Day 1 of Jakarta exploration—let’s gooo! First mission: marching (okay, walking) to Monas (Monumen Nasional), the city’s giant golden torch at Merdeka Square. Because nothing says “tourist mode activated” like heading straight for the tallest landmark in town.
En route, we met some serious statue squad goals: General Sudirman, striking a power pose as if still leading troops (national hero of Indonesian revolution fighting for Indonesian sovereignty from Dutch after 1945), the Selamat Datang Monument, aka “Welcome to Jakarta, folks!”—because every city needs a giant greeting committee, and my personal fave, Arjuna Wijaya Statue. Picture this: a heroic Arjuna in a majestic horse-drawn chariot, driven by Krishna himself, rolling into battle. The legend is all things mythical, but tell me why it gave off major Versailles garden meets Indonesian epic energy? Regal. Dramatic. Insta-worthy. Loved the vibes.
