Visiting the National Monument in Jakarta
Ever since i first set foot on Indonesian soil on the 20th July 2012, i felt like that i wasn't seeing Indonesian property. I mean you can take a 36 minute ferry from Singapore to Batam. But your not seeing much of Indonesia as you are missing out on what is in Sumatra, Java Bali and all the other thousands of islands that make up the Republic of Indonesia.
If Jakarta is the capital of Indonesia then i guess it would be home to all the museums, monuments, war cemeteries and parliament that give Indonesia its identity.
If i wanted to go visit Jakarta then there was only one thing on my mind to see. The National Monument of Indonesia.
If Jakarta is the capital of Indonesia then i guess it would be home to all the museums, monuments, war cemeteries and parliament that give Indonesia its identity.
If i wanted to go visit Jakarta then there was only one thing on my mind to see. The National Monument of Indonesia.
I first laid my eyes on the National Monument at 10 PM on the last Monday of 2014. It was glowing in an aqua style colour. I knew I was finally in Jakarta after all the delays in getting here.
The next morning i walked all the way from the six degrees Hostel to the national monument. It was a bit of a walk as i couldn't be stuffed getting a Taxi or a Rickshaw. When i found myself at Gambir Station it was a long damn walk to get on the grounds as it was fenced off. One small gate is open for thousands of people to walk through it every day.
The next morning i walked all the way from the six degrees Hostel to the national monument. It was a bit of a walk as i couldn't be stuffed getting a Taxi or a Rickshaw. When i found myself at Gambir Station it was a long damn walk to get on the grounds as it was fenced off. One small gate is open for thousands of people to walk through it every day.
The grounds of the national monument are open from 8 AM till 3PM everyday. But it is closed on the last Monday of every month. Its free to get into the grounds. but it costs 5000 rupiah (50Cents) to get into the museum and 10,000 Rupiah to go to the top of the tower.
There are allot of hawkers trying to sell their food and their wears around the ground. Some idiot tried to sell me like 15 handmade postcards for 150,000 Rupiah ($15) and i was like "PISS OFF I JUST WANT TO SEND ONE TO MY MILF FRIEND IN SYDNEY!"
I paid 10,000 for a large cup of Ice Tea as it was allot better than the Starbucks of Bali Airport,
There are allot of hawkers trying to sell their food and their wears around the ground. Some idiot tried to sell me like 15 handmade postcards for 150,000 Rupiah ($15) and i was like "PISS OFF I JUST WANT TO SEND ONE TO MY MILF FRIEND IN SYDNEY!"
I paid 10,000 for a large cup of Ice Tea as it was allot better than the Starbucks of Bali Airport,
I'M MARTIN ANTHONY AND I AM IN JAKARTA
To get inside the national monument museum you need to go underground to buy your entry ticket. Once inside your free to wonder around
The bottom level shows about 60+ Dioramas that explain the history of Indonesia it started at 80,000 year ago as it explains what Indonesia went through many battles to become Independent. Its so awesome i drained the battery out of my camera by taking too many photos of the diorama .
The bottom level shows about 60+ Dioramas that explain the history of Indonesia it started at 80,000 year ago as it explains what Indonesia went through many battles to become Independent. Its so awesome i drained the battery out of my camera by taking too many photos of the diorama .
All the diorama are very interesting as they go through the timeline of Indonesian History right up until Timor's Annexation and the 1992 Non Aligned Movement conference in Jakarta.
When you go to the upper level of the Museum you are asked to be quiet as you will hear Sukarno read the deceleration of Independence. The exact document is houses in a glass container with the words that were typed in 1945. The Words of the Independence deceleration are printed in gold on the wall.
When you go to the upper level of the Museum you are asked to be quiet as you will hear Sukarno read the deceleration of Independence. The exact document is houses in a glass container with the words that were typed in 1945. The Words of the Independence deceleration are printed in gold on the wall.
In the center of the national monument is a large Block that shows a controversial map of Indonesia and when you look at it, you think that Indonesia OWNS all of Borneo and its still occupies East Timor. But the national monument was built in 1965 at the time when Indonesia was fighting Malaysia over the Northern States of Borneo.
A giant coat of Arms of Indonesia is displayed in the museum. I find it odd the country i was born in (Australia) was not properly decolonized like Indonesia. Aboriginal animals are on the coat of arms but the ugly imperialist flag of Australia bears no symbolism to Aboriginal people who lived in Australia for millions of years.
The Indonesian had an identity before the Dutch came along and they got to keep their identity and ideology when the Dutch left.
The Indonesian had an identity before the Dutch came along and they got to keep their identity and ideology when the Dutch left.
Along the walls of the national monument shows a whole bunch of sculptures that symbolic Balinese, Javanese identity as well as the hundreds of years of Dutch rule and Liberation from Dutch imperialism.
I recommend that anyone who wants to visit Jakarta should spend about 2 hours here and show some loyalty to the people of Indonesia for how they can explain their history in one monument.
