Hara Hara Mahadevaki Movie Review

CAST: Gautham Karthik, Nikki Galrani, Rajendran, Karunakaran, Sathish, Balasaravanan, Ravi Maria, RK Suresh, Namo Narayana

DIRECTION: Santhosh P Jayakumar

GENRE: Comedy

DURATION: 2 hours 10 minutes

CRITIC'S RATING: 2.0/5


AVG READERS' RATING: 2.1/5

STORY: The bags belonging to a young man about to break up with his lover, two bumbling criminals planning a bomb blast, a man circulating counterfeit currency, and a couple paying ransom to save their daughter get mixed up leading to so much confusion.

REVIEW: Hara Hara Mahadevaki does stand true to its claim of being an adult comedy film, in the sense that the comedy here involves a few double entendres and sight gags. But take those away, and the film feels no different from the mindless comedies that we have been seeing of late. It even has what appears to be the foremost requisite of a Tamil comedy film these days — Rajendran singing in his sandpapery voice! 

The premise — involving a dozen characters, and a half-a-dozen bags that look the same — does have the potential for a madcap comedy. Hari (Gautham Karthik) and Ramya (Nikki Galrani) are a couple breaking up decides to return the things they had gifted each other; a politician (Ravi Maria) plots a bomb blast to earn sympathy and hires two bumbling criminals (Rajendran and Karunakaran); a fraudster (Bala Saravanan) tries to earn some quick big bucks by circulating fake currency; a child goes missing in a resort and a cop (RK Suresh) tries to catch the kidnapper who has walked away with the ransom money. Everyone ends up in the resort and all hell breaks loose when their bags, which all look the same, get mixed up. 

The best stretch in Hara Hara Mahadevaki, which is partly amusing and often frustrating (because it fails to exploit the situations to generate maximum laughs), is towards the end when confusion reigns supreme. It is in these scenes that the film shows us a glimpse of what it could have been — a riotous comedy — in the right hands. 

Unfortunately, for the most part, director Santhosh is content to peddle silly stuff that one might be embarrassed to call as jokes. He seems to have decided that having a narration in the voice of the WhatsApp Swamiji is enough convince his target audience that they are watching a raunchfest. Even still, the film cannot think beyond generating laughs out of the tumescent male member; it even repeats this same idea thrice! The actors gamely try their best, but the weak writing never lets the film get into a rhythm where the jokes flow seamlessly. Thus, for every funny moment, we get three or four flat scenes. 

Also, for an adult comedy, the jokes are quite juvenile — the sort that might make a teen giggle, but make no impact on an adult — and hardly envelope pushing. Added to this, the best (and ribald) jokes are already in the film's trailer, so if you have seen the trailer, you can consider yourself as having seen the film. 

Karuppan Movie Review

CAST: Vijay Sethupathi, Bobby Simhaa, Tanya, Pasupathy, Singampuli, Kaveri, Sharath Lohitashwa, Renuka

DIRECTION: R Panneer Selvam

GENRE: Action

DURATION: 2 hours 18 minutes

CRITIC'S RATING: 2.5/5

AVG READERS' RATING: 2.9/5

KARUPPAN STORY: A man wins the hand of a girl after winning in jallikattu, but her relative, who had hopes of marrying her, tries to cause a permanent rift between the couple.

KARUPPAN REVIEW: With Sethupathi and Rekka, Vijay Sethupathi showed that he can do mass hero films as well, and Karuppan has the actor playing a masala movie hero once again (he even gets a feet-first hero introduction scene and a well-shot bull-taming scene), but this time, in a rural set-up. And with his insouciant charm, he lights up this rural entertainer, which is an old-fashioned masala film this is formulaic but somewhat fun.

The actor plays the titular character, a happy-go-lucky villager who is a do-gooder at heart, even though he ruffles feathers with his ruffian-ish behaviour. Maayi (Pasupathy, solid as ever), a respected figure in the neighbouring village accepts a challenge to marry off his sister Anbu (Tanya, holding her ground against Vijay Sethupathi) to Karuppan, if he tames his bull. Karuppan does, but this doesn't go down well with Kathir (Bobby Simhaa, good), the brother of Maayi's wife, who had been hoping to marry the girl. So, he starts to plot against the couple, hoping to create a rift between them for ever...

Where Karuppan scores is how it caters to its target audience — the family crowd. There are the moments between Karuppan and Anbu that are sure to strike a chord among couples; then we have the brother-sister angle between Anbu and Maayi; there is also mother sentiment — Karuppan's mother (Renuka) is mentally challenged and he dotes on her. In fact, Panneer Selvam uses this to make the Karuppan-Anbu relationship stronger, as Anbu's attitude towards his mother plays a huge role in Karuppan loving his wife more. This ensures that when Kathir starts stirring the pot with his evil plans, we fear for these characters.

