The changing face of Jakarta, a trip down memory lane

Roy Stall, Contributor, Jakarta

Jakartans know exactly what the capital looks like now as they work and live here. Some of them are regular visitors to restaurants, shopping malls, movie theaters. Some prefer to travel out of town on the weekends, to the hills or the beach.

But what was it like in August 1968? It was not so very long after former president Soeharto assumed the presidency of the country. At that time, one Australian dollar was equal to Rp 168.

So what was Jakarta like 33 years ago? Well, one could drive to work without coming across any traffic lights, but there was a growing number of traffic circles. Aircraft landed at Kemayoran airport - now the site of the Jakarta Fairground - and as passengers exited the plane, the heat and humidity hit them mercilessly when walking across the tarmac, to the un- airconditioned, crowded and often chaotic terminal.

Foreigners or expatriates posted to Jakarta usually found themselves ensconced in the Hotel Indonesia for a week or so, while rental accommodation was secured in suburbs like Kebayoran Baru.

Taxis were few and far between, and more often that not one chose to travel by becak (three-wheel pedicab), if the distance wasn't too great. One could still travel by becak from Jl. Darmawangsa V to Jl. Daha, both located in Kebayoran Baru. Passengers could share kretek cigarettes with the becak driver during the journey through the warm night.

And on special occasions, the misbehaving foreigners would hire a number of becaks, in which they would race each other, much to the amusement of the becak owners. No doubt they often refueled with Bintang Baru to fortify themselves, or to refresh themselves after the races.

There must be many similarities in the past and present daily routines (an office is an office is an office...) but it is probably what happens out of working hours that has changed most dramatically in Jakarta.

Back then, there were no FM radio stations but Jakartans could receive AFVN Radio, or American Forces Vietnam Radio, which managed by virtue of its powerful transmitter to reach Indonesia, on medium wave!

Of course this was mostly in the evenings, when the atmospheric conditions were suitable, and it usually faded away after dawn. Some of the foreigners ate their breakfast to the accompaniment of Aretha Franklin, James Brown and other artists a la Good Morning Vietnam.

After hours there were few watering holes and not many well- known restaurants, but there was the Art and Curio Restaurant in Menteng, which offered some great dishes. Bars and taverns were almost non-existent, but the Orient Bar at the Hotel Indonesia was popular, always providing bowls of small deep fried fish as a bar snack.

Sarinah was THE only department store, where Jakartans could buy most things. There were two particularly popular items at the store: a full-sized stuffed Sumatran tiger (at least two meters long) and Army badges, including colorful shoulder tags for the Siliwangi Division.

On weekends people would often drive to the cool relief afforded by the Puncak or Cipanas where bungalow accommodation was available, some employers providing this on a roster basis. The area was totally and delightfully undeveloped, with no modern hotels, no apartments or condominiums, and even less nightlife.

The cool, sunny days were spent strolling through the tea plantations or rice fields. Then on Sunday evening people would return to their cars, heading for home in Jakarta.

But back in Jakarta on the weekend, one could drive to Ancol on the coast where there were some fairly basic seafood restaurants, with rickety jetties poking out into the ocean. No ferries to the Thousand Islands, no marinas or yacht clubs, and very few frills.

Another destination for the weekend was the Pelabuhan Ratu, a three hour drive over rough roads, but well worth it. There was a favorite guest house called Bayu Amrta on the hills overlooking the ocean. It was a wooden bungalow with thatched roof and woven bamboo walls. In the evenings the sounds of the geckos were very loud!

But the late 1960s were a magical time to be in Indonesia and I have fond memories of my time here. The city of Jakarta and its people were hospitable, the countryside magnificent, and the roads relatively uncluttered. Who else yearns for the good old days?

The writer is visiting Jakarta to recruit education agents with the Auston Australia Institute of Management & Technology, based in Perth, Western Australia.