Swept back in time

As you walk through the lace covered doors of Jakarta’s Café Batavia you are immediately swept back to a different age, a period of colonial decadence, big movie stars, big cars and big clothes.

Judy Garland is singing on the sound system, the staff are impeccably dressed in white serving suits, ceiling fans whirl above you and huge mirrors decorate the walls above long bars that straddle the lounge areas.

Pictures of stars from a bygone age adorn the walls throughout the two tier bar/restaurant, whose floors are joined by an impressive staircase, and lit by striking chandeliers.

On the day I lunched at this historical throwback there were only a smattering of customers, mostly expats but, according to local residents of Jakarta, the area, near the old municipal Jakarta town hall, has never been the same since the riots of the late 1990’s.

As former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and romance author Barbara Cartland, a strange combination, stare down upon me as I tuck into my post hangover lunch of chicken congee with snake beans.

The silky congee, thick with chicken and a touch of chilli oil, gives me the right combination of comfort food and a kick to get the taste buds working again after a night of beer.

The beans were sweet and also cooked with chicken, garlic and chilli. Some dim sum rounded off the lunch and I’m in need of a walk after.

Over the road is the Jakarta Museum of History. The place is interesting ansd does give a good insight into how Jakarta developed.

Many of the building surrounding Cafe Batavia and the Museum are derelict, or at best in bad repair, but there is the possibility for turning the whole area into an arts and entertainment area.

There was some talk of rejuvenating the area in 2006, but as yet little has been done.

Next is a short trip to Jakarta’s dockside. Here in the 17th century is where the Dutch looked to take a foothold in Asia through the spice trade.


The area now is a mishmash of tourist spots, a working port, and squalor.

Tourists wander through the maritime museum, which give a great overview as to how Jakarta developed as a trading port.


Behind the museum locals wade knee-deep through rubbish, dumped unceremoniously on the shore edge, a child plays amongst the refuse and an open toilet, sitting amongst the filth, is also engaged, in full view of the tourists.

As in much of the city the potential is undeniable, just unrealised.

Cheers,

Blocka

I do, next please.

"The woman cries before the wedding and the man after." - Polish Proverb

There is something MacDonaldsesque about weddings at Singapore’s Registry of Marriages. From the plastic chairs and big screens in the waiting room, to the quick fire ceremony and celebrant who seemed to want to get it over and done with as soon as possible.

A good friend of mine, Stu, recently took this trip on a typically hot and muggy Singapore afternoon.


Dressed in my finest ‘junior minister on a fact finding tour’ outfit, including Panama hat, I sweated it out waiting for the bride and groom to arrive at the base of picturesque Fort Canning.

Waiting inside was not an option at this point as numerous other wedding parties were in line for what can only be described as a battery farm approach to marriage. There must have been five other parties set to take the plunge in the 30 minutes before our friends were scheduled to tie the knot.

With the bride and groom now safely arrived, and having squeezed into the air-conditioned safe haven of the registry office, we now had to work out how long to wait. No problem, on large wall mounted TV screens, details of the happy couples nuptials were plastered for all to see, including estimated waiting time and instructions on when to move to the prescribed “waiting area.”
How efficient.

As the due time approached we are herded into a small room where the celebrant is waiting.

After a few hiccups with names… Stehart, steeeart, steve, oh Stuart, we were under orders and off. In no time at all it was over they were officially now the happy couple.

The celebrant wished a cheery, if hurried, congratulations and we were out of there in around seven minutes or so.

The drinking lasted much longer.

Cheers,

Blocka