Day 8 & 9 Flight Padang – Jakarta and the city of Jakarta

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At 12:30 we checked in at the Minangkabau International Airport in Padang (Sumatra) to catch our flight to Jakarta in Java. But first, we had to say goodbye to our bus driver Boy and busboy Andu, which both did a great job to drive us save through Sumatra. I would thank both man for helping us out. The last minutes that we spend on Sumatra, and it was time to go our second island that we would visit, Java. Jakarta is the capital of Indonesia and Java, and from Pedang we will fly directly to Jakarta, with Garuda Indonesia. The bus drove is quite in front of the departure hall, where we were able to do the check in. I had seat 33 J, and our flight was GA 165. I still had time to enjoy some fresh juice before getting on the plane. In the plane, I was asked if I would change my seat, so a father could sit together with his family, to seat 23 I. At 14:40, our plane went in the air and we flight out of Sumatra to the new island of Java. We land on Java at 16:30 with any problems. In Java, a new bus with the driver Ibis and busboy Danny were waiting for us.



Every island of Indonesia feels different, and when spending some time in Java, it does feel like another country. Java does contain a lot of Volcano’s where two of them are most popular: the Bromo volcano and the Merapi. The last one, had his last eruption in 2010 and with it, belonging to the most dangerous volcano’s on the world (she is currently the 16^th most dangerous volcano). During my trip, I will visit the Bromo Volcano, which is also still active. The longest river on the island is 600 km long, known as the Solo River, where it source is in the Lawu Volcano (Central Java). In the 600 km, the river flows north and eastward, and mounting in the Java Sea, near the city of Surabaya (north-east Java). “Jawa” as spoken by the Indonesian, contains 143.000.000 citizens over the island with 130.000 km2, 1000 km long, up to 210 km wide is the the most crowed island of Indonesia. Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia and Java contains 10.000.000 people. The island can be counted in 4 provinces: West-Java, East-Java, Middle-Java and Batam (laying in the West). Jakarta and Yogyakarta are in fact not an province, however, they both are a special region. In this blog, I will discuss Jakarta. Yogyakarta is known about the Hindu-Buddhist empires, where still beautiful temples and temple complexes are around. I will visit Yogyakarta, and therefore for this information, please check my blog over Yogyakarta. The temperature is quite nice, with ranges between 20 to 36*C, humidity with 75%. However, the Northern part of the Island is hotter, and can reach more than 35*C during the dry season. The Southern part is cooler, but inland you can find places that are cooler, especially on the highlands. The wet season is running from November until end of April, where the rain falls most in the afternoon, where January and February contains the most rain. West-Java and the higher lands and mountains receiving the most rain, over 4,000 mm pro year, where the north coast may receive 900 mm. Which this climate, you can expect rainforest and mangrove forests and tropical beaches. This tropical environment contains a great biodiversity with animals like the Javan rhino and the Javan warty Pig, but a lot of birds and around 130 fresh water fishes, only living in Java. Sadly, the Javan wildlife lost sadly some specific animals as the Javan Tiger and the Javan Elephant. One great thing to do in Java is to simply take the train and enjoy the rice terraces, and the rice is growing perfect in this land.



