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Published: November 9th 2010
Traffic in Jakarta
There are still an amazing number of motorcycles in Jakarta. This is probably a good thing for congestion but it still doesn't help reduce the flows much. It is still ok as long as you don't expect to get too far in a hurry.Travel days 53 - 63
In my opinion, Jakarta (and Indonesia more generally) is misunderstood and its image as presented to the outside world is quite negative and (very unpleasant) from the reality of this relatively new visitor. (I just completed my third trip yesterday). That being said, it isn't always the most comfortable place to stay when compared to places like Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia or Brunei.
(Firstly, and not part of my ad hoc math equation at the bottom, "M" is not for Muslim but for moderation and magic. Jakarta still has a lot of magic amidst the filthy and crowded mess most people can't get past talking about) More importantly, it is not "T" for Terror that we often think about from the news for Jakarta but "T" for transportation. The city still lacks a comprehensive rail network that is up-to-date and convenient. The old infrastructure that Jakarta and its surrounding area rely on to deal with its enormous population are quite inadequate to the task moving them around in rapid or comfortable fashion. The sight of some buses still in operation makes me cringe. (As a result, many things move slowly here) Outside of some areas
(such as Central Jakarta, the port area, some of the suburbs), the city still often gives you the feeling that it is many kampung (term used to describe water based communities in the archipelago) loosely tied together. This is not a bad thing but only a problem when it comes to organizing mass transportation in a convenient and comfortable manner for the majority of Indonesians. "B" is not for bombs but for beauty. Jakarta (and Indonesia especially) has far more beauty than bombs and is one of the most beautiful places on earth that I have visited. Indonesia is blessed with immense natural beauty (and people who I see as Southeast Asian more than Muslims). "D" is not for disaster or danger (also overdone in the news) but for delicious!! Some of the most delicious foods I have tried are to be found in plain sight. "P" is not for people but productivity. Indonesia has managed enormous agricultural productivity but has struggled to transition its more urbanized workforce into the modern economy. (There are entirely too many people involved in jobs that involve transportation!!) Lastly, "F" is not for failed development or forest fires but for FINANCE.....Indonesia (like elsewhere) could
Oil
Outside of forestry, people, agriculture and natural beauty this is another of Indonesia's "natural" resources. Indonesia's national oil company building very close to the National Monument and National Mosque.....a kind of trio of the symbols that stand behind Indonesian political ideologies (there are others of course, but these three building are conspicuous) desperately use more "F" to finance its "T" and "P"in order to further take advantage of its "B" and "D" and develop its urban environment into a more comfortable (less crowded) place to live. F + T*P = B (to the nth power) and D (to its own delightful multiples)........it all equals more comfort and a happier urban place to be 😊 😊
My main reason for visiting Jakarta was to visit my online conversation partner Nining. I have just begun to learn Indonesian for possible government/NGO jobs but I also like the language. I don't think I made tremendous progress during my ten day visit but I feel like I have built a more substantial vocabulary base as well as gaining a better handle on how the sounds work (the phonetic base). My spoken Indonesian is only as good as my relaxed (and desire to make it fun) approach to it. Nining has helped me a lot and doesn't push me too hard. It might be an advantage and disadvantage that her English is so good. (She did her MA in economics in the US and has plans to present a rigorous PHD proposal. She also really likes
Aerobics in Jakarta
Muslim women and men doing aerobics. Despite being Muslims, they all look surprisingly "normal" here. They wear sweatpants and standard workout garb. You should see some of the girls with chadors on at the shopping mall. They wear tight jeans, high heels and sport trendy purses with plenty of make-up. All the while the carry the latest mobile phones and the most uppity of them have coffee at Starbucks....provocative indeed and hardly the image of backwardness put forward in images of muslim women in the Middle East. Muslim women here (like Nining) seem enthusiastic to embrace what is new. :) the US even in Minnesota where she went to school.......... so we have a mutual professional and personal interest in sharing language with each other.)
