Monthly Archives: July 2008

Hotels

Mercure Rekso Hayam Wuruk Hotel Jakarta – My Review

After getting off the train from the Gambir train station in Jakarta, I proceed to the taxi counter. A lady staff at the counter asked me on my destination and immediately she got a cab for me. That was pleasantly fast. I took my ride on the cab expecting that it will be a quick ride to my hotel – the Mercure Rekso Hayam Wuruk Hotel. After all, the distance between the train station and this hotel is not far away. That is a fact, but sometimes facts and reality are totally different. The problem is the traffic. I was totally stuck in a slow snailing crawling traffic on the busy road. In fact at that time I was thinking if I could just walk, it is even faster than sitting in the cab.

The Mercure Rekso Hayam Wuruk hotel is located in the North of Jakarta in the area called Glodok. In Glodok, you can see lots of local Chinese Indonesians; most of them are running their businesses over here. The Chinese in Indonesia are very enterprising people. Take a stroll around Glodok and you will soon realized that the Indonesian Chinese have the inborn ability to seize business opportunities whenever they sees it. This hotel is very near to the Presidential Palace. In fact if you are taking a cab, you will probably pass by it. Yes, the Presidential Palace looks grand and beautiful and unfortunately No, you can’t walk in and visit it.

Checking in was smooth and professional; but somehow I just couldn’t feel the warmth hospitality here as compared to other hotels, especially the smaller hotels. Anyway, that is not a major issue for me. I took my luggage and walked to the lift and head straight to my room. When I saw my room, I liked it straight away.

The room was spacious, clean and well layout. The bed and the pillows were clean and firm. One of the first thing that caught my eyes was the large flat screen TV on the table. Many hotels in Jakarta are still having the old conventional CRT TV. The air-conditioned was strong and cold. In fact I need to tune it down as I normally do not like room that is too cold. I got a room with a good view of the city, which is nice. There is a mini fridge for cold drinks as well as a small kettle where you can make a cup of coffee/tea. And yes, there is a small safe deposit box that is placed inside the wardrobe. The bathroom is clean and spacious enough for easy movement. There is a clean bathtub as well as a hairdryer. On the whole, I find the room cosy and comfortable.

If you intend to walk around the area near the hotel, you do need to watch out for heavy traffic on the roads. There isn’t any pedestrian malls or pavements that you can walk safely. The nearest mall that you can walk to is the LTC Glodok. But if you keen in shopping for the latest fashion or accessories. this is not the place. LTC Glodok is a mall that caters mainly to businesses. It is a mall where you can get all kinds of hardware, ventilation fans, bolts and nuts, pipes, etc. However, there is a supermarket and food court which still cater to some of your personal needs. If you still want to shop for clothes, you can take a cab and asked him to take you to Mangga Dua which is relatively nearby. For sightseeing, the national monument and the national museum is also nearby. But you still need to take a cab to reach there. I don’t advise walking too much, as you will be walking along the main roads with lots of vehicles very close to you.

For more information on Mercure Rekso Hayam Wuruk hotel in Jakarta; and information and photos on Indonesia, do visit our website at :- Indonesiapics.com

Art

Wood Carvings in Indonesia

Whenever I am in a store or gallery that displayed art, pictures, paintings or wood carving statues, I will take some time to browse through the works. Most of the art works that I have seen shows a reflection of the cultures and people of Indonesia.

I am particularly amazed at the display of wood carvings in Indonesia. Taking a block of wood and turning it into a beautiful art piece is really amazing to me. Wood carvings can indeed brings out the emotions in us when we appreciate the beauty of the art piece. Perhaps that is the reason why so many tourists coming into Indonesia would buy them and take it home.

The art of wood carvings in Indonesia has been handed down from one generation to the next. It is in central Java – Bali and Jepara; that the art of wood carvings thrives. Most of the work that you see are ornamental, statues of men and women, animals, mythological animals, jewel boxes, puppets and antique furniture. So there is a wide spectrum of works that you can see and appreciate.

Basically there are a few types of wood that are being used. You have the soft white wood – Belalu, which is cheap and is normally used to carve out for wooden toys or small souvenirs. Hard wood such as the crocodile wood which is white in color and the rain tree (Suar wood ) which is type of brown hard work, are also commonly used. However you seldom see Teak being used. This is because it is very expensive. Teak is regarded as a “Royal” or King of all woods. It is a real beauty and can last for generations.

Statutes of wood carvings in Indonesia are popular among tourists. Examples are statutes of Javanese woman, man or couples. You can see it in the photos here as well as in my website. For myself, I like statutes of Javanese woman, especially when they are dressed up in their traditional costumes. They look beautiful when you displayed them in your living room.

So the next time if you are in Indonesia, take some time to view some wood carvings. I am sure you will love it as much as I do. Prices of wood carvings are rather subjective. There are large stores that sells them on fixed prices and there also small vendors on the streets where bargaining is the norm.

For more information on wood carvings, arts and life in Indonesia, please visit our website at – Indonesiapics.com