2023 Alaska, Asia, Australia, Arabian Peninsula Trip
Day 60/105 - Jakarta, Indonesia - a lesson in tolerance
Today marks our second day in Indonesia, the fourth most populated country in the world after India, China, and the United States. It is home to 167 active volcanoes. We didn’t get to see any of them…so far. We were up early since our optional tour,
Jakarta and its Chinatown, departed at 7:30 a.m.. The plan for the day was to stop at the Jakarta Cathedral and the Istiqlal Mosque and then proceed to Chinatown and the old port.
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| How to stay cool - install a split air conditioner on your scooter |
Jakarta Cathedral
Rebuilt in 1901 after its collapse, the Jakarta Cathedral is an unusual site, especially considering Indonesia is 85% Muslim. The fact that sits directly across the street from the largest mosque in Southeast Asia is a strong visible signal of Indonesia's commitment to a secular state and religious tolerance.
All halos around Christ's head were finished with mother-of-pearl, creating a spectacular effect.
The inside was nice and not over-the-top like many European cathedrals.
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| Mary wears the Indonesian coat of arms on her chest |
We headed out to a side courtyard.
The Indonesian coat of arms - a garuda bird is shown below.
The star represents one god. The banyan tree represents the government meeting the needs of the people. The bull represents strength and resilience. The rice and cotton represent social justice. The chain represents national unity.
The tail has eight feathers. The outer wings have 17 feathers. The neck, legs, and lower body have 45 feathers. 8/17/1945 is Indonesia's independence day.
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| A grotto with a shrine to the Virgin Mary |
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| These represent Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus |
Istiqlal Mosque
Directly across the street from the cathedral, this mosque, with its capacity to support up to 200,000 worshipers, is the largest mosque in Southeast Asia and the 8th largest mosque in terms of capacity in the world. It is intentionally designed to be minimalist.
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| The small dome is 8 meters - a nod to August - Indonesia's independence month |
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| The large dome measures 45 meters - a nod to 1945 -Indonesia's independence year |
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| Passing this point required no shoes and knees and shoulders covered |
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| What happens when you don't pay attention to the port talk or local customs? |
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| You have to wear a skirt - men and women - don't be that kind of tourist |
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| The main chamber |
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| The large dome |
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| The special rug for the Iman - the prayer leader |
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| One of two outdoor prayer courtyards |
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| Our guide demonstrates that each dark rectangle is reserved for one pilgrim |
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| A drum that was used for the call to prayer when other means were not available |
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| The domes and the spires of the cathedral |
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| A group of mothers and their children in a class |
We departed the area and went to Chinatown.
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| We caught a view of the front of the peacock in Merdeka Square |
Chinatown
We took a walking tour through the market in Chinatown.
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| Traditionally Chinese A&W? |
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| Sea cucumbers |
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| One vendor had this bird in their stall |
We visited three Buddhist shrines.
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| These birds are released as part of worship |
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| Incense is big |
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| Some of the big incense sticks are said to burn for a month |
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| These scrolls contain candles and incense |
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| That’s a happy Buddha! |
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| There were a bunch of altars with worshipers saying prayers at many of them |
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| We also saw some local wildlife |
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| Our final stop was at a local apothecary where herbalists were concocting potions |
At the end of the walk, we stopped for refreshments at a local tea house. The snacks featured shrimp in a flour mixture (the yellowish one), chicken in a rice wrapper of sorts (the fuzzy-looking one), and sweet bean curd in dough covered in sesame seeds. All three were tasty.
Old port - Sunda Kelapa
Jakarta's old port only accommodates Pinisi. These traditional two-masted wooden sailing ships transport goods and freight throughout the Indonesian archipelago.
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| Arlona headed up a rickety staircase for a closer look |
These ships were being loaded with all kinds of supplies that needed to be transported throughout the islands of Indonesia. They are designed to handle the 16-foot waves that are common around the archipelago.
After that visit, it was time to head back to the ship. It was another hot and sweaty tour, but unlike yesterday's tour, today's was worth the effort. We grabbed lunch on the ship. Shortly after 2 p.m., we departed
Jakarta. I processed photos after that and then we watched the port talk about Semarang, tomorrow's port.
We're in for a hot, nine-hour tour tomorrow. It will include 2.5 to 3-hour rides to and from the Borobudur Temple. The buses here in Indonesia are not built for long-legged Western tourists, so we're a little worried that tomorrow will be a long and uncomfortable day.
Tonight, at the World Café, they featured a Taste of
Indonesia. I wasn’t inspired enough to
take photos, especially since I included a ton of photos already today. Suffice it to say that everything tasted
great and we had fun sampling the variety of dishes. They decorated the buffet with colorful peppers, fruits, and veggies.
Tonight, we had an appointment with Travel Consultant, Hâmed, to discuss upcoming potential travel. Tonight was also the fourth showing of Top Gun: Maverick on this voyage so that meant Arlona could snag us some popcorn to enjoy while meeting. We didn’t need to watch the movie again.
After that, it was time to retire for the evening and get ready for a long, hot day in Semarang, visiting the Borobudur Temple.
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