LIVING IN (NOT FOR) JAKARTA

Downtown Jakarta view from our apartment building's rooftop on a pretty clear day.

Once again I find myself delinquent in keeping this blog updated.  It’s not because we haven’t been getting out there and doing things – we definitely have!  And this blog will catch us up through the first part of this year.  But for some reason, our assignment in Jakarta - more than the others - has been exhausting. 

Maybe it’s because my work has been a churn of official visitors and constant on-ness, and Andrew’s schedule has been awkward and disjointed as he’s tried to keep working U.S. hours from the other side of the world.  Maybe it’s because living in Jakarta takes more energy too.  From dealing with the traffic, to the heat, to the crowds, to the air pollution… getting out to run a simple errand is anything but simple.  I’ve found it takes me a full weekend just to recover and recharge for the next week.  We’ve found it’s imperative for our sanity that we always have something on the calendar – from a long weekend to a full-blown vacation – to get us out of Jakarta and able to really unwind.  Or maybe it’s because this is our first 3-year post.  At our other posts so far, by now we’d be in the throes of wrapping up, packing out, and moving on.  But here, we’re trying to psych ourselves up and rally for one more year.  Three years is a long time to be away from family and friends, to miss celebrating birthdays and other special occasions in-person rather than on Zoom, and to try to make a “home” in a completely different place.  On the bright side, our apartment building and its amenities make life a little more enjoyable, we’ve made some good friends here, and we’ve found a few spots within walking distance to blow off mid-week steam.  So… onward!

Sadly, this is often what we see from our living room.  Last August, Jakarta had the worst air quality in the world.  Most days, it's in the top 10.  Yuck.

This is the view from the rooftop of our apartment building when we do have a clear day.  "The mountain is out!"

Celebrating Chinese new year on the grounds of our apartment building.  These dancer/acrobats put on a great show. 

The grounds of our apartment building are the closest thing to a park that I've seen... and it's a welcome respite from the chaos of Jakarta.

Diplomacy action shot.  Here I am making remarks at a Women's History Month event at the embassy.  This was a photo display we had up for the month honoring women in the Foreign Service.  It included a photo of my great-grandmother Ruth Bryan Owen, who was the first female Chief of Mission.  As busy as this job is, it is definitely the coolest job EVER.

An Argentine steak house - and easily one of our favorite restaurants in Jakarta - is about a 20-minute walk from our apartment.  They have a trivia night there once a month... and we are the reigning champions.  One of our mid-week stress-reliever go-to activities.

In January, we took advantage of a U.S. holiday when the rest of Jakarta was working to take the train to a suburb about an hour south called Bogor where there is a botanic garden that we’d heard rave reviews about.  In looking at the map, it seemed the train station in Bogor was right across the street from the garden.  Easy peasy, right?  But no.  In typical Indonesian fashion, while the train station is, in fact, right across the street from the garden, the entrance is on the other side of the garden.  The President of Indonesia maintains a residence adjacent to the garden, so the whole thing is fenced in.  One way in, one way out… and that one way is on the opposite side of the garden from the station.  Why make things too easy?  So, we trudged around the park, and about 30-minutes and a fully sweat-soaked shirt later, we arrived.  Once inside, the park was beautiful!  Well maintained, well signed, well organized, GREEN!  A win!  And bonus… it was relatively quiet since it was a regular weekday for Indonesia.  We walked around the gardens, had lunch at a restaurant overlooking the grounds, got caught in a short surprise torrential downpour, and then headed back to the station (in a cab – enough walking in 90+ degree heat and humidity for one day).  But definitely a welcome distraction to be around trees and greenery for a day.

 

Huge trees!  Open space!  Our day trip to the Bogor botanic gardens was a welcome breath of fresh(er) air.

Even a tinge of blue in the sky!

Then later in January we had a REAL vacation.  Andrew headed to Melbourne mid-month and I joined him a bit later for a couple weeks.  We were fortunate that Andrew’s friends who had gone on vacation let us stay at their house and – bonus! – dog-sit their year-old golden retriever.  We really had no itinerary or must-see list.  We just kind of played things by ear, and it was a fantastic break from Jakarta!  We went on a couple walking tours of downtown Melbourne, took a day-trip to do some hiking, caught up with Andrew’s dad, sister and friends, ate a ton of delicious food, played with their goofy dog, and generally just… relaxed.  Ahhhh.  It was a welcome, refreshing change of scenery, and I spent as much time outside as I could to take in all the fresh air and blue sky. 

