Travel Journal - Jakarta: Vegging Out in A China Town, Pantjoran PIK

Hi everyone. Hope you all are well as always.

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The first place I visited when I arrived at PIK was Chinatown. I first saw it from the street while traveling with my coworkers. I saw the Chinese ornaments and was intrigued. That's why I went there when I was confused about where to spend my me time. What I knew was that this place had a Pagoda similar to the Pagoda in Burma. Besides, this place was the closest. So before deciding to go to PIK 2, I stopped by here first, Pantjoran PIK 1.

Let's get it!

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China Town, Pantjoran PIK

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I asked some officers, afraid of getting lost and wasting time on the road. It turned out this place was across from the bus stop where I'd stopped. Yes, as far as the eye could see, you could see the entrance gate from a distance. It was very hot at the time, but I had to continue my journey. Usually, hot weather makes for good photos, or so I thought.

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Entry Gate

This is the entrance gate for pedestrians. There are actually several entrances, but this one is at the very end. I wanted to explore this place from the very end, called the Wooden Snake. It's evident from the dolls; it doesn't really resemble a snake, but I don't know where it's located. I suspect it's closely related to good luck according to the Chinese calendar. Beyond its meaning, this gate is truly beautiful.

I think this is the supercalifragilisticexpilidicios mural... This Mural will telling you a story, can you get it?

Literally, Pantjoran PIK is a corridor, where each building houses a food and beverage outlet. It's like a food court, but almost exclusively Chinese. You won't find rendang here.

...and the reason this area is called China Town is because, in addition to the food and beverage outlets, there's also a temple where devotees can pray. This area looks like China, doesn't it? Hoo, that's why it's called China Town.

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Chai Sen Ye Deity

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I'm not sure if this is a temple or not, but you can definitely pray and light incense here. This is a statue of the god Chai Shen Ye, the god of wealth, treasure, or good fortune. Hmm... so I know why this god Chai Shen Ye is here. It's like a good luck charm for the surrounding stalls. What a unique layout, isn't it?

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I spotted this building at the exit of the first section—I'm not sure what it's called, but it seemed to be bordered by a parking lot and outlets with a more modern interior, lacking any hint of Chinese culture. But after that, it continued, with many of the same outlets as in the previous section. Let's continue this journey… by the way, this building is my favorite because like a real heritage.

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...Now welcome to the China Town from the Middle area...

Among the other food stalls, there's also a prayer corner where, in addition to lighting incense, you can also leave your wishes. It's truly unique. I love this corner, especially the wishing wall. I read some of the wishes hung there and always replied with amen, hoping that all the good wishes I've placed there will soon come true. What a good corner...

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If you see this statue of a general in the pond, that's a sign you're close to the pagoda. You can already see the pagoda from here. But let's get to know this general.

This is the statue of General Guan Sheng Di Jun, also known as Guang Gong. This general was a very famous warlord in his time. He has a long body and a red face. He rides a red horse, too. Very dashing, isn't he? And by the way, in this pond, you can also make a wish and throw a coin. Since I saw a lot of coins in it, I assume many people believe in it...

Chinese food stalls are also scattered throughout this area. Imagine enjoying a bowl of noodles with a view of the Pagoda and the Goddess Kwan In. I think you'll find real Chinese sauce there...

The Pagoda

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This pagoda is the main attraction of Pantjoran PIK. You can simply ask, "Where is the Pagoda?" You'll see it standing firmly at the end of Chinatown Street. However, I'm not sure if visitors are allowed to enter this pagoda. And look at how beautiful the statue of the Goddess Kwan In is there. You can also pray there... There's also a Wishing Wall too...

This pagoda is surrounded by a pond containing beautiful golden fish and koi. This pool seems to be very well looked after. How refreshing...

I know this place is half entertainment and half sacred because there are several spots for lighting incense. I truly respect the initiators of this place, as we know that almost every country has its own version of Chinatown. I hope this Chinatown will be further developed and expanded to attract more foreign tourists, not just locals.

Hasta La Vistaa....

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Thanks in advance, to read my blog and hope you like my post!
See you on the next post...

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