NOVEMBER 2019
Grapevine / November 2019
From the Chairwoman
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Farewells Farewell to Rachel Malik
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Sponsor News British School Jakarta Takes Kindergaten to A New Level
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BWA Sponsors La Posta Interview With Kat 30 Years of Eastern Promise
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Spotlight Spotlight on Cath Jenkins
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BWA Social Welfare Rachel House
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Member Travel Report Our Papua Travel Adventure
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BWA Pink Golf Charity Pink Golf Peace, Love and Putting for Breast Cancer Awareness Charity Pink Golf Thank You Sponsors
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Member Events Wellness Retreat Quiz Night
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Travel Feature Discovering Sumbawa
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Social Diary Great British Coffee Mornings BWA Goes to Roemah Djawa Queens Birthday Party Meet Pak Lukman, the Dotting Expert!
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Grapevine / November 2019 1
COLLIERS
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BWA COMMITTEE 2019 - 2020 Honorary President Cath Jenkins Chairwoman Shona Papachristidis-Bove Vice Chairwoman Sarah Watson Treasurer Jill Curtis Membership Jill Curtis Social Welfare Diana Grieger Louise Curtis Sarah Campbell Secretary Gina Pitcaithly House Helen Watkins Comms Noreen Hussain Rika Oshiro Grapevine Shona Papachristidis-Bove Events Tracy Soper Andrea Angell Newcomers Sarah Campbell Clare Reynolds Bazaar Leah Sudarto General Members VACANT 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 accept no responsibility for the Ad and Contents thereof. No part of this publication printed without prior permission of BWA.
Postal address: P.O. Box 7923 JKSM Jakarta 12079 email: bwa@bwajakarta.org www.bwajakarta.org
From the Chairwoman
As we move into the last few months of 2019 - how quickly time flies! - we reflect on what has been a huge year for BWA. GBCMs in September and October were the usual hive of activity and chatter, with members, speakers and vendors all enjoying the mornings. We held our first Quiz Night in our new house, which was a resounding success, also our first Wellness morning, again extremely popular with so many ladies snapping up the limited places. Several new members have joined BWA over the last few months which is fantastic - from the day a newcomer first comes to a dropin coffee to then volunteering to help with social welfare projects, events and committee work, that’s lovely to see. Our aim is to give all members a warm welcome whenever they walk through our door or join an event, and we are always a place where you can find support whilst living here in Jakarta. Our Pink Golf event in support of Breast Cancer Awareness was so much fun, and at the time of writing promises to be the most successful yet! See the photos and report in this issue. Looking forward, we have our BWA Christmas Ladies Lunch soon, on November 26th. Sign up for a table with your friends; our venue this year is the Mandarin Oriental, which promises to be wonderful. As always, we will have a fundraising raffle for some great prizes, so all in all a great day out! Swiftly followed by our Christmas Bazaar on November 29th, which is always a highlight of the festive season. The grandKemang Hotel will be buzzing, so be there early! Merry Mingle on December 10th will be our last event before BWA house closes for a couple of weeks, then when we return in early January our Charity Ball “Arabian Night” will be the next thing to look forward to on February 1st - 2020 will be BWA’s 50th Anniversary year so come along and celebrate this achievement with us - tickets on sale now at tickets@bwajakarta.org Have a wonderful festive season, and hope to see you all in 2020!
Shona
- chairwoman@bwajakarta.org
Cover Cake at Queens Birthday Party held in Shangri-La Hotel June 2019. Photo by Sarah Campbell
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Farewells
Farewell to Rachel Malik
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adies dressed in a glamorous sea of red, blue and white quietly arrived at Viveka’s apartment one Monday morning, with a dish to share and memories in hand. Viveka had arranged a surprise farewell coffee morning for our outgoing British Ambassador’s spouse, Rachel. A memories book was in the study for everyone to add photos and messages for her what a lovely keepsake of her time in Jakarta. A surprise arrival was the Ambassador himself, HE Moazzam - he had managed to keep this a secret and made sure Rachel’s diary was free of any other commitments for that morning! As BWA’s Honorary President, Rachel has been a huge part of BWA life in her time in Jakarta, with a real dedication to our social welfare programs. We will all miss her hugely and wish her and her family all the very best in their future assignments.
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Sponsor News
British School Jakarta Takes Kindergarten to A New Level The British School Jakarta (BSJ) has long enjoyed a reputation as a marvelous launchpad for children wishing to go to top universities around the world. But recently they decided to up the stakes at the entry level for the youngest children, upgrading facilities (which were already good) and changing back to being called ‘kindergarten’—a better understood term. NOW! Jakarta went to visit and met one of the inspirational main drivers of the new facility, and three parents who are more than happy with the results.
