JULY 2021
WOW
BORNEO
Summer feature: Wimbledon
Social Welfare SUPPORTING OUR CHARITIES THROUGH COVID-19
CONTENT
Grapevine / July 2021
3 From the Chairwoman 4 From The Coordinator 7 What’s on?
TRAVEL 10 WOW Borneo 14 Bali Hai Cruising
WINE & DINE
10
WOW Borneo
19 Gin-Mother Ruin? 22 Recipes
LIFE
14
25 Summer feature:
Bali Hai Cruises
Wimbledon 26 Flick & Flip 29 The Uk Property Market Values Are Still Rising 32 Social Welfare
22 Recipes
32
Social Welfare
Grapevine July 2021 I 1
You can read the latest issue of NOW! Jakarta anywhere through your phone or tablet. www.nowjakarta.co.id
COLLIERS
Scan here to read
2 I Grapevine July 2021
BWA MAIN COMMITTEE 2021-2022
FROM THE CHAIRWOMAN
Honorary President Cath Jenkins Chairwoman Sarah Watson Vice-Chairwoman Tracy Soper Secretary Jo Hyde-Smith Treasurer Jill Curtis Laura Kirkham Events Andrea Angell Tracy Soper Membership & Newcomers Cindy Green Emily Littlejohn Social Welfare Sarah Campbell Sponsorship
Grapevine
House Helen Watkins Bazaar Leah Sudarto Communications Marcie Prole-Randell Co-ordinator/ GBCM Emily Littlejohn DISCLAIMER The inclusion of any articles, advertising, logos or website links in this publication does not constitute an endorsement or approval by the BWA of the products or services so advertised or featured. PT Phoenix Communications as the designer of the magazine accepts no responsibility for the Ad and Contents thereof. No part of this publication may be printed without prior permission of BWA.
Postal address: P.O. Box 7923 JKSM Jakarta 12079 email: bwa@bwajakarta.org www.bwajakarta.org
Sarah
Welcome to our summer edition of Grapevine magazine. The summer months normally signal a change of pace and slower gear for many of us. For some, we will be looking forward to a relaxing summer, either at home or here in Jakarta. For others it’s a time of packing up and moving on to new adventures. If you are leaving Indonesia to return home, or for a new posting, we would like to send you very best wishes for a new chapter, and we want to pass on our appreciation for all you have done for the Association. Over the summer months BWA will remain open longer than usual, continuing to host coffee mornings, canasta, games, craft mornings, and book club, as many members will remain in Jakarta. The BWA house will be closed for a summer break until 9th August, however, if you do require any assistance at all, please email bwa@bwajakarta.org. Looking ahead to the second half of the year, members and friends can look forward to a summer bazaar, charity golf day (8th October), newcomer lunch, and Christmas bazaar, as well as our regular weekly activities and Great British Coffee Mornings. We are on the lookout for volunteers to help support the Association across all activities. If you have some time to spare and enjoy connecting with others whilst doing good in the community, then please get in touch. In the meantime, safe travels to you all wherever you heading, and I look forward to seeing you all very soon.
Sarah
chairwoman@bwajakarta.org
Grapevine July 2021 I 3
EDITOR'S NOTE I hope you enjoy this edition of grapevine. BWA has been bustling lately with members enjoying many fun and regular events, along with some special ones. Our members Helen Watkins and Cindy Green have shared their recent experiences of travelling within Indonesia. Both trips offer something quite unique, and are perfect locations to get away from the bustle and heat of the city when we are unable to travel further abroad. William Gray from Rio Club, one of BWA’s sponsors, has provided an interesting insight into the UK property market. Sarah Campbell, our Social Welfare coordinator has given us a full update of our social welfare projects and just how the social welfare team has continued to support them through such trying times. Finally, Our charity golf tournament is once again being held this year at Cenkerang Golf Club on 8th October. It is renowned to be one of the best days out on the golf course whilst raising funds for our charities. Be sure to email golf@bwajakarta.org to register your team of four.
Sarah
grapevine@bwajakarta.org
4 I Grapevine July 2021
Sarah
Sarah Watson Editor
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6 I Grapevine July 2021
Grapevine July 2021 I 7
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8 I Grapevine July 2021
Travel 10
WOW Borneo Story and Photos by Helen Watkins
14 Bali Hai Cruises Hai Tide Beach Resort Grapevine July 2021 I 9
TRAVEL
WOW WOW
BORNEO
STORY AND PHOTOS BY HELEN WATKINS
Way back in 2019 at the BWA Vegas Ball, my husband Kip and I were lucky enough to secure the winning bid on a fabulous silent auction donation from WOW Borneo. We finally chose our wedding anniversary weekend, February 15th 2020 as our ideal time to embark on our adventure.
O
ur Garuda flight to Palangkaraya was on time and in no time at all we were driving through the “cantik” city. A small city with low level brightly painted buildings and no traffic, it made a pleasant change from Jakarta. We stayed overnight at the Swissbel Hotel as our guide was to collect us at 8:30am the following morning.
