Ahhh, talk about nostalgia.
About 15 years ago, while I was still an innocent not so experienced Assistant Manager, I was transfer to Jakarta for about 3 months to troubleshoot the visitor promotion of a major exhibition there. Well, I know how it sounds. It is as if I'm a specialist in visitor promotion while the truth is, I've only done two other projects in that company. Anyway, I've not really been back to Jakarta after all those years because I have the worst experience ever. During my few months there, I have a daily stomach upset and by the time I finished my assignment and goes back to KL, I was diagnosed of gastric due to the over acidic food (such as chilli) which I don't have much choice but to eat everyday.
Most recently I went back to Jakarta for work (again). In the plane, I was seated next to an Indonesian lady and we strike up a conversation. She has apparently left her country to work in Malaysia for 10 years and she has not been back. She told me she is very excited to see how her country has changed and what it is like now after all these years. Hmmm, I'm thinking to myself that maybe nothing much has changed ...
... indeed, nothing much has change.
The day I arrived, it rains and the scene on the road is exactly the same as 15 years ago. The road is flooded and the traffic has practically comes to a stand still. I know in other parts of the world, the major cities jam too, but here in Jakarta, you have no other transportation options such as MRT or train or whatever but to sit in the cab for hours to reach a destination that is probably only about 15-20 km.
While we reach a certain cross road, jobless locals takes up the role as traffic controller directing traffic with hopes that some people wind down their windows and give them some token for their assistance.
While the car comes to a standstill at certain places, locals will comes with stuff to sell to you. But the most unforgettable moment I had 15 years ago is that some of them comes with a guitar and starts serenading you with songs in the middle of the road! I still bump into a few during my 3 days there recently. Ah, talk about memories.
About 15 years ago, while I was still an innocent not so experienced Assistant Manager, I was transfer to Jakarta for about 3 months to troubleshoot the visitor promotion of a major exhibition there. Well, I know how it sounds. It is as if I'm a specialist in visitor promotion while the truth is, I've only done two other projects in that company. Anyway, I've not really been back to Jakarta after all those years because I have the worst experience ever. During my few months there, I have a daily stomach upset and by the time I finished my assignment and goes back to KL, I was diagnosed of gastric due to the over acidic food (such as chilli) which I don't have much choice but to eat everyday.
Most recently I went back to Jakarta for work (again). In the plane, I was seated next to an Indonesian lady and we strike up a conversation. She has apparently left her country to work in Malaysia for 10 years and she has not been back. She told me she is very excited to see how her country has changed and what it is like now after all these years. Hmmm, I'm thinking to myself that maybe nothing much has changed ...
... indeed, nothing much has change.
The day I arrived, it rains and the scene on the road is exactly the same as 15 years ago. The road is flooded and the traffic has practically comes to a stand still. I know in other parts of the world, the major cities jam too, but here in Jakarta, you have no other transportation options such as MRT or train or whatever but to sit in the cab for hours to reach a destination that is probably only about 15-20 km.
While we reach a certain cross road, jobless locals takes up the role as traffic controller directing traffic with hopes that some people wind down their windows and give them some token for their assistance.
While the car comes to a standstill at certain places, locals will comes with stuff to sell to you. But the most unforgettable moment I had 15 years ago is that some of them comes with a guitar and starts serenading you with songs in the middle of the road! I still bump into a few during my 3 days there recently. Ah, talk about memories.
Don't get me wrong, Jakarta does have its beautiful side. Say for example the above picture taken from FX in Senayan shows the metropolis side of it. Jakarta is actually a very beautiful and safe city if you stay within the city centre. I remember 15 years ago, they already have Tony Romas (which I went to dine once a week) and also the Fashion Cafe (owned by the supermodels in the name of Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer and Elle Macpherson) which is not available in KL.
