Of Cloaks and Daggers, and Whether Pigs can Fly

Motionless in Jakarta

2011-04-12T00:25:00.000+08:00

This is the traffic condition on the routes to the office. Pusing....

Life's Hard

2011-04-09T23:14:00.002+08:00

Today's Straits Times carried an interview with an unskilled immigrant to the US, who described life for unskilled immigrants as follows.

You are essentially a robot. This is particularly true if you are working in a Chinese restaurant or supermarket. You get up early, work for the whole day, reach home late, watch some television, sleep and then you start the same routine again the next day.

Hands up if you are not an unskilled immigrant but live a same life of slavery too.

It's time for change. Say No to Slavery.

No Smoking, Please

2011-03-07T11:20:00.000+08:00

As part of an attempt to reduce passive smoking, the Jakarta government banned all smoking within indoor areas late last year. But unfortunately, several building management has yet to comply with the law or only paid lip service. This photo, taken at a 5-star hotel, is a case in point.

Happy Lunar New Year

2011-02-05T00:10:00.000+08:00

Year and year, Petronas continues to impress with their touching NY videos. Treasure what is in front of you!

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

雅加达的五脚基

2010-12-19T22:34:00.002+08:00

Kaki lima, the enduring British connection to Indonesia.

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The 5 feet story of Thomas Stamford Raffles

Jakarta Post, 19 Dec 10

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/12/19/the-5-feet-story-thomas-stamford-raffles.html
The Napoleonic Wars in Europe in the early 19th century reverberated in the small towns of the East Indies: though only for a short time, the British took over the colony from the Dutch.

The Governor General was Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles. He ordered the construction of sidewalks along the main streets of Batavia of a certain height and width: 1 foot (33.5 centimeters) by about 5 feet.

Little did Sir Thomas know that sidewalks would become a very lively place for trade and commerce in the future. His 1-foot high and 5-foot deep sidewalks became known as the kaki (feet) lima (five), or the kaki lima.

Actually the Malay translation was not correct: 5 feet should be lima kaki. The mistranslation may explain why conventional wisdom holds that the city’s pedagang kaki lima, or street vendors, take their name from pushcarts with 3 feet and the two-footed vendors who push them.

The kaki lima in Indonesia offered a potpourri of goods such as socks, blouses, pots and pans. The fact that nowadays sidewalks are occupied by small eateries and stands was probably outside the realm of consideration for Raffles.

Though sometimes not travelling on paved sidewalks, kaki lima vendors have remained peripatetic since Raffles, stopping at the request of a patron or moving in search of a strategic place.

Slowly, kaki lima became connected with food. The food served became known as makanan kaki lima, or sidewalk food.

Don’t assume that Jakarta’s sidewalk cuisine typifies local food. Perhaps that was true 30 years ago, but not today.

A good example comes from vendors from Tegal, a small seaside town on Java’s north coast. The food they sell has nothing to do with local Jakarta food, but their warteg (or warung tegal Tegal-style foodstalls) have become a local institution.

The people from the Sundanese highlands working out of similarly named warsun are another example, offering sayur asem, lalap, pepes ikan and other dishes from distant lands.

When trying kaki lima food, choose items that are constantly boiled over flame, such as bubur ayam (chicken porridge), which is typically sold by an kaki lima vendor and enjoyed for breakfast or late at night. The vendors’ iced drinks are not for those with weak stomachs, nor are drinks made with santan (coconut milk).

In defense of kaki lima food, there are many other types of food you can (safely) enjoy while strolling along the city’s bustling sidewalks.

The food sold by kaki lima vendors no longer reflects local foods reflecting the nature of Jakarta’s melting pot. Jakarta is home to the Betawi people, but finding authentic Betawi (I prefer to say Jakarta) food is difficult due to the influx of other regional, and even foreign, food.

Local Jakarta delicacies such as nasi uduk and its special side dishes such as semur tahu or semur jengkol are now more geared to the taste of non-Betawi people. For instance, semur jengkol was a must-have side dish for the people of Condet and Ciganjur on the outskirts of eastern and southern Jakarta.

Some locals who thought they were true nasi uduk connoisseurs changed semur jengkol into ayam goreng (fried chicken) and semur daging because jengkol, with its strong aftertaste, was considered an inferior foodstuff not fit to serve to non-Betawi.

Semur jengkol was previously made according to the availability of the ingredients and in spacious gardens where the jengkol tree was always present. Traditional sop kambing (goat soup) can know only be found in very special places such as Tanah Abang and in Menteng area. Kerak telur — in my youth the most well-known sidewalk food and a true Betawi speciality — is now only available as a delicacy at Betawi food festivals!

Now hamburgers, hot dogs and donat (doughnuts) await Jakarta’s hungry masses — as does pempek from Palembang, pecel lele (milk fish) from East Java, gudeg from Yogyakarta and the city’s ubiquitous warteg.

Hygiene remains a problem for sidewalk dining as clean dish washing is seldom practiced due to a lack of running water.

When exploring kaki lima foods today at up-market establishments, consider the history of the region and the introduction of food from other areas.

Lifehouse in Jakarta

2010-12-11T01:45:00.000+08:00

Over the last weekend, Jeremiah attended his first-ever rock concert, in Jakarta of all places. As with most of the concert goers, Jeremiah was there to hear Lifehouse perform. Since Lifehouse was an American band and the concert poster indicated that the concert would start at 5.59 pm, Jeremiah and his mates decided to be there at 6 pm. Alas, the Lifehouse turned out to the closing act and only started playing at 11 pm! Boo to the poor planning and communication on the part of the organisers.

Great lessons re-learnt from the episode: (A) Be considerate towards others and put yourself in their shoes. Do not do unto others what you would not do onto yourself. (B) Communication is not just about what you say, but also how it is said and understood.

Miss Tourism Indonesia 2010

2010-11-15T00:08:00.000+08:00

Not too long ago, Jeremiah attended the finals of Miss Tourism Indonesia 2010. Two more of the finalists caught the eye of most of the audience - Miss Papua for her bright and refreshing ethnic costume, and Miss Kelimantan, who at the age of 20 was already running a bank branch!

Jeremiah needs a cold beer

2010-10-29T21:54:00.002+08:00

It has been one disaster after another. It's now 9 pm on a Fri night. One speech to write before calling it a night. Time to find a temple in Jakarta to pray....

Greece, Any One?

2010-10-21T22:44:00.001+08:00

Jeremiah wants to go to Greece too, and wonders if he can away with it if he tries to justify the trip on the grounds that he wanted find out if Athens was in Greece.

================
Indonesian House Team Off to Greece for Ethics Lessons

Jakarta Globe, 19 Oct 10

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/indonesian-house-team-off-to-greece-for-ethics-lessons/402254

Apparently undeterred by harsh public criticism of lawmakers’ frivolous overseas visits, the House Ethics Council is planning a trip to Greece, to learn about legislative ethics from a country with an ancient history of democracy.

Nudirman Munir, deputy chairman of the council, said on Tuesday that his group had a list of questions that urgently needed answers, so he is heading a team of eight legislators and three staffers leaving on Saturday for Greece where they hope to find them.

Greece was chosen, he said, because “an ethics council has been used there since the time of ancient Rome.” Meanwhile, a trip overseas had to be taken because “the information can’t be accessed through the Internet,” he added.

Ancient Greece was famous for its pioneering philosophers and developing much of the framework for modern western ethics, starting from notions of virtue and physical strength and progressing to strength of character and nobility of mind.

The study and development of ethical values continued in the Roman Empire, which spread across Greece and into Asia.

“How to stop legislators from ranting or mocking others in a meeting, how to stay ethical and within regulations? Can a House Speaker dismiss a plenary meeting unilaterally? These are the questions that need to be answered, because to date, we have only used our feelings when it comes to things like these,” Nudirman said.

The Golkar legislator said the team would also delve into the Greek Parliament’s smoking regulations to see “whether they are allowed to smoke.” Nudirman said the ethics council wanted to learn from Greece whether or not it could dismiss legislators if they failed to answer summons, whether legislators could leave sessions after simply raising their hands and how foreign countries treated legal issues and policies, including the death penalty, “so we are not fooled by NGOs.”

Nudirman claimed the council had thoroughly prepared its materials for the Greece trip.

However, Gayus Lumbuun, chairman of the council, doubted the advantages of the visit and would not join it.

“I see almost no benefits of the planned visit,” he said, adding that as long as the ethics council did not include representatives from the People’s Conscience Party and the Great Indonesia Movement, “its decisions are not even legitimate.”

The Greece trip is the latest in a series of overseas “comparative study trips” by legislators that have been slammed as a waste of taxpayers’ money.

The Indonesian Forum for Budget Transparency (Fitra) said Rp 122 billion ($13.6 million) had been earmarked in the 2010 visit for lawmakers’ official overseas visits — 30 percent more than in 2009.

The reports produced, however, left much to be desired, Fitra said. One was merely a two-page description of the visit, while others contained basic information easily found on the Internet.

Ikrar Nusa Bakti, a political analyst at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), was skeptical of the visit.

“What kind of ethics do they want to learn about? If they want to learn ancient politics, then Greece is fine,” he said. “I don’t understand why should they go to Greece just to learn how to interrupt.

Music Dreamer Live! Cafe (爱琴海民歌餐厅）

2010-10-17T09:50:00.004+08:00

Singaporeans are generally a fickle lot when it comes to dining and night life. Unsurprisingly, restaurants, cafes and night joints come and go with regular frequency. But tucked in a corner of the linkway between Millenia Walk and Marina Square is the venerable Music Dreamer Live! Cafe, which had been in existence even when Jeremiah was in Secondary School. It is a place where fledging local Chinese bands could perform, where friends could have a good time without burning the pocket, and a first date place for many who went to SAP schools.

Last Friday, when Jeremiah and his mates were weighing where to go for post-dinner drinks in the Marina Square area. The list narrowed down to Music Dreamer and Paulaner Brauhaus. Would they go for German beer and chill out in a nicely furnished restaurant/pub but with a somewhat pretentious crowd (that place has its fair share of SPGs)? Or they would head to a simpler place, with local bands brandishing Mandarin and Hokkien hits, freuqented only by heartlanders, serving no alocohol and only Asian tea/coffee drinks but in the process support the local music industry too?

Well, it was really a no-contest, for Jeremiah and his mates are 100% heartlanders at heart. And it is really heartlander joints like Music Dreamer that make up Singapore's cultural identity and heritage, not ersatz European joints.

Heartlands rulez. Majulah Singapura.

欠遍问答题

2010-10-12T01:17:00.000+08:00

Jeremiah is likely to be out of action for a few days following his dental surgery in a few hours. Here's something for you to ponder in the meantime. The first person who answers correctly gets a prize.

A hungry wolf and a sheep were on the same MRT train platform. Why did the wolf not eat the sheep?