But the film hews too close to formula. Every beat in the script feels not just familiar but also predictable. Like when we get introduced to the character of Pandi (Sharath Lohitashwa), we immediately know that Kathir will try to use him to create a rift between Karuppan and Maayi. Also, apart from Karuppan, the other characters are more like placeholders. Even Kathir (who is introduced with a snake in hand to show his true character) is two-dimensional. This is why the film lacks punch despite having all the elements needed for a masala movie.

But the director keeps the momentum going forward and ensures that the scenes aren't boring. Even though Imman's songs are a let-down, the action scenes are shot well to make us ignore the lack of forceful drama on screen.

Search continues for traffic solutions

AT the start of the “ber” months this year, the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) advised motorists to plan their trips in the coming weeks and months leading to Christmas in December, so as to avoid adding to the traffic on Epifanio de los Santos Ave. (EDSA). Traffic is usually heavy at this time of the year because of sales held by giant malls, 16 which are along EDSA, the MMDA said.

Early this week, hundreds of commuters were stranded in Quezon City and Manila when jeepney drivers belonging to the Stop & Go Transport Coalition staged a strike to demonstrate their opposition to the government’s jeepney modernization plan. This plan seeks to replace the old slow-moving and highly polluting jeepneys with newer ones, but many jeepney operators said they cannot afford to pay for the new vehicles, even with the easy loan terms offered by the government.

On the same day, Sen. Grace Poe, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services, said she may call for another hearing on the frequent breakdowns of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT), citing a report of the Department of Transportation that from January, 2016, to July, 2017, there were 3,824 train removals, 833 unloading incidents, 98 service interruptions, and six derailments.

These separate news reports are all tied together in what has come to be known as Metro Manila’s greatest problem – its traffic gridlock at all hours of the day and night. A study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has estimated that three billion pesos a day are lost because of the traffic gridlock.

The problem is one shared by many officials and agencies of the government, but the biggest part of the load lies on the shoulders of new MMDA Chairman Danny Lim who, in a recent interview, said, “It is really very hard to find a solution to the traffic problem when your cars are multiplying but the roads aren’t.” Vehicle sales hit a record 420,000 units last year and 65 percent of the vehicles found their way into Metro Manila.

The long-range solution is to build more roads, bridges, elevated and bypass highways, and subways, and the Duterte administration plans to do this with its nationwide “Build, Build, Build” program. Chairman Lim also called for expansion of development to a Mega Manila “from Calamba to Angeles and everything in between.”

But this will be years in the future. In the meantime, Chairman Lim said, the MMDA is studying more immediate proposals, such as limiting the number of vehicles on the roads by retiring the older ones, expanding the number coding scheme, and relocating bus terminals. He invited people to suggest possible plans that can be studied and, after due study, implemented.

There are also other immediate solutions outside the realm of the MMDA, notably the improvement of the operations of the MRT so that it can accommodate more of the hundreds of thousands of people who need to go to work or to school every morning and then go home in the afternoon.

We wish Chairman Lim all the best in this most difficult task which has frustrated so many officials before him. We appreciate his readiness to consider proposals from ordinary people as well as their opposition to some specially prejudicial ones. We and everyone else will know when the solutions start working and we hope it will be soon.

Only female mosquitoes bite humans

IN an episode of “Matanglawin,” our Sunday morning show on ABS-CBN, “Insectlandia” followed the adventures of a butterfly named Mikee Bahaghari.

It’s “Matanglawin” TV’s way of introducing and sharing tidbits about insects around us. The story is really set in Insectlandia in Clark, Pampanga with Girl trend Mikee in the role of the butterfly. Mikee’s adventure starts with butterflies where their life cycle and their diet of nectar is explained.

Then there are bumblebees. Did you know that adult bumblebees feed on nectar of flowers? The young ones feed on pollen. Both store their food in their body’s hair.

The praying mantis is a predator in the insect world. It traps their prey with their spiked front legs and eat them alive.

There is also the stick insect that’s a herbivore with camouflage abilities.

What about the sense of sight in the insect world? Did you know that a dragonfly has 30,000 eyes while flies have 2,000?

There are also insects that have poor eyesight. They use their antennae or fillers to see like crickets, earwigs, and brown ants.

And then there are beetles. Ladybugs have astounding defensive skills. A ladybug’s black and red spots are unattractive to other insects so they don’t come near ladybugs.

However, if an insect approaches a ladybug, the latter excretes yellow juice that smells putrid.

The mosquito. Did you know that only female mosquitoes bite humans because they need blood to produce eggs? Male mosquitoes suck water and juice from plants.

TRIVIA PA MORE (Various Sources): Quezon City is the second biggest city in the Philippines.

