#kafe insert

[kafeikafe]

What if I big and round and full of soda

[attichoney4u]

"Konstantinou Kai Elenis" (English Translation; "Of Constantine And Of Helen")

Hello beautiful people of the internet. You might wondering what the hell this post is about. Well, it's a post explaining to non-greek people about a Greek series called "Of Constantine And Of Helen".

Warning: SPOILERS AHEAD!

Basic information:

"Of Constantine And Of Helen" ran from 1998 to 2000 on Ant1 channel. It had 2 seasons and a total of 68 episodes. It's undeniable Greece's most iconic and famous show (with only "Sto Para Pente" [literally, "In The Nick Of Time"] rivalring it in terms of popularity), mainly because it was immediately reran after the series's finale, which resulted in it becoming a greek household name, even to people who weren't born during the time it was originally shown.

The show stars Haris Romas as Konstantinos Katakouzinos, Eleni Rantou as Eleni Vlachaki, Vasilis Koukouras as Manthos Foustanos, Maria Lekaki as Peggy Carra, Stergios Nene as Nikolas Varthakoulias and Kallirhoe Miryiagou as Matina Mantarinaki

It was greatly inspired by greek series "Ex Adiairetaiou" (literally, "Ab Indiviso"), another series by Haris Romas and Anna Xatzisophia.

Plot and Characters:

The series focus on two completely different individuals, Konstantinos Katakouzinos and Eleni Vlachaki, who hate each other with a passion, but are forced to live under the same roof. Why, you may ask?

Apparently, Konstantinos' uncle promised his nephew that he would give him the house in his will. However, in another will, he promised the same house to Eleni. Because no one could find out which will was the recent one (which mean that the old one would be rejected), these two stay there and wait for the trial which will solve the whole mess.

Konstantinos is an incredibly religious and grumpy person who teach Byzantine history in a prestigious university in Athens. He's afraid of germs, doesn't get along with anyone (except with his best friend, Manthos) and tends to use archaic words in his speeches, as well as not understanding some of the modern phrases that his friends use. Eleni, on the other side, is more laid-back and disorganized than Konstantinos. She works at a bar at Exarxia alongside her best friend, Peggy and Nikos, and enjoys flirting with men and having fun.

Despite their hatred, they ended up getting married at the series finale.

Manthos is Konstantinos' best friend and a huge Playboy who's in a relationship with Peggy. However, Manthos has multiple girlfriends behind Peggy's back and calls each one of them "(insert female name), my only love".

Peggy Carra is Elenis' best friend and an extremely untalented actress who is unaware of how horrible her acting skills are. The only acting job she's ever taken is one in a serviette advertising, which she mentions to everyone she meets.

Nikolas is the barman at the bar that Eleni and Peggy work at and sees himself as a Playboy, because he rides a motorcycle. He makes out with Matina at the end of the series.

Matina is the neighbor of the two main characters and a childhood friend of their who has low self-esteem, wears glasses and modest clothes and refers to herself as "little lowly chamomile" and "little insignificant ant". She's obsessed with wedding and that obsession, combined with her low esteem, makes her undesirable to any potential suitor. She makes out with Nikos at the end of the series.

My thoughts:

It might be the most famous Greek series, but it's far from being my favourite. Don't get me wrong, it's still one of my favorites and I'll binge it and enjoy it when I'm bored and have nothing else to do, but that doesn't change the fact that it has its problems.

But first, let's start with the things that I (as well as many others) like about this show and have made it a Cult Classic among us Greeks. First of all, Constantine and Helen's dynamics and completely opposite personalities, which are always funny and enjoyable to watch.

I'll be honest, this and "To kafe tis Haras" introduced me to the "Opposites Attract" and "Enemies to Lovers" tropes.

And if you think about it, it's amazing how they managed to create such entertaining and well-thought plots with such a small budget, full of jokes that we still meme this day.

I have a small complain (that I had with "To kafe tis Haras" as well, but forgot to add it) about the way certain groups of people (gays, minorities, Albanians, unemployeds, travesties, harlots etc) are portrayed. Small, because that's how things were back then (and how could anyone in those times know that it would be wrong 20 years later?), but still needs to be addressed!

While the actors do a great job playing their roles, the characters themselves can feel flat and annoying sometimes, especially Matina (though, I admit it, I really liked the confidence she gained at the finale of the series after she finally made out with Nikos).

That also applies to Peggy, who's one of my favorites female characters, though the main reason I like her is because of her trashing acting. Wonder why? Because this trashing acting made "Antigone" and "The Bacchae" popular again in Greece.

Seriously, who can forget lines such as "Ω ταφε μου, κρεβάτι μου νυφικό, σπίτι μου στην παλιά την γη και αιώνιο κελί μου;" or "ΣΚΥΛΕΣ ΤΙΣ ΛΥΣΣΑΣ! Τρέξτε γρήγορα, αμολυθειτε στο βουνό που έχουν σύναξη οι κόρες του Κάδμου! Βιαστειτε! Με τον ιστρο κεντιστε-ε-ε!"

Unpopular opinion over here (and you may hate me for saying that), but I'm not a big fan of Manthos. He can be an entertaining character to watch and many of his lines made me burst out laughing, but I don't like that he cheats on Peggy on numerous occasions as well as the fact that he always got angry whenever he assumed that Peggy had affairs behind his back, which I think is a bit hypocritical.

The last episodes where Konstantinos and Eleni got married felt rushed and not well-handled, maybe because the last we see about these characters is arguing. The only explanation I can give is that they wanted to show us that Konstantinos and Eleni will continue to fight, even after their wedding, but deep down they love each other. I still felt unsatisfied.

Another problem I have is not about the series itself, but about the way the channel handles it. To begin with, it's about the episodes they choose to air. Like, have you ever noticed that they have never aired the first episodes, to explain how the whole show started in the first place?!

Also, the constant rerun! On one hand, I'm grateful for that, since this is how I became familiar with the series in such a young age. But on the other hand, it led to many other wonderful and amazing series being overshadowed and ignored.

Now that I thinking about it, I have more problems with it than I originally thought. That doesn't change the fact that I still enjoy it and I'm willing to acknowledge its flaws.

I want to conclude this post by pointing out a great mystery that was never answered in this show: τελικά είχε ή δεν είχε η Ειρήνη η Αθηναία μπιντέ;!

That’s all I had to offer. Hoped you enjoy it and I’ll see you soon. Bye!😘

[ottomanladies]

A big greeting.! Could you tell me how was the rebellion against Sultan Osman II? Who was involved? What did Sultana Kosem do about it?Merry Christmas.! many blessings!

Thank you for the Christmas wishes. I’m a little late with this reply because it got longer than I expected.

I have already talked about the rebellion against Osman II: here and here.

As I said in one of those asks linked above, the rebellion had multiple causes:

a small glacial age (that actually crossed the entire continent) destroyed crops, provoking a shortage of food

the Imperial treasury was almost empty because of the frequent accession donatives that had to be paid to the troops

connected to point 1, an economic crisis had begun around the 1590s (when Safiye was accused to pay the Janissaries with debased coinage)

the disastrous campaign in Poland which exacerbated the difficulties that the Imperial treasury had: not only were military campaign expensive but the Ottomans didn't manage to capture Hotin even though their army was ten times larger than the Polish/Cossack one.

Osman II's distrust for the kul (the Janissaries + the Imperial cavalry) and vice versa: Osman II was said to go incognito in coffee houses at night and punish the kul members he found there. Moreover, he blamed them for the defeat in Poland; according to him, they hadn't done enough to capture Hotin. Vice versa, the kul thought that they were under inspection because Osman II hated them:

Like the other historians, [Peçevi] identifies the Hotin campaign as an occasion that worsened the already edgy relations between the sultan and the kul. But what Tuği presents as an arbitrary decision on payments, Peçevi exposes as an attempt by Sultan Osman to make the janissaries undergo a yoklama (administrative inspection) under the pretext of granting donative. This, Peçevi observes, annoyed them. It should be clarified that the yoklama in this context was an administrative device whose application might be a political risk, for in it the payrolls were checked against names to make sure that only active and serving soldiers, and veterans entitled to pensions, were paid rather than members of the janissaries’ civilian networks. That the yoklama did not rank among the janissaries’ best preferred leisure activities is not surprising. Peçevi adds another incident that contributed to these acrimonious relations. During the siege of Hotin, Karakaş Pasha, apparently a charismatic and bold commander, was “martyred;” this prompted the sultan’s reproach of the sipahis (imperial cavalry), who were already in low spirits, and they were deeply distressed. — Gabriel Piterberg, An Ottoman Tragedy: History and Historiography at Play

the revival of fratricide: Piterberg says that contemporaries were shocked that Osman II had executed his younger brother Mehmed.

