Jakarta Staycation Round 2

March 8 - 9, 2014

check out my Jakarta Staycation Round 1. :)

it was a sudden (well, kinda) plan to book a hotel for an overnight stay. the reason? my jakarta buddy and staycation partner is leaving me!!! [insert child wailing sound]

anyhow, we decided to push through with our staycation here in Jakarta and try to do all the things that Isa wasn't able to experience for her one year stay. I became her personal tour guide. hahaha!

So i guess this entry will also serve as a guide how to spend a weekend here in Jakarta...

Jakarta's personal tour guide. Charot.

we wanted to experience a local themed hotel so we booked an overnight stay at Hotel Borobudur via Booking.com for IDR 1,388,475/night.

So here are some of my thoughts about this hotel...

PROs

• friendly and accommodating hotel staff 
• good security measures 
• PORK BACON (enough said)
• bogor cafe's soto ayam. it was heaven!

CONs 

• old room
• not so fluffy and marshmallow-y bed
• no smoking area at Bogor Cafe
• not very enticing hotel pool

the room

bathroom and mini bar

buffet breakfast

hotel lounge
 

pool and hotel garden area

we decided to just laze around the hotel premises and in our room upon our check in. We just left the hotel to have a quick early dinner with friends at Hacienda in Plaza Senayan. 

After which we all went back to the hotel to prepare for our night out.

we all went to Skye in BCA Tower in Thamrin for some drinks. For a cocktail drink, prepare around IDR 100,000++ per drink. Ambience was nice. I've read that it's nice to catch the sunset here. So that's my plan next time.

 so this is skyeeeeeeeee

around midnight we all went to X2 club in Plaza Senayan. Door charge was IDR 150,000 with 1 drink.  

with X2 first timers. haha!

The following day, after we checked out and left our bags at the concierge, Isa and I went to Kota Tua for some tourist-y activities. We visited Wayang Museum (Puppet Museum) for an entrance of IDR 5,000 per person.

We likewise roamed around Kota Tua compound. We watched street performers and checked out random stuff around.

  tourist peg. haha!

Kota Tua won't be complete without a visit to Cafe Batavia. A band was playing 90s music and it was fun singing along with them (in our seats of course. haha!).

After our Kota Tua adventure, we dropped by at the Cathedral. It was Isa's first time to visit the Cathedral so we had a quick visit and lighted some prayer candles before we left.

We went back to the hotel to eat at their Cafe as we had a hard time looking for a sop buntut restaurant around Jakarta. They say Bogor Cafe has one of the yummiest sop buntut dishes in Jakarta. Well, i ordered their soto ayam. OMG!!! one of the yummiest soto ayams i have ever tasted. Of course we dined at a high end restaurant,thus, prices were a bit steep but with that quality. it was worth it. 

 left - candles at Cathedral | Right: glamourized soto ayam

   
Final Thoughts about Jakarta

My future Jakarta adventures will be different now that Isa is leaving me. As of this writing, i am still in denial. hahaha!

melodrama aside, Jakarta always have its ways to surprise me even in small and weird ways. I guess what i am trying to say is that maybe, just maybe, you can always play as a tourist in your city (or country) of residence. Exploring shouldn't be only within the areas of familiarity but also to the places that makes you curious and itching to see and visit. I don't know if what i'm blabbering about makes sense. haha!

Anyhow, I am hoping and praying to the Universe to grant me more staycations before i leave this city for good. I feel like there are still some points of interests i have yet to discover in this busy yet crazy city i call my second home. 

Jakarta Staycation Round 2

March 8 - 9, 2014

check out my Jakarta Staycation Round 1. :)

it was a sudden (well, kinda) plan to book a hotel for an overnight stay. the reason? my jakarta buddy and staycation partner is leaving me!!! [insert child wailing sound]

anyhow, we decided to push through with our staycation here in Jakarta and try to do all the things that Isa wasn't able to experience for her one year stay. I became her personal tour guide. hahaha!

So i guess this entry will also serve as a guide how to spend a weekend here in Jakarta...

Jakarta's personal tour guide. Charot.

we wanted to experience a local themed hotel so we booked an overnight stay at Hotel Borobudur via Booking.com for IDR 1,388,475/night.

So here are some of my thoughts about this hotel...

PROs

• friendly and accommodating hotel staff 
• good security measures 
• PORK BACON (enough said)
• bogor cafe's soto ayam. it was heaven!

CONs 

• old room
• not so fluffy and marshmallow-y bed
• no smoking area at Bogor Cafe
• not very enticing hotel pool

the room

bathroom and mini bar

buffet breakfast

hotel lounge
 

pool and hotel garden area

we decided to just laze around the hotel premises and in our room upon our check in. We just left the hotel to have a quick early dinner with friends at Hacienda in Plaza Senayan. 

