So, while I was nursing an upset tummy, Erik, Brad, and Yuni ventured out to a small jungle in the city. They kindly documented their trips in photos to share with me later that day…
Afterwards Erik said it was a nice green space and it really made him want to travel outside the city limits to other parts of Java (the island Jakarta is on) as well as to other places in Indonesia, like Bali or the thousand islands. Unfortunately our travel outside of the city on this trip was restricted by two things: Eid al-Fitr festivities and Erik’s job.
As mentioned in Part One, for Eid muslims go back to their home cities to spend time with family (a practice known as “mudik”). What this means in Jakarta is that there is a mass exodus to the countryside, where many of it’s workers and students were born and raised. What it meant for us was that buses out of the city were fully booked. But even if we had gotten a seat, the trip might not have been worth it. Due to the volume of traffic, trips to either end of the island can take days. Yuni recalled a trip where the bus only stopped once every twelve hours (my bladder would have exploded!) and Brad, who had travelled with Yuni to her home in East Java on a previous trip, told us he and Yuni got hungry while sitting on the bus (which was stuck in traffic) so Yuni hopped off to go find food. Brad was worried the bus would drive away without her, but traffic was moving so slowly she made it back with no trouble at all!
The second barrier to travel is Erik’s job as a U.S. soldier. The Army restricts where it’s soldiers are able to travel for leisure as a safety measure. There are many parts of Indonesia, including many regions in Java, that currently have security issues due to civil disputes (such as the contentious conflict in West Papua which you can read about here and in-depth here) and incidents of terrorism. There was a terrorist attack in Jakarta in January of this year (five men allied to ISIS detonated a series of bombs near Sarinah shopping centre), however since then security in the city has really been stepped up. There are police and security guards posted to every major public area and entrances to shopping centres and tourist sites are tightly controlled (metal detectors, bag checks, the works!). So there isn’t really too big a concern in Jakarta. However security is less stringent in smaller cities and more rural areas. For instance, while we were in Jakarta there was a suicide bomber that attacked a police post in Surakarta (a.k.a. Solo, about 10 hours east of Jakarta) but thankfully no one was killed. Given the attacks in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and elsewhere during Ramadan this year, we were thankful for the peace in Jakarta. We also got to witness one of the antiterror rallies while we were in the city, but more on that later.
Anyway, as much as we wanted to explore more of Java, it just wasn’t in the cards for us this time around. On the upside, we had a couple days of exploring Jakarta without having to manage bad traffic or crowds!
Catching a Firebug
For those of you that know Erik and I, you’ll be aware that one of our favourite pastimes is playing games – especially those that involve strategy and problem-solving. So, when “escape rooms” were created we were instantly hooked. You can imagine our excitement when we found out Jakarta has their own escape facility, called Jakarta Escape Hunt, and Yuni and Brad were willing to tackle one of their rooms with us!
We took on the “Explosion in the Kitchen” case, which we had one hour to solve. The case involved a series of explosions in kitchens across Jakarta and four key suspects: a policeman, a fireman, a gardener, and a photographer. Given my sworn oath to not reveal secrets about the room, I can’t give you any more details than that, but I can say this was the BEST escape room Erik and I have ever done (if you’re thinking “should I book a flight to Jakarta to do this escape room?”, the answer is a resounding “Yes, yes you should!”). The rooms/props were excellent, the plot was coherent, the clues were creative, and the puzzles were very challenging. In addition, the English instructions were just as clear as the Bahasa ones. We did not end up solving the case within the allotted hour, however we were graciously given an extra ten minutes (I think the staff person could see how eager we were to solve it on our own) and successfully closed the case!
Eid al-Fitr Begins!
On July 5th, the Indonesian government announced that Eid al-Fitr (in Bahasa called “Idul Fitri”) would begin the following night. Since Erik and I had arrived in Jakarta, the nights of Ramadan had been boisterous – people visiting street vendors to break their fast and socialize, attending prayers, and setting off fireworks across the city. However, the night of Eid al-Fitr featured celebration on another level: the streets were filled with people who were singing, dancing, and feasting and the fireworks, which were grander, did not cease. We decided to take in the sights from the top of the city, at Skye Bar.
The drinks we ordered, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, were delicious and the appetizers were scrumptious. Sitting inside the restaurant area of Skye Bar we had a lovely view of the city below us. We even got to take in a slightly disturbing sight: a building burning to the ground! At first we were concerned it might have been arson (or worse, a bombing) but as it did not become headline news we now believe it was likely a firework gone astray that started the blaze and that no one was injured in the fire.
