Transportion-Busway in Jakarta

Stasiun Kota to Terminal Block M, a bus travel on this dedicated route. The road that link the end stations, have their dedicated road where other vehicles are not allow to use. The reason is to allow the bus to move with very minimum traffic congestions. In between, there are 18 stops, girls, boys, woman, man, grannies unload themselves from the bus to their stop stations. One purchase of a ticket, allow one to travel from an end station to another end and only one price for the ticket no matter how long is your journey. The price, rupiah 2500. Get in the bus at a station, next stop, get down from the bus, fare is rupiah 2500. This is expensive for one stop! Get in a bus ast as a station, get down after the bus makes 19 stops, fare is rupiah 2500.. hmm.. anything wrong here? Actually to think of it, is quite fair. This public transportation meant for those who does not travel in short distance. The condition of the bus, if not fantastic it is good if compared to other normal public bus. Actually I haven't been in a public bus other than the busway bus. Therefore my comment may bot be true.
The bus is in red color (picture left). Some of the station have a metal cage at the entrance to the bus. Other station is close to the border of the road. This is to ensure only those have paid their fares are allowed to ride the bus. This entrance do have a glass sliding door to stop illegal entry to the waiting area in the bus stop. The company that runs this facility is Transjakarta shown on the front and sides of the of the bus. Most of the bus there is a guy waiting at the bus entrance. And he stay in the bus through out the journey. If he is not there, more space, he took up the whole door. Can't blame him. He is there to ensure order in the bus.
This station is located in Glodok. Station name, Glodok. Most of the stations are located in the middle of the main road. The road for bus, both sides of the divider of the main road.
Picture on the left, a small sign board say KHUSUS BUSWAY means busway only. As seen in the picture, in middle is a one way two lanes road, meant for all vehicles. The one lane road next to the sign board, that is for the red bus. When I first saw the small divider on the road with the word busway printed on the one lane road, I thought all bus is to use this lane. But, it puzzles me when I see alot of bus is not in the busway lane. So questions is out to a friend. After the explanation then only I knows.
A suspended walkway connects the extreme sides of the road. Getting down or getting up to the suspended walkway, there is this slanting plane link directly to the station. To my amazement I question why this long plane. Why not a simple stairs. Till now is still a question without answer.
This is what the station looks like. This is a surprise for me. Didn't expect to see the entry point is install in this manner. Get a card from the cashier in the small cubicle to the left. Use the card, put it in a slot at the entry point. Continue into the waiting area. Then.. what else wait for the bus.. hehehe..
In every station they will have this map at the top of the door. The big red dot tells you the station you are in. 20 stations all together.

Entering Glodok..

Glodok is a place in Jakarta where cheap stuff can be found (according to friends and some locals). Took a taxi from the hotel to Karet busway station. Bought a one way tiket, rupiah 250o. Get down at Glodok busway station. Most of the photos will be bluish, due to wrong setting in the camera.
This photo taken in Glodok area. Variety of food are served. Bakmi, nasi campur, bubur, bakso and others are available. Price start as low as rupiah 5000 for fruit juice and rupiah 8000 for the noodle. The day I was there I didn't try any food there. My friend did it, they say is good. I took some drinks. A stall sell variety of drinks, fruit juice, soft drink, but I didn't see any hot drink in that same stall. I took the coconut water and coconut flesh and alot of sugar. Didn't get to taste the coconut water. All I get is the sugar. Finish the coconut flesh and the water. Next I ordered a soursop drink. I get them not to put any sugar in it. The soursop was good. No sugar alot of the flesh minus the seed.
The street is quite busy. The hawkers are wooing people to their stalls. This photo is the opposite of the above photo.
In glodok area, there are sweets for sale. These differents type of sweets are kept in a big plastic bag (as shown in photo left). And is it sold by weight. Besides, tapioca crackers, fish crackers and all sort of crackers can be found. Even dried fruits are sold there. Dried manggo, dried jackfruit, dried banana are some of it.
Other items such as t-shirt, jeans, short be it long or short, jewelries, soft toys and I don't know what else they have there. Those interest can explore, me just walk around to have a feel of the environment. Oh not to left out dvds and vcds.
Friends and me were strolling in a building with alot of electronics item for sale. As we descending the stairs, there is this side of the building, where a lot of small stalls is set up to sell small electronics gadget (photo on the left) dvds, vcds and music cd were available too. I didn't went there for a closer look, 1. I am not looking for any electronics gadget, 2. I don't tend to buy anything that is not up to my taste. I passed by, snap a photo and move on to another destination.
This is where I wanted to go to. Dvds and music cds street. Actually dvd stalls are mushrooms in nearby area. There is even a shop lot in a shopping complex selling dvds and the shop lot is big. I was there searching for titles I want. Found a number of dvds there. This area is warm. The cause of the heat is from the number of human in there. One can sweat if too long in the crowd. Breathing can be a problem too when it is too hot. I notice myself does not bother of the heat, because I am searching for dvds. Once I get the dvds I am looking for, the heat kicks in. I am leaving...

