"She's got no chance...."

 Sjahirir, political analyst

"She didn't deliver...."

Jeffrey Winters, Indonesian expert

Both commenting on Mega's presidential debate. More...
 

Ex-generals cross swords live on TV

Audience was kept in rapt attention as the retired generals crossed swords on topics such as corruption, economic priorities and the death penalty for drug addicts and human rights violators. The debate marked the end of a month-long presidential campaign. (Straits Times)
 

Indonesia demands access to terror suspect Hambali

Indonesia wants to interrogate top regional terror suspect Hambali and told the US Secretary of State today that its appeal for access to the suspect - who is in American custody - is more urgent following the recent arrests of six militants here. (The Hindu)

Death Penalty for Illegal Loggers

Illegal loggers will face the death penalty under a new law being drafted by the government, "The Ministry of Forestry is preparing the law and we want to implement it as soon as possible." (Laksamana)

Canada removes Indonesian travel warning

Six arrested after huge drugs seizure

Detectives seized more than 10 kilograms of 'shabu-shabu' or crystal methamphetamine, and 10,000 ecstacy pills. The drugs have a street value of about $US430,000. (ABC)

FROM THE EDITOR:

Have you ever heard about Pantai Hawaii on Bali? I once met this Balinese girl who told me there is a secret not many people know about. She told me about a white sandy beach called Pantai Hawaii. Pantai Hawaii is an isolated beach, below cliffs and miles away from the nearest village. Single Balinese have been going there for centuries to find a partner and to have sex on the spot. Apparently, everybody on that beach walks around naked and people are having sex everywhere! Amazing story and I never really thought it was true until this old Balinese dukun in Denpasar also told me about it. So on my last trip to Bali earlier this year I decided to do a little research on this remarkable story. Myth or reality?
 
Together with a few friends, regulars from BuGils, I asked around in Kuta. Nobody had ever heard of Pantai Hawaii and my friends were now absolutely sure it was a myth. But, as always, if you ask long enough you can find someone who says he heard about it. So I happily embraced this taxi driver who said he knew where it was. My friends were still skeptical but after driving for an hour they became more nervous. We drove through this enormous area where Tommy Soeharto illegally forced the farmers off the land so he could built a massive housing project. The roads where built but the project was halted some years ago. Now a group of farmers were collecting tolls from the few tourists who passed the area while handing out pamphlets with the reasons for their eviction. “Is this the road to Pantai Hawaii?" I asked them. "Yes, yes!" they shouted and excited as I was. I gave them some extra rupiah.

We arrived at a group of illegal small bars and surfer hangouts well-hidden under the cliffs. It was called Pantai Paradise. Except from some stoned Aussie surfers there were no signs of the activity we had hoped for. And, of course, the taxi took off and left us stranded there. I was absolutely sure that some part of the myth was true as two different people – both full-blooded Balinese – told me about it. While having a beer at Pantai Paradise I asked the bartender if he had ever heard about the beach where everybody has having sex. Motionless he looked at me for a few seconds, and before I realized what an absurd question it really was, he quickly put down the beer and shook his head. He then pointed at an old man who was sitting under a nearby palm tree smoking a cigarette. "That is a wise man...he should know..."

With new hope I walked up to the man and calmly asked him if he had ever heard of Pantai Hawaii. The man was dressed in a sarong and had this dukun-like expression on his face. His eyes stared in the distance over the sea. "Is it a white sand beach?" He asked. "Yes, yes!" I responded enthusiastically. I was sure we were getting closer now. The old man raised himself up slowly and walked slowly towards the beach. With his bare feet in the water he looked along the shorelines, left and right. He then came back to me and turned around to stare over the see again. He was thinking to himself: "Pantai Hawaii…Pantai Hawaii…mmmhh…" His words of wisdom gave me a cold shower of reality. He said in a very serious and conclusive tone: "Maybe you should go and try to find it on Pulau Hawaii. I think you have more chance finding a Pantai Hawaii on Pulau Hawaii...!" He slowly positioned himself back under the tree. My friends were rolling over the beach with laughter. It was indeed a clever man there on Pantai Paradise…

--Bartele

On the picture below the BuGils Staff while on outing to Bali last year.

The keen eye of Lens Terwee spotted this BuGils Calendar on the roadside of  Jl.Legian.
A Free pitcher for Lens.

