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The Bitter Truth: How Much Jakarta Has Changed

'It’s a great thing that the city’s main streets are packed with colorful bicycles now. I think it’s good for the city since it may encourage people to adopt a green lifestyle.' (Antara Photo/Rosa Panggabean)

A decade ago, people didn’t go to the coffee shop the way they do now. People, including me, were still not familiar with names like “latte” or “espresso.” Most people would usually go for cappuccino, since it had been heavily mentioned in books or movies.

But things have changed now, as new coffee shops, each with a different concept, seem to emerge almost every day. It’s not difficult to find a good coffee shop in the capital now, where you can just lay back on a comfortable chair while reading a good book.

Beer wasn’t really a favorite among young people, as far as I can remember. People still could get a nice, cold beer when they went to a nightclub, but finding a great beer house was out of the question. But look at us now — the phrase “Let’s hang out at a beer house” has become a catchy, and normal, invitation to others.

We didn’t see as many bicycles as we see now on the streets. During that time, the trend was to modify your car with big, shiny rims. Turning your car into a lowrider was also considered cool, although it meant you had to drive super slow when you passed a speed bump, also known as polisi tidur, or sleeping police.

It’s a great thing that the city’s main streets are packed with colorful bicycles now, mostly those trendy, fixed-gear two-wheelers. Some say it’s just a temporary trend, but whatever it is, I think it’s good for the city since it may encourage people to adopt a green lifestyle.

Ten years ago, there were only three malls I used to go to with my friends. Other malls were too far for me, while some weren’t that good. But now, the number of malls has increased very significantly.

Life was simpler back then, and it wasn’t hard to decide where to go. Now, people can spend more than 10 minutes just to decide which mall they should visit. “Oh, not that mall. Let’s go to this mall instead,” people will tell their friends.

There was only one movie theater chain at that time, a clear sign of a business monopoly. Most people didn’t complain, though, perhaps because we were still used to the conditions under former President Suharto’s authoritarian regime. The movie ticket prices were cheap every Monday, which was the chain’s promotion day.

We have two theater chains now, with the newer chain having a fancy interior design, bigger screens and more Asian and independent movies. This is good for the customers, of course, since it has forced the old chain to improve its services.

In the past, some people still thought it was inappropriate for a woman to smoke. Of course, this perception has quickly faded. Women who smoke are now considered as, well, women who smoke. You’ll easily find a group of young women confidently hang out in public while enjoying their cigarettes. Whether it’s a good thing or bad, you decide.

This is important. A decade ago, it took me less than 30 minutes to go from my house to a mall in the Senayan area, even during busy times. Now, taking an ojek would be the only way I could get to the place that quickly.

I blame this condition on the existence of TransJakarta busway, which occupies one lane of the city’s main roads, and also the integrated public transportation system that still hasn’t been realized.

There are many other things that have changed in the Big Durian, making it a very livable and dynamic place. For better or worse, this is the place I call home.

Jakarta Jungle follows the stories and views of individuals from every walk of life in our maddening, bustling, and colorful city.