In between all the outdoor time in Melbourne, we snuck in a Broadway show - Moulin Rouge!

Our charge for two weeks, Humphrey.  Destruction count: one blanket, two squeaky toys, one sock... two hearts.

Day trip outside Melbourne for some hiking and wine tasting - two of my favorite things!

Andrew has taught me just enough about cricket that I graduated to watch a game at the Melbourne Cricket Club.

Those black dots in the trees are fruit bats, AKA flying foxes - and actually more closely related to foxes than bats.  It was breeding season and they'd set up shop along the Yarra River.  Their rookery was about a 30-minute walk from the house where we were staying, so it became my daily routine to take a walk along the river and go check in on them.

In coming to Jakarta, we knew we’d be in for something totally different.  A new culture, climate, pace of life, food, sights and sounds…  I was open to all of it – and I still am.  But I didn’t realize just how much I value the outdoors – and being able to be in it – until that wasn’t really an option.  I do walk to work here – but it’s an adventure sport of dodging motor scooters, broken sewer covers, and cars parked on the sidewalk.  It’s not the same.  So with a year left here, we’ll try to get our fill of southeast Asia before it’s time to move on to greener pastures.

FINDING INDONESIA... AND WHAT WE DID FOR ANDREW'S BIRTHDAY

I’m not really one for new year’s resolutions.  But this year I came up with one that seems easier to do than losing 10 pounds, or learning to play guitar, or organizing the junk closet.  (All have been tried and failed.)  This year, our last full year in Indonesia, I want to see more of this country (and maybe a few of its neighbors).  And we got a head start in November when we took a birthday trip to celebrate Andrew’s birthday on Borneo.

The island of Borneo is shared by three countries – Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.  Indonesia’s province of Kalimantan makes up the majority of Borneo, and it’s still relatively wild and jungly and less developed than the island of Java, where Jakarta is.  (For now, at least.  At present, the Indonesian government is busy clearing the jungle in Kalimantan to make way for a new capital to be located there to replace the ever-sinking and increasingly crowded and flooded Jakarta.)  Based on some recommendations from friends and colleagues who had previously visited Kalimantan, we set out by boat to see orangutans in Tanjang Puting National Park.

Entering Tanjang Puting National Park by boat.

Our open-air home for 3-days was what looked like a floating RV.  The main floor was all ours, with a couple lounge chairs and bean bags in the front for lounging, a table where we had some delicious meals, and a mattress in the back that would be donned with a mosquito net at night.  The crew included a captain and assistant, cook, and tour guide who took great care of us.  In the morning, we’d pull up to a small dock and our guide would lead us on a short hike to a viewing area to see the orangutans, most of which have been rescued or relocated to the park from other areas of Indonesia.  Once a day, the rangers put out a feast of bananas, sugar cane, and other tropical treats, and the orangutans appear to check out the spread.  We’d hang out at the observation area for an hour or so, then head back to the boat and enjoy lunch and the view while we motored to our next viewing location.

Each stop along the way had its own little population of orangutans that each had their own personalities.

Their faces were so expressive!  And the older males have these large facial disks that add to their character.

Even though they seem compact when they squat down to enjoy a banana, they are big when they stand up and are swinging around in the trees.

Soups on!

This teenager is showing off some impressive gymnastics moves.

What are YOU looking at?

The whole family gets in on the smorgasbord.

Even orangutans play with their food.

I think he still had room for a couple more.

Camp Leakey (as in Louis Leakey, the paleoanthropologist) is a small research station in Tanjung Puting National Park and the last stop on our boat trip into the jungle.

We saw tons of orangutans and each spot, along with all sorts of other jungle creatures along the way – proboscis monkeys (whose giant schnozzes looks like something out of Dr. Seuss), hornbills, monitor lizards… even a crocodile.  It was HOT – the best tip someone gave me was to bring a fan, which I put to good use.  But we enjoyed clear air, some beautiful sunsets, and some quiet evenings away from Jakarta’s constant bustle, motor scooters, and smog.

A proboscis monkey - proof that Mother Nature has a sense of humor.

Our guide took us on a night hike after dinner the first night.  This little spiderhunter was taking a nap... but has an apt name give all the creepy crawlies we also saw on our night hike.

The river we snaked our way along was barely wider than our boat.

A pretty spartan way of life for the fisherfolk who live along the river.

We had two spectacular sunsets.

No filter here folks - these colors are all real.

Our Winnebago-meets-boat and home for two nights.

Our roomy, open-air transport through the jungle.