Day 1
Aby, our guide, was punctual in his timing, and, after a 40 minute car journey to the Kahayan river we arrived at our floating accommodation for the next two nights. Our boat, the Rahai’i Pangun was designed to accommodate twelve guests and five crew, including our guide. A generous upper deck was kitted out with sun loungers and sofas plus a further raised deck for dining. As the only guests aboard for this trip, we had plenty of room to spread out. Our sleeping quarters were, as you’d expect, small and basically appointed but with a large bed and a small en-suite bathroom we needed nothing else. As we chugged down the river we passed small villages with the occasional very tall house which looked oddly out of place. Aby explained, these houses were home to the swiftlet birds which produce the nests for birds nest soup! Chinese companies provide a village with the bird house which brings the village an income. We also passed many manned dredging machines which were dredging fine clay for pottery. The men
10 I Grapevine July 2021
working these rather noisy machines lived on board or nearby and gave us hearty waves as we motored past. In order to get closer to the bank we clambered into a motorised canoe from where we were delighted to see our first orangutans, they were equally interested in watching us....what a treat! We saw young and old orangutans but all were beautiful and really captivating to watch. Following an ample and delicious lunch (we certainly wouldn’t be going hungry) we headed to a village, Kanarakan, a Dayak village. As we left the boat we were met by a village elder and a small group of young people who performed a welcoming ceremony for us, Dayak Ngaju. We were “dusted” with a brush made of leaves and had a white paste smeared on our faces and then were presented with a crown made of woven leaves.... well and truly “welcomed”!!! After this we all strolled around the village and were shown the gardens where the villagers were growing vegetables and we had a rubber tree tapping demonstration and of course always accompanied by the small children of the village. We were then invited into the house of Anden Bungai, the village elder, to chat and to take a traditional spiced coffee with him. The coffee was really quite good and we chatted with him about his fears for his village and the traditional ways of Dayak life, our guide Aby translated for us all. An interesting and very pleasant man to talk to. Returning to the boat we carried on our journey and
TRAVEL
were able to stop and observe a couple of orangutans observing us. They’re very interesting animals to watch and have such different facial features and characteristics. They tend to be relatively young as they’re on a release program run by Borneo Orangutan Survival Program (BOS) so are upward of 5 years old. The orangutans diet is supplemented twice per day by BOS and we saw feeding stations where there were groups of up to 5 primates feeding. A very tasty and plentiful dinner was served on the top deck of the boat followed by an early night, a great first day!
Day 2
After a light early breakfast we docked and went by car to Tangkiling Hill, to visit Dayak cultural spirit houses. Nestled in a hilly area we could see small decorative houses which are built to house the spirits of relatives who have died. It was rather lovely, with a “jungle” feel to the vegetation, huge moss covered boulders and, at the top of a steep set of ancient steps, a rather unexpected small beautiful temple complex.
Grapevine July 2021 I 11
TRAVEL
As we headed back to the docked boat we stopped off at a bustling local market, always a treat. After yet another delicious lunch on board we arrived at Palas Island, a pre-release island operated by the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOS). We again took the motorised canoe for a motor along the banks of the island, we saw a number of orangutans, took a gazillion photos and just enjoyed watching these fascinating creatures hanging out. Back onto the boat we went to the BOS Education Centre where we watched a very informative video on the extensive work done by BOS. We had very limited access to the rest of the complex, this is to ensure the orangutans do not get used to seeing humans. The rescued baby orangutans are looked after solely by one individual until they’re a year old, again this ensures they don’t get used to human contact. The older orangutans are then kept in very large enclosures separated by age until they are 4 years old when they’re released onto the “islands'”. After a number of years the mature orangutans are then released into the protected rainforest. Such a worthy program to support. That evening during dinner the heavens opened, the tarpaulin covers were hastily pulled down over the open sides of the boat, we were cocooned but dry. The noise of the rain was so loud we had to shout at each other across the table! Love these expat adventure moments.
12 I Grapevine July 2021
Day 3 Before breakfast we hopped into our motorised canoe and went deep into the narrow mangrove like river systems, it was beautiful. We glimpsed proboscis monkeys and hornbill birds as we meandered along. After breakfast we stopped at the village of Petuk Katimpun, a village mainly on stilts connected by boardwalks. There we visited a library/school foundation, Ransel Buku, run by volunteers. Unfortunately it’s only open to children in the mornings but what a lovely bright inviting space for children to learn, not only basic learning but they were committed to environmental conservation learning they were even growing hydroponic plants. A fabulous initiative! Back to the boat for another lovely lunch as we headed back to Palankaraya and the end of our wonderful trip. I cannot recommend Wow Borneo highly enough, we were comfortable, well fed and well looked after, beautiful environment, interesting visits and a great guide.
Thank you Wow Borneo
TRAVEL
Whether you decide to stay in the heart of Seminyak, amidst West Bali National Park, by the beach at Nusa Dua, surrounded by rice fields at Umalas, or overlooking the Mekong River in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, at lifestyleretreats we want every guest to have the most relaxing, blissful and luxurious stay, a time filled with discovery, recovery and spiritual fulfillment.
