From Singapore to Jakarta and SURPRISE upon arrival at our Villa

On March 2, 1992 we arrived from Singapore (where we spent one night after our consulting work period in India), in Jakarta.
Remember, that I found the magazine with mention of our boss on the cover...
Bad news!

By taxi we arrived at the Hyatt Aryaduta Hotel.

We now had the kitty room decor in the Regency Club.

We go for a coffee with petit-four in the private lounge, with wonderful view from this height.

On March 3, after a good night sleep, we flew to Yogyakarta, Central Java, where we arrived around 15:00 and the driver was waiting for us.

A lovely drive up into the mountains of a good two hours.

Then awaits us a big surprise.

Things looked suspicious, with so many people at the gate of our villa... and the police was there, with security people from Dieng Djaya, our company.

Turned out that they'd robbed our villa for the 3rd time.

What a sight, what a mess, what an experience to find your home like this. 
Pieter's Royal Gift, purchased at Harrods, London, the Tanner Krolle Attaché was cut to pieces... see previous post below.

Ideally, you would love to turn around and fly home to the USA...
Our books and training material they left untouched!

Not only robbing but vandalizing... On the bed are the cut off sleeves (see text I've added) of my most favorite jeans suit that Miss Yati, my couture seamstress did create for me.

It was so soft and pleasant to wear and you can see it here in this short video:

1991, June 24 – A Touch of Ireland In The Heart Of Georgia ←click link and watch on YouTube

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We did move into a guest bungalow on the premises of the company.
We decided to quit, even if our contract said we had to come back three more periods of two months!

The company being in financial trouble...
It's not worth all the stress, aside form having to wait for our travel expenses being reimbursed; we were still waiting on quite a sum of money...
On March 9 and 16, Pieter goes with me to the University clinic in Yogyakarta for having several fillings and also his partial repaired. It was not easy, understanding the dentist when he spoke while wearing his mask! But I managed to translate, and communicate while Pieter just 'opened' up his mouth for treatment! I also had my teeth cleaned.
We laughed a lot also.
We got a copy of the police report and had to hand in our Buku Biru (work permit) for our departure visa.
Pieter read in his new book from Scarlet, the sequel of Gone with the Wind.
(We only last week, finally found the time to watch the two video tapes of the movie... catching up on our life after completing our book!)
On March 19, the six perpetrators of the robbery in our villa got caught...
On March 20, we bring our Brabantia ironing board to Yati, my seamstress, so she can use it.
March 22, we visit the boarding school for saying our goodbye to all the girls that frequented our home on Sunday afternoons.

March 27, in Yogyakarta at Malioboro I found some sandals to wear.
Remember that both of us had given our hightops away to the compost people in India, since we had several pairs of shoes in Indonesia. ZERO!
April 2, on our way down from the Dieng Plateau area where the mushroom farms were located, we saw a cow tied to a beam on the bridge to be slaughtered. Not a very exhilarating sight... In these days around Idul Fitri, there is a lot of slaughter going on.
April 3, we went to Solo and the Kraton.
We also bought our final, fresh durian and ate half of it...

April 5, made photos from my LONG hair. Longest hair ever.
April 8, we say our final goodbye at the boarding school, you feel that there is true affection here, especially with Agnes, Wiwik and actually all of them!
We will not soon forget them...
On april 9, together with our driver Praytno and his wife, we depart for Jakarta, by car.
A beautiful route, via Banjarnegara, Purwokerto etc., in the direction of Cirebon (where Pieter's eldest brother was stationed). We arrived timely in Jakarta via the Interstate, for the final stretch it went rather rapid.
April 10, on Friday we go to the ABN/AMRO Bank for guilders, the Hyatt Aryaduta's neighboring Umum Bank Nasional did not have them. We now have a far smaller bundle of money... Those Rupiahs add up into the millions rather quick.
 We check out and went to the airport with our 92 kg of luggage.
We would have to pay at least a fee over 15 excessive kilos, US $ 430. 
Well, I had a feeling and luckily had put the photos in my purse to show that we got robbed and cleaned out, and this was ALL what was left.
The lady disappeared to discuss with her manager and came back with vouchers for the first class lounge and NO FEE. Pieter had to change his shirt, he got hot from all this. But now we could relax in the first class lounge. Pieter told me that I had to go shop and find me something special since I'd earned it!

That's when I bought the hand painted silk batik stole that I converted into a bolero.
Photo shows my sewing creation from that hand painted with gold silk batik stole...
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Around 19:00  we depart on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, from Jakarta to Amsterdam in seats 24 A+B... with mixed feelings but rather relieved, now that all the stress is behind us.

To be continued...

