Your Mother's a Virgin!?

Yes, it could only be... another one of those silly little slips that one makes while learning a new language...

Because the word for virgin and nurse are different in only one letter (perawat versus perawan), and hardly audibly distinguishable, a friend went around getting funny looks from everyone as he told them that his mother was a virgin!

Modern-day immaculate conception!?

Something's awfully fishy....

Yupper it is... at the Fish Spa!

I'd heard about this and never thought I'd try it... but there you have it, these spots are all the rage in Kuala Lumpur right now, and it was included in a package at a discounted rate at the aquarium which I was visiting, so I tacked it on... and what an experience.

It was early on sunday morning, so i had the place entirely to myself, which was the best part... all the 'fish doctors' turned their attention on me, and what started out as a very strange, tingling, tickly sensation, turned quite pleasant, and eventually therapeutic!

Visa Visits

As a multiple-entry business visa holder, I am now required to leave Indonesia every 60 days... thankfully I don't have to undergo all the rig-a-ma-roll of renewing the visa, traveling to Jakarta to have 'bio-data' taken (fingerprinting and photographing), or re-processing myself and my status in Indonesia... AND, I'm hoping to use this as an opportunity to get to some of the other fabulous places in South East Asia!

When people ask me everywhere I've traveled, I often tell them the story of my 'list' upon coming to Indonesia as a volunteer years ago... I had never been to Asia before and had no concept of how big it truly it! I had a list of places I thought that certainly I would travel to by the time my 26-month volunteership was up... it included, in broad, sweeping strokes, such puddle-jumps as "Australia", "Thailand", "Malaysia", "Timor" (and maybe even "Philippines", "Cambodia" and "Vietnam")... ...hahahahaha...

(put on a deep, hollow, dracula laugh.... and try that again...)

... hahaha....

After being in Indonesia mere months, and quickly realizing how HUGE and incredible diverse Indonesia itself was, this list localized considerably, and became a list of provinces and regions within Indonesia that I absolutely had to see. Well, I have not even done as well on that list as I would like to have thought, but I have enjoyed each and every place I have been in this awesome country, which never ceases to amaze. And now, am taking it up a notch, and looking back at my original 'list'!

My first stop: a visa run to Monkey around in Malaysia in March...

Where, in addition to the fireflies at Kampung Kuatan, I had a chance to hang out and commune with the 'silver leaf' monkeys at Kuala Selanggor!  They are much more amiable than those in Bali... no stealing of sunglasses, or being cheeky... these guys are a much more subdued, respectful clan!

What's Burnin'!?

I have my dear cousin Caroline to thank for the newest addition to my language-learning stories theme.... she has been visiting for the last ten days, and since I immediately dragged her to the far-flung reaches of the earth, to the field with me in Papua (probably one of the most remote place still in existence), where I work in local villages where no one speaks English... she put on a brave face, and started to learn some Indonesian!

The best of her little slips, which I think actually works really well, and may just become the next new, hip, catch-phrase of the decade, was consistently dyslexic.... she likes to ask people "What's burnin'?" instead of "How are you"/"What's up?"  I love it!

She also thought I was calling a perfect stranger 'my love'... which the entire crew and team got a real kick out of!  (I was actually saying "Selamat siang", which means, "Good mid-day"... she thought I'd said sayang (which is like calling someone 'dear one', 'dearest', or 'my love')!!!  I know I'm not generally shy... but really???

Twinkle twinkle little... firefly

Mystical, magical, inexplicable... all words that kept running through my head as I tried to decide how to describe the experience at Kampung Kuatan village with the flickering fireflies...

Last night I was floating along on a mesmerizing rowboat ride around the mangroves outside this little village an hour and a half from the hustle and bustle of Kuala Lumpur.  Why?  To see and experience the natural wonder of the Selangor Fireflies... literally THOUSANDS of twinkling, flickering fireflies light up the riverbanks of the Selangor river.  The most astounding thing about this phenomenon is that they are all blinking... in unison!

