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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Guardian Jakarta week – live | Guardian Jakarta week – live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 8.36am GMT | |
| 08:36 | |
| Nick Van Mead | |
| We’re going on a rat hunt … | |
| Jakarta’s deputy governor has come up with a programme to control the city’s expanding rat population – a cash bounty of 20,000 rupiahs for each live rat handed in. That’s about $1.50, which is generous in a country where many live on $2 a day. | |
| Djarot is trying to organise private funding for the scheme long term, but a series of pilots are under way and I went along to one in Cawung, in the east of the city. | |
| A curious crowd gathered as cleaning workers from surrounding areas turned up with 650 rats in an assortment of old birdcages and other containers. Workers in protective clothing tipped them into steel drums and they were gassed. | |
| Screams went up whenever a rat made a bid for freedom. Some made it back to the sewer … | |
| Here’s the full story … | |
| 8.34am GMT | |
| 08:34 | |
| Francesca Perry | |
| Traffic truths | |
| This week we’re asking you what the best and worst things abut life in Jakarta are, and what you would change to improve the city. Already over 130 people have contributed – thank you! – and if you want to add your voice, you can by contributing here. | |
| It’s interesting to see the same things emerging again and again in the feedback. What’s good about the city? The hustle and bustle, the fact you can get anything at any time. The downsides? Traffic, traffic, traffic – which is unsurprising considering Jakarta has been named the most gridlocked city on the planet. Here’s the local view... | |
| “The traffic is just so so so so bad. People tell me ‘Bangkok’s traffic is crazy’, ‘Manila’s traffic is terrible’, ‘You don’t even want to know about Beijing’s traffic’, and all I can say is ‘Have you been to Jakarta? Then you still don’t know what traffic is.’ | |
| I love Jakarta. I always do. Even with the crazy traffic. The most amazing feeling is to drive around Central Jakarta at 3am, when the road is clear and the tall buildings are around you. The city lights, the night sky, everything feels so right. In those moments you’ll forget all the craziness from the day, and you’ll love Jakarta again.” (Jeehan R Fadila, resident for 23 years) | |
| “The worst thing about Jakarta is it’s hard to build a social life because it is hard to meet due to traffic!” (Anonymous resident) | |
| “My childhood memories of this place – the pleasant mornings with dragonflies and views of a mountain, ice cream vendors strolling through neighbourhoods on late afternoons – have all been replaced by the current reality: a maddening amount of dead time spent inside our cars. It is getting harder to reconcile the fact that this place is my home.” (Farid Hamka, resident for 18 years) | |
| “Sometimes I fantasise that the streets are lonely, and cars don’t exist. I know Jakarta will be Jakarta, it will never be like London or New York, but enough with cars!” (Alwinsyah, resident for 21 years) | |
| Earlier this morning we asked for your tips on how to survive the endless Jakartan traffic jams. Share your suggestions in the comments below or on Twitter using #GuardianJakarta | |
| 8.16am GMT | 8.16am GMT |
| 08:16 | 08:16 |
| In search of Obama | In search of Obama |
| The every-form-of-transport-in-one-afternoon mission continues... | The every-form-of-transport-in-one-afternoon mission continues... |
| Trip 5. In a Bajaj. Off to see statue of Obama. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/yu9LhPG7PN | Trip 5. In a Bajaj. Off to see statue of Obama. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/yu9LhPG7PN |
| Food on the go. Jakarta style. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/6EaESZ2TUK | Food on the go. Jakarta style. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/6EaESZ2TUK |
| The young @BarackObama @POTUS "The future belongs to those who believe in the power of their dreams" #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/PFYgtvsN7X | The young @BarackObama @POTUS "The future belongs to those who believe in the power of their dreams" #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/PFYgtvsN7X |
| (The 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama, lived in Jakarta from 1967-71.) | (The 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama, lived in Jakarta from 1967-71.) |
| 7.55am GMT | 7.55am GMT |
| 07:55 | 07:55 |
| An oasis the city wants to destroy | An oasis the city wants to destroy |
| David Munk | |
| Peaceful, shady, green spaces are an all-too precious commodity in Jakarta. So the haven of eco-friendliness that residents of Tongkol and its neighbouring kampungs have created along their riverbanks would, you might imagine, be held up as a rare example of good urban practice in this rubbish-clogged, highly polluted city. | Peaceful, shady, green spaces are an all-too precious commodity in Jakarta. So the haven of eco-friendliness that residents of Tongkol and its neighbouring kampungs have created along their riverbanks would, you might imagine, be held up as a rare example of good urban practice in this rubbish-clogged, highly polluted city. |
| You’d be wrong. | You’d be wrong. |
| More than 250 families – some of whom have lived here more than 40 years – are being threatened with eviction from these riverbanks. The city’s administrators claim they require a swathe of land each side of the river for an inspection road, to monitor the floods that frequently stop Jakarta in its tracks. | More than 250 families – some of whom have lived here more than 40 years – are being threatened with eviction from these riverbanks. The city’s administrators claim they require a swathe of land each side of the river for an inspection road, to monitor the floods that frequently stop Jakarta in its tracks. |
