Friday, January 6, 2012

The Greatest Show On Earth

The other day as I was walking around Jogja I stumbled upon a carnival set up on the grounds of the Alun-Alun Utara in the Kraton.  Now, in this blog I've described a lot of neat things about Indonesia, but when you come here you should exert all possible effort to visit one of the travelling carnivals.  If you see one, stop the car, bus, ojek, or whatever, because it's definitely not to be missed.  There's noise and lights and loads of people, and you'll see such amazing disregard for even the most basic safety precautions that you'll think you're in some sort of post-apocalyptic Thunderdome  An Indonesian travelling carnival is definitely something to see before you die, and who knows, you may even die AT the carnival! What could possibly be more thrilling?  

There are all sorts of neat rides at the fair, and most of them look like they've been assembled by a remedial shop class.  In the picture to the right you can see the hot-air balloon ride for kiddies.  I like to think of this one as a kind of population control.  In the video below this paragraph you can also see a sort of first generation tilt-o-whirl.  Passengers on this ride climb to the benches with a ladder supported by two of the carnies.  There are no safety belts or anything to prevent you from falling off...the only thing between you and a broken leg is centrifugal force.  To make the ride bob up and down the carnies actually hang from the benches like monkeys.  I didn't see anyone fall off or get bonked on the head, but I have to believe it happens with regularity.  Fortunately for the sake of fun Indonesians aren't as litigious as Americans.



To the right you can see a picture of the train that makes a circuit around the fair.  The train is one of the many mobile hazards you'll have to be on the lookout for, but constant vigilance is part of the experience.  In the background there's one of the several Ferris wheels.  After a few minutes of internal conflict I mustered up the courage to take a ride.  I don't think I am exaggerating when I say that this was among the most harrowing experiences of my life.  I couldn't wait to get down (I actually had the ride operator stop the wheel so I could get off), but it was thoroughly worth it because of the spirituality inherent in contemplating your life each time the wheel made a rotation.  The creaking will turn you to Jesus.  I included the picture below to give you an idea of the structural condition of the Ferris Wheel.  Note that the floor joints are rusting and look as though they could give way at any moment.  This is what makes it so much fun.  FUN!



The biggest attraction for me, though, is the motorcycles-in-the-big-barrel show.  I don't know what the Indonesian word for this is, but I first saw the big barrel on my initial journey to Indonesia in 2005.  I was staying at a small town near Leuser National Park in northern Sumatra when I chanced upon a small-scale travelling carnival.  I marveled at the pictures of motorcycle daredevils painted on the side of the barrel and realized that finally I had come home.  At that time it was still daytime and the carnival hadn't started, so the show wasn't being staged, and I was sadly left to imagine what sorts of two-wheeled wonders would take place in the big barrel.  I vowed that I would not rest until I had a chance to actually witness the show, and I'm pleased to say that last night, after almost 8 years, I finally got a chance to fulfill my dream.

The show starts when the barker sells enough tickets (usually 15 or so).  While you're waiting the riders will gun the engines of their bikes to attract attention, and so it can be pretty loud.  I'd even recommend that you bring earplugs if you can remember them.  As the show starts the bikers ascend the walls, circling opposite one another.  I was a little disappointed because one of the riders stopped after just a few seconds, leaving only one rider and dramatically reducing the chances for a catastrophic event.  But it was still really bitchin'; the riders have their bikes rigged with a sort of cruise control so they have both hands free.  After riding up to the top of the barrel to collect 1,000 and 5,000 rupiah notes from the crowd the rider did a number of tricks, including standing on the bike, riding with no hands, riding blindfolded, etc.  The sound is deafening, but the coolest thing is knowing that any slip or miscalculation on the part of the driver, or any mechanical failure (which is not too hard to imagine here) could send the motorcycle right into the audience!  Below you can see a short movie of the action.




20 comments:

  1. After I read this article, I would like to go these kind of carnivals because these pictures' ammusment atractions are different from my countries' rides, especially this video looks very dangerous.

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  2. This amusument park is really thrilling.But, tilt-o-whirl is very dengerous for people. I cannot understand why the atraction does not have safty bars.
    In Japan, my home country, has a lot of amusement parks, but there is no such a dengeerous amusement park. I got really interested in this park.

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    1. Yes, I didn’t even know they had this type of amusement parks in Indonesia. It’s very similar to the ones we have in the US. But i agree that it does look quite dangerous compared to the ones I’ve been to, especially for small children.

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  3. I really surprised this carnival, and I've never seen this kind of scare attractions. In Hawaii, I thought that attractions are really scary, but this carnival is more scary than attraction in U.S. People who in the movie seem to enjoy the attraction, but if I was there, I prefer to not try any attractions.

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  4. I noticed Indonesia is very nice country, and also I really like a carnival. However, there is the possibility of death. According this blog, "Passengers on this ride climb to the benches with a ladder supported by two of the carnies. There are no safety belts or anything to prevent you from falling off...the only thing between you and a broken leg is centrifugal force". I was surprised because I did not that information. I think that if I go to the carnival in Indonesia, I will observe it because it is fan, but it is sometimes very dangerous.

