Gurdwara Tanjung Priok Jakarta

I was exploring Jakarta Chinatown (Glodok) when I stumbled upon a Sikh Temple named Gurdwara Tanjung Priok in North Jakarta. It is also known as the Guru Nanak Sikh Temple and the Gurdwara Pasar Baru,

What awesomeness to be standing before a temple founded in 1925. Awesome also because many fellow Malaysians and friends are Sikhs. It was built, funded by Sikh workers and their families in the harbour or port area. The temple survived Dutch and Japanese Occupation but was moved from the old site in 1999 when the land was acquired by the government to redevelop the harbour area.

Nearby reasonably priced hotels are Classic Hotel, Alila Jakarta Hotel and Red Planet Hotel Pasar Baru where one can also walk to Jakarta. Cathedral and the National Monument or Monumen Nasional. All mentioned hotels can be found at MyCen Hotels – http://www.mycen.my/

#sikh #gurdwara #temple #jakarta #indonesia #landmark #travel

The Ignorant Sakai

Sakai is a local idiom to describe a person who is a country bumpkin or someone who has never seen common things. It is a somewhat derogatory term for the indigenous tribe it was named after.

After receiving two bookings for hotels in Kuningan, Jakarta, I was curious. The first is Ascott Kuningan Jakarta and the second being the Aston at Kuningan Suites Hotel.

Confusingly, there is also a regency and city named Kuningan, east of Jakarta, near Cirebon. To complicate things, Kuningan City Mall turns up in search results.

I asked my Jakarta friend and Jakarta resident Veronica Sitorus (@ve_nat on IG) and she confirmed Kuningan is one of three business districts in Jakarta. When I went to Jakarta, I stayed at the Gran Mahakam Jakarta which was a fine hotel but I hated the metal detectors and explosive sniffing dogs checking my camera bags.

Jahabar Sadiq, who was then working there, visited me at the hotel before taking me on a Jakarta pub crawl. Coming from KL I have seen the undercarriage of cars inspected with mirrors before entering the car park of the KL Hilton in KL Sentral. I suspect the Grand Mahkam hotel had some American connection. This was after the Jakarta Marriott bombing.

Just my luck that I stayed later at the Renaissance New World Makati Hotel in Manila, also managed by Marriot I think. The Philippines capital suffered a wave of bombings by militants at that time. I went through the same hassle with my camera bags at hotel and at mall entrances. Was a bit unnerving seeing. for the first time, a guard with firearms inside a McDonald’s.

Anyway, Jakarta is great for street photography on foot. Although there seems to be growing inter faith intolerance now. It was nice to see multi-religious symbols placed together at a roadside art shop. I went to the Jakarta Cathedral or the Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of Assumption earlier and saw many male guests attending a wedding dressed in batik and wearing songkoks. The women were in beautiful kebayas. I felt like an ignorant, sheltered sakai from Malaysia. All hotels cited can be booked at MyCen Hotels www.mycen.my

#kuningan #jakarta #indonesia #streetphotography #manila

The Big Tree

The Big Tree.

I am hoping the (new) land owner and developer, TRX (Tun Razak Exchange), will be able to preserve or spare this tree when they demolish the market eventually.

Credit should also be given to them for not chasing out the traders when City Hall (and TRX) could not get their act together on the moving day.

Previously, everyone was told they must move end of March but the new complex wasn’t ready in time. Now it looks like it might be in May.

I inquired at the DBKL office at the market on Monday and a staff member said he has no idea.

Play by ear but do visit the old market, if you haven’t. The atmosphere and character is expected to be completely different at the new location.

The modern RM57 million ICC (Integrated Commercial Complex) is in Pudu.

The original Bukit Bintang Market started out at the land where then KL Plaza was to be built. It subsequently moved to here in Imbi. Hopefully, the new Pudu location will be the permanent home.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f8, 1/400 sec.

#documentaryphotography #imbimarket #market #landmark #streetphotography #conservation #landscape

The Shangri-La Hotel, Paris

The Shangri-La is a Parisian paradise.

The aptly-named luxury hotel in the City of Love is quite simply as good as it gets.According to a review by the Belfast Telegraph today.

That is; if you want a hotel room in Paris with a view of the Eiffel Tower from your bed. You could also sit on the balcony with a glass of champagne taking in the view. Or see the super structure from the bath tub in the room.

You pay dearly for it. Not for those who think the Shangri-la KL is expensive at RM 450 (low price at MyCen Hotels). The Paris Shangri La Hotel is RM 4232 a night! (lowest guaranteed price).

Just a friendly reminder that MyCen Hotels can take bookings ranging from a backpackers’ hostel in Chinatown KL to a five star Parisian luxury hotel.

Book the room via the link on this page or see the map at:
http://www.mycen.my/the-shangri-la-hotel-paris/

 

Go On Mofo… Make My Day!

The other day I was filling up at a gas station in Cheras when I noticed something odd. A lone motorcyclist was darting from pump to pump and the drivers were scampering off, just as quickly. It looked like a botched robbery attempt to me.

Maybe this inept robber was brandishing a butter knife or something, I thought to myself. Anyway, everyone appeared to be very alert and took off faster than P.I. Bala. I was the only guy left standing at the last pump.

As you would have guessed, he came for me. I pulled out the nozzle and pointed it at his direction, with my finger on the trigger. Was going to spray him with subsidised petrol and threaten him with a lighted match. Go on Mofo! Make My Day!

Eh… I forgot two things in the heat of the moment. I have given up smoking two years ago and did not have a single match with me. If I had, I will probably be blowing him up along with my car. And bury us all in a deep crater in Cheras. It should be cheaper handing over my wallet and Galaxy S.

He stopped right in front of me. Seeing a loaded, dripping nozzle pointing at his face, he lifted his visor carefully and asked meekly. “Abang, boleh tanya di mana Taman Konot?” (“Bro, could you tell me where is Taman Connaught?”). I gave him the directions but before I could lecture him on approaching people with a dark full-faced visor, he dashed off as fast as he landed.

A week later, I met a very polite extortionist on a motorcycle. I pulled over by the roadside and was fiddling with my GPS. A macha on a bike rode up next to my car and knocked on the side window. I rolled it down partially and was going to jab his eyes with my Manfrotto monopod, if needed. He asked me in an unconvincing, robotic voice “Boleh bagi dua ringgit isi minyak?” (Can give two bucks for petrol?”).

I got so pissed and told him angrily that next time he should put some emotion into his delivery. Or at least push his bike in order to elicit some sympathy. He burst out laughing suddenly, said he agree wholeheartedly and rode off happily into the sunset. Didn’t see him running out of petrol for sure. Mofos!

Be safe and observant always.