Bye Bye, Orange Bajaj

Eco-friendly program: A worker collects body parts of three-wheeled bajaj at a junk yard belonging to PT Matahari Trans Utama in Srengseng, South Jakarta. The company won a bid held by the transportation agency for 128 bajaj confiscated from their owners. All 14,424 orange, fuel-fired bajaj will be banned due to the noise and air pollution they generate and replaced with blue, liquefied gas-fired ones. (JP/P.J. Leo, link)

A colleague who is now living in the U.S. told me prior to his departure that one of the things he would miss was taking a ride in a bajaj. 

"Of all public transportation, why does it have to be bajaj that you'll miss?" I asked. 

"Well, it's quite small so it can navigate through the traffic jams and it's warm inside. Walking in the midst of winter is just not a fun thing to do. I wished I could bring bajaj to the U.S," he said. 

Hmm. Ok.

Anyway, if you don't have any events this weekend, here are several events that may catch your interest:

-- Movie Screening: Nuovomondo, IIC Cine Club. July 13, 4 p.m., Istituto Italiano di Cultura, Jl. HOS Cokroaminoto 117 Menteng.

-- Theater Festival: Helateater Salihara. Until July 13. Galeri Salihara, Jl. Salihara 16 Pasar Minggu
-- Exhibition: Sana Sini Seni Budayaku, children art festival, Until July 14. Galeri Nasional, Jl. Medan Merdeka Timur 14 

-- Sport: Arsenal Asia Tour, July 14, 8:30 p.m., Gelora Bung Karno, tickets at kiostix.com.

Have a blissful weekend, everyone :).