Jakarta - A city on speed

Jakarta, we are promised (threatened) is a fast-paced city where Indonesians live life at breakneck speed. We are staying on the edge of Chinatown near the old Dutch quarter. It's a slightly run down area but the hostel is fantastic.

The Dutch were the colonisers here after a battle with the British in the 16th Century and, as ever, the colonial buildings have a quaint although crumbling charm. There are several canals built by the Dutch. These are filthy, stinking waterways that are the lifeblood of Ancol the Jakarta shanty town close to the port. The port is filled with old, seemingly unseaworthy, schooners all laden or being loaded with goods.

Chinatown is lively with shops full of the distinct red and gold we associate with Chinese New Year, they are getting ready to welcome the year of the goat.

We are stopped several times in Taman Fatahillah by students wanting to interview us for school projects and bizarrely by random strangers to have a picture taken with us. Might have to start charging, it could be lucrative!

The National Monument (Monas) in the middle of Merdeka Square is well visited by locals. Built in the late 1960s it is known as Sukarmo's final erection, reference to the former president who had it constructed. Here families picnic and children watch their dads fly kites! The dads seem to be really enjoying themselves.

It almost feels like we've missed the 'on speed' bit of Jakarta but you get a feel of it with the pushing on the buses and the choked streets of beeping traffic jams going nowhere fast. A much maligned city but we've felt embraced by it as an introduction to Indonesia. 

Oh and BTW everything seemingly costs the equivalent of £1. Perhaps Jakarta is just a giant Poundland. There's certainly enough plastic and garbage!!