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Sponsor News
Mr. Adhika Maxi and Mrs. Karen Carlotta. Maxi and Karen are celebrities in the culinary world, having founded the very successful Union Group. They have three sons at BSJ. What made you choose BSJ for your children’s education? Karen: I think we must choose the best education for our kids. Maxi was the one who proposed for us to visit BSJ, so we checked it out and we were amazed: the facilities, the parents and teachers working well together and witnessing the teachers’ passion with the kids. We have seen that sending our kids to BSJ Kindergarten has been a great way to get them to want to learn. I believe that the Kindergarten stage is the most crucial one, three and four years old, I think it shapes who they are, and it is really, really important to make our children self confident—I believe BSJ can help us achieve that. What are your kids enjoying the most about their experience here at BSJ? Maxi: Here in Kindergarten, our boys really enjoy Splash and Play on Wednesday afternoons, I believe they look forward to playing with the water. Our boys always come home and tell us about lots of things they did at school, such as “I did this at school and it was very good fun” or “My teacher gave me a sticker for joining in” and it really encourages our boys to take more risks with their learning and to see learning as fun. They also love the new playground, the bike tracks and the meals! And the good thing is, we know the menu of the meals everyday so we can check it out, it is good to know that our boys are eating well.
Laura Crossland Asst. Head for Student Well-being What attracted you to come to BSJ? Is there something special about the school? I was attracted to join BSJ for two main reasons: Firstly BSJ has an excellent reputation across the globe for being a world class international School and I was aware of this as soon as I moved into the international sector. Secondly, previous BSJ employees shared their love of the school, telling me that BSJ offers a truly child-centred focus. These factors both inspired me to join the BSJ team. Upon arriving, a wonderful community atmosphere is instantly recognisable, with outstanding facilities, combined with staff that are passionate and dedicated whilst also being forwardthinking and ambitious. The school offers children an outstanding education and I am proud to be part of this organization. What are you trying to achieve in your role? Kindergarten is the foundation of future learning, this is where we begin to inspire our creative thinkers to have a natural curiosity of the world around them. It is where children start to develop their social skills, independence and resilience in preparation for their educational journey. Kindergarten is the key to acquiring the necessary skills to enable children to have a seamless transition into the Primary sector. It is my role to collaborate, communicate and facilitate coherent relationships between students, parents and kindergarten staff, ensuring high quality education.
Mrs. Tania Bridges Tania has a young boy in Kindergarten and another who will join soon. What made you choose BSJ? There are so many kindergartens and primary schools in Jakarta, so why BSJ? Tania: What we were looking for in a kindergarten was a school that, not only was fantastic in terms of its academics, but also a school that really wanted to nurture our child’s social and emotional development. One that would really help our child to find confidence, to make friends, and to deal with emotional regulation. What do you think about the curriculum and the facilities? Are they to your satisfaction? Tania: We were very impressed with the facilities here at BSJ. When we first arrived to look at the school, we were pleased by the space itself, for the kids to have so much space to roam around in, to play and to run and for the kindergarten ages it is hugely important. And then the range of different types of play that are available here: not just in terms of the toys, but also in terms of sensory play, gross motor skills, and I do not know how many schools have, for example, a water play area. So the children are really able to follow their own interests and just see where their creativity and imagination takes them.
British School Jakarta Bintaro Jaya Sektor 9 Jalan Raya Jombang - Ciledug, Pondok Aren Tangerang 15427, Jakarta T: +62 21 745 1670 IG: @britishschooljkt | FB: @BritishSchoolJakarta | www.bsj.sch.id
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BWA Sponsors
La Posta Interview
With Kat
When did you and Pancho move to Jakarta, and from where? Pancho and I met in Valencia, and we opened a restaurant together there, but due to the recession, earning a decent living became more and more challenging and so we were looking for a change. My father has lived in Indonesia for the past 25 years and him and his wife suggested we come to Asia. We looked at a few locations, including Bali
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BWA Sponsors
and Malaysia, but in the end we decided on Jakarta, because we felt we wanted to build relationships with our customers on a longer term basis, instead of relying solely on holiday trade. How did you choose the name “La Posta” for your restaurant? I believe many of your staff now speak Spanish too?! "La Posta" in Argentina was traditionally the place where the Argentine "Gaucho" (horseman) would stop when he was on a long journey. Kind of like a half-way house, it was a place to water his horse and get something to eat and drink. We see La Posta like that for both ourselves and our guests. Many of the people who come here are also in Jakarta temporarily, and so we felt like the name suited as we are a kind of stopping point on part of people’s journey, whether it’s their daily activities or their bigger life journey. By teaching staff about Argentine culture and language we help them to be more involved in the food they are serving and where it comes from. They are able to have basic conversation with Spanish speakers which guests really value, and of course we are always working on their English. For us it is one of the most important aspects of service, that the guest can be understood clearly. Your social media posts are so enticing! Do you have a favourite dish? Some of the most typical dishes on the menu include our Argentine oven-baked pasties "empanadas", some more unique appetisers like the sweetcorn parcel "humita en chala" and ham and potato omelette "gramajo" and of course meat cuts like the salted beef ribs "costillas a la sal" or sirloin strip "churraso saltena." Although I love a great steak, I actually really love a lot of our vegetarian dishes, we do some great salads, vegetable appetisers and homemade pastas. La Posta is really about traditional North Argentine food and wine, in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. We wanted to create the kind of restaurant we would love to go to on our day off! Tell me a little about life outside La Posta, what do you and Pancho do to relax? We decided to close the restaurant on Sundays so Pancho and I could have a bit of time off with out worrying about work. It has been great for us to have one day to ourselves, and apart from a good lie in then we sometimes go for a massage and go out for something to eat. Its not easy pleasing a chef when we go out to eat, which is one of the reasons we try really hard to ensure there is consistent quality in our own restaurant, because we know how hard it is to find elsewhere.