Grapevine July 2021 I 13
TRAVEL
&
HAI TIDE BEACH RESORT STORY BY CINDY GREEN
Bali Hai Cruises has enjoyed over 31 years gracing the oceans and islands of Bali, and in recent times, has embraced the challenge to change tack, now focusing experiences perfect for Expat living.
T
his is my husband Adam and my most favorite place to go to when visiting Bali, or rather wanting to get away from it… we have been more times than I can count and it never disappoints. Whether it be a day or sunset cruise, a day trip to the island or weekend away, we never want to leave. Here is one of our many experiences of Nusa Lembongan Paradise and our Weekend Escape at the Hai Tide Beach Resort… enjoy!!! Filled with excitement for the weekend ahead, we arrived at Bali Hai Cruises HQ in Benoa Harbour. A warm welcome greeted us along with a delicious welcome drink. A lovely touch as we collected our tickets and awaited the arrival of the other guest for the cruise to Nusa Lembongan. And we couldn’t have asked for a better day for it – the sky was clear and the temperature was already rising fast. A great day to be on the high seas!
Aristocat (the sailing catamaran) was taking us over to Nusa Lembongan and we weren’t disappointed! Quite the upgrade from the usual packed and stressful ‘fast’ boats that shuttle people between 14 I Grapevine July 2021
islands. The warm greetings continued as we boarded and set sail after a safety briefing. And so we waved goodbye to the hustle and bustle of Bali and cruised out of the harbour into the open sea. To the North we could see the mighty Mt. Agung in the distance, dominating the skyline. Over the next hour and a half, we enjoyed sunbathing on the deck whilst watching the distant shores of Lembongan gradually getting closer and even got treated to a sandwich and some drinks along the way. A highlight of the cruise was spotting a small pod of inquisitive dolphins as we got close to land. As we cruised into Mushroom Bay, our final destination, the water changed to a bright turquoise blue – and so clear you could see the coral on the seafloor. We hopped off onto the white beach in front of Hai Tide Beach Resort and made our way to the restaurant for check-in, a refreshing cold face towel and a chilled welcome drink. Excellent unexpected extras! We were lucky enough to have secured a prime, beachfront lumbung so after dropping our bags, we spent a good 10 minutes taking pictures of the stunning
TRAVEL
view from our balcony which opened right onto the white beach and ocean with Bali in the distance. The sea was calm, so we took the opportunity to go for a dip and cool off before heading for lunch. And a great lunch it was – lots of choices on the menu and a beautiful backdrop. Here I might add that Hai Tide Beach resort also offers garden lumbungs and two- bedroom villas which are spacious (perfect for a family) with a private pool and huge open en-suites. But as a couple and not needing much space, we preferred the lumbungs. Feeling energised, we then spent the afternoon making the most of the calm seas by taking out the complimentary paddle boards and kayaks. So much fun exploring the bay and trying to catch some of the small waves that rolled in. It’s a surprisingly good workout, so we felt we had thoroughly earned some cocktails in the pool during happy hour as the sun began to drop. Dinner at the resort’s Hai Bar & Grill was excellent – I can highly recommend the beef rendang (probably the best I’ve had in Bali) and the barramundi was also top notch. The restaurant/bar has a great atmosphere and we enjoyed chatting to our fellow adventurers over a few more post-dinner drinks. Tired from the day’s excitement, we slipped away for an earlyish night in our cosy but very comfy lumbung, complete with air-con, mozzie net and turn down service. We felt very spoiled! We woke up refreshed after a great night’s sleep with waves lapping just a few metres away. It was so nice to wake up to, and be reminded of the day’s ocean-based adventures ahead. Both keen snorkelers and divers, we had booked a scuba excursion at Hai Tide Dive Center Grapevine July 2021 I 15
TRAVEL
in advance so after a lovely shower and a tasty and hearty breakfast, we made our way to the dive centre to get kitted up. This was all very professional – the kit is in good condition and the team here really knows what they’re doing. A short, but spectacular boat ride, took us round to the beautiful Crystal Bay on neighbouring Penida island. This is a popular dive spot as it is sheltered and the water is crystal clear. There is a huge amount of exotic fish life here and if you’re lucky you can sometimes spot Manta Ray & giant SunFish cruising through a highlight for me was the Manta Ray which swam by for a photo shoot. Our second dive was also fantastic. We cruised up to the north coast of Lembongan to a site called ‘Mangroves’ and enjoyed an easy drift dive in calm waters with spectacular coral and again, lots of fish. The scenery is very different up here with beaches and mangrove forests as well as seaweed farms and surfing spots. We cruised back to Hai Tide in time for lunch (included with the dive package) and then treated ourselves to a lovely, relaxing massage in the resort’s spa, plus a few hours topping up our tans on the beach. We then learned that the evening’s entertainment (movie night) was Top Gun playing at the resort’s beachfront cinema screen. Perfect! Pizza and a few beers, Tom Cruise doing his thing and waves crashing in the background – an excellent Saturday night. Our plan for Sunday was to rent scooters and go and explore some more of the island. Bali Hai organised the bike for us and we set off after breakfast in the direction of the famous yellow bridge linking Lembongan and Ceningan islands. On the way we passed through pretty villages and coastline with spectacular views over the bright turquoise waters of the seaweed farms – some great photo ops here. An exciting crossing of the singletrack yellow bridge brought us to Nusa Ceningan, where we adventured around and found some great swimming spots (plus a 10m cliff jump for those feeling brave!) and picturesque lunch/drink locations – I can recommend Sea Breeze. On the way back, we passed by a traditional Balinese Hindu ceremony outside one of the temples, with all the villagers dressed in their traditional finery; a reminder the islands are packed with culture as well as natural beauty. 16 I Grapevine July 2021
