagonize the powerful warlord Vortgyn.

Vortgyn also desires the sword of Caesar as he aspires to rule the whole of Britain. It is revealed that Vortgyn and Ambrosinus are old enemies. After meeting with the Goths, Vortgyn decides to either capture or kill Romulus as a gesture to Odoacer. Aurelius, wielding Caesar's sword, leads a few supporters against Vortgyn's forces at Hadrian's Wall. The battle appears hopeless until the rest of the Ninth Legion, having taken up their old Roman arms and uniforms, appear and turn the tide. The two warring sides cease their hostilities when Ambrosinus confronts and burns Vortgyn alive at a tree-sanctuary of his secret brotherhood near the battlefield. Romulus kills Wulfila with Caesar's sword, avenging his parents. He tells Aurelius that he fought like a dragon, whereupon Aurelius replies that Romulus fought like the son of a dragon.

Repulsed by the deaths in the battle, Romulus heaves away his sword which remarkably pierces a large rock and becomes lodged there. Many years later, Ambrosinus, now known as Merlin, takes a young boy to the battlefield to describe the now legendary events. Merlin, who has visibly aged little since the battle, says that Aurelius married Mira and raised Romulus as their own son, and Romulus became a wise ruler and adopted the name "Pendragon". The boy, Arthur, recognizes Romulus as his father.

With a final parting scene, the sword of Julius Caesar is shown embeded in the stone, with moss growing on the blade, covering the original inscription, leaving only the Latin letters which, when read as a single word, read Excalibur.

THIS IS IT


This Is It was a planned series of 50 concerts by Michael Jackson to be held at The O2 arena in London. They were scheduled to begin in July 2009 and continue through March 2010. Less than three weeks before the first show was due to begin and with all concerts being sold out, Jackson died after suffering cardiac arrest.

Jackson officially announced the concerts at a press conference held inside The O2 arena. AEG Live, the concert promoters, released a promotional video that took up an entire commercial break, setting a record for ITV. The shows were to be Jackson's first major series of concerts since the HIStory World Tour finished in 1997, and had been cited as one of the year's most important musical events. Over one million people would have attended in total. Randy Phillips, president and chief executive of AEG Live, stated that the first 10 dates alone would have earned the singer approximately £50 million. Originally only 10 concerts were announced, however public demand resulted in a 50 date sold out residency. Ticket sales broke several records and AEG Live stated that Jackson could have sold more dates. Jackson's album sales increased following the announcement.

In preparation for the concert series, the pop singer had been collaborating with numerous high profile figures, such as fashion designer Christian Audigier, choreographer Kenny Ortega and bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno. Prior to Jackson's death, Allgood Entertainment had planned to sue the musician for $40 million, claiming that he had breached a contract with them.

In light of Jackson's passing, AEG Live offered either full refunds to all ticket holders or a special souvenir ticket designed by the entertainer. Columbia Pictures acquired the footage of the show rehearsals and made a concert film entitled Michael Jackson's This Is It. The Jackson estate will get 90% of the profit made while the remaining 10% goes to AEG Live. Columbia Pictures guaranteed at least $60 million for the rights. To coincide with the release of the concert footage, an accompanying album (This Is It) is also scheduled for worldwide distribution.

Begitulah lebih kurang cerita perjalananku ke Jogja belum lama ini ... gak semua bisa aku ceritain ... ada yang aku keep sendiri juga ... walopun sebentar tapi cukup berkesan ... it's unforgettable ...

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