Kerokan - Indonesian Coin Massage

This is a picture of my friend, Sarah.  She looks like a freak, no?   Her pembantu (maid) gave her a coin massage or kerokan massage (or gua sha is the Chinese equivalent) to help alleviate pain from bronchitis.  We all think she looks like she was run over by a gang of Indonesian motor scooters.

According to Shari: COIN MASSAGE

If you happen to see an Indonesian, whose skin is marked with multiple red welts, your immediate reaction might be that they have been whipped. This is not the case. The person has asked someone to repeatedly drag a coin across their skin to alleviate a cold, flu or “masuk angin” (bad wind), which can manifest in a variety of different symptoms such as weakness, tiredness, or stiff or aching muscles, generally attributed to poor circulation. People living in small villages still commonly practice this technique, called kerokan, which is actually painless if done correctly.The technique can be used on the back, neck, shoulders, buttocks and stomach.               

Um, so according to her Facebook status, it hurt. "Indonesian coin massage by my maid to help my bronchitis!!! Think I'll stick to the antibiotics now thanks! Friggen hurt!!"  Perhaps her pembantu didn't know what she was doing!!! I plan on visiting Sarah on tomorrow.  I think I shall bring her a bottle of tequila and some oxycontin.  And I think I'll tell my pembantu to stick to cleaning toilets.  

Sunday Fun, Balikpapan Style

I've been meaning to return to Blue Sky Dim Sum, and I was finally able to organize a group to go yesterday.  A lot of hubbies were away, so it turned into a girls event.... which meant we ate, talked, talked, ate, then retired poolside for wine.  :)

I had to make it a proper brunch as my freaking awesome neighbor had a "tea" party at 2 pm.  (Tea party = plates and plates (and plates) of finger foods + copious amounts of champagne and cocktails + a decorative teapot and tea cups.  (I did, for the record, see one guy pour himself some hot tea!).  Anyway, I knew I had to finish up brunch and get back at a reasonable hour, especially because I was tasked with making nori rolls (because I seemed to be the only person around with an unopened tube of wasabi - you buy when you find stuff) and deviled eggs (because I'm American and apparently Americans can make this!).  (Yes, she knows I don't know how to cook, but boiling water is excluded from my definition of cooking, so these both qualify as something I can technically make in the kitchen.)

Anyway, since Dame wasn't going to the brunch, he offered to make the food.  I told him how to finish off the eggs and, well, he rolls better sushi than me, so all would be good. Then I get a text right as I was drinking wine, that the first couple nori rolls were dry and bad.  (Um, here's the part where I say that I had wasabi, rice vinegar, seaweed, sashimi soy sauce, raw and smoked salmon, and even caviar... so what's missing??? ah, sushi rice.  uh-oh.  I only had a choice to use regular rice and season it up and hope for the best.....)

Photo credit: Anday Yani

Needless to say his next text says "unservable. need sushi rice." Then "NOW!"  Um, um, um, it's about 12:00... two hours to party.  Quick...think on my feet!!!  Ha... ha... at Blue Sky Hotel where sushi is served.....  I go to the main restaurant and they send me to go upstairs to the Japanese restaurant.  YEAH! They sell me semi warm, already seasoned sushi rice!!!  They only would give me 7 serves (enough for about 15 rolls) as they special order in their rice.  Note to self: if ever find sushi rice in stores, BUY IT.  Grrr Balikpapan shopping.... can't find stuff when you need it!

Photo credit: Anday Yani

The day was saved. Came home and had an hour.  I did the eggs, Dame rolled and rolled and rolled.  Everything was awesome. Even Momma T was asking who made the yummy eggs and the nori rolls were gone pretty much as quickly as they were put out.  Yeah!! No one knew of the near debacle!

Photo credit: Anday Yani

The party was awesome.... champagne a'flowing, then some wine, then mojitos.  And food, food, and more food. All the children attacked the chocolate and ran off to the pool.  There was lots of chatting, laughing, and dancing.... GREAT FUN!!!

And it's all been forever captured by the best photographer in Balikpapan - Anday Yani!!  Oh my... some of those photos were absolutely shocking!!!  ROFL!  Everyone had a great time.  It was unanimously voted that Pon should have a tea party every Sunday!!

Where's the Ark?

Oh my goodness.  I thought Rainy Lae was rainy!  Yesterday was unbelievable!  It POURED from 4 am until about 11 am (then POURED DOWN again later in the evening).  I mean POURED.  As in.... The Lord said to Noah, There’s gonna be a floody, floody.  Lord said to Noah, There’s gonna be a floody, floody....   Seriously, I started looking out my window for the ark....

The driver couldn't come in the morning because of the rain and flooding.  He finally made it and was able to pick up Sophia, but it was sketchy!!  Many roads were flooded, including the one at the airport. It did subside enough for me to pick up Damian at 3, but what a mess.

Schools were still in session, at least those of who could make it!  This video was made by a teacher at the Chevron School Pasir Ridge (way other side of town, which apparently had less flooding).  Very creative! Love his blog!



Unfortunately, the back side of Pupuk (where we live) got hit really bad.  Rumor has it a child was washed away, although the papers are only reporting four deaths related to a landslide in a different location.  The roads are still closed today as people have their household goods out in the sun to dry.  It's all very sad, although it could have been much worse.

I hunkered down during the downpour, but a few brave souls went out for photos...

Photo by Ardikoes

Photo by Ardikoes

*I want to give photo credits where they are due.  If you know who took the first three photos, please send me a message.  These images have been passed around Facebook and email over the past two days.

