in Djakarta

Way Of

King At It

ere are 3,000,000

in Djakarta

• s. C. M. Ratard, of Aore, New ides, sends this interesting nary of impressions gained re ly in a visit to Djakarta, capital \donesia. spite of much-publicised ►olitical trouble in Indonesia, ava is still a lovely island, with lie people. They are kind, ul and most generous, when jet to know them, many are not quite trained to al procedures, we spent several ; at the airport in Djakarta, passports were seen by at least terent officers, who took note ery detail. By the time fellow llers had gone through Customs, ere among the last and were itted through without having a i bag opened. ause of the present unrest, ™t after district was raided oncealed fire-arms. Our hotel ts turn at 2 a.m., soon after rived. was most impressive, having helmeted soldiers, bayonets tramping with heavy boots £h our rooms whilst guards i outside with machine-guns, onesians have a great sense of

humour and I think our soldiers quite enjoyed the fun. We did, in any case. The pyjama-party ended up in the courtyard with hotel guests giving their post-mortem on pioceedmgs.

Other harassed guests, mostly Americans, tried to squeeze in some extra sleep and yelled a few “shut ups ’ at some excitable, loud-voiced Italians.

There really was nothing frighten ing in the anti-white slogans splashed across buildings, windows and walls, in dripping red paint.

Hot-headed youngsters were, no doubt, responsible as a result of Japanese training during the occupation period, apart from the fact that they gave the city an ugly look.

Bandits in the hills can at times become a nuisance. They, as adolescents, were Japanese-trained in guerilla warfare and since the war have preferred to continue easier living by raiding cars and villages whenever supplies run short.

BUSINESS is mainly conducted by Chinese, who all fly the Red Flag outside their shops in Chinatown. They are numerous and life to them must be profitable, as many invest in luxurious homes and expensive American cars.

Wherever we went, the people were always ready to help out with directions. Not all could understand English; but soon we learned some

of their tongue with the aid of a small dictionary and idiom booklet Other than that, simple signs were used as a last resort, which often led to confusion and laughter.

For town travel, we employed bet jaks, which cost us 10 rupiahs an hour. These vehicles have replaced rickshaws and are more humane.

Instead of boy pulling cart, the betjak is like a big tricycle, with well sprung seat in front and de tachable overhead cover. Driver is mounted at the back on a bicycle seat and pedals his way in and out of heavy traffic with alarming rapidity and dexterity. Although he takes risks, one soon gets confidence in his wonderful road sense and ability to swerve at the right moment!

Under these carriages there are home-made devices: rubber-bands strung across the undercarriage which produce a humming sound when speeding down-hill or against the wind; also special types of bells attached underneath, with a long lead to driver’s hand. These bells are pulled to tingle at the slightest provocation warning pedestrians; passing cars; or crossing roads. With over 3,000 betjaks in Djakarta city, one can imagine the continuous melodious sounds, not forgetting the humming of rubber-bands.

APART from locally grown food, which is reasonably cheap, im ported goods pay up to 400 per cent. duty. No control of prices is apparent in Indonesia. With patient bargaining, one can reduce prices by one-third to half, depending on the items. Many novel wares, carvings and paintings (including crocodile and alligator or snake-skin hand bags) , are peddled along the street right up to hotel gates.

Open-air “restaurants” for labour ers are dotted all over Djakarta’s modern streets. These consist of four to six poles, with bits of iron coverings, with hessian or canvas side-flaps in case of rain. Customers call at these “cuisines” for a leaf full of rice, splashed with small bits of meat or fish-balls in spicy sauces.

Mobile “kitchens” are also

plentiful. Vendors or suspend two fairly large cas either end of a long rod str across their shoulders. In cases or “cabinets” are three o shelves with prepared food water, syrups, plates, cups, etc bottom shelf at back holds ai fire in a tin container, w reserve stock of kindling wo

a up tea and food when re id. the vendor trots along with aspended stove, he beats a short i of metal against a wooden : held in the hand, which hangs y over from the shoulder rod. regular sound of a small tom makes known his presence in icighbourhood. Similar methods ised by ice-cream and basket aroom vendors. sre are over 3 million inhabit in Djakarta, against li million (rears ago. Unfortunately, those the hills and outskirts have permitted to invade the city, ig it a seething mass of bodies ng in door-ways, looking for or simply begging. However, in of this unfortunate state, most em are always ready with a whenever one is prepared to with them. ite obviously one needs a :l sense of humour to enjoy i a Police state. A couple of ago, the Publisher of PIM a similar experience near rta when an Indonesian guard poked a tommy-gun ) ribs and searched him; and is NOT amused—Ed. PIM )