Jakarta Chinese New Year Trip - Day 1

As per usual practice in the last couple of years, we headed to Jakarta to celebrate Chinese New Year.  This time it was a 5 day trip.  We had the luxury of a longer trip courtesy of the weekend.  Flying by Garuda, we departed from Changi Airport's Terminal 3.  And this time, I had the opportunity to visit the Butterfly Garden with Lincoln prior to boarding the plane.  

Level 2 View of T3 Butterfly Garden @ Changi - A7RMk2 + Batis 2/25

The Butterfly Garden is a very nice enclosure in which you can get up close and sometimes personal with the colourful flying insects.  It's quite an enlightening experience as well when you learn about the most commonly found butterfly species and variants in Singapore - which if I remember correctly is the Common Rose butterfly.

Butterflies Everywhere - A7RMk2 + Batis 2/25

This incubating cabinet sure looks very interesting too, where you can see so many cocoons hanging around waiting for the caterpillars to complete their metamorphosis.    

Butterfly Incubating Cabinet - A7RMk2 + Batis 2/25

Apparently butterflies like fruits too, such as pineapple. 

Feeding on Pineapples - A7RMk2 + Batis 2/25

And after that short but engaging moment with the butterflies, it was time to leave for the boarding gate.  Shortly after, we were on board the plane heading towards Jakarta.  

Getting Ready For Take-Off - Galaxy A8+

It was a pleasant flight where I indulged myself with a gritty story about war on drugs, I watched "Sicario: Day of The Soldado".  Unfortunately I still had about 40 minutes left on the movie when the plane landed in Soekarno-Hatta International Airport which left me in some sort of a cliffhanger.  On arrival, my parents-in-law fetched us at the airport.  They really missed the kids and wouldn't miss a chance to meet up with the two little rascals.  

Since they haven't had lunch yet, we went to Muara Karang and stopped by Nasi Anai Galung.  It's a down to earth mixed rice eatery serving Indonesian home cooked food with a savoury profile.  I don't think you can find it on Google Maps yet, but the eatery is located at Jalan Pluit Karang Jelita near SunMerry Bakery, which you can't possibly miss so long you stay on the right side of the main road.  

Nasi Anai Galung - Galaxy A8+

And this, is the good stuff we had for our tea time.   Yep.....  we had it at about 3 pm...  just nice for tea time.  😁😁

Yep, nice and tasty mixed rice - Galaxy A8+

We finished that meal very quickly and headed to Mercure PIK, that was my second stay there, and a first for the kids.  No surprises as usual as everything was shipshape.  We took a short walk in PIK Avenue Mall next door before returning to the hotel for a quick shower and unwind just a while before heading to Hong He for dinner with my parents-in-law and my wife's uncle's family (that sure is a protracted term...😅😅).  This time around I did not forget to take photos of Hong He.  You can find Hong He on Jalan Pantai Indah Utara 2, on the side heading towards Muara Karang, opposite a Starbucks outlet.  

Hong He's Facade - Galaxy A8+

Snapshot of The Menu - Galaxy A8+

The meal was great, the fried noodle was very tasty and a clear favourite.  Almost reminds me of Ie Hwa in Surabaya... Dang, I sure want to go back to Surabaya too if I had the time.... 

Just some of the spread, there were 2 other dishes that are not in this photo - Galaxy A8+

After dinner, Lincoln wanted to have a go at martabak manis.  He didn't go full speed during dinner and had intentionally saved some space for dessert.  From the moment we arrived, he couldn't stop talking about how much he wanted to eat martabak manis.  Fortunately there's a martabak outlet right opposite the hotel called Martabak Pecenongan 43.  So we stopped by there before going back to the hotel.  

And we're ready for some MARTABAK! - Galaxy A8+

Here's a snapshot of the menu:

Yummy, greasy, sweet and sinful treat - Galaxy A8+

On that visit we ordered 1 and a half portion, we also shared some with my wife's family and driver.

The cook in action, smothering the freshly cooked martabak with butter - Galaxy A8+

Watching the cook make the martabak is very satisfying.  Perhaps it's due to the overload of cheese, chocolate and butter that gives such a strange feeling.  Don't believe me?  Watch this.

And after that cheese, chocolate & peanut overload, the cook went on to cut the martabak in half, folded it in and smacked some more butter!

And once he's done with that final step, he went on to cut the martabak into juicy slices and ferried them over into the box.  You know you can't wait to have him hand the box over to you so that you can quickly sink your teeth into those juicy martabak.  

And the cook placed the neatly cut martabak into the box - Galaxy A8+

And once you sink your teeth into those sweet, juicy morsels, you're hooked for good.  Fortunately (or rather, unfortunately) for me, I can only have 3 pieces at most.  I can't stand the sweetness and greasiness of that treat.  Perhaps due to age, or maybe just because I don't take sweet things that often anymore.  Lincoln however, ate double what I had, which is pretty impressive for a 9 year old...  On this occasion I also found that I enjoy simple flavour more, just plain condensed milk with no cheese and chocolate.  That's the kind of martabak I like.  😋😋   

And.... that was how the first day of the Jakarta trip unfolded.

Here's a closing shot for this entry:

An amazing sunset in PIK as viewed from our rooms - A7RMk2 + Batis 2/25

~Photos taken with Sony A7RMk2 + Zeiss Batis 2/25 & Samsung Galaxy A8+~