Enjoy Jakarta! during Idul Fitri.

Finally the opportunity has come to enjoy our city, Jakarta, during her most peacefully, much less pollution and zero traffic jam. This is the time that I have been waiting for.


Where are the millions of Jakartans that everyday flood every corner of the metropolitan?
They join the annual mass exodus, which is called 'mudik', meaning 'going home'.
On the last days of Islamic month of fasting (Ramadhan), millions of Indonesian leave the cities to return to their village/hometown to celebrate Idul Fitri/Eid ul-Fitr with their relatives & close friends. I know, it's an exhausting journey, since the roads, bus terminals, train stations, seaports and aiports are overloaded by the travelers. Many of them have to use poorly maintained public transportations.
Hundreds of people die on road each year but yet the exodus is kept running because it is a tradition!
*the big homework is ...how to reduce the accident??*

A couple of days before and after Idul Fitri, the bussines activities slow down.
Jakarta in turn becomes a very beautiful, enjoyable, quiet and peaceful city. It happens just a couple of days, before the 'arus balik' (the opposite direction of 'mudik') begins.
So, during this special time, when my husband and children also having a short 'Idul Fitri Holiday'... We cruise around this city, enjoying some parts of it.



Early morning on the first day of Idul Fitri, The Sunda Kelapa 'old' Port, in North Jakarta becomes our first stop. *We live in South Jakarta*

Here, hundreds of Moslems gathered in the morning for Idul Fitri/Eid al-Fitr prayers. Many of them came from nearby villages by riding taxi... I mean small boats. The moments they arrive, when they are about to land and the big traditional Pinisi Boat on the background of the prayers are the interesting part to photograph. Other than that, we can feel their happiness while celebrating the victory day. We can see their new attires also the bright and smiley faces.





Our next stop was the Istiqlal Mosque, the national mosque of Indonesia, proclaimed as the biggest mosque in South East Asia. It is located at Central Jakarta.

The Idul Fitri Prayer started at the same time everywhere, so when we arrived there the prayer was concluded already. Then we tried to catch the happiness from the faces of the people coming out from the mosque, and also trying to feel the 'scale space' of this huge building.

Other than seeing the hectic around the mosque, we also enjoyed our breakfast outside of the mosque. Sate Padang is our choice. It's very delicious and good enough to kick away our hunger.

Sate Padang: A dish from Padang and the surrounding area in West Sumatra, which is made from cow or goat offal boiled in spicy broth then grilled. Its main characteristic is a yellow sauce made from rice flour mixed with spicy offal broth, turmeric, ginger, garlic, coriander, galangal root, cumin, curry powder and salt. It is further separated into two sub-variants, the Pariaman and the Padang Panjang, which differ in taste and the composition of their yellow sauces. (source: Wikipedia)

Next... We left the Mosque and just enjoyed riding around the downtown. We went to the elite housing complex in Menteng, went trough the protocol street Thamrin-Sudirman-Blok M, and ... we came back home.
Happy? Yes!

As I wrote in my last posting, that we don't celebrate Idul Fitri actually... but we just cannot let this special day passing by without enjoying the food that normally served in (almost) every Indonesian home where Idul Fitri is celebrated.

Ketupat (rice cake), opor ayam, sambal goreng & semur daging are likely the most popular dishes during Idul Fitri season. Some cookies, like nastar and kaasstengels (it sounds Dutch, doesn't it) are the everlasting popular cookies for the big day.

Since the last couple of years, my Mom usually serves the meal during Idul Fitri. We gather in my parents' house to enjoy that food. So... these were our lunch and dinner during Idul Fitri.

Ketupat (Rice cake cooked inside the coconut leaves pocket), serve with Opor Ayam (Chicken in Coconut Milk), Semur Daging (Beef in Soy Sauce Gravy) and Sambal Goreng Kentang.

Tape Uli, gave by my parents neighbor (L) - Kaasstengel (R)
For all Muslim around the globe, I wish youHappy Idul Fitri 1431 H.