Andrew's actual birthday was the second night of our trip, and the crew put on a spectacular feast to celebrate. This is nasi tumpeng - a cone of yellow rice surrounded by a selection of savory sides dishes - and traditionally served to celebrate a special occasion. 

The birthday boy, kicking his feet up (and trying to stay cool while avoid being bitten by mosquitos... two things that are not usually able to be simultaneously achieved).

The intrepid vibrant migrants, winding though the Borneo jungle.

From Kalimantan, we headed to Bali for a few days and met up with Andrew’s friend Shaun who came up from Oz to celebrate Andrew’s birthday.  We lined up a great mix of activities – a day out on the water for snorkeling, a day on land heading north on the island to see some temples, and a day (or two) of just lounging beach-side.  I think, with this trip, we’ve officially “seen” Bali, and are ready to broaden our horizons and find some other, less-traveled parts of Indonesia this year.  We already have several excursions lined up – so stay tuned!

Road trip to the Ulun Danu Beratan Hindu Temple on Bali.

The temple was an impressive sight to see.  Navigating the traffic on Bali to get there... not so much.

A well-earned refreshment with Andrew's friend Shaun.

In addition to Andrew's birthday, we also celebrated Thanksgiving on Bali.  This was the setting for our Thanksgiving dinner... which featured tacos in lieu of turkey and trimmings.

NEW YEAR, NEW START... AND WHAT WE DID FOR MY BIRTHDAY

Happy new year to friends and family across the globe!  Andrew and I celebrated the holidays and rang in the new year in Jakarta.  Someone had to hold down the fort at the office, and honestly, I’m quite happy to do it.  It’s usually a quiet time of year to get caught up on all the things that fall into the background when we’re so busy putting out fires the rest of the year.  We hosted friends for a “White Sumatran Elephant” party, had a fancy Christmas Eve brunch, enjoyed a happy hour (or two) and took in the fancy holiday decorations at some of the big Jakarta hotels, and watched the city put on a pretty great fireworks show to ring in the new year on the rooftop of our apartment building.  

Christmas decorations in our apartment building's lobby.

A Christmas gift to ourselves - a "gerobak", usually used as an outdoor food cart...

...but our new bar cart.

Checking out the decorations at the Grand Hyatt in Jakarta.

Christmas trees meet (indoor) palm trees.

Indonesians love to take selfies and have backdrops and vignettes set up just for that.  

More hotel Christmas decor - this time at the St. Regis.

A festive backdrop for a cheese plate.

New Year's Eve dinner with friends with traditional Indonesian fare at an old Dutch Colonial style restaurant.

Post-fireworks, Jakarta's air quality was the worst we've seen... and we've seen bad.

All together, we had a pretty swell holiday season here in Jakarta, and now that it’s over and everyone is back to work… we’re taking some time off!  This blog post is coming to you from… Melbourne, Australia (which I’d write about more in a future blog post).  But in the meantime, and per usual, first a catch-up for you from the past few months.

Quite honestly, I don’t even know where to start with this.  We had a LOT going on towards the end of last year, including two birthday celebrations – mine in October, and Andrew’s in November.  And we came up with some pretty memorable ways of celebrating both.  In order to avoid having this blog just become a giant photo dump, and because my birthday was first chronologically, this blog installment will be a recounting of What We Did for My Birthday.  What We Did for Andrew’s Birthday will follow in short order.

My birthday served as a handy excuse for a trip to Spain, via Turkey, to catch up with friends in both places and enjoy a most welcome change of scenery.  We started our trip with a few days in Madrid.  An absolutely FABULOUS city, replete with funky, fun coffee shops, street-side cafes with cheap – but good! – wine, and fantastic outdoor spaces made for exploring.  It was our first time in Spain, and Madrid made an excellent first impression.

A local coffee shop just down the street from our Airbnb was a first stop for a cafe con leche each day.

And street-side cafes were a good stop for a cheap vaso de vino each afternoon.

In between, strolling through Madrid's old cobblestone streets toward Plaza Mayor.

We loved the architecture!

We saw these doggie waiting areas all over!

Walking past Cibeles Palace on the way to the Prado Museum... though truth be told, we were so happy to be walking outside on sidewalks in clean air, we didn't actually go inside anything!

A festive tapas bar on Calle de la Cava Baja.  We spent a bit of time exploring this neighborhood and its tapas bars...

