Main street turn into playground on Sundays<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Here in the capital, many Jakartans play soccer in places you
\nwould not think were the most ideal -- in the middle of the road.
\nAnd yes, they do it on the city's main thoroughfares such as Jl.
\nMH Thamrin, Jl. Jend.Sudirman and Jl. Rasuna Said.<\/p>\n
Every Sunday morning, hundreds of people can be seen playing
\nsoccer or badminton - the two most popular sports in the country
\n-- but there are also usually a host of roller-skaters, cyclists
\nand joggers to add to the mix.<\/p>\n
Many people here live by the Latin proverb: Mens sana in
\ncorpore sano (a healthy body makes a healthy soul), but due to a
\nlake of public recreation areas most are forced to hit the
\nstreets to find a place to exercise. Huge crowds of people also
\ncan be found at the National Monument (Monas) park and the Bung
\nKarno sports stadium in Senayan.<\/p>\n
The stadium and the park are usually overcrowded with
\nthousands of cyclists, joggers, badminton players, walkers,
\nsoccer players or people doing a local version of aerobics, the
\nSajojo and Poco-poco \"dances\".<\/p>\n
Add to that hundreds of kite-flying enthusiasts and groups of
\nstreet artists who perform all manner of magic tricks which can
\ninclude fire or snakes.<\/p>\n
Many street hawkers also add to the mix. They sell various
\nkinds of things, from food and drinks to clothes and kitchenware.<\/p>\n
For Budi and his family, these crowds at the park became too
\nmuch for them to enjoy themselves, so now they prefer to go to
\nJl. Sudirman for sports.<\/p>\n
\"Here the place is spacious so that we can exercise freely,
\nundisturbed by crowds,\" said Budi, who works as administration
\nstaff at Saint Carolus hospital in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Budi plays badminton with his wife, while their young son
\ncheers on the active couple.<\/p>\n
The street, which is notorious for its heavy traffic jams from
\nMonday to Saturday, looks totally different on Sunday mornings.
\nThe fast lanes are usually blocked, and motorists must detour to
\nthe slow lanes.<\/p>\n
Dozens of police women often patrol on their bicycles to keep
\nthe temporary \"parks\" in order and free from cars or trucks.<\/p>\n
Even though motorized vehicles are barred from the fast lanes,
\nmany people still complain of pollution from the passing
\nvehicles.<\/p>\n
\"If you want to exercise in fresh air, come before seven.
\nAfter that, the air will be polluted by dense smog from passing
\nmotorists,\" said Widigdo, a resident of Tanah Abang subdistrict
\nin Central Jakarta, who was exercising on Jl. Thamrin.<\/p>\n
He also took his wheelchair-bound mother along for a Sunday
\nouting.<\/p>\n
Widigdo, however, groaned that pubic parks were far too scarce
\nin Jakarta.<\/p>\n
According to data from the City Parks Agency, Jakarta has only
\nabout 9 percent green areas of the total 63,744 hectares here.
\nThat includes 208.6 hectares of parks, 557.8 hectares of green
\nmedian strips, and 1,295.5 hectares of undeveloped open areas
\nwhich can be used for recreation.<\/p>\n
Many of the places which should serve as the \"city's lungs\",
\nwater catchment areas or for public recreation have been
\ntransformed into residential or industrial estates.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/main-street-turn-into-playground-on-sundays-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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