La Posta is open Monday - Saturday for lunch and dinner (Sunday closed) We also have a fabulous lunch package Monday - Friday for 95k++ You can see more by following our Instagram page @laposta.id or Facebook page La Posta - Taste Of Argentina www.laposta.id Questions or bookings? Contact Kat : 081285872935 (WA or call)
Kat, on behalf of BWA, I’d like to thank you and Pancho for your sponsorship over the last few years. In particular, your generosity in fully sponsoring our members Welcome Back Lunch today is most appreciated, helping us to continue the support of our social welfare programs during the year.
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TravelSpotlight Feature
Spotlight on Cath Jenkins
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he British Women’s Association would like to extend a warm welcome to Cath, a newcomer to Jakarta, who happens to be married to Owen Jenkins, Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Indonesia and East Timor.
environment is: FRIENDLINESS! She already loves the people and the culture of hospitality and kind heartedness that is demonstrated day in and day out by so many.
Cath is no stranger to the expat lifestyle as at the tender age of a few months, her family moved from the UK to Lagos, Nigeria. This set in motion her life’s adventures and travels throughout the globe. Upon graduation from the University of Hull with a degree in German and Business Studies, Cath embarked on her lengthy career with the Foreign Service in London. It was there, at a party, that she met Owen but they soon were separated as she headed to Israel while he was assigned to Turkey. After three years apart, they reunited in the UK where they were married. Soon after Adam, age 18,
was born, they moved to Buenos Aires, where Lottie, age 15, arrived. Their next assignment took them to Brussels where Philip, age 12, joined the family. New Delhi was next on the agenda (but with no more children added!) and then finally, a return assignment to the UK. Cath’s work experience with the Foreign Service has been varied and interesting including assignments with the Maritime, Intelligence Policy and Investigations, Environmental issues, Training programs, etc. etc. She speaks Spanish and German, is “quasi fluent” in Hebrew and has now embarked on tackling Indonesian Bahasa. Quite an accomplished woman! Arriving in Jakarta in the summertime, Cath’s first impression of Jakarta was the sweltering heat, the noise and the traffic. However, it was an easy transition, after living in similar conditions in India. Cath says that the first adjective that comes to mind when describing her new home
Cath is an outdoor enthusiast who can often be found walking and swimming. She is an avid traveler and the family has already taken advantage of visiting Australia and Flores. They look forward to discovering many of the treasures and gorgeous locales that Indonesia has to offer. Cath also has an artistic bent – she loves to bake and create mosaics….perhaps dot painting is in her future? While this is a time of transition for Cath and her family with Adam and Charlotte remaining in the UK, along with their two beloved pet cats, they plan to take full advantage of their time in SE Asia. Cath is an extremely positive, upbeat individual who makes the most of all situations. When asked about what it is like to be the spouse of an Ambassador, she said that the lack of privacy and expectations of others can be a challenge, but that the opportunity to meet interesting and accomplished people from all around the globe outweighs any negatives. She perhaps best summed up her outlook on perceptions of others by saying, “Do not be put off by what we are …….it is not WHO we are!” We are thrilled to welcome you, Cath, and look forward to getting to know you!
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Social Welfare
Rachel House
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ounded in 2006, Rachel House provides specialised medical care (palliative care) to children from marginalised communities living with serious and terminal illnesses such as cancer and HIV. Driven by the belief that no child should ever have to live or die in pain, Rachel House's team of highly-skilled nurses provide this essential care to children in the homes across Jakarta and surrounding areas, free of charge. Rachel House also educates and equips medical professionals and local communities with palliative care skills and knowledge. The BWA has been a partner and supporter of Rachel House for many years now. Little Lala* was being lovingly attended to by her grandmother “Popo”, when the team from Rachel House – nurse Fibrya and community health worker Risma – recently called to their home to check up on this sweet little girl. Lala is a lovely 13-year-old girl, who has been living with a serious illness from the day she was born. Since then her mother and her Popo have filled their modest home with love, affection and tenderness for Lala, devoting themselves to her care. Tragedy struck in 2010, however, when Lala’s mother passed away. With Lala’s father not in the picture beyond paying for the roof over Lala’s head, it fell to Popo to nurse and care for Lala. Nine years later, Popo continues to provide this care, love and support to Lala every minute of every day. 12 Grapevine / November 2019
Social Travel Welfare Feature
Lala was referred to Rachel House in 2018, when as a result of her illness she developed encephalopathy (brain damage). This encephalopathy makes it almost impossible for Lala to move her body by herself, or to make herself understood by anyone apart from Popo who, after a lifetime of caring for her, understands her soft sighs and slight indications. During the visit, Fibrya and Risma begin by having a conversation with Popo, checking in on Lala’s condition since their last visit, and on any issues that may have been raised via text messages and calls. Popo mentions that Lala has been in pain. Given her inability to communicate, assessing Lala’s pain can be a challenge. Nurse Fibrya conducts a gentle but thorough physical examination from head to toe, while constantly checking for even the smallest reaction – such as a slightly hand/ finger movement and facial expression – that would indicate pain or discomfort. While Fibrya examines Lala, Risma continues the conversation with Popo, discussing the more practical support that Lala and Popo may need. These can include a supply of milk and diapers, transportation assistance to specialist appointments (thanks to our generous donors), or simply offering a listening ear for Popo’s problems, and at times, connecting Popo with other service