The Aristocat was due to depart at 4pm to return to Bali, so after one last dip in the sea and a bit of chill time looking out over the bay, we set sail from Hai Tide with a heavy heart, waving goodbye to all the friendly staff that look after us so well. The service is truly excellent – always attentive and friendly and happy to go that extra mile. The voyage back across the strait to Benoa was very enjoyable again. The wind was in the right direction, so they cut the engine and sailed for much of it. So peaceful just hearing the waves and the flapping of the sails – perfect with a drink or two from the onboard bar. We docked at around 6pm so got to witness a beautiful red sunset as we approached the harbour. As always, our bags were handled for us and we disembarked, waving goodbye to the smiling crew. Then, the final step to ensure our end-to-end, hassle-free experience, a dedicated Bali Hai driver shuttled us to our villa 20 minutes away. Always such an incredible weekend and a treat to escape Bali for a few days and experience the beauty of Lembongan and the neighbouring Nusas. The logistics with Bali Hai Cruises are all completely seamless, with every detail taken care of, so you can truly relax and just enjoy every moment there. We will certainly be back for another trip soon, especially while the prices are still super discounted – there is lots more to see and do around the islands. I have had two very special and memorable birthdays at Hai Tide and our next thought is to charter the Aristocat catamaran. What a wonderful experience that would be!!!
TRAVEL
Solar powered
for all electrical needs
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Relax On A Wow Borneo Orangutan Cruise Into The Famed Tanjung Puting National Park Come on board our new luxury boat, the Kumai. Fitted with solar panels to silently power air conditioners and all electrical needs on board, the Kumai visits Camp Leakey and cruises the beautiful mangrove bordered Sekonyer River for animal and bird sightings. Wow Borneo's traditional boats are famous for the comfort they offerin the jungle, delicious food and excellent service. Enjoy an intimate encounter with Kalimantan, its people, forest and wildlife as Wow Borneo provides you with the holiday of a lifetime.
CALL (+62) 536 - 322 - 2099, (+62) 811 - 520 - 648 EMAIL info@wowborneo.com
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Grapevine July 2021 I 17 www.wowborneo.com
Wine &Dine 19
Gin-Mother's Ruin ?
22 Recipes
18 I Grapevine July 2021
WINE DINE
Gin-Mother’s Ruin?
In the mid-eighteenth century the effects of gin-drinking on English society makes the use of drugs today seem almost benign. Gin started out as a medicine and was thought to be a cure for gout and indigestion amongst others but most attractive of all, it was cheap.
I
n London alone, there were more than 7,000 dram shops and 10 million gallons of gin were being distilled annually in the capital. It was hawked by barbers, peddlers, grocers and market stall holders. It was cheap and some workers were given gin as part of their wages. Duty paid on gin was only 2 pence a gallon, as opposed to 4 shillings and nine pence on strong beer. It had become the poor man’s drink. Gin rendered men impotent, women sterile and was a major reason why the birth rate in London at this time was exceeded by the death rate. The government of the day became alarmed when it discovered that the average Londoner drank 14 gallons of the spirit each year! Parliament decided that the tax on gin should be raised. This put many reputable sellers out of business and made way for the bootleggers who sold their wares under such fancy names as Cuckold’s Comfort, Ladies Delight and Knock Me Down. Almost overnight, gin sales went underground. Dealers, pushers and runners sold their illegal ‘hooch’ in what became a black market. Gin was the opium of the people and it led them to the debtors’ prison or the gallows, ruined them, drove them to madness, suicide and death but it kept them warm in winter and allayed the hunger pangs of the poorest. Much of the gin was drunk by women, consequently children were neglected, daughters were sold into prostitution and wet nurses
gave gin to babies to quiet them. People would do anything to get gin -- a coachman pawned his wife for a quart bottle! In 1736, a ‘Gin Act’ was passed which forbade anyone to sell ‘distilled spirituous liquor’ without first taking out a license costing a hefty 50 pounds. In the next seven years, only three licenses were taken out yet still the gallons of gin kept coming -- the thirst for gin appeared insatiable. People sold their furnishings and homes to pay for their favourite tipple. The horror of the situation in London was portrayed by Hogarth in the print below called ‘Gin Lane’. It shows a drunken woman with ulcerated legs, taking snuff as her baby falls into the gin-vault below The government was forced to take even more drastic measures and finally a new ‘Gin Act’ was passed which raised the duty yet again and forbade the distillers, grocers, chandlers, jails and workhouses from selling it. Gin was never again quite such a scourge and consumption fell dramatically through the rest of the century. In 1830 the Duke of Wellington’s administration passed the ‘Sale of Beer Act’, which removed all taxes on beer and permitted anyone to open a Beer Shop on payment of a two-guinea fee. This virtually ended the traffic in gin smuggling. By the end of 1830 and there were 24,000 Beer Shops in England and Wales, and six years later there were 46,000 along with 56,000 Public Houses – Oh Happy Days! Grapevine July 2021 I 19
