The Repertoire - Thomas Beijer

I have always wanted to come to a piano concert for ages. And last night it’s accomplished. Along with some friends from Couchsurfing I was succeeded to come to Erasmus Huis the Dutch Cultural Center located in South of Jakarta. 

Erasmus Huis is known as Dutch Cultural Center. It’s a place for musical programs and exhibitions. Located in the heart of the city, Erasmus Huis is also a place for Indonesian artist and performers showing their latest signature art. Most of the event in Erasmus Huis are free of charge and so was the concert last night. It’s free and no reservation needed. We just need to come 30 Minutes before the show. It was Thomas Beijer concert, a very talented pianist and composer from Holland. He opened the concert with a very beautiful Music from Franz Schubert. 

Thomas Beijer Concert @ Herasmus Huis Jakarta

Thomas was born in Netherlands and took his musical study at The Conservatory of Amsterdam. By winning the prestigious Young Pianist Foundation National Piano Competition in 2007, this tall and good looking pianist positioned him self at the peak of new generation of pianists in his country. Thomas has been doing his recital since he was ten years old.  He has been doing it in all over Europe and Asia. Thomas has a little Indonesian blood. His Grand Mother was from Bandung, West Java. It was his 3rd times in Indonesia and it always a pleasure for him to be back to his ancestor country. 

Thomas Beijer was not performs alone last night, he was accompanied by Indonesian most skillful violist, Amadeus Giovani Biga. Their Music Blows me to a fancy ambiance. I feels like being in a royals wedding dinner, only this time no food and drink is allowed, no royals and no wedding, so basically it was just about the music. music and only music... 

It was so much fun indeed. It really gives me a good experience in terms of listening to classical music which i thoughts gonna be boring. 

Stu Ti Sri Lanka ( my small notes of Sri Lanka )

So i have this tickets to Maldives and fortunately it's a connecting flight from Colombo the Capital of Srilanka. I was really excited and confused in the same time. I was confused because the lack of information about Sri Lanka. It's not a common destinations for Indonesian traveler i think.

My Flight to Jakarta from Maldives was landed at Colombo International Airport in Sri Lanka at 14.45 PM and due to the information i have gathered, i need to have a transit visa. I applied the visa online so effortlessly  and i got two days transit visa which i thought is enough because i need to catch up for my flight back to Jakarta the next day, early in the morning.

Let's just say that I might not have enough chance to see Colombo, but yes i think i have made my opinion based on those little thing I've seen. Colombo is the only city where you can't take a picture with Buddha as your back ground. If you wish to take a picture with Him, make sure that you are facing Him. the locals says that you will get bad luck if you don't do so.

I have been visiting some city with Buddhist ambiance influencing the locals daily life, let's just say Macau, Hongkong and Bangkok. One thing in common between these three city is how clean they are. I don't see people throwing garbage irresponsibly all over the city. It's so amazing. It's beyond my imaginations. I was thinking that it will more like India where people throw garbage wherever they want. one thing that makes Colombo different is that here in Sri lanka Buddha can blend very nicely with the Hindus God. This picture will show you a perfect example of the harmony. 

In this picture you may see Ganesha, the God of Knowledge in Hindu's literature can be placed next to Quan Im goddess statue. Well i guess it is true that whatever your religion is, as long as you believe it and walk on it, differences are not a  big issue. 

Colombo is also known as the capital city of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka it self means a beautiful Island. Full of precious gems  and yes it's true. I went to the independence monuments and then i get stunned by how beautiful the place is. The monument stood tall and amazing. As you walk in you will find lot of Singha or Lion statue surrounding the complex. Why lion? apparently lion is Sri Lanka national symbols as Garuda in Indonesia. Then i had my self a walk a little  bit to the east where there is this old but very well maintained gold-ish building is located. The building is so European. Very nice and fancy. I thought  it was a museum, but i was wrong, it was a shopping arcade completed with pub and bar. It's a very unique way to keep the past in present..."you just have to change it and make it as a mall, then the people will always come" that's simple.

I just wish that i have more time to explore this beautiful country. Wish to be back here one day in the future.