The Ottoman historians, from Tuği to Naima, are so deeply shocked by this event that one might be misled to assume that fratricide was unheard of in Ottoman history.  — Piterberg

his marriage to Akile, which was deeply unpopular and seen as a breach of tradition:

At first, Esad Efendi refused the sultan’s intention to marry his daughter, because such a marriage would constitute a serious break in the Ottoman dynastic tradition. The bailo Giustinian notes that [...] these marriages were seen as new practices that could harm the well-being of the empire. Meanwhile, the government viziers were concerned in that the sultan’s marriage to the daughter of the mufti could disrupt the delicate balance of power in the imperial court for it would enable Esad Efendi to exert more influence over the sultan, thus emergence of an alternative focus of power among them. — Fikri Ciçek, An Examination of Daily Politics and Factionalism at the Ottoman Imperial Court in relation to the Regicide of Osman II (r. 1618-1622)

As Piterberg explains, Osman wasn't trying to create a new faction at court, he was simply emulating the first Osman:

the union of a sultan named Osman and a woman of an exalted ulema lineage evoked an inevitable memory for Ottomans. Some three centuries earlier, the eponymous founder of the Ottoman dynasty, Osman Gazi, had reportedly married the daughter of a foremost Sufi sheyh (head of a religious order), Ede Bali.

linked to his revival of the Gazi image through the emulation of Osman I (and the first Ottoman lords), there's Osman's "austere appearance":

... plain clothing and on a horse whose trappings were unadorned. Naima captures the mood of his earlier colleagues when he notes that Sultan Osman’s public appearance was “like that of a vagabond;" he also observes that for this reason the Istanbul folk rejoiced at Sultan Mustafa’s outfit in his second accession ceremony. [...] [Sir Thomas Roe] observed that the collapse of Osman’s reign and his personal tragic end stemmed from the fact that he lacked majesty. — Piterberg

Then, in May 1622, the tension reached its climax when Osman II allegedly concocted a plan with the Chief Black Eunuch, Süleyman Ağa:

the present body of kul—lest we forget, the janissary and imperial sipahi corps—would be done away with, a new one would be recruited in Anatolia, Syria, and Egypt, and the throne would be transferred from Istanbul to either Bursa, Damascus, or Cairo. Sultan Osman himself would lead the way and “cross over to Anatolia with the pretext of performing the hajj. The seriousness of Osman II’s intentions is evinced by the series of orders (emirler) he dispatched to some Anatolian ümera (provincial governors) whom he had deemed faithful. These orders, it is reported, contained instructions that would facilitate a successful realization of the plan. However, by setting the preparation in motion Sultan Osman divulged his intentions. There commenced a concerted effort, headed by the sheyhülislam Esad Efendi and the grand vezir Dilaver Pasha, to make the padishah abandon his venture.” — Piterberg

Osman II, though, was convinced that he had to go on because of a dream he had one night in early May:

In it he was sitting on his throne reading the Kuran. Then the Prophet appeared, snatched the Noble Pages away from the sultan’s hands, stripped him of his gown, and gave him a hard slap. The padishah fell from his throne, only to realize that his efforts to prostrate himself at the Prophet’s feet were to no avail, at which point he woke up. Sultan Osman first ordered an interpretation from Ömer Efendi. He told the padishah that the dream’s meaning had been to reproach him for having resolved to perform the hajj and then neglecting it. Therefore, and especially since he was already a gazi, the padishah must go to Mecca and become a haji too. This interpretation did not satisfy Sultan Osman, and he requested another opinion from the eminent Sufi sheyh Üsküdari Mahmud Efendi. [...] According to Tuği, Üsküdari Mahmud Efendi wrote in response to the sultan’s request: “The Kuran represents the authority of the Noble Şeriat [Islamic Law], and the gown represents the world of substance. The padishah ought to obtain divine companionship through repentance.” It might be possible to understand this interpretation as implying that the dream conveyed the message that Sultan Osman was divinely rejected as both a political leader (the gown) and the imam of the community (the Kuran). — Piterberg

(highlighting is mine)

Finally, on Wednesday 18 May 1622, Osman II ordered his belongings to be transferred to Üsküdar to cross over to Anatolia. The kul erupted: they assembled at the Süleymaniye Mosque and there drafted a petition to the sultan. He was to abandon his plan to cross over to Anatolia and he needed to punish the counsellors who led him astray. Osman II agreed not to leave Istanbul but refused to punish his counsellors (he also refused to substitute them). The next day, the kul's restlessness exploded when they realised that Osman II would not do what they had asked: they, therefore, marched to Topkapi Palace, reaching the harem.

Pausing in front of each of the three gates, and for longer pauses as the gates were becoming less publicly accessible, they finally faced the imperial harem (Harem-i Has or Harem-i Hümayun). The pause there was even more hesitant and further prolonged; some rank and file rushed to the imperial kitchens (matbah-i amire) to equip themselves with more weapons, just in case. Finally, after brief encounters with some pages and eunuchs, the kul found themselves, bewildered, within the harem. They began to echo a voice that called, “We want Sultan Mustafa.” Eventually the kul located Sultan Mustafa’s kafes, pierced their way through and pulled him out. At this point, Tuği, at least in some of the extant manuscripts, seems unable to restrain his emotions and inserts a narrator’s call to the audience: “In truth, being fair, wouldn’t you say ‘well done’ to the heroes who on that day hacked through the roof of such a big dome [that of the kafes], tied themselves with ropes, and descended toward Sultan Mustafa?” — Piterberg

At this point, Osman II surrendered both the Grand Vizier and the Chief Black Eunuch, who were immediately killed by the mob. Threatened, the ulema was forced to declare Mustafa I sultan and depose Osman II.

Mustafa was brought to the Old Palace to his mother but the army was afraid that Osman would retaliate, so they moved them in the janissaries' mosque, Orta Camii.

In the meantime, Osman II had been advised by his new Grand Vizier to take refuge at the house of the Janissaries Chief and, through him, try to regain the kul's support with bribery. In the morning of May 20th, Ali Ağa tried to follow the sultan's orders but was killed. The new Grand Vizier was killed too.

The kul, therefore, took possession of Osman II, who underwent unprecedented humiliation during his transferral to Orta Camii:

He was brought out and, mounted “on a workhorse,” was led to Orta Cami. His head was uncovered, he looked “wretched with disordered locks of hair,” and “tears dropped from the eyes of  that sinless deceased.” A sipahi called Pazanoğlu felt sorry for him “and put his own turban on the padishah’s head.” Things got worse for Genç Osman. The historians stress the extent of public exposure, and along the streets he was constantly abused. “Had the nonsense and filthy abuse uttered on the road been told here, it would have brought grief to men,” Tuği remarks. He continues nonetheless: Only this much can be told [from what was uttered]: “Is this the precious Osman Çelebi who raided the coffee shops and put the sipahis and janissaries on galleys?” When one vile, disrespectfully nasty [person] named Altuncuoğlu pinched the foot of the blessed padishah and uttered some nonsense, the oppressed deceased wept: “O [you] bad-mannered, am I not your padishah? Are you not through with youth?” — Piterberg

Inside Orta Camii, Halime and the "ringleaders" of the rebellion were discussing who to appoint as next Grand Vizier:

The valide sultan began to consult us [a group of seven or eight janissary officers] as to who should become the grand vezir. We surmised that she was inclined to her son-in-law Davud Pasha. [So] we also said, “This is reasonable.” — Peçevi

There was bad blood between Kara Davud Pasha and Osman II; contemporaries said that the sultan had undermined Davud Pasha's career. According to Piterberg, appointing him as Grand Vizier "was tantamount to signing Genç Osman’s death warrant". And indeed, Davud tried to kill Osman inside Orta Camii but was prevented from doing it. He, therefore, brought the former sultan to the fortress of Yedikule and had him strangled there, on the evening of May 20th, 1622. After it was done, he famously sent Osman's ear to Halime. Mustafa's second reign thus began.