Kerfuffle at the Le Grandeur

"Allegedly" there was as small kerfuffle at the Le Grandeur last night.  Although the place was virtually empty, "allegedly" it was difficult to get service.  And, "allegedly" when someone came, she was completely incompetent. "Allegedly" it took a good ten minutes for one drink to arrive and "allegedly" she thought the customer should not have food as "allegedly" getting a menu and placing an order proved too much for a restaurant.  "Allegedly" the side of hot chips were served cold and the drinks that "allegedly" did arrive were watered/iced down.  "Allegedly" after a beer was empty, the "alleged" customer would have to wave hands in the air in hopes someone would come over. "Allegedly" the bill was wrong and "allegedly" the manager had to be called to fix it.  "Allegedly" their card system wasn't working after staff "allegedly" tried numerous times.  "Allegedly" the hotel accused customer of having insufficient funds.  "Allegedly" words were exchanged.  "Allegedly" the hotel wanted payment and called in security.  "Allegedly" customer was escorted to ATM by security in which the "alleged" customer used same ATM card to withdraw money.  "Allegedly" this customer will not return to the Le Grandeur.  "Allegedly" said customer is leaving Balikpapan very soon.  I think for the well being and sanity of this "alleged" customer, this is a good thing.  But "allegedly" the Le Grandeur sucks.  "Allegedly" it was a comical night with a good friend.  For once, "allegedly" Dr. Wendy was speechless!

Easy Comfort Food

Snack turned dinner... for the kitchen impaired...

Yesterday I made some chunky salsa with chopped tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and salt.  Later, I noticed one of my avocados was ripe, so added that with some lemon juice.  My snack was tasty.  (And looked really pretty in the mason jar in the fridge!)

leftover salsa

delish dinner

It was just me, myself, and I for dinner, so I kept it easy:  I cooked up some chopped chorizo; toasted some pine nuts and sesame seeds; and fluffed up a single serving of couscous.  I added the salsa on top and... DELISH!

And while I'm on the subject of delicious food... (and salsas....), I made a mango salsa this weekend to top fish tacos.  Oh my goodness, orgasmic.  Flaky fish, warm tortilla, mango salsa.  Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm.  That was the last of our fish, so time to get back out on the water again to restock the freezer! This girl needs more fish tacos!

fish tacos

Revenge, Sweet Revenge

I am out of the loop in terms of modern western culture - entertainment, news, the whole shebang.  In the expat world, you have to rely on social media to keep informed and, frankly, if it's important enough, someone will Facebook something.  (Apparently Grey's Anatomy is still going and there was a plot twist recently?!?!)

Anyway, I was having drinks the other night with some girls and they're going on about this tv show Revenge.  Hmmm... And how they got the DVDs and spent a couple of days glued to the couch watching the entire first season.  Hmmm... And how fabulous the show is... Double Hmmm.  I want. I need!!!

Yep, they were right.  FREAKING AWESOME!  I haven't been this addicted to a TV show since Six Feet Under.  Although it sucks to know there are cool shows to watch and we can't see them when they air, it is fun to watch them back to back.  It is like this delicious treat.  I do admit, there was a day that I did not get out of my pajamas until 4 pm and only paused the DVD for snack and loo break.  Sigh.  Tough life.  ;)

I REALLY want to keep watching.... but I can't.

ABC says:  You appear to be outside the United States or its territories. Due to international rights agreements, we only offer this video to viewers located within the United States and its territories.

Hulu says: Hulu is committed to making its content available worldwide. To do so, we must work through a number of legal and business issues, including obtaining international streaming rights. Know that we are working to make this happen and will continue to do so. Given the international background of the Hulu team, we have both a professional and personal interest in bringing Hulu to a global audience.

Grr.  I'm almost desperate enough to buy it from iTunes....  But, I think I'll wait until the illegal (I am in Indonesia so knock-offs are legit!) video store gets in Season 2 and then I can have another marathon pajama Revenge day!  Soooo good!  NO, DO NOT SPOIL IT FOR ME!!!

Sunday at Yuli's

One of my favorite places to hang out is Yuli's.  I'm easily there four times a week just to talk to locals and expats, have Coke or Gin (or two), to eat pizza or a burger, whatever... Doesn't matter.  It's just like my second home.

After spending the entire day inside yesterday, we finally managed to shower and get dressed and head up to Yuli's.  I spent nearly an hour chatting away to the waitresses in my broken Bahasa Indonesia while they practiced their English.  I laugh, they giggle.  (They're cute enough for giggle, I actually sound more like cackling than laughing, but I digress...).

I was told I was getting fat.  "But you're still slim Wendy, but you getting fat.  You eat only vegetables.  No chicken, no beef, no fish.  You eat vegetables only. So you no get more fat."

ROFL!  The thing about learning a language is that the words just come out with the best translations of words, not necessarily with subtlety or true meaning.  Yeah, so my "skinny" jeans don't exactly zip.  Whatever, it is what it is.  They're observant, I'll give them that.  I've put on a couple of kilos.  Such is life.  Pass me another plate of pork (they didn't say anything about not eating pork....) and I promise to do double time on the freaking treadmill tomorrow....

Yep, Bill had a BBQ going on with all sorts of food.  Why? Just because.  And it was good.  Pork.  Bring on the pork.

So after our lovely chit-chat about vegetables and questions regarding my grooming habits, I took my G&T over to look out on the water.  It was such a perfect day yesterday - the breeze was blowing with just the best temperature.  The kids were all out playing around on the beach, riding dune buggies up the coast.  Some of the "big boys" joined them to help build a bon fire as the sun went down.  (Although in the past, they've actually done this themselves quite successfully!)

I stayed way longer than I ever thought I would, but those always seem to be the best times.  Impromptu, casual, and fun.  I talked, I drank, I talked some more.  It ended up being a really good night.  Considering I woke up to an email about my grandmother passing (she lived a phenomenally great, long life), it was days like yesterday that makes me realize it's the simple things in life that are awesome.