My Jakarta Journey: From Jagung to Big Durian

I realized that Jakarta is called the Big Durian. Physically, i could comprehend the 'big' because Jakarta is huge and 'big' is an understatement, but 'durian'? I tried to imagine as if the buildings are the thorns but i could not put the two together initially. When i pondered further, i developed a different interpretation: like the fruit- some like it, some don't, some like it a lot, and some cannot even stand the presence of it. Jakarta is that. On the outside, it looks intimidating, but when you carefully peel off its husk and discover the seeds, you may find yourself liking that acquired taste. I like durians, in moderation!

Part of Jakarta.

Frankly, Jakarta is more of a transition point instead of a vacation destination to me. With that being said, it doesn't mean you should skip Jakarta altogether. You don't know the deliciousness of the durian if you didn't give it a try. Allocate a few days here before you venture off to your next destination. Experience Jakarta for its density of people, culture, history and modernity.

The National Monument or MONAS, one of the icons here.

A few things i needed to practise during my stay- the currency and the language. There are many zeroes or numbers in the rupiah. When i first arrived, i actually saw the amount wrongly (i saw six figures instead of five) and mistakenly wanted to pay but the taxi driver said he had no change. Curiously, i checked the amount again and noticed that i added a zero to my sight. Since then, i'd been more careful in any payment.

We don't use the same language. I repeat- we don't. Bahasa Malaysia and Bahasa Indonesia may be similar, sharing some words, but definitely not the same, and i'm adapting- lucky for some Indonesian drama i watched in the past and Indonesian friends to give me that quick start. For example, when i heard the guard at the entrance said lewat sini, i thought about what he meant. 'Lewat' is 'late' in Bahasa Malaysia so 'late here', but it was early in the morning. I now know that it meant 'through' so he was asking me to pass through the way. Additionally, i tried spelling out the word but i learned that the A-B-C is not pronounced the way i know. The tone is distinct too. I cannot tell if someone is local by the looks, unless they speak. Needless to say, the Indonesians are friendly and polite so they'll try to understand you or use English. You'll hear silakan (usually means please, expressed with a palm together gesture) at least once a day.

Trying to blend in.

What are they doing on the road? 

Just a Car Free Sunday.

Getting around Jakarta tests you. Your patience. Your dauntlessness. Your resilience. Traffic is almost anywhere and anytime, and macet (means 'jam') is the word to know or fear. I asked if this has become part of life and a normality for the locals. The reply i got was, "we still feel every minute of it". Road users cursed at macet roads, and i chuckled at them. Jakarta has good pathways for walking but not from one place to another (because it is far), crossing roads, and therefore is said to be 'not a walking city'. I don't think i can, or be daring enough, to drive here. Motorcyclists can surprise from any direction, inches between cars. So public transport it is! My recommendations are the Blue Bird car taxis (easy to spot, reliable and reasonably priced, but prepare smaller cash as they may not have change and tell nearby landmarks if they do not know the exact location) and TransJakarta bus-way (learn the routes as it is cheap, but could be crowded and infrequent). If you are up for challenge, try the Go-Jek app for motorcycle taxis ('ojek').

The 'macet' i faced to go back to my hotel.

Yes, it is quite the network.

One of the stations.

While waiting for the bus.

Incredibly, i have not mentioned about the local food. The food here is yum. Rich in flavour; its spiciness level is of my liking. I asked my local friends what would be the must try food. Collectively, they said, "nasi padang". I had the privilege to taste it and i cannot disagree. Most of the local food can be found in malls, either as an establishment or in the food courts. The food courts are worthy of mention (such as Eat and Eat and Food Colony) as it offers a wide array of selection- street, local or international, in unique and interesting interior. So if you're cautious of your tummy, you can still enjoy street foods. Personally, i bet on my chances and tried the street food from the streets, at least once.

Yum! The taste of spices relives whenever i see the picture.

Or this picture.

They are both Nasi Padang from different shops.

I need to highlight this- there is incredibly plenty malls and they are generally good quality. To date, i have visited nine different malls located not far from each other. Even TripAdvisor's top spot in Jakarta is a mall! Read through this Journey for mall recommendations (i never thought that i'll be writing about malls when i started this blog) and how does it fare against malls around Kuala Lumpur.

So many malls and one of my favourites is just walking distance to where i stayed.

Before i end this opening post of my Jakarta journey, i will leave/tease you with a picture answer to the question:

What is my top place to visit in Jakarta?

This.

My Jakarta Journey: From Jagung to Big Durian
My Jakarta Journey: Coffee, Shop
My Jakarta Journey: Liburan