As you can see, nowhere during the rebellion Kösem's name is mentioned. That's because she had nothing to do with it. While it's true that Mustafa I was brought to the Old Palace at some point, and Halime probably waited for news there before being transferred to Orta Camii for her security, Kösem may have just witnessed the whole thing. Of course, Mustafa's reinstatement on the throne benefited her too: first of all, it removed Osman (and possible descendants of his, had he reigned longer), but she may have also realised by 1622 that Mustafa was not going to sire any children or that his second reign would not have been particularly long. Murad was therefore first in line to the throne from May 20th onwards.

[babblingpipit]

Dress up

Dulu aku pernah diajakin temen buat nemenin dia ngedate gitu di kafe yang cukup decent di Bandung. Kebetulan aku udah sering nongkrong (nesis) di kafe tersebut dan emang tempatnya enak sih. Lalu aku iyain dan aku datenglah, seinget aku dandanan aku waktu ala kadarnya. Ternyata pas aku sampe sana, temen aku ini dress up gitu dan si cowoknya juga rapi, kayak orang mau ngedate kalo di film-film (haha). 

Waktu itu aku norak sih karena kayak baru sadar aja kalo orang lain sewajarnya tuh “dress to impress” gitu. Aku mulai merefleksi kehidupan dating aku ke belakang. Waktu itu kayaknya belum deket-deket banget sama Adit sih baru awal-awal. Tapi sebelum deket sama Adit aku juga suka jalan sama orang dan ga pernah sekalipun terpikir buat dress up secara spesial gitu kalo mau ngedate. Kalo dibayangin, personal style aku tuh yang kayak gitu-gitu aja. Aku suka pake two pieces, atasan sama bawahan. Variasi atasan yang biasa aku pake sehari-hari: kaos polos, blus yang potongannya lucu-lucu, sama kemeja. Bawahannya: jeans, cullote, chino, legging. Kadang pake cardigan apa blazer kalo butuh layer lebih. Kalo agak dingin pake sweater. Standar banget.

Aku selalu ngerasa model-model baju yang aku pake ini decent kalo dipake kemana aja. Gala dinner dari suatu perusahaan konsultan, pake blus putih polos + chino + pake scarf. Jalan ke pantai tinggal pake kaos + cullote yang bahannya flowy. Mau ngajar apa presentasi tinggal kemeja + jeans. Bahkan pas ke skye yang kata orang harus pake baju yang decent kalo ngga bakal diusir, aku kayanya pake blouse item sama chino aja dan fine-fine aja.

Karena aku ga punya klasifikasi baju apa harus dipake kemana, akhirnya aku ga punya sense dress up. Aku pake baju seinginnya aja ga tergantung occasion. Aku inget aku pernah interview kerja pake kaos sama cullote. Kalo ngedate pun akhirnya aku pake baju yang pengen aku pake aja ga ada yang spesial wkwkw. Baju aku buat makan di restoran steak seharga 1.5juta sama aja dengan baju yang aku pake buat makan ayam bungsu 15rebuan.

Makanya pas rame-rame di twitter tentang: “jadi cewek tuh harus kondisional, diajak susah ga nyusahin (insert foto pake kaos dan bare face di angkringan); diajak hedon ga malu-maluin (insert foto pake atasan bagus + full make up + rambut dicurly)”, aku ga bisa relate blas. Aku jadi keinget pas aku makan sushi 400rebuan sepiring dengan muka kucel cape abis midcandidature review. Atau makan nasi padang dengan make up full-face karena emang lagi pengen aja. Apakah aku malu-maluin/nyusahin? Kenapa harus malu? Kenapa harus susah? Wkwkw. Emang kenapa kalo aku udah dandan cantik terus pake baju bagus tapi makan di pinggiran? Haha jadi keinget aku pernah ke club malam pas di Belanda pake gamis gegara lagi ada party suatu organisasi dan dresscodenya summer, kebetulan baju aku yg coraknya summery tuh yang gamis itu jadilah kata temen aku ada ibu-ibu pengajian nyasar joget di club malam. Apakah aku merasa malu apa salah kostum? Wkwkw nggak dan ga kepikiran sama sekali sih. Malah temen-temen organisasi aku memuji gamisnya dibilang bagus coraknya :))

Inti dari tulisan ini apa ya? Mungkin cuma lagi mindful aja sih ingin merefleksikan kebiasaan berpakaian aku. Bahwa ternyata aku tipe berpakaiannya adalah yang fleksibel pake baju sesuka hati. Kebetulan model baju yang aku suka biasanya adalah yang decent dan bisa dibawa kemana aja (mungkin menurut standar orang lain gabisa ya tapi aku tidak peduli). Tapi mindful juga kalo ada orang yang beda, yang berpakaian sesuai occasion and its totally fine. You do you. Yang penting pakaian kita bikin pede dan happy aja ya :)

[uberstip]

The world is temporarily closed. Save it now, travel later. Kata-kata yang belakangan sering saya lihat di stories. Nabung sekarang, jalan-jalan kemudian. Mumpung vaksin belum ditemukan, tingkatkan penghasilan dan perkecil pengeluaran. Cari peluang hasilkan uang. Setelah pengobatan berhasil dan border dibuka kembali, baru deh hepi-hepi lagi.

Sekarang kita semua menghadapi realita yang sama, seperti burung dalam sangkar. Ga peduli betapa menyenangkannya nonton, nyemil, dan rebahan, kita rindu terbang bebas dan menggila di dunia baru. Selagi menunggu momen itu tiba, let’s fight a good fight, live both for now and prepare for tomorrow.

‘LET’S WATCH ‘IT’S OKAY NOT TO BE OKAY’. LET’S SUPPORT WRITER KOO MOON-YOUNG!’ Maaf, Oppa gagal fokus. Ehmm…

Menabunglah goban sehari. Maka saat usiamu 70 tahun, kamu akan memiliki cukup uang untuk pensiun dan menikmati hidup.

But for me, that’s not how life works. What’s the point to go through life with money if you feel like shit every day?

Would you rather have sex in the Maldives when you’re 70 or when you’re 30?

Enjoy our life right now, not later.

Kejar pasangan impianmu, berpegangan tanganlah, berciumanlah, tertawalah, menangislah, berlarilah dari kenyataan dan panjat tebing itu! Don’t wasting away your youth. Experience life as much as you can.

Bagaimana kisah cintamu selama pandemi? 

Yang tinggal serumah, apakah mulai muncul konflik? Apakah Kadar cinta mulai berkurang karena hal-hal sepele yang menjadi besar? Perbedaan prinsip dan kepribadian yang mulai terasa? Tidak bisa terselesaikan dengan baik lalu putus? Ekonomi yang memburuk membuat kalian terjebak dalam baku hantam?

Dari yang tadinya ala ala Masimo ‘Are you lost baby girl?’ Kini menjadi ‘Get lost baby girl?’

Yang LDR, apakah banyak rindu yang tak tersalurkan? Apakah kalian saling menunggu dalam ketidakpastian? Apakah dia diam-diam main gila? Sudah jatuh tertimpa duren? Atau yang lebih parah cintamu bukan lagi cinta segitiga, tapi cinta lingkaran. Soalnya ada kamu, dia, selingkuhan pertama kedua ketiga dan keempat?

Yang jomblo, apakah jadi lebih sulit untuk berkencan dan menggauli orang baru? Apakah kerjaanmu hanya stalking instagram mantan dan sulit move on? Ataukah kamu terisolasi dan kecanduan drakor terlarang? 

