I remember many years ago stopping by Jakarta on the way home from working a project in Kalimantan. An Indonesian colleague based in Jakarta persuaded me to stop over for three days, and he'd show me around. When I got there, he'd scarpered, leaving me without a tour-guide. I did do a little sight-seeing on my own the first day, then hid in my hotel room (just around the corner from Jalan Jaksa) for the next two until my flight out was due. OK, I do admit I am not the adventurous type, but the place felt plain dangerous to me.
Thank you for reading and commenting! You were in the thick of it in Kalimantan. I lived in Balikpapan my first year here. Too bad you missed Jakarta. I've actually never felt safer in a big city than here. You were staying in Jaksa, though, which was a bit notorious. That area died with the Black Death, sad to say. Not many foreign tourists anymore. The saddest thing about Jakarta is it has zero culture -- no theatre, symphony, or ballet, and the majority of concerts are K-pop, which I despise. The museums are uninspiring, though Old Town is pretty interesting. The most eye-popping thing I've experienced here are the "executive" palaces, and perhaps some day I'll write up some of my experiences in those places. If you make it back this way, give us a holler. Near-Native guide standing by.
Thanks, Rufus, for an entertaining and enlightening story. The malls are dead here in California pretty much. San Francisco businesses have closed (crime is the main reason.) I liked malls in the 80s, but that was long ago. The Northgate Mall in north Seattle was fun back then.
The last wedding I had to attend (against my will), was over in Napa for my sister's daughter's nuptials. She married a Jewish Aussie. They live in Sydney. I had to buy a new suit.
Those Aussies are nuts. My brother-in-law told me that the bar bill for the wedding was over $10,000. The wedding was at a winery with vineyards all around. It was a sunny afternoon and about 95F. I was so pissed off that I just drank Perrier so that I didn't cause a scene.
I don't like being dragged to anything, let alone, weddings or funerals.
Do the bride's parents in Indonesia pay for the wedding? Are you stuck for paying for any of the festivities?
I think it's pretty much universal that the bride's family pays for the wedding. It goes to the idea of selling daughters into the groom's family. At this very moment, there's a Betawi wedding going on across from the house. It started at 9a, so that's 11 hours as I write.. Eleven hours of "dangdut" music. Look it up, words fail me. No alcohol, either, or I'd crash it. Muslims are like Southern Baptists...they don't drink in front of each other. I guess it's mating season.
I would leap at the chance to attend an Aussie wedding. I need a good brawl to clear my head. Reminds me of living in Dublin and having at least one fist fight on the way home from the pub, as a matter of course. I'm not much for rituals, either, but I have been invited to a ton of weddings here to add a dash of international flair. My in-laws are all about 5-2, so I literally tower over the crowd. Dad is great, though. He loves classic rock and old Westerns, and he thinks it's pretty spiffy adding a Texan writer/promoter to the family. All good folks. #2 done good.
Good grief! After 20 seconds my teeth were hurting.
Weddings without booze make no sense to me. The Aussies would have revolted.
There were about 20 Aussies at the my niece's wedding in Napa. They were all fit, tan, tall,laughing, dancing, boozing, and having a great time. The women looked like Amazons. I didn't stay to the end of the wedding, but my son told me that the Aussies got crazy. They were carrying the groom around in a chair and then started ground diving (not sure what that is) but it involves a lot of jumping, running, and smashing into people and the ground.
I had such a fun time reading this and THEN you had to go and say: "Don’t even get me started on the utterly insane “green” initiatives." But then you had the BEST idea: "It’s time to stuff those anti-human genies back in their bottles, and seal them for all eternity."
I concur in my best Texas drawl lol
And, after checking out legacy-lying media today, I might need to join you in this, since I recently went back to the church; I'm trying to be good. Sigh.
"I suspect I will require reconstructive surgery on my tongue in the coming month."
Such a great read, thank you! P.S. That is one of my fav movies of all time. Windex!! (maybe you should take a bottle with you to the wedding lol)
Thank you for a great comment! I carry a mini spray bottle of Windex with me wherever I go. It's not just part of my First Aid kit, it IS my First Aid kit! Lannie Kazan was born to play that role. Brilliant! My favorite scene was meeting the WASP parents. I've known several Greek families, and they are exactly like that.
I made instant friends with the in-laws. Dad loves classic rock and Mom is a former nun, and they were all duly impressed that I had been a Benedictine monk, and could recite the Pater Noster and Gloria in Latin from memory. I will have to post a family photo. It's hilarious. I tower over all of them.
The reception should be a blast. Catholics know how to do the do.
There has been a string of weddings carried by various broadcasters since broadcasting began. Wavescan's current edition covers one officiated on the ship from which Radio Caroline was broadcasting on that day.
I see from your experiences the hand of God moving in your life. Probably to enhance your ability to bring great changes to the world in the near future. God bless you, brother. Next year in a free country. Amen.
Delightful reading. Thank you.
High praise humbly met. Cheers!
Fantastic article Mr. Farside. Made me laugh.