Arrived in our hotel, it was time to go to the swimming pool. Our hotel was “De Rivier”, hotel, which is in fact Dutch for “the River”, and it was close to the canal Pantjoran Kota and the old part of Batavia in Jakarta. The old Dutch drawbridge “Hoenderpasarbrug” was in front of the hotel. I will tell you more about the old city Batavia and the bridge in the upcoming part of this blog. The Hotel “De Rivier” is a great hotel, with a very large, but relaxing swimming pool. It also had a fitness, but it was closed. We were not the only group of the tour operator in Jakarta, also two other groups where there as well. But the hotel is very big, so it was not very busy in fact. I had room 624. The rooms were big and good, also hygienic. In the lobby room, a replica of a ship wheel was standing. It is a replica of one of the VOC ships. What exactly the VOC was and the meaning for the Dutch people, I will discuss further in this blogpost. In the beginning of the evening, we went to a restaurant, close by the hotel, named “Cafe Restaurant Batavia”. The Restaurant is totally in 1920-1930 style, covered with pictures. The Cafe Restaurant is a good place for a dinner or a lunch, but even for live music in the evening at the bar, our to scoop inside to enjoy this place. If you scoop inside, you should not forget to visit the toilets, because what you will see there... well, I keep a surprise if you do not mind. But at least it is clean and hygienic, so no worry. In total I had 3 meals at Cafe Restaurant Batavia, because the quality is quite good. It is also a little expensive for Indonesian standards, but they do have a lot of choices in between Western, Indonesian, Chinese dishes. You can order different dishes and different sizes, small – medium and large. I ordered Barbeque Duck Medium with a small Nasi Goreng. Both dishes were not served together. The Nasi Goreng was good, but it was to fatty in my opinion. The Duck was great, the barbecue sauce contained hints of caramel, and therefore the sauce and the meat was nice and sweet. The meat was perfectly grilled and perfect. It was not that fat. But, the artwork they made on the flesh was great, two ducks. I really liked they made so much great effort and work in the dishes. The quality was good, the food is very great from taste. That is why we had in total 3 meals. It was time to go to bed. The next morning, I will do a tour to the old “Batavia”, where to old Dutch man, maybe some ancestors of myself more than 100 years ago, set also foot on ground.



Jakarta was known under different names, but Batavia (1619-1942) is probably the most known of them. The other names were Sunda Kepala (397-1527), Jayakarta (1527-1619) and Djakarta (1942-1972). Jakarta is a very important city in Indonesia and South-east Asia, due it’s economic and politic metropolis. Therefore, the city has almost 10.000.000 citizens, but the total area around Jakarta, known as Jabotabek has around 30.000.000 citizens. Batavia was one of the most important city’s for the Verenigde Oost-Indische Companie (VOC, i.e. United East India Company). The VoC time was one of the most important area’s out of the Dutch History. The VOC (1602 – 1799) was a Dutch trading company with a monopoly from the Netherlands (than known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands) and the “East”, everything that was East of Cape the Good Hope, until Strait of Megallan (between Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego). Last year, I visited Cape the Good hope and I also wrote about the VOC history in South Africa. Please reference to my blog about Cape Town. During that time, the VOC was known as the biggest trade company of that time and the first company having multiple locations in different countries. Due the much trading, the VOC made a lot of new trade post, and most of all in Asia. They also introduced coins as money in some parts of Asia and developed their own coins. The VOC prior was trade, and everything was prepared to keep this status and even to improve. Therefore, the VOC had its own army, including war ships. The army and the war ships, did not only protecting the trade ships, but also to extension of the trade region. The army also was to control enforcement and to force the local people to trade with the VOC. In the first years, the VOC spend a lot of money on military actions to drive away to Portuguese out of many Asian post. Also, the VOC did a lot of exploring expeditions, in hope to find faster trade route, new trade contains and products, information about language and they also want to spread Christianity over the local people. The VOC lost in 1780-1784 many trade post in the fourth English-Dutch War, where the British occupied many of the VOC trade posts. In 1611, as the first Governor General of Indie, Pieter Both was not able to build a fort, because his proposal was not approved, but he was able to build a factory in the Chinese neighbourhood by the riverside Tjiliwan. Jan Pieterzoons Coen (1587 – 1629), became in 1614 director over the company’s. Coen wanted to strengthen the trade post, and one of the most important reasons was to dime the concretion of the Chinese. Coen did start, without still any approval to build the fort which was rejected to Pieter Both. The English also started to build a fort, but the English post was destroyed at 24 December of f that same year. At 2 January 1619 the Dutch and the English, led by Sir Thomas Dale had a meeting at the coast of Java. However Coen sailed in secret to the Moluccas to receive help by Herman van Speult and Adriaen Maertensz Block. In the mean time, Pieter van den Broecke was still working on the fort, but the Javan people captured him. Van den Broecke capitulated on 1 February 1619 and made some deals with the English and the Sultan. The deal did not last long, when Coen came back with 17 war ships, leading up that the Javan people were chased out of the region and the English disappeared with their 15 ships. The city of Jakarta was burned and all the people were chased away, without any changes. From here, the city of Batavia was build up to a blooming trading place.



