Indonesia... Jakarta!

This post is about my Jakarta.... yes.... I said it right... MY Jakarta (^^).  As much as I dislike how chaotic Jakarta is, it still feel like home to me.  Good food (by the way, I can do food tour guide for free... spread the word! :D), many things to see and do, and to me, many many good memories.  I say most are good memories, because they're the ones that shaped me into the kind of person I am now.  My mission is to show the world what a beautiful place Indonesia is.  I can't tell you how much I love Indonesia now, and I want the whole world to know that there is this little jewel in South East Asia that will steal their hearts (and I can be free tour guide too... just pay for my ticket, food and accommodation :D Kidding.... ) If I happened to be in Indonesia too, for sure, anyone who read this blog will be my guest of honor and I will be free guide because I just want to show people the beauty of Indonesia.  Jakarta..... Yes, could be nerve wracking to sight see there, as the city is big, hectic, dirty and could be unsafe in some areas.  But, as with any big cities in South East Asia or anywhere, using common sense is always the way to go.  I don't suggest foreigners to take public transport in Jakarta, other than busway, especially at night.  First of all, none of the kenek (fee collector) or drivers speak English, second of all, many pick pockets inside the crowded bus.  Third, to be the only 'bule' (white foreigner) in the bus will attracts a lot of attention... what you don't want are ones with not a very good intentions.  Locals in Jakarta (most places but around central Jakarta) doesn't see a lot of tourist because it is not a very tourist friendly area, so a bule will attracts many attentions.  Areas such as Sarinah, Jaksa street, Blok M, Pondok Indah, seen a good share of bule, so people tend to leave them alone.  Jakarta is a big city and could be overwhelming, but I would say, Jakarta is the most fun when you know someone to show you around... Otherwise it's just another shopping place... although food IS THE BEST in Jakarta!  Enjoy the pics, I will give directions how to get to some of the places whenever I could.  It does help having Transjakarta Busway system around, links to route map with some of the pictures below.  Allright, enjoy the pictures

In every neighborhood in Jakarta, food is
always within walking distance ... or in some
case pass right by your house :)  This girl was
selling pork satay within walking distance
from my place.  Usually people will set
up business from their homes.  As I recall,
this kind of pork satay was a little sweet... I'm
not sure about this one because I'm a vegetarian now (^^)

Thanks to this guy.....

..... I didn't see these guys on my street anymore :( 

I live near the border of east, north and central Jakarta in an area called
Sunter.  The landmark for this place is the Honda factory.  Since it is part of north Jakarta,
 the area is famous for flooding... yes... the one year it was up to my thigh inside the house.  The street looking a lot better now that the whole neighborhood on this little street pinched in some money to raise the road and the flooding had somehow better.  Sunter is an area of mostly Chinese descendants.

My old elementary school.  I started kindergarten here when
we moved to Jakarta when I was around 5 years old.  The school
seemed bigger back then.... maybe cuz I was smaller then :D 

Morning market down the street from my house.  I remembered the market was moved
few times back then, this time it was about 4 blocks away from my house.
Amazingly very clean too, I remembered when I was little it was very dirty
the ground was dirt but now it was all tiles and concrete.  People will usually gets up early
in the morning and get their groceries for the day.  Therefore, you always eat fresh fruits, veggies
and meat.... none of these frozen or mutated shit we have here in Canada.

Many bakeries in Jakarta now.  They're just like bakeries in Japan, a lot of good  bread
and bakings, definitely the place to avoid :D.  When I was a kid, there's a famous bakery
called Holland bakery, they have such yummy bread, still around however seems like competition
is fierce now that stores such as Bread Talk are all over Jakarta, especially in malls
(which Jakarta has no shortage of malls at all!)

This is one of the mall near my house, called Kelapa Gading Mall.  I believe this area used to be a park, across Wendy's that used to be on the right side of the picture.  Many good memories with the park, used to be my hang out place most of the times with friends.  This part of the mall is only one small part of  what now is a huge mall!  The variety of stores:  mostly middle priced brand, none of those Prada or Gucci, however, this mall has fun food court and snack stores!  Shopping isn't too bad either here, because everything is not overly expensive, unlike Grand Indonesia Mall or Mall of Indonesia.

This road used to lead to the park now made into part of the mall leading to the area in the picture above.  To get to Kelapa Gading mall > Take busway to Harmony busway station (cost 3500 rupiah), transfer to busway heading to Pulo Gadung, stop at station called Pulomas.  When you get off, go down the bridge to your left (traffic direction to Pulo Gadung),  once you're down, walk straight ahead (same direction of traffic) and you will see a bridge over the river.  Take one of the small red transport vehicle, it should take you straight to the mall, cost 2000 rupiah, pay when you get off.  When you see a roundabout, tell driver  'stop di jembatan' (stop at the bridge) and he will stop you at a pedestrian crossing bridge.  Go up that bridge and down the other side... that's should be the mall!  

