Some of our best little trips are totally serendipitous. Thus it was with the turtledove competition that we happened upon at the Alun-Alun Kidul this morning.

There, in gorgeous cages, artistically strung up, were hundreds of perkutut, or turtledoves.

Around the roped-off area were hundreds of keen spectators, egging on (hehe) their favoured contenders ("Here, here -- 314. Listen to 314. Listen to 314").

Inside the roped-off area, a range of judges and flag-planters marked the poles whose birds cooed most often and most beautifully. And they do coo beautifully, too, once you get your ear in, as it were, and learn to listen past the cheers of the onlookers and other distractions.

Birds are big here. Lots of people have songbirds or doves outside their houses, and you often see birds being borne on motorbikes to important bird appointments we know nothing about.

The turtledove competition is all part of the celebrations for the upcoming royal wedding. As one of our fellow-spectators told us, this happens very rarely, and we are lucky to see it. We are indeed.