The Bonifacio Monument in Monumento, Caloocan City was designed by a noted Filipino sculptor Guillermo Tolentino

In 1916, an offensive style of passing the ball in a high trajectory to be struck by another player (the set and spike) was introduced. Filipinos developed the “bomba” or kill, and called the hitter a “bomberino.”

Send your questions on anything and everything to Kuya Kim through my Twitter account @kuyakim_ atienza using #AlaminKayKuyaKim.

Ating tuklasin ang mga bagaybagay na di niyo pa alam. Walang ’di susuungin, lahat aalamin. Ito po si Kuya Kim, Matanglawin, only here in TEMPO.

Try Me a River

IF YOU’RE LIKE ME, YOU HAVE A SLIGHT fear of the unknown. It doesn’t stop me from living life, but I do get butterflies whenever I’m about to make a change or do something new. So, needless to say, I had a hint of nerves when I planned to embark on a first for me: a river cruise.

I was that girl. Hailing from South Florida, I’d only ever been on ocean cruises mostly throughout the Caribbean. With Miami’s cruise port practically in my backyard, taking a trip with 3,000 of my closest friends is a fun, easy, and affordable escape from the everyday. But when I heard that 84 percent of river cruisers are previous ocean cruisers, I figured it was worth a try. And when I read about Avalon Waterways’ 10-day Canals, Vineyards and Paris European sailing, I was lured by the promise of small towns, castles, vineyards, and idyllic pastures.

After flights were booked and dates confirmed, I anxiously checked my tiny apartment mailbox every day for my cruise documents. But instead, a knock came at the door and when I opened it, a bigger-than-a-birthday-cake–sized box stood before me. The box was imprinted with the word “HAPPY” all over it and after opening it, I knew why. Surrounded by confetti-style filler was a portfolio — great for keeping passports and travel documents throughout the trip — with a personalized, bound ( bound!) booklet including a detailed, day-by- day itinerary; flight, hotel, and transfer information; optional tour details; a swanky luggage tag; ship tips; and everything else that immediately put my worries at ease.

At that very moment, I felt like I had already started traveling. My body was still in Florida, but my heart was already cruising through the canals of Amsterdam and the Rhine River.

Sailing Silver Muse

On board the brand-new Silver Muse, my tuxedo-clad butler was concerned about a rubbed-out spot on my black suede boots. Jithin, from Mumbai, had already offered to unpack my bags, encouraged me to choose a designer soap, and brought the alternative-down pillows I had selected from the pillow menu. Every time I thanked him he responded, “a pleasure.” “No worries, Jithin,” I said as he turned his focus to the task at hand. “Those boots are super old. And by the way, am I pronouncing your name correctly?” “I don’t care what you call me. Just call me when you need something,” he responded with a warm smile. This is the type of pampering that sets an ultra-luxury cruise apart, and it was evident, even on a 4-day, pre-christening sampler cruise aboard Silversea Cruises’ new flagship straight out of the shipyard.

Subtle Design

Silversea set out to do things different with this 596- guest ship, the line’s largest and first newbuild in eight years. While some competitors are going all Carrara marble, crystal chandeliers, and gold-plated glitz, Silver Muse is designed, in the words of the line’s officials, to “whisper luxury.”

With its subtle décor, the ship delivers an intangible sense of familiarity — you aren’t in a palace, but rather free to relax in what feels like someone’s very nice and spacious contemporary home.

The entire color scheme is calm (lots of taupe, cream, and seafoam green), the halls are wide, the woodwork light, and some spaces are downright vast — emphasizing that having room to spread out is itself a luxury.

Where there is drama in the décor is in the travel- inspired art collection. The 600 works are all by contemporary Italian artists. There are colorful splashes of paint ( à la Jackson Pollock), pop art portraits of notables such as Frida Kahlo, tapestries of Italian landmarks, and sculptures made of plastic hairdryers. Some may find it weird; I thought it wonderful.

“This ship is pretty much made what would be my taste,” said Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, Silversea chairman and head of the Italian family that owns the line. “It’s a warm ship. You feel part of the family.”

As if to drive home that point, d’Ovidio’s teenage daughter, Costanza, served as the ship’s godmother — though officials were quick to point out that it’s not youngsters but affluent, age 55-plus baby boomers who are the target market.

Perfect Pool Deck

Silver Muse’s most impressive space is its pool deck, one of the prettiest at sea. Choose to relax in sun or shade; on a cushy lounger, sunbed, or sectional sofa; and all around a long shimmering blue pool with swimming and wading areas, whirlpools, and glass showers. It’s an oasis that inspires an “ahhh” moment, as pretty as you’d find on, say, Italy’s treasured Amalfi Coast. Further to that, a deck above the pool is Spaccanapoli, named for the famous street in Naples and serving up delicious Neapolitan- style pies with toppings such as 26- month-aged ParmigianoReggiano, buffalo mozzarella, and San Marzano tomatoes.

