Bazaar Mania

What are these people waiting for?

Their waiting for their turn to go into the Charles & Keith (a Singapore-based women footwear company) bazaar, which slashed their prices by more than 50%.

This lineup was the third, after I experienced a lineup on the 6th floor, 7th floor and eventually the 8th floor before going into the hall where the bazaar took place. In total, I waited for 1 1/2 hours! (That is why they provided chairs for us to wait in).

I guess there's no financial crisis here.....or maybe because people are a bit tight on money that these kind of bazaars are then so overcrowded?

For more info on discounts in Jakarta, check out : http://www.adadiskon.com

Julia Roberts in Bali

Forgive me as I start this post by being cynical, but I just can't help it...

Over the last few days, "celebrities*" have sprung up on tv ..... while actually, a REAL international celebrity is currently in Indonesia...

Julia Roberts is currently in Bali, shooting for the film "Eat, Pray, Love", which is based upon a book by Elizabeth Gilbert with the same title.

When I go on holiday to a certain country, I sometimes search on the web about movie locations there. So far, Indonesia hasn't had much exposure, but I guess now it will be listed... I can't wait for the movie to come out and actually see how the places turn out!

Now, I find this more interesting to watch than looking at "old" people in robes....

(*potential cabinet members who are basking in the spotlight, seemingly unaware of the daunting task in front of them if they do get chosen. For Indonesia's sake...I hope they will live up to their responsibilities!)

Attraction at Padang Food Restaurant

It’s been awhile since I've posted to this blog. The post-Ramadhan celebrations and work are the main reasons why I haven't written. In the mean time, Indonesia has been a hot topic internationally due to the devastating earthquakes in Padang.

Padang is the capital city of West Sumatra province. The ethnic tribe of the area is called Minangkabau. I've never gone there, although I often eat Padang food. Padang food is well-known throughout Indonesia (even in Singapore and Malaysia). The foods are often spicy using lots of coconut milk (in Indonesian: "santan"). Its best-known dish is probably "rendang".

In a "proper" Padang food restaurant, the dishes are all served and laid out on the table. This means if the restaurant has 20 types of dishes, all those types will be brought to your table. But of course you don't have to eat all of them. Customers are charged only for what they eat. The untouched dishes will then be served to the next customers so don't play with the food, just take what you want :)

Serving 20 dishes will take awhile of course if you take only two at a time. Now this is what I admire about waiters in Padang food restaurants, they can carry many many plates on one hand. So those 20 dishes may all be brought at once. This of course needs lots of training to master.

Not all Padang food restaurants do this nowadays. However, there have been special plate carrying competitions held called "Manatiang Piriang" which hopefully will keep this tradition alive.

"Manatiang Piriang" competitions

The dirty plates are carried in the same way

Photo source from top to bottom :

http://menulisaja.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/makan-padang/

http://khairulhamdi.wordpress.com/2008/11/27/masakan/

http://www.minangkabautourism.info/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=76%3Alomba-manatiang-piriang-di-pekan-budaya-sumbar&catid=1%3Aterbaru&Itemid=54&lang=in

http://jsriyono.blogspot.com/2008/08/akrobat-piring.html

Just a glimpse of BenHil

Entering the last week of fasting, things haven't slown down at work. It's as if it's just a normal September month, while actually in Indonesia, the fasting month (Ramadhan) is a joyous occasion with lots of traditions attached to it. It is a time where you prioritize your spiritual needs, it's a time to re-connect with your friends and family......... It's a time where you become easy target for marketers!

Such an irony, where logically if you fast you consume less, in Indonesia many actually consume more. As a friend of mine pointed out, he actually spends more on food and drink during the Ramadhan because after breaking the fast, he'd go and buy any kind of food he wants, regardless of the price. It's in a way to make up for not eating during the whole day, as he puts it.

My mother also usually cooks more delicious food during the Ramadhan. She says that it is so that we would get excited and become more motivated to fast.

Gatherings with family and friends for breaking the fast are also a common activity during the Ramadhan. So be aware that restaurants are usually packed from 17.30 - 19.00.

Anywayssss.... temporary food sellers often spring up during the Ramadhan. One area in Jakarta which is famous for this is called BenHil (short for Bendungan Hilir - remember we Indonesians just love our abbreviations). Not only do the food tickle your taste buds, they are a feast to the eyes as well. This is just a glimpse of the things you can find there.

Survival tip: Know your "mouse streets"!

Jakarta is well-known for its traffic jam. In my opinion, it gets worse every year. So to save time, it is helpful to know Jakarta's back streets, what we call jalan tikus (meaning mouse streets).

Jalan tikus are narrow often winding streets, usually only fit for one car, which go through dense neighbourhoods (usually mid-lower class). Jakarta is full of these small streets, creating a maze that can get you from point A to point B whilst avoiding the traffic jams on the main roads. Because they are actually residential streets, they are usually only packed in the morning & evening, when Jakarta's traffic jams occur. For the rest of the day, the jalan tikus is relatively empty.

So why don't people use it more often?

- First of all, not every one knows a particular jalan tikus. Sometimes the streets are so small and winding, they're not on the map. Or there are lack of street names/ road signs so you can't use a map to navigate through. That is why you usually only know the ones that relate to your everyday life. I know the ones that will get me quicker to my office/ home but I have no idea about the jalan tikus in North Jakarta.

- Second, it is narrow so a bit difficult to maneuver, especially if you have a large car. Some people just don't feel comfortable driving through it.

- Third, you can get stuck. Jalan tikus is usually a two-way street although it can only fit one car. So you must know the "appropriate direction" people are using at that time. For example, in the morning, a jalan tikus will be used to get from point A to point B. But in the evening, the traffic will be from point B to point A.

I once got stuck for half-an-hour before we were moving again. You can't go forward because of the stubborn car that is defying direction and you can't go back because there is already a line of cars behind you. All you can do is wait until someone (usually local teenagers who live there) voluntarily helps direct the traffic. I glared at the driver who caused it once he passed by, and I bet you I wasn't the only one.

The best way to stumble upon a jalan tikus is when you take a taxi. Good taxi drivers know Jakarta's jalan tikus. Another way is just to follow the cars in front of you. If you see a couple of cars turning away from the main road, it may be because they are going to use a jalan tikus. But then again, it may be they are just heading home.

Going through a jalan tikus

Nearing the end of the jalan tikus