Indonesia.
I arrived in Jakarta from Taipei. A 5ish hour flight. Hit with heat and humidity. Glorious. Caught a taxi to Kota aka Old Batavia aka the old city. It seemed like the most interesting area, with now shabby colonial architecture, canals, and a big square. The city is large and populous; 10+ million people. I am only here for a day and a half and i didn’t have any particular sites or activities in mind. Much of what i read about Jakarta said “skip it”, but how could i? I’m glad i didn’t.
My driver got lost trying to find my hostel which i didn’t mind; it was like a little tour through twisty streets navigating the mad traffic with horn honking and the Imam’s call to prayer as the backdrop.
My hostel is the Wonderloft. A nice hostel. Great location for the area. I booked a private room which was about $18cdn per night but they have capsule style dorms for much less. It is clean and has good hostel amenities: pool table, foosball table, kitchen, and tv. Plus, it has a floor containing only beanbag chairs where silence is mandatory.
It is on a crazy busy side street with no lights or cross walk so every time i come or go i have to step out boldly and let the cars, motorcycles and tuk tuks swirl past me. Each time it feels like a conquest.
The people staying at the hostel Wonderloft are a good mix of travellers form SE Asia, Australia, and Europe. Young. Wearing the Asian backpacker uniform of baggy elephant pants and flip flops.
By the time i checked in to my hostel it was about 3 pm, so i just walked around to get my bearings. Around the corner from my hostel is a busy pedestrian street with cafes, buskers, jewelry makers, palm readers, and people in elaborate costumes posing for photos.
The street led to the square which was positively teeming with people. Sitting on the ground, eating and drinking, walking, and riding neon colored bicycles while wearing fancy hats that matched the bicycles. I thought there must be a festival, but have since found out it was just the weekend. It was great. I walked and had dinner on the square (vegetarian food is available but not in abundance). And i smoked a cigar on a patio.
With few exceptions the people i saw were locals. Women mostly dressed in colorful scarves and modest dress. Men dressed in jeans and t-shirts, smoking.
It was very pleasant and i stayed up too late. My sleep is a bit screwed up and i haven’t had enough of it. 3 hours last night. About the same the night before.
This morning, up early, i put on my other outfit (i have 2). I felt fresh and clean. Had some terrible instant coffee (seriously, the island is called Java, you would think they could do better) and toast with peanut butter and nutella. Heading out, i discovered i had peanut butter on my dress. Sigh. So much for being clean.
I spent the day wandering around the north of the city. Pretty white colonial buildings aside, the streets are shabby in a good way. Busy traffic, lots of shops, street vendors, tea houses, and markets. The canals are murky, smelly things but they add character. There are a surprising number of shops selling Christmas trees and decorations for what otherwise appears to be a Muslim city.
I had a coffee – a great one – from this terrific cafe which had a open lofty seating ares surrounded by trees. It felt like a treehouse. Enjoyed a cigar.
I then walked down to the Glodok neighbourhood, which is the traditional Chinese area where they had a great network of market streets selling produce, household items, herbal medicines, meat and fish.
Dinner of gado gado on a patio. Currently having a cigar and fresh soup sop juice inside at the elegant Cafe Batavia listening to live music (they just played a super funkified version of “My Way”) and smoking a cigar. That’s right…i can smoke inside! Heaven.
