Chicken Bedja by ~toQDuj
From the AP:
Indonesian man dies of bird flu, official says
August 2, 2008
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) – An Indonesian factory worker died of bird flu, bringing the death toll in the country worst hit by the virus to 112, a top health official said Sunday.
The 19-year-old died last week in a hospital just west of the capital, Jakarta, Nyoman Kandun, the director general of communicable disease control at the Health Ministry, said by text message. He gave no additional information.
Indonesia has regularly recorded human deaths from bird flu since the virus began ravaging poultry stocks across Asia in 2003. Its toll of 112 accounts for nearly half the 240 recorded fatalities worldwide.
Bird flu remains hard for people to catch, but health experts worry that the virus could mutate into a form that passes easily between humans, possibly triggering a pandemic that could kill millions. So far most human cases have been linked to contact with infected birds.
Scientists have warned that Indonesia, which has millions of backyard chickens and poor medical facilities, is a potential hot spot for the start of a global pandemic. …> go to article
”112″ being reported, that is. I wonder what is REALLY going on? Probably something very scary related to something extremely incompetent related to something out the “black box” bureau of the CIA. Not that I am paranoid or something like that, mind you, but given the track record for things like this it usually ends up poorly and with high government officials getting promoted, surely a bad sign.
So…why not take the edge off and spend a week or two or three at the luxurious Hotel Mulia Senayan.
Fantastic idea.
Majestic feel: The hotel lobby is a sight to behold.
As reported in The Star online:
Jet, set, Jakarta
By Mark Lean
“Even in these trying times, luxury never goes out of style at Hotel Mulia Senayan.
Could I spend 48 hours in Jakarta without leaving the hotel?
That’s a tall order, but considering that the establishment in question was Hotel Mulia Senayan (HMS), which has hosted such illustrious individuals as Jackie Chan, Mariah Carey and Lee Kuan Yew, I’d say possibly…
This was my first trip to the Indonesian capital, and the flight had unfortunately been a bumpy one. My flying jitters were very quickly forgotten, though, the moment I walked into the hotel lobby.
The flower arrangements and the warm smiles of the staff immediately helped to put me at ease. And the first thing I did when I entered my room was to jump on the bed in true Discovery Travel and Living fashion. After all, if I was going to do a hotel review properly, I might as well give the bed a serious test.
It didn’t even creak. And the bed’s 1,000 thread-count silk blend fabric was very lulling to lie on.
I might have experienced a turbulent flight on the way to Jakarta, but it was all smooth sailing from this point on. My room was bathed in warm, lustrous sepia hues. Mood lighting and plush carpeting added the finishing touches to the five-star experience.
Even better was the yummy assortment of chocolates that came with the welcoming note.
Oh, there was even a “pillow menu” listing the different types of pillows available. But, I was quite happy with what was already on hand.
Breakfast bright and early
It must have been either the comfortable bed or the chocolates, but I overslept, and had barely enough time to make it for breakfast at The Café, the hotel’s recently refurbished 24-hour restaurant.
Racing down, I was greeted by staff who were both personable and eager to help. The night before, I’d requested an adapter for my computer, and, sure enough, an adapter was waiting for me on my room table when I returned.
According to general manager Richard P. Appelbaum, the HMS has, despite its 996 rooms, been successful in creating a level of service comparable to boutique-styled establishments.
“The essence for us at Hotel Mulia Senayan is to create, train and educate our over 1,700 employees to have a detail-oriented service mindset,” explains Appelbaum who is from Germany. “All our guest services-oriented systems and procedures are tailor-made to identify our guest in such a manner that a personalised service is provided at all times.”
Described by Condé Nast Traveller magazine as an “award-winning hotel” and a “kind of city sanctuary you can’t believe you’ve been lucky enough to stumble upon,” the HMS has become a favourite of business travellers with highly specialised needs and wants.
With its fully equipped business centre, meeting rooms, and a stylish bar to celebrate that hard-won business contract, it is indeed a hotel that will leave even the most demanding of guests very little to complain about.
Owned by the Mulia Group, one of Indonesia’s largest conglomerates, the HMS, which celebrated a decade of operations last year, is an independently owned hotel. This means that security concerns, a usual point of contention amongst the international five-star chains in Jakarta, are less of an issue.
Crystals and cuisine
The HMS is a clever blend of the usual standards of international luxury and some quirky touches. This is evident in the ultra-modern interior of The Café, an imaginatively decorated space boasting the only Swarovski-decorated private dining room in a Jakarta hotel.
Designed by Memphis-based firm, Wilson & Associates, The Café is a delicious design scheme inspired by the five elements of earth, water, fire, wood, and gold.
The Café is packed for breakfast, lunch and dinner with a clientele that comprises both tourists and locals. Apparently, the Indonesians are fond of checking in for the weekend, especially during the school holidays.
For lunch, The Café serves a jaw-dropping spread. A personal favourite of mine is their help-yourself servings of scallops and prawns in a bowl of spicy tom yam. Austrian executive chef Franz Liftenegger and his team like nothing better than to add variety and to encourage indulgence through the offerings at The Café, as well as the other HMS restaurants, like the Italian Il Mare, the Japanese Edogin, and the Chinese Samudra Shark’s Fin.
And to work off all that food, the hotel has a gym boasting many a treadmill and other things besides. If you prefer to unwind in less strenuous conditions, then proceed to the Mulia Spa for a candle-lit, aromatherapy-infused slice of heaven.
Greater developments are afoot at HMS, according to Appelbaum.
“We are creating a full integrated 24-hour butler service for our Executive Mulia Club Floors. We are also developing a new restaurant concept which will be in line with the currently reopened The Café,” says the affable general manager.
The latest addition to HMS is their yet-to-be-named chocolate boutique, which sells confectionery in Hermes Birkin bag and Christian Louboutin shoes.
So did I manage to spend 48 hours without leaving the hotel?
Well, almost. The call of the shopping malls proved too tempting, and I just had to sneak out for a few hours to stock up on jamu remedies and layer cake.
Hotel Mulia Senayan
Jalan Asia Africa, Senayan
Jakarta, 10270
Indonesia
Tel: (66-21) 575 3299
Website: www.hotelmulia.com
Rates start at US$250++ for a Mulia Splendor room.”
Are you F**KING kidding me? Well? There is a #&%$!!! “pillow menu”. What can I say? I guess I will just have to go shopping. Maybe I will buy a chicken or two or three. What say you?
Yes, grab a few chickens and head home to…
No, better yet, take up residence at the new CBD Pluit. It’s a “One Stop Living Concept… LIVING, WORKING, SHOPPING @ ONE PLACE”.
In my mind I’m there already… just minutes from downtown Jakarta.
I am sure that when I am there all the chickens I will ever need will come to me riding in a blue becak peddled by a kindly chicken farmer…