City of Lights in China

2010-10-12T00:06:00.001+08:00

Jeremiah's point-and-shoot Nikon didn't quite do justice to the amazing light-up in Xiamen, which was one of the best that Jeremiah had seen in Asia and indeed in the world. It was well-planned, well executed and not too tacky. It gave a certain vibrancy to the place, but did not overwhelm like the lights in Hong Kong. The nights in the inner lake area and on the shoreline were even prettier but alas Jeremiah did not have his camera with him then.

Sometimes one really needs to visit China to fathom the progress of China.

Watch out, Paris.

Even the Mac is tastefully lighted up

小吃街

Zhongshan Road, the premier shopping street

Lighted up like a night club, this is actually an upmarket seafood stall

No laughing matter

2010-10-10T10:28:00.000+08:00

Silly answers by students. Enjoy.

Asam Laksa in Bolehland

2010-10-08T17:09:00.000+08:00

Back in KL for a leisure trip after a hiatus of eight years, lunch for Jeremiah today was a very delicious bowl of asam laksa. Unlike the laksa in Singapore that is curry-based, asam laksa uses fish paste and tarmarind that give the soup base a hot and sour flavour. Ordering the dish was not straight-forward at the Suria KLCC food court though.

Jeremiah: Aku mau satu mangkuk asam laksa ("I want a bowl of asam laksa")
Foodcourt staff: It is sour.

Jeremiah: Ya, asam. (A bit irritated, since asam means sour in Melayu)

Asam Laksa: RM 6.5 at the Suria KLCC food court

Visit to the Hakka Homeland

2010-10-04T19:20:00.002+08:00

On Day Two of his visit to Xiamen, Jeremiah visited the Hakka heartland of Yongding Township, best known for its tulou (土楼) or earthen buildings. It was a trip that Jeremiah had been looking forward to since his childhood, ever since his late grandfather gave him a PRC stamp in the late 1980s commemorating the tulou.

The journey by bus from Xiamen to Yongding took 3 hours (one way), but the long ride was definitely it. Fruit and tea plantations as well as mountain monasteries lining the highway make the journey a visual feast. Imagine a banana plantation that goes on and on for miles.

Tulou generally come in two forms - circular and squarish. Both function as clan residential buildings - it is not uncommon for up to four generations of 2000 Hakkas to live in one tuluo. Built with dried mud and supported by wooden beams and columns inside, tulou look deceptively simple but surprisingly can take up to 80 years to build. Usually consisting of four storeys, the first storey is used as a kitchen, the second as stores while the third and fourth are the sleeping quarters. The shape of the tulou supposedly facilitate its defence - the Hakkas were migrants to the Min region and were not on the best relations with the natives. Unfortunately, nowadays, tulou seem to be fighting a losing battle against modernity, with most young Hakka families eschewing the tulou for modern city life. One tulou that Jeremiah visited had a capacity of 200 families but only housed 4.

Bananas wrapped in plastic bags at this banana plantation to protect them from Typhoon Fanapi

Small town along the way. Looks modern.

The most famous and popular tuluo in Fujian

Inside a tuluo

Aerial view

Chickens seeking shelter from the heat

Touchdown: Amoy

2010-09-29T22:46:00.000+08:00

The Odyssey began in the holding room at Changi Airport for departing passengers. Seated in the room were passengers bound for Xiamen (Amoy), over half of which were elderly Singaporeans making to their ancestral villages in Southern China, underpinning the close cultural and people-to-people ties between Singapore and Xiamen. A large majority of the overseas Chinese that migrated to Southeast Asia during the l9th and early 20th centuries came from Fujian (of which Xiamen is a part) and nearby Guandong. Fujian being a very mountainous province with poor land infrastucture back then, it was easier for its residents to hop on a boat to seek opportunities in Nanyang then to relocate by land to other parts of China.

Touching down in Amoy, Jeremiah was pleasantly surprised by how efficient the airport was. Within 10 minutes of landing, he had cleared immigration and customs, and was waiting in line for a taxi. The taxi queue was long but moved fast. Another 20 minutes later, Jeremiah was at the nice CDL-owned Millenium Harbourview Hotel. The roads were largely empty as residents had cleared out of town for the 3-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday while tourists avoided Xiamen because of Typhoon Fanapi which struck Fujian earlier in the week and was currently wrecking havoc in the adjacent province of Guandong.

A good start to the vacation for Jeremiah abhorred crowds.

Taxi queue at the Xiamen airport...yes, people waited in line

View from Jeremiah's hotel room

Chinese tea set in the hotel room. The Iron Buddha tea was actually very very good. Beats the Iron Buddha tea in Singapore hands down.

Xiamen is the city closest to Taiwan and one of the first four Special Economic Zones in China. Xiamen Island is actually very developed and is a much more livable and developed city than many cities in Southeast Asia.

Home Ground Advantage? Ya Right

2010-09-28T01:59:00.001+08:00

Those who know Jeremiah well would know of his inherent dislike of consultants and analysts. If they are really that good, why don't they be their own bosses?

This truncated piece below published in Business Times last week show how out of touch with reality some of their work are. The article makes the case for investing in Singapore REITs. While discussing the Suntec REIT, our dear author said that F1 augurs well for retailers at Suntec. Open your eyes, dude.

============

Home ground advantage

Business Times, 24 Sep 2010

DEREK TAN explains why investors should focus on Singapore Reits with exposure in retail and hospitality.

. . .

We therefore expect a boost in retail spending from the Formula One race, which is returning for its third year. With recent media reports indicating a strong take-up of hospitality offerings during race week, we believe the leasing and rental outlook will become increasingly buoyant and that present occupancy levels will be sustained for retail landlords. Hence, among the pure-play retail Reits, our pick is Suntec Reit, which stands out as direct exposure to the strong pedestrian traffic flow for Suntec City in the coming months. Also, its prime location in the Marina Bay area and proximity to the F1 race track augurs well for its retail tenants.

. . .
The writer is an equity analyst for the property sector at DBS Vickers Securities

Stuck!

2010-09-21T21:48:00.000+08:00

Jeremiah is officially suffering from the writer's block and would be eternally grateful for suggestions on how to get out of it. Maybe it is time to open that bottle of Aberfeldy Single Malt Scotch Whisky lying in the corner of his room ... hic

Where That River Always Flows

2010-09-19T21:26:00.000+08:00

Those were simple chill-out places that Jeremiah checked out last night -- Barks Cafe situated at Upper Changi Road and Simpang Bedok. Yet the emotions they evoked were anything but simple. While it was Jeremiah's first time at those two places, he felt a very strange sense of familiarity. The sights of fellow youngsters hanging out over a beer at Barks, the dint of football spectators following EPL over roti prata, they were all a welcome relief. Strangely, Jeremiah had never felt this way before despite having been away from home for prolonged periods in the past. It wss as if his senses are teling him that this is home surely. Could this be the onset of the quarter life crisis?

One thing was for sure though. Jeremiah has had an awesome time and now have two more favourite hangout places. Thanks, M. You rock!

Please Be Careful With My Heart

2010-09-12T22:27:00.003+08:00

Came across this beautiful made music video featuring Singapore's latest singing sensation Tay Kewei. A word of caution: watch this too many times will make you very tempted to fall in love. Perhaps SDN should make this their theme song of the year.

=========

Please Be Careful With My Heart
Music: Jose Marie Chan
Lyrics: 鄭可為/唐宏達/Jose Marie Chan

脆弱的心交給了你
請對我小心翼翼
你我之間跨越界限
哪怕距離多遙遠
不管地动山移改变不了我的坚定
And 'til life is through 我始终跟隨你
不管歲月來襲相信永恒的美丽
From the very start 答應我永不分離
I love you and you know I do
There'll be no one else for me
Promise I'll be always true
For the world and all to see

Love has heard some lies softly spoken
And I have had my heart badly broken
I've been burned
And I've been hurt before
So I know just how you feel (和你一起)
Trust my love it's real for you (愛你需要勇氣)
I'll be gentle with your heart
I'll caress it like the morning dew

I'll be right beside you forever
I won't let our love fall apart
From the very start
I'll be careful with your heart

不管地动山移 (地动山移)
改变不了我的坚定 (我們的坚定)
That 'til life is through, I'll still be loving you
不管歲月來襲 (歲月來襲)
相信永恒的美丽 (永恒的美丽)
From the very start (From the very start)
From the very start
From the very start 答應我永不分離
答應我永不...分離

Excuse Me, Are You a Mad Doctor?

2010-09-06T00:22:00.000+08:00

Over the past two weeks, anti-Malaysia sentiments in Indonesia, triggered by Malaysia's detention of three Indonesian fishery officers in contested waters near Bintan, heated up. Faeces were hurled at the Malaysia Embassy in Jakarta, protests were held in various locations in Indonesia, and an Indonesian group even threatened to shave any Malaysians found in the streets of Jakarta.

Against this backdrop, Jeremiah had, the other day, an interesting discussion with his lecturers on the differences between Bahasa Melayu and Bahasa Indonesia, with particular focus on Melayu terms that Indonesians consider hilarious. Here are few:

Hospital Korban Lelaki (literally means "hospital for casualties of males", i.e. maternity hospital)
Laskar Angin-Angin (literally means "wind troops", i.e. air force)
Tandas (in Melayu this means "toilet" but means "demolished" in Bahasa Indonesia. One wonders what gets demolished there)
Panggung Wayang (i.e. cinema, but literally means "stage for wayang plays")
Hantu Lompak-Lompak (i.e. vampire, but literally means "jumping ghost")
Laskar Tak Berguna (i.e. retired soldier, but literally means "useless troops")

Jeremiah's favourite? Dokter gila wins hands down. It means psychiatrist but literally translates to "mad doctor".

Bird Mumblings (鳥話)

2010-08-31T22:10:00.001+08:00

While checking Singapore media websites for updates on the National Day Rally the other day, Jeremiah came across this syndicated Jakarta Post article on the Blue Bird taxi service in Jakarta.

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/06/26/%E2%80%98joe-le-taxi%E2%80%99-inside-blue-bird-group.html

Blue Bird is generally considered one of the most reliable taxi companies in Indonesia. They are present in almost every big Indonesian city, such as Jakarta, Denpasar, Surabaya, Semarang etc. The article begins with fradulent Bluebird taxis in Jakarta, and then moves on to the granddaughter of the founder's comments on how Bluebird started.

“The company [started] in our house,” [the granddaughter of the founder] recounted, “it was very, very close. The drivers would eat with us every night…Nowadays, with 24,000 drivers across Indonesia, it’s a bit difficult for us to sit all around one table! But we still have an open house day once a year …where myself and my mother serve the drivers. It’s a time for everyone to eat together. The family values are still there.”

The article then continues as follows:

In theory, at least, Blue Bird is impressive, and has been commended for this — this year it was the proud recipient of the 2010 IMAC (Indonesia’s Most Admired Company) award. But, in practice, there’s a different story.

Many consider Express taxis to be more clued-up to street names and addresses, with one customer commenting that Blue Bird’s “biggest problem is with the drivers’ road knowledge.