| Instead of waiting for demolition, however, the kampungs’ residents took matters into their own hands. | Instead of waiting for demolition, however, the kampungs’ residents took matters into their own hands. |
| They took the remarkable step of demolishing parts of their own houses, using sledgehammers to knock off the front of their homes in order to move them back five metres from the waterway. In some cases that halved their floor space. | They took the remarkable step of demolishing parts of their own houses, using sledgehammers to knock off the front of their homes in order to move them back five metres from the waterway. In some cases that halved their floor space. |
| They also set about a wholescale clean-up of their environment. They built rafts to collect rubbish from the river (in part to counter unfair accusations that they were wholly responsible for its polluted state). They planted trees on its banks, set up a community-wide recycling and composting system, and encouraged self-sufficiency with vegetable gardens. | They also set about a wholescale clean-up of their environment. They built rafts to collect rubbish from the river (in part to counter unfair accusations that they were wholly responsible for its polluted state). They planted trees on its banks, set up a community-wide recycling and composting system, and encouraged self-sufficiency with vegetable gardens. |
| Gugun Muhammad, a resident and community organiser who also works for the Urban Poor Consortium, admits that while this transformation has benefitted the quality of life here no end, the project is also an advertisement – a demonstration to the city’s leaders of what can be achieved by some of their poorest communities, and why they should be allowed to remain, rather than forced out to faraway, soulless suburbs. | Gugun Muhammad, a resident and community organiser who also works for the Urban Poor Consortium, admits that while this transformation has benefitted the quality of life here no end, the project is also an advertisement – a demonstration to the city’s leaders of what can be achieved by some of their poorest communities, and why they should be allowed to remain, rather than forced out to faraway, soulless suburbs. |
| The question is, will Jakarta authorities take any notice? After a delightful afternoon spent with Gugun and his fellow residents, we certainly hope so. If you can, go see for yourself. | The question is, will Jakarta authorities take any notice? After a delightful afternoon spent with Gugun and his fellow residents, we certainly hope so. If you can, go see for yourself. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 8.36am GMT | |
| 7.08am GMT | 7.08am GMT |
| 07:08 | 07:08 |
| Jamie Wilson | Jamie Wilson |
| Jamie’s Indonesian: the street food sleuth | Jamie’s Indonesian: the street food sleuth |
| They say to get to know a city you really need to get to know its food – and in Jakarta that means heading to the street. Here’s some of what I’ve found so far. | They say to get to know a city you really need to get to know its food – and in Jakarta that means heading to the street. Here’s some of what I’ve found so far. |
| Time for some morning refreshment in Tak Kie, one of the oldest coffee shops in Chinatown. Condensed milk compulsory #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/TjdjYgZm7q | Time for some morning refreshment in Tak Kie, one of the oldest coffee shops in Chinatown. Condensed milk compulsory #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/TjdjYgZm7q |
| I've headed south to Blok S where Woody is preparing meatballs for the lunch crowd he hopes will show up despite the rain #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/kCAmjyocoS | I've headed south to Blok S where Woody is preparing meatballs for the lunch crowd he hopes will show up despite the rain #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/kCAmjyocoS |
| Bang Boy uses 500 fish a day to make his Somay, a kind of steamed fish cake #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/s9BfnRRjy8 | Bang Boy uses 500 fish a day to make his Somay, a kind of steamed fish cake #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/s9BfnRRjy8 |
| 6.48am GMT | 6.48am GMT |
| 06:48 | 06:48 |
| Oliver Holmes | Oliver Holmes |
| Chinatown, Jakarta-style | Chinatown, Jakarta-style |
| Mr Udin, 52, owns a Chinese medicine shop in Glodok. It has been boiling up roots, flowers and herbs for 25 years. | Mr Udin, 52, owns a Chinese medicine shop in Glodok. It has been boiling up roots, flowers and herbs for 25 years. |
| When we arrived, he was making a mix that helps men with prostrate problems, using a handheld scales to measure it all out. | When we arrived, he was making a mix that helps men with prostrate problems, using a handheld scales to measure it all out. |
| Mr Udin mixing up some Chinese medicine in Glodok. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/JbWwN3fwFs | Mr Udin mixing up some Chinese medicine in Glodok. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/JbWwN3fwFs |
| He told me his customers come in for high blood pressure, flu and diabetes. While we were talking, a man walked in to ask for something for his daughter’s recent cesarean. | He told me his customers come in for high blood pressure, flu and diabetes. While we were talking, a man walked in to ask for something for his daughter’s recent cesarean. |
| Stage one. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/LzBxN5ypnD | Stage one. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/LzBxN5ypnD |