My tour in Batavia ,started in front of our hotel, where the old Dutch VOC drawbridge “Hoenderpasarbrug” is standing. The bridge was build in 1628, but was almost destroyed in 1937, but due some spending actions the bridge could stay. The Bridge is build over the canal of Pantjoran Kota. However, there is something that was not nice on this place. It was the water quality of the canal. The water was so dirty, it stank. The stank is really an understatement. It is very bad that the water quality is so bad. In complete Indonesia, trash is in general a problem. People just dump their trash everywhere, leading up that water and rivers are wasted with trash and get very dirty. This water was so dirty, it generated a horrible stank. You can walk on the bridge if you want. The bridge itself is a very beautiful bridge, made out of steel and wood. I really like the colours they used and the style of building. The whip bridge was, at least in the past able to lift itself up, from both sides, where ships were able to pass. In the harbour of Jakarta, I booked a “Batavia” tour. This tour, is starting at the Sunda Kelapa Harbor. During the tour, the guide and the captain of one of the ships

Invited us to enter one ship, which was currently unloading. In Rotterdam, the biggest harbor of The Netherlands, the loading and unloading of the ships happens with the newest technology, but here in Jakarta that is not the case. Walking over a small wooden beam to reach the ship, is not how you enter a ship in Rotterdam. But, here in Jakarta, this is the live they have to take. So, I took the beam. This ship was loading rice, which is coming from Sulawesi. Most of these ships do trading to other Indonesian islands, most Sumatra, Sulawesi, Borneo or the Moluccas. We had a good guide and he explains a lot of the live of the sail man and the products which were transported. Due the national holiday week, a lot of ships are laying in the harbor waiting to deliver their loads, or waiting to be loaded. Walking back on the beam, and standing on the ground, we had a small surprise. The tour would follow on boat. Which boat? Small boats. Laying between the big boats, there was place for 5 people, including the guide (which was the sail man). Yes, that are those small boats of one of my pictures.



The small boats where sailing through the harbor, where a lot of new buildings where build. These where build by the Chinese. Since the Dutch left the independency of Indonesia, Chinese tradesman bought a lot of ground of the “Batavia” region. They start to build and to build, and currently, they still are building. Not only the Chinese people are here building, also the Japan tradesmen are buying ground and building a lot of new buildings. The people that do live in the area’s they have, do not have very great living circumstances. I will discuss this later. During our boat tour, we sailed around a half hour, through the harbor, seeing a lot of ships waiting to be loaded. Smaller ships, but bigger ships. The ships are not very modern, in some cases I did wonder they still were able to sail at the sea. The ships are not very big, not so big as the ships which are sailing to the harbor of Rotterdam. Probably, the ships are around 50m in length and 20m in wide. That are probably one of the longest ships. Sailing though different islands and some other Asian countries, they most deliver spices, fish and rice. During the tour we almost reached open sea and we sailed back. This time over another route, and we ended up in some small place where the local people are living. Here, we could have a watch in this small neighbourhood. This is a slum. As told, the Chinese and the Japan people did bought this place, and the local people could hire a small part of the ground for living. What did happen is that a lot of people are living on a small area with horrible hygienic conditions. Most people are getting their water out of the dirty water of the harbor. We walked though the slum, around a time of 15 minutes. It is dirty, the people are living here in horrible conditions and they do not have good changes of work and study. The people here were curious about us and showed something about their local live here. The slum is the only place to see the remains of the old city of Batavia. Some old warehouses are still there. But, in very horrible condition. As the slums, the Chinese and the Japan do not care about the heritage what is standing here. Which means, the warehouse is covered in trash. The old trade place is now nothing more than a trash dumping place. The water is dirty and it stinks. This is horrible! This was the place where first , the big VOC ships were sailing and laying on Anchor. A city, a fort with its pride, and currently the Chinese and the Japan people are making here a dumping place? The people which are living here in horrible conditions and the landlords do not care about their conditions. It is to sad that the Indonesian government, and of course – and especially - the Dutch government are doing nothing to save this heritage what is still standing. With some great historical reparations, renovations and replica’s, you are able to bloom up this place, not giving a boost to the tourism in the city, but also helping the people out of these slums where they are living know. Due the horrible stank, we were not able to go for lunch yet, so we decided to make a late lunch. Therefore, we visited the maritime museum, which was nice to watch. This museum is probably more for children then for adults. We also visit the old Dutch watch post, where still the old canons are standing. We climbed at this watch post and we could enjoy the beautiful sights of Batavia city. From this watch post, we walked to Cafe Restaurant Batavia for the lunch.