Related link:

Adventure in Madras India, now Chennai | previous post by me

{Pieter’s Tanner Krolle Attaché - Royal Gift purchased at Harrods by English Friend} | previous post

72 Years Later... Gevaphone Spoken Letters to Military Brother Employed Overseas | previous post
1948 Gevaphone Record with Young Pieter Playing his Accordion for Brother in Uniform | previous post
{Our arrival in Jakarta, Indonesia} | previous post with view from private lounge in Hyatt Aryaduta, Jakarta
{Angels engraved on lucky calendar coin of 1969} | previous post showing the silk batik bolero in final photo

1980 MGA Conference Reception in Royal Albert Hall, London

As always, the British handled such MGA Conferences very formal.

Reception at the Royal Albert Hall in London with music by Academy of St Martin in the Fields.

Ps

Royal Albert Hall, London - England
Especially in London, formalities and protocol are being observed!
A formal welcome by the Mayor of London and husband Pieter recalls that he only had his summer business suit... no formal wear! But he engaged in a nice conversation with the mayor's wife.
Later I got him a Burberry Tuxedo...

The performance by Academy of St Martin in the Fields was quite an experience!
Above photo gives just an idea about Royal Albert Hall Venue and Seating Plan View.
Husband Pieter sure has been blessed for being at a performance led by Sir Neville Marriner who passed away a couple of years ago at the age of 92.

Interesting that from the MGA Conference (Mushroom Growers Association of the UK) being held at Royal Albert Hall, there remained some 'mushrooms' as part of the Acoustic Mushrooms and the  Royal Albert Hall Echo, 1996 click the hyperlink.
Husband Pieter did his Lecture Tour ahead of this event, with his long time friend Peter Stanley Evans Jr.
It was also in London where Peter Stanley-Evans Sr. together with his wife, presented Pieter the beautiful Tanner Krolle Attaché. They both came to Pieter's hotel, toting a large gift box and presented him with this royal gift from Harrods, London. With Pieter's initials in gold embossed under the handle.

Also with Peter Stanley-Evans Jr. Pieter did go to the Mason Chartreuse company store where he bought several cups and saucers.
Sadly they stayed behind in Horst, The Netherlands as Pieter left the house and all things in it, to his ex-wife when he went with me to the USA to start anew.
But we have them back, part as a gift from another English friend for hosting one of his people here at the Campbell Mushroom plant and we found Mandalay Chartreuse by Mason's at Replacements Ltd. 

A very memorable MGA Conference!

Related links:
Husband Pieter Speaks at MGA Conference, Bournemouth - England | previous post by me
Husband Pieter visiting Mushrooms in the Cave - Bradford-on-Avon in England | previous post by me

Visiting A.G. Linfield Mushroom Compost Facility in England  | previous post by me

Husband Pieter met with Darlington Spawn Makers and Fred Atkins in England | previous post by me

SO Happy for Having Met Another WRITING Mushroom Wife in the U.K. | previous post by me

Husband Pieter's Fond Relationship with Mushroom Growers in  the U.K. | previous post by me

{May 2014 be a Happy and above all a Healthy Year for YOU!} | showing you Pieter's Burberry Tuxedo...

Husband Pieter's Fond Relationship with Mushroom Growers in the U.K.

The very first mushroom farm that husband Pieter J.C. Vedder visited in the U.K. was the one from Peter Stanley-Evans. Together with his boss, Pieter Bels they did so in 1958, probably in combination with the Mushroom Fair. 

Peter Stanley-Evans grew mushrooms in metal military bunk beds, 2 high in greenhouses.

He also grew chrysanthemums.

This was the 1st real excursion with board members of the Mushroom Experiment Station and the Practical Training Center for Mushroom Growing.
Husband Pieter's 1st Dutch Publication was not yet out at that time but he'd lectured at several International Congresses and wrote articles for Mushroom Magazines.

Husband Pieter is to the left, 2nd row standing. His boss, Pieter Bels is also in the 2nd row to the right and his wife Henriëtte Bels-Koning is to his left.

This was in front of a restaurant in the UK.
During one of husband Pieter's visits, Pieter Bels was talking with Peter Stanley-Evans Sr. and Pieter was discussing with Stanley-Evans Jr.
Pieter overheard Stanley-Evans Sr. say: 'Yeah, yeah, we have to realize that is the next generation...'
Sadly we learned that his (only ?) son had died rather young...

It was also this friend Peter Stanley-Evans, who invited husband Pieter with his entire group to his home for a formal Tea.
Mrs. Evans and her daughter-in-law had made the beautiful decorated little cakes themselves!
To view more photos from this excursion go here: de Champignon - cultuur 1958 - 6  via ISMS just click it.

Below this post you find the link about the beautiful Tanner Krolle Attaché, Pieter got gifted from Peter Stanley-Evans...

Very interesting old black-and-white movie from 1958 to get an idea about how it was back then: Mushroom Farm Aka Airman At Home, Mushroom Fair 1958 This was not in bunk beds but small wooden trays.
Click the link above in pink, it is 2:39 min.

Picture from David Stanley-Evans from The Mushroom Journal 1978-11

Peter Stanley–Evans was the 1986 recipient of the Sinden Award.

His lecture was published in the Mushroom Journal February 1987 issue ←click ISMS link.

