Friday, October 3rd, 2003 – Day 227
I was up around 9.00pm. Maybe the reason I sleep quite well here is that there are no windows. Anyway had a little breakfast. I was supposed to meet the guy who was doing my portrait (from a passport photo) at 10.00am. When I got there he was no where to be seen. Another artist said he usually comes at noon. Shit!! I wanted to get to Jakarta early. I had to wait around town. At least he was there at 12.00 and I paid him the remaining amount. The total for a 50 by 40 colour portrait was 75,000 IR.
I walked quickly pack to the hostel. The hostel itself is only 8 minutes walk from the station. Trains usually go every hour. It is a clean efficient station and easy to find the Jakarta train. You can go Vip, Executive or business. I went for business which cost 40,000 IR. You get a roof fan!!!
It was beautiful scenery over the pass. Many rice terraces and farmers in the fields. Excellent and worth seeing for yourself. It was three hours 30 minutes to Gamir station in Jakarta. Fine station but most of the open spaces were given to prefabricated housing where people could pray. It wouldnt work in Ireland.
Once saddled with a reputation as a poverty-ridden hell hole, Jakarta mutated into a metropolis with all the outward appearance of an Asian boom town in not much more than a decade. It took only a week of rioting in May 1998 to reduce some of this modern facade to a burnt out shell. Shopping malls, offices, banks and businesses owned by ethnic Chinese and the ruling Soeharto family took the brunt of the rioters’ anger. Jakarta remains very much at the centre of political events re-shaping Indonesia, and how quickly the city recovers from the riots and the political and economic turmoil remains to be seen.
That said, Jakarta is the most expensive city in Indonesia, the most polluted and the most congested. But if you can withstand this onslaught and afford to indulge in its charms, then it is also one of the region’s most exciting metropolises. Consider Jakarta the ‘big durian’ – the foul-smelling exotic fruit that some can’t stomach and others can’t resist.
Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta international airport is 35km (21mi) west of the city centre, and there are bus stations around the outskirts of town.
Population: 9 million
Area: 661 sq km (258 sq mi)
Country: Indonesia
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +7 hours
Telephone Area Code: +62 21
Orientation
Jakarta, on the island of Java in Indonesia, sprawls over 25km (15mi) from the docks to the suburbs of South Jakarta. The city centre fans out from around Merdeka Square, a grand, barren field, which contains the central gold-tipped landmark of the National Monument (Monas). Jakarta doesn’t really have a centre: rather there are a number of centres all separated by vast traffic jams, incredible pollution and heat. For most visitors, the area south of the monument holds most interest. Jl Thamrin is the main shopping and deluxe hotel thoroughfare, while just to the east is the main restaurant and cheap hotel area.
I had sourced out the Prapancha Hotel 30/31, Jalan Prapanca Raya, Blok. P3, Kebayoran Baru, on the Internet for my first night. Basically I was filthty. I have had no access to hot water for 4 weeks and have the same clothes on for a week. I needed a expensive hotel. These hotels are so clean that they make me want to clean up.
It was a bad time to be in Jakarta, 5.00pm in rush hour Friday traffic. I was going to the bus thing but Jakarta is sprawling and it was getting dark. Anyway all the buses were full. I saw people sitting on top of the carriages on the way into the station. I grabbed a taxi. The hotel is in South Jakarta (a long way away). It took over an hour and 15 minutes to get there. I did not mind as taxi prices are not too bad. 20,000 IR for the lot.
The hotel is 180,000 IR which is cheap for a good hotel. I have had the urge to stay in expensive (for me) hotels in Lima and Santiago in South America. You get the urge. I had hot water for the first time. I cut my nails, shaved my hair and had a bath. Cool. Lots of people here leave there finger nails grow long. I have seen teenage boys with two inch nails. I wonder why.
Went around the area which is quite but hard to figure as it was dark. Had some eats at a small stall warung. Many western fast food and expensive restaurants in this area. It was Friday so I thought of going out. I have not done that in a while.
I found two sites on nightlife. They are
http://www.jakartablokm.com/bars.htm and pissed up Asia.
I might move to Chinatown tomorrow. Indonesians rioted there in May 1998, Jakarta’s Chinatown was ransacked, and ethnic Indonesian Chinese refugees streamed into Malaysia by the thousands. More than 1,000 people died in the rioting (mostly looters who were trapped in torched shopping malls), and many Chinese fled to neighboring countries. For locals, the violence is a powerful part of the area’s history.
I did go to Blok M. i was walking there when a hells angel type of guy on a motor bike said he would take me for 6,000 IR. It was a bargain, so I said fine.
Blok M – for those who don’t know it – is a little corner of South Jakarta, a business and shopping quarter that is home to a motley collection of bars, discos and night clubs – click here for maps. It’s well known to all the Jakarta expats, and anyone visiting the city who wants a real taste of the famous Jakarta night-life must put it at the top of their itinerary.
It was pretty poor. I was expecting a lively built up area full of stalls, bars and people. It was dark and dour. There are about 11 bars on the strip. Only D’s Place was full. Full of old expats and prostitutes. The beer was 24,000 IR for a small Carlsberg.
I stayed maybe 2 hours. I wasn’t feeling that hot and headed back by rickshaw. They are called bajaj here and they are motorised.
Rickshaw No More? – The Governor of Jakarta, Indonesia, has once again banned the cycle rickshaw, called a “becak,” from the region’s roadways. Although a similar ban in 1992 had no effect on traffic congestion or crime rates and was opposed by becak drivers themselves, government officials still contend that the human-powered becaks create congestion, are a source of criminality and are inhumane. Officials ignored polls that showed strong public support for the use of the becak. Instead, the Governor caved in to pressure from the highway lobby, among other anti-becak groups. The small minority who favor the ban use motorcycle taxis, motorized becaks, taxis and private cars – all of which contribute to Jakarta’s having the third worst air pollution in the world.