Witnessing this phenomenon triggered a vague remembrance of something from a biology course about biological synchronization...  of course, there are many examples of it, which are equally as incredible - chirping crickets, women's menstrual cycles, the pacemaker cells of the heart - but they don't evoke the same emotion for me as the natural light show in the mangroves.  And now for the life of me, I can't remember the explanation for this synchrony, or even if there is one!?!

As our local oarman bore us up the river, there was nothing but the rhythmic sound of the oars plying the water... with the occassional break in stroke as he re-adjusted his grip, got tired, or gave us a small break in complete and utter mangrove silence.  (Mangrove silence, as anyone of you has visited these interesting ecosystems teeming with life will know, is anything but 'silent'... but it's a natural and beautiful thing... until you start to wonder about the crocodiles...).

During an endless moment, as we sat in a complete and special stillness... everything became one... we were surrounded by the fireflies, perhaps one on every leaf of the mangrove tree beneath which we rested.  Their little constant lights were reflected above in the thousands of stars in the clear night sky, and below in the mirror-like smooth riverwater....  I swear my heart started beating in unison with these creatures.  It was peace.

Loss of a Leader

Bapak Leo Saleo
Friend and Conservation Warrior

The photo above was taken at the Grand Launch of the Kalabia Education Program in August 2008 - Pak Leo was performing with a musical group from his village of Yensawai that worked hard to preserve traditional music and culture.  He was a proud advocate of the Kalabia program, and education in general.

We've had some terrible and shocking news from the field on March 1, 2010... a valued member of our field staff, Pak Leo, was killed while working toward the conservation of the area which he loved.  Pak Leo, native to Raja Ampat, was the leader of the sub-area Dayan of our Dampier Strait MPA team (photo of him with part of his patrol team at the Dayan Post in June 2009 below).  Pak Leo was also the head negotiator of the village senate council and a tenure land owner in the area (as part of the first tribe to occupy the land).  There was illegal logging going on in the area, and Pak Leo was very much against foreign people and companies coming in and exploiting his tribe/family's resources and future for their own short-term gain.  He was called to a meeting under flag of truce to discuss a solution to the problem, and when he arrived with his brother, an ambush was waiting for them.  In cold-blood, the savages chopped at Pak Leo with a machete and killed him.  The illegal loggers had set him up.  And the true tragedy is that the police did nothing about it - because the people involved in the illegal logging are so powerful they have the chief of police in their pocket and were able to distort and quell the investigation.

The entire staff went to the funeral together in his village of Yensawai, where we found an entire village in shock and reeling from this great tragedy.  It was the most intense funeral I have ever attended - the mourners were many... his loss is such a tragedy in so many respects.  Pak Leo leaves behind 7 children, the youngest, a mere 2 years old, will never truly know her daddy.  But I am sure that the memory of pak Leo will live on, and the story of this conservation hero will be told for generations to come.

Myself and the Kalabia team were the last of our staff to spend time with pak Leo - we had a 3-day training based at his post on the island three days before he was murdered.  We feel privileged to have had this last time with him, learning more about the team's activities in the area, enjoying his charismatic company, as well as appreciating the impecable dicipline of the team, and how efficiently and orderly things were run at his post.  We can hope that others will be motivated by his initiatives, take up the cause, and continue to work for conservation in his name, and with the same passion and spirit shown by this great man.  Pak Leo was such an inspiration, and a true local conservation leader - he will be greatly missed.

Love Letter to Kalabia

One of the sweetest stories I have heard over the last year of Kalabia operations in Raja Ampat is the story of the "Surat Cinta Kalabia" (or "Love Letter to Kalabia").

After an intense and highly successful environmental education program in the village of Dibalal, on the island of Kofiau in the south of Raja Ampat, the Kalabia pulled away from the dock to move on to the next village in the schedule.  (To give you an idea of where on earth Dibalal is, here's a Google Earth map with placemark)

The kids from Dibalal had left a special bag of pinang on the boat as a gift for the education team... and once it was opened, something even more special was discovered in the bag...

The Kalabia (or, realistically, the Kalabia TEAM) had received a love letter from the kids of Dibalal.

(I've been wanting to post this for some time (as you can see by the date on the letter,  it was back in late 2008), however I've only just found a scanned copy of the letter now.

