It was a quiet Sunday morning in Jakarta. Since it was Car Free Day, the main roads were actually empty. No cars, just the sound of bicycles and people talking. With Lunar New Year only two days away, the heart of the city was covered in red.
Down by SCBD until Bundaran HI, there were red lanterns everywhere. Even with the gray sky, the red really stood out against those massive glass office towers. For a long time, celebrating Lunar New Year in public was banned, until President Gus Dur lifted it around the year 2000. Seeing a dragon dance in the middle of the street today is a direct result of that.
A group of guys were practicing with a dragon on poles, making it weave through the air while people stopped for photos. There were runners in neon shirts, kids on bikes, and families just wandering around. Without the traffic and horns, the whole place felt a lot more relaxed.
The best part was a Sate Padang cart with a crowd of cyclists around it. The smell of the grilled meat and spicy sauce was everywhere. On the glass, the owner had painted "TEKWE" in big letters. It’s just "take away" written exactly how it sounds when people say it here. It’s very Jakarta, simple and to the point, effortlessly funny.
It was a good way to spend a few hours before the holiday rush really starts. More cyclists were lining up at the “tekwe” cart as I left. I’d save my appetite for Glodok’s Chinatown in two days, that’s where the Lunar New Year food really is. Gong xi fa cai!
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