After which we all went back to the hotel to prepare for our night out.

we all went to Skye in BCA Tower in Thamrin for some drinks. For a cocktail drink, prepare around IDR 100,000++ per drink. Ambience was nice. I've read that it's nice to catch the sunset here. So that's my plan next time.

 so this is skyeeeeeeeee

around midnight we all went to X2 club in Plaza Senayan. Door charge was IDR 150,000 with 1 drink.  

with X2 first timers. haha!

The following day, after we checked out and left our bags at the concierge, Isa and I went to Kota Tua for some tourist-y activities. We visited Wayang Museum (Puppet Museum) for an entrance of IDR 5,000 per person.

We likewise roamed around Kota Tua compound. We watched street performers and checked out random stuff around.

  tourist peg. haha!

Kota Tua won't be complete without a visit to Cafe Batavia. A band was playing 90s music and it was fun singing along with them (in our seats of course. haha!).

After our Kota Tua adventure, we dropped by at the Cathedral. It was Isa's first time to visit the Cathedral so we had a quick visit and lighted some prayer candles before we left.

We went back to the hotel to eat at their Cafe as we had a hard time looking for a sop buntut restaurant around Jakarta. They say Bogor Cafe has one of the yummiest sop buntut dishes in Jakarta. Well, i ordered their soto ayam. OMG!!! one of the yummiest soto ayams i have ever tasted. Of course we dined at a high end restaurant,thus, prices were a bit steep but with that quality. it was worth it. 

 left - candles at Cathedral | Right: glamourized soto ayam

   
Final Thoughts about Jakarta

My future Jakarta adventures will be different now that Isa is leaving me. As of this writing, i am still in denial. hahaha!

melodrama aside, Jakarta always have its ways to surprise me even in small and weird ways. I guess what i am trying to say is that maybe, just maybe, you can always play as a tourist in your city (or country) of residence. Exploring shouldn't be only within the areas of familiarity but also to the places that makes you curious and itching to see and visit. I don't know if what i'm blabbering about makes sense. haha!

Anyhow, I am hoping and praying to the Universe to grant me more staycations before i leave this city for good. I feel like there are still some points of interests i have yet to discover in this busy yet crazy city i call my second home. 

Jakarta, Indonesia: Playing Tourist Guide

March 9 - 11, 2013

*late post*

for almost 2 years of residing here in Jakarta it was first time to have a guest to come over. it was supposed to be a group visit of my college best friends but unexpected turn of events happened so only "deirdre" was able to pushed through.

 welcome to Jakarta, derds!

since it was my first time to play tourist guide, it was quite challenging for me to think where to go. she stayed in my place for the whole duration of her trip, which was 3 nights/3 days. 

anyway, here are the places we went to. some places were even my first time as well! haha! 

KOTA TUA

Jakarta History Museum

a quick tour around the museum. it was also my first time to explore this place. most of artifacts were already dusty and old. my favorite spot would be the wall size painting in one of the rooms.

TIP: check out the underground prison found at the back of the museum. 

Cafe Batavia

a lovely place to cool off after experiencing the scorching heat of outdoor plus best place for photo ops! heehee.

GRAND INDONESIA

Jakarta is known for its malls, thus, it is a must see destination! hahaha! 

Marche

i think this place is one of derds' highlights of her Jakarta tour. hahaha!

 my favorite in marche - rosti with a huge dollop of sour cream (left)

Magnum Cafe

found on the uppermost floor of the mall. there is actually a queue to enter. they do offer various dishes but the best selling point of the cafe is the magnum ice cream bars served in different type of yummy platters. must go!

MONAS (National Monument)

in all honesty, i was quite undecided about this whole monas thing. haha! but somehow i (we) managed to bring ourselves at this side of town to finally experience seeing the national monument up close. anyway, there was a huge congregation of some sort, thus, it was chaotic, not to mention trash were all over the place. since it was unbearably hot and can't find the entrance to go inside the monument itself, we just walked around to have a quick photo ops then went back to my side of the city to chill out in an air conditioned mall. hahaha!

TIP: best time is very early in the morning and during weekdays

Mall Kelapa Gading

Kafe Betawi

lunch time!

Cinema XXI

too bad we were not able to take any photos. nonetheless, we spent the rest of the afternoon in a movie marathon! we watched Silver linings playbook followed by Wizard of OZ. 

TIP: try the caramel popcorn. i swear.

Standing Sushi

initially we were supposed to have our dinner in another sushi place but it was jam packed so we went to the one of my favorite sushi places at this side of the city.