The Dining Difference

Those familiar with Silversea will appreciate that the breakfast and lunch buffets at La Terrazza are still as lavish as always (and with the addition of a juice bar). But there’s also a big change: Silver Muse was designed without a main dining room. Guests instead choose among eight distinct restaurants with dress codes to match ( some resort casual, others dress up). The idea is to make dinner reservations as you would in any resort town.

The choices are impressive include funky small plates served in a supper club with live jazz, homemade pasta, and other Italian favorites, steak, or seafood you cook yourself on hot rocks outdoors. For something completely different, two new venues are Atlantide, a formal steakhouse and seafood restaurant (don’t miss pre- dinner drinks in the sexy bar) and Indochine, which serves dishes influenced by Marco Polo’s spice route.

Drinks and gratuities are included in your cruise fare as are wines from around the world, with the option to splurge on premium selections. The Japanese teppanyaki restaurant, Kaiseki, and the fine French tasting menu restaurant, La Dame by Relais & Châteaux, both come with a charge of $60 per person.

Those who are still hungry later in the evening can enjoy options such as a late- night cheese trolley in Tor’s Observation Library, named for Viking Cruises chairman, Torstein Hagen, a close friend of d’Ovidio. You can also take a break from the dance floor to dine, with room service now deliverable anywhere you like.

Suite Living

On an ultra-luxury ship, it’s only natural that everyone stays in a spacious suite with a veranda and enjoys such niceties as Etro robes, fine Pratesi linens, and Bvlgari bath products. State- of-the-art TVs hidden in wall mirrors take some getting used to, but your butler delivering room service on a silver tray, raising your coffee table to dining height, and presenting your spread on a white tablecloth does not.

Upgrade to a Silver, Royal, Grand, or Owner’s suite and you’ll get additional space and amenities — the largest suites are apartment-sized and have the option of adding a second bedroom. The one- of-a-kind Balsorano Owner’s Suite is dedicated to d’Ovidio and is stocked with his favorite personal items including family photos, vintage port, and a Chesterfield chair from his home. Have a seat, you’re part of the family.

Gathering Spots

The Arts Café is a new concept that combines art, books, coffee, smoothies, and snacks. Here, you’ll find a barista making illy coffee, a bespoke book collection organized by London’s Heywood Hill, treats such as mushroom pâté creatively served in little glass jars, couches you can curl up on, and plush wicker seating outdoors. I couldn’t stop going back.

The Zàgara Beauty Spa debuts a new concept developed for Silversea by Steiner. The idea is to create your own sensory spa experience by selecting your preferred scents, lighting, music, and, with select treatments, video. The spa’s Thermal Suite includes an outdoor whirlpool (and involves an extra fee).

The Panorama Lounge attracts a lively late-night crowd dancing to a DJ or live band. Handcrafted cocktails such as a Mandarin Cosmo or Basil Gimlet are reasons to visit the main Dolce Vita lounge.

The Venetian Lounge theater has tiered rows of chairs and banquettes, the perfect venue to showcase the singing talents of six performers who belted their way through a show focused on blues and soul and another on swing music. And while the activity roster is kept slim, fans of Silversea’s popular trivia contests will be happy to know there is nothing subtle about the onboard competitive spirit.

Diabetes: Indonesia's Hidden Killer

AWorld Health Organisation (WHO) report released in 2016 found 7 percent of Indonesians suffer from diabetes, or just over 18 million people. The organisation also tracked related conditions, finding that 22.8 percent of Indonesians are considered ‘physically inactive’ while 24.4 percent of Indonesians are overweight and a further 5.7 percent are obese.

The staggering figures have prompted a string of public health campaigns from both government agencies, NGOs and private health providers.

In its May 2016 report, international consultancy firm McKinsey noted the importance of tackling diabetes management head- on as Indonesia rapidly develops towards becoming a global top ten economy.

“Looking ahead to the next 10 to 15 years, one of Indonesia’s biggest challenges will be addressing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). In 1990, NCDs represented 43 percent of the country’s disease burden, compared with 49 percent for communicable diseases such as tuberculosis. Today, NCDs’ share has grown to 69 percent, and the numbers are rising,” the report said.

The report points to a shift in lifestyle among the burgeoning middle class as to blame for the increase in noncommunicable diseases, including diabetes.

“As elsewhere in the developing and developed world, a modern lifestyle corresponds to a higher calorie intake and sedentary behaviour: fewer people walk to work or school, and more people are spending increasing hours in front of televisions or computer screens,” it said.

The United Kingdom’s government health portal warns of the impact diabetes can have on a sufferers' overall health. “Diabetes affects our blood vessels and nerves and therefore can affect any part of the body. However, certain parts of our body are affected more than other parts. Diabetic complications will usually take a number of years of poorly controlled diabetes to develop,” the UK government says.