| Behind him is a wall of wooden and plastic containers. I can see bamboo shavings, cinnamon, mushroom and “unripe bitter orange”. | Behind him is a wall of wooden and plastic containers. I can see bamboo shavings, cinnamon, mushroom and “unripe bitter orange”. |
| Stage two. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/g9LUfWi5Jb | Stage two. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/g9LUfWi5Jb |
| Mr Udin’s boss is giving me a dirty look after I asked to take a photo of the handwritten recipe book. Family secret. | Mr Udin’s boss is giving me a dirty look after I asked to take a photo of the handwritten recipe book. Family secret. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.49am GMT | at 6.49am GMT |
| 6.27am GMT | 6.27am GMT |
| 06:27 | 06:27 |
| Kate Lamb | Kate Lamb |
| Humans of the Kampung | Humans of the Kampung |
| Today I’m meeting people in Jakarta’s tight-knit neighbourhoods, known as kampungs, starting with the one I used to live in. | Today I’m meeting people in Jakarta’s tight-knit neighbourhoods, known as kampungs, starting with the one I used to live in. |
| How it feels. Hujan terus #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/3YAPIfgCek | How it feels. Hujan terus #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/3YAPIfgCek |
| The Four Seasons and the kampung. Jakarta is a city of extreme juxtapositions sometimes. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/A4BtAdGsKJ | The Four Seasons and the kampung. Jakarta is a city of extreme juxtapositions sometimes. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/A4BtAdGsKJ |
| I met Achmad Adamadli, 61, a pensioner earlier today. Each day he trawls the streets for plastic bottles to sell. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/MsbhmJU9zt | I met Achmad Adamadli, 61, a pensioner earlier today. Each day he trawls the streets for plastic bottles to sell. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/MsbhmJU9zt |
| 6.00am GMT | 6.00am GMT |
| 06:00 | 06:00 |
| David Munk | David Munk |
| It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad City | It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad City |
| My mission to take every form of transport Jakarta has to offer continues... | My mission to take every form of transport Jakarta has to offer continues... |
| Lots of things you can't do on this train. No guns and smelly fruit for sure. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/ytfHf7B2w8 | Lots of things you can't do on this train. No guns and smelly fruit for sure. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/ytfHf7B2w8 |
| Trip 2: the minibus. No doors and a man with a ukulele hanging off the side. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/mA9tWWIUW3 | Trip 2: the minibus. No doors and a man with a ukulele hanging off the side. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/mA9tWWIUW3 |
| Not sure if this counts. But trip 3. Cable car. #guardianjakarta pic.twitter.com/tKEfBVrzrd | Not sure if this counts. But trip 3. Cable car. #guardianjakarta pic.twitter.com/tKEfBVrzrd |
| Trip 4. Back to central Jakarta on the bus. Air condition joy again. And empty. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/BEYdad1jnM | Trip 4. Back to central Jakarta on the bus. Air condition joy again. And empty. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/BEYdad1jnM |
| So doom arrived at 12.25pm. Chock a block. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/ev1P8vuMvF | So doom arrived at 12.25pm. Chock a block. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/ev1P8vuMvF |
| 5.43am GMT | 5.43am GMT |
| 05:43 | 05:43 |
| Mike Herd | Mike Herd |
| Meet singer-activist Kartika Jahja | Meet singer-activist Kartika Jahja |
| We’re in Jakarta this week to listen and learn – not least tonight, at the first of our live events, entitled “Jakarta at 30 million: where does the city go next?” | We’re in Jakarta this week to listen and learn – not least tonight, at the first of our live events, entitled “Jakarta at 30 million: where does the city go next?” |
| Held in conjunction with the Rujak Center for Urban Studies, the event (now fully booked) starts at 7pm local time at the Goethe-Institut in central Jakarta; follow it on Twitter using our hashtag #Guardian Jakarta, and we’ll be livestreaming it as well. Watch this space. | Held in conjunction with the Rujak Center for Urban Studies, the event (now fully booked) starts at 7pm local time at the Goethe-Institut in central Jakarta; follow it on Twitter using our hashtag #Guardian Jakarta, and we’ll be livestreaming it as well. Watch this space. |
| Among the panel of Jakarta luminaries discussing the future of the city will be Kartika Jahja – singer, songwriter, columnist, actress, activist and even cafe owner … | Among the panel of Jakarta luminaries discussing the future of the city will be Kartika Jahja – singer, songwriter, columnist, actress, activist and even cafe owner … |
| The name of her band, Tika and the Dissidents, gives a clue to Kartika’s commitment to challenging the status quo – not least regarding gender equality in Indonesia and beyond. | The name of her band, Tika and the Dissidents, gives a clue to Kartika’s commitment to challenging the status quo – not least regarding gender equality in Indonesia and beyond. |
| So how is life changing for women who live and work in Jakarta? | So how is life changing for women who live and work in Jakarta? |
| It’s an interesting time to be an Indonesian woman – particularly in Jakarta, where women have more freedom to access education, information and technology. On the one hand, we are more aware than ever of our potentials and our rights as women. On the other, we are still chained to a lot of traditional or religious norms that are holding us back.” | It’s an interesting time to be an Indonesian woman – particularly in Jakarta, where women have more freedom to access education, information and technology. On the one hand, we are more aware than ever of our potentials and our rights as women. On the other, we are still chained to a lot of traditional or religious norms that are holding us back.” |
