Jakarta - Jakarta’s Kota Tua (Old Town) is often described as a walk through history — a colonial-era time capsule nestled within the buzzing chaos of modern Indonesia. On a recent visit, I decided to explore the area on foot and like many of my trips that start with a vague plan, I stumbled across a few unexpected gems and oddities.
My walk began along the river boulevard near Kali Besar, where the city has made efforts in recent years to revive the once-neglected waterway. Clean, paved, and lined with benches and trees, the riverwalk offered a pleasant break from Jakarta’s usual traffic-heavy streets. As I strolled down the boulevard, something peculiar caught my attention.
Standing awkwardly in yellow t-shirt and blue pants by the riverside was a statue of a road sweeper, complete with a broom, and a white hat. The statue, although meant to be respectful or symbolic, had an unintentionally comical vibe to it. This figure stood mid-sweep as if frozen in the act of spring cleaning eternity.
I crossed the street and found myself in front of a building — Toko Merah - The Red Shop.
From the outside, Toko Merah looks grand but inside it was undeniably weathered. Once a prominent Dutch merchant’s mansion built in 1730, its red-painted facade still gives it character, though time has clearly taken its toll. Peeling paint, boarded windows, and cracks in the plaster all tell stories of neglect, as the building awaits restoration.
To be honest, there wasn’t much to see from a historical standpoint that day. The building is open to the public but it's an empty shell of its once glorious self.
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