Meet Mad Jakarta

An insanely crowded, densely populated and car-dominated city yet Jakarta is full of metropolitan charms, buried underneath concrete facade and worn out slums. One really needs to open one’s eyes and look beyond the lingering smog and heavy traffic to really feel this place. My Jakarta experience began with clouds drawing its curtain up for my flight to enter Soekarno-Hatta airport.

There is no questioning that Jakarta is an epitome of urban frenzy. But Christmas and its merriment seem to replace the caked attitude of the city to softer shade of vague, forgotten dreams. I call it my Jakarta luck.

Anomali in Kebayoran Baru waves a warm hello, a coffee spot for Jakarta urbanites and coffee connoisseurs alike. Owned by a new-found friend, Anomali greets you with its laidback London-ish charm that whispers modern elegance. Even during Christmas, this place isn’t hushed, with young folks coming over for free wi-fi and of course, the drinks. This place prides itself as a coffee joint specializes in only Indonesian coffee beans. I take sips of freshly brewed Java coffee, a personal recommendation by the young entrepreneur himself and my non-caffeine tastebuds is quickly smitten with the infusion of their ground coffee beans that left a lingering sensation of the aftertaste flavor.

Second day finds me feeling like a total stranger stranded in an odd place. My traveling companion and I brave the morning cold and take a brisk walk around the Kemang area in our pajamas, on our quest for a good breakfast place and a little Indo wandering. The town is full of adventure with beautiful alcoves playing peek-a-boo. Kemang is a mini, hip expatriate township, equipped with bookstores, art galleries and spas for relaxation but I found the pace of Kemang a bit feverish with disordered daily chaos. Perennial traffic jams and uninviting potholes are the two things that seem to squeeze Kemang tight to a choke. But the nooks and corners, ah, they calm my soul. Its rustic surrounding allured me back into the calmness of my quiet thoughts. Kemang on an average afternoon is a busy scene of bustling mundane activities of the rich sipping coffee on a comfy sofa and destitute elderly pushing shabby cart selling fried bananas on the street, a barren glimpse of the real Jakarta.

Made a quick stop at QB World Books, a bookstore with a café lounge perfect for a lazy evening with a good book in hand. It also houses a music store and a lovely little art gallery tuck in a corner. I fancy their effort in promoting rousing local artistes, something I could relate very much to my home. Half way through, rain starts to pour and the evening sun gives itself up and provides me with an amazing picturesque ambience, mystical, almost. Spend hours staring out the window of a cozy cafe and I convince myself that I am drunk by the addictive fluid beauty of Jakarta and the droplets that fell on its uneven paved street.

The next thing I knew, my smelly jacket and I are in a newly opened pub called Tabac, full of pretty young souls dancing the night away. The place is located just after Tamani Cafe, in Jl. Kemang Raya. It's a nice little place with a feel of New York style bar and a unique entrance of an old phone booth. I like sweet design surprises like this, never fail to nail a lasting impression. Before Tabac, I stride just down the street to Casa, another interesting pub smacked in the middle of south Jakarta. Casa is a café by day and lounge by night. I sense each individual characteristic of my new acquaintances, all genuine and in your face kind of divine influences.

Just below Casa is Aksara; a quirky bookstore for artistic crowds. Whimsical literatures, artsy home wares, eccentric designer books, vintage records, local indie bands’ CDs (SORE!) and guilty-pleasure chiclits; what more can an art lover ever ask for? This is truly a man-made heaven artsily done. I am beyond my own statement and pay Aksara another visit on my last day, hoping to get my hands on ‘Aku’ by Suman Djaya but I ran out of Jakarta luck. The last copy was sold off just a few hours before my arrival. Was I sinful, Aksara Lord?

My Suman Djaya sappiness evaporates into thick December air as soon as I stepped into Payon. You want some Indonesian feeling? This place has it. Mouth-watering food, accompanied by the lovely sound of keronchong and authentic Javanese nuance, this restaurant is really a wonderful spot to end my visit. The overall interior depicts the atmosphere of Central Java, culturally beautiful with its open pagoda setting and lush garden. Payon or ‘shade’ in Sanskrit, also sells traditional knick-knacks and treasures for keepsake.

Certainly, Jakarta isn’t your key tourist destination but like a naughty little child craving for Christmas present, it demands a chance. And I say, give it. Get under the skin of Jakarta and you will find yourself in awe of an unpretentious city that is ready to hand you its lucid moment of madness and sanity.