Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine June 2016 | Page 121

Travel | Jakarta 119 © jeremy sutton-hibbert; © dbimages; © Kalpana Kartik; © epa european pressphoto agency b.v. / Alamy Stock Photo The venerable Café Batavia is set in a 200-year-old building on the northwestern corner of Fatahillah Square. by modern Indonesian artists, a beautiful exhibition of ceramics and porcelain, and more, with some key pieces dating back to the 14th century. Leaving Fatahillah Square, I admire the buildings one more time – they’ve been wonderfully restored recently by the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government through its revitalisation programme supported by UNESCO with the aim of achieving UNESCO World Heritage status by 2017. If you have an interest in Old Dutch architecture and Indonesian culture and history, it doesn’t get better than Fatahillah Square . Around the periphery of the square there are even more world-class museums, including the Bank Indonesia Museum, which is highly recommended for its modern slickly presented interactive displays and exhibits about the spice trade and the financial and economic history of Indonesia, its vast collection of old coins and currencies, and the expertly restored neoclassical building that houses it all. After museum-hopping, I continue on foot to Petak Sembilan, Batavia’s unofficial Chinatown, complete with charming narrow laneways and street-side markets and shops selling everything from coffee and culinary curiosities to watches, leather belts, children’s toys, glassware, traditional herbs and Chinese medicine, incense and candles, and everything in between. There’s also an intricately decorated brilliant bright red Chinese pagoda here, the Jun De Yuan temple, which dates back to 1650. Also within walking distance is Sunda Kelapa Harbour. This centuries-old spice trading port at the mouth of the Ciliwung River has been in continuous use since the 1800s. There’s a nostalgic romance about this harbour that is enhanced by the impressive 50m-long traditional schooners docked across the 2km-long wharf. Vibrantly painted, these characterful vessels aren’t just for show – they continue to play a vital role in modern-day Indonesia with goods being loaded and unloaded throughout the morning. Adventurous foodies will love the nearby Fish Market, where friendly hawkers offer ocean-fresh seafood that you can have cooked on the spot to enjoy as the sun sets. To get the best view across the harbour, climb to the top of the Harbour-Master Tower, a 19th-century Dutch lookout tower. From here the ocean panorama is a stunning sight to behold – the reward for those who give Jakarta the time of day to discover the beauty behind its skyscrapers. 5 Senses – Taste KERAK TELOR When in Old Jakarta, you have to try kerak telor, a traditional Betawi-style omelette of duck egg with glutinous rice served with fried shredded coconut, fried shallots and dried salty shrimp on top, all cooked over a charcoal fire. It has a lovely crispy texture and is the highlight dish during the annual Jakarta Fair celebrating the city’s anniversary. Ketika berada di Kota Tua, Anda harus mencoba Kerak Telor, telur dadar tradisional Betawi dari telur bebek dengan nasi ketan yang disajikan dengan kelapa parut goreng, bawang merah goreng serta udang kering asin di atasnya, dan semuanya dimasak menggunakan arang. Makanan ini memiliki tekstur renyah dan menjadi favorit dalam acara tahunan Jakarta Fair untuk merayakan ulang tahun Kota Jakarta.