Soul Kitchen Penang - soul food without the viddles

From the timeless hills of the asli, I'm back in the rhythm of 'real' life. Putting in some work time to make up for the spending I've done in the last few months..I've settled on the tropical island of Penang, found a great little place called Soul Kitchen to spend my hours.

Michele and Tonio created their little getaway in Muntri Street with this gorgeous retro trattoria serving breakfast, pasta and sandwiches. With retro furniture from Germany, old school wallpaper and blackboard menus, looks like a 1960's Berlin cafe and has the same ambience.

We serve delicious passsstaaaa..and grilled sandwiches and hot hot breakfasts! Tonio makes a tiramisu to die for, we've had comments from well-travelled world travellers about the high standard of his little coffee covered delights - but we only make them one day a week! So there is always a weekend rush!!

As far as pasta goes, the chicken a'limone is my favorite, lemon buttery chicken pieces drizzled over penne..mmmm! And when I get back to Australia, the only thing I will be able to think about is the salami with balsamic garlic tremmezzini!

We're smack bang in the busy centre of Georgetown, Penang. A little green cafe surrounded by Chinese temples and sexy old buildings. Penang is a little developed for my tastes, but it has a quaint old world charm and an off-beat, slow moving community that suits me fine.

I live above the cafe in a huge old room with high ceilings and old red shuttered doors. It does nothing to keep the karaoke out at night, but is full of light and color.

Please come and visit..and if you already have, leave a comment and let me know what you think!






102 Lebuh Muntri
Georgetown, Penang
(next to Chulia Street)

(photos from the very fine My Food Fetish site my-food-fetish.blogspot.com)

Welcome back to Penang...

again...

...Mama Blatz's cafe is up and running and now, it's time to work!

Magick River and the Star Children of the Diamond Constellation

It's about time I properly introduce Magick River...Mother Mary and child of the light Antares, Anora, Ahowl and all the truly magical soul beings who are sharing light and love with others who come along their path.



Some years ago, a home was created among the asli (aboriginals) of Malaysia next to a smooth flowing, clean river. Originally made from bamboo and set high in the hills I'm sure there were just as many parties then as now.

Nowadays, the home they have made is called Magick River and through their dreaming, have created a home for us all. A beautiful bamboo house aptly named the 'Bamboo Palace' is open to all, and set in the sublime green hills near Kuala Kubu Baru which is about one hour by bus from KL.

The asli have long created homes next to rivers. One thoughtless decision from the local government to build a dam brought ruin. Mary, Antares and a group of like minded locals fought the decision to no avail, the dam was built and inevitable flooding occured destroying the asli's homes and community.

The homes were rebuilt later and the community was brought to the banks of the current site. Little white houses neatly built in a row, with gardens of tropical flowers and fruits..full of kids, games and families.

Just up from our bit of the river flows the Mother Falls..

..a tremendous powerful three tiered waterfall, the cauldron is a place of bubbling power where the boys are playing in this picture

The water has carved out a perfect round cavern and the water is...

oh so coooo-ldddddd!!

One luscious afternoon we made the trek, I went straight into the roaring cauldron with Estel-la (a Catalan gypsy) and after nervous giggling, we jumped into the pressure centre. Estel-la jumped first and was immediately squashed down into the powerful gushing stream. After splashing about, I went to take a wee peek over the edge of the falls and ... WHOOSH... disappeared over the edge! My feet taken from under me by the strong current, I bounced from side to side down the 'sluice' and plunged deep into green darkness pushed by the power of the water above me. A total heart stopper..hehe, not banged up, just feeling a little silly, but it was worth the ride!

So, below is a little shout out to the most amazing feature of Magick River..the 'mother and father'..MARY and ANTARES ..

ANTARES

Antares is an inspirational child of the stars, he speaks from his heart and channels the soul..always up for a chat, an opinion, a coffee or a hug..Antares takes the cake as a magical being on earth..

Apart from having the Bamboo Palace in his backyard and a never ending stream of travellers at his door, Antares has music in his soul and is a truth sayer, poet and sage.. he managed to see into my mind and tell me all about my relationships.. handy to have a friend able to see the past clearly for you, isn't it..

Thanks for everything Antares!
You can take a peek at Antares' mindbloggling thought-provoking blog here

MARY

Mary Macguire rocks my world! A saucy, smart Irish woman with ire Mary Macguire has become the mother figure at Magick River (whether she likes that term or not). She is full of an infinite wealth of stories and has a passionate view on nature, wildlife and anything wild..as she is herself. My favorite time was spent on Mary's verandah supping coffee and tea and enjoying the glorious sunsets Magick River has to offer.

She cares for a thousand wild puppies and a bunch of wild hippies that manage to spoil her quiet, alone time communing with the jungle ;)

My favorite quote from Mary, among many others, was an emphatic ephithet from the kitchen one day.."..I mean, honestly, who the FUCK would put traffic cones in the jungle!"

She blogs up a storm, check out the wisdom here

And now ...

we cross back to the river...

Gratitude is the most important feeling...

really feeeeling gratitude is one of the highest states we can experience..like love it leaves us open to welcoming in more goodness!!

