Going to Surakarta

It is Saturday. The Loving Saturday (Tumpak Kasih 17). At 8:15 I and Nuri left the house to go to Surakarta to join a gathering in Kartasura, Sukoharjo Regency. It was a gathering of Paguyuban Bengawan Solo to manage caretaker team inauguration and halalbihalal. I was invited a guest since I was an IPPU caretaker team member. Paguyuban Bengawan Solo is a union of the employees and former employees of Bengawan Solo River Basins Development Project or Bengawan Solo River Basins Management Office.

Our trip was going smooth. We stopped twice in the town, at SPBU Gajahmungkur and Bank Jateng ATM Candi for refueling and withdrawing cash. We entered toll road at Jatingaleh Gate. We stopped again at Rest Area 429A for peeing. We exited at Banyudono Gate. Banyudono Gate replaced the abandoned Colomadu Gate. At 9:50 we arrived the venue, Graha Tirta Building in Pabelan Kartasura, Sukoharjo Regency.

When we sat the gathering was just starting. The song of Indonesia Raya was just sung. The inauguration was then taking place. Speeches from the honored officers were managed. They were Ibu Dyah, Bapak Maryadi, and Ibu Lilik. Snacks, tea, and meals were distributed during the program. At 12:00 the gathering was ended by sharing shaking hands. Old acquaintances I met in this occasion were Sri Hartono, Sugiyanto, Yudi Pratondo, Graita Sutadi, Pitoyo Subandrio, Edy Liestanto, Sumardjo, Bambang, Bambang Nurhadi, Erwin Trinugroho, Sudarsono, etc.

We then went to Pasargede to buy some snacks and to Pasar Beteng to buy fabric. In Pasar BEteng I had a cup of coffee in Kopi Kenangan coffee shop. Finally we went back home. We entered toll road at Gondangrejo Gate and exited at Jatingaleh Gate. At 16L20 we arrived at home.