Lost in Madrid

There were three interesting experiences when I went to Madrid.. the funny thing, it has a relationship with a place for pray and Kiblat direction.. maybe it just a coincident with a Ramadhan month..

First..

We met Mohammad.. a 35 years old man from Turkey.. he is our handyman in the Exhibition.

I asked,

“Mohammad, do you know the direction of Kiblat is?”  With his curious face, he return me with another question,

“What do you mean of Kiblat?”

I said, “Kiblat.. umm.. A Makkah.. a place and also the direction of Moslem when they pray.. do you know which direction is? From here, Madrid?”

“Oh.. I don’t know..”

It surprised me though..

“So.. which direction do you usualy pray?”

“Anywhere.. I believe God knows better.” He smile while his pinter finger pointed to the sky.

“Owh.. ok.. I believe God knows too..”

To be honest, I don’t know what to say.. Doh!

Then he walked and continue his work..

Suddenly I remember about how to pointing a North direction by using an analog watch.. I asked my friend, Pandu to come with me outside the building.. and.. by using a sun and an analog watch, finally we found where kiblat is..”

Second..

I was with my mother’s friend, Ibu Datie. She is an artist.. a great artist who made very unique handycraft such as a handbag, traditional cloth and so on..

She asked me pray as imam and want me to accompanying her to the rest room to take a wudhlu.. It is located near by our stand and on the side of the building. It is also an exit alley at the side of the building. When we arrived at the wash room, right in front of devided wash room – gents and women, she asked me to see the outside.. just wondering how the otherside was..

Then, we saw a man (Pakistan or Indian) prayed on the grass under the shadow of a tree.. he used only a newspaper as a sajadah..

I couldn’t described you my feeling at the time unless.. “WOW” word..

Third..

At Plaza de Cibeles..

Me and Pandu has trying to reach Puerta del Sol and we have no idea where we were.. our map covered by advertisements.. a bad map.. hehehe.. it is!

Finally we found a giant map at the intersection as a tourist guide (for the lost tourist like us I guess.. ^_^) so Pandu and I has a discussion when suddenly an old man comes from behind us and asked,

“Hola, where do you come from?”

“We come from Indonesia, Sir..”

“Oh.. Indonesia.. apa kabar?”

Waaa.. he speaks Indonesian..

He had been stayed in Jakarta about three years.. so long ago.. and he is Turkey.  He helped us by giving a direction to the Puerta del Sol.  When we asked whether he was in the same direction to Puerta del Sol, he said,

“No.. I want to find a place for pray.”

I asked,”Do you know where a mosque is, Sir?”

“I don’t know.. I just need to find a grass or garden to pray.. its enough.”

Another “WOW” and two thumbs up for him..

After a short conversation and he also know that we are moslem too, we shaking hands and saying goodbye..  then we continue to Puerta del Sol.  While we crossing the road, Pandu said,

”Help comes in a misterious way..” (Bantuan mah datang na ti mana weeee.. – in Sundanese) ^_^

Yes, we found it.. Puerta del Sol.. the Center of Madrid.  That’s what people said.

The Sound of Silence (Lyrics)

Hello darkness, my old friend,

I’ve come to talk with you again,

Because a vision softly creeping,

Left its seeds while I was sleeping,

And the vision that was planted in my brain

Still remains

Within the sound of silence.

In restless dreams I walked alone

Narrow streets of cobblestone,

neath the halo of a street lamp,

I turned my collar to the cold and damp

When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light

That split the night

And touched the sound of silence.

And in the naked light I saw

Ten thousand people, maybe more.

People talking without speaking,

People hearing without listening,

People writing songs that voices never share

And no one dare

Disturb the sound of silence.

Fools said I, you do not know

Silence like a cancer grows.

Hear my words that I might teach you,

Take my arms that I might reach you.

But my words like silent raindrops fell,

And echoed

In the wells of silence

And the people bowed and prayed

To the neon God they made.

And the sign flashed out its warning,

In the words that it was forming.