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Jakarta – Java – Indonesia – Statue in JK (03-10-2003)
After going to bed, I felt like shit. I had a bad tummy ache. That soon turned to diarrhea. Aggg, I was in and out to the toilet all night. It is the 2nd time since I started traveling to get it, which is good going. The other time was in Chile.
Saturday, October 4th, 2003 – Day 228
I still felt bad in the morning and the visits to the toilet continued. I don’t know the source. I popped an Imodium and went back to bed. It was now 11.00am and I didn’t know if I had the energy to go. Still, even thought the room was only 181,500 IR (19 Euro) for a good hotel that’s is between 2 different entertainment districts. The price was good as they have to charge 21% on all transactions since 1997. Still the areas were a bit too upmarket for me. If you want easy access to Dukin Donuts, Mc Donalds etc, come here. If you want to see real Jakarta, do not.
I decided to go to Jalan Jaksa, which is Jakarta’s main backpacker area. I got a taxi, althought knowing where it is now, I need not have. Its just off the main street. The cost was 17,000 IR. I booked into the middle of the road Tator Hotel which is 60,000 IR per night including breakfast (1/3 of the other hotel).
I booked in and was out by noon. I headed down to the main road and got a bus to Kota – the harbour area.
The old town of Batavia is the oldest and finest reminder of the Dutch presence in Jakarta. At one time, it contained a massive shoreline fortress and was surrounded by a sturdy wall and a moat. In the early 19th century much of the unhealthy city was destroyed by the government in a bid to freshen things up a bit, but there are still plenty of Dutch influences in this part of town.
A few of Batavia’s old buildings are still in use – many were restored in the 1970s and are now museums. The centre of the area is a cobblestone square known as Taman Fatahillah, while to the west is the Kali Besar, the great canal that once marked out the high-class residential area of Batavia. On the west bank of the canal are the last of the big private homes dating from the early 18th century. Follow the canal north and you’ll see a small 17th century Dutch drawbridge, the last in the city, called the Chicken Market Bridge. Old Batavia is directly north of the city centre at Kota train station.
I visited the Maritime museum which was close by. It was 2,000 in.
Two of the, original ware houses from the f trading post of the Dutch East Indies Company in Java now house the Maritime Museum. Exhibit’s include large models of boats from various islands. The old harbor masters tower stands nearby – on Tuesdays open from 8.00 a.m. till 2.00 P.M Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. On Fridays closed at 11.00 a.m. and On Saturday at 1.00 p.m -it closes on Monday.
This was better than expected. It is 2 story’s big and has some interesting boats and exhibits and photos from the Dutch period. Well worth visiting. A group of girls was at reception. All indonesians ask two questions of foreigners. The first is where are you from, and the second is Do you speak indonesian. When I answer Ireland, all the guys say ROY KEANE, all the girls say WESTLIFE. When the girls found out I was Irish, they started scraming. Any Irish guys who like Westlife Could do well out here.
Kota is a nice area but run down. I called into a computer reclying shop. The owner gave me food and drink as he though I was a reporter. It seems he has been in the paper locally twice this year. He can reclycled good parts from thrown out computers this year and resold them once fixed up. There were hundreds of monitors, printers, CD-ROMs ec.
From there and just a 10-minute walk north from Taman Fatahillah in Old Batavia, the old port of Sunda Kelapa has more sailing ships – the magnificent Makassar schooners – than you ever thought existed.
These brightly painted ships are an important means of transport and freight delivery between the capital and the outer islands. They also provide one of the most spectacular sights in Jakarta. For a fee, old men in row boats will take you out for a closer look at the ships. Don’t hit your head on the mooring ropes or gangplanks, and don’t be too surprised if you get hit from above by rubbish thrown from the decks. If you get out as far as the Palau Seribu (Thousand Islands) in the Bay of Jakarta, you’ll probably see some of these majestic schooners under sail.
It was like going back in time watching these great boats and the men sailing them. It was a hive of activity with men off loading timber by hand and others loading cement bags onto other ships. It was hard work and very labor intensive. There may have been 20 or so men on each ship on loading and off loading. It was 1,000 IR into the harbor and if you want to hire a guy to row you round, it will cost between 8,000 and 12,000 IR for an hour.
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Jakarta – Java – Indonesia – Port Area (04-10-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Jakarta – Java – Indonesia – Port Area (04-10-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Jakarta – Java – Indonesia – Port Area (04-10-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Jakarta – Java – Indonesia – Port Area (04-10-2003)
I walked back a bit to browse DVD’s and MP3. I then got a bus back. Felt a lot better, but that may just be the Imodium working. I would not recommend Jalan Jaksa to eat. They charge about 50-100% more than normal places. Travel one street away to Haji Agus Salim (Sabang). I was in Hog heaven. It is known as the Sate Capital of Jakarta. There must have been 50-70 stalls selling Sate from chicken, Pork, Beef, Padang, Kambing, Ayam etc. The smell of the meat over Charcoal was immense. You pay 7,000 IR for a meal here versus 14,000 IR for the exact same thing on Jalan Jaksa.
I watched the Arsenal V Liverpool game in a local bar. Good game.
BTW, I had booked into the Tator Hotel. It had a ensuite bathroom with cold shower and a good strong fan. You get a clean towel and sheets once you book in. You can get accommodation in this area for 9,000 IR in a dorm but they are supposed to be skanky.
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Jakarta – Java – Indonesia – Recycle those PCs (04-10-2003)
I doubt I will go out tonight. Not until I give the all clear to my stomach.