In the letter the students thank the Kalabia team profusely, telling them how much they have learned, how much fun they have had, and how much they miss them already, and hope the Kalabia will soon return to their jetty.  They say, "You, (naming the team members' names), our big brothers and sisters, don't forget us, as we will never forget you."  They also included the lyrics to a local song (in the local language), and translated its meaning into Indonesian for the team; it is a song of longing for loved ones.

This is not unusual -- the Kalabia often arrives at a village jetty to great excitement and activity, being welcomed with traditional song and dance; team members are led into the village in a traditional ceremony of welcoming, and adorned with the traditional local token, sometimes a small wreath made of native vines, sometimes a stroke of sand on their face.  Upon completion of the program, there is always a closing ceremony, and when it is time to weigh anchor, the entire village gathers on the jetty to say thank you and good-bye -- tears can be seen in many participants' eyes, and show the strong bond that has been formed with the education team during the program.

It is such an inspiring program -- I still get goosebumps when I think about what an incredible initiative it is and what a positive impact it must be having on marine conservation.  The new team is just beginning the training and capacity building program - we've a longggg way to go, but I hope we'll be able to get these guys up to scratch so that before too long they'll also be receiving love letters!

You can see a few previous posts about the Kalabia by following the links at the right to the themes Kalabia and Environmental Educaiton, or at the following links (Most of you will know I tend not to write about this here, but I did want to share a few things):
- The Education Vessel
- The Namesake
- The Maiden Voyage
- The Program
- The Kalabia in Friwen Village
- The Team
- The Kalabia in Yenbeser Village
- Kalabia Refreshing

Plastic Scrotums and Big Shyness

I was reminded of a few more language stories this evening... when it came out that 'butuh', which in Indonesian means 'to need', in Balinese, actually mean scrotum!  (We could have water bottles that say "The Sea is not a Plastic Scrotum" instead of "The Sea Doesn't Need Any More Plastic"!?!? - hahaha!)

So, to add to the theme I started on this a few weeks ago, I want to share the story about having big shyness, as experienced by another dear friend while learning the Indonesian language.

The Indonesian language has a very interesting grammatical construction whereby with the use of a combination of prefixes and suffixes, you can create a plethora of words from a single root word.  In fact, this is one of the things that can make this language so easy to learn... At least there aren't a thousand exceptions for every single rule, as in English... however, the few exceptions that you tend to stumble upon are the most embarrassing possible words!

So, one way in which you can make a noun or adjective in Indonesian is to take a root word, add the prefix ke-, and the suffix -an... now USUALLY, the root word used in directly related, or at least logically related to the new word produced.  But sometimes, it's not entirely intuitive.  Such is the case with shyness....

My friend thought, ok, so I take the root word shy (malu), add on the pre- and suffixes, and I can express the feeling of being shy (which in Indonesian, one would think of as 'having shyness'... another example, as in Spanish you 'have thirst'....)... so the root word 'malu' turns into 'ke-malu-an', kemaluan.  Grover would have so much fun with Indonesian!

Near the beginning of her time in Indonesia, everyone wanted to introduce her to the heads of organizations, and government ministries... but my friend wasn't yet entirely confident in her language ability... telling everyone that she had big shyness about talking with these higher-ups, and maybe the meeting could wait until her big shyness subsided a bit, and she could talk more constructively with them.

Turns out kemaluan means something entirely different - she wasn't telling people about her 'big shyness' as she thought, but instead about her big genitals!!!

Just imagine the confusion of her colleagues as to her reasoning!?!

Jurassic Birds

No, I'm not writing a post on teradactyls, although these Cassowaris would give that wild thing a run for its money!

Although native to Papua, my first and only encounter with a Cassowari was in the Bali Bird Park.  At that time I was up quite close and personal as you can see from this incredible photo I got (without using zoom)!

As it turns out, these over-grown grouse are the only one ever known to have actively attacked, and killed, humans.  In Australia, apparently it's not uncommon that they hospitalize people, and have even been known to disembowel with their razor-sharp claws!  It looks like the bird-keepers are keeping them trimmed nicely!