providers. Risma, now known to Lala and trusted by Popo, sometimes steps in as a respite caregiver for Lala, allowing Popo to run errands or even just to enjoy some time on her own. Popo lamented that she often receives pitiful glances and comments from her neighbours, especially when she takes Lala out. Her reply that “Nothing is difficult and pitiful for me because we live together and I can shower Lala with unconditional love every day” reminds Fibrya and Risma the immense love that this grandmother has for Lala, and her incredible courage. After a visit which lasts almost two hours, the Rachel House team packed up to leave for another patient visit that day. Lala’s pain has been identified and medications administered. Popo is secured in the knowledge that the Rachel House team can be contacted at any time if the problem persists. . The team says goodbye to Lala, knowing that she is in the fierce and loving care of her strongest protector, her Popo, and that they will see her again very soon. *Names changed to protect the privacy of patients and their families. *Photos by Maggy Horh
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3 DAY ADVENTURE – Tanjung Puting - Kalimantan
DO N
S
IE
ASITA S
C
ASS O
OF THE IN
AN SI E
ORANGUTAN
ION AT CI
R
U
Indonesia Eco-tour & Adventure Specialist
TO
REMOTE DESTINATIONS
EN & T R AV E L A G
WEST PAPUA--BALIEM VALLEY STONE AGE CULTURE ADVENTURE
DEC 20 - 27, 2019
LED By LEKS
Stone Age Culture of the Dani, Lani and Yali--Unique and Interesting Customs; Best Trekking in Indonesia through Traditional Villages in the Jayawijaya Mountain Range.
For Futher Information Please Email: redestin@indosat.net.id
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Member Travel Report
Our Papua Adventure
6 Days Baliem Valley Trekking We arrived at Sentani airport in Jayapura with Garuda Air, then took a short flight to Wamena with Trigana Air, then transferred for an overnight stay in a local hotel. We stayed at Baliem Palamo Hotel which is the best available, but don’t get your hopes up, it is very basic. However, it served its purpose and at least we had a bed before we started the trek.
by Clare Reynolds
stalls selling potatoes and locally grown tobacco. Bed for the night was in a traditional village hut with an outdoor squat toilet which would become the norm for the rest of the trip, but it was all good fun!
Day 1. Off We Go We were picked up and took a short drive to Sogokmo in a very rustic dilapidated van. We understood why on the journey, when crossing a very uneven, narrow, rocky road, then a very nerve-racking bridge. There was also some delay when bartering with a village chief that seemed to take forever, we just wanted to start the trek. For our trek we had arranged to have guides, porters and cooks. We carried our own bags, but to be honest they were fairly light as you don’t need much. Other treks can arrange for your bags to be carried as well.
Day 2 Before heading off for the day we visited a local village, including the local school. The school teacher walks 2 hours every day to help educate the children. This is amazing considering the teacher’s age and the terrain he has to walk through. We met with local villagers who were happy to see us, especially the children as we had brought pens and paper for them. While at the village, we met several women who were missing many of their fingers. It is a local tradition that when a male family member dies, a sign of respect is to cut off part or all of your fingers. We also saw many children laughing and playing whilst walking around with machetes bigger than themselves. These sights are quite strange to see at first, but it is village life as they know it.
The first day was approximately 5 hours of trekking. The paths were mostly paved with some rocky ups and downs and a waterfall crossing. The scenery was breathtaking as we travelled through many Dani Villages to reach our destination of Ugem for the night. We encountered many local Dani People working on their steep, sweet potato gardens and tasted freshly cooked amazingly flavoursome potatoes. Many of the locals along the way had small
Day 3 It was very steep and slippery today, but you could see wonderful lush greenery with spectacular blue skies. Along the trek we saw a local villager dressed traditionally, wearing nothing but a koteka. The koteka, horim or penis sheath is normally made out of dried gourd and held in place by a small piece of string placed around the scrotum with an additional loop around
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Member Travel Report
the abdomen. It looked very strange on first sighting, and I must admit painful, but he was smiling and it is a tradition that has been going on for many years. In order to get photos of this lovely, friendly man we had to pay a little money. We were happy to do this as it helps the people and we got some fantastic pictures of a wonderfully charismatic local man. It was worth every penny. All along the way, every day, we have been greeted by local villagers wanting to shake our hands and welcome us. It has been lovely. Today we were welcomed into the village by wonderful singing from the village children who were amazing and so happy to see us. We went into one of the villager’s huts whilst they were preparing dinner and tasted freshly picked vegetables and spice. Our bed, again was very basic, but it was lovely to be in the village and feel part of it.