| Do you feel women have enough of a say in how the city is run? | Do you feel women have enough of a say in how the city is run? |
| No, I don’t. Like almost everything else in the world, the people who run the show are men. Which means plans and policies only consider the male perspective, without attending to women’s needs.” | No, I don’t. Like almost everything else in the world, the people who run the show are men. Which means plans and policies only consider the male perspective, without attending to women’s needs.” |
| What do you love most about this city? | What do you love most about this city? |
| It takes a special set of eyes to see the beauty of Jakarta. But once you see it, you’ll fall in love. Jakarta people have a sense of resilience and spirit I don’t find anywhere else. Almost everything you see in the city is expensive and less-than-decent – from public facilities to law enforcement to education – yet we celebrate life in our own Jakarta way every day. I don’t know how we do it.” | It takes a special set of eyes to see the beauty of Jakarta. But once you see it, you’ll fall in love. Jakarta people have a sense of resilience and spirit I don’t find anywhere else. Almost everything you see in the city is expensive and less-than-decent – from public facilities to law enforcement to education – yet we celebrate life in our own Jakarta way every day. I don’t know how we do it.” |
| Are you feeling optimistic about the city’s future? | Are you feeling optimistic about the city’s future? |
| I’m not. But I’m still here.” | I’m not. But I’m still here.” |
| 5.26am GMT | 5.26am GMT |
| 05:26 | 05:26 |
| Francesca Perry | Francesca Perry |
| The Great Correspondents’ Race continues | The Great Correspondents’ Race continues |
| Our team of intrepid reporters is currently getting soaked, live, from around the city. Tell them what to do and where to go in the comments below or on Twitter using #GuardianJakarta | Our team of intrepid reporters is currently getting soaked, live, from around the city. Tell them what to do and where to go in the comments below or on Twitter using #GuardianJakarta |
| David Munk tries every form of transport... | David Munk tries every form of transport... |
| Not sure if this counts. But trip 3. Cable car. #guardianjakarta pic.twitter.com/tKEfBVrzrd | Not sure if this counts. But trip 3. Cable car. #guardianjakarta pic.twitter.com/tKEfBVrzrd |
| Jamie Wilson hunts the best street food... | Jamie Wilson hunts the best street food... |
| This is Karyudi, who sells chicken porridge, a breakfast dish made from rice, on the corner of the Chinatown market #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/kHJ3nUDq1X | This is Karyudi, who sells chicken porridge, a breakfast dish made from rice, on the corner of the Chinatown market #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/kHJ3nUDq1X |
| Kate Lamb on the humans of the kampung... | Kate Lamb on the humans of the kampung... |
| As I said, great things are portable in Jakarta's kampungs. The local fish shop. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/UHu7PXXFPF | As I said, great things are portable in Jakarta's kampungs. The local fish shop. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/UHu7PXXFPF |
| Oliver Holmes in Jakarta’s Chinese north... | Oliver Holmes in Jakarta’s Chinese north... |
| Started today at an Ahok campaign rally for the capital's gubernatorial election next year. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/yroSvjSc2r | Started today at an Ahok campaign rally for the capital's gubernatorial election next year. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/yroSvjSc2r |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 5.34am GMT | at 5.34am GMT |
| 5.01am GMT | 5.01am GMT |
| 05:01 | 05:01 |
| Chris Michael | Chris Michael |
| In today’s papers | In today’s papers |
| Indonesia is a country that revels in free speech, and across Jakarta there are roughly a dozen daily national newspapers vying for your rupiah. | Indonesia is a country that revels in free speech, and across Jakarta there are roughly a dozen daily national newspapers vying for your rupiah. |
| Guardian Cities is partnering on several special reports with Tempo, the country’s most esteemed and independent investigative journalism outlet. | Guardian Cities is partnering on several special reports with Tempo, the country’s most esteemed and independent investigative journalism outlet. |
| Here’s Tempo reporter Gadi Makitan with a roundup of what’s happening in today’s papers... | Here’s Tempo reporter Gadi Makitan with a roundup of what’s happening in today’s papers... |
| Republika leads with a grim story of violence against Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine, Myanmar. Retno Marsudi, Indonesia’s minister of foreign affairs, has said that the Indonesian Embassy at Yangon is keeping a close eye on developments: Indonesia is the world’s biggest Muslim-majority nation and takes a keen interest on how Muslims in the region are treated. The Jakarta Post, meanwhile, has a feature on the Indonesian government’s efforts to team up with the World Bank to attract foreign investors for its toll roads. | Republika leads with a grim story of violence against Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine, Myanmar. Retno Marsudi, Indonesia’s minister of foreign affairs, has said that the Indonesian Embassy at Yangon is keeping a close eye on developments: Indonesia is the world’s biggest Muslim-majority nation and takes a keen interest on how Muslims in the region are treated. The Jakarta Post, meanwhile, has a feature on the Indonesian government’s efforts to team up with the World Bank to attract foreign investors for its toll roads. |