From there, it was on to the Costa Blanca town of Albir to visit with our friends Paul and Kim from Portland, who made the move to Spain about five years ago and now call Albir home.  We can’t blame them.  Walking distance to the beach and its seaside esplanade with shops, bars, restaurants… everything you could want!  And close to some great parks and golf courses and other seaside towns to provide endless entertainment.  Some of those other seaside towns were enchanting – Altea! Elche! – some, not so much – I’m looking at you, Benidorm.  Paul and Kim were the consummate hosts, and we can’t thank them enough for letting us sample their new world.

Reuniting with human and dog friends in Albir - Paul and Kim's dog Peaches.

The beachfront esplanade along the beach in Albir makes a lovely spot for a beachside stroll.

We joined Paul and Kim for a round of golf - a great way to take a walk through the woods.

On the trail up to a lighthouse and lookout point.

The lookout over Albir.

Day trip to the scenic town of Altea.

Altea is an old fishing town that is now a picture-perfect seaside Spanish town.

We had a great day exploring the narrow winding laneways through the town.

And another day trip to Benidorm - this is the only photo I took of what we dubbed Las Vegas on the Costa Blanca. 

Side trip to Elche, and a wine tasting/culinary extravaganza.

This canal ran through Elche and had walking trails on either side.  Clearly, they are ready for some rain.

We ended our tour de España with a swing through Valencia, and a visit with another Portland friend, Colleen, who is taking a work hiatus and is teaching English there for a few months.  We may have saved the best for last.  Valencia was completely charming – winding cobblestone streets, medieval towers, fabulous restaurants.  Spain definitely left us wanting more.  We will return!

Valencia's old gothic towers at the former city entrance, complete with cannon pockmarks.

The entry doors through the towers - with me for scale.

Fantastic graffiti on display.

Could Valencia BE any more scenic?

Mercado Central had something for everyone.

Inside Mercado Central with our friend Colleen.

We flew through Turkey to get to Spain, so we figured we should hang around for awhile on the way back.  Fortunately, another good friend Holly from our Foreign Service family is posted in Istanbul and opened up her home – and played tourist with us – for a few days.  So much history, and culture, and MORE delicious food.

Andrew and I went on a day tour to see the major sights in Istanbul on our first day there while our friend Holly was working.  It was a FULL day!  Istanbul has a lot of major sights!  Like... the Hagia Sophia. 

Inside the Hagia Sophia.  Originally built as a church, then converted to a mosque, then served as a musuem for over 80 years, until Turkish President Erdogan reverted it to a mosque just a few years ago.  Since mosques do not have depictions of human faces, the remaining Christian artwork of angels or other human forms are covered with drapes during prayer times.  

The Blue Mosque.

Proof we were at the Blue Mosque.

Beautiful stained glass windows and domes inside the Blue Mosque.

Stunning artwork inside the Blue Mosque.

The Hippodrome of Constantinople (or Istanbul).  

The underground Basilica Cisterns, complete with dramatic lighting,

No day tour of Istanbul would be complete without a stop at a rug shop.

The Grand Bazaar.  I was prepared to be swarmed by people, but it was actually not overly crowded and a fun experience.

Next up: A food tour of Istanbul with Holly.

The food tour was called "A Taste of Two Continents" because it started on the European side, involved a crossing of the Bosphorus, and then continued on the Asia side.  But, spoiler alert, the food is pretty similar on both sides of the river.

Strolling through Istanbul's historic city center.

Istanbul had no shortage of stray, but very well cared for, cats and dogs.  The cats all seemed well groomed.  And the dogs were HUGE... and could not be bothered.

A Turkish coffee caffeine fix comes with a Turkish delight.

Checking out the spice market.

Choices, choices!

Day 3, a tour of Topkapi Palace.  It is HUGE and we spent the better part of the day touring the site.

All smiles at Topkapi Palace.

Rooftop mezze happy hour.  The city puts on a spectacular show by day and night.

And lastly, a day cruise on the Bosphorus.

The mosques were VERY elaborate!

Sunset over the Bosphorus with a couple minarets.  It doesn't get much more Istanbul than that.

My birthday dinner included pre-dinner drinks at this historic hotel.  It felt like a step back in time.

Upon our return, lots of friends here in Jakarta were eager to know “what was the best part.”  It was a seemingly impossible question to answer.  We got to experience so many different sights, activities, and experiences.  I had no good answer for them.  But now that I’ve been settled back in Jakarta for a few months and have had time to let it all sink in, the answer is obvious.  Seeing our friends so happy and loving life in their new cities was the best birthday gift of all.