Paris1972-Versailles2003

I taken que from others and revising some much older posts on my trips around the world, slowly. This time I am taking you back to Jakarta ,Indonesia with updated text and older photos.

And again by Jakarta, Indonesia. Yes, it was always pleasant trips and looking forward to be back soon. Still with many friends there all over that would love to see again.

It feels like a vibrant modern city, with beautiful shopping centers, nightlife to boot,and great hotels, the one I stayed this time is first time and by now , well lost count but have been several hotels lol!

And of course, I stayed in a hotel! and twice. The first round was for five nights and then there is one night before heading back home. Both times was a new hotel experience, the Swiss Belinn Hotel Simantupang, was a great experience even if the breakfast choices were few to me. The rooms were great, modern clean and spacious, and the location was good.  The funny story here is we were taken a taxi from the airport but i was wiht a local friend; we got into really heavy traffic, and could see the hotel nearby but the car was not moving. Therefore, my friend, said , lets walk and will get there earlier. So we walk the streets full of scooters cars buses you name was pack just getting around them! and we did arrived to the hotel before the taxi!!! Needless, to say we pay the regular fare anyway. Great experience! Here is the hotel webpage:https://www.swiss-belhotel.com/en-gb/swiss-belinn-simatupang

I did a bit of driving the next day to Bogor just about 1h30 from Jakarta (50 kms but , traffic, alas) and into another world,different more exotic but I still preferred Jakarta of them all; well just a city boy ::) The tourist office of Indonesia has something on it here:https://www.bogor.indonesia-tourism.com/

I did some shopping and enjoy the famous Starbucks at the Central Park Mall , Jakarta; a huge mall with plenty of shops and restaurant with a beautiful central garden and maybe got its name from it. I had most of the meals at the hotel, but one night went out to the above mall restaurant, The Duck King,Level 1,  wonderful resto with baskets of different foods like wraps in shrimp, and an egg yolk bread type of ball, all with a mix pineapple orange drink delicious and different.  Funny do not see it listed now and had the old link so it is gone history now, just for the memories. Anyway this is a must for shopping and eating here. More info here : https://www.centralparkjakarta.com/product-category/gourmet-delights/page/5/

I did some driving in Jakarta which is an adventure, my driver ho ho ho was great even needing my GPS to get around the deadlock traffic in town! If you have time as I did, this is great way to see the real pulse of the city on the road ,in the pavement, with the traffic, Jakarta rocks!!

Another night went out into another mall that have been before to meet some friends; this is Sate Khas Senayan in the Town Square Mall Cilandak. Typical home food and great fry fish indeed. Try it , it is great! This is a foody site in Indonesia with info on the restaurant Zomato: https://www.zomato.com/jakarta/sate-khas-senayan-cilandak

In all, it was a trip with little time to see things ,the longest that I have been in the country usually a week, this time stayed for two weeks!!

The Jakarta tourist office in English: http://jakarta-tourism.go.id/visit/

The Indonesia Tourist Office on Jakarta: https://www.indonesia-tourism.com/jakarta/

Hope you enjoy the post. Always looking forward to come to see the exotic and less known, Jakarta,Indonesia is one nice spot if you like foodies and nightlife.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!

So again updating text on an older trip as it is ok to do so these virus days. The photos are from 2017, bit cloudy sorry the phone lol! . This is Jakarta, Indonesia, and I had good times and good friends here.

This is a vibrant city full of action day with traffic and night with the life. Life is beautiful in Jakarta. I was here 10 times in the last 9 years, so I am in awe! Never in my mind would have believe if someone have told me would visit this much Jakarta, Indonesia.

On this particular trip I was coming from another nice city Surabaya ,an old fox here too came on Garuda Airline . This was on a Sunday afternoon so went straight to my hotel central ,another new property, which would repeat in subsequent visits. The Amaroossa Cosmo Hotel, was right in front of an overpass highway along the whole front even if told is in the chic district of Cilandak. The chain webpage here and see down the hotel: https://www.amaroossahotel.com/our-hotels

As usual from me, the main highlights of coming to new places is to taste the food, so I had a wonderful time going to eat at different places day and night , my favorite gourmet trip in any place.

