Today’s adventure took us to the National Museum of Indonesia, a place filled with history, artifacts, and… a rather freestyle approach to curation. With no clear path to follow, we embraced the art of wandering, letting history find us.
The highlight? Nandi, the chillest bull statue around. In Sanskrit, Nandi means “happiness,” and honestly, this guy looked like he had life figured out—lounging in stone, guarding Shiva’s abode like a serious yet serene bouncer of the divine realm. 🐂✨
Unexpected plot twist: we became minor celebrities when groups of school kids asked for photos with us. Were we exuding major historical importance? Exotic foreigner energy? Either way, we basked in our fleeting fame.
Lunch was a flavorful trip to Palembang, via a local restaurant serving specialties from South Sumatra. Mie Celor, a creamy, shrimp-infused noodle soup, instantly transported us back to some of the best bowls we had in Thailand. Meanwhile, Marat went bold with Pinang Ika Patin, a spicy-sour catfish soup. His verdict? “Interesting.” Which, as we all know, is code for still processing the flavor experience.
We wrapped up the day at Istiqlal Mosque, Indonesia’s largest mosque, standing proudly across from the Neo-Gothic Church of Our Lady of the Assumption. A breathtaking symbol of harmony, where a grand mosque and a towering cathedral stand side by side—because tolerance isn’t just an idea here, it’s architecture. Jakarta, you keep impressing us. What’s next?
