(trying to) enjoy jakarta

i used to run or bike at least 5k everyday, usually morning bike to work and day run while picking up my son from his school. my city, raleigh, was runners and bikers friendly with integrated parks and greenway system.

Returning to Indonesia, I can't compare the well established system I experienced in the USA with the one we're trying to build here.

I am happy enough to live next to Taman Gas and Taman Honda at Tebet area in the south Jakarta. Nothing fancy in these two parks. Both of these parks are equipped with jogging tracks, small playground, public toilet that sometimes has no water in it (and this is a serious matter), and very limited parking space. I don't mean to whine about this situation. Really, i'm happy enough to see greens in Jakarta, i can walk from where i live to reach the park, and to be able to breath fresh air in Jakarta? I really cannot complain.

However, if i could add something to the park, maybe i would add appropriate rest room (dry, clean, has water in it), grow more grass and fix the drainage system so the park doesn't feel like wet and soggy all the time.

Back in the usa, i rode  bike to work (except when it's snowing and freezing and black ice), the idea was simple: I wanted to exercise without having to cough more dollar bills just to get in shape. Somehow here i still cannot find a perfect place to bike. I don't dare to bike on the Jakarta road because I can't stand the pollution and the traffic is horrid.

Talking about the traffic. Jakarta traffic is something you need to deal with when you live here. So horrible that even the government keeps testing the water to get the right solution for this problem. Jakarta is establishing an integrated MRT system by now, construction is everywhere and the traffic has become crazier. I hope when the MRT is done, it will be a great solution for this traffic. This traffic is also one of the reason why i do not have any cars here!

I do not have any cars in Indonesia. I did not have any TVs back there in the USA. 😎
Yes. We are anything but ordinary 😜

Since the MRT completion might still need to wait until 2018, for now the available public mass transportation are commuter-line train, and transjakarta busway. I happen to learn to love them. I think this is a big step for mass transport in Jakarta, I don't need to bring cash, all i need is a card that I can refill the credit amount in it and i can use it in any transjakarta stations, train stations and some merchants. Pretty cool, considering it was not like this 3 years ago when i letf Jakarta. The best part: they're cheap!!! To hop on a transjakarta bus you will be charged 3,500 rupiah, and for the commuter-line train is 2,000 rupiah. Even tuk-tuk in Thailand is not as cheap as this!!!

With 3,500 rupiah charged on my card, i can go from my place (the closest station from my place is the BUMD cawang, i can go almost anywhere in Jakarta. Few days ago i went to senayan to kuningan, to Universitas Indonesia, and many more places. That was awesome!

Next i will try to go to some museums, to the beach, bookshops and library by transjakarta. It's different everytime you come places, new experience and new things to learn, even in your own old city.

yesterday at the park when you wish you could curse like Ari Gold

so i went to kebun raya bogor. took the morning KRL train from stasiun cawang to bogor and got in the angkot for 5 minutes ride to the main gate of kebun raya bogor.

we were about to attend an event from my husband office. a family gathering and team building kind of thing. 

Arriving there we had no idea on which part of the park the event was being held. so we looked at the map and match the address and took some walk around the park following the direction.

we loved the walk for sure. it's been a while we didn't get any fresh air like this. At the park, there were many events, most of it were Acara Silaturahmi (related to idul fitri, offices usually gathered their employee together to meet and celebrate), and some study trip (or somewhat like that) from some schools. The events mostly took place in the field. The host built a stage with complete sound system, keyboard player, a tent to keep the stage safe and sound under the shade, and mini snack corner, and an MC.

There i saw (and heard) the MCs talking about games and whatever things that was (i believe) not even related to the event itself, live music, some kids lining up and sitting criss-cross-apple-sauce nicely on the ground. 

Curious. Tried to overheard what they  were doing (talking on the stage and singing and performing..). Here's what i heard and saw..

Pack of elementary school's student (like maybe around 200 kids or more) sitting on the ground in front of the stage where their (i assumed) teachers were singing dangdut song 'Apakah kau gadis atau sudah janda' (Titled: are you a girl/virgin or a widow?). And they (who were singin on the stage) pointed the microphone  to the children and asked them 'what do you think? am i a girl/virgin or a widow?' AND the pack answer uniformly JANDAAAA.

i was like NooooooWaaaayyy!!! WTF!!! 

(with my 5yo walking with me i could only curse out loud in my heart)