But steps can be taken to ensure sufferers can manage their disease and continue to live life to the fullest.

“Complications are not a certainty and can be kept at bay and prevented by maintaining a strong level of control on your diabetes, your blood pressure and cholesterol,” the agency recommends.

Fantasy fulfilled

Swaying lazily in a rope hammock strung between two palms, I gaze through half-closed eyes at the glittering South Pacific, mesmerised by the dramatic ombré effect of inky blues blending into an emerald lagoon. Add to this the perfect cerulean sky, a crescent of unblemished white sand and the fact that the only way to get here is a five-hour boat ride from Viti Levu (Fiji’s main island), and I’m basically living out my desert-island fantasies.

In fact, for filmmakers, this is the archetypal island paradise, with blockbusters from Blue Lagoon to Castaway being filmed on neighbouring islets in the Yasawa and Mamanuca island archipelagos. Several seasons of the hit TV show Survivor have also been filmed nearby.

The Yasawas and Mamanucas are hugely popular with tourists seeking a piece of heaven. A chain of about 40 volcanic islands, they range from literal strips of sand in the ocean to hulking isles with jungle-clad mountains, indigenous village populations – and idyllic resorts to suit a range of budgets.

At the ultra-luxury end are options such as Turtle Island Resort – the actual film setting for the 1980

Blue Lagoon remake – which boasts a US$2,600-a-night exclusive island retreat accessible via private charter, and has been the honeymoon destination of choice for A-listers such as Britney Spears. At the other end of the spectrum are options like Beachcomber Island – a hedonistic party patch of sand for those on a budget.

My tropical home for the next few days falls somewhere in between: the aptly named Blue Lagoon Beach Resort on Nacula Island, one of the northernmost Yasawa islands. My beachfront bure (pronounced booray) offers a clean, spacious bedroom and a gorgeous outdoor bathroom. It might not come with a turndown service but I’m more than content with the five-star views from my private porch. And if anything the patchy wifi reception is helping to substantiate my shipwrecked daydreams…

A burst of song from the beach interrupts my glorious stupor; the resort staff are welcoming a fresh boatload of arrivals with cheerful folk tunes kept in time with enthusiastic hand-clapping and ukulele accompaniment. Music, it seems, is as much a part of life for Fijians as breathing, or saying“Bula” – a customary greeting delivered with gusto several times a day (apparently it can also be used to express anything from love and friendship to boredom and farewells).

I watch as the new guests alight on the crystal-clear shore, delighted by the shoals of fish that have also turned up in welcome. They’ve arrived in time for lunch and we all congregate in the beachfront restaurant. Many of the island resorts insist on all-inclusive meal options, but there is plenty of choice on offer, from Western dishes to traditional delicacies such as kokoda, a refreshing Fijian take on ceviche with white fish marinated in citrus juices and served in a creamy coconut sauce.

After lunch, an itinerary of optional island activities is arranged – should lazing on the beach consuming fresh coconuts get boring. One afternoon, I find myself yelling enthusiastically at my hermit crab (its shell painted with a number four) to beat the others to the finish line in a crab-racing competition. Another activity sees us hacking at palm leaves with machetes and weaving them together into traditional baskets – though admittedly, I create something more resembling a placemat.

The simple activities and relaxed schedules are part of Fiji’s laidback charm, and as a city-dwelling phone addict, I’m amazed how easily I’ve adapted to “Fiji time” and the total disconnect from modern life… with just a hint of regret I’m not able to flood my Instagram-feed with jealousy-inducing posts.

Another huge part of Fiji’s appeal is the interaction with friendly locals – something apparent from the moment you land, as you’re greeted at the airport by a band of brightly coloured Hawaiian shirt-wearing ukulele players. Visiting local villages is a popular activity, and all new arrivals are invited to partake in a traditional kava ceremony: while regaling us with gruesome stories of the country’s cannibalistic past, the leader mashes a murky brown liquid in a large bowl, before cups are offered round the circle. We clap once, say“Bula”and down the liquid, finishing off with three more claps. Made from powdered roots of the kava (pepper) plant, the slightly silty mixture has a mildly narcotic effect that causes a pleasant tingling sensation on the lips and feelings of euphoria (depending on the quantity consumed!) – though it is certainly something of an acquired taste.

At dinner, we see some of our new village friends again as we are treated to a cappella renditions of church hymns from the local choir. This is followed by a heartstopping fire dance and machete routine that has us spellbound. It’s made all the more suspenseful by the imperfections; a machete slips through one performer’s fingers, while another sports a large bandage from where a fire trick went wrong during a previous performance…

But as much as Fiji’s appeal extends to its pristine beaches, tropical jungle and friendly people, it’s just as famed for its exciting aquatic delights. The water is some of the clearest I’ve ever experienced and even snorkelling on the beach’s fringing coral reef reveals schools of neon-hued fishes in vivid blues, pinks and greens. I shriek with delight when a sea turtle passes nearby, involuntarily swallowing a large gulp of seawater in the process.