But in hind-site, I can't help but thing perhaps 'mom' should've been a little more careful when she asked me to take this picture of her boys with the beast at the gate to its enclosure (the rest, really is a single rail fence!)!?!

They're not carnivorous, so are not attacking for food, but they are very territorial birds -- they get extremely feisty if anyone that they perceive as a direct threat comes within their 7kmsq stomping ground.  After hearing all this, I would think Bali Bird Park would at least use a more complex enclosure than a simple rail fence... or at least put an 'aggressive bird' warning sign up!?!  I guess that would spoil the feeling of communing with these creatures from Jurassic park....

Bubur Manado (Manadonese Porridge)

This delightful dish, the regional specialty of the city of Manado, is also called Tinutuan. All Manadonese claim that the dish improves health and vitality.  It is one of the three things Manado is famous for... The Three B's:  Bubur, Bibir, Bunaken!  (Their porridge, the lips (of their women, thought to be some of the most beautiful in Indonesia), and the island paradise of Bunaken).

This is definitely NOT your typical porridge... Tinutuan is more like a hearty vegetable stew than porridge. It is made with rice, pumpkin or squash, sweet potatoes, corn, greens (like cassava leaves, spinach & kale), lemongrass, tumeric, scallions, and of course, chilies!  And, true to the coast, it is usually served with fried salted fish.

As it was described to me, the word 'tinutuan' really means 'mish-mash'... a bunch of random things all thrown together into the same pot, boiled down and mixed around, the result being a wondrous new entity that come out delicious, and HEALTHY!  The Manadonese feel the same way about their city, which is why their slogan is "Manado, kota TINUTUAN" (Manado, the Tinutuan City).

I really miss this treat - it was one of the staples of my diet in Manado.

Transit Tales

I feel like I've spent a lot of time in transit over the last few months...  in fact, I'm writing this post from a transit lounge in the Makassar airport.

Perhaps this feeling of extended transit also relates to the fact that I feel like I'm at the point in my life where I'm waiting for my flight to be called in the departure lounge as well....

Anyway, my last two trips between Indonesia and Canada, with imperfect connections, were longer than usual… and conducive to jet lag, and arriving not knowing which end was up!

Singapore Changi Airport

The massage chairs are gone!?!  Imagine my dismay, when, after walking from the far end of Terminal 3, ALL THE WAY through terminals 2 and 1 to my favourite spot in Singeapore’s Changi International Airport, the Oasis lounge, only to find out that its major draw for me (ie. the free full-body massage chairs) are no longer there!  Now, those of you who know Changi know that it’s no small feat to walk all that way… but I figured I’d get some exercise after my 6 hour flight from Tokyo to Singapore, then have a delectable rest at Oasis… unfortunately it was not to be!

But I found Sanctuary, which was the next best thing… super-comfy reclined chairs, surrounded by live plants, and dimmed lighting.  I have since been given some insider information that I must look near the out-of-the-way window seating in T 2 next time…

Personal Entertainment System

The advent of the personal entertainment system on long-haul flights is something I praised until my last flight... Someone forgot to tell the dude sitting behind me that it’s TOUCH screen, not punch screen… so for 14 hours from Toronto to Tokyo, I had to put up with my head bobbing about at the whim of Mr.IronMan and his entertainment selections… not fun.  Oh, but this guy couldn’t just pick a movie and go with it… no, he was listening to music the entire time, and choosing it SONG by SONG!

The flight connections didn’t work out so smoothly on my last trip, so I actually had an overnight in Japan.  Ok, well, I got the cheapest airport hotel available and figured at least I’d arrive well rested!  Lucky me, the Hotel Nikko Narita has a free shuttle service not only from the airport to the hotel, but also into the city of Narita.  (Yes, another case where the Tokyo international airport isn’t actually IN Tokyo… the nearest city is Narita).  But anyway, the shuttle meant I actually got into town, had some fabulous Japanese food, and visited an absolutely gorgeous temple and park compound.  I had the entire place to myself.

... there happened to be a few geocaches hidden in around there, so that is what i had for a tour-guide!