| Good news, meanwhile, for Indonesian sports fans. Kompas Newspaper has splashed a photo of the Indonesian badminton men’s double players Marcus Fernaldi and Kevin Sanjaya, celebrating their victory in the China Open Super Series Premier yesterday. Indonesians love badminton, and the pair’s victory has sparked hope for a new star in men’s doubles after the country’s hero, Hendra Setiawan, quit the national team. Along with Fernaldi and Sanjaya, Olympic mixed double gold medalists Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir also won big. Gadi Makitan | Good news, meanwhile, for Indonesian sports fans. Kompas Newspaper has splashed a photo of the Indonesian badminton men’s double players Marcus Fernaldi and Kevin Sanjaya, celebrating their victory in the China Open Super Series Premier yesterday. Indonesians love badminton, and the pair’s victory has sparked hope for a new star in men’s doubles after the country’s hero, Hendra Setiawan, quit the national team. Along with Fernaldi and Sanjaya, Olympic mixed double gold medalists Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir also won big. Gadi Makitan |
| For more on Indonesia’s role on the global stage, Elisabeth Pisani – author of the well-received Indonesia, Etc – has weighed in on the sleeping giant that is the world’s fourth-largest country: | For more on Indonesia’s role on the global stage, Elisabeth Pisani – author of the well-received Indonesia, Etc – has weighed in on the sleeping giant that is the world’s fourth-largest country: |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 5.05am GMT | at 5.05am GMT |
| 4.41am GMT | 4.41am GMT |
| 04:41 | 04:41 |
| Nick Van Mead | Nick Van Mead |
| Out of breath in Jakarta | Out of breath in Jakarta |
| The never-ending flood of motorbikes, cars and minibuses belching black smoke mean Jakarta city centre is not renowned for its clean air, nor as a prime running location. | The never-ending flood of motorbikes, cars and minibuses belching black smoke mean Jakarta city centre is not renowned for its clean air, nor as a prime running location. |
| That didn’t stop hundreds joining the Jakarta Ultra 100K, though, a night-time run along busy highways last Saturday night. The course follows four 25K loops to the east, south, west and north of the city so runners could choose a 4x25K relay, 2x50K or the full 100K. The end of each section brought us back to one of the city’s ubiquitous shopping malls, where running clubs gave enthusiastic support. | That didn’t stop hundreds joining the Jakarta Ultra 100K, though, a night-time run along busy highways last Saturday night. The course follows four 25K loops to the east, south, west and north of the city so runners could choose a 4x25K relay, 2x50K or the full 100K. The end of each section brought us back to one of the city’s ubiquitous shopping malls, where running clubs gave enthusiastic support. |
| Jakarta 100K - traffic was an issue ... But atmosphere was great https://t.co/SXLZcQgcAk | Jakarta 100K - traffic was an issue ... But atmosphere was great https://t.co/SXLZcQgcAk |
| Vehicle emissions account for 70% of Jakarta’s air pollution and – although it doesn’t reach the levels experienced in Beijing or Delhi – it doesn’t feel too healthy running through an underpass beside a battered Kopaja minibus with a poorly maintained diesel engine. The high humidity and the temperature, which can’t have dropped much below 30C all night, didn’t help. | Vehicle emissions account for 70% of Jakarta’s air pollution and – although it doesn’t reach the levels experienced in Beijing or Delhi – it doesn’t feel too healthy running through an underpass beside a battered Kopaja minibus with a poorly maintained diesel engine. The high humidity and the temperature, which can’t have dropped much below 30C all night, didn’t help. |
| Even if a road in Jakarta does have is a pavement it’s likely to be blocked by parked cars and street-food stalls, or feature a gaping hole to the sewer below, so everybody ran on the road. If you left more than a couple of feet between you and the kerb a motorbike would soon squeeze past. | Even if a road in Jakarta does have is a pavement it’s likely to be blocked by parked cars and street-food stalls, or feature a gaping hole to the sewer below, so everybody ran on the road. If you left more than a couple of feet between you and the kerb a motorbike would soon squeeze past. |
| As the sun came up I found myself running along Sudirman avenue towards the finish with thousands of cyclists, walkers, skateboarders and runners enjoying the city’s weekly car-free morning. Fourteen hours on inner-city tarmac may not be everyone’s idea of fun but the Jakarta Ultra 100 was a friendly, positive event – and an unusual introduction to a new city. | As the sun came up I found myself running along Sudirman avenue towards the finish with thousands of cyclists, walkers, skateboarders and runners enjoying the city’s weekly car-free morning. Fourteen hours on inner-city tarmac may not be everyone’s idea of fun but the Jakarta Ultra 100 was a friendly, positive event – and an unusual introduction to a new city. |
| Every Sunday Jakarta closes its main street to cars and the people come out ... Why can't London have a #CarFreeDay? pic.twitter.com/uPvR8VL6fP | Every Sunday Jakarta closes its main street to cars and the people come out ... Why can't London have a #CarFreeDay? pic.twitter.com/uPvR8VL6fP |
| 4.15am GMT | 4.15am GMT |
| 04:15 | 04:15 |