Masjid Istiq'lal, one of the biggest mosque in Jakarta.  It's right across from the biggest Cathedral in Jakarta :D  It kinda symbolizes religious tolerance, that we all SHOULD have toward each other. 

One of the famous landmark in Jakarta.  This is the runabouts called Bunderan Hotel Indonesia.  Walking distance from Sarinah and Jaksa street (where all the cheap accommodations for foreigners are),   here you will find many 5 stars hotels, Hotel Indonesia (hotel built in Sukarno's era, Indonesia's first president), Plaza Indonesia (fancy mall with shops I can't afford to even walk inside :D) and Grand Indonesia Mall (another fancy mall with shops I can't afford to even walk inside :D).   If it's very hot outside, you can always take busway that goes to Blok M (actually Blok M is a more interesting place)

This area called Pasar Baru.  Hundreds of vendors here, from clothing to musical equiptments, anything you wish and very cheap!  One of the oldest shopping area in Jakarta.  Ooops.... I totally forgot to come here :(  I took this pic when I was on the busway... wonder if it stops here too? (^^) ..... have to take Shinji here ..... seems like it does! > http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Transjakarta_Busway_Map_February_2007.png

Unfortunately, no one wants to take care of the infrastructure of Jakarta....  see? they could make gondola part of transport system to get to this mall (and tourist would LOVE this), if they just clean the god damn thing! 

Street markets selling.... ummm.... everything in the sun :D

ummmm.... I would be kinda nervous riding my bike behind that truck :( 

Usual view in Jakarta... :(  People building shacks along the river, then they pollute the river with their garbages and poop :(  Many people have no choice... not that they're  willingly doing this.  This is government problem.  Many people from the village will go to Jakarta in hope to get a better job, well, life could be very very tough in Jakarta if you have not have any educations or skills that will make you adequate money.  So, for the well off, life is okay in Jakarta, but for many people, they have to live in shacks along the river .....

My junior high school

Yes, and the prison like gate to prevent students from skipping :D 

Inside Jakarta Kota train station

Built around 1870, Jakarta Kota train station is one of the historical and cultural landmark of Jakarta,  as you can see, it is one of the few traces of Dutch colonial in Indonesia.  Designed by a Dutch,  this train station served the commuter train to Jabotabek (Jakarta Bogor Tanggerang Bekasi) areas, also to the rest of Java.  However, to go to Yogyakarta, you have to go to Gambir train station.  

Coming up from busway station, this one is Jakarta Kota station.  From here, you
will be able to head to old city of Batavia, where you can see Fatahillah museum (used to be headquarter for VOC , Dutch East India Company), and all other traces of Dutch colonial in Indonesia.  Beautiful area, but as usual, not being taken care and preserved.  This is to me the most beautiful area in Jakarta (I love old rustic stuff ^^)

Busway bound for Blok M.  Since it went through some of the tourist destinations such as Monas (Indonesia's national monument), Jaksa street, old Batavia city, it is clean and well maintained.... all for the tourist :D  the ones that's heading to Pulo Gadung are crap :D.  Transjakarta busway is the best idea ever come up in Jakarta... I just wish people maintain this good system so it doesn't crumble apart :(  Busway saves you a lot of headache from traffic jam!  Link to route map > http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Transjakarta_Busway_Map_February_2007.png

Fatahillah Museum, part of still standing history of Indonesia.  The museum itself was not as interesting as I remembered it in the past..... I suggest not to go inside, admission is cheap but not much to see inside but old antique furniture, beautiful though.

View from inside the museum, the small dome structure actually entrance to underground prison

Same area, around Fatahillah Museum... all the buildings here are what's left from the colonial time.... Beautiful buildings

I was told apparently on the weekend there's always festival here, today there wasn't any but this guy was here :) 

Fatahillah Museum.  By the way, Fatahillah is the name of one of Indonesia's national hero, who fought against the Portuguese occupation in Sunda Kelapa, one of the area in Jakarta.  No one really sure the accurate history of this person.

Prison entrance.

Next few pictures just surrounding area.... I really wish they maintain it better :( 

Very pretty right? ^^ 

Ummm.... just be careful crossing the streets in Jakarta... make sure you have a very good life insurance :D I found crossing the streets here is worse than in Bangkok..... 