On my more recent transit through Frankfurt airport, I got a LOT of exercise!  I decided to try a geocache which was IN the airport… well, it turned out that I had to walk the entire length of the airport to get to it (then RUN BACK to my departure gate so I wasn't late for the flight!) – I approximate it was at least 3 kilometers each way!

Japanese musical chairs...

I guess the Japanese heard of this popular American game that all youngsters know from youth... and, in true Japanese form, put their own spin on it!?!

These ultra-swank toilets are truly cutting-edge!

I had my first encounter with these musical chairs on a stopover in Narita airport on my way home for Christmas, and of course, I played with all the buttons - and of course, I couldn't figure out how to shut it off!  So everyone in the washroom was probably laughing their heads off when I came out of the stall sopping wet, having had a full-fledged shower with the bidet, and the flushing sound stuck on with the volume set to high...

I'm sure that in the deluxe model there are a variety of noise buttons... For your personal 'sonic privacy', you can choose from a number of different tunes, as well as the classic flushing sound; the length and volume is completely at your discretion.  As is that of the bidet - if I'd read the instructions before just fiddling, I'm sure it would have been a very pleasurable experience... you can probably even choose the temperature of the water as well as the water pressure!?  Anyway, lesson is, RTFM.

They even provide an entire, somewhat cryptic instruction manual on their use, right in the stall, for your reading pleasure.

They hadn't yet programmed them to sing Jingle Bells for the holiday season!?

notice anything different???

nope, not a new sound... a new LOOK!

i figured out how to add titles to my posts - YES, another technical challenge complete.

Nice to meet you Mr. Village Coconut!

People often tell me how they enjoy my anecdotes and funny language-learning stories of my time here in Indonesia... I realize I should have been writing a series on this all along!

The best one to date, and thus the one I will start this series with is how I went around for an entire year, being introduced to the most important people in the villages in the Raja Ampat archipelago, and greeting them as the "Village Coconut"!

You see, kelapa (coconut) and kepala (head) were easily interchanged in my brain, got mixed up early on, and took a long time to sort out!  So the head of the village became...

"I'm so honoured to be here, Mr. Head Coconut"

"Pleased to meet you, Sir Village Coconut"...

What baffles me is, A) that no one ever let on that anything was amiss... no one cracked so much as a smile!? and B) that they let me go on saying that for AN ENTIRE YEAR without tactfully letting me know!?!

"Oh isn't that nice, little Johnny, so when you grow up you want to follow in your dad's footsteps and be the Village Coconut, too!?!"

Paint me a Song

On Tuesday evening, Helen and I ventured over to 'the other side' for an event - reknown Dutch artist Theos Sijrier (I'll be honest as well, the name didn't ring any bells for me, either, but I'll admit I'm not an abstract art buff) was doing a live painting to the music of Moko Blues Band. They call it an 'action painting performance'!?

The whole thing was set up to raise funds for disabled kids in Bali, and was hosted by Mannekepis in Seminyak.

We arrived, had a very nice, leisurely, dinner (I definitely recommend this Belgian restaurant) and drinks, and at 9 the show started. It turned out there were two artists there doing their thing... painting 6 meter x 2 meter canvases to musical accompaniment. Theos is an abstract artist, and quite a showman... he was fun to watch. It was really interesting watching the paintings evolve, and appreciate the motions that go into the creation of these works of art. I don't have the extra dough (or a wall to hang anything on for that matter), but I think it would be kinda cool to own a painting that you WATCHED being created.

The idea was that at the end of the evening, the painting would be cut up, and each piece would be auctioned off (proceeds to go to the disabled children's unit planned at the Sunrise School in Kerobokan, near Kuta)... BUT what I heard actually happened (we were too zonked to actually stay through until the end) was that one woman was so enamored with the piece as a whole she bought it on the spot!

A unique evening...

Candy Change

A phenomenon I keep forgetting to write into my blog, Candy Change, has become so common-place to me now that I sometimes don't think anything of it when a cashier hands me my receipt and a few bills with a couple candies on top!



The first time it happened to me, I actually thought the supermarket had just decided to provide complimentary mints to their customers... then I realized that my change was incomplete. Instead of providing your change in coins (anything under 1000 rupiah), candies are substituted!

