Temples and Kulchur

I have posted some photo's from this place before,it's one of my favourite places near my house...

It's called the Viharnra Sien, built by the Chinese-Thai community, and is located 15km south of Pattaya.



This three storey Chinese style building, next to a lake, is a fascinating repository of arts, artifacts and statues. It is also a temple for worshipping Chinese Gods.



There are statues of Chinese gods, well-known Chinese historical figures and shaolin monks in 18 different martial arts positions. According to the caretaker, each of the shaolin monk statues is sculptured according to a real person and some of the monks are still alive today.





The architecture is pretty inspiring, a rich blend of Chinese and Thai set in the countryside away from the beaches and bustle.



Almost next door is a cliff which has a Golden Buddha etched onto the rock face, the image is 102 metres tall. To be honest, it looks better in real life as this picture can not do it justice.

Sorry....

Been sunning myself in Thailand recently, two weeks doing virtually nothing and worse, back to work with a vengance.

I'll try to get more "stuff" done over the next few days and play catch me up with whats been going on.......

And yes.....they are all men!

Food Quality in Jakarta

Is it just me or is it going downhill?

On Chemical Warfare

The House of Representatives here in Indonesia unanimously endorsed a bill that allows the use of the death sentence to individuals who develop, produce and possess chemical weapons.

The bill as ratified says the use, transfer and acts to facilitate the use of chemical weapons will be punishable by sentences ranging from four years' imprisonment to capital punishment. The bill also bans individuals from involvement in the use of chemical weapons for military purposes.

While the bill bans trafficking of deadly toxic chemicals, it orders the strict control of the use of the least dangerous chemicals for industrial, medical, research, agricultural, pharmaceutical and defense purposes.

This is where I take a step back and question this issue. Where does Sambal stand within this legislation.?



If you are like me, willing to try anything, but “once bitten, twice shy” you may be an individual who considers Sambal to be at the same threat level to my continued existence as Nuclear Toxins and Cyanide.

I have seen what Sambal can do, I have witnessed the depravity that follows in its wake, it is an evil corruptor of youth, creates addicts and ultimately can cause physical pain.

Put plainly, it burns at both ends.



This is no industry which hides in the Bolivian Jungle, the dealers openly market their deadly wares on the cities streets, and the police, as usual they turn a blind eye (in reality they are probably using the stuff themselves.



Everyday, millions of Indonesians consume huge quantities of this poison, not caring a whit about the side effects and consequences. Perhaps this is one of the reasons for the attitudes and general behaviour of the population. As shown above, the side effects of Sambal use can create many strange "dishes"

I for one will avoid this menace, take my advice!

Just Say No!

As an aside while researching this article, Google Image Search produced many images like this.



Given the choice between the differing "Sambals" I know which one I would opt for!

Up the Glitter

So there I was, 5:30am, the three “S’s” already finished and getting ready to leave for work. I put one of the bedroom lights on and searched for the shirt of the day when an accusatory noise came from the bed.

“Where were you last night?”

“Sorry, what are you on about?”

“Your knickers, where were you?”

Stumbling around at that time of the morning I am not a pretty sight, trying to figure out what is wrong with the said “Y” fronts I contorted myself round and round until, finally, the sparkles caught my eye.

Glitter, loads off it, on my skiddies! These were fresh out of the drawer only two minutes before, but, yes, they looked like a disco mirror ball, sparkling gayer than John Travolta.

“Uurgh, I don’t know what happened, no idea at all” I said, removing the offending article of clothing, reaching into the drawer for pair number two…which were also “glittered up to fuck”

No time to argue, another two pairs were removed all in similar condition. Pair number five however were fine. Swiftly sliding into the non sparkling underwear, I got dressed and left the house with the air off “I’ve been up to no good” lying in the room behind me.

Cue 6pm, arriving back home, no crossed arms and tapping fingers, no furrowed eyebrows, perhaps more importantly, no more glittery knickers.

The story unfolds, seems like my daughter had been at a friends house, and as all thirteen year old girls will, spent the evening trying out makeup. A body cream with glitter was among them. This off course migrated onto her T shirt, where it stayed until the housegirl washed it along with, yes, my underwear!

“Not Guilty”

On Being a Lazy Bastard

I am one. But since it was my Birthday today I had all the time in the world to post.

So I did.

Now it's Beer Time..........

Edit. The very nice people at De Hooi gave me a meat pie with a candle and sang "Happy Birthday"

Stranger than that, in my eyes nothing seemed wrong with this gesture.....

A True Story - Corruption or Common Sense!

A friend of mine left the country on a business trip and upon his return to Jakarta, Immigration Officials swooped on him. His crime, his Multi Entry/Exit Visa had expired.

Crazy, you get a residence permit (KITAS)which is valid for one year, but, the Multi Entry/Exit Permits only last for six months. Crazy, but it's revenue to Immigration everytime you have to renew.

So, Captain Fuckwit with the most Mickey Mouse hanging off his uniform offers three choices.

1)
Go back to Singapore and get said permit revalidated.

2)
Stay in Jakarta, but the offending pasport without the valid Multi Exit/Entry Stamps would be sent to Immigration in Jakarta, Rsidence Permit cancelled and then the gentleman concerned would have to start all over again with Residence Permits, visa's, permits etc (And all off his family as well)

3)
The express service, cost US$ 200

Wisely, my friend chose option 3 which was simple.

A)
Hand over US$ 200

B)
Immigration Oficial gets a Date Stamp, moves the date back to before the expiry date of the Multi Exit Visa and stamps said passport with the modified entry date.

My friend, being the cautious type then asked what will happen to the Immigration Computer Records which involves the swiping of the passports barcode.

Immigration answered simply, US$ 50 is for IT support.

Only in Jakarta!