WINE DINE
fascinating cocktails with unusual ingredients that play on the new generation of gin’s versatile and complex nature. It’s finally getting the respect it deserves so forget vodka and make gin your signature spirit. How ironic that what was once known as Mother’s Ruin is now being treated as the Classy Lady at the Bar! Before you embark on a spot of gin tasting, remember it’s a spirit, so go easy, ladies! It’s not like tasting wine. With wine you’re looking to aerate it to release the flavours. With gin, the flavours are far more direct, so you want to try to recognize the botanical notes so you can decide what to mix it with. Taste the gin straight and at room temperature. Swill it around your mouth – good gin will have an assertive warmth, but no burn. Add a splash of cold water, then sip and swish it around your mouth. The water encourages the release of the botanical flavours within, as the oils are released into the water so savour the flavour! All gins are juniper-based and have diverse botanicals superimposed. For example, you’ll find cucumber in Martin Miller’s and in
And So Today…
Gin has finally risen like a phoenix from the ashes of its shambolic and tragic early popularity. During the 70’s especially, gin showed up in dirty halfpint glasses with a slimy piece of lemon, ice cubes which had melted by the time the barman poured the gin in and it was always downed with a half a can of tin-flavoured tonic water. Well, how things have changed! Gin is now soaring in popularity and the world is once again enamoured with the juniper flavoured elixir. Boutique distilleries are crafting new products all across the globe. The G&T is back only this time served in stunning glassware, packed with ice and exotic fruit. Gin-based cocktails have roared back into fashion. With this resurgence, comes a plethora of new ‘gin palaces’ ready to serve you the perfect bevy. Gin has been described as "vodka for grown-ups”, the distinctive smell of juniper setting it apart from the clear, odourless neighbour it shares the bar shelf with. Gin is now the ‘drink du jour’ for hipsters and educated drinkers alike. The onus is on making
20 I Grapevine July 2021
Recommended G i Palaces In Uk n Hendrick’s, spice
in Williams GB and queray 10.
citrus in Tan
● The Ame rican Bar at the Savoy , London ● City of L ondon Distill ery ● London G in Club, Lon don ● Heads & Tales, Edinb urgh ● Gorilla (T he Gin Parlo ur), Manches ter ● The Old Bell Inn, La ncashire
WINE DINE
Grapevine July 2021 I 21
WINE DINE
Gin, apple and elderflower punch INGREDIENTS zz zz zz zz zz zz zz zz
Ice cubes 2/3 cup (165ml) elderflower cordial 1 1/3 cups (330ml) gin 3 cups (750ml) chilled sparkling apple juice 1 cup (250ml) chilled prosecco 2 Lebanese cucumbers, thinly sliced 2 Pink Lady apples, thinly sliced Elderflower sprigs and edible flowers to serve
METHOD Fill a punch bowl with ice. Add cordial, gin, apple juice, prosecco, cucumber and apple, and stir. Top up with elderflower sprigs and edible flowers to serve.
Pimms and Strawberry Pavlovas METHOD
INGREDIENTS zz zz zz zz zz zz zz zz zz zz
4 egg whites 225g of golden caster sugar 1 tsp cornflour 1 tsp white wine vinegar 200ml of double cream 2 tbsp of Pimm's, or 4 tbsp if you want it extra boozy 100g of strawberries, chopped, plus extra for decoration 8 mint leaves, chopped 1 orange, zested 1 tbsp of caster sugar
22 I Grapevine July 2021
1. Whisk the egg whites to a soft peak. Add the sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking after each addition 2. After all the sugar has been added, whisk for a few minutes until stiff & smooth & stands in firm peaks. Whisk in the cornflour and vinegar 3. Draw circles on a sheet of baking paper, and then flip over 4. Place a few small blobs of meringue to the underside of the baking paper and place onto a baking sheet - the meringue glues the paper in place to prevent it from sliding 5. Spread some of the meringue onto the circles to form the bases. Fill a piping bag (with a plain nozzle) with the remaining meringue 6. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4 7. Pipe a circle on top of the base, and then pipe 3 or 4 further circles on top, repeat for the other bases. Place in the oven and immediately lower the temperature to 100°C. Bake for 1.5 hours 8. Turn the oven off, open the oven door a little & allow the meringues to cool in the oven. Once the meringues are cool whisk the cream until it forms soft peaks 9. Fold in the Pimms, strawberries, mint, orange zest and sugar until well combined. Spoon or pipe the cream into the meringues and serve with extra strawberries
Grapevine July 2021 I 23
Life 25
Summer Feature: Wimbledon
26 Flick & Flip
24 I Grapevine July 2021
29 The UK Property Market Values Are Still Rising
32 Social Welfare Supporting Our Charities Through Covid-19
Summer feature:
LIFE
Wimbledon
W
imbledon or The Championships, is the oldest tennis tournament in the world and is widely regarded as the most prestigious.It has a special place in the hearts of many tennis players and spectators and represents all that is summer in the UK. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London, since 1877, when it had only about 20 players. However, that grew rapidly and by the early 1900’s was the biggest tournament in the world. Wimbledon is famous for being the only major grass tournament and very traditionally players must wear all white. Since 2009, there had been a retractable roof over Center Court guaranteeing play every day no matter the weather. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Championships were cancelled, the first cancellation of the tournament since World War II. In 2021 the Wimbledon tradition will once again resume from June 28 - July 11.