At the heart of it, this just goes to show you the diminished value of the Indonesian Rupiah... The smallest denomination bill is the 1000-Rupiah note; 50-, 100- and 500-rupiah coins still exist... they just don't have any practical value. This is even more pronounced in Papua, where market-basket surveys show costs to be an average of 45% higher than other regions within Indonesia! 1000 Rupiah is the equivalent of approximately 10 cents; even that doesn't go far... it can buy a small, non-branded bar of soap, but not much else. The only thing I can think of, other than single candies, that costs less than 1000 Rupiah would be an egg (500 Rupiah). So coins are going by the wayside... stores just don't have adequate supply of small change.

So much for not taking candy from strangers!

The 'Candy Change' actually doesn't really bother me so much, although I find it annoying that when you try to pay with candies, they look at you like you're mad and outright deny you the option!

Others are not so tolerant of this phenomenon: I just read recently that there is a push to actually outlaw the use of candy as change in Bali. The outcome remains to be seen, but it seems to me a more appropriate solution is required on a national level, which addresses to root of the problem... reevaluation of the rupiah. I know it's not so simple, but what about just cutting out the zeros!?!

Hmmm... I have mixed emotions about this... it means I wouldn't be able to think of myself as a millionaire anymore! At least I can say I have been... (no need to mention that it was in a place where 100 dollars puts into the millions (of rupiah))!

Beauty Factory

Continuing on the spa theme... I have a story I wanted to share from the days BEFORE I discovered my favourite treatments. It was during the time when our language teachers were telling us all about spas and their virtues, and I was trying any treatment offered to me...

This was probably only the second time I had been to a spa in Indonesia... this popular one, also in Jogjakarta, had a very inviting lobby that was soothing and comfortable, and served tea as you waited your appointment. The price was right (as prices always are in Jogja), so I signed up...

Once led into the back room, however, I was surprised at the sight: row upon row of treatment beds lined a big open room, and were filled with women in different stages of therapy... I couldn't get the image out of my head that this was a beauty factory!

It was too late now, however, because once I had pulled the blue spa smock over my head in the dressing room, I had committed.

So I got lined up amongst the rest, and started my first (and last) 'facial'. I think the treatment consisted of about 11 different steps, although I did get so relaxed at one point that I lost count... there were various creams and scrubs and exfoliators all lovingly massaged into my skin, cool cucumbers placed over the eyes, masks and gels that felt splendid...

... then the therapist applied another gel... which was followed closely by electrocution! I'm not kidding... they took some tool out which was throwing electric shocks through my skin... hence the fun and lovingness ended. I was so stunned, and had such low language ability at the time, that I didn't know what to say... so I just sat there and let them shock me! I realize now this was probably part of their standard 'whitening' treatment, which, with my nods and smiles of non-comprehension, I probably signed up for!?

Luckily that phase, although seriously disturbing, didn't last that long... then we were onto the creambath phase... and I felt cared for again... natural fruit creams being massaged into my scalp, strong steady massage strokes intermixed with light flicks, and smooth sweeps... aaaahhh... then the masseuse started pounding me on the head... OUCH! It felt like she was cracking eggs on my crown... only this hurt more than I imagine the eggs would. Again, lack of language to blame, I didn't know how to say 'softer' or 'that hurts', so I suffered through it!

Needless to say, I went home and immediately learned those words, and have never since had electro-shock therapy!

Secret Spa Addict

Not much of a well-kept secret if I'm blogging about it, I suppose! And I know, many of my friends from my pre-Indonesia time will be hard-pressed to believe that this is actually me writing this... but it is... just hear me out.

Living in Indonesia has exposed me to the spa, or salon, experience. Before coming to Indonesia the only reason I went to a 'salon' was to get my hair trimmed... and in fact, my whole life, we called this place 'the hairdresser's'.

I still remember my first 'cream bath', on the recommendation of one of our teachers at language school in Jogjakarta. I subsequently, timidly at first, and then in what became a borderline addiction, embraced, the spa experience. What made me decide to share with you all the pleasure of 'the spa'??? Well, I just got home from one today after not having been for months... which made me remember just how luxurious it is! So you see, I'm not an addict... but it certainly is something I enjoy... However, I do know some people that, if they don't get their weekly creambath and foot reflexology, they're 'slightly off' (like, compared to this, PMS is nothing!).

