Traffic circle at Jalan MH Thamrin to Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat has a sculpture with Mahabharata themed Arjuna Wijaya chariot statue and fountain.Arjuna Wijaya is a legendary Hindu warrior holding an archer with six galloping horses
According to legends,Arjuna, in a fit of extreme anger over the death of his son Abhimanyu, alone killed one akshauhini of Kaurava soldiers in a single day.
The National Monument (Monas) at the centre of Merdeka Square is just nearby.
Electronic Road Pricing along Jalan Hayam Wuruk leading to the Jalan Agus Salim area.
Due to the city's acute gridlock, the Jakarta administration implemented Electronic Road Pricing in 10 districts: Tanah Abang, Menteng, Setiabudi, Tebet, Matraman, Senen, Gambir, Tambora, Sawah Besar and Taman Sari.
It was quite effective when I noticed less vehicles on the road during working hours.
This model is similar to that being in operation in the Singapore Island Republic.
The Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) (Malay: Sistem Kadar Jalan Elektronik; Chinese: 电子道路收费系统) scheme is an electronic toll collection scheme adopted to manage traffic by road pricing.
There were less congestion at around 7:00am till 10am and 4pm till 7pm where vehicles were required to have at least three passengers in the car.
There were traffic police enforcement to nab those defying the rules.
Jakarta is primarily a city of government and business.
It is seldom viewed as a centre for tourism other than the old part of the city which is a popular tourist destination.
However the Jakarta authority saw the opportunity to develop the city's reputation as a service and tourism city.
There were many new tourism infrastructures, entertainment centers, and international-class hotels and restaurants being built in Jakarta. Jakarta also possesses many historical places and cultural heritage.
Blok M is located in Kebayoran Baru,South Jakarta (Jakarta Selatan), originally planned as a satellite city, is now the location of large upscale shopping centres and affluent residential areas.
Jakarta Selatan functions as Jakarta's ground water buffer but recently the green belt areas were threatened by new developments.
Today most of the Central Business District area of Jakarta is concentrated in Setia Budi, South Jakarta, bordering the Tanah Abang/Sudirman area of Central Jakarta.
South Jakarta is the third most populous among the five cities of Jakarta, after East Jakarta and West Jakarta.
The administrative centre is at Kebayoran Baru. South Jakarta is bounded by Central Jakarta to the north, East Jakarta to the east, Depok to the south, West Jakarta to the north-west, and Tangerang to the west.
South Jakarta is divided into 10 subdistricts: Kebayoran Baru:last Dutch colonial residential,ASEAN Secretariat and Indonesian Stock Exchange located.
Kebayoran Lama:famous for being a burial place of Mohammad Hatta, the first vice president of Indonesia.
Pondok Indah is an upscale residential area.
Pesanggrahan:To the west is Tangerang Regency, Banten Province.Serpong-Jakarta railway pass through here.
Cilandak:National Atomic Energy Agency(Batan),Stephen Parish's Church
Pasar Minggu:traditional Sunday fruit market,Nederlandse International School,New Zealand School,Raguna Zoo.
Jagakarsa:Lake Babakan and Lake Mangga Bolong are the largest water reservoirs.Betawi people found here.
Mampang Prapatan:expatriates residential area.
Pancoran:statue of Dirgantara,Kalibata National Heroes Cemetery(those military casualties who died during Indonesian War of Independence)
Tebet:Manggarai and Tebet Railway Station
Setiabudi:part of the Golden Triangle of Jakarta .
Bus terminal of Blok M is quite different in style.There were about five lanes with each having a specific route destinations.
The moment the buses arrived at the waiting platform,passengers need to embark immediately as the buses do not stop for long similar to catching a train.
No smoking is allowed within this area despite being an open air station.
Violators will be fined up to Rupiah 5million or 6 months jail.
Ensure that you see designated smoking areas with stickers.
Only DAMRI buses at Blok M Plaza goes to Soekarno-Hatta International airport on a hourly basis.
Blok M Mall shopping arcade at the basement of the bus terminal,to gain access to Carrefour Hypermarket walk through a side door on the left near the no smoking banner.
The price of goods here are cheap as it is very popular among the locals due to lower property rentals here.
Most of the visitors attracted to Jakarta are domestic tourists from all over Indonesia, the majority of them from the neighboring provinces of West Java, Banten, Lampung, and Central Java.
As the gateway of Indonesia, Jakarta often serves as the stop-over for foreign visitors on their way to Indonesian popular tourist destinations such as Bali and Yogyakarta.
Most foreign visitors from the neighboring ASEAN countries; such as Malaysia and Singapore, visit Jakarta (to some extent also include Bandung) for shopping purposes, since the city is famous for its cheap but fair quality products, especially textiles, craft and fashion products.
Built in 1992, the Blok M Plaza is a modern mall.
Pasaraya Grande is a giant department store run by Abdul Latief. Its two contiguous buildings include a big food court in the basement and a movie theatre at the top floor.
The most popular portion of Blok M and certainly what has given it most of its notoriety is the Falatehan street (Jalan Felatehan), which is the portion of the quarter that contains the bars and clubs.
Many of the bars become extremely crowded at night and are known to stay open extremely late.
Melawai street in the south has many cafes.
In 1980s - 1990s, Melawai street (called Lintas Melawai) popular as the youth centre of Jakarta.