Yesterday, what should have been a 5-minute journey took one full hour of going up and down the same street to find the address.”

Having taken Blue Birds and other companies' taxis a few times, Jeremiah must say that the article is right on the dot. Undoubtedly, the Blue Bird spirit and its modern fleet is what sets the company aside from its competitors. Bird Bird taxis are generally modern and well-maintained, and its drivers polite. But at the same time, Bird Bird seemed to have expanded too rapidly. Quite a few Blue Bird drivers that Jeremiah encountered were very young, poorly trained and did not even know key landmarks in Indonesia.

The moral of the story: Companies in the service industry must focus on its service standards too. Growth and cheap labour are not everything. Chasing growth at the expense of other priorities could potentially damage one's reputation, the spirit that made one strong, and be detrimental over the long run.

Grand, Grand Indonesia

2010-08-28T12:06:00.001+08:00

Having been to a tad too many overhyped shopping malls in Indonesia, Grand Indonesia came as a very pleasant surprise to Jeremiah. Spanning over 600,000 square metres and occupying the primest location in the heart of Jakarta, the Grand Indonesia complex consists of a office tower, Hotel Indonesia-Kempinski, a high-end residential complex, anchored by the opulent Grand Indonesia Shopping Town (which incidentally feels more like a shopping city than a town).

With over three hundred shops and restaurants in its two wings, Grand Indonesia is about three times Paragon and VicoCity combined, and beats any mall in Singapore hands down with its opulence and range of shops. In the East Wing are top-end stores like Chanel, Burberry and Salvatore Ferragamo, while more affordable brands like Mango, Raoul, Top Shop as way as Japanese departmental store chain Seibu can be found in the other wing. For food lovers, fret not. There are two Crystal Jades, Sushi Tel, Waraku and many, many excellent restaurants. There is even a Cold Stone Creamery!

Do check out this mall if you are ever in Jakarta, but be mentally prepared for the high prices in some of the shops. In one of the homeware store there, a small dustbin was selling for S$100, while at Kinokuniya, the Saturday edition of the Straits Times retailed for S$7.50.

Artist Impression of the Plaza Indonesia Complex

Specialty haircut shop for kids - a sign of the atas-ness of the clientele

Food court at Grand Indonesia

The dining cluster area feels like a mini-Genting. In this section of the dining cluster, genuine-looking bamboo shoots and plum trees are used to create a Northeast Asian experience.

Pearls of Wisdom

2010-08-24T23:10:00.003+08:00

Not too long ago, Jeremiah wrote about Miss Environment Indonesia beseeching Indonesians to "safe the water".

http://lawrence-a-constant-gardener.blogspot.com/2010/03/store-your-water-in-your-safe.html

It seems like Miss Indonesia Qory Sandioriva, too, has come under flak for her English. During an interview during the preliminary round of the Miss Universe competition, Qory was asked for the best advice she would give to men. She nervously replied,

“I think when you down the women can make you up, and I think the women can be said that ‘I have advice for you’ if you way up, you have to be nice with people, include women, so when you down, women can be nice with you.”

Does she mean: Women really like to be on top but if you are nice to them, they will be nice to you and not insist to be on top. Or is it a classic case of lost in translation? There is only one way to find out. Be nice to women!

Love You Like the Sky Above

2010-08-22T16:08:00.001+08:00

Do you heart eggs like Jeremiah too?

Warning: This music video is very addictive. Do not listen to it with volume at full blast in the office. Embedding is disabled. Click on link below to view on YouTube at your own peril.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFW9fMDAF9w&feature=related

Sidenote: This is Jeremiah's 100th blog post. He would like to thank all the readers out there for their support all this while, through good times and bad, through smiles and tears. Merci!

Destination Ang Mo Kio

2010-08-19T19:46:00.000+08:00

The bus route was exactly the same, but the journey different. While he was still a recruit on his Basic Military Training, Jeremiah used to take Bus Service 159 between Nee Soon Camp and Ang Mo Kio Central. It was a pleasant but roller-coaster ride back then. Pleasant because Jeremiah never really had to wait long for the bus, which was seldom packed. Pleasant because the traffic was smooth and there were lots of greenery along the way. Roller-coaster because the happiness felt at every book-out morphed into xianness that intensifies as the bus nears Nee Soon Camp on the return trip.

Last weekend, many many years after his Basic Military Training, Jeremiah took Bus Service 159 home again after his IPPT at Khatib Camp. That journey home was a microcosm of current-day Singapore and a mirror of the changes that have taken place in Singapore over the past few years.

Leaving the camp at about 5:30 pm, Jeremiah waited for about 25 minutes for the bus to arrive. Back in the days when Singapore did not have a world-class transport system, Jeremiah did not have have to wait for more than 15 minutes for the bus, even late at night when the bus service was running on a reduced frequency. Halfway through the journey this time round, the bus became packed with foreign workers, the cacophony of their loud voices shattering the tranquillity. Several new buildings could be seen along the way, taking the place of what was then green fields and forests. Whether the changes are good or bad Jeremiah would leave to another day, but the bus journey was certainly no longer as pleasant as it used to be. Nonetheless, Jeremiah was as glad as previously when he reached home. After all, home is where the heart is, regardless of how arduous the odyssey may be.

Bo Zheng Hu

2010-08-13T16:05:00.001+08:00

Some rules are meant to be broken, but motorcycles on a pedestrian overhead bridge are a tad too much!

Photo from the Jakarta Post

Animal Business in Makassar

2010-08-11T21:28:00.000+08:00

For a ultimate urbanite like Jeremiah, the preponderance of wild animals running around in Makassar came as a rude shock. Hens, cocks, dogs, goats and cats were a common sight around his hostel. The traffic jams and air pollution notwithstanding, Jakarta has been a welcome relief for Jeremiah. But he sure misses the cheap and fresh seafood in Makassar.


Wild goats 10m away from Jeremiah's hostel

Hens running amok in the front yard


They seem to be enjoying their game of hide and seek

Yummy seafood being grilled

Lunch for Jeremiah. This huge fish only costs S$3

A Love Story

2010-08-09T16:42:00.001+08:00

Not exactly a big fan of tearjerkers, Jeremiah nonetheless found himself catching "Basic Love" ("愛情故事") out of boredom but was glad that he caught it. Set in Hong Kong, the movie revolves around a love triangle spanning ten years. While the theme was typical, the acting and plot were excellent with the film full of dramatic tensions.

In essence, the protagonists - Guy A, Gals B and C - have known one another since their high school days. Gals B and C are best friends. Guy A has been in love with Gal B for the longest time, Gal B too likes Guy A but pretends that she doesn't know that Guy A likes her because she has leukemia and feels that they do not have a future together. Gal C, on the other hand, carries a torch for Guy A. Things come to a head when Gal B's condition worsened and she could no longer keep her condition a secret. She and Guy A got together for a while before she disappeared. Out of love for Guy A, she would like him to be together with Gal C as she is dying. Out of love, Guy A of course would like to spend Gal B's last days together with her. Out of love, Gal C decided to further her studies overseas for she knew that one cannot love to order and sometimes love means letting someone go. In the end, Gal B dies but makes Guy A promise that he would not fall in love with another woman unless that woman is Gal C.

The cute actresses aside, what Jeremiah liked most about the film was how it brought out the complex nature of love. The same love that drew all the protagonists today also has a centrifugal side to it. Love means fighting for your loved one but at the same time, it can also mean giving him/her up. Ultimately, it is about giving, rather than taking. It is about making sacrifices, including giving up your loved one.

That, Jeremiah feels, is the essence of love.

Get Them While Young

2010-08-05T21:11:00.000+08:00

Even for a Singaporean, Indonesians seem to like to sing a lot. Karaoke joints are everywhere. Coaches are equipped with basic karaoke systems. Go to any tourist-oriented restaurant and chances are that it would have a live band that would happily welcome diners to perform stand-up karaoke acts. Even in upmarket lounges, guests are welcomed to go on stage to sing.

The secret as to why karaoke is so popular? Perhaps it got to do with the abundance of kiddie MTVs for young children here in Indonesia.

Young girl at Fort Rotterdam, Makassar lip-synching while shooting a kiddie MTV.

Watching the Waves Go By

2010-08-02T21:15:00.000+08:00

The biggest Indonesian city east of Java and the gateway to eastern Indonesia, Makassar is a sprawling city of 1.5 million. Yet surprisingly, the city centre is an oasis of calm and tranquility with straight roads, pavements not overcrowded with street vendors, and where one chill and watch the waves go by.

View of the sunset from outside Fort Rotterdam

Losari Beach

Charming neighbourhood where Jeremiah's hotel was located

Jalan Somba Opu, which is populated by over 30 jewellery shops at last count

Generally big ships are more sea-worthy than smaller ones. Not this one though.

Shopping in Bali

2010-07-29T19:43:00.002+08:00

Less known for its shopping than for its pristine waters and white, fine sand, Bali is actually a shopping paradise. The Kuta/Legian/Seminayak area features kilometers and kilometers of provisions shops and souvenir stores existing side by side with boutique shops selling art handicrafts, furniture, designer clothes (usually at a steep discount) and even imitation designer footballs. One can literally shop until he/she drops. These photos go out to M, as well as all die-hard shoppers out there!


Art Gallery


Beer Bintang mercandise shore in Legain

Sales were everywhere


Antique shops. Several of them in Legian and Seminyak							.


Japanese fashion-inspired designs. Best of all, they were on sale!

Outfitting your new home? Check this store out

Not a problem if you need artefacts made to order too

Balls for Sale

2010-07-27T20:52:00.003+08:00

If you have not been to Bali yet and wonder how the shopping there is, well, it is pretty awesome. You can get all sorts of things, including those that you would have never thought existed, such as (fake) LV and Burberry soccer balls.

Not sure how popular these are though. Most tourists, Jeremiah feels, would prefer the real thing.

Branded Balls for Sale at a Boutique Shop in Kuta, Bali

Rumah Makan Satsuma

2010-07-26T21:47:00.002+08:00

Chance discoveries are usually always the best. Jeremiah stumbled upon this small eatery offering simple but excellent home-cooked Japanese fare (bento, raman etc) a stone's throw away from the Tune Hotel in Kuta, where he was staying. Having been deprived of Japanese food for a few months, Jeremiah gulped down his first bowl of ramen and was back for more the following day, right before he set off for the airport. It was that yummy!

A map of Rumah Makan Satsuma is available here. Rumah Makan Satsuma is conveniently located at the back of Kuta Square and about 7 minutes' walk from the Kuta Beach main gate and 4 minutes' walk from Tune Hotel Kuta. The mains are modestly priced at about US$3 each; the service was Japanese-style, i.e. impeccable. Ichiban.

Welcome to Satsuma

Japanese-style interiors


Hokkaido ramen with pork. Broth was perfect.

Special version of okonomiyaki, filled with sotong. A Satsuma creation.