I've travelled for two and a half months in three countries with $600US, hitchhiking and sleeping rarely. I have met hundreds of wonderful people, learned half a language and received four million smiles, two thousand waves, a couple of hundred hugs and more offerings than a person could wish for..

I've been fed, bathed, given places to sleep, gifts, smiles, care, attention all by strangers..many of whom I can now call friends..and this shows to me what a wonderful place our world is.

What wonderful people live here
How safe and secure I feel in this knowledge..
good people are everywhere, turn off your tv and experience it for yourself..

Here are 29 people and things I'm really really grateful, totally surprised and utterly blessed for:

1. All the amazing people who simply STOPPED cars/trucks/motorbikes/utes/vans and bicycles to give me a lift - and all those people who waved apologetically (it goes a long way to making a girl feel better)

2. An Indian bus conductor who bought me a bus ticket to go on to the next city (and a tea too!)

3. May in Paragdaran who put a four course meal in front of me with five dishes, two drinks, desert AND fruit..PLUS takeaway..and then gave me a sarong and a dress for good measure

4. mary and antares who are the benefactors of a whole BUS..supplying mostly but not limited to hot dinners, much needed coffees and teas, sugar, warm chats, an oven, potatoes, carrots, lifts to town, places to chill out, internet, cigarettes and wisdom

5. The rasta man on the beach (man, what was his name) who gave me tabacco and tea and let me sleep in his van (after keeping us up all night with James Brown's bassline)

6. All the people who have let me use their toilet, in their homes, in their shops..no matter how bad my pronunciation or how abrupt my attempts to ask

7. The kind driver who (even though he charged the other passengers) took us to the next village for free

8. Charlie for his never ending warmth and love and care...for his music..for his sweetness and for teaching me so many things!!

9. Dorota from Magick River who gave me a warm (if a little moldy) jacket to weather the frigid Asian transport system

10. Three trucks drivers who squashed us into their cab, bought us fried chicken and took us onto the ferry from Sumatra to Java for free..yes! YOU CAN EVEN HITCH ON FERRIES...then paid for us to get into the executive lounge..where we met Deni

11. Deni in Padang took us to his tiny house, where we met his tiny wife and tiny baby and insisted on feeding us a meal, a tiny meal because he was poor. He painstakingly taught us a traditional song and took us all the way to the highway

12. The man with the motorbike who took me to his family's wedding, fed me, then drove me fifty kilometres to drop me at the bus station in the next town..

13. All the people who have ensured I've had enough to drink without asking..and more..

14. The woman living under a tarpaulin roof at Muko Muko beach who was very poor and let us sleep on her wooden benches while a huge storm threatened to blow down her house, and adamantly refused to take any payment for the noodles, coffee and tea we had

15. The boys in Bengkulu who took us to their studio, drove us around in their cool van, bought us fried rice and introduced us to their mother, who fed me fried potatoes and gave me jewellery..and wouldn't let me leave until I had given her an address so she could post me a letter

16. The motorbike driver who (even though he was late for work) heroically helped Charlie and I find the highway after we had been walking lost for an hour..and didn't hit on me :)

17. All the truck drivers who nodded politely and smiled at our attempts to speak (butcher) Indonesian, gave us translations and eventually helped us to sing..

18. The awesome Iranians who picked us hitching at Port Dickson and took us to the beach for an Iranian barbeque, with skewers of marinated lamb, vodka and dancing!!

19. Jane at Port Dickson who baked fresh seed loaves and let us sleep in her beautiful house with the oh-so-clean sheets and that big soft bed..droooool...

20. The little man we met on the ferry from Port Dumai who waited like a loyal hound for an hour for our ridiculous immigration check and got us onto a cheap bus..and almost cried when we said goodbye

21. The man that bought us a cheap truck stop meal and the other richer man that bought us a lavish meal (with meat) at an eatery

22. Mr Ong who let us stay in his house near the fishing village, lots of mosquitos but bliss..

23. Estel-la for the old clothes and jewellery

24. Salamat at the street kids organic farm for refusing to let me pay for pretty jewellery and letting us pick armloads of veges and tea for free

25. The Jogja boys for taking us in, Mas Imam for letting us stay at the beach shack, Mas Tego for the same..

26. Many, many loaned bicycles, motorbikes, mobile phones, shoes...

27. The Muslim woman on the train with a beautiful smile who patiently taught me my first bit of Indonesian..though I was freezing in the air-conditioning and sneezing the whole time!

28. Santo's mum for cooking me delicious dinners over a wood fire..even though she is blind

29. Isanto for giving me love, taking me to the mountains, farms, beaches, sharing his family and promising me house, goats and brown babies!

The amazing thing is that I could go on..
and on..
and on..

with my gratitude

“Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind.”
Be thankful often!!