Day 5 On this day we took a short drive to a working village and saw a traditional mock battle. It was good to see because it gave us a sense of how things really were. Although it was very commercial, it is still a village but they get paid to do it for the tourists. We had a lovely morning dancing and singing with the villagers. When we sat down to lunch, a villager tried my Ryvitas. He gave them a thumbs up and said “very tasty” which made me chuckle. What a fantastic experience we had, time to reflect on life and how lucky we are, and what is important in life. From this trip you certainly see that even when you don’t speak the same language a smile is a smile anywhere and it goes a long way.
Day 4 Today we headed back to our normality. The trek down was a different route to going up. Again it was steep in parts and quite slippery underfoot because there had been a big storm the previous night. The guide and porters were amazing, they knew the terrain well and helped in the scary parts.
One of my favourite memories from the trip is when the sole of my shoe fell off on day 1, as luck would have it, the school teacher had a huge needle and thick thread. He sat there for two hours sewing it back on, chatting and smiling all the time. That sole lasted the rest of the trip and I will always be grateful to him. Without him I am not sure the trip would have been possible because the only other shoes I had were flip flops, (lesson here is to always take a spare).
Once we had reached the finish our guide flagged down a local Jeep packed with men and machetes both inside and on the roof. I was convinced that since we had survived the trek we were now going to be kidnapped, but I do have an overactive imagination! We were fine, they were lovely and took us home safely to the hotel we had previously stayed for the night.
A truly memorable trip that we were lucky enough to do and meet so many wonderful people. In true Papuan words… Wa Wa Wa (Basically means welcome/hello/happy/etc) A truly wonderful experience I would recommend to anyone.
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lifestyleretreats
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BWA Sponsors
30 Years of Eastern Promise
E
astern Promise has been going strong for 30 years now. It was opened in 1989 by Carl Gilchrist in Kemang, South Jakarta. He was originally a Chef and good food and service was very important to him. He personally trained his chefs, and even now five of the kitchen staff trained by him are still working at EP, serving its famous Curries (Chicken Tikka Masala is their mouthwatering signature dish), Fish and Chips and many more Western and Indonesian dishes. Pak Heri, the current Chef, was part of the opening team and has worked at EP since. Their food is so popular, they also cater for many events for international schools, embassies and for our Quiz Night.
Queen and Abba, to Ed Sheeran and Coldplay. Friday is usually the day, where you can see "Centerstage", who also performed at our Ball this year and will be back in 2020.
As Carl returned to the UK in 2006 and sold Eastern Promise to the BuGils Group. Lens ter Wee became the new Manager. Fun Fact: he was once the singer in an Indonesian Band called "the Miskins" who were quite successful, even being played by MTV Asia with two of their songs. The bar expanded by using the back garden for live music events and opening a separate sports bar. This is where you can watch all the major sports events on a big screen with your friends - from Rugby and Football matches, to Tennis and Cricket. And if there's more than one important sports event? No worries, there are enough screens to show them all!
Also worth mentioning is their popular "Pressure Hour" each Friday from 5pm to 6pm: free flow of Bintang beer until someone leaves the bar or visits the toilet. So if you pay Eastern Promise a visit, try their frozen Margaritas, they are the best in town. They generously donate some for our Pink Golf Tournament too, to add an extra pinch of fun to the day. Or, maybe try one of the drinks invented by EP, a Lagerita (lager beer with frozen margarita) or a Brainwash, which doesn't need further explanation once you tried it.
Every Friday and Saturday there are fabulous bands rocking Eastern Promise with all the greatest hits from
Once a month they host their fun Pub Quiz, usually the last Tuesday.