At the lunch of Cafe Restaurant Batavia, I ordered a burger meal. The Burger was good, but it did not contain any sauce. The flesh and the quality of the burger was good. I did not like the egg in fact. Too bad that the French fires where served a little bit too cold and a bit limp. But the salad, was very delicious. After the lunch, I enjoyed the live band, which was playing in Cafe Restaurant Batavia in the afternoon. I really like this place. Cafe Restaurant Batavia is laying at the Fatahillah Square. Fatahillah Square was previous known as the “Batavia City Square”. But, now this Square is called to Fatahillah, a national hero of Indonesia. A lot of people are always on this square, in the evening partying, but also in the afternoon a lot of entertainment is here to do. But, also at this Square, there is a lot to do. You can visit some museums, the Jakarta History Museum, The Fine Arts and Ceramics Museum, and the Puppet Museum known as Wayang Museum. Instead of visiting these museums, I decided to relax at the swimming pool. In the evening, I also took dinner by Cafe Restaurant Batavia, but I only choice to order a Medium Nasi Goreng Ajam , with Ajam Sate. I also ordered a Mocktail, a cocktail without alcohol, named Sit Jaguar Punch. I really liked that punch. It was lovely sweet and fresh made. Great quality. The Nasi was good, but the Chicken Ajam Sate was served a little bit cod, but the taste was very good, the sauce was delicious. The chicken parts were also from good quality. Some people ordered a huge Orgy ice cream, but I ordered a Dame Blance. The Orgy Ice cream looked so great, that I had to make a picture of it. The Dame Blance that I ordered was made of quality chocolate, which you really could taste. The ice cream was also from nice quality. They had a nice detail with chocolate. A great ice cream to end my day in Jakarta.





The next day, it was time to leave Jakarta, to go to Bandung. Jakarta is a big city, but we saw a small part. An important part in the history of The Netherlands and Indonesia. It is in my opinion to bad that this part of Jakarta – Batavia – is not kept very well this day.

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Photos

Flight Padang - Jakarta
Airplane from Pandang - Jakarta

Flight Padang - Jakarta
Where are we?

Cafe Batavia
Roasted Duck. Just look at the amazing art they created!

Batavia Wheel
This is a Replica of the Wheel, of a Dutch Ship "Batavia", during the VOC time (VOC; Verenigde Oostindische Compangnie, i.e. Dutch Eastindian Compangne)

Batavia Wheel
I am ready to raise the sails!

Hoenderpasarbrug (Hoender Pasar Bridge)
This Drawbridge was in front of our hotel.

The Harbor of Jakarta
Were were invited to look on one of these ships.

Harbor Tour: on a ship
We were invited to watch on a ship, which was currently unloading. The ship was coming from Sulawesi and carried rice.

Harbor Tour: The small boats
yes, this are our boats

Harbot boat Tour
Sailing with the Dutch!

Harbor tour
The boats are waiting for loading and unloading.

Harbor Tour
Some ships waiting to be loaded and unloaded.

The Slum
The Slum is directly attached to the harbor

The Dutch VOC warehouse
The white walls of the VOC warehouse is still left, but as to been seen in horrible condition.

The Fort
On side of the fort, you see the original Logo of the VOC. This logo is standing on a Museum, which was the old Fort build by J.P. Coen. This picture was taken on the Watch Post.

Fatahillah Square
Dutch bikes at the Fatahillah Square

Fatahillah Square
Entertainment at the Fatahillah Square

Sint Jaguar Punch
Mocktail