On the way back home that night we had another brief scare. A group of individuals on motorcycles, many masked, rode by carrying a large white flag with black Arabic script (a “shahadda”, or witness statement) and a rifle crossed with a sword on it. Some were also carrying guns (these may have just been wooden, we’re not sure) and were shouting “Allahu akhbar!” with a megaphone (which means “God is Great” in Arabic). This is a common refrain said by all Muslim people (much like Christian people saying “Amen!”), however it is also a refrain that has been (wrongfully) invoked by terrorists who claim to be acting in defense of Islamic faith when they are committing atrocities. Both Erik and I immediately tensed up, the scene conjuring terrible images we’ve all seen on the news.
Fortunately Yuni was there to alleviate our concern. She explained that the group was participating in a peaceful, anti-terror protest in response to the recent bombings in the Middle East and Central Java. These protests happen often in Indonesia, and understandably so. Indonesians want to live in a secure country and they do not want the name of Allah or the Islamic faith associated with acts of terror. After receiving the explanation I immediately felt a swell of gratitude for the motorcycle crew (whom I then realized were masked not to obscure their identities, but to protect themselves from masuk angin, and were carrying those props to symbolize their defense of their country and faith, not to intimidate bystanders) – their protest delivered a message to fellow Indonesians that, on this joyous occasion, there was no place for violence and no need for fear: Indonesians would stand in solidarity for peace and security. We returned home and fell asleep to the sounds of celebration and crackling fireworks.
From the Dutch Quarter to Ancol Beach
Our last day in Jakarta was highly eventful. We started with a trip to the historic Dutch quarter of Jakarta, Kota. Kota is where the Dutch set up the headquarters of their East India Company (a trading company) in the 17th century and laid claim to a land they called “Batavia”. Many of the old company and government buildings around a central town square have been preserved as museums. Unfortunately due to the holiday, the museums were closed. However, this did not stop the street markets from opening and throngs of people were out to enjoy the sights and sounds Kota still has to offer.
After Kota, we headed for the Jakarta Fair held at Jakarta International Expo. Due to the heat, and the fact that I had not had quite enough to eat or drink that day, my blood sugar dropped soon after we arrived and I had a bit of a faint. Fortunately my friends responded quickly, getting me some yummy food to eat and water to drink. Lesson learned: when travelling for long periods in tropical climates pack lots of water and Jess-friendly energy bars!
After I was up and moving around again we did some browsing amongst the hundreds of vendors present at the Fair. There were food and drink stands, clothing, electronic, household goods, and toy vendors, as well as many displays for new cars, motorbikes, and state-of-the-art technologies. A lot of vendors were offering deal prices or discounts with coupons. I was happy to finally find Erik a batik shirt he likes (he wears it often even after leaving Jakarta, so I’d say it was a victory!) and Erik was happy to spend time in the off-brand lego section with Brad. The Fair also features a variety of entertainment such as live music and fashion shows and runs from mid-June through mid-July every year, so if you ever happen to be in Jakarta during this timeframe I would definitely recommend checking it out!
Our last stop for the day was Ancol Beach, which is along the northern coastline of Jakarta and is a popular area for tourists. Ancol Beach is home to hotels, a shopping mall, outdoor theme park, water park, aquarium, and many restaurants. We were headed to Bandara Djakarta, a famous seafood restaurant. The restaurant operates much like a fish market in Korea: you first choose the seafood you would like to eat out of tanks (the seafood is still alive) and then you pass it off to a kitchen where chefs prepare it for you, fresh! I chose to have steamed crab and Erik had some sort of Indonesian fish, fried. Yuni and Brad had fried prawns and calamari along with a grilled fish. All of the food was absolutely delicious and served in beautiful surroundings. There were multiple seating options – you could sit at long tables in the main room where there was a live musical performance, along the edges of the restaurant with ocean views, or in between these two areas in tiny huts suspended above waterways with fish and turtles swimming in them. We were happy to be given the hut option, where we entertained by the creatures swimming below us!
After dinner we took some time to walk around the beach area. There are many lit up displays (a viking ship, flowers, various animated characters, etc.) and convenience stalls along the way where you purchase refreshments. We took some photos with the displays (also took a number of photos with random Indonesians, at their request) and the boys bought ice cream. There was also a dock area where you could rent a boat with a driver for a romantic cruise around the harbour. The boatmen tried to lure us in, but we were satisfied with our view from the shoreline. We didn’t actually go as far as the public swimming area, however I don’t know that I would recommend getting in the water at Ancol Beach (locals advise against it). There is quite a lot of garbage floating in the water and apparently a good mix of toxic chemicals that flow in from surrounding rivers. However, it is a nice place to walk around in, especially at night when a cool breeze comes off the water.
The next morning, after a big thank you to our lovely hosts, hugs, and fond farewells, Erik and I departed bright and early for the airport. We expect this is not the last we will see of Indonesia – there are still many more regions and islands left for us to explore!
Black star of hope 