Bagaimana cara kalian menemukan jalan keluar di tengah peliknya situasi.

Ceritakan di komen. Oppa sebagai sarjana akan menanggapi dengan berfaedah.

How to get around Prague?

Prague merupakan kota yang nyaman untuk dilejajah dengan berjalan kaki, tempat-tempat wisatanya juga relatif dekat. Arsitektur yang cantik membuat saya lupa sudah berjalan jauh. Namun disaat lelah, public transport yang murah dan tepat waktu selalu ada di tiap penjuru.

Kereta Metro beroperasi setiap hari dari jam 5 pagi – 12 malam

Once you have purchased a ticket, it must be validated at the time of travel: insert your ticket into one of the yellow machines located at the entrance to the metro, or inside trams and buses

For travelling within the area of Prague choose a ticket for 24 CZK – 30 minutes, 32 CZK – 90 minutes , or 110 CZK – 24 hours. I bought this 1-day ticket when i have to go to Vyšehrad

Tiket untuk naik metro, tram dan bus di Praha berdasarkan waktu. Ada yang 30 menit (24 CZK) dan 90 menit (32 CZK). Selama jangka waktu tersebut, kamu bisa gonta-ganti 3 moda transportasi. Ada juga tiket full harian, 1-Day dan 3-Day. 

Jika berencana sering naik angkutan umum, belilah tiket 1-Day 24 jam seharga 110 CZK. Tiketnya dijual di pusat informasi dan mesin kuning bertuliskan Jízdenky di stasiun metro, halte tram dan bus. Sebelum naik, jangan lupa memvalidasi tiket di yellow box (seperti foto saya diatas).

The vending machines accept only coins, not banknotes. Some airport and main train station are equipped with machines that accept Credit Card as well.

Do not forget to validate the ticket – Stamp in the yellow box. 

Untuk info lebih lengkap, klik pragueexperience.com dan Honest Guide Youtube

Download Metro and Tram Map full HD from czech-transport.com

Sebelum membaca tulisan kali ini, ada baiknya membaca petualangan saya di Prague sebelumnya: My First Day in Prague

Bangunan gothic abad pertengahan berdiri megah diantara alun-alun luas dan berlikunya jalan berbatu. Istana dan budaya Bohemia melebur bersama shopping malls. Saya seakan berada di dalam dunia penyihir yang cantik. Once upon a time in Prague…

Berikut tempat-tempat epic yang saya kunjungi di kota penuh romansa:

1. Old Town Square

The most iconic area in Prague. The heart of the city that remained almost untouched since the 12th century

Sesuai dengan namanya ‘Old Town’, alun-alun ini dikelilingi bangunan-bangunan tua bersejarah, ada gereja Tyn dan St. Nicholas, Astronomical Clock dan Jan Hus Monument. Mungkin jika namanya ‘Young Town’, bakal banyak mama-mama muda.

Wake up before everyone else and have the city for yourself

Pagi itu ketika matahari belum beranjak tinggi, langit seakan tertutup embun. Saya menikmati kota tua dalam keheningan. Keheningan yang segera beralih menjadi pusat keramaian di siang hari.

Staroměstské náměstí

Oldest square in the historic center with 10th-century origins, site of many Gothic buildings

Staroměstské nám., 110 00 Josefov, Czechia

Direction: Google Maps Location

2. Cafe Milani

Saya mengawali hari dengan sarapan di Cafe Milani, kafe kecil yang ngangeti. Aroma kopi menguar saat saya melangkah masuk. Dengan wajah beku, saya mencari kehangatan di sofa sudut kafe.

Tak lama setelah order, perpaduan sepotong cheese cake dan seteguk hot espresso lumer di dalam mulut. Meleleh bagaikan lava yang lembut. Dari mulut mereka bercinta di perut. Sebuah kebahagiaan kecil di pagi yang sederhana.

A good day doesn’t need to be one where something big happens. It just needs to be small thing that makes you feel joyful

Cafe Milani

Cute place with good coffee and pastry selection

16/ Czech Republic, Kaprova 9, Staré Město, 110 00 Praha, Czechia

Direction: Google Maps Location

3. Apple Museum

Many of the streets of Prague are laid in cobblestone with a lot of different patterns and designs. I walk through this beautiful little streets before i found the apple museum

The museum is filled with Apple gadgets that have ever beed created from the beginning to 2012

See how the apple family grew and become the most profitable company in the history of the world!

Sebagai Apple fan boy,  saya menyempatkan diri berkunjung ke Apple Museum. Museum yang menampilkan gadget Apple dari awal berdiri hingga sekarang. Dari Mac dan iPhone pertama, sampai motor BMW milik Steve Jobs.

Menengok cerita bagaimana Steve Jobs memulai Apple pertama kali. Berawal dari garasi rumahnya yang kecil, hingga kini menjadi perusahaan teknologi terkaya di dunia. Gimana gak kaya, biaya pembuatan iPhone 11 Pro per bijinya $159 dijual $1099. Margin keuntungan besar dengan produk yang sangat laris. Boom!

Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful, that’s what matters to me.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Stay hungry, stay foolish.

– Steve Jobs

Apple Museum

Museum devoted to Apple founder Steve Jobs with exhibits of computers built 1976–2012

Husova 21, 110 00 Staré Město, Czechia

Hours: Senin – Minggu 10AM – 10PM

Direction: Google Maps Location

4. Charles Bridge

It’s our last night in Europe, and I had this plan that I wanted to tell you. I’m just going to, I’m just going to tell you. MJ, I…’ ‘…am Spider-Man?’ ‘No. Of course not!’ ‘I mean it’s… kind of obvious’

– Spiderman Far from home

This 14th century stone bridge has two large towers on both sides linking Prague’s old and new towns

Legend has it that he planned out every detail of the bridge, including the 30 statues

It’s a popular pedestrian bridge lined with imposing statues

The construction of the bridge dates from Charles IV, King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor. Legend has it that he planned out every detail, including the 30 statues

This is the place where Peter finally tells his secret and MJ spouting off facts about how they’d execute people on Charles Bridge and loving the Black Dahlia murder like. Awkward but really cute. Dark sense of humor on the most romantic bridge in Europe. That Peter and MJ kiss was romantic and shows how weird teenage relationships can be. And i love what she said in the end before the perfect kiss: ‘I don’t think i deserved that kind of happiness. I dont have much luck when it comes to getting close to people’. 

I felt her.

Make sure to touch the statue of St. John Nepomuk. Touching the statue is a must ritual. It’s supposed to bring good luck and to ensure that you return to Prague

Karlův most

Landmark stone bridge linking Prague’s Old & New Towns, with street artists & entertainers

Karlův most, 110 00 Praha 1, Czechia

Open 24 hours

Direction: Google Maps Location

5. John Lennon Wall

Many might think of it as a simply graffiti, but it means much more than that. Toward the end of Communism in the 1980s, students started writing John Lennon lyrics on this wall as a way to air their grievances. Today, the wall represents love and peace

Di tahun 1980, para pelajar menyuarakan kegelisahan pada komunisme dengan coretan di tembok ini. Mereka menulis potongan lirik lagu The Beattles yang mewakili isi hati mereka.

Lirik lagu yang ditulis oleh sang vokalis John Lennon, yang saat itu baru saja tewas ditembak oleh fansnya sendiri. Kini, dinding grafiti ini menjadi magnet wisata yang melambangkan cinta dan perdamaian. 

Imagine there’s no countries It isn’t hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion too Imagine all the people Living life in peace 

– Imagine, John Lennon

Lennonova zeď

Wall that, since Communist days, has been covered in graffiti, often politically focused messages

Velkopřevorské náměstí, 100 00 Praha 1, Czechia

Open 24 hours

Direction: Google Maps Location

It was an autumn morning. The loveliest season of the year. Musim dimana daun-daun berganti warna dan jatuh perlahan. Musim dimana taman publik terlihat begitu indah.

Salah satunya di area Malá Strana ini. Saya duduk sejenak di bangku taman di bawah pepohonan. Kaki yang beristirahat, pikiran yang relaks dan hati yang bersenandung.

