This is why I love Jakarta

Any other major metropolitan city of 15+ million residents have two full days of scheduled blackouts or am I full of White Whine today? Dear all, We have been informed by PLN that electricity will be cut off at various times around Jakarta in the next few days. Here is the schedule for Kelapa Gading: Friday, February 22 – 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Saturday, February 23 – 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. *PLN is the sole electric company forRead more

Keeping dry

How’s that umbrella workin out for ya buddy? Well, I’d love to come out with some dramatic story about our struggles to survive through the floods this year, but I’d be fibbing more than a little. After my previous post, (as I was watching the canal in front of my work flood over its banks) we were safely ‘evacuated’ to the Kristal Hotel (three bedroom full suite). I spent the weekend swimming in chlorine, not sewage. We decided things wereRead more

Jakarta floods 2008 – Welcome to the Suck

Well, ironically enough, it’s exactly one year to the day that we experienced flooding last year, and it’s happening again. If you’ve never seen my photos and writing from that experience, you may want to take a look. Starting last night, heavy rains have saturated Jakarta. Since I’m in the north part of the city, only 3km from the ocean, we’re at or below sea level, and even one day of rain can cause flooding. As I look out myRead more

Powerful quake strikes Indonesia – felt in Jakarta and Singapore

Although we’re fine here in Jakarta, this brings back memories from the Asian Tsunami. I live only two miles from the ocean, and barely above sea level. JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) — A strong earthquake measuring 7.9 in magnitude has struck near southern Indonesia, sending employees fleeing into the street and triggering a small tsunami. art.quake.ap.jpg Companies have ordered immediate emergency evacuations. Brian Shiro of the National Oceanic and Atmopheric Administration’s Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the tsunami measured about twoRead more

The promise of a journey

A harbor hundreds of years old shelters these mammoth beauties. They’re still used to haul goods from other islands within Indonesia. A friend and I actually considered riding one to Sulewesi. This is actually a different photo than the one posted yesterday, not just a different effect.Read more