Scuba diving is naturally a major draw; the Blue Lagoon Beach Resort – like almost all the archipelago resorts – has its own scuba diving centre with shark and shipwreck dives available. My favourite underwater experience was the chance to swim alongside manta rays, gentle giants of the sea that are huge but harmless, swimming against strong currents and filtering plankton into their smiling mouths. Far larger than a human – some can measure up to 7 metres (23 feet) across – to snorkel or dive alongside these majestic fish is an incredible experience.

Fiji is also home to more hardcore dive adventures. Beqa Lagoon, located to the southwest of the capital Suva, is famous for its sharkfeeding dives featuring one of the most feared underwater predators: the bull shark. Meanwhile, on Vanua Levu, the nation’s second largest island, the Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Island Resort on Savusavu Bay (regularly awarded top eco-resort in Fiji) provides access to top dive sites like the Chimneys and Grand Central Station, reef systems festooned with some of the richest soft coral growth on the planet.

That’s not to say the “mainland” should be avoided. While the beaches can’t compete, there are other forms of beauty, in the form of verdant jungles boasting tropical flora and fauna and magnificent

waterfall hikes, with a range of adrenaline-fuelled activities from treetop zip lines and whitewater rafting to more relaxed hot-air balloon rides. And of course, the famous Fijian hospitality and tropical climate is with you wherever you travel.

But for me, the real beauty of Fiji is in its more than 300 islands. The Yasawas and Mamanucas benefit from relative proximity to Nadi International Airport and easy access: the Yasawa Flyer catamaran departs from Port Denarau – just 20 minutes from the airport – every day at 8.30am, stopping off at 30odd island resorts before returning at 5.30pm.

This also happens to be one of the most scenic transfers I’ve ever experienced, with sunbathing decks to view the picturesque islands as we sail past. We’re even treated to a glimpse of wild dolphins playing alongside the ferry. Right now, though, the sight of the ferry fills me with gloom: it signals my return to the real world and the end of a holiday in paradise.

Denver delivers

Lively attractions and easy access to the Rocky Mountains make the Colorado capital well worth your time, says Philip Watson

Friday morning at 7.30am, the Crawford hotel, downtown Denver. I am in the epicentre of the city; the elegant hotel forms part of the recent redevelopment of the historic Union Station terminal, at one time the main railway hub for the Colorado capital. I’m waiting for the lift to take me down for breakfast in one of the 1914 Beaux-Arts building’s many buzzing cafés and restaurants.

Because of the hotel’s unrivalled location, and the hour, I expect the doors to open to a fellow business traveller, or maybe a jet-lagged tourist. I do not expect to see a young couple in full, colour-coordinated ski gear, complete with skis, poles, boots, gloves, goggles, helmets and Go Pro cameras.

They look like they’ve stepped off a ski lift in Switzerland’s upmarket Gstaad – not into an urban US elevator. They tell me a waiting minibus will be whisking them and some friends off to the Loveland Ski Area, 90km and about an hour and a half west of the “Mile-High City”, in the glorious Rocky Mountains.

If it was a weekend during the ski season, they wouldn’t even need the private shuttle – they could

take the newly relaunched ski train direct from Union Station to another popular Denver ski destination, Winter Park, a couple of hours away.

BOOM TOWN

In many ways, my “ski lift” experience is emblematic of a city that is thrillingly active and wholly surprising. The US Bureau of Statistics ranked Denver as the fastestgrowing major city in the US in 2015, and, everywhere you look, it has the feel of a boom town – the cityscape is dominated by cranes and new tower blocks.

The metropolitan area is now home to more than three million people; it’s claimed by Rich Grant and Irene Rawlings in their book 100 Things To Do In Denver

Before You Die that “the Mile-High City is growing on average by a thousand new residents a week”.

It’s certainly true that every millennial you meet seems to be from somewhere else, attracted to Denver by the three “Ms”: money (well, job opportunities – the unemployment rate hovers at around 3 per cent and is one of the lowest in the country); mountains (as well as first-class skiing, the Rockies offer superb hiking, biking, climbing, kayaking and rafting); and marijuana (in 2005 it became the first major US city to legalise cannabis, leading to a mini-boom in weed cultivation, medical use and tourism).

Dubbed the “Wall Street of the West” at the beginning of the 20th century owing to the rise of a small financial district along 17th Street, Denver has always had a strong business culture. Major companies in the area include Molson Coors, Lockheed Martin and United. Its geographical location has also made it a focus for the telecoms industry; communication with both North American coasts, South America, Europe and Asia is possible in the same business day.

