Exploring Jakarta

An uneventful grab taxi, departure and flight to Jakarta with only a short delay made for a pretty pleasant experience back to the big smoke.

Approaching the airport we didn't see any of the effects of the recently reported flooding, nor whilst we were in the ground. In fact, although there was a thick layer of clouds, there was no rain and plenty of daylight. 

Our driver Anton met us at the exit and started driving us to our hotel. As per usual the conversation of lunch came up and Anton made the executive decision of where to eat. He gave us a get out clause (which nobody remembered when we sat down) when we entered Padang Merdeka Hayam Wuruk restaurant. 

Quite the experience, a modern restaurant, except you sit down and a dozen dishes arrived mostly film wrapped, in lots of different colours, and honestly only slightly appealing. I could tell from the look on my father's face, that it wasn't going to meet the standard. His looks represented how I felt inside! It was Padang cuisine, which other than some decent tofu and vegetable dishes is not very inviting with its grizzly on bone chicken options. 

We went for a drive in the old neighbourhoods where my father lived 50 years ago giving him a chance to reminisce.

For our Jakarta leg we stayed at the Kosenda Hotel in Central Jakarta. A cute little boutique hotel jammed between the tall Jakarta building with plenty of character.

On our first full day, we decided on the Jakarta National Museum. Divided into two parts, the left side, the site of the original older building and stone artefacts.

The right side, the more modern non-linear 4 floor exhibits hall. It was a good cheap experience but the non-linear design left for a lot of doubling-back.

As we left the museum site, I bought my mandatory location based magnet for Jakarta. We went to lunch at Jakarta famous restaurant and lounge bar, Cafe Batavia. Dad had already name dropped it a few times, so I knew it was coming.

Located on the edge of Fatahilla Square, the building Cafe Batavia is located in was built in the 1830s, but the interior and decoration is very 1930s and reminded me of a prohibition bar. Upstairs is the restaurant section with a great view of Fatahilla Square, very good for people watching. Downstairs is the lounge bar area perfect for drinks and live bands.

Fatahilla Square itself is a bizarre animal. Local stalls round the exterior, a few tourist traps in the middle, leasing out fluorescent town biycles and down the alleyways, pay-as-you-go instagram stalls. Want a photo with a tin soldier, or on a pier? Your dream can come true here.

Our final tourist stop was at the Jakarta Monument. It’s a free site to visit thought climbing into the monument costs time (for excessive queuing) and some money. Last time I was here was 2004!

We had dinner at Altitude Grill and then had a walk around the Cloud Lounge, which provided some exceptional views of the city (even with the ever present overcast weather). 

For the next day we managed to book ourselves onto a "pay what you think it deserves" guided walk through Jakarta's China Town. A 9am start was going to be easy to achieve... Except our driver Anton who was already quite tardy with times ended up arriving 35 mins late (partly because his watch was running 15 mins slow, partly because reasons). He'd sent me a text through the night saying he was only our driver and should not be considered our tour guide… After avoiding driving us to the Jakarta Museum to show us the sights.

We had missed the walk but still headed down to the meeting spot, not because we thought we would make it, but it was a good starting point. 

So we started at the Holiday Inn on Jl Gajah Mada and wandered West, out the back of the hotel (kind of). 

Our first stop was at Jin De Yuan Temple. A Chinese buddhist temple, in the process of getting ready for Chinese New Year. Red was the colour theme (a popular recurring theme) as is the rat.

We were unsure about entering this temple but once inside, a local man decide to encourage us to explore more, which we did. They offered us water which we declined, but instead left a cash donation on our way out. 

Second stop was the Glodok Chinatown Market. A series of interconnected alleyways, lined on both sides with market stalls, each alley specialising in a line of products, fish, fruit, jewellery etc. They were a little photo-shy, but still friendly enough to say hello and take an interest in visitors without a seller's motive. 

Glodok was difficult to exit and wasn't a circular so we found ourselves entering more than once to find our way out the other end. 

Our second stop was at Vihara Dharma Jaya Toasebio. Another Chinese temple at the western end of China Town. Must smaller than the first one but running along the same theme and also just as inviting.

As we neared our hotel to complete the walk we decided on one more stop at the Novotel at Green Central City, or more importantly the building nestled within the Novotel Hotel, Candra Naya Building. 

The streets of Jakarta have plenty of characters and great photo ops.

Last stop on the trip was Green Central City. A modern hotel and shopping mall, built around Candra Naya a local historical building and museum.