Other 17th Birthday Experiences

So I've been to quite a lot of birthday parties recently. Including two 17th birthday parties which as you know are equivalent to sweet sixteens in Amerika.
   The first took place on another trip of mine to Bandung with my host parents. Neither of my h.sisters went but I met up with my American friend Amy there. I've only met the cousin who's birthday it was a couple of times but the more the merrier? It was at the family house with the killer view so she gets points for location.

Yup view from the house

 The party was more formal than Caca's surprise 17th. There were chairs set up to watch the speakers and the entertainment. Her cake floated on the pool behind a huge sign of her name. Candles lit up the backyard.
Food was mostly meat which was disappointing. I ate spaghetti with no sauce. There was a soup too.  I was so jealous because there were quesadilla type things but they had meat in them.
   Now for what surprised me that night. One, most everyone was smoking. I know smoking's more popular in Indonesia but I've always seen it among college students or older men. My host family, school, and community don't tolerate high school aged kids smoking. But at this party just everyone was. Then when it was time for the birthday girl to come down she was preceded by 2 drag queens. Yup - one was dressed like Lady Gaga and danced the other was just a presenter. They were both really tall and wearing outfits befitting their characters as Lady Gaga and some other famous person. It was really interesting.And apparently not too unusual for Indonesia even though the grandma looked just a bit confused. Got to love it.
   The party was watch the birthday girl come down, watch the drag queens, listen to the band, eat and smoke. It was very structured which I could not see happening often in America. Me and Amy missed the end of the party but the next morning we tried the cake. Pretty tasty

Now the other 17th birthday I went to was a friend of the family's who also goes to school with Caca and I. It was actually at the same restuarant that Caca had her birthday at. So the food was the same. They have friends in common being at the same school too. But the party was different. This one was more games and door prizes. There was a video all her friends made for her.

See happy people but NOT due to karoaking and dancing and the general crazy funniness that was at Caca's bday. Different but also good

Just a look at different ways to celebrate the Big 17 in Indonesia. And you get to see what I've been up to.

Me yaay