My first sampler was at  the hotel Andromeda Cafe, ok with a nice mini garden in the back but again that wall of highway, the other was the Bell Lounge but it was dull no action nobody there.  Great start lol!!!

Finally ,went out of town to eat! I went to Abuba steakhouse! right near the hotel in fact at Jl. Cipete Raya No. 14A, and here you can have your juicy Aussi style steaks with fries and a nice Bintang beer!!!   Very good and highly recommended. This is the foody site Zomato on the Abuba resto: https://www.zomato.com/jakarta/abuba-steak-kelapa-gading

I then had on another evening the wonderful Fish and Co. at the Town Square mall in Cilandak, this is your famous fish and chip dishes and I had the American fish and chip, huge chunck of fish indeed and with great company !! Their official webpage is here: http://fish-co.co.id/store/

The foody site Zomato has reviews also on the Fish and Co here: https://www.zomato.com/jakarta/fish-co-gandaria

By the way the Town Square mall is the place to be in this area of Jakarta for that matter. It’s a marvelous open market all along the main hallway (its call Finders Fair)  ,few stores, but loads of restaurant choices… You can eat here at a different one for a whole month. You can find your restaurant here all in the comfort of nice temp control environment, chic area and good ambiance;they do concerts here too ,wow, something to be back for !!! More in foody site Zomato: https://www.zomato.com/jakarta/restaurants/in/cilandak-town-square-fatmawati

I continue my gourment delights with trying the local Bakmi Golek, this is the typical Chinese Indonesian food place with a nice surrounding, and plenty of dishes choices.  The Nasi Goreng seafood special fried rice and some crab dish will get you going with juices and sodas. The official webpage is here: http://www.bakmigm.com/outlet

More reviews on the foody site Zomato: https://www.zomato.com/jakarta/bakmi-golek-cawang/menu

And I had a blast off my culinary exits in Jakarta with Mad Dogs, well this one came twice ::) Great place and a hanging out of the expats community here; friendly place, with good, affordable food, pool table, beer garden and sports on TV.  A good place to meet expat since it is a very popular hangout place, especially for American, Australian and British older expats .  Here, I had fish and chip and steaks with Bintang beers of course. South Jakarta sports bar and restaurant Mad Dogs is located in the Cilandak Commercial Estate which is a popular area for bars in south Jakarta. Opened from 2004. It has lots of flat screen TVs scattered around the walls, makes Mad Dogs the perfect place and great bar to watch live sports showing all types of sports including soccer, AFL, NRL, international cricket, F1, golf, and tennis on its large screens. Drinking beers and watching favorite matches in an exciting atmosphere are what people love to do at Mad Dogs. Good prices for food and drinks, delicious food and strong cocktails with fast and friendly service.  The restaurant is full at lunch time. Great ambience during lunch time when good ambient music picks up the mood.  The VIP room is non smoking while everywhere else is open.  Great food, cool atmosphere and friendly service.  The official Mad Dog : https://maddogscafe.co.id/

And to close , went to something local at Tumbar Jinten in the nearby town of Sentul; there I  had some Sundanese cuisine (west Java, very popular cuisine ). The restaurant if off the road, and a nice country setting with terrace and open tables or floor style tables. Again the foody site Zomato on the resto: https://www.zomato.com/jakarta/restoran-tumbar-jinten-sentul-bogor

And it was time to head back home so took Garuda Airlines from Jakarta to Amsterdam and then HOP Air France to Nantes, then Express Airport bus to the train station at Gare Sud of Nantes and TER train back to Auray. A long trip but a nice experience.

The Jakarta tourist office for reference here: http://jakarta-tourism.go.id/visit/

The Indonesia tourist office on Jakarta: https://www.indonesia-tourism.com/jakarta/

A wonderful trip each time again, looking forward to be back. In the meantimes, we will have the memories of previous experiences and good friendship. Hope you enjoy the post on Jakarta, Indonesia as I did.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!