Eastern Promise is one of the oldest Expat Bars in town and we are proud to have them as a supporter for the British Women's Association for many years. Cheers to our partnership! Grapevine / November 2019 19
BWA Pink Golf
CHARITY PINK GOLF
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BWA Pink Golf
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BWA Pink Golf
Peace, Love and Putting for Breast Cancer Awareness
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reast cancer....every woman’s nightmare. Some of us are lucky enough to have easy and affordable access to breast healthcare but there are many who neither have the access, education or can afford this particular side of our personal care. LOVE PINK are a charity dedicated to raising awareness, education and providing breast health care to those in need in Indonesia. An extremely worthy cause which BWA have dedicated their Pink Golf fundraising efforts to support for several years now. To this end BWA held their annual Pink Golf Charity Event on the 30th of October at Matoa Nasional Golf and Country club who, as always, pulled out all the stops for this popular event. The theme this year was Woodstock as that event shares its 50th anniversary with BWA. Our team of coordinators did a fantastic job of presenting this cool theme, from the advertising posters to the decorating of the Matoa function suite waiting for the golfers to return from the course for lunch. We had 15 teams entered in the competition this year and, as they began to arrive in their creative and innovative golf attire the fun started! The 60’s peace, love and grooviness vibe was very obvious with flower power magic in abundance, Twiggy inspired dresses (Par-Tee Girls were Best Dressed Team winners), brightly coloured Hawaiian shirts, far-out brilliant skorts, fringed boots and even a pink tartan kilt or two! The dressing up didn’t stop just with the players...the carts got a makeover too! Two very happy carts could be seen from afar as they had been adorned with smiley faces (Orang Nadeshiko were Best Dressed Cart winners), bra and bikini-clad carts really made a statement and one team of beach-ready men had surfboard adorned carts to move about the course. The course had a couple of little challenges too, you could pay Tommy the golf pro (from Leadbetter Golf Academy) to take your shot for you at the 12th tee or challenge him to get on the green with a putter (!), frisbees were an integral part of the 8th hole whilst
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potting your ball with a snooker cue made the 13th tee a little tricky! A hot, hot day for all but the valiant BWA volunteers on the drinks stations and mobile drinks carts kept all hydrated and happy with breakfast, mid morning and lunchtime cocktails and of course beer....lots of beer! Responsible as ever all players were provided with lots of water too. Many thanks to RS Premier Bintaro for providing an ambulance and staff to stand by throughout the day. Back to the clubhouse for a splendid meal provided by Matoa and a special treat of freshly made shawarma made by our sponsor Warung Turki, both of which were eagerly wolfed down by our hungry competitors and washed down by freshly made frozen margaritas, provided by our good friends and sponsors Eastern Promise. All replete, our chairwoman Shona opened the proceedings by thanking all our generous sponsors, organisers, helpers and competitors for making our Pink Golf such a successful event. Our wonderful golf coordinators Sarah and Ruth then moved on to the serious job of naming the winning teams. Flowers Plus One were the overall winners with the LABs as runners up, with the aptly named Boobiliscious Birdies scoring the booby prize! There were also prizes for gents and ladies longest drives which were won by Fred PapachristidisBove, Corrie Lawton and Kezia Winters respectively, and nearest the pin achieved by Craig Lamb. All winners were loudly applauded and heckled in equal measure as teams jokingly bantered and friends new and old laughed together telling their stories from the day creating a wonderfully happy noisy, groovy vibe. More prizes including hotel and villa stays, spa days, jewellery, restaurant vouchers and lamps were then happily collected by the lucky winners. Many, many heartfelt thanks from BWA to all involved in making this day such a successful one and thereby helping LOVE PINK make a difference.
BWA Pink Golf
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MesaStila (formerly known as Losari Coffee Plantation Resort & Spa) is a luxury 5 star resort & spa that incorporates an unparalleled collection of remarkable antiques and enchanting buildings; including Central Java icons such as Colonial railway station and historic Joglo-villas. The property has twenty-three unique villas set within an area of twenty-two hectares of outstanding natural beauty; surrounded by cooling highland-air, eight mountains, tropical garden and lush vegetation. Built within a charming coffee plantation, MesaStila offers distinctly Javanese experiences both cultural and fitness activities. The true magnificence of MesaStila is in its spectacular setting and its Hammam Turkish Spa. At MesaStila, the focus is on luxury yet keeping the traditional, local and wholesome experiences intact, which accentuate the magnificence of the environment, the people, the culture and facilitate a healthy lifestyle-full of wonderful experience. Losari, Grabag, Po Box 108 Magelang 56100 Central Java - INDONESIA P. +62 298 596 333 | F. +62 298 592 696 | E. intouch@stila.mesahotelsandresorts.com www.mesahotelsandresorts.com/mesastila | /MesaStila @MesaStila MesaStila
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An Insider’s Guide to Life in the Capital
EVENTS • DINING • SHOPPING • LIFESTYLE OPINION • BUSINESS • TRAVEL AND MORE
www.nowjakarta.co.id @now_jakarta
/nowjakarta Grapevine / November 2019 25
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Member Travel Feature Events
Wellness Retreat C
alm prevailed at our BWA house one morning in October when our Events team put together a Wellness Retreat.
With all our comfy sofas out of the way there was ample room for twenty women to roll out their yoga mats in order to be quietly guided through an hours basic yoga. Our teacher Eresa, here for 30 years but originally from Hong Kong , has been teaching yoga for many years and handled the large group effortlessly whilst making sure we were each holding our positions correctly. The hour flew by and we ended our lesson with Eresa by doing ten minutes of meditation.....I think I may have heard a few gentle snores....zzzzz To wake us all up a light and healthy lunch was served alongside jugs of lemon iced tea before we moved onto part two of our morning. A representative from Young Living gave us a very interesting talk on the virtues and wide reaching uses of essential oils. We were given tips on which oils to aid sleep, relaxation, relief from muscle and joint pain, colds and nausea. Linking in to using essential oils as a way of life, we discussed the qualities of different oils for uses such as cleaning, shampoos, body wash. The whole topic brought about much discussion over concerns of the environment and our daily chemical intake from products we use. All essential oils and oil based products can be purchased from Young Living. Our thanks to Eresa, Young Living and our events team Tracy and Andrea for bringing us all together for such an informative, relaxing yet energising morning.
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Travel Feature
Discovering Sumbawa
To the east of Bali and Lombok, you will find Sumbawa Island. It is one of Indonesia’s lesser-known islands and one of its best-kept secrets.
