Alterity | Jakarta and Bali

Tune in to TRANS7 at 11.30pm on a Wednesday evening and you will be treated to "Mata Lelaki" (Through Men’s Eyes), a popular lifestyle program that does a great job of revealing the sordid underbelly of the nation’s capital city, Jakarta. The research is undertaken “in the field” so to speak, but in places in the concrete jungle rather than the real one, yet still with a focus on what could aptly be termed “wildlife” and, in particular, “birds” (although not the feathered variety you’ll be pleased to know!) But we don’t really learn anything that we don’t already know – - and that is that boys will be boys wherever they are! What a lovely bike! Yeah right…

What goes around comes around.   There are good and bad people wherever you go but it’s never nice to be forced to “ eat a bowl of shit ”, especially when all you really want is to live a peaceful and quiet life.  But such experiences are common among expats living in Indonesia - whether it’s dealing with the mafiosi in Bali or keeping clear of those who believe they are above the “law” in Jakarta (because of their connections to nefarious groups and organizations – some legit and others not).  Extortion is the name of the game, and foreigners are, naturally, always in the wrong. Bah-well’s experience is a classic example of how what-should-be-a-perfectly-ordinary-day can go horribly wrong. Fortunately for him, he played it cool and got through the situation but others are not so lucky – and the consequences can be far more serious.  But not just in Indonesia.  It was some years ago in England and I remember picking up a local newspaper and seeing a picture of...

What have Vindaloo and Vindy Lee got in common? They are both damn hot and spicy! Hahaha! But in many respects they are quite different. Because whilst it’s damn hard to track down the famous Indian dish in Jakarta, the sexy celebrity chef can - in contrast - be easily found on Indonesian television, conjuring up some succulent dishes in the Trans TV show “Dapur Cantik” (Beautiful Kitchen). Vindy Lee’s raw talent was originally spotted by a photographer at the Plaza Indonesia Mall in Jakarta after Vindy had returned from the States where she had worked in the f&b industry upon graduating from the University of Southern California. Finger-licking good Vindy accepted the offer and created a great stir with her devastating photo shoot for the first issue of the Male Emporium Asia Magazine. From here, she never looked back and went on to do some great stuff for a number of international magazines, including that old favorite of every lad everywhere, the inimitable FHM. Vindy in her sen...

  It's difficult for photographers to get close to the JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta before over zealous security guards try to trample on your civil rights by forbidding you from using your camera.  Even so I managed to get this shot before the security guard illegally prevented me from using my camera. It's very sad that a major hotel has reacted in knee jerk paranoid fashion in such a way, and is good reason in my view to avoid the hotel, even if one of the hotel's restaurant's does do quite a good, albeit pricey, buffet.  Oh well, what's Marriott's loss is the Shangri-La 's gain !  JW Marriott Hotel Jakarta   Jalan Lingkar Mega Kuningan Kav E 1.2 No 1&2  Jakarta,  12950  Indonesia

Sun City is a huge and glitzy entertainment center located in Jakarta’s bustling Chinatown district: …Oops! That ain’t it! Seems like I’ve messed up my Sun City Jakarta and Sun City South Africa pics! But what Sun City Jakarta lacks in lush vegetation it makes up for in its comprehensive facilities which include a hotel, ballroom, restaurant, karaoke and, more notably, its music lounge and especially its steamy spa. In many ways, Sun City is a great place to explore if you are just dipping your toes into the sordid waters of West Jakarta’s nightlife. It almost seems – dare I say it? – respectable. Now I’m not suggesting that you would want to bring your granny along with you or anything, but the nastiness that taints (some would say elevates) many other clubs in the area is not there. The shows at Sun City can be pretty good and the venue is certainly capable of pulling in some big names in Indonesia’s music industry - like the ever-effervescent Agnes Monica (a sor...