6. Kafka Museum

The 3D Piss Sculpture, the famous statue in front of the museum. Created by David Černý, a Czech sculptor who knows how to bring quirky to life

Saya mendengar gemercik air saat berjalan mendekati museum. Tadinya saya pikir itu suara air sungai, ternyata air pipis. Pipis dari 2 patung yang pinggulnya bisa goyang-goyang sendiri. Air seninya mengalir ke dalam kolam berbentuk peta Republik Ceko. Tentunya bukan air seni asli. 

Franz Kafka merupakan penulis novel paling tenar dari abad ke-20. Sayangnya semasa hidupnya, penulis yang lahir di Prague ini belum sempat menikmati ketenaran. Bahkan menjelang kematiannya, Kafka sempat meminta temannya untuk menghancurkan semua tulisannya. Tampaknya Kafka introvert sejati.

Tak mengindahkan permintaanya, sohibnya malah menerbitkan tulisannya dan memberi kredit penuh kepada Kafka. Salah satu karyanya yang paling mendunia adalah ‘The Metamorphosis’. Kini, patung dan museum yang didedikasikan untuknya, berdiri di tiap sudut kota Praha.

Di sebelah museum terdapat toko roti kecil yang unyu. Mereka menjual berbagai cookie yang terlalu menggemaskan untuk dikunyah. Dari segi rasa si biasa aja. Jadi jangan beli banyak-banyak. Cukup beli 1-2 untuk di update di instagram dan ngemil di jalan.

Muzeum Franze Kafky

Czech writer Franz Kafka’s letters, diaries & photographs are on view, along with 3-D installations

Cihelná 635, 118 00 Malá Strana, Czechia 

Hours: Senin – Minggu 10AM–6PM

Direction: Google Maps Location

7. Náplavka

The city’s fairytale feel. A great view of Charles bridge with swan’s family partying on Vltava river

Embusan angin dingin menemani saya berjalan melewati jalan berbatu, menyebrangi jembatan Charles, dan menatap angsa-angsa putih di pinggir sungai. Saya seperti berada dalam kisah pengantar tidur. Zzzzz….

Fact

Swans are highly intelligent and remember who has been kind to them, or not 

Naplavka

Observation deck

Malá Strana 1, 118 00 Praha 1, Czechia

Open 24 hours

Direction: Google Maps Location

A hidden gem that shows beautiful panoramic and naturalistic point on the Vltava river

Most contented-looking Swans I’ve ever seen

Saya sempat mendekati angsa putih yang cantik. Saya mengagumi keanggunannya dan mengabadikannya. Beberapa saat kemudian, entah kenapa dia memalingkan wajah dan pergi menjauh. Ditinggal pas lagi sange-sangenya memang menyedihkan.

Mungkin juga karena angsa hewan yang setia. Dari yang saya baca, jika angsa sudah bertemu jodohnya, dia akan setia seumur hidup. Ga akan gonta-ganti pasangan kecuali kekasihnya meninggal atau tidak bisa berkembang biak. Hmmm… mungkin karena itu dia menghindari Oppa.

8. St. Nicholas Church at Malá Strana

The greatest Baroque church in Prague. The carving all along the side and front of the church are quite remarkable

Gereja Barok terbesar dan terindah di Praha. Bahkan Mozart pernah main organ disini. Gereja yang didedikasikan khusus untuk St. Nicholas of Myra. Santo yang semasa hidupnya banyak melakukan mukjizat dan mencintai anak-anak. Kebiasaannya yang suka memberi hadiah, menginspirasi lahirnya nama ‘Santa Claus’. Diambil dari panggilan sayangnya ‘Saint Nick’.

The dome has a massive diameter of 20 metres, and the interior height to the top of the lantern is over 49 metres, making it the highest interior in Prague. Franz Palko painted the Celebration of the Holy Trinity on the ceiling of the dome. This is a visual masterpiece

The interior has statues and decorations in marble and gold and frescoes. On the ceiling of the ship, Jan Lukáš Kracker painted a fresco about the life of Saint Nicholas with an area of ​​1500 m²

Begitu masuk, dekorasi marble berlapis emas membuat saya terkesima. Langit-langit kubah setinggi 75 meter itu bersinergi dengan fresko ‘the Celebration of the Holy Trinity’. Lukisan yang menggambarkan Allah Tritunggal, Bapa Anak dan Roh Kudus merupakan 3 pribadi dalam 1 Ketuhanan.

A fresco inside the 70 metres high dome by František Xaver Palko

This visual masterpiece is located 5 minutes away from the tram stop

Kostel sv. Mikuláše

Elegant church that was started in 1745 & took 100 years & 3 generations of architects to complete

Malostranské nám., 118 00 Malá Strana, Czechia

Hours: Senin – Minggu 9AM – 5PM

Entrance Fee: 100CZK

Direction: Google Maps Location

9. Prague Castle – St. Vitus Cathedral

Berdasarkan Guinness World Records, Prague Castle merupakan istana kuno terbesar di dunia. Kastil seluas 45 hektar ini berdiri diatas bukit, melingkupi cakrawala kota. Area istana yang dulunya tempat tinggal para raja ini terdiri dari katedral, menara dan taman yang luas. Kemegahannya membuat saya bermimpi untuk menikah disini. Tolong bantu saya Bill Gates.

St. Vitus Cathedral merupakan bangunan tercantik di istana ini. Gereja sekaligus makam bagi santo Vitrus dan raja Bohemia Wenceslas. Gereja yang dibangun pada tahun 1344 ini terlihat begitu elegan. Gereja yang menjadi saksi sejarah ‘Defenestrations of Prague’.

Pada tahun 1618, massa yang muak diperintah oleh the Catholics Hapsburgs of Austria, melempar keluar gubernur kerajaan dari jendela lantai 3 setinggi 21 meter. Entah bagaimana, dia mendarat di tumpukan sampah dan selamat. Peristiwa yang menyebabkan dimulainya Perang 30 tahun.

‘This is awesome’ ujar saya setengah berbisik saat memasuki gereja yang begitu magis.

The spectacular view after climbing 287 steps to the south tower. It was completely worth it! When i reached the top, i stood in silence for a while, taking in the remarkable view

Tak hanya interior, pemandangan kota dari puncak menara juga menakjubkan. Setelah setengah bengek menaiki 287 anak tangga spiral yang sempit, saya berdiri terdiam sesaat, menikmati keindahan yang tak terbantahkan.

Pražský hrad

Vast castle complex with buildings revealing architecture from Roman-style to Gothic & 20th century

Free Admission but you will have to pay 150 CZK if you want to get to the tower. The entrance to the tower is outside of the building and around the side from the main entrance. Purchase tower tickets at the entrance to the tower.

Hradčany, 119 08 Prague 1, Czechia

Direction: Exit from Malostranska Metro Google Maps Location

The castle, which lords over the city, consists of multiple sections: St. Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace, The Story of Prague Castle, St. George’s Basilica, Golden Lane with Daliborka Tower, the Powder Tower, and Rosenberg Palace

10. Náměstí Míru Subway

Náměstí Míru is the most deepest station in the world. It’s located 52 metres under the ground. The longest escalators in Prague metro. Length 87,1 m, vertical distance 43 metres

Stasiun kereta bawah tanah terdalam di dunia. Saat saya turun dan naik eskalatornya berasa lama banget. 

Beautiful architecture of the metro station

Náměstí Míru

The deepest metro station with the longest escalator in Prague

Vinohrady, 120 00 Prague 2, Czechia

Direction: Google Maps Location

11. Vyšehrad

Vyšehrad was settled in the mid-10th century, and was even the seat of the first king of Bohemia.  This area offers good upriver views of the city. It’s beautiful!

Menjelang senja, saya mampir ke Vysehrad. Karena terletak di bagian selatan Praha, sekitar 20 menit dari pusat kota, saya naik tram untuk mencapai istana raja abad ke-10 ini. Karena jauh dari pusat keramaian, area istana ini terasa begitu damai. Seperti tak ada tanda-tanda kehidupan.