| Welcome to Twitter City: is there no limit to Jakarta's social media obsession? | Welcome to Twitter City: is there no limit to Jakarta's social media obsession? |
| Chris Michael | Chris Michael |
| What do you do when your president gives an important press conference wearing a fly bomber? | What do you do when your president gives an important press conference wearing a fly bomber? |
| If you’re Jakartan, you start a hashtag, of course ... and within days the bomber sells out at Zara. | If you’re Jakartan, you start a hashtag, of course ... and within days the bomber sells out at Zara. |
| Your president would never... #JaketJokowi pic.twitter.com/UWZbBDVING | Your president would never... #JaketJokowi pic.twitter.com/UWZbBDVING |
| But it’s not just silly fashion memes. Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, and you might expect a worried or even terrified reaction to the election in the US of a man who has threatened to create a Muslim registry. | But it’s not just silly fashion memes. Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, and you might expect a worried or even terrified reaction to the election in the US of a man who has threatened to create a Muslim registry. |
| Instead, Kate Lamb found a country that is quick to turn to viral humour when things go wrong. From Trump memes to Isis jokes, check out the very best of Jakarta’s unique obsession with social media in her special report: | Instead, Kate Lamb found a country that is quick to turn to viral humour when things go wrong. From Trump memes to Isis jokes, check out the very best of Jakarta’s unique obsession with social media in her special report: |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.16am GMT | at 4.16am GMT |
| 3.36am GMT | 3.36am GMT |
| 03:36 | 03:36 |
| The Great Correspondents' Race | The Great Correspondents' Race |
| Chris Michael | Chris Michael |
| Throughout the day, our correspondents are reporting from around the city. Tell them what to do! Either in the comments below or via #guardianjakarta | Throughout the day, our correspondents are reporting from around the city. Tell them what to do! Either in the comments below or via #guardianjakarta |
| David Munk’s Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad City | David Munk’s Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad City |
| So, I’m going to be whizzing – if that is the right word – around Jakarta using as many different transport forms I can find. Jakarta is notorious for its dreadful traffic and Indonesians have embraced the latest techno fixes to assuage this – mainly with apps for taxis and motorcycle rides. But still an average commute into the city can last a couple of hours, if not more. Follow me on @davidmunk and on the blog to see how I get on. David Munk, international news editor for Asia-Pacific | So, I’m going to be whizzing – if that is the right word – around Jakarta using as many different transport forms I can find. Jakarta is notorious for its dreadful traffic and Indonesians have embraced the latest techno fixes to assuage this – mainly with apps for taxis and motorcycle rides. But still an average commute into the city can last a couple of hours, if not more. Follow me on @davidmunk and on the blog to see how I get on. David Munk, international news editor for Asia-Pacific |
| Trip 2: the minibus. No doors and a man with a ukulele hanging off the side. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/mA9tWWIUW3 | Trip 2: the minibus. No doors and a man with a ukulele hanging off the side. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/mA9tWWIUW3 |
| Jamie’s Indonesian: the street food sleuth | Jamie’s Indonesian: the street food sleuth |
| They say to get to know a city you really need to get to know its food – and in Jakarta that means heading to the street. While the city has lots of restaurants – from Michelin-starred fine dining to burger bars and local neighbourhood joints – most of Jakarta’s estimated 10 million inhabitants will rarely, if ever, set foot in any of them. Instead, eating out will usually mean a plate of nasi goreng (fried rice) perched on a stool at a rickety table on the pavement or grabbing a bag of bakso (meatballs) from one of the ubiquitous wooden food carts plying their trade on every street corner. Jamie Wilson, international news editor | They say to get to know a city you really need to get to know its food – and in Jakarta that means heading to the street. While the city has lots of restaurants – from Michelin-starred fine dining to burger bars and local neighbourhood joints – most of Jakarta’s estimated 10 million inhabitants will rarely, if ever, set foot in any of them. Instead, eating out will usually mean a plate of nasi goreng (fried rice) perched on a stool at a rickety table on the pavement or grabbing a bag of bakso (meatballs) from one of the ubiquitous wooden food carts plying their trade on every street corner. Jamie Wilson, international news editor |
| Right, I'm on the hunt for Jakarta's best street food, starting in Kota - the city's Chinatown #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/B4mPeLm274 | Right, I'm on the hunt for Jakarta's best street food, starting in Kota - the city's Chinatown #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/B4mPeLm274 |
| Kate Lamb’s Humans of the Kampung | Kate Lamb’s Humans of the Kampung |
| I’m spending time today in the kampungs – the local neighbourhoods – of Jakarta, reporting on the fascinating characters who live and work there: from mobile playground operators to octogenarian chess stars and a real-life practitioner of the (illegal) arts of black magic. Kate Lamb, Jakarta stringer | I’m spending time today in the kampungs – the local neighbourhoods – of Jakarta, reporting on the fascinating characters who live and work there: from mobile playground operators to octogenarian chess stars and a real-life practitioner of the (illegal) arts of black magic. Kate Lamb, Jakarta stringer |
