We sailed from Singapore on the evening of the 11th with our next stop ... JAKARTA. Before our first port of call, we had our first full day at sea. It was a time to meet new faces and get a feel for our “home away from home for the next 18 days. The Crystal Serenity is a beautiful ship. It is the sister ship to the Symphony but has its own personality. Shes a little larger, which lends to a larger reception area. She also accommodates 100 more passengers. Having just sailed on the Symphony, it has been easy to see some of the differences. I will mention some of the differences in a future blog. It was the first black tie optional night, which for most meant formal wear. Everyone was ready for a good party. With drinks included throughout the cruise, the partying started early and continued until the last person went to bed! This sailing is actually part of Crystals World Cruise, and as the fourth leg of their five leg journey, many knew each other. Bob and I, however, had no problems meeting people who were eager to talk about their experiences. We actually wound up having dinner, the first evening, with people who had just been to our favorite pizzeria, or “tomato pie place in our home town ... small world, isn’t it! For us, the evening was an early one, as we wanted to be fully rested for our visit to Jakarta. So, after visiting the ships bistro to enjoy some fruit and chocolate fondue, we called it an evening. There we were, Bob in his tux, me in my gown, having chocolate fondue while a string Quartet was playing in the ships atrium. What a way to begin our sailing adventure! JAKARTA: We decided to explore the city on our own, as we do quite often. By doing so, we can usually combine several areas of interest the ship is offering thru their excursion program, and wind up seeing a bit more. You take a chance by doing your exploring this way, because at times, it is difficult to find a driver that speaks good English. Of course, there can also be a safety factor, so one must be aware of their surroundings. If I feel we will have a problem getting someone qualified in one of our ports of call, I will plan for a driver to be at the pier waiting for us. This particular time, I did not have the time to pre-arrange. I knew what we wanted to see and I was aware of the heavy traffic. I was hoping we would find a good driver in town. As we got off the ship, Bob and I were approached by what seemed to be the only taxi driver in the port area. Later, I asked our driver how he was able to get into the restricted area. The response was “My friend is a police officer.” INTERESTING..... I asked him if it was raining and he knew it wasnt a plus, he knew the things we wanted to see. So, after we agreed on the price, we were on our way. His car was clean and air conditioned, which on this very hot and humid day, was welcoming. Then came the first realization that was going to be a LONG day; traffic was almost at a standstill. With Jakartas city proper, of almost 10 million people, it seemed like everyone had a car or at least motorcycles. It also felt as though 10 million people were traveling in the same direction we were going. Greater Jakarta is the home to an estimated 28 million people and thus ranks among one of the worlds largest cities. As we were heading towards our first stop, the old harbor Sunda Kelapa, we passed hundreds of living areas that shouted out “third world country. Shanty towns, water villages, living areas with less than the mere essentials. It took us approximately 45 minutes to travel 10 miles to the harbor, and once we arrived we were looking at history still operating. Phinisi schooners and traditional two-masted wooden sailing ships lined up like a taxi queue. As old and in disrepair these ships appeared to be, many of them were still being used as inter-island freight ships throughout Indonesia. The famous “fish market was across the river from us and we were approached by the owner of a motorized rowboat who wanted to take us across. Reviewing the cleanliness of the river, I decided I was not going to chance getting into this little boat. Im sure it would have been a fascinating experience, but this we decided to pass on. We then headed for Fatahillah Square, the 18th century head of the colonial administration in Old Jakarta. The administration building was closed for restoration, as were other old buildings in this area. We were, however, able to visit the famous Wayang Museum, which boasts a great collection of the Wayang shadow puppets. These puppets, intricately crafted, usually from buffalo hide and leather and then mounted on bamboo sticks, could take several months to complete. They are two-dimensional and are manipulated by one puppeteer who narrates a story while singing and chanting. In the museum, we saw hundreds of them and could have spent many more hours, but had to leave as there was much more to see. From the old city, we now began to travel through the new. The Presidents Mansion, which looks like a much bigger version of the White House is actually only used as government offices. It sits on a huge piece of property, in the middle of a city trying to be modern. The traffic was chaotic and the streets had more potholes than not. But all around you, you could see the attempt of a city trying to be part of the 21st century. Our next stop was the National Monument. This 432 foot tall monument is completely constructed of Italian marble and is topped with more than 75 pounds of gold plate. It reminds all of the country about the heroes who fought against colonialism. Nearby was the National Museum, where history buffs can get lost in the collections of costumes, musical instruments and household items, to name a few. It is considered one of the best museums in Southeast Asia. Time was now forcing us to conclude our exploring, as we needed to be back on the ship in time for departure. With the traffic being as heavy as it was, we didnt want to chance being late. We did, however, stop to take pictures of Istiqlal Mosque, the largest mosque in Southeast Asia and the twin-spired 1901 Catholic cathedral, right across the street..... We could have visited Obamas elementary school, which he attended as a child, the Indonesia Miniature Park (with its pavilions dedicated to Indonesias 27 provinces), or some of the markets that carried the famous Batik, pewter and silver specialties, but we had to leave these for our next visit! Our trip took us almost six hours. It was an interesting day, with interesting discussions, with our driver. We said our goodbyes and he was off to his home and we to ours. At 6PM we listened to Its a Wonderful World, Crystals theme song, and one that is played as the ship is departing a port of call. All I could think of: IT IS A WONDERFUL WORLD..........BUT NOT FOR ALL. Next stop: Port Louis; but not before we sail across the Indian Ocean for 6 days! Wishing you well and remember: Get Out and Travel !
Posted on: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 12:46:12 +0000
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