Prague’s oldest surviving building, the Rotunda of St. Martin

Bangunan-bangunannya juga terpelihara dengan baik. Yang paling keren, dari sini saya bisa melihat pemandangan kota yang surreal. Dengan mata yang berkaca-kaca, tanpa sadar mulut saya menganga ‘whoaaaa’ dan jiwa saya melakukan standing applause. 

Vyšehrad

Fortified castle with a museum, hidden passages, large grounds & remains of a medieval basilica

V Pevnosti 159/5b, 128 00 Praha 2-Vyšehrad, Czechia

Direction: Google Maps Location

12. Vyšehrad Cemetery

The most beautiful cemetery i’ve been visit so far. The amazing headstones and sculptures are stunning. The bright memory of people who have contributed to their country

Selama di Prague, jalan-jalan kemana aja?

Ke kuburan.

Hah?! Jauh-jauh ke Praha kok main ke kuburan? 

Mungkin akan terdengar epic bila kita menceritakannya ke teman dan keluarga di rumah. Walaupun suasananya terasa gelap dan muram, namun makam ini tidak terkesan horor. Mungkin karena saya tidak datang pada jam 12 malam. Kalo datang tengah malam, mungkin saya akan ‘dugem’ – duduk gemetar.

The final resting place of some of the most famous Czechs throughout modern history, including that of Antonín Dvořák Tomb, the first Bohemian composer to achieve worldwide recognition, noted for turning folk material into 19th-century Romantic music

Saya berjalan diantara batu nisan yang dihiasi patung-patung bernilai seni. Memperhatikan nama-nama yang terukir disana. Nama dari tokoh-tokoh penting dalam sejarah Ceko. Diantaranya adalah komposer klasik Antonín Dvořák dan Bedrich Smetana, penyanyi opera Ema Destinnova, serta penulis Svatopluk Cech. 

hřbitov Vyšehrad

Graveyard with the 19th-century Slavin tomb, holding the remains of renowned artists & musicians

K Rotundě, Vyšehrad, Praha 2, Czechia

Free Entrance

Direction: Google Maps Location

13. Saint Peter and Paul Basilica

The church is the center point of Vysehrad. This lovely old cathedral is like a mini version of St. Vitus. Even though it’s not small at all. Its 58 meters high twin towers can be seen along the Vltava River in central Prague

Suara lonceng yang berdentang menyambut kedatangan Oppa. Sebenarnya, bukan karena Oppa juga. Melainkan memang tiap jamnya lonceng di gereja ini berbunyi.

Bangunan gereja bergaya gothic ini mengingatkan saya akan castle terkutuk Moon Young. Semua terkesan gelap dan misterius.

Gereja ini didirikan pada tahun 1070-1080 oleh Raja Ceko Vratislav II. Bayangkan betapa tuanya gereja ini. Di tahun tersebut, bisa dipastikan bahwa embrio saya belum terbentuk. 

The interior is richly decorated with Art Nouveau ornamental and figural wall paintings. The church’s treasury houses an exhibition of jewellery and rare textiles from the Vyšehrad Chapter

A wonderful art nouveau paintings

The stained glass windows and statues are explaining the suffering and glorification of Christ

The atmosphere of silence and prayer

Saat masuk, saya menatap kagum pada lukisan-lukisan bergaya art noveau yang menghiasi dinding gereja. Semua lukisan, detail kaca patri dan patung-patung seni yang ada disini menggambarkan tentang penderitaan dan kemuliaan Yesus di kayu salib.

Bazilika svatého Petra a Pavla

Neo-Gothic church featuring elaborate frescoes, carvings & mosaics inside

Štulcova, 128 00 Praha 2-Vyšehrad, Czechia

Hours: Senin – Minggu 10AM–5PM

Entrance Fee: 50 CZK | Rp. 33,000

Direction: Google Maps Location

14. Franz Kafka Metallic Sculpture

The moving art: the Head of Franz Kafka. This futuristic silver sculpture depicts writer as his head turns outside the Quadrio shopping mall

Patung logam berwajah Kafka karya seniman kontroversial, David Cerny. Wajah besar seberat 39 ton dan setinggi 11 meter ini dirancang dengan 42 lapisan mesin yang bisa memutar. 

Franz Kafka – Otočná hlava

In honor of Prague’s renowned author, Franz Kafka, this metallic sculpture is constantly changing.

Direction: Národní třída metro station

15. Dancing House

Dancing House, aka Fred and Ginger. The location of the famous buildings is of historical significance. An old house on this corner was bombed in 1945, until a Dutch insurance company Nationale-Nederlanden purchased the lot and commissioned the the Czech architect Vlado Milunić to design a new house with an unlimited budget

Gedung yang terlihat hidup seperti sedang berdansa. Pada tahun 1945, tempat berdirinya ‘rumah goyang’ ini dulunya pernah hancur karena di bom. Sampai akhirnya di tahun 1960, perusahaan asuransi asal Belanda membeli tanah ini dan menugaskan arsitek Vlado Milunić untuk merancang bangunan baru yang artistik.

Tančící dům

Curving modern office block by architect Frank Gehry, with top-floor restaurant offering city views

Jiráskovo nám. 1981/6, 120 00 Nové Město, Czechia

Direction: Google Maps Location

Pekatnya malam di Prague, terasa makin dingin. Lampu jalan yang bersinar kuning, memantul indah bersama sungai Vltava. Saat saya berjalan di tepi sungai, tiba-tiba gerimis menyapa. Kemudian terlihat sepasang kekasih saling berbagi payung.

Sambil berjalan, saya melihat mereka mendekap satu sama lain. Dengki perlahan menyeruak. Ingin rasanya Oppa mendekati mereka dan berkata:

‘Halah, bentar lagi juga putus!’

Namun, niatan jahat itu oppa urungkan. 

Oppa hanya bisa berlari menerjang menembus hujan, meninggalkan mereka berdua dalam keheningan.

Miris.

I wish i had someone to write stories with happy endings that night, to sing a song that would put us a sleep together.

But no, there’s no romance in the most romantic city in the world

Memorable day in Prague. Top 15 things to do The world is temporarily closed. Save it now, travel later. Kata-kata yang belakangan sering saya lihat di…

[bayside-smoking-blues]

Ok so. Since Hypnosis Mic has a Visual Kei lover in its cast now (I’m talking about Jyushi, of course), I’ve decided to make a post in this blog to introduce some Visual Kei bands to the ones who aren’t familiar with the style. I’m not a pro myself but I love J-rock/VK since I was like 12 so I know my share of bands... Here are some I hc that Jyushi would love too!

Ah, before you ask "Cain, why didn't you add (insert band here) in the post?" the answer is most likely:

I don't know it.

I know it but have never stopped to actually listen to it so I don't feel comfortable recommending it. X JAPAN

I don't listen to it. the GazettE

I chose not to bc I couldn't post 77349072409273 bands so I selected just a few since this post is just an introduction to the style after all.

I forgot.

This post is gonna be kinda long and have some pictures and links to videos and songs and a small introduction about the bands, so I’m gonna put it under a Read More!

Kagrra,

Kagrra, (神樂 Kagura) was a band formed in 1998 by Isshi (vocals, flute), Akiya (guitar), Shin (guitar, koto), Nao (bass) and Izumi (drums). Their major debut was in 2004 with the single Urei. Their lyrics were in the style of Heian era poetry, their costumes frequently incorporated traditional Japanese clothing styles, and traditional Japanese instruments and drum rhythms were used in some of their songs. On November 10, 2010, it was announced that Kagrra, would be disbanding. As a final request, the members asked that fans refer to it as a "demise" rather than a disbandment. The band released one last CD and held a final tour. The CD, entitled Hyakki Kenran, was released on February 2, 2011. Their final tour began on February 13, 2011 and ended on March 3, 2011. On July 25, 2011, it was announced that vocalist Isshi died in his home on July 18, 2011. He was 32 years old. (Source: Wikipedia)

Some PVs/songs:

Urei (2004)

Utakata (2006)

Uzu (2008)

_

Plastic Tree

Plastic Tree, also known as PuraTuri (プラトゥリ) or Pura (プラ) is a Japanese alternative rock band formed in 1993 by Ryutaro Arimura (vocals, backup guitar), Akira Nakayama (guitar), Tadashi Hasegawa (bass) and Shin* (drums). Early in their career, their music had heavy visual kei influences. As time went on, their sound seemed to change and evolve with every album. Plastic Tree combine alternative rock with art rock, electronic, and heavy metal. Their sound is a blend of raw melody, with the occasional orchestral backing track. However, the band does not think that they should be placed into any specific genre. Plastic Tree claim that their sound has been considerably influenced by British bands such as Radiohead and The Cure.