Denver International Airport, with its landmark multiple-peaked roof canopy – said to echo both Native American teepees and the Rockies – is now the sixth-busiest in the US, with more than 58 million passengers in 2016. Since April last year, it also has a direct rail link to Union Station; the journey takes 37 minutes and costs US$9 each way.

ART OF THE CITY

That kind of accessibility, and the fact that Denver is a relatively compact walking city claiming a remarkable 300 days of sunshine a year, makes it perfect for extending your trip across a weekend. The weather can be changeable, and, at exactly one mile (1,600 metres) above sea level, you need to protect yourself from the sun’s intensity. Yet Denver is an extremely easy place to enjoy. There is even a free electric shuttle bus along the 16th Street Mall, a mile-long pedestrian promenade designed by architect IM Pei, now fronted mostly by tacky general stores and tourist shops.

Near the southern end of the mall is the Golden Triangle Museum District. Attractions here range from the Denver Art Museum (10am-5pm Tue-Sun, 8pm Fri; US$13; denverartmuseum.org), with its eye-catching Daniel Libeskind extension, to a museum dedicated to the expansive paintings of Clyfford Still (10am-5pm Tue-Sun, 8pm Fri; US$10; clyffordstillmuseum.org), one of the Abstract Expressionist movement’s most influential – if relatively unknown – artists.

The district even has its own Art hotel (thearthotel. com), opened in 2015, which displays a private collection of contemporary works by the likes of Sol LeWitt and Tracey Emin in its dramatic public spaces and 165 rooms.

If you prefer your culture live, then Denver also delivers. It has one of the largest performing arts complexes in the US, with ten venues housing everything from theatre to Broadway shows and a symphony orchestra (denvercenter.org). The 76,000seat Sports Authority Field at Mile High is home to 2016 Super Bowl champions the Broncos, although tickets are hard to come by – every Sunday home game since 1970 has sold out (season runs Sep-Feb).

The city also boasts two legendary music venues along East Colfax Avenue (part of the longest commercial street in the US) – the Bluebird and Ogden theatres, both concert halls that are symbolic of Denver’s eclectic music scene.

LODO OR LOHI?

Head to LoDo (Lower Downtown Denver) to explore regenerating and newly hip historic neighbourhoods with a range of worthwhile diversions – the excellent Tattered Cover bookshop (tatteredcover.com), the sumptuous Art Deco Cruise Room bar at Denver’s oldest hotel, the Oxford (theoxfordhotel.com), and the cool bars and restaurants along Larimer Square. Don’t miss the “brewpub” that sparked Denver’s justly famous craft beer and microbrewing scene, Wynkoop (wynkoop.com).

There is also LoHi (Lower Highlands), just across the South Platte River, worth visiting for the Williams and Graham “speakeasy” alone (williamsandgraham.com) – its wood-panelled backroom bar is hidden behind a tiny “bookshop”. Another way to check out Denver is to jog or cycle – there are a remarkable 137km of paved trails around the city.

And then there is always shopping. As well as more than 160 upmarket stores at Cherry Creek Shopping Centre, 5km southeast of the city centre, there is one downtown flagship store that should not be missed: Rockmount Ranch Wear (rockmount.com). The Western outfitters that introduced the snap-button cowboy shirt to the world – and to Elvis, Bob Dylan, Robert Plant and Eric Clapton – was founded in 1946 by “Papa” Jack Weil, a businessman who worked until the age of 107.

Weil is said to have coined the phrase “The West is not a place, it’s a state of mind”. Denver today may be a hip, forward-thinking city, but it’s still very much connected to that history and belief. It’s a state of mind that, even for a weekend, is well worth entering.

For more information on Denver, including the Mile-High Culture Pass to various attractions (US$30 for three days), see visitdenver.org and colorado.com

SOEs open to private sector, ministry says

State budget only meets 41.3% of required capital for infrastructure SOEs show more willingness to partner with private entities on oil, gas, transportation

Complaints that state-owned enterprises (SOEs) dominate in a wide range of projects are commonly heard among business players nowadays.

The so-called pervasive presence of these firms is especially true in the infrastructure sector, which may need Rp 4.7 quadrillion (US$347.8 billion) by the end of 2019.

However, speaking at an infrastructure forum on Thursday, State-Owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno effectively rebuked such a concern, claiming that private firms found it hard to participate in infrastructure projects, including on Java, the country’s most developed island, because of the risks it entails.

Toll road projects on Java, for instance, are often hampered by disputes in the land acquisition process.

“What happens on Java and in other places is that many of these [private] companies have the license already secured. However, they do not construct it [the infrastructure] because the license says that the government must guarantee that the land is clear,” said Rini in the forum jointly hosted by the ministry, the Association of State-Owned Banks (Himbara) and The Jakarta Post.

In the end, the government ends up re-buying the license and building the toll roads by itself before it can hand over the infrastructure to private firms, she said.