Pergilah Kau

2010-07-24T16:46:00.000+08:00

Jeremiah just couldn't get this Indonesian hit out of his head. The title translates to "You Go (Away)". A simple translation courtesy of Google Translate is appended for ya yang belum dapat berbicara Bahasa Indonesia.

I do not want to believe again
In all of your affection
I do not want to be touched again
By all of your confessions

You would not understand this pain
Lies from your sweet mouth

Go you
Get out of my life
Bring all the guilt
Go you
Get out of my life
Bring your secrets that you do not want to be known
Not again will I be hooked
In all your promises
I do not want to be associated anymore
In all of your games

Many years together
I believed in you
I was proud of you
Gave you everything
I do not want anymore
I do not want anymore huoo ... Yeee ... Hee ...

Go you
(I) do not want to know

Have You Ever Wondered What Goes On in Schools?

2010-07-22T20:52:00.001+08:00

Earlier this year, Jeremiah visited a pesantren or Islamic boarding school in Jakarta. That school prides itself on aiming to provide its students with a modern education and equip them with skills relevant to the 21st century, including English and Arabic language skills. An "international area" was demarcated in the school compound where the students are only allowed to communicate in English and Arabic. The training aids include a big board printed with English expressions and their Bahasa Indonesian equivalents.

Sounds good so far?

Look again carefully at the close up of the board (the third photo), between the lines "Don't waste your time" and "Don't be longing (sic)". Good Lord!

Yummy Food in Makassar

2010-07-18T23:52:00.002+08:00

Renowned for its yummy seafood, Makassar is home to many yummy eateries. Unlike "food paradise" cities in Indonesia, however, these yummy eateries are convenient clustered in an area around Losari Beach. Despite the prime location, the food was modestly priced. Thank God there is a gym at Jeremiah's hotel.

The road sign reads " Special Food Zone. Makassar"

This is an Ambonese speciality - nasi kunning ayam telor or yellow rice with chicken and age. The damage? Rp 15000 or S$2.30. Quite a good deal for a hearty meal.

Kios Semarang is a watering hole overlooking the beach. At dusk, this place is packed with locals and foreigners grabbing a cold beer alike while watching the sun set.

Fried succulent squid and fried kangkongwith seafood for dinner - Rp 50,000 or under S$8

Kota Solo: Rival Sibling of Yogjakarta

2010-07-17T22:07:00.000+08:00

Located some 60 km east of Yogjakarta, Solo (Surakarta) was once the heart of the Mataram Kingdom. Its predominance was challenged by Yogjakarta, when the Mataram Kingdom split into two in the late 18th century, with the court in Yogjakarta gaining control over half of the kingdom. Yogjakarta never looked back since then. A quieter sister city of Yogjakarta, Solo nonetheless still rivals Yogjakarta as the "soul" of Java and remains a centre of Javanese culture and art.

The prime attractions in Solo are the Keraton (the Sultan's palace) and the Istana Mangkunegaran (palace used by the Sultan's extended family). A fire 25 years ago destroyed much of the Keraton, though some structures of the inner palace were rebuilt. The musuem there that houses precious artwork and heirlooms of the royal family.

The tower in the background is a restricted area used by the Sultan for mediation.

The Solo court has traditionally been close to the Netherlands. Statues like this are plentiful at the Keraton.

A gold-plated artwork depicting a traditional Javanese marriage at the Keraton musuem.

Like the Keraton, the Istana houses a musuem, where exhibits such as prized kris and spiked genital covers are displayed. Part of the personal quarters at the Istana are open to the public, allowing the visitor to get a closer glimpse into the life of the royalty.

Charming garden ...

...with a friendly royal parrot

Guest room at the Istana ....

... with a elaborately-crafted tusk

The Istana musuem

Goodbye Yogja

2010-07-12T16:37:00.003+08:00

Jeremiah had never imagined that he would actually come to miss Yogja when it was time to leave, but he did. The above are some of the more memorable photos that Jeremiah took in his last few days in Yogja. Bye, bye Yogja.

Captions
1) Patriotic graffiti on the exterior walls of a junior high school
2) Construction workers building a traditional bamboo structure the traditional way, oblivious to the modernity around them.
3) Innovation use of an old campaign poster. Taken from the small shop where Jeremiah has his daily breakfast treat of mee rebus pakai telur dan teh tawar hangat
4) Sunset in Yogja

Such is His Sorry State

2010-07-01T19:44:00.002+08:00

In case you are wondering how Jeremiah is doing, he has been studying hard, real hard, over the past few weeks. Just look what has become of his English-Indonesian dictionary, which is only about four months old.

Kota Semarang

2010-06-22T00:00:00.001+08:00

Travelling to Semarang with low expectations earlier in the month, Jeremiah was pleasantly surprised by what Semarang had to offer. This quiet city of 1.5 million people, while prone to floods, is reasonably well-organised with quite a bit to offer, such as the Old City, Sam Po Kong Temple (monument to Cheng Ho), Gereja Blenduk (a church that is the oldest building in the city), Stasiun Tawang (oldest railway station in Java) and the quite decent provincial musuem, Museum Ronggowarsito.

The shopping and food were awesome too. Lots of factory outlets, though not as many as in Bandung. Local food specialities include Bandeng Presto (milk fish)and Lumpia Semarang (spring roll with bamboo shoots filling) etc. The Lumpia that Jeremiah bought in Semarang was expensive (US$11 for 10 pieces) but good, so much so that even though they were meant as a gift, Jeremiah finished them all by himself.

Enjoy the photos.

Gereja Blenduk

The General Post Office in Semarang

Street scene outside one of the main traditional markets

View of the Old City

View of the Old City from further away

Depiction of the War of Independence at Museum Ronggowarsito

Replica of the Indonesian Declaration of Independence on display

A guide to how the puppets used in wayang kulit are made.

Candi Prambanan

2010-06-14T09:57:00.000+08:00

A less well-known cousin of Candi Borobudur, Candi Prambanan is a UNESCO world heritage site situated about half an hour away from Kota Yogjakarta. Built some fifty years from Candi Borobudur, this complex is a shrine to the Hindu gods (unlike Borobudur, which is a Buddhist monument). The three main temples in the Candi Prambanan complex were supposed to be surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of smaller temples, but unfortunately most of destroyed during the earthquake that hit Yogjakarta in 2006. Reconstruction is proceeding slowly but surely.

The weather changed fast. Ten minutes ago, it was clear skies. Carry a umbrella or face the wrath of the gods.

SPGs Wanted

2010-06-12T12:20:00.005+08:00

This advertisement recruiting SPGs appeared in yesterday's "Bernas Jojga", a local newspaper in Yogjakarta.

The ad roughly translates to:

Job Opportunity
Two Everlasting Partners Pte Ltd needs SPGs

Criteria
Woman, Single
Maximum age: 25
Completed senior high school
Proportional Body Weight
Attractive Appearance

Facilities (Provided)
Class Training
No additional expenses whatsoever

Reading the ad, Jeremiah wondered if they were recruiting Sarong Party Girls or Sales Promotion Girls. After some reflection, he thought that they were probably recruiting the latter, given the senior high school requirement.

A Monument to Cheng Ho

2010-06-08T17:33:00.002+08:00

Tucked away in a suburb southwest of central Semarang is Sam Po Kong (三宝宫), a temple complex dedicated to the worship of Ming Admiral Cheng Ho （郑和）. According to some local beliefs, after making landfall, Cheng Ho established a mosque on the site of now what is a temple complex dedicated to him.

Also known locally as Gedung Batu (Stone Building), the highlight of the complex is a cave temple with a statue of the Admiral decorated with glitzy lights. Perhaps this is a reflection of the Javanese fascination with sacred caves. A clear example of the Javanese influence on the architecture can be seen from the curvature of the roofs. There are also miniature animals nestled on the roof though Jeremiah is not sure what those animals are for. Nonetheless, All hail the Chief.

A Little Taste of Singapore

2010-06-07T11:54:00.000+08:00

Semarang unexpectedly turned out to be a welcome relief for the homesick Jeremiah. There is something about the city that resembles Singapore. A port city and the most "Cinaised" city in Indonesia, the streets in Semarang are well laid-out and not overflowing with street vendors. The sidewalks are among the best in Singapore. Factory outlets and malls are plentiful. Chinese food (read: pork), and even Teochew dishes are are readily available. So too are hotels and food associated with Singapore (see below), though Jeremiah did not venture to try them out.

The Odyssey

2010-06-05T21:25:00.001+08:00

Bitten by the travel bug, Jeremiah embarked on a road trip from Yogjakarta, the soul of Java, to Semarang, the economic and provincial capital of Central Java, some 100 km away. Depending on who you ask, Semarang is either a boring industrial city or a great chill-out port city. But the journey from Yogjakarta to Semarang was definitely a gem in itself.

Taking 3.5 hours and costing US$5 on the luxurious (by Indonesian standards) Joglosemar Executive Shuttle, the journey brought Jeremiah through meandering volcanic valleys, padi fields, as well as the heartland of central Java. From humming towns to simple kampungs, Jeremiah could see Indonesians going about in their daily activities, be it laying cables, plucking tea leaves or feeding their babies.

Here's some photos. Sorry for the limited range of photos. It was a Friday afternoon and after a long week, Jeremiah was a little slow with his camera.

Avoiding Doublespeak

2010-06-05T01:49:00.000+08:00

Jeremiah had been a frequent user of a particular line of travel guide books. Of late, he has become quite disappointed with that line's book on Indonesia, which fell short both in substance and in style. It was with great trepidation that Jeremiah read in detail on the 4-hr journey from Yogjakarta to Semarang the write-up on Semarang:

Semarang's richly atmospheric old city is the highlight of any visit. Sadly, most of the area's tremendous stock of colonial buildings are in an advanced state of decay, seemingly unloved and left to rot by the city authorities"

This is but a roundabout of saying that Semarang is not worth a visit. They could have been more direct and avoided the doublespeak! But Semarang has so far turned out to be awesome. The guidebook failed to highlight the factory outlets that are everywhere in Semarang. Within an hour of his arrival, Jeremiah has shopped to his heart's content. This is a testimony to the quality of shopping in Semarang for everyone who knows Jeremiah is aware how difficult he can be when it comes to shopping.

Hopefully, Jeremiah's adventures tomorrow would turn out to be better than suggested by that guide book. Stay turned on this page.

The Leap of Confidence

2010-05-31T17:47:00.001+08:00

It is often said that when learning a new language, a good test of one's language skills is going to the saloon. Mis-speak and weeks, or even months, of hard work might be gone in a matter of seconds. One would also have to put up with the damage for a long time to come.

Jeremiah is proud to share that he had gone to a saloon in Indonesia speaking only Bahasa Indonesia and survived the cut.

The damage for a cut and wash and head massage in the local-equivalent of Kimage? US$5.