*Shin has been replaced by other two drummers since their debut, and their current drummer is Kenken Sato. (Source: Wikipedia) 

Ghost (2006)

Makka na Ito (2007)

Replay (2008)

_

Girugamesh

Girugamesh (ギルガメッシュ Girugamesshu) was a Japanese visual kei rock band, formed in 2003 by Cyrien who was soon replaced by Satoshi Ishikawa (vocals), Hotaru, who was soon replaced by Nii (guitar), Shu (bass) and Яyo (drums). The band’s name is derived from the Final Fantasy character. They disbanded on July 10, 2016. Their music has elements of alternative metal, alternative rock, nu metal, industrial rock and metalcore. (Source: Wikipedia)

Vermillion (2007)

Break Down (2008)

Asking Why (2008)

_

Nightmare

Nightmare (ナイトメア Naitomea) was a Japanese visual kei rock band formed in 2000. It has consisted of Yomi (vocals), Sakito (guitar, backing vocals), Hitsugi (guitar), Ni~ya (bass, backing vocals) and Ruka (drums, percussion) for the majority of their career. They enjoyed mainstream success with the inclusion of their songs "the WORLD" and "Alumina" in the Death Note anime and are onsidered a major act in the visual kei scene. (Source: Wikipedia)

the WORLD (2006)

DIRTY (2007)

Raison d’être (2007)

_

DIR EN GREY

DIR EN GREY is a Japanese metal band formed in 1997, it consists of Kyo (vocals), Kaoru (guitar), Die (guitar), Toshiya (bass) and Shinya (drums). Numerous stylistic changes have made the genre of their music difficult to determine, though it is generally considered to be a form of metal. Originally a visual kei band, the members later opted for more subtle attire, but have continued to maintain a dramatic image on stage. (Source: Wikipedia)

Note: Diru's sound has changed A LOT through the years. I'll focus this post in their early works because it's when they had their VK era.

Cage (1999) (tw: this video contains gore and hints of BDSM)

Schwein no Isu (1999)

Bottom of the death valley (2002)

_

DELUHI

DELUHI was a Japanese visual kei metal band formed in 2008 by Juri (vocals), Leda (guitar), Aggy (bass) and Sujk (drums). The band announced that they would take a hiatus starting on 1 December 2010, following the completion of their concert at Shibuya O-East. However, on 1 April 2011 DELUHI announced that they would disband after their final tour in July 2011. (source: Wikipedia and Visual Kei Wiki)

Two Hurt (2009)

Revolver Blast (2009)

Hybrid Truth (2011)

_

An Cafe

Antic Café (アンティック-珈琲店- Antikku Kafe, nicknamed An Cafe) is a Japanese pop rock band formed in 2003 by Miku (vocals), Kanon (bass), Bou (guitar) and Teruki (drums). In 2007 Bou left the band and Takuya (guitar) and Yuuki (keyboard) joined. Their visual image is oshare kei (a style derived from visual kei) and they describe their music as "Harajuku Dance Rock". The group has released five full-length albums, one compilation album, and four EPs. On September 1, 2009, the band announced that after their live show on January 4, 2010 at the Nippon Budokan, they would suspend activities and put the group on hiatus, however they stated they will not disband. On April 1, 2012, after two-year break, the team announced the resumption of activity. In June 2018, the band announced the departure of all members but Miku and a hiatus beginning in January 2019. (Source: Wikipedia)

Smile Ichiban Ii Onna (2006)

Kakusei Heroism ~The HERO without a NAME~ (2007)

JIBUN (2016)

_

The post is gonna end here! But there are many, many more good visual kei (or not) j-rock bands out there! I can give more recs if you’re interested! :3

Ah, before the post ends, I’ll link the video from Amaterasu by the band Kiryu, which I don’t know much about yet but I love this song and their style and I think Jyushi and Kuko would enjoy it too! 

[kapitapitalismus]

Oštítkován by @slannina děkuji 🌼💛 to že se zatím nebavíme přímo se může kdykoli změnit, come slide some delicious čzech memes into my dms ;DDDD

🌿 favourite comfort food: udon nudle s tofu nebo spring onion laysky

🌼 favourite alcohol: zklamu vás, alkohol nepiju, a moje největší guilty pleasure pití je kafe, který si dopřávám tak jednou za tři roky....

🌷 favourite relaxing activity: buď ruční vazba knih nebo vaření - ani jedno nedělám často a ani jedno mi objektivě moc nejde, ale obojí ve mne vnáší neskutečnej vnitřní klid a radost

🌸 favourite fluffy/feel good fic: nejde mi na mysl žádná konkrétní, protože moje preference se neustále mění jako améba

Teda občas si prolistiju svoje tajný reader insert drabbles a znova si je pročtu, a to mě většinou spolehlivě ukolíbá. Celej ten proces psaní je pro mě takovej očistnej. A znáte to, co si člověk neudělá sám, to nemá...

🌻 favourite calming scent: vzduch pod dešti, přírodní mejdla a taková ta směs soli šutrů a rybiny co vás praští do nosu když se poprvý po dlouhý době objevíte u moře

🌺 favourite relaxing/uplifting song: za relaxing dávám Blur - Wear Me Down & Marsyas - Slunce a Déšť a za uplifting The Dreadnoughts - Eliza Lee

🌵 favourite white noise: takový to hučení praček, nebo výdejních automatů, a ideálně pokud jsou ve velký kompletně opuštěný místnosti po který to celý rezonuje

🍄 favourite book to get lost in: bohužel pro vás nemám ňákej hidden gem, jelikož poslední velký čtení co si pamatuju že jsem nezávisle na povinný četbě dotáhla do konce byla Půlnoční Rasa, ale pokud bych směl být tak smělý, zvolím Idiota od Dostojevského protože ten mě za posledních pár let a snad i za celej život vtáhl jako žádná jiná kniha

💐 favourite chill tv show: Backstrom, Hustle/Podfukáři, aaaa asi Black Books... vlastně Hustle je pro mě furt dost napínavej, protože to pokaždý prožívám naprosto autenticky, :,D ale počítám to jako chill pokoukání protože konec je vždycky hrozně satisfying

🌹 the best advice you’ve ever had: "Neměj strach požádat druhý o pomoc." ať jde o cokoli, mám s tím problém a tohle rozhodně byla, a bude, moje letošní mantra

Štítkuju @sapphorrific @voskovykridla @kocourmokroocko @aziz-the-fangirl @myvalzpival

[mariolopezgoicoechea]

@curiousyellowkafe is a Swedish deli that has all the enchantment of a village tearoom in one of London’s busiest spots, #Hoxton. I paid it a visit recently and had the #shakshuka. This is a North African and Middle Eastern #dish which consists of #poachedeggs in a sauce of tomatoes, paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, onion, garlic, spring onions, and spinach. Although the cayenne pepper adds an extra kick, this is not a hot-spicy dish, but rather flavourful-spicy. The shakshuka is traditionally served for breakfast, although it can be had at any time during the day. Belly-filling and at just under ten quid, my breakfast was good value for money. I could insert almost any complimentary adjectives here about Curious Yellow Kafé, but all I’ll say is that they’re just plain great. Bloody great. #London #Cuban #Immigrant #Londoner https://www.austinmacauley.com/book/cuban-immigrant-and-londoner #Londres #Londinense #cycling #cyclinglife #bicyclelife #bicycles #visitbritain #visitengland #visitlondon #streetphotography #urbanlandscape #photography #VSCO #food #foodwriting #vegan #veganism #veganfood #veganhour #veganlife #vegetarian (at Curious Yellow Kafe') https://www.instagram.com/p/CmfRu-IoblG/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[il-lumina]

Susumu Hirasawa - ‘Nurse Café’ [Translated]

Title: ‘Nurse Café’ (see also the Switched-On Lotus version)*/** Artist: 平沢進 Album: SIREN (1996) [Live Performance: Hybrid Phonon (2014)]

足どりは軽く　家々の窓を破り ashidori wa karuku ieie no mado wo yaburi (My steps are light as they break through each window I pass)

ハイ・ヤイ・ヤイ・ヤイ・ヨゥ　 (ナース・カフェへ) hai, yai, yai, yai, you (naasu kafe e) (Hai-yai-yai-yai-yo! [To Nurse Café!])

