IT FELT vaguely familiar as we traversed through Jalan Sudirman and Jalan Thamrin, connecting major thoroughfares in the commercial business district of Jakarta in Indonesia.
I traversed this street almost every day 15 years ago, almost every day for more than half a year. It looked somewhat the same as it was then, yet different – there were more skyscrapers and the street seemed to have become bigger, wider. There are also new bus stations, plus an ongoing construction of the mass rapid transit that will change the landscape of Jakarta and the flow of its populace.
Coming from a bus ride from Lampung and crossing the Sunda Strait from Sumatra Island to Java Island by ship, Jakarta was our stopover where we took a train ride to Yogyakarta. Then, we returned to Jakarta as it was our point of exit on our way back to Manila. Being the capital, it is the melting pot and the gateway to various parts of Indonesia.
As our bus sped through the Jalan Tol (tollway), I’ve never felt happier to be back in this city which was my home back in 2002. But in my seven months of stay here, I admit that there were still many areas that I had not fully explored. So, for me, it’s a combination of visiting new places and going back to familiar ones.
Taman Mini Indonesia Indah
If you want to know more about Indonesia and its various provinces, and you have no time or resource to visit all of them (as was our case), the best option is to spend a day in Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, or usually called Taman Mini.
It’s a huge complex that serves as a museum, garden and theme park, featuring the attractions in the largest archipelago on earth. The regional pavilions, which are traditional houses of the region, are open to everyone for free. A large man-made lake that features the map of Indonesia sits at the center of the complex.
Pasar Baru
It literally means “new market” but the archway at both ends of Jalan Pasar Baru are marked with the year 1820, the time it was established, dating back to Jakarta’s colonial times. It is also considered the Little India because of the large Indian community in the area, evidenced by the Sikh Temple we passed along the way.
Familiar sights and attractions
A short distance from our hotel was Sarinah, one of the oldest, if not the oldest, department store in Jakarta. Jalan Surabaya was still filled with antique and pre-loved items, although it seemed the stalls here have multiplied (and store owners are more aggressive.) Blok M was a busy district, with batik stores and street painters dotting the area. Then there’s the familiar Monas monument, with its golden flame towering from afar.
Gambir station seemed different, as it looked a bit more modern. Jakarta Cathedral loomed over us as we made our way towards Pasar Baru. Across this Catholic place of worship was the Istiqlal Mosque, the largest mosque in Southeast Asia. We passed by Taman Anggrek and the mall’s LED exterior walls were impressive, not the Taman Anggrek I remember.
It was great to return to Jakarta. The trip was nostalgic, conjuring memories that threatened to fade into oblivion. My journey back to Indonesia was a journey of remembering, and it was looking at it through new set of lenses, not as a stranger living in a foreign city, but as a traveler wanting to discover more. And what used to be ordinary to me, seeing the same scenery on a daily basis, has become something special, like a child finding a new toy.
All photos are by this author. Claire Marie Algarme blogs at http://firsttimetravels.com. Follow her as @firsttimetravel on Twitter and Instagram and like her Facebook page First-time Travels blog.