Candi Borobudur

2010-05-25T18:29:00.005+08:00

Situated some 40km northwest of Yogjakarta is the Borobudur complex, a 9th century Buddhist monument that is also Indonesia's most popular tourist destination. Consisting of a main temple - Cantd Borobudur - ringed by hundreds of smaller temples (though not all manged to withstand the test of time) in a picturesque landscape dotted by padi fields and volcanic peaks, the Borobudur complex was once a major pilgrimage site for Buddhists coming from as far as China and India.

Built from over 1 million stone blocks without the use of modern construction technology - no cement was used for example, Candi Borobudur is the final leg of the pilgrimage. The pilgrims would have crossed numerous hills and a river bare-footed, made their way through the various surrounding temples and more importantly, seen and internalised the relief panels where numerous Buddhist parables are inscribed. A pilgrimage would range anywhere from three weeks to three years.

Awaiting them, and the modern visitor today, at Cand i Borobudur are over 2,000 more intricately-crafted relief panels which recount the life story of the Buddha. Built on a hilltop and crowned by a main dome on the top platform that is surrounded by 72 stupas containing Buddhas inside, Canti Borobudur is a majestic site beyond description. Jeremiah would let his photos do the talking.

A post modernist artistic Buddha statue on display at the crafts museum at Borobudur

沒那麼簡單

2010-05-18T16:59:00.004+08:00

While watching MTV the other day, Jeremiah came across this unforgetable song, which he first heard at Lunar. The song has been a hit and looks set to become an evergreen. It has a memorable tune and very, very meaningful lyrics (see below). A translate courtesy of Goggle Translate is also appended. The translation looks looney but you can get the gist. Enjoy!

沒那麼簡單歌詞
作詞：姚若龍
作曲：蕭煌奇

沒那麼簡單就能找到聊得來的伴
尤其是在看過了那麼多的背叛
總是不安只好強悍
誰謀殺了我的浪漫

沒那麼簡單就能去愛別的全不看
變得實際也許好也許壞各一半
不愛孤單一久也習慣
不用擔心誰也不用被誰管

感覺快樂就忙東忙西
感覺累了就放空自己
別人說的話隨便聽一聽自己作決定
不想擁有太多情緒
一杯紅酒配電影
在周末晚上關上了手機舒服窩在沙發裡

相愛沒有那麼容易每個人有他的脾氣
過了愛作夢的年紀轟轟烈烈不如平靜
幸福沒有那麼容易才會特別讓人著迷
什麼都不懂的年紀
曾經最掏心所以最開心曾經

沒那麼簡單就能去愛別的全不看
變得實際也許好也許壞各一半
不愛孤單一久也習慣
不用擔心誰也不用被誰管

感覺快樂就忙東忙西
感覺累了就放空自己
別人說的話隨便聽一聽自己作決定
不想擁有太多情緒
一杯紅酒配電影
在周末晚上關上了手機舒服窩在沙發裡

相愛沒有那麼容易每個人有他的脾氣
過了愛作夢的年紀轟轟烈烈不如平靜
幸福沒有那麼容易才會特別讓人著迷
什麼都不懂的年紀
曾經最掏心所以最開心曾經

相愛沒有那麼容易每個人有他的脾氣
過了愛作夢的年紀轟轟烈烈不如平靜
幸福沒有那麼容易才會特別讓人著迷
什麼都不懂的年紀
曾經最掏心所以最開心曾經
想念最傷心但卻最動心的記憶

===========================

Not That Simple
Authors: Yao Ruolong
Composer: Xiao Huangqi

It is not easy to find someone who is easy to get along with
Especially seen so much betrayal
Always disturbed only powerful
Who murdered my romance

Not so easy to love others can not see the whole
Perhaps the good may become bad the actual half
Love alone is not long accustomed to
Who do not have to worry about whom tube

Feel happy on the busy busy West East
Feeling tired, they emptied their
Others say casually listen to their own decisions
Do not want to have too many emotions
A glass of red wine with movies
Weekend night and shut the phone comfortable nest on the sofa

Love is not so easy that everyone has his temper
After a vigorous love to dream with as calm
Happiness will not be easy particularly fascinating
With no knowledge
Cutting was the most heart it was the most fun

Not so easy to love others can not see the whole
Maybe good maybe bad actually get the half
Love alone is not long accustomed to
Who do not have to worry about whom tube

Feel happy on the busy busy West East
Feeling tired, they emptied their
Others say casually listen to their own decisions
Do not want to have too many emotions
A glass of red wine with movies
In the weekend evenings on the phone off the sofa comfortable nest

Love is not so easy that everyone has his temper
After a vigorous love to dream with as quiet
Happiness will not be easy especially fascinating
What age did not know
Cutting has been the most happiest ever heart so

Not so easy to love everyone has his temper
After a vigorous love to dream with as calm
Happiness will not be easy especially fascinating
What age did not know
Cutting was the most heart it was the most fun
But they miss the most sad memory of the most inviting

Culinary Capital of Java

2010-05-09T13:26:00.002+08:00

Yogja is touted as the culinary capital of Java, and, according to some, Indonesia. Good food from all parts of Indonesia can be easily found in Yogja for a steal. Want some exotic food? No problem. Just the other day, Jeremiah chanced upon a small eating house touting its speciality "Mie Dog-dog". It sure looks tempting!

Stirred, Not Shaken

2010-05-07T20:29:00.002+08:00

If you are one of the lucky few who have received coffee in the mail from Jeremiah, here's a guide to brewing kopi tubruk ("collision coffee) the Javanese/Balinese way:

(a) Open the box of coffee.
(b) Put two spoonfuls of the coffee grinds (and sugar if desired) into a cup.
(c) Add boiling water to the cup, cover the cup and let it stew for a few minutes.
(d) According to some, if still uncooked, the coffee grinds will float on the surface.
(e) The final product is a coffee suspension. The traditional Indonesian way of consuming kopi tubruk is to drink the coffee together with the grinds. The suspension is stirred from time to time to prevent the grinds from settling at the bottom.
(f) Selamat menikmati.
(g) Remember to close the box of coffee.
(h) Say thanks to Jeremiah the next time you see him and better still, send him some bah kwa.

Of Broad Stripes, Bright Stars and a Perilous Fight

2010-04-30T01:27:00.008+08:00

These Star-Spangled Banner-waving football fans seemed friendly enough. But they quickly became a riotous crowd when they sighted their rival fans. Jumping off their vans and buses, they chased their rivals through the kampung that Jeremiah passed by and spared no quarters.

Jeremiah now carries an orange T-shirt in his backpack, in addition to the yellow and red ones that he has been carrying.

Lost in Translation

2010-04-29T16:32:00.002+08:00

Yesterday, Jeremiah attended a briefing session by a senior Asian diplomat who articulated the case for foreign investment. The diplomat mentioned that because of foreign companies, the government could have taxation; without foreign companies, there would be no taxation.

Hands up if you do not want foreign investment.

Don't Be Late

2010-04-28T10:03:00.007+08:00

At the training centre in Jakarta where Jeremiah had been for the past month, all employees ranging from the janitor to the director have tov using this machine, sign in when they report for work and sign out at the end of the day. Equipped with features like a thumbprint reader and passcode system, this device is definitely technologically superior to the punchcard system still in use in many parts of the world.

Jeremiah is tempted to put up a SSS suggestion ... hehehe

Monkey Business in Bali

2010-04-24T22:22:00.004+08:00

Monkeys rule the day at the Balinese temple complex that Jeremiah visited this afternoon. Do not underestimate them.

Two of Jeremiah's friends got their spectacles pinched by monkeys. One got his back after the monkey in question received ransom in the form of food. Another was slow in paying ransom and saw his glasses being smashed in front of his own eyes.

Moral of the story? Monkey business is serious business.

Mind Your Language

2010-04-23T11:30:00.002+08:00

Approximately 5000 workers at a shipyard in Batam rioted after their Indian boss allegedly called Indonesians "stupid" (see Jakarta Post article below). All the Indian expats working at the shipyeard were eventually evacuated by boat and at least two were seriously injured.

Jeremiah thinks that "I Not Stupid", the blockbuster Singapore movie hit that was never released in our southern neighbour, would do quite well in Indonesia.

===============
The Jakarta Post
22 April 2010

At least 45 Indian workers were evacuated from a riot at shipbuilding company PT Drydocks World Graha dockyard at Tanjung Uncang in Batam, Riau Islands province, Thursday.

Riau Island Police deputy chief Sr. Comr Bambang BS said that the 45 people were evacuated by a police patrol boat to the local police headquarters for safety reasons.

The police, he said, were still investigating the riot, which was reportedly caused by a humiliating statement by one of the Indian managers at the company, who said that Indonesians were "stupid".

Hari Ariadewa of the company's quality control unit said that the riot was sparked by a statement by an Indian supervisor, identified as Mr. Ganesh, who berated one of the Indonesian workers for making a mistake.

This statement was frequently uttered by the Indian supervisor to his subordinates, Hari said.

“The derogatory remark sparked anger among [thousands of] Indonesian workers. A riot then spread to other units,” he added.

Two of the Indian workers were seriously injured, dozens of vehicles and other facilities were set alight and a storage warehouse was destroyed.

6°54'S 107°36′E: Bandung

2010-04-21T23:13:00.004+08:00

Located some 180km from Jakarta is the provincial capital of West Java, Bandung. Nicknamed Parijs van Java (Paris of Java) by the Dutch because of its cool climate, European architecture and street layout, Bandung was originally developed as a weekend resort town for Dutch owners of the nearby tea plantations. The Dutch have had plans to move the colonial capital of the Dutch East Indies from Batavia (present day Jakarta) to Bandung, but World War II put paid to the plans. During the Indonesian war of independence, Bandung was the site of fierce battles.

Now the third largest city in Indonesia, Bandung is a favourite weekend getaway of many Jakartans who brave a 3h commute for the cool weather, excellent shopping and the good food in Bandung. Factory outlets are plentiful in Bandung offering inexpensive clothes and accessories, both designer and local brands. A wide variety of international cuisine can also be found in Bandung. Some also take the opportunity to visit the nearby tea plantations or experience Sundanese performing arts.

Shopping, good food, culture, great views. What more can one ask for in a tourist destination? AirAsia flies diretly from Singapore to Bandung daily.

Taken for a Ride

2010-04-20T22:55:00.004+08:00

In a bid to reduce traffic congestion, the Jakarta authorities in 1992 introduced minimum occupancy requirements for key arteries in Jakarta during peak hours whereby private vehicles are required to have at least three passengers.

A unintended consequence of this is the rise of "jokis", or "jockeys", who congregate around the entrances to the key arteries during peak hours and, in return for a fee, hop onto vehicles so that the vehicles meet the required minimal occupancy. It is not unusual to see women "jokis" carrying babies, for the baby count as an additional passenger.

Jeremiah wanna be a professional passenger too! Just "joki".

Bengs of the World Unite

2010-04-18T00:37:00.004+08:00

Tucked in a corner of Bandung is an Ah Beng ('A' is pronounced as "Ah" in Bahasa Indonesia) shop selling "men vitality" medicine. Pil Biru is the local name for Viagra, while oil biglong is as the name implies. Jeremiah will leave the rest up to your imagination.