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visit to Sumbawa reveals hidden coves and beautiful deserted beaches. Mount Tambora offers trekking and you will find many traditional villages perched high in the mountains where people live close to the land. Many of the hilltop villages provide perfect vantage points for soaking in the dramatic sunsets, the stunning coastline and spectacular vistas with endless tracks of jagged peninsulas and sweeping white sand beaches, as well as imposing volcanic mountains. Culture Sumbawa is like two islands, divided by geography and language: Sumbawa in the West (Samawa ethnic group) and Bima (Mbojo ethnic group) to the East. The island has historical links with the Makassarese people of South Sulawesi and the Chinese who traded in these waters for hundreds of years. Mount Tambora, North Sumbawa Around 85 per cent of Sumbawa's terrain is mountainous. Farmers have long enjoyed the benefits of the fertile volcanic soil, enriched by the dramatic eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815.
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The Guinness Book of World Records describes this event as "the biggest volcanic eruption in modern history". The top third of the mountain was blown off entirely, reducing the height of the mountain from 4,200 metres to 2,800 meters. Over 150 cubic kilometres of rock and ash was showered across the valley and the sound of the blast reached as far as Jakarta. Tambora is in two regencies; Bima and Dompu. There is an airport at Bima, the access point if you want to explore Mount Tambora. You can arrange for a car to meet you on arrival at the airport and take you to Pancasila village or Calabai village in the Dompu Regency. You then stay overnight and begin your trek to Mount Tambora the next day taking one of three routes. It is necessary to plan all aspects of the trek in advance. Jelenga Beach (Scar Reef) West Sumbawa Surfers from all around the world come to Jelenga Beach in West Sumbawa to surf the famous Scar Reef, located about 1.5 hours from PotoTano. If you love beaches, put this on your list. I stayed at a lovely eco-resort, Scar Reef Resort, right on the beach. I loved the gorgeous tropical garden which spilled to the edge of the serene white sand beach. It did not take me long to find the hammock,
Travel Feature I stopped at Rantung Beach Hotel, which had 12 guest rooms with ensuites. The beachfront cafe served delicious Indonesian and Western cuisine. With a fresh juice or icy cold beer in hand, this is the perfect place to watch the sunset. You can arrange guided spearfishing and snorkelling here. It’s possible to throw your catch of the day on the barbeque, settle back and watch the stars gradually appear. Room rates here start at only US$25 a night. Moyo Island Moyo Island is located in the north of Sumbawa. The takes approximately 40 minutes by speedboat or 1.5 hours by wooden boat to get there. You can also fly there from Bali. The island is very mountainous and mostly covered by protected forests. The dense forest is home to a plethora of wildlife including deer, wild boar, wild cattle, monkeys, and various types of birds. The island claims to have some of the most beautiful waterfalls in Indonesia. It’s exclusive Moyo Island Hotel became famous after Prince Charles and Princess Diana spent their honeymoon there.
which was strung across a shaded beach bale and I settled in for a few days relaxing and swimming and taking long walks. The resort had a permaculture garden and the food was farm-fresh and delicious. There was not another soul on the beach when I arrived, and this did not change for three days.
Insider I met a local, Pak Hadi Zamzuri Al Mahsyat, from Taliwang in West Sumbawa, who enthusiastically offered some tips on his town. "This is a great place to try some Sumbawa food. My pick is Extra Excellent Resto (Ex-Ex), an excellent restaurant for lunch or dinner," he said, "Another favourite is Rumah Kebun Restaurant, and if you like sweets and snacks, call in to Amat Loka or Culinary of Kampung Arab Kenangan in the afternoon for a traditional snack called Palopo".
West Sumbawa's Beaches Sekongkang Beach, another well-known surf spot, is nearby, Yoyo surf break attracts surfers from Australia to Hawaii. These beaches are located on the south-western part of West Sumbawa Regency and located 1.5 hours from the main town, Taliwang.
Travel in Indonesia offers many unique experiences, so I highly recommend you try somewhere different next time you travel. Why don't you consider Sumbawa? Travel with a local English-speaking guide and driver to ease the way, and have some flexibility in your schedule and the magic will unravel.
For non-surfers, be sure to check out Maluk, a lovely beach located one-hour from Taliwang. It has the purest white sand and calm waters. Do not be surprised if you are the only one there. It is definitely worth exploring the West Sumbawa coastline for a couple of days. Most of the accommodation is on the beach and you tend to find family-run smaller low-key resort-style places and lowimpact tourism – just the way it should be. Let's hope it remains this way.
Story by Stephanie Brookes Photos by David Metcalf Stephanie Brookes is a travel writer and blogger with tales from Indonesia and beyond. IG: @stephtravelwriter FB: @stephtravelwriter www.travelwriter.ws Author - “Indonesia’s Hidden Heritage; Cultural Journeys of Discovery” David Metcalf is a photographer and runs cultural photography tours in Kalimantan, Bali, Lakota Tribal Lands - USA, Toraja and Japan. IG: davidmetcalfphotography FB: davidmetcalfphotography YT: DayakDave www.davidmetcalfphotography.com
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Social Diary
Great British Coffee Mornings
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n the first Tuesday of the month, BWA invite one of sometimes two guest speakers to come and talk to our members on topics of interest.
