Happy Lunar New Year! Gong Xi Fa Cai!
Indonesia also celebrates Lunar New Year, known locally as Tahun Baru Imlek, and it is officially recognized as a national public holiday. Since 2003, under President Megawati Soekarnoputri, Imlek has been reinstated as a public holiday after being restricted for decades during the Soeharto’s New Order era. It feels so refreshing when the holiday falls on a Tuesday, like a perfectly placed pause in the middle of the week.
This year feels even more special because just two days later, Ramadan begins. Indonesia, being home to the world’s largest Muslim population, will soon transform again. Streets will be lined with takjil and iftar vendors every late afternoon, selling kolak, fried snacks, dates, and all kinds of sweet drinks. The shift from red lanterns and lion dances to the warm buzz of Ramadan evenings is such a uniquely Indonesian experience.
This morning, I started the day by eating Yusheng with my family. Yusheng is a raw fish salad traditionally eaten during Lunar New Year, especially among Chinese communities in Southeast Asia like Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It usually consists of thinly sliced raw fish (often salmon), shredded vegetables such as carrots and radish, crushed peanuts, sesame seeds, crispy crackers, and a sweet plum sauce. Everyone stood around the table and mixed the salad with chopsticks while saying auspicious wishes for prosperity, health, and success. Of course, we're hoping for greater fortune for the year ahead. It’s messy, but symbolic and joyful.
After that, I went to Glodok, Jakarta’s Chinatown. Glodok is one of the oldest Chinese neighborhoods in Indonesia, dating back to the 17th century during the Dutch colonial era. It’s famous for its markets, temples, traditional Chinese medicine shops, and legendary street food. During Imlek, the area becomes even more vibrant, red decorations everywhere, incense smoke drifting from temples, families shopping, and food stalls working nonstop.
From there, I walked to Kota Tua Jakarta. Kota Tua literally means “Old Town,” and it was once the center of Batavia, the headquarters of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in the 17th century. The area still preserves colonial-era buildings, including the former city hall (now the Fatahillah Museum), facing the wide open square that has become a popular gathering spot. Walking from Glodok to Kota Tua feels like moving through layers of history, Chinese-Indonesian heritage blending into colonial architecture.
Overall, I really enjoyed my long walk today. Good food, rich history, festive energy, and a very happy stomach. What a way to welcome the new year.
[//]:# (!worldmappin -6.14168 lat 106.81222 long d3scr)
This report was published via Actifit app (Android | iOS). Check out the original version here on actifit.io