| When the toy shop comes to you! Right outside your school gates. Jakarta's magic is often portable. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/Bi96sKK20W | When the toy shop comes to you! Right outside your school gates. Jakarta's magic is often portable. #GuardianJakarta pic.twitter.com/Bi96sKK20W |
| Oliver Holmes: Teach a man to fish... | Oliver Holmes: Teach a man to fish... |
| I’m working the north Jakarta beat – starting in Glodok, the capital’s Chinatown since the 17th century, when the Dutch were in control. I’ll work my way north, through the oldest parts of the city, to the port and meet fishermen who are concerned that plans to reclaim parts of the bay will destroy the livelihood on which their families have depended for centuries. Oliver Holmes, south-east Asian correspondent | I’m working the north Jakarta beat – starting in Glodok, the capital’s Chinatown since the 17th century, when the Dutch were in control. I’ll work my way north, through the oldest parts of the city, to the port and meet fishermen who are concerned that plans to reclaim parts of the bay will destroy the livelihood on which their families have depended for centuries. Oliver Holmes, south-east Asian correspondent |
| Follow along with them here and at #GuardianJakarta | Follow along with them here and at #GuardianJakarta |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 7.09am GMT | at 7.09am GMT |
| 3.21am GMT | 3.21am GMT |
| 03:21 | 03:21 |
| Francesca Perry | Francesca Perry |
| How do you survive Jakarta’s traffic? | How do you survive Jakarta’s traffic? |
| Our question for Monday morning is: what are your top tips for staying sane in the rush hour traffic? Do you listen to music or play games? How do you spend all those hours – and can they be fun? Share your tips and stories in the comments below, or on Twitter using #GuardianJakarta. | Our question for Monday morning is: what are your top tips for staying sane in the rush hour traffic? Do you listen to music or play games? How do you spend all those hours – and can they be fun? Share your tips and stories in the comments below, or on Twitter using #GuardianJakarta. |
| Retno says food and music is the answer... | Retno says food and music is the answer... |
| @guardiancities Prepare some meals, and good radio channel to avoid the traffic madness ;) #GuardianJakarta | @guardiancities Prepare some meals, and good radio channel to avoid the traffic madness ;) #GuardianJakarta |
| Are some Jakarta traffic jams worse than others? If you think you’re stuck in the worst congestion, tweet or Instagram a photo using #GuardianJakarta. The picture showing the craziest traffic jam will get featured in the blog! | Are some Jakarta traffic jams worse than others? If you think you’re stuck in the worst congestion, tweet or Instagram a photo using #GuardianJakarta. The picture showing the craziest traffic jam will get featured in the blog! |
| Pertanyaan kami untuk Senin pagi: Apa sajakah saran kamu yang paling utama untuk bisa tetap waras di kemacetan jalan di jam sibuk? Apakah kamu mendengar musik atau bermain games? Bagaimana kamu menghabiskan jam-jam itu – bisakah kegiatan itu menyenangkan? Bagi saran-saran dan ceritamu di bagian komentar di bawah ini, atau melalui Twitter dengan tagar #GuardianJakarta. | Pertanyaan kami untuk Senin pagi: Apa sajakah saran kamu yang paling utama untuk bisa tetap waras di kemacetan jalan di jam sibuk? Apakah kamu mendengar musik atau bermain games? Bagaimana kamu menghabiskan jam-jam itu – bisakah kegiatan itu menyenangkan? Bagi saran-saran dan ceritamu di bagian komentar di bawah ini, atau melalui Twitter dengan tagar #GuardianJakarta. |
| Apakah kemacetan jalanan di bagian tertentu Jakarta lebih parah daripada di bagian lain? Kalau menurutmu kamu terjebak dikemacetan terparah, twit atau pajang fotonya di Instagram menggunakan #GuardianJakarta. Gambar-gambar yang menunjukkan kemacetan tergila akan ditampilkan di blog ini! | Apakah kemacetan jalanan di bagian tertentu Jakarta lebih parah daripada di bagian lain? Kalau menurutmu kamu terjebak dikemacetan terparah, twit atau pajang fotonya di Instagram menggunakan #GuardianJakarta. Gambar-gambar yang menunjukkan kemacetan tergila akan ditampilkan di blog ini! |
| 3.11am GMT | 3.11am GMT |
| 03:11 | 03:11 |
| Nick Van Mead | Nick Van Mead |
| Jakarta by numbers | Jakarta by numbers |
| Around 10 million people live in the City of Jakarta itself – but the wider metropolitan area is home to an estimated 30 million. | Around 10 million people live in the City of Jakarta itself – but the wider metropolitan area is home to an estimated 30 million. |
| Much recent growth has been adding to this wider sprawl, with predictions that Greater Jakarta’s population could swell to 40 million by 2040. That could make it the biggest metropolitan area in the world. | Much recent growth has been adding to this wider sprawl, with predictions that Greater Jakarta’s population could swell to 40 million by 2040. That could make it the biggest metropolitan area in the world. |
| Motorcycle use is on the rise, as shown by the graphic below, which uses data from the last comprehensive transport survey in 2010. | Motorcycle use is on the rise, as shown by the graphic below, which uses data from the last comprehensive transport survey in 2010. |
| Because much of new development on the edge of the city is low density – and has poor or non-existent public transport connections – critics worry Jakarta’s famously bad traffic could get even worse. | Because much of new development on the edge of the city is low density – and has poor or non-existent public transport connections – critics worry Jakarta’s famously bad traffic could get even worse. |
