In the aftermath of our fourteen hour marathon getting to Japan, today's eight hour flight proved considerably less daunting. Our JAL plane was much more comfortable; and the food, more plentiful and tasty (Heidi disagrees). Lee even lucked into being seated in a much roomier exit row seat!
We arrived late afternoon in Jakarta and were picked up by a driver from the Alila Hotel. A bit late because of traffic (two hours on the road instead of the ideal thirty minutes), he nonetheless got us to the hotel in just over an hour, much better than par for the course.
First Impressions: everywhere and immediately, the warm smells we have come to associate with Southeast Asia; lots and lots of traffic, mainly new Japanese minivans and motorcycles (with drivers all wearing helmets); a "new city" with lots of ongoing construction, mostly isolated, gargantuan multistory structures interspersed with a few examples of interesting contemporary architecture; friendly and open people, many dressed in Muslim garb -- lots of head scarfs and scull caps.
Jakarta itself appears spread over hundreds of square miles and houses a huge population; so far there's not much of a visual impression of a central urban core nor of much overall cohesion or central planning. Few pedestrians on the streets anywhere; only an occasional bus, not much in the way of must-see sites, it would seem, to attract even the most adventurous travelers.
Yet, based on population numbers alone, the city must attract the interest of the Indonesian people and provide some sense of a shared and centralizing national identity, however derivative and global that identity might strike us as we glimpse close at hand yet another KFC, Arby's or Starbucks, so familiar to us from home.
Our preparatory reading and trip itinerary, indeed, counter this initial impression of Indonesia as a whole and promise more of the exotic and unusual; but, lest we forget, Jakarta is every bit as representative of today's Indonesia as any other place in the country....
Our hotel, on the other hand, seems an urban oasis perfectly suited as a refuge in which to overcome jet lag. Our Executive Floor room entitles us, not only to a daily buffet breakfast, but to a sumptuous evening appetizer-and-wine spread as well. There's a beautiful, large pool, too -- and our eighth floor room provides a far-ranging city view.
We have no complaints on that score, whatsoever!
We arrived late afternoon in Jakarta and were picked up by a driver from the Alila Hotel. A bit late because of traffic (two hours on the road instead of the ideal thirty minutes), he nonetheless got us to the hotel in just over an hour, much better than par for the course.
First Impressions: everywhere and immediately, the warm smells we have come to associate with Southeast Asia; lots and lots of traffic, mainly new Japanese minivans and motorcycles (with drivers all wearing helmets); a "new city" with lots of ongoing construction, mostly isolated, gargantuan multistory structures interspersed with a few examples of interesting contemporary architecture; friendly and open people, many dressed in Muslim garb -- lots of head scarfs and scull caps.
Jakarta itself appears spread over hundreds of square miles and houses a huge population; so far there's not much of a visual impression of a central urban core nor of much overall cohesion or central planning. Few pedestrians on the streets anywhere; only an occasional bus, not much in the way of must-see sites, it would seem, to attract even the most adventurous travelers.
Yet, based on population numbers alone, the city must attract the interest of the Indonesian people and provide some sense of a shared and centralizing national identity, however derivative and global that identity might strike us as we glimpse close at hand yet another KFC, Arby's or Starbucks, so familiar to us from home.
Our preparatory reading and trip itinerary, indeed, counter this initial impression of Indonesia as a whole and promise more of the exotic and unusual; but, lest we forget, Jakarta is every bit as representative of today's Indonesia as any other place in the country....
Our hotel, on the other hand, seems an urban oasis perfectly suited as a refuge in which to overcome jet lag. Our Executive Floor room entitles us, not only to a daily buffet breakfast, but to a sumptuous evening appetizer-and-wine spread as well. There's a beautiful, large pool, too -- and our eighth floor room provides a far-ranging city view.
We have no complaints on that score, whatsoever!
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