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  5. I’m really surprised because usually carnival is very fun and exciting, but the carnival in the Kraton is extremely thrilling because there are no safety belts and a Ferris wheel makes sounds like broken a bicycle. Maybe I cannot ride on these attractions because I’m timid. However, I learned a lot about entertainment in Indonesia because that is amazing and so exciting.

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  6. After reading this blog, it gave some insights on the human nature. Being westerners, we all seemed to be over cautious about safety issues. Part of the carnival experience is to participate in activities that one would not do normally in our daily lives. Enjoy life once in a while, seek out thrilling activities that will cause us to pray to ours Gods. The Indonesians don't seemed to mind the safety issues. Live and tell your journey.

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  7. It is clear that many cultures thrive on the rush of adrenaline that comes from fear and precarious situations.

    However, it's a bit startling to see the condition of the equipment and realize the sheer volume of people that must frequent these carnivals in order to keep it in business. Injuries must occur, but at what frequency? It's clear that the Indonesian populace looks past the carnival's surface of danger, but what is it that they perceive beneath it?

    Jess Walters

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  8. It is crazy how different their carnival in Indonesia is compared to the ones i have been to in the usa. It seems like they would be lots of fun, however like one of the comments above suggested i think i would be a little scared since it does not seem as safe as the ones i have been on.. lots of fun but surely scarier than any i have been on. This information was fun to read and i felt worth reading, thanks again for the insight into the life in Indonesia.

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  9. After reading this blog I really want to go to Indonesia so I can go to a carnival like this. Furthermore I have never seen a carnival ride or any ride for that matter without some kind of safety measures, but that what makes the experience more thrilling because there is a risk involved. Furthermore, to experience something new we have to be willing to participate in activates that we would not usually do. Also it seems Indonesians are not worry about safety issues compared to most Americans who would not dare to go and a carnival ride without a safety belt but overall I found this blog very interesting.

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  10. I think this one of the coolest things about going to different countries and experiencing things like this. Although the safety factor isn't up to U.S standard, just from the pictures and the looks of the place it looks really fun to me.

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  11. This carnival looks awesome. I really like how they disregard safety and the rides are all ghetto. I would love to go to one of these traveling carnivals. I bet the food is very interesting as well. In the US we have such different standards of living its amazing.

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  12. I’m surprised that Indonesia has a carnival. Usually my thought about Indonesia is just thousand of shops, tourist attractions, and lots of theatrical entertainment around the island.
    The biggest thing that came in my mind after reading this article, is safety. Looks like from the picture that most structures are old and not well maintained and there is a higher risk of injuries and deaths from guests and employees too. I think that the Jogja Carnival don’t take safety very seriously, so I rather not go there and risk my life for death.

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  13. I have always wanted to travel to Indonesia, and after reading about this carnival, I will have to! The rides sound extremely thrilling, especially the ferris wheel that could "give away at any moment". I enjoy your comments that the thrill is all part of the fun. Thanks for sharing your experiences in this part of the world with us, I enjoyed the videos as well.

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  14. Haha that danger factor definitely would make it a lot more exhilarating! I would love to experience the rush, and that spiritual awakening of a near death experience at a fun carnival in Indonesia. A lot less safe, but a lot more fun.

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  15. I am so surprised that Indonesia show is fun. It also remind me to SAFETY. I like the first generation tilt o-wheel. It looks fun, however, it is more safety if they have belts for us.
    The other thing, I know how to ride motorcycle for how many years. I would love to try the motorcycle wheel that they have (it might make me headache)

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  16. When I read this blog, I think about SAFETY first. I would love to try tilt o-wheel. Hope that they will have belt to prevent failing out. When I was a child, I love to try these kind (and still now) with the safety belt.
    I have experience with riding motorcycle. It is fun to ride on the street. However, this circle wheel looks dangerous.
    Overall, I wish that I attend the show next time when I have chance visit Indonesia.

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  17. It's interesting to learn how similar carnival rides in Indonesia are to the ones in the Philippines. Even if I haven't been to Indonesia, I can say I've experienced these kinds of rides in my home country. Yes, the rides are not that safe but it actually adds to the thrill. These types of carnivals are for the common people and if you want safer ones, there are actually more expensive carnivals that are a lot safer. However, these are mostly located in cities. People in the provinces would rather wait for these traveling carnivals.

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  18. HAHA by far my favorite blog entry, not just by your blog about Indonesia but on the entire internet. Traveling for me has always been the most joyous when stumbling upon an unknown attraction. The designated tourist spots are often the more safe and built to be toured while the most exciting spots are enjoyed by locals. I was sold at the quoted; "you'll see such amazing disregard for even the most basic safety precautions ... you may even die AT the carnival"

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  19. Maybe you should try the 'Giant Swing' if you see another Traveling Carnival here in my country Indonesia, it'll makes you pray everytime it swings up and down since there isn't any safety belt but just an iron bar to hold on, ahahaha, anyway, i am quite proud that there are foreigners that interested into this, for the author of this blog, i would say... Thank you very much to write something about our country activities ahahaha.

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