And the sign said, the words of the prophets

Are written on the subway walls

And tenement halls.

And whispered in the sounds of silence.

By. Simon And Garfunkel

Bila Terjadi Gempa Bumi (Kutipan)

Kamis, 3 September 2009 | 00:16 WIB

KOMPAS.com – Jika gempa bumi menguncang secara tiba-tiba, berikut ini 10 petunjuk yang dapat dijadikan pegangan di manapun Anda berada.

Di dalam rumah
Getaran akan terasa beberapa saat. Selama jangka waktu itu, anda harus mengupayakan keselamatan diri anda dan keluarga anda. Masuklah ke bawah meja untuk melindungi tubuh anda dari jatuhan benda-benda. Jika anda tidak memiliki meja, lindungi kepala anda dengan bantal.

Jika anda sedang menyalakan kompor, maka matikan segera untuk mencegah terjadinya kebakaran.

Di sekolah
Berlindunglah di bawah kolong meja, lindungi kepala dengan tas atau buku, jangan panik, jika gempa mereda keluarlah berurutan mulai dari jarak yang terjauh ke pintu, carilah tempat lapang, jangan berdiri dekat gedung, tiang dan pohon.

Di luar rumah
Lindungi kepada anda dan hindari benda-benda berbahaya. Di daerah perkantoran atau kawasan industri, bahaya bisa muncul dari jatuhnya kaca-kaca dan papan-papan reklame. Lindungi kepala anda dengan menggunakan tangan, tas atau apapun yang anda bawa.

Di gedung, mall, bioskop, dan lantai dasar mall
Jangan menyebabkan kepanikan atau korban dari kepanikan. Ikuti semua petunjuk dari petugas atau satpam.

Di dalam lift
Jangan menggunakan lift saat terjadi gempa bumi atau kebakaran. Jika anda merasakan getaran gempa bumi saat berada di dalam lift, maka tekanlah semua tombol. Ketika lift berhenti, keluarlah, lihat keamanannya dan mengungsilah. Jika anda terjebak dalam lift, hubungi manajer gedung dengan menggunakan interphone jika tersedia.

Di kereta api
Berpeganganlah dengan erat pada tiang sehingga anda tidak akan terjatuh seandainya kereta dihentikan secara mendadak. Bersikap tenanglah mengikuti penjelasan dari petugas kereta. Salah mengerti terhadap informasi petugas kereta atau stasiun akan mengakibatkan kepanikan.

Di dalam mobil
Saat terjadi gempa bumi besar, anda akan merasa seakan-akan roda mobil anda gundul. Anda akan kehilangan kontrol terhadap mobil dan susah mengendalikannya. Jauhi persimpangan, pinggirkan mobil anda di kiri jalan dan berhentilah. Ikuti instruksi dari radio mobil. Jika harus mengungsi maka keluarlah dari mobil, biarkan mobil tak terkunci.

Di gunung/pantai
Ada kemungkinan longsor terjadi dari atas gunung. Menjauhlah langsung ke tempat aman. Di pesisir pantai, bahayanya datang dari tsunami. Jika anda merasakan getaran dan tanda-tanda tsunami tampak, cepatlah mengungsi ke dataran yang tinggi.

Beri pertolongan
Sudah dapat diramalkan bahwa banyak orang akan cedera saat terjadi gempa bumi besar. Karena petugas kesehatan dari rumah-rumah sakit akan mengalami kesulitan datang ke tempat kejadian, maka bersiaplah memberikan pertolongan pertama kepada orang-orang yang berada di sekitar anda.

Dengarkan informasi
Saat gempa bumi besar terjadi, masyarakat terpukul kejiwaannya. Untuk mencegah kepanikan, penting sekali setiap orang bersikap tenang dan bertindaklah sesuai dengan informasi yang benar. Anda dapat memperoleh informasi yag benar dari pihak yang berwenang atau polisi. Jangan bertindak karena informasi orang yang tidak jelas.

Sumber : BNPB