My Turn

Since some of your are beginning to notice my silence, I thought I would take advantage of a quiet Sunday evening to share some observations about life in Jakarta.
- NOTHING can prepare you for traffic in Jakarta. We were going from our Apartment to the Embassy Club Friday afternoon. We gave ourselves an hour and a half to cover a distance of approximately 1 mile. After getting halfway there, we began to wonder whether we gave ourselves enough time. Walking might be the quickest way from place to place, but absolutely nobody walks in Jakarta. Maybe it's the heat. Or the pollution. Or the vendor carts blocking the sidewalks. Or the inevitable rain.
- Motorbikes are very popular (see picture).
- Every kilometer or so, there is a mall complex that can put Water Tower Place in Chicago to shame. Between those malls is an endless string of vendor carts and roadside stands.

Joel