Taking A Break! I’m Off To The Isles!

By the time you read this, I will be on my travels, a long overdue trip to have a look at some of Indonesia’s islands which I have never seen before.

There are thousands!

I’ve prepared a few blog-posts to keep readers busy, but I will miss out on incoming news like the UK elections, so please be patient!

 

 

Vesak! Happy Holiday, Buddhists – A Day Off Tomorrow!

Back home again, a brief outing and now awaiting a visitor, and I must apologise to my Buddhist readers for this belated recognition of their ‘holiday,’ for which, quite shockingly, we get no holiday at all, since it falls on a Sunday!

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My views are those of somebody quite personally disinterested, since my Monday, Tuesday etc, mornings are, as a rule, just as work-free as today.

But Indonesia gives its Muslim majority and it second-largest minority, the Christians, appropriate days off for their religious festivals, Idul Fitri and Christmas, regardless of the calendar dates, and all Indonesians of all creeds appreciate the time off.

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So surely Buddhists and Hindus deserve to have the same privilege accorded to their big days?

It used to be that way, if my memory serves me well, but somewhere during President SBY’s time, methinks, that pluralist approach fell by the way.

Meanwhile, spare a thought for all those who have to work on every holiday, not just cops and other emergency services, but thousands of pretty things toiling in the shopping malls.

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Here in Jakarta, those lovelies employed by many of the supermarkets and department stores work long hours and sometimes get precious little appreciation for their efforts.