Even though I decided I should try all the available spa treatments in order to make a complete and thorough assessment of the choices (ha - great excuse!), after finding heaven, I rarely bother with anything else now, so I can't tell you about a lot of the fancy stuff... but a few of my favourite treatments and locales, I am dying to share with you:

The Creambath -- I've blogged about it before, here, so I won't go into more detail here except to say I believe it to be an experience akin to heaven... aaahhh....



I even convinced Martin to try a creambath, and although wary at first, he's never looked back!



Reflexology -- A natural healing therapy which constitutes the practice of massaging or applying pressure to parts of the feet (and sometimes the hands and ears) with the goal of encouraging a beneficial effect on other parts of the body, and to improve general health. Whether or not the 'maps' of the feet that they give you which show the part of the foot and the corresponding part of the body are accurate or not, it certainly does feel good.



My two absolute favourite places:

Bale-Bale Spa in Jakarta
I have to thank my friend for introducing me to this place... I've only been there twice, since I am so rarely in Jakarta (thankfully, for other reasons!), but I was really impressed with the ambiance, the therapists, and the prices!!! Bale-bale is not your typical sleek spa setting... it's a traditional javanese house with a cozy, homey feeling.



I had a full body scrub, milk bath, and then massage... and it was amazing. They use mostly natural products as well. Their website. The other thing I love about this joint is the cheap waxing (3 dollars for the legs), which is followed up by threading (another first for me).


COZY Renon



At Cozy, you are welcomed into the tranquil environment, asked which blend of natural essential oils you would like for your aromatherapy, as well as those which you'd like for your hair treatment, then given a choice of music to listen to (with some very soothing tunes on their 'relaxin' track)... then you're lead into your semi-private treatment space with a soothing fish tank to lull you to sleep (if the combination of the music and massage don't!?)... I can't imagine a more conducive setting... My favourite treatment is the 'cozy cozy', which combines the two above treatments (cream bath and foot reflexology), and leaves you feeling vibrant and refreshed. And if you feel like you still need another boost of healthfulness, you can order a yummy fruit or veg drink from their juice bar, before, during, or after your treatment.



** I can't believe it but Cozy Renon has closed!?!? Cozy Kuta is still open (with another 'Super Cozy' going up on 'the other side' as well... but Sunset Road is far from the path that I frequent!)

Driving is a Dance

This is a comment Uncle Bruce made when they were visiting Indonesia and I took them around for a day last year... and it has stuck with me since, because that's exactly the perfect way to put it!



It's again part of the organized chaos... superficially, it seems totally out-of-control and chaotic, with motorcycles darting in and out amongst cars spaced very closely, paying no attention to lines, and treating traffic signals as mere suggestions... but once you get into the rhythm of it, in fact, it all flows perfectly because everyone is following the same unwritten rules: it's all about give and take.

Until you actually drive here, you don't really get a good understanding of it, but it doesn't take long to pick up on the subtle rules and nuances to make you a successful Bali driver!



I have never been able to successfully capture what is 'Indonesian traffic', so these two photos are Indonesian traffic jams in Jakarta (called macet (ma-chet) here) from dreamindonesia.wordpress.com and kaskus.us.



Oh yes, I forgot to mention the wild-card aspect of driving here... the animal-factor. Dogs, chickens, cats... mostly they are left to roam free, which also means they often roam (or dart, in many cases) into traffic... they don't follow any rules (written or not), and you really DON'T want to hit one of them, since if you do you have to pay the owner for the (inflated) value of its life, PLUS the five generations of offspring that it didn't get to contribute since you cut its life short!

Organized Chaos

That's the answer to life, the universe and everything in Indonesia.

What amazes me is my acceptance of it! I mean, I think I'm a pretty easy-going person in general... but the level of disorder here is seriously over-the-top! But in no time, I seemed to accept and even embrace many aspects of this society which thrives on its organized chaos - it's not logical, but there is some sense to it...