It was not really a holiday as I didn’t really spend much time there. I was back to Jakarta over the weekend plus one day on Monday merely to settle some documents matter. But since the office was only open on a weekday, so I have two days on the weekend to spend around the city. I took Jetstar airlines, 8.35 pm flight and I was off to the airport right away from my office on Friday night.
It’s been almost two years since my last coming to Jakarta and seemed like things had changed a lot since then. You may read my post about my last visit to Jakarta on Jakarta, Here I am Back for Christmas! Maybe one thing that never changed was the bad traffic especially during peak hours. I think that happens everywhere though.
It was raining and the road was pretty clear from jam because it’s almost midnight when I reached International Airport Soekarno-Hatta. I was imagining how good Jakarta will be if the traffic always like this everyday.
As an Indonesian whoever stayed there for 12 years, honestly say, I am still not familiar with the city. Don’t mention about another part of Indonesia, for Jakarta itself, I will still need to spend sometimes to explore the city. All my life…errr…I mean all the 12 years spent there, I was packed with school and work till what I knew well was only campus and home. 😀 This is the reason why I decided to set up a Meetup group called Indonesia Explorer. I want to know more about my own country and I wish that more people will know better about Indonesia, too.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Porridge for Breakfast is Simply Good!
The next morning, I had breakfast at Bubur Ayam Mangga Besar which is located at Jln. Pluit Kencana No. 5, Pluit. They sell chicken porridge or just plain porridge with various of condiments or side dishes to eat with such as steamed and roasted chicken, salted vegetables and many more. I like the porridge texture. It’s sticky and not watery.
Mall Hopping? Why not?
Definitely I won’t have time to do that while I am in Singapore. Since I was away and I had plenty of time, then what else was I waiting for? If people ask me what could we find in Jakarta? Most probably I would say, “Shopping Malls!”. Besides malls that are widely spread from north to south and west to east of Jakarta, we can see historical places like a museum as well.
I started mall-hopping in the late afternoon. Only two shopping mall though. The traffic that time was not too bad although moving slowly in some areas. First shopping mall that I went to was Emporium Pluit. That was the first time to be there. There is SOGO department store. Seems like nowadays, SOGO has become more popular and make its place at a major shopping mall in Jakarta.
Christmas atmosphere was all around. 🙂 Pretty happy though. I met my friends for lunch and met another friend after that at Central Park Mall. Some street scenes along my way from Emporium Pluit to Central Park Mall. 🙂
Christmas Tree at Central Park Mall
When I was still living in Jakarta that time, the nicest mall that I ever knew was Mal Taman Anggrek. But right now, seems the popularity has been won over by other newer malls and one of them could be Central Park Mall. Narh, this mall is pretty big. The 38m LED Christmas tree at the centre of the park of Central Park Mall was one of the spotlights during that period. If I am not wrong, it’s the tallest LED Christmas tree around Indonesia or Asia?
During that Christmas period, Central Park mall was opened until midnight. So, when I left that place at around 7pm, people were still coming. The later it was, the more crowded the place was. Looking at the families and all the happy faces that evening, the feeling was great! And I did not regret to be there even though only for a while. I am looking forward to my next comeback to Jakarta this coming February. Hopefully, I will find other interesting stuff to tell. Till then! 🙂
THINGS TO NOTE
Try to avoid going out at peak hours which is around 5-7 pm because the traffic may drive you mad. Or it may not be bad either, we can get some sleep in the car or cab when we are jammed in the traffic.