ELSEWHERE IN ASIA:

Cat owners feed their felines with herbal Jamu

Some cat owners in Singapore are opting to feed their felines with jamu, a traditional herbal medicine usually taken by Indonesian women. "It  actually helps the cat to shed less fur and also, the vitamins inside  help him to be slightly stronger," (Yahoo)

ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD:   Hospital Sued Over Man's Genitals

Two Denver hospital workers took a photograph of a man's genitals while he lay unconscious in an emergency room after being mugged. "Somebody gets the bright idea to take a photo and leave it on the camera, They left the picture to humiliate him." (Yahoo)

The bitter truth of Indonesia's sugar smuggling
Indonesia, no longer able to satisfy its sweet tooth, has turned to importing sugar but that's no solution. Growing price gaps encourage widespread smuggling, and the recent discovery of a mere 65,000 tons of contraband sugar could have grave implications for the domestic industry. (Asia Times)

Trimegah Securities To Sell IDR300B 5-Yr Bonds (Yahoo)

Shares Down Early; Proft Taking, Weak Asian Markets (Van Zorge)

Italian Gets Life for Cocaine Smuggling
An Italian citizen has been sentenced to life imprisonment and fined Rp200 million ($21,500) for smuggling 4.3 kilograms of cocaine into Bali. Reports said he had been caught with 5.26 kilograms of cocaine, but the judge explained that was the net weight of the drugs when still wrapped in their packages. (Laksamana)

Alleged Deserter, Wife Plan to Reunite

An alleged U.S. Army deserter living in North Korea has agreed to travel to Indonesia to be reunited with his Japanese wife, who was among the abductees released by the communist nation nearly two years ago. (Yahoo)

Safe-sex program introduced to military
Acknowledging that soldiers are vulnerable to Sexually Transmitted Diseases during missions across the country, Ministry of Defense has initiated a program to prevent the spread of HIV and other STDs among military personnel. (Van Zorge)

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ADVENTURE INDONESIA proud to be The Leading Local Adventure Tour Operator, with zero accident reputation, to all parts of Indonesia archipelago.

ADVENTURE INDONESIA operating CULTURAL, WILDLIFE, ADVENTURE tours packages and OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES for : Family Holidays, Honeymooners, Individual and Corporate, such as : Orangutan and Komodo Dragon Tours, Toraja Highland Tour, Baliem Valley Irian Jaya, Borobudur, Cross Borneo, Mahakam River Cruise, Ujungkulon and Cracatoa Volcano Camp, Mountain & Jungle Trek, Company Outing, Corporate Outbound Training.

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FOR SALE - DELIVERY WITHIN INDONESIA ONLY

Hoegaarden White is the authentic Belgian wheat beer, top fermented and then refermented in the bottle. Hoegaarden White has a distinctive hazy yellow colour, and an alcohol content of 5% vol. This is a sweet/sour beer with a little bitterness - slightly spicy, with a strong touch of coriander and a hint of orange. Decidedly interesting and very refreshing, Hoegaarden White should be served cold at 3° C.     Price per 24 bottles: Rp.375.000,-

Also available: Stella Artois, Leffe Blond, Leffe Radieuse

For orders or more info, send an email to bartele@bugils.com  For orders outside DKI, a surcharge of Rp.50.000/case will be applied. SO far we have customers in Yogyakarta, Lampung, Balikpapan, Bali and Surabaya.

FOR RENT:   COOL MIST BLOWER - ideal for garden parties, BBQ's, Sport events etc. Rp. 350.000 / evening - Email bartele@bugils.com or call Bart 0811169234
 

Roberts Furniture at Jalan Wijaya Kusuma No. D.4, Jakarta 12430. Tel. 021-7512223. A great selection of both original and reproduction furniture at the best prices.

PREVIOUS EDITIONS:

Parties Offer Free Circumcisions Ahead of Vote
http://www.bartele.com/newsletters/Jun30nl2004.htm

Anti-trafficking drive targets men using brothels
http://www.bartele.com/newsletters/Jun28nl2004.htm

BuGils Cook Shows Value as Shaman
http://www.bartele.com/newsletters/Jun25nl2004.htm

Jakarta Bar Lets Customers Choose its Staff
http://www.bartele.com/newsletters/Jun21nl2004.htm

Expat Manager Battles Complaining Customers
http://www.bartele.com/newsletters/Jun18nl2004.htm

The Origin of Bule Gila or BuGil
http://www.bartele.com/newsletters/Jun16nl2004.htm

Expat Considers Using Rain Doctors Risky
http://www.bartele.com/newsletters/Jun14nl2004.htm

Indonesia's shameful export
http://www.bartele.com/newsletters/Jun09nl2004.htm

Bar Manager in Ambassador Role for one Night
http://www.bartele.com/newsletters/Jun07nl2004.htm

Rupiah falls sharply vs dollar, breaks 9,500 level
http://www.bartele.com/newsletters/Jun02nl2004.htm

Does Jakarta Need More Shopping Malls?
http://www.bartele.com/newsletters/May25nl2004.htm

SILADEN RESORT & SPA

www.siladen.com
Tlp/fax: 0431 856820
ADVENTURE INDONESIA - Jakarta Office:
Wisma 31, Jalan Kemang Raya No.31
advindo@cbn.net.id
Tlp/fax: 62-21-7182250, 7182256 /Fax.7180438