“For example, our toll road in Bakauheni [in Lampung] was constructed by PT Hutama Karya, which was 100 percent owned by the government,” she said.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo faces the hard reality that the state budget can only fund Rp 1.94 quadrillion, 41.3 percent of the required amount. SOEs are expected to contribute 22 percent, leaving the remaining 36.7 percent to private investors.

The ministry’s energy, logistics, estates and tourism deputy, Edwin Hidayat Abdullah, echoed Rini’s statement, saying that the state firms, contrary to perception, never intended to crowd the development of infrastructure projects in the country.

“I would say it is the other way around. Actually, SOEs prepare [...] for the private sector to invest, because once we build the infrastructure, we can form partnerships and sell to investors and also use the infrastructure to grow the industry,” Edwin said on the same occasion, referring to toll roads.

Despite the claims made by officials, both foreign and domestic investors hold a different perspective.

The head of the infrastructure working group at the European Business Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia, Scott Younger, said there was more private sector involvement in infrastructure projects in 2010 than in the past few years.

“Some foreign private sector companies left [...]. They didn’t see a future. They saw everything go to state-owned enterprises,” he told the Post.

Younger said progress in forming public-private partnerships (PPP) in infrastructure projects was slow and he attributed the bottleneck to the ministry’s approach.

“There’s still an old mindset that we haven’t moved off to say, ‘I want the private sector. How do I get them?’” he said.

Nevertheless, in sectors other than infrastructure, such as oil and gas and transportation, SOEs have shown more willingness to cooperate with private partners.

The finance director of stateowned energy firm Pertamina, Arief Budiman, said it would form a joint venture or list its subsidiaries if the opportunity arose. “This is very common in other companies and this is something that we have explored,” he said.

“Historically, the funding of Pertamina’s development has come from bonds, equities or lending and so on and so forth. But now, it would be very difficult for us to sustain that going forward, especially if we were to fulfill the demand from the government.”

Pertamina has several ongoing partnerships with foreign investors, such with Arab Saudi’s Aramco and Russia’s Rosneft, to develop oil refineries.

Meanwhile, state-owned seaport operator PT Angkasa Pura II is intensively seeking private partners to support its target to double the annual capacity of Kualanamu Airport in North Sumatra from 10 million passengers at present to up to 20 million passengers in the next five years.

“We have been on non-deal roadshows to countries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East to offer the opportunity,” said president director Muhammad Awaluddin.

Toshiba $18b sale of chip unit finally signed

Japan’s Toshiba Corp. said on Thursday it had signed an US$18 billion deal to sell its chip unit to a consortium led by Bain Capital LP, overcoming a key — albeit not its last — hurdle as it scrambles for funds to stave off a potential delisting.

The sale of the unit — the world’s second biggest producer of NAND chips — was agreed last week after a tortuous auction process but the signing was delayed because consortium member Apple Inc. demanded new terms on chip supply, sources familiar with the matter have said.

The deal will see Toshiba reinvest in the unit and together with Hoya Corp., a medical technology firm that also makes parts for chip devices, Japanese firms will hold more than 50 percent of the business — a keen wish of the Japanese government.

A Japanese state-backed fund and bank have also expressed their interest in investing in the future subject to certain conditions, Toshiba said in a statement.

“With this deal, a lot of risks for Toshiba have disappeared. It can go back to being a normal company,” said Hideki Yasuda at Ace Research Institute.

Pressure from the Japanese government, changing alliances among suitors and a slew of revised bids has drawn out the auction over nine months — heightening the risk that the deal may not close before the end of Japan’s financial year in March as regulatory reviews usually take at least six months.

If the deal does not close before then, Toshiba — hurt by liabilities at is now bankrupt nuclear unit Westinghouse — is likely to end a second consecutive year in negative net worth, putting pressure on the Tokyo Stock Exchange to strip it of its listing status.

The sale also faces legal challenges from Western Digital, Toshiba’s chip venture partner and rejected suitor, which is seeking an injunction to block any deal that does not have its consent.

Western Digital, one of world’s leading makers of hard disk drives, paid some $16 billion last year to acquire SanDisk, Toshiba’s chip joint venture partner since 2000. It sees chips as a key pillar of growth and is desperate to keep the business out of the hands of rival chipmakers.

In addition to Apple, Bain’s consortium includes South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix, as well as Dell Inc., Seagate Technology Plc. and Kingston Technology.

Under the deal, Toshiba will hold 40.2 percent of voting rights in the chip unit and Hoya Corp. will own 9.9 percent, while other members will hold a combined 49.9 percent, according to SK Hynix.

In a move to address anti-trust concerns that may come up in a regulatory review. Toshiba said SK Hynix would be firewalled from accessing proprietary information that belonged to the chip unit and would not be permitted to own more than 15 percent of voting rights for 10 years.