The Years of my childhood in Indonesia

Life was so different***sight***

I spent most of my early childhood in Indonesia - Jakarta. It was long ago in the mid 60s. We lived first in the area of Kebajoran, then moved to Jalan Kemiri No: 14.

Sarina, the first and only department store was just being built. Pasar Baru was the shopping street, just across the canal. Chekini was our green market, and Hotel Indonesia was the only Hotel where we went to the pool and ate fantastic ice cream. It had two bars Nirvana and Ramajana...I was to young to go there anyway, hah. I still remember a beautiful shop with Japanese dolls.

We ate at many Chinese restaurants, and that's when I started loving kodok goreng, as well as nasi goreng, sate ajam, sate babi, krupuk, durjan, mangistan, rambutan...etc.

We had a weekend bungalow at Chibulan mountain...just past Bogor where Sukarno's residence was, and the most beautiful botanical garden I ever saw. Just above Chibulan, much higher, was the mountain of Punchak, still remember the big and delicious pancakes we ate there.

We went to Merak...a beach with neither Hotels or restaurants, just a plain beach with lots of palm trees. Then, yet another one called Plambuanratu...from where you could see in the distance Krakataul,  a volcano , silent but alive, and where it was dangerous to swim, they used to say the current was so strong , the sea would just carry you away...

We visited many places, Bandung, which was then the academic city with many universities. Near by were a few volcanoes, one with 3 craters, where you could go right down to one of the craters and see the boiling bubbles...I remember after that trip we slept at our Chibulan bungalow for 24 hrs due to the sulphur gases.

Then the beautiful pagodas at Borobudur, what a sight, what beauty, peaceful and tranquil.

The island of Bali. City of Denpasar, at that time with only one hotel.Woman were still only in their batiks and top-less, washing sarong and clothes in crystal clear ponds. Beautiful Bali paintings and wooden handy crafts.

I went to American International School, and still remember my friends; Helga from Norway, then Renata, Rebecca and Jennifer, Scott, Vincent...oh , so many. My teachers name was Miss Thompson.

There was a Yacht Club, Jalan Diponegoro was the street where all the Embassies were located, there was a tall statue with  golden fire...the colorful trees of Planboajan and the smell of Kamodja flowers.

I remember there was no chocolate...we had to order it from Australia, and Quantas brought in the supplies once a month, and Osterman...most of the shopping was done in Singapore, where we always stayed at The Goodwood Hotel.

Those were the beautiful days of my childhood, some peaceful times, then the revolution and turbulent times....then peaceful again, and yet so pure, clear, unspoiled and untouched by the civilization.

Today, I can only look back with nostalgia, and say: "Those were the most beautiful days of my childhood, those were the most serene places...what have we done???

 

...to be continued

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