Because Nining was working during much of my time there (she does work as an economist at the Bank of Indonesia), I decided to stay around and explore Jakarta. Because I got sick (and this limited my mobility), the exploration consisted mostly of a culinary tour of different restaurants, styles and ethnic foods available in Indonesia (but eaten in Jakarta). It also took place mostly in Central Jakarta because this is the most pleasant part of the city (Public Park and many shopping malls with places to eat are here). Other parts of town are more difficult to navigate because the infrastructure has received much less attention. I think the plan of staying in the center of the city was ok for Nining too because she is relatively new to Jakarta (she is originally from Lombok) and there are times when it seems to be just as foreign a city to her as for me. (Sometimes, of course as I am not a very culturally adept Indonesian visitor yet......I have great difficulty putting sentences
The state of buses in Jakarta is sad
There are a number of decent (orange colored) air conditioned buses in Jakarta, but many of the buses that serve the population look like this one. Many years of underinvestment in public transport will result in this sad state of affairs. together in Indonesian thus far, but I am improving.....LOL)
Rather than cover every fine meal we ate, I will cover some of my favorites and memorable moments. The first meal I remember enjoying and one of my favorite was the "padang" lunch/dinner we had on my first full day in Indonesia. Padang is like a buffet of dishes which are stacked in front of you on the table. You choose and pay for only the ones you want. It is nice because it is like getting to see everything on the menu up close. It is also very cool because everything is eaten in the traditional way with your hands (plain rice included). It is fun to watch how Indonesians do it and I am still quite uncomfortable doing so unless it is sticky rice (Thai style). I also liked the "bakso" I had which consists of stuffed meatballs that are often put in a soup or fried with noodles. There are lots of interesting fillings and the meatballs are usually made from beef or fish. The Grand Indonesian Mall (where we often went) also has an exceptional sushi restaurant. On Monday, Nining took me to her house (under
Nining and I over padang
A padang meal......one of my favs construction) in the outer suburbs and we stopped at what I call the "yellow water cafe" (no joke) because the bathrooms had water that was yellow running from them. I started getting sick around then (but I think this was just coincidence). They had "padang" at this place that was actually quite good. Somewhere in between, I also had a Sundanese salad loaded with vegetables and topped with creamy peanut dressing called gado gado that I enjoyed as well. We also stopped at "Kedai Tiga Nyonya" or the "Three Ladies Cafe/Small Restaurant" which had some nice spicy salads we both enjoyed. (If I wasn't sick, I would have liked it more.) By this time, I had moved out of the hostel (with the scary naked man) into a serviced apartment near Nining's work and apartment.
Moving on to later in the week, we had a Balinese meal with lots of grilled fish, seafood and sate sticks with a spicy sambal dip (called basa gede in Bali). This was my favorite and Nining seemed to eat it with more gusto than any other meals we had. The food is quite salty and spicy which is similar to preferred food tastes
Pointing to Mecca
Just in case you didn't know which direction to pray.......hotels provide convenient assistance at her home in Lombok. I took a cooking course in Ubud, Bali earlier this year and loved it!! When we went to Bogor on the weekend, we enjoyed some Soto (like a spicy chicken/beef soup) and more Sundanese food (Sundanese are a major ethnic group in this mountainous part of West Java) among other things. Sundanese food often includes lots of uncooked plain vegetables and herbs eaten without dressing or additives. It is quite plain but healthy. We also had a traditional Javanese meal (very sweet grilled food with plain rather than sticky rice). It was at one of the fancy hotels in town and the food isn't my favorite but it was pretty neat because they had a live gamelan performance (traditional Javanese music) at the restaurant. For those who don't know, Javanese are the dominant ethnic group in Indonesia and the most populous group as well. (They have their own language, literature, customs, traditions, foods, ways of life, music, etc.................as do all of the many many other ethnic groups in Indonesia. The Javanese have just been the most influential of all.....at least when it comes to national political power.)
As most of my week was spent
in Jakarta (taking some photos and resting to get over my sickness), it was nice to go away for the weekend to Bogor in West Java (about an hour-and-a-half) by train from Jakarta. Bogor is a little quieter than Jakarta and has a nice Botanical Garden. It is nestled in the mountains which have gorgeous rice terraces and tea plantations you can see on the drive up to the top. Unfortunately, the traffic is near unbearable on the weekend, but Nining and I found a nice place for lunch up near the peak in Puncak. (There is a nice hotel on the peak looking down on it all. It would be a nice place to stay for future reference). Transport on these narrow winding roads can be (and was) quite harrowing. I would never go on the weekend again if I get another chance!!
Despite the crazy, crowded nature of Jakarta, it was a fun trip. Indonesia is a beautiful spot which I would love to explore more of. Nining is a valuable friend and it is difficult for me to say more at this point. Where will the future lead us? Perhaps I am enjoying too much freedom
Botanical Garden in Bogor
This former Dutch colonial palace overlooks the pretty Botanical garden in Bogor. Deer roam freely all over the place here too. Strange to see them in Southeast Asia. at the moment(?). So far, I don't think so. I am still counting on my travels bringing me to Africa, Europe and back to my beloved Southeast Asia again. How can I get paid to travel? (This is my dream).
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i like your math equation about Jakarta .. hahaha why dont you try to visit Bali.. it would be awesome