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Jakarta, Water City

The heavy rain from midnight until early morning today has caused numerous Jakarta streets flooded. Rains, floods, traffic jams, total deadlock, have been haunting Jakarta and other cities in Indonesia since last three weeks. In Jakarta, somehow it’s important to emphasize the difference between “a pile of water” and “flood”.

The local Chinese believe that rains symbolize good fortune, especially if it rains during the Chinese new year’s Eve (which happens to be tomorrow midnight), the heavy rain is believed to bring a super-prosperous new year. But for sure, the flooding at least brings some fortune to the kids (who are always enjoying “beach-waves-and-swimming-pool-right-in-the-heart-of-the-capital-city”) and chart owners, who earned money by transporting motorcycles on their charts. In this year rainy season, some 40 thousands of Jakarta dwellers had to stay in temporary shelters. There were also some kids who participated in swimming contest in a flooded river, drowned, and unfortunately, get killed.

What striked me most after living abroad for more than a dozen years and come back to my home country, is seeing laughter and smiles on the faces of my countrymen, despite the fact that they are facing disasters and troubles. The laughter, the never-faded smiles, the genuine expression, is genuinely Indonesia.

1.Regulating a water city

1. Regulating a water city

2.“Mom, I’m wet…”

2. “Mom, I’m wet…”

3.Transport on transport

3. Transport on transport

4.Water City

4. Water City

5.Cargo Care

5. Cargo Care

6.A fun day

6. A fun day

7.A trapped truck

7. A trapped truck

8.Not deep enough to swim

8. Not deep enough to swim

9.Beach wave right in the capital

9. Beach wave right in the capital

10.Navigation

10. Navigation

11.The rhythm of life

11. The rhythm of life

About Agustinus Wibowo

Agustinus is an Indonesian travel writer and travel photographer. Agustinus started a “Grand Overland Journey” in 2005 from Beijing and dreamed to reach South Africa totally by land with an optimistic budget of US$2000. His journey has taken him across Himalaya, South Asia, Afghanistan, Iran, and ex-Soviet Central Asian republics. He was stranded and stayed three years in Afghanistan until 2009. He is now a full-time writer and based in Jakarta, Indonesia. agustinus@agustinuswibowo.com Contact: Website | More Posts

3 Comments on Jakarta, Water City

  1. weh…lagi dijakarta nih..?

  2. jakarta water city…..sounds nice…..:-p

  3. Wah, kapan mampir ke tanah air Mas?

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