Looks like Ah Bengs are all the same. Perhaps they have been ISO-certified.

Brewed with Love

2010-04-17T00:05:00.005+08:00

On the road from Jakarta to Bandung yesterday, the tour guide listed the qualities expected of a good wife in Indonesia. Top of the list was waking up earlier than the husband and making breakfast for him. In Indonesia, according to the guide, a good wife wakes her husband up by the aroma of her kopi.

Someone in turn quipped that very romantic marriage proposals in Indonesia involve the man asking his significant other if she would like to make kopi for him every morning.

This would of course rank as high on the list of romantic marriage proposals as "Let's go apply for a HDB flat".

Of Monkey Businesses and Massages

2010-04-15T09:49:00.006+08:00

*This blog posting is not for the faint-hearted and the animal rights activist*

Situated on a 145-hectare site in East Jakarta, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (Beautiful Indonesia Miniature Park) offers visitors an opportunity to experience the cultural diversity of Indonesia in one day. Mooted by Tien Suharto in the 1970s, Taman Mini has over 25 miniature pavilions (one for every Indonesian province, the pavilions for some of the newer provinces are still under construction), 14 museums, 6 gardens, a bird park, an aquarium, and several monuments, including a small replica of the National Monument.

The highlights of Taman Mini are its various pavilions, where visitors can view the unique architecture of each Indonesian province as well as get a glimpse into that province’s culture. At some of the pavilions, there are musicians performing traditional music and artisans producing handicrafts etc.

At the South Sulawesi pavilion that Jeremiah visited last week, there were monkeys performing “stunts” like pushing miniature carts. Next stop was Papuan (Irian Jaya) pavilion, which included a display of Papuan traditional activities, including a traditional massage as seen in the photo above.

Enough of Javanese massages. Would anyone like to go to Papua with Jeremiah for a traditional Papuan massage?

What the Dragon King can do for ASEAN

2010-04-11T00:17:00.005+08:00

Detractors of ASEAN have cause for concern. An ASEAN Community is taking root, as evident in this Dragon King Restaurant using the ASEAN name and logo as a marketing tool.

Hopefully, the restaurant can do its part for the ASEAN Way by offering its customers a discount for reciting the ASEAN anthem.

=================

The ASEAN Way (The ASEAN anthem)

Raise our flag high, sky high
Embrace the pride in our heart
ASEAN we are bonded as one
Look-in out-ward to the world.
For peace, our goal from the very start
And prosperity to last.

We dare to dream we care to share.
Together for ASEAN
we dare to dream,
we care to share for it's the way of ASEAN.

The Unpredictability of Life

2010-04-08T20:46:00.004+08:00

Overhead from a very senior Indonesian diplomat:

When I was in college, I was told that the most unpredictable thing in life is the British weather.
In the diplomatic service, I learnt that the most unpredictable thing in life is the mood of your spouse.
Now, at my age, the most unpredictable thing in life is the Jakarta traffic.

Check out these two photos taken from Jeremiah's apartment a few hours apart!

Necessity is the Mother of All Inventions

2010-04-07T23:05:00.002+08:00

Seen at an eating house in Indonesia: innovative uses of a pass holder and a paper clip.

The Wonders of Free Competition

2010-04-05T22:49:00.002+08:00

On Saturday, Jeremiah went to the Mangga Dua Mall in Jakarta in search of a charger for his laptop. Situated in the Chinatown District, Mannga Dua Mall had easily over 200 shops selling electronics, computers, computer accessories etc. Surprisingly, there were no Internet cafes there.

Here's why: besides the hardware stores, there were also numberous shops peddling pirated software and movies. Apparently, competition was so stiff that the shops selling priated stuff had computer terminals which their customers could use for free!!

Tearing Down Walls

2010-04-04T19:52:00.009+08:00

Last week, Jeremiah watched a documentary about Canti Borobudur, a 9th century Buddhist complex 40km from Java. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Borobudur is the most popular tourist destination in Indonesia. The founder of modern Singapore, Sir Stamford Raffles, is said to have played a role in the rediscovery of Borobudur, which was abandoned after Java converted to Islam.

Once a major Buddhist pilgrimage site, the complex consists of several temples and platforms with over 500 statues of the Buddha and over 2500 relief panels. Pilgrims would start from the first temple and make their way to the main dome (which is surrounded by 72 perforated stupas with Buddha statues inside) on the main platform. Along the way, they were supposed to reflect on the relief panels, i.e. murals on the stone walls, which depicted fables and the life story of the Buddha.

One such fable elaborated on in the documentary and which caught Jeremiah's eye was that of a double-headed bird. The heads of the bird were at different heights. The top head usually got all the good food while the lower head only got the not so good food and leftovers. The lower head would often ask the top head to pass some good food to him. However, the top head would usually respond that since they share the same body, whatever the top head eats would eventually make its way to the lower head. One day in despair and hunger, the lower head ate poison and the bird died.

Jeremiah reflected on this during the odyssey back to Singapore last Thursday. Because of the limited air connectivity between Singapore and Yogjakarta (there is only one direct flight daily and in Jeremiah's case, the timing was not suitable.), Jeremiah chose a 8h flight itinerary that included a 4h transit in Jakarta. The direct flight would have only taken about 2h.

To paraphrase someone wise, if you have two pools of water of different levels, the best way to even out their levels would be to dig a trench and link the two up, i.e. improve their connectivity. Water would flow naturally from one pool to the other.

You can take a pail to manually transfer the water but its efficiency is highly debatable. What is certainly not helpful would be building a wall around one pool of water. This would be akin to one of the heads of the bird sealing up its mouth.

月里一夜

2010-04-03T10:07:00.004+08:00

Jeremiah is glad to have been to Lunar last night. The good company aside, the live music was simply awesome. Jeremiah finally figured out the name of the song that he could not get out of his head - 黃小琥的《沒那麼簡單》　．　　

Of course, a night at Lunar could not be without the evergreen 《愛拼才會贏》, which of course happend to be Jeremiah's favourite Taiwanese song. 打拼才會贏，　愈冷愈開花，　梅花滿天下！

愛拼才會贏 (KTV)

A Universal Truth

2010-03-31T22:48:00.004+08:00

Over the weekend, Jeremiah visited the resort town of Kaliurang, situated on the slope of Mount Merapi. Tucked in a corner of Kaliurang was the lovely Ullen Sentalu Musuem, which showcased Javanese art, music and history. A significant portion of the exhibit was devoted to the royal family here. According to the guide, the primary pursuits of female members of the royal family (then) were dancing and creating batik. Photos and paintings of them happily engaging in such activities were displayed in the musuem.

Apparently, life as a tai-tai is good everywhere!

Kampung Living in a Big City

2010-03-30T20:17:00.003+08:00

Kampungs are usually the first victims of modernisation in Indonesia. In big Indonesian cities, kampungs are rarely be found in the city core. Not in Yogja though. Modern commericial buildings/shophouses would line the major ateries, but right behind them are kampungs a stone's throw away. These are often self-contained communities with a wide range of shops where various services and goods can be procured. For instance, numerous eateries, provision shops, handphone shops, two laundry shops, a guitar shop, and even a small Internet cafe can be found in the kampung next to Jeremiah's residence in Yogja. Exploring kampungs is becoming a pastime of Jeremiah.

An Exciting Saturday Night

2010-03-28T13:25:00.011+08:00

Yesterday, Jeremiah tried to promote inter-agency understanding and camaraderie by accompanying his mates to the Alun Alun Selatan (South Square) to pay homage to the traditional local game of trying to walk between the two trees in the middle of the square blindfolded. The locals believe that if one does so successfully, he would have his wish come true.

The alun alun was bustling with families and students attempting the walk or launching light bulb contraptions into the air with catapults. After successfully completing the walk, Jeremiah adjourned for wedang ronde, a traditionally Javanese dessert akin to our cheng ting, at one of the roadside stalls lining the alun alun.

Jeremiah's biggest takeaway? Even if you are blindfolded, keep walking. It will bring you somewhere. Fail to reach your destination? Try again. You will get there.

The Power of Friends

2010-03-27T16:36:00.006+08:00

As a marketing tool, word of mouth has traditionally been neglected as compared to its cousins like media advertising etc, though not by the brewers of Bir Bintang.

The label on Jeremiah's half-consumed Bir Bintang can reads, "Delicious Consumed Together With Friends".

Would you like to drink with Jeremiah? Maybe it would make his stale beer taste better.

The Things They Do in KSA

2010-03-25T21:00:00.002+08:00

Go Hissa! You have Jeremiah's vote.

========

Veiled Saudi poet rises to stardom after bashing clerics

By Wissam Keyrouz (AFP)

23 March 2010

DUBAI — A Saudi housewife's bold poems which blast "evil" extremist fatwas by Muslim clerics have earned her death threats but could yet win her a 1.3-million-dollar poetry contest on Emirati television.

Ahead of Wednesday's finals of the "Million's Poet" aired weekly on Abu Dhabi state television, the poems have put Hissa Hilal, who wears a traditional head-to-toe black "abaya" cloak and veils her face, in the spotlight.

If on March 31 she is announced the winner, she will walk away with the grand prize from the competition, which draws masters of bedouin dialect poetry, known as Nabati, which is highly appreciated by Gulf Arabs.

But Hilal has drawn the wrath of Islamist conservatives in her country after criticising its strict segregation of the sexes and blasting fatwas that reject an easing to allow women to take on jobs that are currently for men only.

The Saudi mother's loud opinions have resulted in death threats on Islamist websites like Ana Al-Muslim, an online forum known for posting messages from Al-Qaeda, the Saudi daily Al-Watan said.

A participant in the forum even asked for her address, in an apparent threat to kill her.

"Of course, my husband, my family and I are afraid," she told AFP, adding that she has not been contacted directly with threats.

Hilal, who has not been to university, said that through her poems, she wants to "fight extremism, which has become a worrying phenomenon."

"A few years ago, society was more open. Now, things have become heavier. Some men do not even shake hands with female family members as they did in the past," she said.

In her poem entitled "The Chaos of Fatwas," which she has recited during the popular televised competition, she boldly charged that the "evil comes from those fatwas."

She compared their authors to "monsters wearing belts," an apparent reference to explosive belts worn by suicide bombers.

The contest's panel praised Hilal's courage for expressing her opinion "honestly and powerfully," giving her the highest score of last Wednesday's round at 47 out of 50.

Videos of Hilal's recital of the poem are available on the Internet.

The poem was seen as hitting out at Saudi cleric Abdul Rahman al-Barrak, who issued a fatwa last month calling for those promoting a mixing of the sexes in education and at the workplace to be put to death.

Hilal said, however, that she was not referring to Barrak's fatwa in particular, but said that she was "against the idea of killing a human being because of his beliefs."

She considers the mixing of men and women at work "a necessity for daily life."