The strawberry and cream
Wimbledon Tradition
H
istorians point to Thomas Wolsey as the first person to bring Strawberries and Cream to the banquet table in 1509. Thomas would also quite often serve this dish alongside his tennis court to spectators. While it’s a little bit of a mystery as to how exactly this treasured combination got to Wimbledon, we do know that in Victorian England strawberries signalled the beginning of all things summer. A treat for the elite, of course, and something that became a common afternoon tea ritual, it can be assumed that by 1877 the Wimbledon elite were used to having their Strawberries and Cream, and took their delicacy to the courts! During the fortnight at Wimbledon nearly 33,000 kilos of strawberries are served along with 10,000 litres of cream
Grapevine July 2021 I 25
LIFE
PODCAST
F lick
NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT THIS by Benjamin Fitton and Rosanna Fitton
F lip If you love true crime, then this podcast is for you. How well do you really know your friends, neighbours, doctors and colleagues? We see them everyday and trust them implicitly. They Walk Among Us is an award winning weekly true crime podcast covering a broad range of cases from the sinister to the surreal. This podcast launched in 2016 has completed 5 seasons with over 200 episodes. Each half hour episode is delivered as a monologue and all the cases are closed - solved crimes. There are tales of dead caravanners, jealous hairdressers, and murdered honeymooners. This is a great podcast to listen to on a long haul flight, while going for a walk, or drive. Download and dip in!
26 I Grapevine July 2021
LIFE
F lick
BOOKS
CHINA ROOM by Sunjeev Sahota
From the Booker Prize finalist, a captivating novel about two unforgettable characters seeking to free themselves-one from the expectations placed on women in early twentiethcentury Punjab, and the other from the weight of life in the contemporary Indian diaspora. Mehar, a young bride in rural 1929 Punjab, is trying to discover the identity of her new husband. She and her sisters-in-law, married to three brothers in a single ceremony, spend their days hard at work in the family's 'china room', sequestered from contact with the men. Woven within Mehar’s affecting narrative is the less-developed story of her great-grandson, an unnamed man who narrates in 2019, recalling the summer of 1999, when he was 18 and left England for Punjab to battle his heroin addiction. Though the various parts are uneven, it’s well worth the time.
THE PLANTATION by Di Morrissey
When Australian Julie Reagan discovers a book written about wild Malaysia in the 1970s, she decides to find out more about the author - her great aunt. Why did her grandmother refuse to speak about her sister who disappeared from the family, 60 years before? What caused such a severe rift? Julie is invited to stay with her cousins who run the plantation founded by her great grandfather in Malaya a hundred years ago,
F lip and she decides to visit in the hope of finding clues to this family mystery. What Julie finds sends her spiralling through generations of loves, deaths, tragedy and the challenges of the present until she discovers her grandmother's shocking secret.
THE EVENING AND THE MORNING by Ken Follett
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author, a thrilling and addictive new novel (a prequel to The Pillars of the Earth) set in England at the dawn of a new era: The Middle Ages It is 997 CE, the end of the Dark Ages. England is facing attacks from the Welsh in the west and the Vikings in the east. Those in power bend justice according to their will, regardless of ordinary people and often in conflict with the king. Without a clear rule of law, chaos reigns. In these turbulent times, three characters find their lives intertwined. A young boatbuilder's life is turned upside down when the only home he's ever known is raided by Vikings, forcing him and his family to move and start their lives anew in a small hamlet where he does not fit in. . . . A Norman noblewoman marries for love, following her husband across the sea to a new land, but the customs of her husband's homeland are shockingly different, and as she begins to realize that everyone around her is engaged in a constant, brutal battle for power, it becomes clear that a single misstep could be catastrophic. . . . A monk dreams of transforming his humble abbey into a center of learning that will be admired throughout Europe. And each in turn comes into a dangerous conflict with a clever and ruthless bishop who will do anything to increase his wealth and power. Grapevine July 2021 I 27
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MOVIE REVIEW - THE DRY Directed by Robert Connolly
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The film was a huge hit in Australia earlier this year. It follows a federal agent, Aaron Falk (Eric Bana), as he returns after many years to his drought-stricken rural hometown of Kiewarra to look into a ghastly murder-suicide: Apparently, Aaron’s closest friend from childhood, Luke (Martin Dingle-Wall), has shot and killed his wife and son before taking his own life. Nobody quite knows why, and even though there are some telling inconsistencies in the evidence, the struggling town is more than ready to accept the matter as settled. Aaron’s poking around, in other words, is not particularly welcome — especially given that many in town still believe he was somehow involved in the death of one of his and Luke’s closest friends, Ellie (BeBe Bettencourt), who drowned under suspicious circumstances 20 years ago in the river where, as kids, they spent much of their time. As Aaron investigates the more recent killing, flashbacks slowly reveal what happened between him, Luke, Ellie, and another close friend, Gretchen (played as an adult by the wonderful Genevieve O’Reilly). If Luke was indeed responsible for these killings in the present day, could he also have been responsible for Ellie’s mysterious death — and, if so, does that mean Aaron