Towards lunchtime I went to Plaza Indonesia, where I had sushi as my new years dish. Afterwards I wanted to go to Starbucks. The internet at Starbucks seemed not optimal, so I could not post all the pictures on Facebook – which was my intention with going there.
So I went down and shopped food e.g. and wandered around a bit.
But soon after I went back to Casaluna, where I uploaded some pictures the rest of the day and relax.
Saturday the 2nd of January was Maj-Britt's birthday.
However, I started the day by being picked up by Henry. I had packed two big bags the night before with things that I would like to send home from the post office on Saturday. Henry and I went to the post office and he helped me to send things. It turned out however that I had more experience in sending stuff than he.
But we experienced corruption. The costumer asked Henry to give him money. He had tried with me once but figured that it didn’t work. But now where I brought an Indonesian, it did work.
Sometimes I think that the reason why this country is so corrupt is simply because people do not say no. Actually most people don’t want to give governmentally employed people any money. But when they ask for the money they do not say no. They just give it to them.
After the post office we drove around, talking until we found a street where there was supposed to be a Rawon restaurant – but this restaurant had closed down. So instead we had Chinese food.
We went on to a street where Henry had heard that you could buy the typical Indonesian cookie boxes, Kaleng Krupuk, that you see at every small food stall. I bought nine small ones, three big ones and one in between – a mixture of all colours!
Henry drove me back home. And at 17.00 I met up with Maj-Britt to go to Plaza Indonesia and celebrate her birthday.
We went to a massage/fish spa place in Grand Indonesia, where we got a hand/feet/shoulders massage. Afterwards we had sushi at Sushi Tei – it took one hour before we could get a table, it took maybe half an hour to eat, and it definitely took more than one hour to get the bill...
Our desert was yoghurt ice at a great ice cream shop, where you can mix your own yoghurt ice and put on it your own choice of toppings. Afterwards they weigh the ice cream and you pay per 10 g.
We went to the movies and watched “Sherlock Holmes” (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0988045/). It was actually a really good movie – and not at all as expected.
Hereafter home to bed again.
Sunday I went to Starbucks. And I was sitting there for quite some hours – uploading pictures on Facebook e.g., eating at Ranch Market and the like. Around 16.30 Johanna came and we went to ITC – shopping, trying on my Batik dress and back to Starbucks to have a last drink. And that was all I did that day. The evening was again just watching movies back at home and uploading more pictures on Facebook.
Monday was my first day at work after my holiday. After work I went to ITC again. I had to pick up my Batik dress this time and it fitted well! After work home, uploading pictures again again and relaxing.
Tuesday Maj-Britt came with me to ITC after work. This time I had to pick up some necklaces. I also had a frozen yoghurt at a newly opened shop in Mall Ambassador. Besides the good frozen yoghurt in Grand Indonesia, this is the best and cheapest one I have had so far.
Yesterday (which was also the amazing day with Matador Mix at the embassy) we went to Grand Indonesia / Plaza Indonesia after being at the embassy. We were supposed to meet with Johanna and Tanja here around 18.00. But since we had enough time before, we walked a bit around. Maj-Britt got herself a coffee at Starbucks and I decided to try a coffee at Kopi Luwak.
When do you pay 82.500Rp. for a cup of coffee? And where do you have five girls standing around your cup, sharing the work with making a perfect cup of coffee? Where does your small package of coffee come in a nice little bag with a small brochure about the coffee? And where do they ask you to smell the aroma, before they make the coffee?
The answer is Kopi Luwak:
("THE MOST EXPENSIVE COFFEE IN THE WORLD"
"The Luwak (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) denizen of the coffee (kopi) plantations of Java, Sumatra and Sulawesi, eats only the ripest coffee cherries.
Unable to digest the coffee beans, the Luwak graciously deposits them on the jungle floor where they are eagerly collected by the locals.
The stomach acids and enzymatic action involved in this unique fermentation process produces the beans for the world's rarest coffee beverage."
http://www.kopiluwak.org/)
It was definitely an experience. And the coffee was ok... A bit warm, tasting like coffee and like a lot of places in Indonesia, they didn’t filter the coffee away – it was in the bottom of the cup. But now at least I have tried it!
We walked further around and looked at shops until Tanja called us that she had already arrived, so we went back to our classic meeting point, Starbucks.
Also Johanna arrived soon after. Together we went to Johanna’s favourite Thai restaurant, eat and went to the cinema to watch “Whip It” (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1172233/). Also a really good movie and I’m looking forward to see my skates again, when I get back home.
Today I’m back at the embassy. And there are no other plans than this.
But tomorrow I will be going to K.L.! And I’m quite excited about that!
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