Jakarta

I haven't a clue how our Captain finds ports. I just know, when I wake up, I can usually find we are docked or soon to be docked at a new port. (Except on my favorite sea days of course.)


We are 55 days into the World Cruise so far if I count Embarkation. Since the ship skipped January 27th, Ian's Birthday..... do I count that? People wonder why people on a cruise ship don't know what day it is. We have moved the clock backwards and forwards many many times. We have skipped days. I now have good reason to say "I am confused. What day is it again?" In complete honesty, no one onboard knows or cares what day it is. It is the one place on earth that date, day and time never really matter. We use terms like 'sea day, port day, computer day, Prego Restaurant day, sleep in day,
or laundry day'.

 

TODAY IS JAKARTA! Port Day. I love the sound of the name. Ja KAR ta! Going out on my balcony I see smog, fog and a bit of rain. I feel the heat and humidity. I can only stand to be on my balcony for 45 seconds and then I need a retreat to air conditioning heaven. Every ship at sea decided to come dock at this port to ensure us a warm welcome. Busy Busy container port!

The pier, however, offers hope. Colorful Indonesian dancers greet us.

 

Today's tour is to see a bit of Jakarta and to visit ..... drum roll ..... Andy has to be excited and jealous! Obama's School!!!! I took this tour with Andy in mind. In my cruise world there are people who would not book this tour if you paid them. Then too, there are those on the tour that know Obama's life backward and forward and have read all the books. They questioned the barely speaking English guide mercilessly and compared her answers with what they felt they already thought they knew. The world at home and the world at sea converge. Anyway, I want to make sure I get enough photos to cover Andy's office wall :) . Because of traffic, they added another hour onto everyones tour. AND we all get a police escort. Without the police escort I think they would have made it a 12 hour tour instead of a 5 hour tour. There were 13 people on our bus. We had two large buses, don't know why, and a motorcycle police escort complete with sirens. We needed it. But considering how many millions of people were using our highway I bet they all would have liked a police escort also. Felt a bit too entitled but appreciated it.

 
Jakarta is one of if not the most impoverished area I have seen in my cruise life. Greater Jakarta has about 28 million people, but only 10 million live in the city itself. They all were on my highway.  Jakarta is one of the the world's biggest most densely populated cities in the world.  Our tour guide told us the have a 3/1 rule. To ease congestion there must be a minimum of 3 people in each car or you get pulled over and fined. So, they HIRE people to sit in their car when they go to and from work. They take strangers in the car, taking a chance. They pay them $3 a ride. The guide said these 'riders' make a good living just taking people up on the offer. This becomes their job, a way to earn money. Always a way ...... :) Our bus driver showed no mercy to others on the road. Our police escort and our bus driver made 4 lanes out of 3. It
was wild. It was long. I can't imagine doing this daily.

  Leaving port. On the way to Jakarta.





                                      We were so close to this bus I could have changed seats.
Alas

 
 Photos of Obama are everywhere. They are very proud of their former student.


School rules:


Obama's classroom Couldn't resist.  Everywhere in the world, kids are natural hams.

The school is private. Kids were from the area which appeared to be high end, well to do. I really liked the feel of the school. Kids and teachers were super friendly.

We then visited Surabaya Antique Market at Talen Surabay.  We didn't have much time here and/or had more time then we needed. I am not sure which one. I just wasn't sure if things were real antiques or reproductions. It all became a blur with one stall after another displaying thousands of 'antiques'.  I loved the Wayang puppets but didn't know how old or new they were.  There was a language barrier. Everything had to be bargained. I wasn't sure what I was looking at or for.  Sooooo, I left empty handed but enjoyed browsing, except for the every "Please come look, lady." It always is hard not to buy if I could help someone. But, the again, I didn't know enough to make any educated decisions.

To Market. To Market.
 

   Wayang Puppets 

Pick up at school

 





Have you gotten the idea of traffic in Jakarta?

Last stop Sunda Kelapa, an old harbor dating back to the 12th century.  Very old ships are docked here, fixed, rebuilt or scrapped.  There also was a fishing village on the other side of our drop off. It was busy. It was hot. It was dusty. BUT if you took your time (and we were made of too much time) you could find some rather interesting photos.



These ships are the old Phinisi Scooners, a traditional two-masted wooden sailing ship that served as inter-island freight ships.  LOVE the colors, love the old wood.  They were all in various conditions. Some looked like they were still in use, loaded and ready to go.  Most looked like they were being repaired, or beyond repair.  Maybe using the old ones for parts and wood?   You could feel the history here.  One of the old fishermen offered us a 'taxi' in his ship.  We declined, sadly or good thing?  Wondering where his service would take us if we were more adventurous and could say "Sure! Let's Go!".













Hungry? Lunch served here.

Always make the best of what you have. I really enjoyed taking photos.
Although at first I wondered why, why this stop, once I got into taking pictures and framing them, looking at colors, I found myself having fun.  I was one of the last ones back on the bus.

I traded dollars for coins from my tour guide, thinking of my sister .... :) . I think the exchange rate was 5 cents on my dollar. It's all OK.

TRAFFIC.  Heavy traffic ..... All the way, ALL THE WAY back to port.