Valentine's Day "Banned" Again in 2011...

The fact that the crotchety old white-robed backward looking Islamic scholars in various parts of Indonesia take the time to consider Valentine's Day each year is testament to the pervasive nature of the celebration. However, the vast majority of Indonesians have too little time to take stock of fatwas and other edicts issued banning Valentine's Day. The vast majority probably do not do anything out of the ordinary. It is just another day in a busy calendar.

It seems that Valentine's Day falls foul of the defenders of truth and the ways of the Prophet because it is a Western celebration of love. And, that is haram or forbidden in Islam. I wonder if it is dangerous because it is thought to be a western tradition and those western kafirs would do anything they could to undermine Indonesia or is it just that because it is about love it might promote promiscuity and, heaven forbid, free casual sex. I have been told there is no aphrodisiac quite like a bunch of flowers and a box of chocolates. But, that said, as Forrest used to say: "life is like a box of chocolates, you never quite no what you're gonna get".

Traditionally, the Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) have banned Valentine's Day on the basis that it is the same as proselytizing.

My guess is that most Indonesians will take no notice of the warnings and go about their daily lives as they would have if no fatwas were issued. I am also thinking that Cupid will not be deterred either come 14 February.

Ho hum...

Home Is Where The Heart Is...

They say that home is where the heart is. My home for many years has been Indonesia and I must say that I have enjoyed each and every minute. That said, it is also true that my heart is no longer in it for the long haul. In many ways it is hard to explain and any explanation would not do the complexity of the emotions justice.

This needs to be read in the context of being born and raised in Australia. Australia will always be home. I am sure that there would be the odd person jumping up and down questioning my Australian-ness or right to call Australia home. Therefore, it is in this context that I had made a life in Indonesia that until recently I had really been enjoying.

It is said that a change is as good as a holiday. So, it is a change that I am making. The Wife and Kid are along for the ride. I am not sure that there was much choice on that front.

I am looking forward to going "home" to Australia and wiping the slate clean and starting out afresh. Perhaps these changes will see me moving in a completely different direction that is not related to the practice of the law or writing about it in any other way than as random unanalytical blog entries.

Life is like a box of chocolates, just as Forrest Gump so eloquently said in the film, if you just dive in and go for it you are never quite sure what you are going to get. This has been my Indonesian experience. This chapter of my life will close tomorrow night around 9pm local Western Indonesian Time. But, I will have a lifetime of memories to cherish through the remaining chapters of my unfinished life.

To all those family and friends that I / we are leaving behind, you will not be forgotten.

Good luck and may all your own dreams and hopes come to fruition.

See ya later alligators...

Faecal Ice Cream

The Coogee Bay Hotel is just across the road from where I once managed a Dominos pizza shop. I know the street and the hotel well. However, it seems the hotel is in the shit for well, serving shit. I am not one to mince words so if you are offended by the more plain language term for faecal matter the my apologies to you.

It is not uncommon for people to say their food tastes like shit, but how many of you have ever really been served shit? It turns out that one such family claims they were. The story goes that they were enjoying a Grand Final day out in the now more family friendly Coogee Bay Hotel. It never used to be so family friendly, I guess time changes all things eventually.

Anyways, the family orders a bowl of ice cream and at the bottom of the bowl is what seems to be compacted chocolate. However, this was certain to be like no other chocolate this family had ever eaten.

The chocolate has been tested by the Federal Government's National Measurement Institute confirms that the matter "has an offensive odour and physical properties similar to human excreta ... and to contain fragments of a variety of plant matter typical of excreta".

Interestingly, the Hotel owner Chris Cheung and general manager Tony Williams have offered the family AUD 5000 without admitting liability, which is like saying that it probably is what you said but we will never admit it, the family has rejected the offer as it seems to think it is on a winner. There are claims that hte family is demanding a cool million or so.

The family has now retained the law firm Slater&Gordon which seems to suggest that this might get messier still.

There are pretty stiff penalties for knowingly breaching NSW food laws. These include prosecutions, fines, and jail time for individuals. Now that the allegations have been made and the compacted chocolate tested and found to be consistent with faecal matter, I am not sure that you can sweep this under the carpet so to speak even if the family and the hotel settle out of court.

It seems that the Primary Industries Minister, Ian Macdonald, is looking to get in on the action and has suggested that the family contact the NSW Food Authority so McDonald can start an investigation.