Andong is a city two and half hour drive from Seoul is in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, South Korea but this shop in Blok M Plaza with the same maiden name diplays items of handicrafts and Buddhas statues.
Buddha in black robes statues.
Monastics in the Mahayana tradition wear many different colors, according to region, country, sect and ordination level.
Different temples in various regions wore different colors: yellow, light golden brown, brown, grey or blue, shades of black: pitch black, grey black.
Japanese monastics usually wear grey or black. They adopted the purple kesa tradition, which was revoked in the 17th Century under the Tokugawa Shogunate.
The emperor abdicated in protest and monks who resisted, no matter how high, were exiled.
Korean monks wear grey, brown or blue robes.In Thailand,Laos and Cambodia monks wear orange robes. Buddhism spread from China to Korea and later the Koreans spread it to the Japanese.
In the Sutra, Buddha explains that his Robe is “a mind that is gentle and forebearing.”
Dancing Idols Sculptures of the Hindu epic Ramayana.
While in Thailand if you were to go to Bangkok National Theater near Thammasat University,you will have a chance to watch these dance performances by Thai traditional dancers doing the Thai version of classical Indian Ramayana.
The easiest way to get to the National Theater is to take the sky train to the last stop, Sapan Taksin. Go out of exit 1 and walk towards the Chao Praya river. There you can take the Express boat to Tha Phra Ahtit where you'll get off the boat. Walk up Phra Ahtit Road and turn left at the junction under the bridge onto Rachini Road. If you keep walking for two or three more minutes you'll see the National Theater on the right hand side.
Ramayana dancer statue.
Buddha Statue
Accomodations around Blok M
Hotel Losari 3,Jalan Panglima Polim Raya ,Blok M. Tel:(021)9777 4848
Hotel Amaris (021-7267111)
Hotel Ambhara 1,Jalan Sultan Iskandarsyah Raya
Hotel Grand Mahakam 6,Jalan Mahkam 1,Blok M
Golden Boutique Hotel Melawai , 18-20,Jalan Melawai 1&2 Tel:(021-2700408)
Hotel Santika Indonesia 6-8,Jalan Melawai 7.
Darmawangsa Hotel Jalan Brawijaya Raya, Blok M Tel:( 021 )725 8181
Kamar-Kamar for Backpackers 37K,Jalan RS Fatmawati, Tel: (021) 751 2560
Josephine Guest House. 91, Jl.Iskandarsyah II
Amos Cozy HotelJl.Melawai Raya No.83-85.Blok M
Graha Wisata Youth Hostel Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, South Jakarta, Tel: (62)(21) 525 6922, Fax: (62)(21) 525 6930,
Ragunan Sports Centre (GOR), South Jakarta, Tel: (62)(21) 780 6540, Fax: (62)(21) 781 2147.
Juseny, 29,Jl. Senayan, Block S, Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta Selatan 12190. Tel.: (62)(21) 720 6565. Fax.: (62)(21) 7208304. Class: 1 star. Price: approx. US$ 16/person.
Kebayoran Inn. 87,Jalan Senayan, Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta 12180. Tel.: (62)(21) 724-6208. Fax: (62)(21) 739-8926. Price: approx. US$ 21/person.
Aston Rasuna Residence
Other places in South Jakarta:
Hotel MaharaniJl.Buncit Raya No.8,
Mampang Hotel Maharadja Jl.Kapten
Piere Tendean No.1,Mampang
Hotel Kaisar Jl.Duren Tiga,Pasar Minggu
Tamara Guest House Jalan Gunung Balong Raya,Lebak Bulus,
Bangka Bed & Breakfast Jalan Bangka XI A No.26 Kemang
Penginapan Cipulir. 59, Jalan Ciledug Raya, Cipulir, Kebayoran Lama, Tel.: (62)(21) 723-4616. Price: approx. US$ 18/person.
Grand Flora Hote 7,Jl. Kemang Raya, Kebayoran Baru Tel. No.: (62) (21) 719 8000,near a golf driving range and the Senayan Business District. Rooms start at US$65 per night.
Prapanca Indah, 30-31,Jalan Prapanca Raya. Block P, Tel.: (62)(21) 7262603. Price: approx. US$ 27/person.
Cilandak area:
R.Residence 15,Jalan Lebak Bulus 3,Cilandak
Le Kristal, Jalan Tarogong Raya, Tel.: (62)(21) 750-7065, Next to Jakarta International School (JIS).
Mampang Prapatan area:
Grand Kemang, 2H, Jalan Kemang Raya Tel.: (62)(21) 719 4121,
Maharaja. Jln. Pierre Tendean no 1, Tel.: (62)(21) 79180055, (62)(21) 79180044.
Tebet area:
Harris Hotel Tebet , 191,Jalan Dr Saharjo Tel.: (62)(21) 830 3355
Sofyan Tebet, 23,Jalan Dr Soepomo , Tel.: (62)(21) 829 5691
Bumi Karsa Hotel/Bidakara, l. Jend. Gatot Subroto Kav. 71-73, Pancoran, Tel. (62)(21) 8379 3555,
Kartika Chandra, Jl. Gatot Subroto, Tel.: (62)(21) 520 5000, Next to Planet Hollywood.
Park Lane, Jalan Casablanca Kav. 18, Tel. (62)(21) 828-2000.
Rumah Boedi Boutique Villa, Jalan Tampaksiring,
Laguna Graha Cinere, South Jakarta, Indonesia, Tel: +628159104286,
