Escape | Learning Extraordinary Things From Ordinary Life

Tuesday, February 2^nd 2010

Sssttt… today my big boss going to Surabaya along with other board of directors. So, me and my office friends had a sweet escape. Yeaayyy! Oh ya, my friends who join in this “escaping event” are Mba Ida, Mba Hermi, Mba Mike and Ayu. Just for your information, all of them are Secretary of Board of Director. Hmm.. That’s what I call naughty secretary. Hahahaha. Kidding here!

Our destination is Museum Fatahillah, addressed in Taman Fatahillah Street No. 2, West Jakarta. After did zuhur, about 1 PM we are ran out smoothly from our office building. Hihiy. We decided to take Trans Jakarta Busway.

Trans Jakarta Busway

Our starting point is busway shuttle at Bank Indonesia. As you know, it spent only IDR 3.500 for each. Less then 10 minutes, our busway line ended up in busway shuttle located at Kota. Next, we did on foot to reach Museum Fatahillah. Don’t be worry, it’s not so far from the shuttle. Except if you hungry, maybe you gonna feel it’s a bit far. Hehehe.

And… Here we are, Museum Fatahillah which is also known as Jakarta History Museum.

Jakarta History Museum

Lunch! Yup, lunch was our very first agenda. Hahahaha. Then we go to a spot where many people selling food. You just have to choose. They have Burger, Gado-gado, Mie Ayam, Bakso, Somay, and another kind of food. We spent about IDR 7.000 until IDR 10.000 for the food and also beverage.

Lunch - Mba Ida

Lunch - Ayu

Lunch! - Mba Mike & Mba Hermi (Do u see the smiling face?)

In the yard of the museum so easily find Ontel Bicycle that you can rent. Too bad, we don’t have enough time to enjoy this stuff. Hey, did you ever hear that the front yard of this museum was the site execution for a man who dared to resist the VOC? That’s true, people (According to my History teacher at High School. Hehehehe).

Wanna take a ride?

The Execution

Done with lunch, we were straight to the Museum. Guess, how much the “bill”?? It’s only IDR 1.000 for each. Wow! It’s even cheaper than Trans Jakarta which brought us to be there.

The Ticket

The building of this Museum was built in 1710 as a city hall of Batavia. Jakarta History Museum, opened in 1974, displays objects from the prehistoric times of the city, the founding of Jayakarta in 1527, and through Dutch colonization from the 16^th century onwards until Indonesia’s Independence in 1945.

This old City Hall of Batavia occupies the site of its two predecessors. The current building of fine Dutch architecture was completed in 1710 and once served many civic and judiciary functions. Beneath the front portico lie some cells which were used as dungeons. The museum took over the premises in 1974 and offers a fine glimpse into the city’s colonial past. Thirty-seven ornate rooms display Dutch furniture, old maps, antiquities and Dutch East India Company (V.O.C.) memorabilia, recreating the atmosphere prevalent during the Dutch era.

Hermes, Son of Zeus (This Statue made from bronze)

Eyes Wind Directions in the roof top of Museum's Building

In one corner of the museum I had met with school children who had come from outside Jakarta (Pardon me, I forget exactly from where). Interesting for me, they have Indonesian tour guides who speak English.

Student

Once again, too bad, because a limited time (Museum closed at 4 PM), we did not get a chance to see the entire contents of the museum. Well, we gonna go again in other day.

Out side the museum building, I saw two old cars. We took a picture with one of those car.

With the Old Car

With the Old Car and With Me

Finally, we back to the office, again with Trans Jakarta Busway. While waiting for the busway, Mba Hermi’s leg hurt because the shuttle’s door suddenly closed. (Frankly, we were forgetting that the door can automatic closed. Hehehehe).

Mba Hermi's leg which is hurt by the door. Hehehe.

However, It was fun could visit one of famous museum in Jakarta (hopefully in Indonesia also). Fun! It’s like playing with a time machine and try to concoct, to imagine what happened in that place in the past. We still have another museum to be catch, gurls! Hahahaha. See ya!