For Santo

These streets are yours
the ground pounded by a thousand steps
I watch this red colored sunset through your eyes
A city tiger lost in the night
a house cat curled
on the floor
I shouldn't see you anymore
But blind
I reach
feeling for my heart
in your narrow streets
I'm full of you

Street Kids of Yogyakarta

I've already posted about Jalan Malioboro, Yogyakarta. It's the major tourist destination in the city, full of bars and cafes, stalls and shops a colorful and fun place to be..but there is another side of Malioboro street, and a darker side of Jogjakarta. The street kids of Jogja are everywhere, sleeping in doorways, carrying shoe shine boxes, playing music and walking the main streets of the city.

What kind of system could create such an abundance of homeless children!???

The boys at the Nitiprayan House are an example of kids. being let down by traditional family or the system they have banded together and created something out of nothing. Victims of the country's development issues and corruption within the highest part of the system. In Java a whole community of pedicab drivers, bus drivers, shop keepers, stall holders help these kids to survive and give them a sense of community I've never felt before elsewhere. Rather than depend upon one person, the kids become close to the whole community,. It provides a real sense of family and helps give these kids and young adults a sense of control over their own lives.

One day I was surprised on the bus, we stopped in the hot sun to wait for two buskers to finish their performance and walk up the aisle collecting loose change. I asked Santo if the bus drivers purposefully waited until the boys finished their song before driving on..he said yes, in Jogja everyone takes care of the street boys. I was surprised, in Australia, you would never see a bus full of people waiting in an unairconditioned bus in the hot sun for this type of charity..

The Family of GIRLI was created by mas (brother) Didid in 1982 when he saw a young boy having sex with an old prositute with a crowd howling and cheering around them. He put aside his college education and went to live on the streets to earn the trust and love of these boys and provide a stable role model and organised them to take care of each other. Now instead of committing crimes and falling further like the marginalised of other countries and cities, these Yogya street boys make a stable living and a home on Malioboro Street.

A Home
A main goal now for GIRLI is to rent a house in the slums by the river near to Jalan Malioboro for these kids to live in where they can learn what it means to have a "home", to trust and care for others, to bathe each day, and sleep in peace rather than face the potential dangers of the streets each night. But this too is officially against government regulations. People with no identity and no residency identification can not live in any of the strictly monitored neighborhoods. Government regulations leave no room at all for exceptions. So how can these children have any hope when from all angles they are confronted by regulations that victimize them even further?

The solution is to create a "nation within a nation", the People's Republic of GIRLI, or rather the Extended Family of GIRLI. Anyone left identity-less and homeless by the labyrinthine regulations imposed by the central Indonesian government is welcome to join GIRLI. There are many who have answered this call. In a rather cynical response to their imposed identity-less-ness, GIRLI also issue their own identity cards. Unity, support, and mostly, an identity, have created real pride for them. GIRLI is growing in strength and in voice.

Please click here for the amazing, full story...and visit Gila Kites to see what the bigger boys are creating now!

MILAS - Vegetarian Restaurant Jogjakarta

When in Jogja eat good food for a good cause. This is exactly the type of place Anna and I have envisioned in our visions of the past. A beautiful creation by the beautiful Ebby of Jogja created some 20 years ago. Milas stands a a gorgeous reminder that the good things in life (while costing a little more) are worth it!

The restaurant helps train local youth from low socio-economic backgrounds in organic farming, cookery and other skills. Milas grows a large portion of its own vegetables and runs out of a gorgeous place in Jogja. Visit, the food isamazing, the vibe is beautiful and the surroundings make you feel as though you are in an island paradise!!

Anna, let's get cracking, there are wonderful things to be made :) hehe

Where:Jl. Prawirotaman IV, Yogyakarta
Open breaky, lunch and dinner!

Open Space Open Mind

When I first arrived at the Jogja house, the boys were busy preparing for an art and music exhibition named, Open Space - Open Mind, to be held at the house. Promoting the work of local artist Imam B Rastanagara and other artists like Beong and Bedes.

Imam's works are bright and colorful creations with bold strokes, almost a celebration intermingled with darker themes of homelessness, poverty and marginalization. Imam's artworks deal with life on the streets, prostitution, drugs, mental issues and jail.

On one canvas he writes a story about a prostitute caught by police and demanded to pay a bribe. She laments her position in life and how if she had the money she would simply buy some penicillin...instead of having to pay the bribe.

Another of his artworks talks about mental illness and the Asian tendency to ignore slightly malfunctioning members of the family. Mental illness is misunderstood to the uneducated, here to the point where they tie or lock them in a corner of the house. Discarding family. Discarding love.

The artwork was excellent. Soul work. Soul expression. Traditional musicians, violin, and tabla brought Imam's works to life , literally making music from art. Taking the text, poems and dialogues from the corners of the artwork as a basis for an experimental set..it was excellent!

Click to view larger..




There was an eclectic mix of experimental art bands, dj's, rock bands and reggae bands. A great vibe and mixture of dread heads, punks, and activists..a good mix of enthusiastic, motivated youth from Jogja. The event was described as having a 'Temporary Autonomous Zone' style...hehe, whatever that means..but it was great..and all in my own backyard!



And me, well I sampled the local art, local sugar wine :) and danced my night away!

Check out Omah Gelap (the dark house)
R1 Nitiprayan Rd
Jogjakarta