might have unwittingly enabled his friend in the murder? It’s a tangle of suspicion, shame, and buried memory, and the land becomes something of a metaphor for the corrosive power of evil as Aaron wanders around this shrivelled, devastated community. The drought has turned vast stretches of the area into dry scrub. Anything green appears to have vanished from the earth, and the streets go empty come nightfall. He visits the forest and river where they played as kids and where Ellie died. Now, it’s just dry wasteland, all cracks and dust. An atmosphere of barren dread permeates the film, enhanced immeasurably by Peter Raeburn’s elegantly moody score. Few performers over the years have been as good at quietly conveying thought as Bana: He has some of the most expressive eyes in the business. While some actors make us wonder what’s going on inside their heads, Bana has an uncanny ability to let us know exactly what’s going on inside his head without uttering a word — thereby pulling us into his characters’ inner conflicts. On the surface, he plays Aaron as a calm, methodical professional, always assessing the situation and the evidence at hand. But there’s a vindictive gleam in his eye as well, and for all his by-the-books approach to the case, there’s a streak of self-destructiveness to this haunted man’s quest for the truth. He may seem sturdy and reliable, but Aaron is a chaos agent at heart — both investigator and avenging angel. As The Dry proceeds, we learn more about the circumstances around, and the consequences of, Ellie’s death, and we see how the town turned on Aaron and his father. Betrayal and rage, it seems, have festered within him for years, and now he projects the suspicion back onto the town itself. To Aaron, everyone here seems like a potential killer, even those closest to him; a rekindled romance with Gretchen is consumed by both his guilt and his suspicion. (It helps, of course, that the script by Connolly and Harry Cripps, adapting Jane Harper’s novel, expertly deploys several compelling red herrings over the course of the investigation.) 28 I Grapevine July 2021
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The UK Property Market Values Are Still Rising. The momentum experienced in the prime regional markets of the UK during 2020 hasn't slowed, in fact during the first quarter of 2021 property values have increased by an average of 2.2%. Looking back, reported statistics show this to be the highest quarterly increase since March 2010, and by no small margin, in fact, by 5.1% annually. As such this is the highest since September 2014 before the stamp duty overhaul.
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he main reason for price movement is simple, the supply of homes for sale has not kept pace with the level of demand. Instructions to sell have been 5% lower than sales agreed since the start of the year. It is this continuing imbalance which is likely to drive price growth over the next few months. Completed transaction numbers hit a post global financial crisis (2007-2009) record with over 180,000 transactions completed in March, according to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). The market is booming with the current annual price growth in the UK housing market now at 7.1%. Having predicted the coming boom in UK property, The RIO Club launched its third version of RIO Property Group in January 2020. The upsurge seen last year has definitely benefitted all those invested with gains to date at 11.10%. Importantly the return generated has exceeded that of the UK property index over the same period (7.28%). The strong numbers have been bolstered by sales and the jockeying to complete before the end of the
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) holiday. As a result, I would be surprised if the transaction numbers are not lower for April and May. This is simply because so many sales were squeezed through. That said, there has been increased activity following the extension of the SDLT holiday, this should be reflected by another rise in June. Sales agreed in April were 55% above the 2017-19 average. Looking forward, COVID-19 has led to a change in the UK market; the main driver in this market being lifestyle, as the search for more space continues to be seen in new sales. I predict that this trend will continue throughout the rest of this year. The prolonged negative effects of lockdowns have driven many to upsize and relocate closer to family.
Why buy a house as an investment? This is often not the best way to benefit from a property price boom; it takes time to locate and find a property which has the required potential to net strong growth. Then there's the all-important timing to take into consideration, both when making the purchase and the sale of the property, each as crucial Grapevine July 2021 I 29
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as the other. Finally, there are the legal costs levied when you purchase and sell the property. However, the main element required to maximize your potential success is experience. With grouped property investments, such as RIO's, you benefit from the fact that the portfolio owns parcels of properties which are bolstered by development projects; this significantly reduces the risk involved. Another positive is that this has also proven to maximize the potential gain. In short, for those interested in gaining access to the upside in the UK property sector while seeking to minimize risk, then property funds or collective schemes are often an ideal way to gain exposure. Looking forward, with government spending at an all-time high, there is the very real possibility of future tax rises next year or in 2023. As always, this will dictate price movements, which in turn impacts the spending power of those looking to buy in the prime markets. 30 I Grapevine July 2021
the main driver in this market being lifestyle, as the search for more space continues to be seen in new sales. I predict that this trend will continue throughout the rest of this year.