In September, we welcomed Tanamera coffee who came and gave us a presentation on coffee, and also sponsored a lovely coffee each for our members. In addition we were able to buy some to take home and enjoy. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month globally, and we were delighted to welcome LovePink Indonesia, the yayasan which BWA supports through our Pink Golf event. They gave us an update on their activities and explained how they are making a difference to breast care and screening in Indonesia. We also enjoyed a delicious Jamu drink, courtesy of our Jamu friend Nova-Dewi, who also explained how the healthy drink is made. Ricardo from Luxofoods also spoke to the members and explained the offer they were making to support Pink month via a member only code - discount and benefit to LovePink! At every Great British Coffee Morning we always have vendors who bring lovely things to browse and buy while enjoying our selection of specially catered snacks - come along and enjoy a lovely morning with your friends. Follow our social media to see who our guest speakers are each month!
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Member Events
Quiz Night
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fter a short absence from our BWA Events calendar, the Great British Pub Quiz returned with a vengeance!!!
A team of hard working volunteers and our trusty staff turned the BWA house into a welcoming pub style venue complete with a bar. Our two Events ladies Tracy and Andrea put together a great general knowledge quiz, they compered the evening and Andrea very ably kept the raucous crowd under control, that is until the very last question.......Find the Item!!!! The lengths people went to to retrieve all the items......pandemonium ensued!!!! What a scream! The evening wasn’t all about the quiz though....we were extremely well fed with that British classic, freshly cooked fish ‘n’ chips. One of our very generous sponsors, Eastern Promise, provided this homely delight. EP also provided a fantastic bar and a great range of drinks for our guests to purchase. BWA would like to give a big thank you to Eastern Promise and their staff who looked after us so well and congratulations to our Events team Tracy and Andrea for a well organised and fun evening.
Social Diary
BWA Goes to Roemah Djawa
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n September, BWA ladies enjoyed a private tour of Linda and Leks’ beautiful home, Roemah Djawa. Over many years, they have collected such a fabulous and unrivalled collection of art and artefacts from all over Indonesia. Leks was so enthusiastic, sharing so much history with us as we toured the house, thank you both for this wonderful morning. Leks and Linda also run a travel company, Remote Destinations, where they offer special and unique trips for travellers. Contact us at BWA if you are interested in further information.
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Social Diary
Queens Birthday Party
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n June 19th, 2019, members of the BWA committee were cordially invited to the Queens Birthday Party held at the Shangri-La Hotel in downtown Jakarta.
All stops were pulled out for everything British! The ballroom looked wonderful with iconic scenes from home, red telephone boxes, the Abbey Road sign and even a fabulous cake in the shape of Big Ben! Whilst it was a celebration of all things British there were many Indonesian touches to showcase the good relationship between the two countries. We were treated to a most sumptuous buffet which included those great British classics, bangers and mash, shepherds pie, chicken tikka masala, scones and trifle..... all washed down with British wines and cold Guinness. His Excellency Moazzam Malik, our outgoing British Ambassador gave an engaging speech, waxing lyrical about his time in Indonesia enjoyed by all his family especially Rachel, his wife, who was a great supporter of BWA and many local charities. All in all, those of us who were able to attend passed a very pleasant evening. Our thanks to the British Embassy and staff of the Shangri-La Hotel. by Helen Watkins Grapevine / November 2019 33
Social Diary
Meet Pak Lukman, the Dotting Expert!
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very Friday, BWA House turns into a dotting zone. With our amazing teacher Pak Lukman, the dotters work on their beautiful art projects.
Let us tell you a bit more about this interesting man. Pak Lukman comes from a modest family of eleven children; he was in the middle as number five. He could not finish his education, as he felt he had to support his family. He did so, earning money by selling snacks which his mother prepared. At the age of fourteen, he started selling different household items, door to door. When he reached the age of twenty, he had the idea of selling dot art and experimented with making his own paint to use in syringes for paintings and other dotted products. He felt like this would allow him a more steady flow and more even dots, but the paint had to be just right. Not too liquid and not too thick to allow the perfect dots. As his family is very artisanal, he was still busy selling items which they made, including furniture and other paintings. But then he discovered a market which was very interested in his artwork – the expat community. After all his pieces make excellent gift for loved ones back home! In 2008 he finally started teaching dot painting, and over time more and more groups wanted to book him to learn from his expertise. Pak Lukman has already taught at BSJ, at a university, at several Embassies and of cours e he is teaching our BWA dotters every Friday. Sometimes there is a bit of chatter, but usually it is quiet and everyone is almost in a state of meditation34 Grapevine / November 2019
like concentration. Most of the ladies which try dotting once keep coming back for more. The artwork produced in these sessions is truly beautiful and unique - from abstract paintings to dotted landscapes, from intricate jewellery boxes to beautiful coloured bowls. Our dotters have the most amazing ideas and with the guidance of Pak Lukman they all turn into stunning pieces of art. You should give it a try too if you haven’t yet. And if you would like to buy a masterpiece from Pak Lukman himself, you can always find him at our bazaars – or on Fridays at BWA house.
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