あの空を開き　虹の出る原理を飲みに ano sora o hiraki niji no deru genri wo nomi ni (I'll drink from the principle where sky-spreading rainbows come from)

ハイ・ヤイ・ヤイ・ヤイ・ヨゥ　 (ナース・カフェへ) hai, yai, yai, yai, you (naasu kafe e) (Hai-yai-yai-yai-yo! [To Nurse Café!])

100年も囚われた　オペラのような悲劇には hyakunen mo torawareta opera no you na higeki ni wa (For a whole hundred years as captives, an opera-like tragedy held us)

ミラクルのような喝采で　100夜の夜を照らし mirakuru no you na kassai de hyakuya no yoru wo terashi (Through the miracle of applauses, a hundred nights will shine bright)

挨拶をかわし　道々のドアを蹴り aisatsu wo kawashi michimichi no doa wo keri (I trade greetings as I kick all the doors on my way)

ハイ・ヤイ・ヤイ・ヤイ・ヨゥ　 (ナース・カフェへ) hai, yai, yai, yai, you (naasu kafe e) (Hai-yai-yai-yai-yo! [To Nurse Café!])

今日の日を閉めて　花の咲く道理を飲みに*** kyou no hi wo shimete hana no saku douri wo nomi ni (I'll drink from the order through which flowers bloom, once the day's done)

ハイ・ヤイ・ヤイ・ヤイ・ヨゥ　 (ナース・カフェへ) hai, yai, yai, yai, you (naasu kafe e) (Hai-yai-yai-yai-yo! [To Nurse Café!])

にべもなく巡る　歌曲のような日々は nibemonaku meguru kakyoku no you na hibi wa (Cold and distant are the days that, like songs, replay again and again)

ミゼラブル嬢の鐘で 100夜の夜を鳴らし mizeraburu jou no kane de hyakuya no yoru wo narashi (Madame Miserable with her bell makes ring a hundred nights)

ナース・カフェへ　ナース・カフェへ　今日の日をまた閉めて naasu kafe e naasu kafe e kyou no hi wo mata shimete (Nurse Café! Nurse Café! Let us finish up today once again!)

ナース・カフェへ　ナース・カフェへ　隣人の愛を見に naasu kafe e naasu kafe e rinjin no ai wo mi ni (Nurse Café! Nurse Café! Oh, go and see the neighbours' love!)

ナース・カフェへ　ナース・カフェへ　今日の日をまた閉めて naasu kafe e naasu kafe e kyou no hi wo mata shimete (Nurse Café! Nurse Café! Let us finish up today once again!)

ナース・カフェへ　ナース・カフェへ　隣人の愛を見に naasu kafe e naasu kafe e rinjin no ai wo mi ni (Nurse Café! Nurse Café! Oh, go and see the neighbours' love!)

鼻歌を添えて　群集には振り返らず hanauta wo soete gunshuu ni wa furikaera zu (I hum as I walk on, without looking back at the crowd)

ハイ・ヤイ・ヤイ・ヤイ・ヨゥ　 (ナース・カフェへ) hai, yai, yai, yai, you (naasu kafe e) (Hai-yai-yai-yai-yo! [To Nurse Café!])

あのドアを叩き　慈悲の降る定理を飲みに**** ano doa wo hataki jihi no furu teiri wo nomi ni (I'll drink from the theorem of grace when I've knocked on the door)

ハイ・ヤイ・ヤイ・ヤイ・ヨゥ　 (ナース・カフェへ) hai, yai, yai, yai, you (naasu kafe e) (Hai-yai-yai-yai-yo! [To Nurse Café!])

100年も囚われた　オペラのような悲劇には hyakunen mo torawareta opera no you na higeki ni wa (For a whole hundred years as captives, an opera-like tragedy held us)

ミラクルのような喝采で　100夜の夜を照らし mirakuru no you na kassai de hyakuya no yoru wo terashi (Through the miracle of applauses, a hundred nights will shine bright)

ナース・カフェへ　ナース・カフェへ　今日の日をまた閉めて naasu kafe e naasu kafe e kyou no hi wo mata shimete (Nurse Café! Nurse Café! Let us finish up today once again!)

ナース・カフェへ　ナース・カフェへ　隣人の愛を見に naasu kafe e naasu kafe e rinjin no ai wo mi ni (Nurse Café! Nurse Café! Oh, go and see the neighbours' love!)

ナース・カフェへ　ナース・カフェへ　今日の日をまた閉めて naasu kafe e naasu kafe e kyou no hi wo mata shimete (Nurse Café! Nurse Café! Let us finish up today once again!)

ナース・カフェへ　ナース・カフェへ　隣人の愛を見に naasu kafe e naasu kafe e rinjin no ai wo mi ni (Nurse Café! Nurse Café! Oh, go and see the neighbours' love!)

Notes:

* I honestly have no idea what this song is about, only that it’s happy. But I do think this is a retelling of one of his experiences in Thailand; a remix of ‘Nurse Café’ appears in Switched-On Lotus, which is an album dedicated to his SP-2 friends now gone. He may be referring to a SP-2 club/cabaret/themed café that he either visited in real life or has created in the abstract.

** There is another song by Susumu Hirasawa that relates directly to this, not so much in terms of narrative but as a direct musical quote. I actually did that one some weeks ago. I wanted to post those songs one after the other, and I was just waiting for the correct inspiration for ‘Nurse Café’ to strike.

*** This song was quite difficult to translate. Not because it’s particularly obscure, but it doesn’t translate very smoothly - I’ve had to insert filler words or condense severely in order to preserve the sense. ‘今日の日を閉めて　花の咲く道理を飲みに’ (‘I'll drink from the order through which flowers bloom, once the day's done’) is the one I’m least pleased with, I think - that first half (’今日の日を閉めて’ / ‘kyou no hi wo shimete’) is quoted almost in full in the chorus, and I really would like to have preserved it the same in both instances. This line should really have read something like ‘I’ll finish up today and then drink from the order through which flowers bloom’, but that is much less singable. (Not that my singable translations aren’t always hit of miss anyway, but I digress...)

**** I’ve translated 慈悲 as ‘grace’. It’s really closer to ‘mercy’ or ‘compassion’. Another thing sacrificed for the sake of a smooth translation.

***** If you’re familiar with Japanese you’d have noticed that ‘ナース・カフェへ’ is not merely an exclamation of ‘Nurse Café!’, but a directional statement. That へ / ‘he’ actually renders it ‘To Nurse Café!’. I kept this for the actual verses but not for the chorus, because just keeping it as ‘Nurse Café!’ made it more singable; I have, however, tried to preserve that sense of direction towards the café by rendering 今日の日をまた閉めて and 隣人の愛を見に respectively as imperatives. That way, you get to keep the feeling that in order to do those things, you are compelled to go to Nurse Café, while keeping the invocations of ‘Nurse Café!’ smooth.

Disclaimer: The lyrics of ‘Nurse Café’, from SIREN, are the property of Susumu Hirasawa and are not copyrighted by this blog nor by the author of this post. The author claims ownership of the English wording of this translation, as well as certain stylistic features, neither of which denies nor seeks to possess the existence of other translations. This translation may change in the future.

[kafeikafe]

Self portrait

[kafeikafe]

Some funny Buuuoooorrpy shenanigans with @kappallnight