It's only an hour flight from Singapore but it's a different world. Looks similar when you land: palm trees, greenery, broad recently-built highways. As you make your way towards downtown, though, the likenesses fade. All the would-be colors come to you through a prism of brown smog, dulling them. The sun is presumably up there somewhere but you cannot be sure. We passed scores of shanty towns and a muddy flowless river. The building boom is in full swing here but strangely, the buildings - even those not yet completed - already look old. It's as if the 70's are back in vogue.
This is a shot from our hotel room in downtown Jakarta. The traffic is loud and unending, the sound of traffic police whistles can be heard even up here on the 16th floor. Pingles has gone to her meetings. I am off to walk around.
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