There's no such thing as a free lunch...Or is there?

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It's official. The next president of Indonesia is former army general Prabowo Subianto. Quite how the next five years will pan out is anyone's guess but hopefully the foreign pundits who always bring up his dodgy human rights record will be proven wrong. Nonetheless, on policy making, Prabowo's popularist move to literally offer the poor 'a free lunch' every day of the week does not augur well for the future. Such a policy - if it ever came to fruition - would cost a phenomenal amount of money and likely lead to huge inefficiencies (food waste) and poor incentives (make people lazy). Another concern is Prabowo's strong nationalist bent. Thus, in the possible event that he finds himself with his back against the proverbial wall in the face of stern economic challenges, there is a big chance that he will simply scapegoat foreigners. But he will have to be careful. Construction of the new capital city, Nusantara, for example, is highly dependent on foreign in
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Gold’s Gym in Cikini and Ade Rai

I was fortunate enough to get the chance at the weekend to spend some time at the new Gold’s Gym in the Cikini district of central Jakarta.

And what a gym it is too.

It’s got more plama tvs than an electronics store, a kick-ass sound system that wouldn’t be out of place in a nightclub, and, of course, the finest American gym equipment that you could imagine. Eye candy is provided by the usual gaggle of female hardbodies jumping around in the glassed off aerobics room.

But best of all, it isn’t claustrophobic like so many of the gyms in the shopping malls these days. The huge glass windows let in so much light that it feels like you’re training outdoors, and there’s a view to kill for. Sukarno’s last stand is clearly visible despite the smoky haze. Parking is easy and quick, and it only takes a few seconds to get to the gym which takes up all of the second floor of the tiny shopping plaza.

To show you’re training in esteemed company they’ve come up with a huge board engraved with Gold’s Gym VIP members from around the world. Robert De Niro, Sylvester Stallone, Madonna, The Rock etc. Names of some Indonesian celebrities are up there as well: Agnes Monica among them, and shock horror, just below the name of the greatest bodybuilder of all time, the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger, is the name of one of the kids from a very wealthy Indonesian family!

The name of Indonesia’s famous bodybuilder Ade Rai, wasn’t up on the board – although it should be. He was in the gym though. And even though he’s got more titles than Michael Schumacher - Ade Rai was Indonesian National Bodybuilding Champion in 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999, Mr ASIA in 1995 and 1998, Asian Pro-Am Classic Winner in 1996 and Musclemania Overall Winner in 1996 – he’s not in the least bit arrogant. A really nice bloke in fact.

All in all, a great gym – and probably the best in Jakarta.

Gold’s Gym in Cikini and Ade Rai
Me with the great man himself

Comments

  1. Unknown4 February 2016 at 11:56

    Delighted that I found your site, fantastic info. I will bookmark and try to visit more frequently.
    golds gym

    ReplyDelete

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