Hmmm.... I'm not sure what this structure called... but it had been around since I was little. You will pass it on busway

This building has been around since I was little.... the landmark for busway station Harmony (which is area locals called 'kota' ummm.... maybe kind of like Chinatown of Jakarta.  Oh, ya... and traffic sucks here so busway is the way to go.

Near my house still

Yapp, everyone uses motorbike here due to the traffic jams,... but looking at how the motorcycle runs in this picture, maybe they contributed to the traffic jams too? :D

Yapp, not much of a traffic rules here :D

Jakarta's beach in Ancol.  Now it is very small, not as dirty as before, better than nothing :D  Used to be bigger beach, apparently the land is getting lower than the sea, so they had to build walls to prevent sea water from drowning the shore during high tide.  Ancol area is actually a lot nicer now than when I was younger.  Ancol is a recreation park, where it has the Jakarta Sea World, water park, amusement park, art and handcrafts areas, hooker areas (night time only :D maybe they don't have that anymore ) , the beach, hotels and resorts... awh, many things.  Actually now I don't think I'll be ashamed of taking tourist here :D... From Ancol apparently you can book tour package or boat ride to one of the island of  Kepulauan Seribu (Thousand Islands).  Good diving place and place to hide from the world I heard (^^).  Apparently you can take busway to Ancol, Harmony is the main station, so if you are around Jaksa street, you have to go to Harmony then see which bus you have to transfer to.  Link to Transjakarta busway route map > http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Transjakarta_Busway_Map_February_2007.png

Nice water.... (-_-) ewwh 

Awwh... everytime I see this picture I am VERY  jealous at this kid!!!!!! 

Jakarta's Sea World.... I feel sad seeing the animals here :( 

I was gonna kidnap him  (Penyu-san... sea turtle) and his buddies and release them into the sea.... 

....and him too.... but I thought maybe I should behave myself (^^)

My all time favorite food.... Ketoprak.  Consists of blanched snake beans, bean sprouts, rice cake, flour crackers and peanut sauce..... heaven for the tummy :D Most Indonesian food are spicy and uses peanut sauce, including this one.  The strange thing is, peanut allergy is unheard of in Indonesia.  I don't think I really know what peanut allergy is until I went to North America.... Maybe it's what North American put in their peanut products??? hmmm.... I won't be surprise considering North America IS the capital of mutated food of GMO ..... 

See? That's the ketoprak vendor.... I should've kidnap one so someone could make me ketoprak in Canada (^^).  Street vendors like this usually has THE TASTIEST food and VERY cheap! One plate of this cost around 70 cents.  I found gado-gado or nasi goreng from tourist restaurant tasted like...... ummmm... tasted like bule :D it doesn't taste like how Indonesian would like it.  The risk of eating at food vendors like this? you will never go back to any clean tourist restaurant if you survive the traveler's diarrhea that might followed the yumminess :D 

And as usual..... fresh fruit at every corner !  Cheap, fresh, and actually tasted like fruit! 

Many of these man made canals in Jakarta, another trace of Dutch colonial.  Just like in Amsterdam, where they have canals like this to help channel water throughout the city.... however, I don't think you wanna go on a gondola rides on any of these canals... disgusting.... people built toilets on it, threw garbage etc!!!! I'm not sure why the government never taken care of these canals, because it could be a very nice trip for tourist to go around Jakarta by gondola through these canals!

This is really not fair :(  By the way, the grey bus on the picture belongs to the Navy..... I wonder how it got there ^^ 

My Jakarta.... it's not foggy nor cloudy.... it's smoggy :D Kinda scary when you can see from the aeroplane where the white cloud end and the brown smog cloud started.  But I love this place! 

Motorcycle taxi, fast and fun way to get to places.  I used this mode of transport lots when I was young, because it's fast and cheap.  You just have to agree upon the fee before getting on one of this.

Ruko (Rumah Toko - store function as place to live above) is very popular in Indonesia.  Shop owners live right above the store, saved them on store rental on top of mortgage.... also saved them transportation cost to get from home to their store.  

These kind of vendor (hmmmm ^^ gado-gado... yummm) sometimes will stay at one place, sometimes you will see them go around the neighborhood and people just called them over as they passed by the house (they will make some sort of noise, most people knows which is which, the bread vendors will make different sound than the satay vendors)

Told you... I love taking pictures of Japanese
stores... I'm not sure why :D ... these were taken
at Arta Gading Mall (near Kelapa Gading Mall)
Daiso is at Arta Gading Mall... 

To go to Arta Gading Mall > take blue small transport vehicle (not the red ones) number 30A from across Kelapa Gading mall it will take you right there should cost no more than 2000 rupiah (it's close from kelapa gading mall)