"We are always told: haram," or prohibited, she lamented. "This dangerous extremism is no longer limited to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, but has spread to other countries like Egypt, Jordan and Syria."

Radical Saudi clerics were infuriated when the reform-minded King Abdullah inaugurated in September the kingdom's first mixed-gender university, the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, on the Red Sea coast.

"Saudi Arabia has made great strides over the past five years" to improve women's status, Hilal said, praising the "courage" of the Saudi monarch.

In an attempt to prove his commitment to improving the status of women, the king appointed Norah al-Fayez deputy minister of education for women's education in 2009, the first appointment of a woman to a ministerial post.

Women in Saudi Arabia must cover from head to toe in public. They are also forbidden to drive and can not travel without a male guardian, while segregation rules severely restrict work opportunities for women.

Store Your Water in Your Safe

2010-03-23T19:29:00.005+08:00

Splashed on Page 2 of today's The Jakarta Post is a photo story on water conservation.

The caption is as follows:

Miss Environment Zukhriatul Hafizah splashes water during a peaceful campaign to raise awareness on the importance of saving water at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle, on Monday. The campaign was held in conjunction with World Water Day on March 22.

Like Ms Zukhriatual, Jeremiah wants his water to be safe (for drinking) too!

Hati-hati Interferensi (Beware of Interference)

2010-03-22T20:04:00.003+08:00

Prior to taking up Bahasa Indonesia, Jeremiah was forwarned by his colleagues that he might have to unlearn some Bahasa Melayu as quite a few words in Bahasa Melayu had different meanings in Bahasa Indonesia. Bahasa Indonesia can also be gramatically more complex than Bahasa Melayu in some instances.

For example, in Bahasa Melayu, "polis" means "police" while "polisi" means "policy" (e.g. insurance policy). In Bahasa Indonesia, the converse is true. Another example: "kereta" means "train" in Bahasa Indonesia and "car" in Bahasa Melayu.

A common joke here is about "pusing", e.g. a Malaysian arrives in Indonesia and asks his driver to "pusing pusing saja" ("just drive around"). "Pusing", however, means headache in Indonesia and the confused driver might interpret the instructions as "drive around until my head aches".

Jeremiah at first laughed off his colleagues' warning. Alas, Singaporeans are exposed to more Bahasa Melayu than they realised, even if they have not formally learnt Bahasa Melayu. He is now frantically trying to limit the interference, Insha'llah.

Luckily for him, invocations of God do not go wrong. Al-humdulliah.

An Angry Mother

2010-03-21T09:52:00.005+08:00

Situated alongside the Gajah Wong river, Museum Affandi is an oasis of calm tucked in a busy suburb of Yogja. Featuring paintings by the late renowned Indonesian expressionist artist Affandi, the Museum, though small, is bursting with artistic energy. Designed by Affandi, the musuem also used to double up as a family living quarters. The tomb of Affandi is within the compound. So great was Affandi's attachment to his family and art that he had wanted to be buried in the compound.

Of the many vibrant items in the collection, the ones that struck Jeremiah most were Affandi's pieces on his mother. They were all oil on canvas. The first photo is of a transitive piece depicting Ibu Affandi's angry reaction when Affandi decided to leave her to study in New Delhi.

The most moving painting in the collection would be that of Ibu Affandi with her anger (about Affandi going away) having given way to sadness and resignation. It was an image that Jeremiah could not get out of his head. The best art, it seems, imitates life?

A Tale of Two Canteens

2010-03-19T18:44:00.003+08:00

Before going over to Indonesia, Jeremiah was forewarned about the skewed distribution of wealth in Indonesia. Although it was not as acute as Jeremiah had thought it would be, it had nonetheless been lurking in the background over the past couple of weeks, as exemplified by Jeremiah's campus.

The faculty where Jeremiah goes to school, for instance, is less well-endowed with facilities than the economics faculty next door. The latter has multi-storey, modern-looking buildings with powerful WiFi and huge toilets. It even enforces a dress code -- T-shirts, shorts and sandals are not allowed.

Even the canteens are different. The one at the economics faculty is cleaner and has air-con.

The other one is shared between a few faculties, and is open-air. Yet, it has a distinct beat to it that is lacking in the economics canteen. Students hang out there. It is more lively. There are more food stalls and hence greater choice. There is even a small kiosk offering top-up services for pre-paid mobile lines. It has saved Jeremiah's butt on quite a few occasions.

The Economics of Cup Noodles

2010-03-17T23:18:00.002+08:00

Jeremiah has been eating cup noodles quite a bit over the past few weeks. He has tried the various brands of cup noodles available here, ranging from the humble and least inexpensive Indomie cup noodles (S$0.50) to the most pricey Korean kimchi noodes (S$2).

One thing Jeremiah could not fathom was why all the various cup noodles came with forks in them. Afterall, the manufacturers, expecially the lower-end ones, could cut back on costs if they did not include the forks.

It was only today that he figured out why. Though a humble product elsewhere, cup noodles, even the least expensive ones, are quite "luxurious" here. When eating instant noodles, less well-off Indonesians would often buy packet instant noodles, which are about one-fifth the price of cup noodles, and add boiling water to the noodles before eating them.

The times we tend to take for granted at times...

Yogja, Round 2

2010-03-16T17:23:00.004+08:00

After spending a short weekend in Singapore to decompress, Jeremiah is now back in Yogjakarta and ready for Round 2 of his Bahasa Indonesia training. Jeremiah would like to thank those who met up with him over the past few days. Thanks for providing a listening ear and for taking the time of your busy schedule to meet up. Jeremiah is also thankful to those who indulged his craving for Japanese food and is amazed by M, who guessed his craving for Japanese food. You are the best =) Terima kasih!

On a side note, the cabin crew did not have any immigration cards and customs forms on board during Jeremiah's flight from Singapore to Yogja. They were only distributed at the immigration counter in Yogja upon touch-down. The scene at the immigration counter was a tad hilarious.

At the line for foreign passports holders (who were mostly Singaporeans), the line was quite long. However, everyone was busy filling up their immigration and customs forms, with bored immigration officers at the counters looking bored from waiting. After helping an elderly Singaporean lady and her family get the necessary cards and forms, Jeremiah figured that the immigration officers would not give a hoot if he did not complete the departure segment of his immigration card and customs form, so long as the arrival section of the immigration card was completed. Hence, Jeremiah completed the arrival segment, mentioned aloud that he had completed the documents and was quckly ushered to the front of the line. The immigration officer at the counter behaved as predicted. Jeremiah managed to clear immigration quickly and after which he then completed his customs form. When he left the airport, he could still see people filling up their forms.

Local knowledge is important =)

Shopping on the Go, Indon-style

2010-03-12T19:34:00.003+08:00

Yogjakarta is a renowned shopping paradise. Batik, art, wood and silver products can be found readily in Yogjakarta, often at a fraction of the price they command in Jakarta and outside of Indonesia. At Jalan Malioboro, the main thoroughfare in Yogjarkata, small warungs (stalls) selling food and trinkets line the street alongside shops, contributing to a festive atmosphere. Navigating Jalan Maliboro on weekends can be as challenging as making your way through Chinatown in the lead-up to the Lunar New Year.

Outside of the tourist strip and in certain parts of town, warungs are also a common sight. The route that Jeremiah takes every day to and from the gym, for instance, is packed with warungs on the pavement and the road shoulder. They sell a wide range of products including durians (as per the photo above), cooked food, drinks, sunglasses, rat poison and rabbits (hopefully as pets). When the locals see products that they want, they would pull over and do the necessary. From time to time, the stallholders would also tout passerbys.

Obviously, the overhead for such a set-up is low as the stall-holders do not need to pay rent and, possibly, tax. All these often translates into more competitive prices for the consumer. Welcome to shopping on the go, Indon-style.

Learning Bahasa Indonesia

2010-03-11T00:53:00.003+08:00

A common difficulty faced by learners of Bahasa Indonesia is the use of affixes. Different situations call the use of different affixes. On top of that, a particular affix takes different forms, depending on what is the first letter of the word that it will be attached to.

For instance, the affix "men" takes the form of
(a) "me" if the first letter of the word is l, m, n, r, w, y, "ny"
(b) "mem" if the first letter is b, p, f, v (if p, then the p is dropped in the process)
(c) "men" if the first letter is d, t, j, c ,z (if t, then the t is dropped in the process)
(d) "meny" if the first letter is s, but the s is dropped in the process
(e) "meng" if the first letter is k, g, "kh", a, e, i, o, u (if k, then the k is dropped in the process)
(f) "menge" if the word is an one-syllable word.

When explaining this set of rules the other day, Jeremiah's grammar teacher said that there was no need to memorize the rules. Instead, it would suffice to remember the phonetic rationale for the rules as illustrated in the photo.

Hands up and out if you had at one point or another told Jeremiah that Bahasa Indonesia was an easy language.

If I Have a Million Dollars

2010-03-07T11:54:00.003+08:00

Jeremiah came across this old ringtone of his in his handphone. It is one of the ultimate ah beng songs. Enjoy!

Excuse Me, Are You a Singaporean?

2010-03-05T21:12:00.002+08:00

Jeremiah bumped into a fellow Singaporean today at the water section of a local supermarket. The other Singaporean was in Yogjakarta on business and was staying at a hotel next to the supermarket where Jeremiah was shopping. He looked like a Singaporean and when Jeremiah saw him checking out the price of the various brands of water on sale, Jeremiah knew that he had to be a Singaporean.

Singaporeans, it seems, are always on the lookout for a good deal when shopping.

How Much is Your Trishaw?

2010-03-02T16:34:00.006+08:00

Of late, Jeremiah has been taking bacaks, the Indonesian version of the trishaw, quite a bit over the past two weeks. One is supposed to haggle with the bacak operator the cost of the ride before the start of the journey.

A typical exchange would be as follows:

Jeremiah: Ke Galleria Mall, berapa harganya?
*Confused look and after a pause* Becak Operator: 20,000 Rupiah
*Shakes Head" Jeremiah: Mahal sekali! [Very expensive]

Berapa harganya literally means how much is that. However, Jeremiah just learnt today that it should only be used for goods. For services, one should use berapa onkosnya . When Jeremiah asked berapa harganya , the becak operators could have interpreted the question as how much their becaks cost. Hence the confused looks.

Oops.

The Art of Wayang

2010-03-01T14:33:00.004+08:00

Over the weekend, Jeremiah visited the Kraton, or Royal Palace, in Yogjakarta. The Yogja Kraton is believed to be one of the grandest in Indonesia. Every day of the week, a show highlighting a particular Javanese cultural tradition is staged. When Jeremiah visited, a Wayang Kulit (puppet shadow play) was being performed.

The set up of the Wayang was quite elaborate. The cast, equipment and screen occupied more than half of the pendopo (Javanese open pavilion). There were all in all about 90 to 100 performers for what appeared to be a simple play. Most of the performers were musicians playing the orchestra. The job of the dalang (puppeteer) is one of the most difficult. He must not only pull the strings but must also give the various cues to the rest of the cast, particularly the musicians. This means that he not only controls the puppet but is also the conductor.