Final Thoughts about Jakarta (as a tourist guide)

if i will score myself as a tourist guide here in Jakarta maybe i'll get 5/10 rating. hahaha! barely passing, i know! i was so paranoid the entire time thinking if deirdre is enjoying herself. well, she said she was so i guess she did. haha! anyway, i have another chance to make up as a tourist guide when my favorite girls are coming over next month. let's cross fingers that i can do my job better by that time. 

Jakarta, Indonesia: Playing Tourist Guide

March 9 - 11, 2013

*late post*

for almost 2 years of residing here in Jakarta it was first time to have a guest to come over. it was supposed to be a group visit of my college best friends but unexpected turn of events happened so only "deirdre" was able to pushed through.

 welcome to Jakarta, derds!

since it was my first time to play tourist guide, it was quite challenging for me to think where to go. she stayed in my place for the whole duration of her trip, which was 3 nights/3 days. 

anyway, here are the places we went to. some places were even my first time as well! haha! 

KOTA TUA

Jakarta History Museum

a quick tour around the museum. it was also my first time to explore this place. most of artifacts were already dusty and old. my favorite spot would be the wall size painting in one of the rooms.

TIP: check out the underground prison found at the back of the museum. 

Cafe Batavia

a lovely place to cool off after experiencing the scorching heat of outdoor plus best place for photo ops! heehee.

GRAND INDONESIA

Jakarta is known for its malls, thus, it is a must see destination! hahaha! 

Marche

i think this place is one of derds' highlights of her Jakarta tour. hahaha!

 my favorite in marche - rosti with a huge dollop of sour cream (left)

Magnum Cafe

found on the uppermost floor of the mall. there is actually a queue to enter. they do offer various dishes but the best selling point of the cafe is the magnum ice cream bars served in different type of yummy platters. must go!

MONAS (National Monument)

in all honesty, i was quite undecided about this whole monas thing. haha! but somehow i (we) managed to bring ourselves at this side of town to finally experience seeing the national monument up close. anyway, there was a huge congregation of some sort, thus, it was chaotic, not to mention trash were all over the place. since it was unbearably hot and can't find the entrance to go inside the monument itself, we just walked around to have a quick photo ops then went back to my side of the city to chill out in an air conditioned mall. hahaha!

TIP: best time is very early in the morning and during weekdays

Mall Kelapa Gading

Kafe Betawi

lunch time!

Cinema XXI

too bad we were not able to take any photos. nonetheless, we spent the rest of the afternoon in a movie marathon! we watched Silver linings playbook followed by Wizard of OZ. 

TIP: try the caramel popcorn. i swear.

Standing Sushi

initially we were supposed to have our dinner in another sushi place but it was jam packed so we went to the one of my favorite sushi places at this side of the city.

Final Thoughts about Jakarta (as a tourist guide)

if i will score myself as a tourist guide here in Jakarta maybe i'll get 5/10 rating. hahaha! barely passing, i know! i was so paranoid the entire time thinking if deirdre is enjoying herself. well, she said she was so i guess she did. haha! anyway, i have another chance to make up as a tourist guide when my favorite girls are coming over next month. let's cross fingers that i can do my job better by that time. 

Jakarta Chronicles: Cafe Batavia

October 26, 2012

It was a long weekend for us! A Muslim holiday (Eid al-Adha) on that date, so, me and the Sunter Ladies went out to see Jakarta's old town known as "KOTA TUA".

Actually, we didn't actually explored the whole lot. haha! We only went to Cafe Batavia for late lunch before venturing off to mall to shop! heehee.

 photo collage c/o Sheena

 

with the sunter ladies

anyhow, Cafe Batavia was an old colonial house turned bar/resto. apparently it was a must go place for foreigners and expats. thus, we saw a lot of foreigners dining at that time. inspite of being expats as well, we still tried conversing the servers in Bahasa Indonesia. haha! But don't worry, servers can understand and speak English. 

as for their menu, they serve local and western food choices. we decided to try their western cuisine, so we ordered sandwiches, pasta and burger. i must say, price is quite steep. budget for meal (food and drinks) is around ~100,000 rupiah (~10 USD). foreigner price, i must say! hahaha!

i had club sandwich. unremarkable taste.

  

One of the highlight points of Cafe Batavia is their ambiance. i must say, it's nice to also experience the old Jakarta through Cafe Batavia. my favorite spot would be the staircase show casing massive collection of old photographs and a vintage chandelier.

I agree that Cafe Batavia is a must go for first timers in Jakarta and to those expats living here in Jakarta. If ever i get to play a tourist guide soon, i think i found one of the must-go spots!

Cafe Batavia
Taman Fatahillah  Jakarta

(0)21 691 5531