On the way to Hoka Hoka..

I went to lunch in World Trade Centre. Along the way there are few statue or arts. These are located in the compound of World Trade Centre.
A statue made of metal.. I think is made of metal.. it is cold when I touch it... err.. I didn't touch that part ok.. hehehe..
Oh I didn't record the title of this statue and the description of the art.
A wood carving, I didn't read the inscription on this too.. it seems to be raising hands.. hmm.. surrendering or stretching...
The wooden house carving. This is nice it even have people carved on it. And color on some part of the carving.
This where we have our lunch. The food serve here is not bad. We even went there for dinner once. One of the fast food chain in Jakarta.

Bicycle! Yes bicycle to deliver fast food to customer. I thought now a days motorcycle is used instead of bicycle. The bicycle painted with the restaurant color and logo on it.. haven't seen this before.. maybe I never pay attention else where.

World Trade Centre

World Trade Centre is on Jln Jendral Sudirman. I was there to lunch and have dinner. The World Trade Centre logo on the right hand corner of the building. On the left corner, shouts "HSBC". When I took taxi to where I am now, no taxi driver ever mention this building name. They will use the name of the building next to it, "Metropolitan". Most of the time I will use "Meridien". They should know the name "Meridien", cause it is a hotel.
On knowing I am there to lunch, I pack myself a photographing tool. This is taken after I passed the main entrance for vehicle. Is a long walk to the building from the main road. There is an exit at the right side. Where I get to taste chinese cooking in a restaurant along a street. The food is not bad. Haven't been there after the first visit.
















On the left of this building, there is a Starbuck coffee outlet. I haven't been there for coffee yet. Hmm.. the price is slightly higher compare to Malaysia. Have not been to coffee outlet such as Starbuck, Coffee Bean, Gloria Jeans for quite sometime. Recently, I have been going to outlet such as Dome for a drink, being the reason of free reading of magazine. That is the only way me going to pass time in coffee outlet. In the my younger days, the coffee outlet is a meeting place. Since the day I lost touch with that group of friends, visiting coffee outlet is more on taking lunch or dinner. I used to love taking cakes from Coffee Bean, I recently switch to Secret Recipe. The switching was due to someone else choice. So I tag along.










Not able to take a clearer photo. In there is dim, not enough light. A big wall with the word World Trade Centre. So far have not notice any events in there. Or maybe I should mention that I do not bother if it is politics related. If there is exhibition, most likely I am there. No grand exhibition so far. A MAS airline customer service is on the right of this World Trade Centre wall. Been there once, to change my ticket to fly to Malaysia earlier by one week.












At the building entrance, there are painting on display. There are more paintings being exhibit surrounding the center pillar. The center pillar are lifts. On the first time in this building, I felt disappointed. There was these paintings facing the main entrance, depicting the thoughts on another country. I guess the painting is from the local as the title on the painting is in Bahasa Indonesia. The title seems to criticise another country and put the country in bad position. My question, why not criticise your own country before criticising on other countries? Hmm..
Picture on the left, is a gate seen from the main entrance of World Trade Centre. This gate lead to the lifts. Is close in day time. I have been lunching there twice and the gate is closed. At night it is open, so I get to pass the lifts through this gate instead of walking around the pillar to get into the lifts area.