1989-6 The Mushroom Journal published a nice Profile story about Peter Stanley-Evans, written by Charles Spencer. Click the link to the ISMS pdf

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On October 9, 1990 David Stanley-Evans died...

1990-10 The Mushroom Journal click ISMS link

Published to the ISMS upload from 1990-12 The Mushroom Journal click link

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Fidlers Hall is mentioning the history of the mushroom farm. We don't know yet if Beth Stanley-Evans is maybe the daughter-in-law from said deceased son.
Just today, I got a very kind reply from a person managing the Fidlers Hall website and I will pass on the link to this post once it will get published this evening!
That way, Beth Stanley-Evans will get to read it...

Burwood House mentions the garden of Fidlers Hall, which belonged to her parents-in-law. Was that Peter Stanley-Evans?

In The Mushroom Journal 1978-5 is a very interesting article about them:

One of the World's Most Outstanding Mushroom Farms just click link.

It looks like on February 14, 2000, this very special and long-time mushroom friend left this earth.

2000-8 The Muhroom Journal 

Both of us did give a seminar for International Spawn Laboratory (in 1998 being absorbed by Sylvan) for their growers/customers.
That was held at Tewkesbury Park for two days in 1994.
We still have Peter Davies letter thanking the organizer.

To quote just a few lines:
"This is just a brief note to thank you very much for a tremendous two days at Tewkesbury last week. Your hospitality was most generous and of course in Pieter Vedder you had one of the most respected names in the mushroom world.
His talks were both very interesting and stimulating — certainly food for thought when we return to our own farms..."

On February 10, 2008 published in the BBC NEWS | UK | England | Sussex | Struggling mushroom farm to close

The very MGA Mushroom Grower's Association in the U.K. also has dissolved...
Also the British monthly magazine 'THE MUSHROOM JOURNAL' is no longer.
Husband Pieter wrote several articles for them over the years.

Thanks for your visit!

Related link:
{Pieter’s Tanner Krolle Attaché - Royal Gift purchased at Harrods by English Friend} | previous post about the beautiful Tanner Krolle Attaché Pieter got gifted from Peter Stanley-Evans...

{Pieter’s Tanner Krolle Attaché - Royal Gift purchased at Harrods by English Friend}

From his long-time English Friend, Peter Stanley-Evans, husband Pieter did receive a Royal Gift, purchased at Harrods in London... On a given day when once again Pieter was visiting England, Peter Stanley- Evans and his wife arrived in their Land Rover, at the hotel my husband was staying at. They did tote a package, obvious from Harrods in London and it contained this Royal gift for him. An English bridle leather Tanner Krolle Attaché in Hazel came out... With his initials: P.J.C.V. added under the handle in gold gilding!

This is Pieter at his desk while being V.P. Training & Development for Campbell's Soup here in Dublin, Georgia. To the top left is his Hazel Tanner Krolle Attaché.

Pieter received this Royal gift for years of friendship, including with their son, and good business advice, for which he never requested any money...

ROYAL GIFT indeed:

Prince William and Prince Harry went to school with trunks made by Tanner Krolle...

Tanner Krolle is unquestionably one of the most little known, and most undervalued luxury brands on the market today...

Tanner Krolle continues to manufacture leather goods and accept commissions from style icons and royal househoulds worldwide. Notable customers include Jackie Onassis, Diana, Princess of Wales, Princes William and Harry, as well as Saudi Arabia's late King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud.

The Upperdeck Luxury Experience Tanner Krolle - Flawless 

Mr. Peter Stanley-Evans thought that my Pieter was worth such a Royal Gift!
Believe me, husband Pieter was very appreciative.

Sadly there is no photo of it up close, here again it is visible, standing open to the left on Pieter's desk.

Zoomed in...

Ben Silver in the U.S.A. is still selling this Tanner Krolle...  Attaché Case in Hazel 

Husband Pieter always loved its Hazel color bridle leather...

Mr. Peter Stanley Evans had it personalized for Pieter with his initials P.J.C.V. embossed in gold gilding...

Tanner Krolle still provides Gilding in Gold or Silver for Briefcases / 1912 Classic lid over body slim line attaché

As mentioned already earlier, we do NOT have any closeup photos of this Royal Tanner Krolle Attaché... In this 1985 photo you see it in our previous home, on a little corner counter in the kitchen to the right.

My dear Thai born friend and me and yes, this was around New Year with a wall full of Christmas & New Year cards!

BUT... tragedy struck!

This is on March 3, 1992 when we just arrived from our job in India; back to our villa in Indonesia...

From all the vandalized things (curtains cut up); all personal belongings robbed, goose down duvet with pillows and all bed linens... most shocking was to find Pieter's Royal Gift in this condition!

I'm looking at the remainder of crochet thread, books, slides and educational material they did NOT take.

Brutally cut open, the gold embossed initials under the handle were even scraped off with a knife.
After this incidence (it already was the 3rd robbery!), we soon did come home to the U.S.A. instead of working a few more episodes of 2 months, while living in Indonesia.