Running After The Deer

The Honduran President has been kidnapped and exiled in Costa Rica. Isn't the world an interesting place?

In the same vein, when you think Islam, you don't think Indonesia yet it is the country with the largest Islamic population in the world (200 million). As befits an Islamic country, the 6am call to prayer was what woke me up this morning and I must say that it is very impassioned and pleading. Indeed, in my sleepy haze, I almost felt the urge to go to the mosque myself, such was its power. I went back to bed though and woke up when the lunchtime prayers were announced. The loudspeaker was very loud and was very imminent in my room. It is another great thing about being in a foreign country.

( Notes From A Small Island... )

With firm plans made for the next three days, hopefully I will get out and see a lot more of this beautiful country and the people who inhabit it. It has been a shock to the system so far but a welcome one. I think I will be coming back here next year :-)

P.S. I have lost weight since I have been out here but now I have found the local beer and discovered it is so good, I fear that weight will soon be coming back. I tried Bali Hai earlier, which is okay, but is still nothing compared to Bintang :-)

P.P.S. In Indonesian Malay, "air" is the word for water, which is confusing.

P.P.P.S. I am the last one up in the hotel now. I have noticed that the proprietor of the hotel sleeps outside on the step should any visitors want to book a late night room. Fantastic.

Running After The Deer

The Honduran President has been kidnapped and exiled in Costa Rica. Isn't the world an interesting place?

In the same vein, when you think Islam, you don't think Indonesia yet it is the country with the largest Islamic population in the world (200 million). As befits an Islamic country, the 6am call to prayer was what woke me up this morning and I must say that it is very impassioned and pleading. Indeed, in my sleepy haze, I almost felt the urge to go to the mosque myself, such was its power. I went back to bed though and woke up when the lunchtime prayers were announced. The loudspeaker was very loud and was very imminent in my room. It is another great thing about being in a foreign country.

( Notes From A Small Island... )

With firm plans made for the next three days, hopefully I will get out and see a lot more of this beautiful country and the people who inhabit it. It has been a shock to the system so far but a welcome one. I think I will be coming back here next year :-)

P.S. I have lost weight since I have been out here but now I have found the local beer and discovered it is so good, I fear that weight will soon be coming back. I tried Bali Hai earlier, which is okay, but is still nothing compared to Bintang :-)

P.P.S. In Indonesian Malay, "air" is the word for water, which is confusing.

P.P.P.S. I am the last one up in the hotel now. I have noticed that the proprietor of the hotel sleeps outside on the step should any visitors want to book a late night room. Fantastic.

Singapore Furmeet - The Pictures

Thanks to hollud , the pictures from the Singapore Furmeet on Friday night can be seen here:

The Singapore Furmeet

I think the pictures capture the evening pretty well. First we walked by the river and saw the statue of Singapore's Animal - a cross between a lion and a dragon. Then, we went to a Food Court and then to a Mall which contains the world's biggest water fountain. Here, if you made a wish, put your right hand in the fountain and walked around it three times, the wish would come true. After that, we went to Carrefour, the French supermarket that is big here, and bought some Durian fruit, before retiring to the roof garden of the Mall to eat it.

We also saw Merlion - Singapore's courtesy lion who wouldn't stop giving us advice. This included "If you are in the wrong, it's better to admit it" and "You should always be good role models for your children". Uplifting stuff.

Singapore Furmeet - The Pictures

Thanks to hollud , the pictures from the Singapore Furmeet on Friday night can be seen here:

The Singapore Furmeet

I think the pictures capture the evening pretty well. First we walked by the river and saw the statue of Singapore's Animal - a cross between a lion and a dragon. Then, we went to a Food Court and then to a Mall which contains the world's biggest water fountain. Here, if you made a wish, put your right hand in the fountain and walked around it three times, the wish would come true. After that, we went to Carrefour, the French supermarket that is big here, and bought some Durian fruit, before retiring to the roof garden of the Mall to eat it.

We also saw Merlion - Singapore's courtesy lion who wouldn't stop giving us advice. This included "If you are in the wrong, it's better to admit it" and "You should always be good role models for your children". Uplifting stuff.

Perceptions And Confessions

I have just spent a couple of hours in an Indonesian gay bar, just around the corner from my hotel. We didn't know it was a gay bar but as we sat down, we caught a glimpse of pictures with semi-naked men adorning the wall and a statue of a little boy urinating into a fountain. In the lavatory, there was a poster advertising the perfect man.

( Some Interesting Observations... )

We met a fantastic security guard who doubled up as a traffic director, who kindly ordered a taxi for us. After that, we went to the gay bar where I tried Rangdan - a local specialty which involves beef cooked in a spicy sauce. It was probably the best meal I have had on the trip so far. A couple of Bintangs later and I am back typing this to you.

Perceptions And Confessions

I have just spent a couple of hours in an Indonesian gay bar, just around the corner from my hotel. We didn't know it was a gay bar but as we sat down, we caught a glimpse of pictures with semi-naked men adorning the wall and a statue of a little boy urinating into a fountain. In the lavatory, there was a poster advertising the perfect man.

( Some Interesting Observations... )

We met a fantastic security guard who doubled up as a traffic director, who kindly ordered a taxi for us. After that, we went to the gay bar where I tried Rangdan - a local specialty which involves beef cooked in a spicy sauce. It was probably the best meal I have had on the trip so far. A couple of Bintangs later and I am back typing this to you.