Jakarta Trip Takeaway

It has been more than two months since my trip to Jakarta. Today I'm wrapping the series of posts I have written on the subject with things that I have learned from that travel.

What I admire most about Indonesia is the wide use of Indonesian as a means of communication. They use it in their laws, they use it in the conference I attended, they use it to talk with one another. Foreign delegates like myself were provided translating machines to understand the proceedings which were conducted, unabashedly, matter-of-factly, in Indonesian. When I went to a bookstore, I noticed that all the books, including foreign ones, are in Indonesian. I find it is so refreshing to have an indigenous language so well integrated in their daily lives.

In an earlier post, I described Indonesia as a familiar unfamiliar. We have so many things in common--language, looks, and blackouts. Minutes before I gave my presentation, the lights in Jakarta went out. Since we were pressed for time, the organizers requested that I go on with my presentation, sans PowerPoint presentation, air-conditioning, and with limited lighting. I had to project my voice across the room so everyone could hear, especially those who understand English. Good thing the translating machines worked. Thankfully the lights returned just before I wrapped up.

And a final note for travelers like me who mentally calculate their purchases in pesos (the exchange rate as of this writing: P100.00 is roughly 22,000.00 rupiahs). A Filipino we met who have been staying in Jakarta for more than two decades gave us this simple conversion tip: drop two zeroes from the rupiah, divide the result in two, and that's your peso equivalent.

Jakarta Food Diary

It was my third day in Jakarta, and except for a few items  in the breakfast buffet, I have not eaten anything Indonesian. And so, even though I was stuffed from dinner and the coffee and cake afterwards,  I resolved to correct this oversight back at the hotel by ordering room service (it helps that the prices were not very prohibitive, I think). I ordered this

Nasi Goreng Kampung -traditional fried rice with prawns served with chicken satay, fried eggs,
and fried country chicken. Nasi goreng is said to be the national dish of Indonesia

I was almost done when I realized I left the dip, together with a vegetable side dish, at the tray. It was like eating roasted pig without the liver sauce, LOL.

This is what I ate during my first breakfast at the hotel. I tried to eat healthy.

I bit into my papaya before realizing I forgot to take a photo.

I tried their version of lumpia (Filipino fried spring rolls). It was spicy!

The next day I sampled Indonesian food. I like the spicy deep fried crackers made from melinjo nuts--emping--similar to the Philippine kropek.

A sliver of emping at the bottom left.

The hotel provided Mentos candies during the workshop. I almost cracked a tooth when I bit into one--the outer layer was almost as hard as regular candy.

Jakarta Diary--Going Japanese

One thing I notice about Jakarta, or at least Grand Indonesia Shopping Town, is the proliferation of Japanese restaurants. On my second night, where hours before I made a presentation during a blackout, we went to Pasta de Waraku.

One side of the restaurant was a photo op waiting to happen.

One of the better pasta dishes I tried--squid, octopus and spicy cod roe in wafu sauce. It's also my first time to eat pasta with octopus. The squid was buttery soft, the octopus gave an interesting texture, firm but not rubbery, and the cod roe and wafu sauce tied everything together. Wafu typically consists of soy sauce, rice vinegar and vegetable oil.

I went back for more the next day, even though I know it's not good to repeat dining places. I had salmon calppacho, thinly sliced raw salmon. Yum!

I paired the seafood pasta with red miso

with the oreo shake.

Both were just okay.

We also tried coffee here at Ninety-nine Restaurant, located at the mall's basement, near Ranch Market--the upscale grocery where I saw snakefruits.

One wall used live plants as wall accents.

The banana caramel cake was just right--creamy, not too sweet, and perfect with coffee.

Jakarta Diary--the View on the Way to the Hotel

At first glance it was as if I never left the country. Jakarta, or what I saw on my way to the hotel, looks so familiar.

Until I noticed the driver was seated on my right.

One of the interesting landmarks near the airport.

This reminds me of trips via expressway to Pampanga, a province north of Manila.

This wouldn't look out of place in Makati, the country's central business district. The skyscrapers, though, seem grander.

Jakarta is an hour behind Manila. We arrived around 5 pm, just in time to experience the gridlock, Indonesia-style. Again, this reminds me of home.

Our hotel is located near the Selamat Datang (Welcome) monument, featuring statues of a man and woman on a pedestal. This was built in time for the Asian Games in the '60s.

The monument, near the hotel, was fitting, as I slept in the embrace of a city that is both familiar and unfamiliar.

Jakarta Diary--Hotel Kempinski

By now you already know i have a fondness for nice hotels. Like what I said to my colleague earlier today--there are two things that I require when I travel: nice digs and food that represents the place, and I'm all set. We were booked at Hotel Indonesia Kempinski, formerly Hotel Indonesia, the first five star hotel in Indonesia. It is linked to the Grand Indonesia Shopping Town, one of the largest luxury malls in South East Asia.

I have no idea what the hotel was, much less its provenance, and so when when we checked in and I saw the lobby, I was impressed. This is how my room looks like.

This is where I prepared my PowerPoint presentation.

I like it because when the lights are on everything's bright and cheery, helping me stay awake. Unfortunately, on the day of my presentation, Jakarta plunged into darkness. Goodbye PowerPoint. The show must go on, so I talked without the help of a mike and air-conditioning. More of this in a later post.

I particularly like this design element behind the work table.

My room has an unusual tub. Unusual in the sense that it doesn't look like most hotel tubs. Sayang, I wasn't able to use it.

I love the toilet--it's Japanese. It senses your presence, lifts its lid pronto, warms itself automatically, the works. I wanted to bring this home.

This is where I took my breakfast. Beautiful!

Part of the lobby.

One of the design elements along the hall.

I love a hotel that uses real plants.

On my last day, I asked a hotel staff to take my picture at the lobby. This is the best picture he took, tee-hee!

More next time.