Puteri Indonesia: Watching a beauty contest

Friday night on TV was the Puteri Indonesia beauty contest. The event was broadcast live from Jakarta and Ika was very interested in watching it.

Indonesi, being a Muslim country, has some strong opponents to this contest, some hardliners asking the governemnt to prosecute the Indonesian entrant to Miss Universe. On another level, this contest is perfect for Indonesia, its right out of the 1960’s, with dresses, hairdo’s and cheese, coming from both the compares and the contestants.

Ika was especially excited as the winner represented Jawa Tenggah (Central Java) and the reigning Miss Universe, Zuleyka Rivera Mendoza, from Puerto Rico, was on hand, to add a touch of Latin pazzaz. Gushing about Jakarta, Rivera Mendoza said “I’m in love with the people and in love with the city.” Never heard that one before. Exactly what part of Jakarta is she in love with? Can she name a part of Jakarta /spell Jakarta?

Anyway when questioned as to who was the prettier, the new Puteri Indonesia, or Zuleyka, Ika chose the Latin hottie, because she was ‘more sweet’. Zuleyka is headed to Bali, after stopping off in beautiful Surabaya, which she will undoubtably fall in love with. If I see her in Cafe Seminyak, or chowing on a plate of nasi campur in Made’s Warung, I’ll try for an interview.