Indonesia comes to Harrods

Waiters wearing blangkon (traditional Javanese head-dress) and batik sashes, diners enjoying soto Madura to the unique sound of a Sasando stringed instrument, and girls modeling ikat dresses on a catwalk.

All this sounds familiar. Except the above didn't take place in Jakarta, or even Kupang, but in London, the UK. The event was a gala dinner on April 29 marking the end of the one-month "Remarkable Indonesia" extravaganza at the iconic Harrods department store, as part of the Indonesian government's Visit Indonesia Year promotional activities.

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Anak Alam brings joy to children of Blandingan

 
It was arguably the most touching birthday party Kadek Purnami had ever had.

She struggled to fight her tears back as she looked at a group of around 50 children sitting before her. The children were dressed in worn-out clothes and most of them apparently hadn’t taken a bath for quite some time. Water is a precious commodity in that village and taking a bath regularly is a luxury most of the villagers cannot afford.

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500 years on: Rebirth of a ritual

 Stairway to heaven : Hindu followers carry two holy-cow-shaped coffins believed to be vehicles to nirvana for the Palebon cremation ritual in Mt. Lawu area, Central Java.

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Bali: A Cowboy’s Paradise

You may think you already know everything there is to know about the so-called cowboys of Kuta Beach in Bali. But Singaporean filmmaker Amit Virmani’s controversial documentary, “Cowboys in Paradise,” will make you think again. The film offers a peek into the minds of the cowboys, from lessons in how to woo women and a rather naive outlook on sexually transmitted diseases, to unusual sex tips, like tying horse hair to the tip of your penis for enhanced pleasure.

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Rock for Bali's Shore

Over his two-week Easter break from school, 15-year-old Gary Bencheghib was hard at work. Set on a mission to save Bali’s beaches, he believes the only way to do this is to get more people involved, locals and tourists alike.

“Balinese young people seem to be very influenced by famous Indonesian rock bands,” Bencheghib said. “So I decided to organize a ‘green’ concert. I hope to touch a large number of people and make them individually more concerned about maintaining Bali’s pristine beaches.”

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Nusakambangan Island Up Close

Easy access: A motorcyclist drives onto a ferry from Nusakambangan. The ferry line, owned by the penitentiary, serves prison officials, wardens and their families. JP/Agus Maryono
What do Bali bombers Amrozi, Mukhlas, Imam Samudra, former president’s son Tommy Soeharto and timber tycoon Bob Hasan have in common?

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