William Gray has twenty-five years’ experience in the UK property sector. During the past two decades he has successfully managed two fixed term property investments, each producing net returns over 60% over the 5-year fixed period. The very nature of the property market being cyclical is the main reason why each issue was specifically fixed 5-year term
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Social Welfare
SUPPORTING OUR CHARITIES THROUGH COVID-19 Eighteen months ago I am pretty sure that most of us had never heard of a disease called Covid-19 and ‘global pandemics’ and ‘quarantines’ only took place in films. Sadly, these things are now very much a reality in all of our lives, wherever we are in the world. And, unfortunately, another very tough reality of this pandemic is that it is the poorest in our communities who have been affected the most. Despite the fact that we have not been able to visit many of our projects over the last year, the BWA Social Welfare team have done their best to stay in contact with our yayasans and to help as much as we can - here is an update on how they have all been fairing over the last year.
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isma Cheshire is a residential centre for disabled adults, where the residents are taught woodworking and sewing skills to enable them to earn an independent living, once they leave the centre. They produce beautiful products which many of us will know from BWA bazaars in the past. Since the pandemic began, this income stream has completely dried up for Wisma Cheshire - they have adapted by selling their products on the Tokopedia website but this only brings in a fraction of what they used to earn at ‘real’ bazaars. Of course, costs have been cut as much as possible but this is not an easy time for them. If you can, please support them by buying their products. www.tokopedia.com/redfeathershop Amal Mulia and Kasih Mandiri Bersinar are both children’s homes that BWA has supported for many years. Life during the pandemic has been very quiet for these children - no school but just some online learning all done from home and no trips outside to break up the monotony. Wherever we are in the world, everyone has experienced issues with their 32 I Grapevine July 2021
internet over the past year - when you live with about fifty other children and you are all trying to connect to Wifi at the same time, this can be frustrating to say the least!! Clearly costs have risen for these orphanages - increased use of drinking water and gas for cooking and, of course, much higher internet costs each month. The Social Welfare team have helped by donating books, games and other craft activities to keep the children occupied. We hope that they will be able to return to school soon. YMCKK (Yayasan Mari Cintai Kanak-Kanak) this charity pays for the medical treatment of children from poor families, particularly those suffering from
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cancer and premature babies in a local neonatal unit.No visits to the hospitals have been made recently by our members but we have paid for PPE to protect the health workers and we have bought new blankets for babies in the neonatal unit, as due to Covid, nothing from outside could be brought into the hospital. As always, we are so grateful for the wonderful care these children receive from the medical staff and especially so at this time, where staff have risked their own safety to care for others. The Goodwill Student Sponsorship Program is another charity that BWA continues to support. During this academic year we have sponsored four final year university students from families with very limited incomes and they are all close to completing their degrees. Of course, their studies have all been online this year but the Goodwill program has done its best to continue to offer leadership courses to all of the students and we wish them good luck as they move forward and search for employment. The final two yayasans which BWA currently supports are both community based projects, namely Kampung Kids in South Jakarta and Ceria in Puncak, outside Jakarta. They are the hub of their communities and offer vital support, especially during these very challenging Covid times : both provide learning support to local school students and in addition to that, Kampung Kids offers a feeding program for both the elderly and young students. At the start of the pandemic, Covid did spread within the Kampung Kids community and tragically, two residents died. As the months have gone by, health protocols have been adopted and the Kampung residents are managing to stay Covid free - but life is hard. Many ‘daily wage workers’ have lost their jobs or seen their incomes greatly reduced and we have heard the story of one bright senior school graduate who was only able to find a job pumping petrol. In Puncak, an area where the incomes of many depend on tourism from
Jakarta, there are no jobs to be found. The BWA’s donation of hundreds of Sembako food packets to both of these organisations has, indeed , been very gratefully received. As for the children, they have been trying to cope with remote learning for more than a year. Most people do not have internet connections in their homes and so have to use their limited 3G allowances in order to receive school work via WhatsApp. For those families who do not own smartphones, they have to pick up the schoolwork from school and try to get their children to complete it. Bear in mind that many parents, especially in Puncak, are illiterate farmers and labourers - so the importance of the learning centres at Ceria and Kampung Kids, where the students can receive help and support and use the internet to aid their studies, is even greater. These 7 yayasans clearly make such a great difference to many lives - helping the sick, the young and the old. Throughout the pandemic, BWA has continued to provide each organisation with regular financial support to help them with their work - we are very proud of this and thank everyone who has supported our fundraising in the past. However, for more than 12 months now, it has been impossible to hold large fund-raising events and so our Social Welfare team has tried to adapt to this ‘new normal’ by fund raising in other ways. We continue to gratefully receive any donations of clothes, books and white elephant items - over the past year we have sold these online and have raised a massive Rp 88 million! We sincerely hope that towards the end of this year and into 2022 we will be able to hold some larger fund raising events - we desperately want to be able to continue supporting all of our yayasans - their need is greater than ever. When we can, we hope that you will be able to help us to help them!
Sarah Campbell BWA social Welfare coordinator
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