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NAGOYA - I probably have to stress once again that it was broad daylight when I walked around in the nightlife district of Batam - which is better known as 'Kampung Bule' indeed. However I have to be honest that I don't know what is usually going on at night here, I could imagine certain aspects of nightlife here from stories and Googling for certain keywords of course. Not directly what I am looking for, and maybe because of that reason I just explored the area during broad daylight to see what is going on here. From the Nagoya Hill shopping mall I walked to a local warnet (internet cafe) to check some things out and to make my walk around the district.
However it was broad daylight, life here continued as normal for as far as I could see. Earlier I noticed dozens of ojek (motorcycle taxi) drivers - it is very hard not to notice them - that were shouting, yelling, whistling and clapping to get some attention from potential customers. Just the same as half a year ago when I passed Batam on the way back. They way people try to get your attention looks more of calling your dog back, and is something that you will not find in Java that much. The whistling, clapping and that kind of things is reserved for those drivers that have to make a living from just a few paying customers every day, then it doesn't matter which month of the year it is. Clapping your hands and whistling is something that can easily be done from on top of the saddle, so it's not that much of an investment as well.
An 'ojek' is waiting for a passenger to hop on. Helmet is available, but most of the time it not thought of at all. © indahnesia.com
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Taxi drivers are no different and still follow you enthusiastically as they would do on other days of the year, even if you clearly indicate you are not interested in their services or you have already reached your destination. An incidental calo (middleman) are also still available to arrange everything for you; taxi, hotel and that kind of basic work, but the somewhat less standard things - not on display of course - are still offered if the earlier options do not result in an agreement or some form of contact at all. These guys - all men indeed - then will probably aim at something you would most likely not be confronted with at all in the first place.
On a somewhat lower volume - not always - those middlemen are all too happy to surprise you with their latest offers. This usually goes from bad to worse. It starts with an offer to arrange a woman. Can be brought to the hotel or to your home, no problem at all. It can all be arranged on the spot so you can make your selection, pay and bring her with you. This is what some will encounter without even asking for it, and even listening to it, or reacting on it will probably lead to the point that the complete transaction is finished at the spot - a busy intersection, a bus stop or in front of a shop. And that is still the most friendly way of offering this kind of services to passers-by.
I stopped at the corner of a street, right in between the McDonalds and a bright yellow mosque and missed the green light twice. Someone must have seen me handing around there, supposedly I was waiting for something else than just to cross the street. After he offered me a taxi first and I had informed him I didn't need his services, obviously to avoid other questions indeed, he still continued. His next offer was 'You wanna fuck nice girl?'. However I am not stupid and realize that this kind of things happen everywhere, it was still a shock to be confronted with these kinds of things as directly has he confronted me with it. Again a no for an answer and even more clear than when he offered the taxi.
To be really sure he repeated his last question, like I was in doubt. No I did not have any doubt about the answer I had given him just a minute before. I the corner of my eye I noticed the same girl that I passed by a few minutes ago, for sure still way too young. I could only hope at that moment that if he was to succeed in selling his 'products', this young girl would not be involved. All of a sudden it was clear that however the month of fasting had started, people in Indonesia still have to earn money to survive this month. The big screen plays 'Ramadhan the movie'', but the small screens at the back side of same cinema still plays those dirty movies that the world loves.
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BS from a bore, it is!
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