Old Town of Batavia, Bank Indonesia Museum and Bank Mandiri Museum - Jakarta Indonesia

20^th September 2012 was the Governor Election Day for Indonesia capital region, Jakarta. According to the election, some companies in Jakarta decided to make that day as a special day off for their employees. So I, with five fellow members of Travel Troopers, who aren’t holding Jakarta Citizen ID, planned to explore the other side of Jakarta called Kota Tua (Old Town/ Old Quarter) and the museums inside Kota Tua area.

National Museum aka Museum Gajah - Jakarta Indonesia

Gajah Museum (Gajah = Elephant) is not a museum for elephant, but it is a nick name among locals to call The Indonesia National Museum (Museum Nasional Indonesia) which has an elephant statue in its main gate. The elephant statue is given by one of The Kings of Siam Empire in 1871. The museum consist of 2 buildings, the old colonial building and the modern one, connected by a semi glass building in the back of mini open stage in its front yard. The colonial building consists of 2 levels while the modern building consists of 4 levels. The museum shows many objects of archeology, history, ethnology, and geography in dozen of categories (since primordial era, ancient era, and more).

Just across from Monas, in the heart of Central Jakarta, I could walk through pedestrian to reach National Museum and with only Rp 5.000,- (September 2012) I got all access for the whole area of the museum opened for visitors. The museum opens daily for public, except for Monday and public holiday when the museum is closed.

MONAS aka National Monument - Jakarta Indonesia

Monas stands for Monumen Nasional (National Monument), which is one of the famous landmarks in Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. Monas was built for reminiscing Indonesia Independence from the Netherlands. It is 132 meter tall and crowned by fire statue coated with gold. Monas also has viewing platform in 115 meter high, right below the fire gold statue, besides the museum and Hall of Independence in the lower level of this giant obelisk. Monas opens daily for public from 8 am to 3 pm (local time), except for the last Monday of each month when the monument is closed.

   

I stepped on my feet into Monas area on Saturday morning, when the sky was so clear with no clouds, the sun was warm and the wind was comfy. Well, actually I arrived too early. It was not 8 am yet and I decided to walk through wide pedestrian to the tunnel’s gate to enter Monas (located across to the Monas north gate), joined with many visitors who spent their morning jogging, playing soccer, cycling or just walking down the pedestrian.  

It’s time for Jakarta to exhale

sumber: thejakartaglobe.com

Duduk dalam bus yang penuh sesak dan menghirup pengapnya udara adalah rutinitas sehari-hari kami, para pengejar bus kota. Ditengah teriknya sinar matahari ibukota dan kemacetan yang menjadi “khas” Jakarta, helaan nafas dan keluh kesah kerap terdengar seiring dengan keinginan merasakan semilir sejuknya angin yang kadang berhembus masuk melalui jendela bus yang terbuka.

Makian para pengendara kendaraan bermotor, klakson yang “harus” dibunyikan dalam durasi panjang tanpa jeda, teriakan para kondektur bus, petikan sedikit sengau dan nyanyian suka-suka dari para pengamen jalanan, adalah suara-suara “khas” ibukota yang merupakan “paket” dari rutinitas kami para pengejar bus kota.