I took this when I exit the World Trade Centre. They scan everybody who wish to enter the building. This do make me feel safe. Am I worried? Hmm.. It never cross my mind that I might not be safe. Unless I do experience it. Things like bombing the building is something serious. As recently happened in UK. So I guess everybody is cautious.

Bajaj

Bajaj is one of the public transport in Jakarta. Is a three wheeler where only two passenger at a time can be transported to a destination. To start the bajaj engine is not by the mean of turning a key. One have to pull a string to start the engine. Multiple pulls might be required if the engine does not start immediately. This sounds as if it is a lawn mover.. hehehe.. The gear transmission is similar to a classic scooter named Vespa. Where the clutch level is pressed and twist the handle to change gear level. There we go, a hybrid machine for tranporting people. I wonder is they can cut grass like a lawn mover.. hmmm.. Below is a few photos of bajaj.

A bajaj driver waiting for a customer. Someone pass by but not interested.

A line of bajaj, waiting for passengers. They have to compete with other public transport. So I guess is not easy to get customer to take bajaj.

I saw this bajaj was moving to and fro on this street a few times. Carrying students to school. Hmm.. how did I know? I must be standing for quite some time. Aiya what am I doing..

Meeting daily life

I notice people earn their living in any way. I guess this is everywhere in this world. In Jakarta, I can see people with bicycle carrying all sort of things. People pushing cart to trade to live. Some even do their trade on the bridge.

Guy on tricycle selling 'keropok' I think that is what he sells, but I don't know what is in the container.

Trade on a push cart, selling fruits. The fruits looks good. I have never try it before and not going to try in the future. This is on main road of Jl Jendral Sudirman. Mainly banks on this stretch of the road.

I find this amusing. Normally I see shade and tables with plank walls surrounding the stall. This one just a rack on the end of a wall selling magazine in the hot sun. I thought magazine is not that durable to sunlight especially a harsh one. The seller is no where to be seen. And I thought of taking one for free.. hehehe..

Place to lunch

We saw this place the first when we went pass to take lunch in World Trade Centre. We try out this place a week later. The food here is cheap compare to those in a building. There are varieties of food. Most will ask, "You have the stomach to take it?" Of course I have. And I have try it. I have tried five stalls out of the many. The food is not bad. You can find ketupat using peanut sauce, nasi padang, fried tahu, fruit juice and etc.

A row of stalls, those eating there will be sitting behind this stalls. The hawkers do provide plastic stool or wooden bench, some provide table too. The bucket on the floor is to collect the used plates, bowls, chopsticks, fork and spoon.

We take away a number of time from this stall. Ketupat with peanut sauce. There are people sitting behind the stall. The day this photo is taken, got people selling small item. Normally I dont get to see them beside this stall.

Haven't tried out this stall. The reason is some one told me becareful of the meat use. Don't know how true is that.

Another angle of the stalls.

This is where we took our mixed rice. I think a few time we visit, then we stop. One of my colleague have a big flies.. really big flies with green eyes.. was in the packet of his mixed rice. I guess that signal us.. no more from this stall..

Have not tried from this stall either.. but my colleague tried it.. some of the fruit juice really fruit it self with little water to dilute it.. they say it taste good.. they ordered aplukat (avocado) juice..

But recently we stop visiting this place.. mostly because we are bored taking the same dish.. again we went to the food stall in the building. I think it take us some time to go back to this place.. maybe never..

The other day at the back of the Parklane Hotel in Jakarta I found the chain with thorns on it. This is my first, don't know if any of you have seen it.

The hawkers are already there early in the morning selling breakfast. No chance to try it out as I found this place on my last day in ParkLane Hotel...I just can't imagine myself buying food from this place..if there is chance I'll try...oh.. this hawkers are at the back of the ParkLane Hotel too.