Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine June 2016 | Page 121
Travel | Jakarta
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© 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.