| Yoga Adiwinarto, country director of ITDP-Indonesia, the local branch of the non-profit Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, says: | Yoga Adiwinarto, country director of ITDP-Indonesia, the local branch of the non-profit Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, says: |
| The government is allowing low-density development outside the city, and the wider metro area is spreading. That makes it difficult for public transport because there isn’t the coverage. We need high density development where your first option is walking or cycling, and for longer journeys you can use the bus or metro. | The government is allowing low-density development outside the city, and the wider metro area is spreading. That makes it difficult for public transport because there isn’t the coverage. We need high density development where your first option is walking or cycling, and for longer journeys you can use the bus or metro. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.05am GMT | at 4.05am GMT |
| 3.02am GMT | 3.02am GMT |
| 03:02 | 03:02 |
| Welcome to Guardian Cities – live in Jakarta! | Welcome to Guardian Cities – live in Jakarta! |
| Chris Michael | Chris Michael |
| It’s 10am, the heat is already sweltering, and we’re about to kick off a week of stories, photojournalism and live events exploring all aspects of life here in the capital of Indonesia. | It’s 10am, the heat is already sweltering, and we’re about to kick off a week of stories, photojournalism and live events exploring all aspects of life here in the capital of Indonesia. |
| In partnership with local Jakarta journalists, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at the stories that tend to go under-reported even in the city itself – from malls, to rats, to the city’s controversial new flood defence scheme (which, if the pop-up lake outside our office last night was any indication, is desperately needed). | In partnership with local Jakarta journalists, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at the stories that tend to go under-reported even in the city itself – from malls, to rats, to the city’s controversial new flood defence scheme (which, if the pop-up lake outside our office last night was any indication, is desperately needed). |
| With its reputation as the world’s most active city for social media, we’re excited to hear from Jakartans – so get involved! | With its reputation as the world’s most active city for social media, we’re excited to hear from Jakartans – so get involved! |
| Today, stay with us on the liveblog over the next 12 hours – as I type this, our Jakartan correspondents are braving the traffic to report from across this hazy, chaotic metropolis. There will be loads to come through the day, including a Q+A with 17-year-old rap sensation Rich Chigga on fame, kush and living with his mom, and Kate Lamb’s live session with a suburban black magic practitioner. | Today, stay with us on the liveblog over the next 12 hours – as I type this, our Jakartan correspondents are braving the traffic to report from across this hazy, chaotic metropolis. There will be loads to come through the day, including a Q+A with 17-year-old rap sensation Rich Chigga on fame, kush and living with his mom, and Kate Lamb’s live session with a suburban black magic practitioner. |
| In the meantime, I personally am haunted by the following uncanny display, spotted at the Grand Indonesia. (As with rats in New York, in Jakarta you’re never far from a mall.) | In the meantime, I personally am haunted by the following uncanny display, spotted at the Grand Indonesia. (As with rats in New York, in Jakarta you’re never far from a mall.) |
| At first, I thought it was a collection of funny kitchen magnets, or maybe “display food”, like you might see outside a Japanese restaurant. | At first, I thought it was a collection of funny kitchen magnets, or maybe “display food”, like you might see outside a Japanese restaurant. |
| But it appears to be actual food. Shrinkwrapped. Magnetised. And stuck to a metal cabinet. | But it appears to be actual food. Shrinkwrapped. Magnetised. And stuck to a metal cabinet. |
| Jakartans ... explain? Tweet us at #GuardianJakarta | Jakartans ... explain? Tweet us at #GuardianJakarta |
| Selamat datang di siaran langsung Guardian Cities Week dari Jakarta! | Selamat datang di siaran langsung Guardian Cities Week dari Jakarta! |
| Sekarang pukul 10.00 WIB di ibukota Indonesia, dan selama sepekan kami akan mulai dengan serangkaian cerita, beberapa acara, dan juga liputan langsung jelajah berbagai aspek kehidupan di Jakarta – dari proyek reklamasi yang kontroversial, beragam budaya di Jakarta, sampai reputasi bahwa Jakarta adalah salah satu kota pengguna sosial media teraktif di dunia. | Sekarang pukul 10.00 WIB di ibukota Indonesia, dan selama sepekan kami akan mulai dengan serangkaian cerita, beberapa acara, dan juga liputan langsung jelajah berbagai aspek kehidupan di Jakarta – dari proyek reklamasi yang kontroversial, beragam budaya di Jakarta, sampai reputasi bahwa Jakarta adalah salah satu kota pengguna sosial media teraktif di dunia. |
| Bekerja sama dengan wartawan lokal, kami akan mendalami kisah-kisah yang cenderung kurang terceritakan. Kami juga akan meliput kisah orang-orang yang jaranf terdengar. | Bekerja sama dengan wartawan lokal, kami akan mendalami kisah-kisah yang cenderung kurang terceritakan. Kami juga akan meliput kisah orang-orang yang jaranf terdengar. |
| Ikut blog siaran langsung kami selama 12 jam kedepan selagi kami menjelajahi kota yang megah namun semrawut ini. | Ikut blog siaran langsung kami selama 12 jam kedepan selagi kami menjelajahi kota yang megah namun semrawut ini. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.08am GMT | at 4.08am GMT |