Well, Wayang is definitely not for any Tom, Dick or Harry. Wayang is an art. Staging a good Wayang requires skills.

One Night in Yogja

2010-02-28T00:11:00.004+08:00

While exploring downtown yesterday, Jeremiah came across a Chinese-themed pasar malam timed to coincide with the lunar new year. On sale were Indonised Chinese food, lunar new year decorations etc. There was also a Chinese karaoke competition that were attended by about 10 people, mostly elderly folks. When Jeremiah stumbled upon the competition, an elderly Bapak was singing an oldie in Mandarin.

At first, Jeremiah was very excited, for it was the first time in a while that he might not be lost in translation. Then, it quickly dwelled upon him that the folks there would be of a different wavelength, i.e. same language but different frequencies. Thus enlightened, Jeremiah quickly took his leave after taking some photos.

Nerves of Steel

2010-02-26T12:52:00.006+08:00

Yogjakarta is by and large a pleasant city. The people are friendly, the pollution is manageable, and the pace of life slow. While there are traffic jams during the peak hours, traffic does not grind to a standstill like in Jakarta.

However, outside of downtown, Yogja, including Jeremiah's neighbourhood, is not easy to traverse on foot. First, there are usually limited pavements to begin with and pedestrians often have to jostle for space on the road with cars and motorbikes.

Second, there are limited traffic crossings and utilizing them is not for the faint-hearted. Pedestrians have no right of way at junctions even if the lights are in their favour. While crossing, pedestrians would have to constantly watch out for vehicles turning left; even if the lights are red, vehicles can still turn left. One would require either nerves of steel or sufficient acclimatisation to make the leap of faith that the vehicles turning left have seen you and would take reasonable care to slow down.

Taking the next least costly mode of transport, i.e. the trishaw (becak), is not exactly smooth on the nerves either. The photo above was taken while Jeremiah was in a becak. It seems ok, except Jeremiah was travelling against the flow of traffic on a one-way artery where vehicles were going at over 60 km/h.

Jeremiah recalls the "solo walks" he used to do when he was a police cadet. Such walks were supposed to make the cadets bolder. Perhaps a better form of training would be to traverse Jeremiah's neighbourhood on foot.

Time to evoke God less often

2010-02-23T17:19:00.005+08:00

Jeremiah needs to cut down on his evocation of God.

As you may know, Jeremiah had previously lived in the Middle East, where God's name was evoked daily and frequently as a fact of life (read: Inshaallah - God willing, and Al-Humdulillah - thank God). Perhaps due to divine inspiration, these two words instinctly came back to Jeremiah in Yogja. Since the two words are in the Bahasa Indonesian lexicon and form 10 percent of the Bahasa Indonesian words that Jeremiah knows, Jeremiah had been using them so frequently over the past few days that he had probably put some Arab-Indonesians to shame.

A typical conversation with the gurus would go as follows:

Guru: Apa kabar? (How are you?)
Jeremiah: Al-Humdulillah. (instead of "Baik" - OK)

Guru: Please remember to practice your Bahasa and do your homework
Jeremiah: Baik, Inshaallah
(In some Arab contexts, this would mean that I may or may not practice my Bahasa and do my homework. If I don't, it means God was not willing.)

So, ya, Jeremiah would like to cut down on his use of "Al-Humdulillah" and "Inshaallah".

Inshaallah, he will succeed. Then, he can say "Al-Humdulillah".

Microsoft is everywhere?

2010-02-22T22:10:00.007+08:00

Jeremiah arrived in Yogjakarta yesterday to commence his Bahasa Indonesia training. To Jeremiah's surprise, no bedsheets were provided in the "hostel hotel" where he would be spending the next few months. Jeremiah was misled by the photos on the "hostel hotel"'s website.

A bigger surprise awaited Jeremiah when he went shopping for bedsheets today. While admiring the view of Yogja from the top floor of Yogja's biggest and hippest shopping mall, Jeremiah was once again reminded about the omnipresence of Microsoft.

Look carefully at the photo. Personally, Jeremiah would rather use a Mac.

Thanksgiving

2010-02-18T23:34:00.003+08:00

As Jeremiah gets ready to begin a new chapter in his life, he would like to say a big thank you to all his friends, colleagues and loved ones for their support, friendship, encouragement and companionship over the years. Thank you for walking with me through life's ups and downs. The journey would have been much more arduous without you! For any areas that Jeremiah was lacking and for any offence he might have caused, Jeremiah can but only beg for your forgiveness.

Jeremiah is blessed to have known you. Special mention also goes to M, for the joyous company over the past couple of weeks. Thank you also for being so accommodating and for your willingness to venture beyond your usual zone, into the fast and furious realm our double 0 lives in.

Merci beaucoup. Shukran jazeelan. Terima kasih.

With a Little Help from My Friends

2010-02-16T15:18:00.007+08:00

The radio stations were playing one of 费玉清's evergreens, "珍惜来临的一年", quite extensively over the lunar new year. It was a song that Jeremiah grew up listening to almost every new year. Strangely, somehow, this year, the song had a special allure beyond nostalgia. Jeremiah simply could not get it out of his head.

The song lyrics go like this:

有人说岁月太匆匆转眼又一年在手掌中溜走
是不是没有做什么就这样让时光留不住
年轻的世界也许不曾感觉生命是如此短促
如果你期待有收获不要犹豫不要蹉跎
过去的岁月已不会再回头未来的路仍然要走
在新的一年来临的时候请你接受这一份祝福
过去的岁月已不会再回头未来的路仍然要走
在新的一年来临的时候请你接受这一份祝福

We sometimes look back at the years past, wondering if we would have ended up differently had we chosen an alternative path at the various forks in the road of life. Or whether we have lived our lives to the fullest. This song reminds us that the past is past, but we still need to live in the present and the future that is before us.

For this new year and the years ahead, Jeremiah resolves to seize the day and to live life to the fullest.

Will you undertake this journey together with Jeremiah?

0°0′N 109°20′E - Singkawang

2010-02-13T20:18:00.005+08:00

Jeremiah was in Singkawang (山口羊） in West Kalimantan earlier this week. Situated about 150km away from the provincial capital Pontianak, Singkawang is a rustic small town with a population of about 200,000.

Also known as the Chinatown of Indonesia, Singkawang is the only town/city in Indonesia with a majority Chinese population. Colourful Chinese temples honouring Ma Zu, Guan Gong, Ji Gong etc are a common feature in Singkawang, as were lunar new year decorations when we visited.

During the 1990s, Singkawang was a popular destination for Taiwanese men searching for brides. When told about this, one of Jeremiah's acquaintances observed that his travelling party did not seem to have come across too many good-looking ladies in Singkawang and thought that the better-looking ones were probably in Taiwan now. This is in turn prompted a tongue-in-cheek remark that women were like trees in Kalimantan; once taken away, they could not be readily replaced (illegal logging is a serious problem in Kalimantan).

There are many things in life that are irreplaceable, though being the human beings we are, we tend to take them for granted until it is too late. During this festive season, Jeremiah hopes that we would all go the extra mile to honour and treasure the things in life that are precious to us.

In that spirit, Jeremiah thanks you, the reader, for your continued support and wishes all Chinese readers a happy lunar new year!

Fish Farm in Pontianak

2010-02-09T00:49:00.010+08:00

Jeremiah visited an arowana fish farm in Pontianak yesterday. The farm is one of the largest in Pontianak, employing over 200 workers, and supplies a prominent ornamental fish company. At the farm, the "breeder" arowana fish live and mate in special ponds.

According to the farm owner, the typical mating behaviour is for the female fish to first lay the eggs. The male fish will then fertilise the eggs, pick them up, and incubate them in their mouths for about 30 days. During these 30 days, the male fish do not eat. After 30 days, the fry are forcibly removed from their mouths by the farm workers and then grown in special aquariums. Once they have grown to a certain size, the young ones are then exported.

Words of wisdom overheard during the visit: It is not easy to be male nowadays.

Happy 20th Anniversary

2010-02-06T20:22:00.003+08:00

Jeremiah's favourite radio station, Y.E.S. (Your Entertainment Station) 933, has turned 20.

933 has been a fixture of Jeremiah's life since that fateful day some 19 years, when Jeremiah stumbled upon it. 933 was then playing 吻別. Unlike the other Mandarin radio stations, 933 had energetic DJs and played songs that appealed to the young and young at heart (it still has/does); xinyao also featured regularly on the station then. That was way before 933 had its catchy name and before it became a 24-hr radio station.

Over the years, 933 had accompanied Jeremiah through life's ups and downs, the days and the nights, and around the world. Whether it was burning midnight oil mugging for the common tests or standing to in the foxholes waiting for the elusive enemy to make contact, 933 was always there. When Jeremiah spent years on the other side of the globe, 933 with its soothing songs helped him pass the dreary and sometimes lonely long winter nights.

Thank you, my friend, and Happy Birthday!

路邊的野花不要採

2010-02-04T22:25:00.004+08:00

While reading for his forthcoming trip to Kalimantan, Jeremiah came across this write-up on a certain Kalimantan tribe:

If a girl falls in love with a visitor, he is invited to her sleeping room. If he blows off the lamp, it means he loves her. And if he abandons her after having an affair with the girl, she will make sure that he is hunted down and leaves behind his head. She wants to remember him through the view of his head.

Jeremiah will warn those travelling with him that there should definitely be no hanky-panky in Kalimantan!

Back

2010-02-02T15:13:00.003+08:00

Jeremiah is back to active duty after convalescing for over a year following that gruelling tour of duty. Keep a lookout for more posts in the weeks ahead.

Superstar Experience on the Dardanelles

2008-08-17T19:33:00.002+08:00

While crossing the Dardanelles earlier this week, Jeremiah was mobbed by a group of school children. Perhaps not used to meeting Turkish-spouting Orientals in the region, they jostled to take photographs with Jeremiah, who felt like a superstar. What an experıence!

Being Mistaken for A Company Man

2008-08-15T20:19:00.002+08:00

The event in thıs entry happened 8 days ago.

Jeremiah got mistaken for a Company operative today. He was mindıng his own business at the lobby of one of the hotels in Manama, when a chap came up to him and asked if he was working for the Company. Before Jeremiah could reply, the man started introducıng himself and said that the contact whom we were supposed to meet had yet to arrive!

Confessions of a Lazy Bum

2008-05-20T20:04:00.001+08:00

Jeremiah has a confession to make...he has not bothered to mop the floor in about two weeks. Now for those of ya who have in desert environments before, you know how fast dust and grime accumulate there. The first warning sign came yesterday when a fly landed on the floor and never got up. It's time to pick up the mop again!

Wasted Opportunity

2008-05-18T16:31:00.001+08:00

Met the President of ARAMCO last week..failed to ask him for an oil field...what a wasted opportunity....