http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/jakartajungle/the-bitter-truth-in-jakarta-smoking-in-a-non-smoking-room-is-sadly-normal/462092
Yep, another article on smoking. Like it or not, it's endemic here and probably won't be going away any time soon. Being a rampant smoker myself, I'm not complaining, but apparently other people do. And it's not just Jakarta with their public smoking ban that's a laughing stock. Restaurants or really just about any place that actively and openly prohibits smoking usually won't enforce it. I've only been told to put it out once and that was at Gambir Station in Jakarta. Hell, even then I was outside. I should have known something was up when no one else was smoking. Someone could've given me a heads up but ah well.
Now, this really underscores how big, red "no smoking" signs are enforced in Palembang. So, I'm eating with a rather large group. They were breaking their fast and after stuffing their faces with food and drink, it's time for the smokers to light up since smoking is also forbidden during the day. I've already spotted the "no smoking" sign underneath the fan and am curious how this is going to go down since it was my first time in the place. Being the only one with social graces, I ask. This is how it went down:
Me: Mas. Boleh merokok ngak? (May we smoke or not.)
Server: Boleh. Ngak apa-apa. (You may. No problem.)
Me: Iya, tapi tanda mengatakan ngak boleh. (Yeah, but the sign says "no smoking".)
Server: Benar tapi ngak apa-apa. Merokok aja. (True but it's not a problem. Just smoke.)
Me: Ok. Minta asbak. (Ok. Bring an ashtray.)
And of course after our table lit up, it was like a domino effect. Everyone (well, almost anyway) was puffing away in bliss. I've got to say, it doesn't get much better than that.
Yep, another article on smoking. Like it or not, it's endemic here and probably won't be going away any time soon. Being a rampant smoker myself, I'm not complaining, but apparently other people do. And it's not just Jakarta with their public smoking ban that's a laughing stock. Restaurants or really just about any place that actively and openly prohibits smoking usually won't enforce it. I've only been told to put it out once and that was at Gambir Station in Jakarta. Hell, even then I was outside. I should have known something was up when no one else was smoking. Someone could've given me a heads up but ah well.
Now, this really underscores how big, red "no smoking" signs are enforced in Palembang. So, I'm eating with a rather large group. They were breaking their fast and after stuffing their faces with food and drink, it's time for the smokers to light up since smoking is also forbidden during the day. I've already spotted the "no smoking" sign underneath the fan and am curious how this is going to go down since it was my first time in the place. Being the only one with social graces, I ask. This is how it went down:
Me: Mas. Boleh merokok ngak? (May we smoke or not.)
Server: Boleh. Ngak apa-apa. (You may. No problem.)
Me: Iya, tapi tanda mengatakan ngak boleh. (Yeah, but the sign says "no smoking".)
Server: Benar tapi ngak apa-apa. Merokok aja. (True but it's not a problem. Just smoke.)
Me: Ok. Minta asbak. (Ok. Bring an ashtray.)
And of course after our table lit up, it was like a domino effect. Everyone (well, almost anyway) was puffing away in bliss. I've got to say, it doesn't get much better than that.
They had a special 20/20 episode on ABC last Friday night that featured a report on cigarette smoking in Indonesia and how the smoking rates are rising there. They showed a few toddlers that even smoke a pack a day!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing the number of people that smoke and how socially acceptable it is. We smoke before and after eating. We smoke and drink tea or coffee. We smoke a lot while drinking. We smoke when we aren't doing anything. When it tastes as good as it does here (and it does!) and is this cheap, it's hard to resist.
ReplyDeleteIn Vin+, a wine bar in Jakarta.
ReplyDelete"May we have a table for four, non-smoking?"
"Sure," said the waitress. She ushered us to an empty table, surrounded by smoking tables.
"No, a non-smoking table," I repeated.
"Yes," she affirmed. "You can non-smoke at this table."
Hahaha…only in Indonesia! Such a perfect example of the baffling things that go on.
ReplyDelete