I remember many years ago stopping by Jakarta on the way home from working a project in Kalimantan. An Indonesian colleague based in Jakarta persuaded me to stop over for three days, and he'd show me around. When I got there, he'd scarpered, leaving me without a tour-guide. I did do a little sight-seeing on my own the first day, then hid in my hotel room (just around the corner from Jalan Jaksa) for the next two until my flight out was due. OK, I do admit I am not the adventurous type, but the place felt plain dangerous to me.
Thank you for reading and commenting! You were in the thick of it in Kalimantan. I lived in Balikpapan my first year here. Too bad you missed Jakarta. I've actually never felt safer in a big city than here. You were staying in Jaksa, though, which was a bit notorious. That area died with the Black Death, sad to say. Not many foreign tourists anymore. The saddest thing about Jakarta is it has zero culture -- no theatre, symphony, or ballet, and the majority of concerts are K-pop, which I despise. The museums are uninspiring, though Old Town is pretty interesting. The most eye-popping thing I've experienced here are the "executive" palaces, and perhaps some day I'll write up some of my experiences in those places. If you make it back this way, give us a holler. Near-Native guide standing by.
Thanks, Rufus, for an entertaining and enlightening story. The malls are dead here in California pretty much. San Francisco businesses have closed (crime is the main reason.) I liked malls in the 80s, but that was long ago. The Northgate Mall in north Seattle was fun back then.
The last wedding I had to attend (against my will), was over in Napa for my sister's daughter's nuptials. She married a Jewish Aussie. They live in Sydney. I had to buy a new suit.
Those Aussies are nuts. My brother-in-law told me that the bar bill for the wedding was over $10,000. The wedding was at a winery with vineyards all around. It was a sunny afternoon and about 95F. I was so pissed off that I just drank Perrier so that I didn't cause a scene.
I don't like being dragged to anything, let alone, weddings or funerals.
Do the bride's parents in Indonesia pay for the wedding? Are you stuck for paying for any of the festivities?
I think it's pretty much universal that the bride's family pays for the wedding. It goes to the idea of selling daughters into the groom's family. At this very moment, there's a Betawi wedding going on across from the house. It started at 9a, so that's 11 hours as I write.. Eleven hours of "dangdut" music. Look it up, words fail me. No alcohol, either, or I'd crash it. Muslims are like Southern Baptists...they don't drink in front of each other. I guess it's mating season.
I would leap at the chance to attend an Aussie wedding. I need a good brawl to clear my head. Reminds me of living in Dublin and having at least one fist fight on the way home from the pub, as a matter of course. I'm not much for rituals, either, but I have been invited to a ton of weddings here to add a dash of international flair. My in-laws are all about 5-2, so I literally tower over the crowd. Dad is great, though. He loves classic rock and old Westerns, and he thinks it's pretty spiffy adding a Texan writer/promoter to the family. All good folks. #2 done good.
Rufus: Is this a good example of "dangdut" music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdPqaH2eNO4&t=44s
Good grief! After 20 seconds my teeth were hurting.
Weddings without booze make no sense to me. The Aussies would have revolted.
There were about 20 Aussies at the my niece's wedding in Napa. They were all fit, tan, tall,laughing, dancing, boozing, and having a great time. The women looked like Amazons. I didn't stay to the end of the wedding, but my son told me that the Aussies got crazy. They were carrying the groom around in a chair and then started ground diving (not sure what that is) but it involves a lot of jumping, running, and smashing into people and the ground.
I had such a fun time reading this and THEN you had to go and say: "Don’t even get me started on the utterly insane “green” initiatives." But then you had the BEST idea: "It’s time to stuff those anti-human genies back in their bottles, and seal them for all eternity."
I concur in my best Texas drawl lol
And, after checking out legacy-lying media today, I might need to join you in this, since I recently went back to the church; I'm trying to be good. Sigh.
"I suspect I will require reconstructive surgery on my tongue in the coming month."
Such a great read, thank you! P.S. That is one of my fav movies of all time. Windex!! (maybe you should take a bottle with you to the wedding lol)
Thank you for a great comment! I carry a mini spray bottle of Windex with me wherever I go. It's not just part of my First Aid kit, it IS my First Aid kit! Lannie Kazan was born to play that role. Brilliant! My favorite scene was meeting the WASP parents. I've known several Greek families, and they are exactly like that.
I made instant friends with the in-laws. Dad loves classic rock and Mom is a former nun, and they were all duly impressed that I had been a Benedictine monk, and could recite the Pater Noster and Gloria in Latin from memory. I will have to post a family photo. It's hilarious. I tower over all of them.
The reception should be a blast. Catholics know how to do the do.
Please do post pictures if you can! Blessings on all.
I got married in a rented tuxedo and the ring was chrome-plated plastic.
Of my four weddings, I think the old movie theater was the best. Had our names on the marquee and everything.
There has been a string of weddings carried by various broadcasters since broadcasting began. Wavescan's current edition covers one officiated on the ship from which Radio Caroline was broadcasting on that day.
I see from your experiences the hand of God moving in your life. Probably to enhance your ability to bring great changes to the world in the near future. God bless you, brother. Next year in a free country. Amen.
Amen to that, brother!