Jakarta - a BIG City!

Our first days in Jakarta ~

Our flight from Palembang to Jakarta was just great...and we claimed out suitcases and off we went with a taxi to our hotel.

The airports in Indonesia are all open and airy and it makes me think of Hawaii -  the tropics is like that!

Nick had found an old hotel in Jakarta - it had it's glory in the past century - but somehow we thought of our parents and how most assuredly they had stay here...oh it would be so neat to find out!!!!

                     I am hoping maybe my family in Holland can tell me that!  The name is still the same

Batavia Hotel - the old name for Jakarta - oh it is just wonderful to be here...because it makes me think with such warmth in my heart all the stories of my father and family and Nick's family too....and how the colonial days had been.  As we walk in the hallways we think they might of sat here...slept there....dined there.

                                                                         Old scenes of the past hanging on the walls.

The hotel is in the process of  renovation and needs it too...but walking into the hallway's and seeing the large rooms - there is a ballroom and a beautiful garden and pool on the 3rd floor.

Looking down from the second floor - down to the foyer of the hotel...!

I am just sharing these pictures because this Hotel is dated 1905 and has so much history!

We might be a bit nostalgic about it but just a special memory of the past that my parents shared with me all those years growing up!  I am sure my sis and brother will enjoy some of these pictures too! Nick family too and Cecile (Nick's sis!) YOU WERE BORN IN JAKARTA!!!!!!! This is your birth town...

WAY COOL SIS!!!!!!

The Batavia Hotel lies on a canal and at the end it has a draw bridge - built by the Dutch colonialist and it is the only one left in Jakarta.  But this scene is what this area looks like - old buildings from the Dutch era.

So many buildings are not even used anymore...so sad. 

We strolled down the street and came across this Bank Building - where all the trading went on for the coffee and sugar plantations and commerce of that era.  Gosh it was so big inside! Beautiful marble  floors and counters.

                 It is turned into a museum now and many tourists come to see some of these old buildings ~

While walking along on this memory lane - we meant some tourists and we chatted with them - they too were going to Cafe Batavia!

We invited them to join us for a cup of coffee!

A little further on we strolled and we came to the Plaza...and there it was ..Cafe Batavia - !

Oh it was just gorgeous in and out!  A great place to relax and enjoy a little European  atmosphere of the past.....and have a great cup of coffee and/or enjoy a delicious lunch! 

It was built in 1805 - !

"Jan" was from Germany and "Ann" was also from Germany and they both had meant each last evening at the hostel! They decided to see the Cafe and it was nice to meet them and talk and enjoy coffee together in this beautiful place!

Nick & I ordered a 

"kofi "tubrok" a kind of "hobo" coffee - and it was good! 

How cute it was served!

Jan had just arrived from Germany and was planning to travel for 3 weeks south and Ann had come from Bali and was heading north and would be going to Vietnam and then spend 4 months in India taking a college course there! All so exciting to hear! 

Oh the atmosphere was most pleasing and we loved it - Nick we must come back one more time! 

Walking into the era of the early 1900's is a special when I think of our family ties!  

It was busy everywhere...cars scooters motorcycles - crazy!  

We will leave this town - but these people have to deal with this 

......E V E R Y  D A Y!!!

We came across another mall with 5 stories of electronics...side by side...cell phones, lap tops...you name it - it here!  We can't figure how they stay in business with so much competition!  

Nick & I were trying to figure out what bus to take back and it was hard - not many people speak English - so we were kind of in line and just for the certainty we asked one more time...well this gal gladly answered and then guess what??????

 You betcha...she was Dutch (Indo) yes she was in Indonesia with her father who was born here and he had not been back in 46 yrs!  This was his first time and he shared it with his daughter!  He was also born in Bundung - same place as my father!!!!!!!
Roxanna was adorable and we converted into Dutch of course!  She loved it in Indonesia and said her mother is from Burma and her parents had meant here in Indonesia and married - and then later moved to Holland where she was born in Leeuwarden.  How fun is that!  We talked in the bus until we came to their stop.  Nick was standing with her father at the other end of the bus where the men stood - yes there is a male and female section of the bus. 

We were jammed into that Bus...PACKED! But I was able to give Roxanna my email address and she would send me her email and maybe a good connection for us in Bundung!  

They would be departing back to Holland that evening! A short talk but so nice to meet her and Nick had a nice talk with her father!

As we strolled through some shopping areas we came across this:

                                              Gosh do you see that "ape" Poodle?

                                             Did you read the message on the top right corner too?

Heading back to the hotel...it was time to - relax - we had a fun day in Jakarta seeing a lot and WOW the traffic -

.............amazingly busy!!!

Click on this Link to read up on Jakarta!

Jakarta Java