How To Spend 3 Weeks To Enjoy The Best Time In Your Life In Indonesia

Stop 1 – Jakarta, Indonesia. Visited from 22-24 November 2022.

I have not properly gotten to know Indonesia, though it is our close neighbor. I thought that the Indonesian culture was not too dissimilar to Malaysia’s. However, I discovered that there is much more to Indonesia.

I flew into the capital, Jakarta, on 22nd November 2022, a mere 2-hour flight from Kuala Lumpur. I started by having a taste of Indonesia with a morning breakfast of Soto, a dish of chicken and vegetables in coconut milk broth, the de facto national Indonesian dish. The aroma of fresh, creamy juice milked from mature coconuts, enhanced by mild tropical spice, filled my mouth and lingered long after it journeyed south. After doing justice to it, I rubbed my tummy in satisfaction, and couldn’t help proclaiming, “What a real comfort food”. Coconut, the essence of tropical goodness.

I wandered aimlessly into a shopping mall and was immediately welcomed by piped Christmas music accompanied by traditional Indonesian hand drums and flutes. It felt like Christmas was celebrated by many, and the joys shared by all. A Muslim girl sat in a food stall next to another selling pork dim sum. In Peninsula Malaysia, this would be an unusual sight. This is a predominantly Muslim country. Many wear hijabs, but many do not, evidence of its diversity. There seemed to be more live music, bands, and freedom of expression. Everywhere I went, the young ones addressed me as “Pak”, for uncle/Mr. – very respectful and heartwarming. Wherever I went, I encountered smiley reception. I felt undifferentiated and welcomed. I love it where we live as one.

The predominantly Indonesian faces and culture are close cousins of the Malaysian Malays in many ways. It feels like familiar territory. However, there is much more to delight one’s senses. The history appears older and deeper, and the traditional food more diverse and tantalizing. I threw caution to the wind and helplessly succumbed umpteen times to those deceptive menus, with hardly any remorse even after a chronic food coma.

Adequately fueled, I rubber-necked my way around the city center, visited the National Monument, the Old Town, and the Glodok Chinatown, where the Chinese were tending to their shops, ringing the cash register, minding their own business.