Bule Gila: Tales of a Dutch Barman in Jakarta

by Bartele Santema

bule gila (BU-leh GEE-lah) n Indonesian for "crazy foreigner" In a secluded corner of a shopping and entertainment complex in Jakarta lies a bar called BuGils. BuGils, a contraction of bule and gila (in addition to being the Indonesian word for 'naked'), has had the honor of hosting the most colorful collection of locals and foreigners Jakarta has ever seen. The manager of BuGils, Bartele Santema, has spent five years amongst these creatures and with a keen eye and sharp wit observed and documented their curious behavior. The Colonel who upsets everyone. The Brit who buys used socks. The second-hand newspaper seller who is smelled before he is seen. The cook who moonlights as a mystic. The Dutchman who gets new teeth. All of these -- and many more -- make up this collection of riotously funny stories of life in Jakarta as seen through the eyes of a foreigner.

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 10, 2005

Reviews

[Megan Highfill · Rating 1 out of 5]

UPDATE: Beware giving a negative review (or a review at all) to this book. The author tracked me down on Facebook (over a year after this review was first published) and proceeded to harass me. He reacted exactly as one would expect a racist and a sexist to react. Stay away from the book, the bar, the reviewing...everything.

I want to give this book zero stars. Why can't I give it zero stars? This is a sexist, racist, poorly written account of a Dutch bar owner's experience in Jakarta. After living in Indonesia, I thought I might find the vignettes interesting or relatable, but they were neither. Some people are bad writers with boring lives and immoral viewpoints, and those people shouldn't be writing books. If I ever meet Mr. Santema (and trust me, the book does NOT make me want to visit his establishment), I will have to seriously resist the urge to slap him.

But on a slightly happier note, I've read all 11 books for my book club this year, even the awful ones.

[Tessa Intanya · Rating 2 out of 5]

i enjoy some of his short stories in the book... but the other half was kindda demeaning (the way he described Jakarta and Indonesia). i find myself kindda offended in some ways. as a born-and-raised kid from Jakarta, i got this feeling as i was reading it... somewhat like, --if you really don't like it living here so much, why don't you just get back to your own country-- kindda feel to it. but ey, that's just me... cuz' heck, i love my Jakarta dearly! :)

[Agustinus Wibowo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Genuinely racist and sexist. I could not finish.

[Truly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tertawalah sebelum aa larangan untuk tertawa. Ambilah hikmah dari banyak peristiwa dengan cara yang bijak.

[Merel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this in the car today, I really enjoyed all "Tales of the Dutch barman". Some even made me laugh out loud, others were less exceting.

I just have one huge issue with this book. The writing.
The writing style bothered me so much, it was so incredibly basic! The sentences were so short, you could clearly see that the writer paid zero attention to forming nice sentences that actually flow.

But that isn't even what bothered me most, because apparently it is very hard for the writer to get his grammar correct, I am not saying mine is perfect, but I, as a sixteen year old Dutch girl, saw way too many mistakes. I am wondering how did this even got published.

Lastly, some Dutch people have an accent in their english, the fact I could read this accent in the book says a lot about the quality of the writing I think.

[Tika W · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate Mr.Bart for sharing his experience as a bar owner. He is responsible for my laughing in a 5-hour-trip. Bagi orang Indonesia dengan pikiran terbuka, Bule Gila adalah buku harian ekspatriat yang buka bar di tengah sekumpulan orang-orang yang belum bisa diapahami kekonyolannya. Jadinya ya memang buku harian konyol. Tapi kalau kamu punya idealisme terkait pergaulan bebas, Bule Gila akan terasa terlalu liberal, tanpa banyak menyertakan nilai dan karakter lokal orang Indonesia itu sendiri.

If you are an expatriate, reading Bule Gila before going to Jakarta is a good idea. ;-)

[rebekah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well I didn't find the tales hilarious, but maybe if I had lived in Jakarta or been to Jakarta I would have enjoyed it more but that is not to say I didn't enjoy this quick, entertaining read. Ladyboys, and fat old ex pat´s and a crazy cast of characters with even crazier tales to tell was a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Indonesia...to be added to my list of things to do before I die...

[Indigo Deville · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buku ini lumayan untuk dibaca, semacam catatan harian dari seorang bule pemilik bar di Jakarta. Setidaknya kita melihat sudut pandang para bule terhadap kita. Selalu menarik untuk "memakai kaca mata orang lain".

[Indah Threez Lestari · Rating 3 out of 5]

1269th - 2011

Indonesia and Indonesians from an expat's POV.
Kadang-kadang miris kalau baca komentar tentang hal-hal negatif yang dianggap lumrah di Indonesia... meski disebutkan juga hal-hal positif yang khas Indonesia.

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

funny and so real... hehehheh

[Mikael · Rating 1 out of 5]

bule rasis norak more like

[. acitradelita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hilaaaarious.

[Eryna Patadungan · Rating 3 out of 5]

it reminds me to the information from "opa" regarding the hospitality business