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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Keong Mas – Indonesia’s huge Golden Snail!

In Bangkok you can find a 3-meter high golden Buddha. It’s pretty impressive and its estimated value has soared to at least US$200 million as gold prices have headed relentlessly higher over the last few years. Here in Jakarta, we have Keong Mas or the Golden Snail. Sure it’s not made of real gold but what it lacks in monetary value it makes up in sheer wackiness.

Keong Mas – Indonesia’s huge Golden Snail!
A huge gold snail? In Jakarta? 

You have got to be kidding me right?!!!

The zany edifice is located in former president Suharto’s “toy town” project, Taman Mini Indonesia, a sort of Indonesia in miniature theme park.

Inside the Giant Snail is probably Jakarta’s best IMAX Theatre.

Here you can enjoy ultra high resolution 3D movies. They are mostly educational and of the national geographic sort, so don’t come here expecting to see the latest Hollywood blockbuster!

The inspiration for the architectural design of the Keong Mas building comes from an historic Javanese story about a beautiful princess (Dewi Sekartaji) magically transformed and kept in a golden snail shell.

Not that she’ll be in the building when you visit. Unfortunately!

Keong Emas IMAX
Taman Mini Indonesia Indah
Jakarta 13560
Telp: (6221) 8401021

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