The Big Durian Bomb (Indonesia Part 4)

Jakarta, Java, Indonesia

July 17 – July 21

(map)

The spiky durian fruit remains one of the strangest gastronomic experiences you will ever endure. Imagine licking warm mushy brown bananas covered in sweet condensed milk and served on the armpit of someone else’s sweaty gym jersey. Perhaps the infamous chef, Anthony Bourdain, describes his beloved durian best: "Its taste can only be described as... indescribable, something you will either love or despise. Your breath will smell as if you'd been French-kissing your dead grandmother." The durian excretes an overwhelmingly horrid smell, and Indonesia’s capitol city of Jakarta has been branded The Big Durian for similar reasons.

It was only 9am in Batu Karas and the rain had relaxed only a little. I had already finished a few hours of surfing and half a Bintang by the time I saw my cell phone flashing on my bed. Bombs had just exploded in Jakarta. Since the media has a bad habit of amplifying panic when sensational and also of suppressing information when deemed dangerous, I decided to take my chances on an overnight bus to Jakarta.

Sitting on the floor of the grungy bus station at 4:30am, we understood immediately why Jakarta is nicknamed The Big Durian. With a little time to waste, my new travel companion pulled out her guitar to play one of her own compositions. The unexpected beauty of Jenny Bell's voice cut through the thick and dirty Jakarta air; time, space, and smells dissipated into nothingness. Once the songs ended and the city buses were finally running, we sorted out some logistics and then took a brief stroll through Jakarta's even briefer tourist district.

We met up with a local girl named Novie, who was recommended to me by Gusti, the coolest djembe teacher in Bali. Jenny and I were immediately impressed by Novie and we were soon inseparable. Even in the shadow of the bombings, the infamous Jakarta nightlife delivered a very entertaining evening. I sat in awe of both girls as they rocked the house at an open mic night, and their charms also helped secure some complimentary and very flammable liqueurs from the manager of a discotheque later in the evening. Unknown to Jenny and I, Novie was testing for her karate black belt the next day! After watching her performance we met some people at the local streetside eatery where unbelievably delicious ayam baker (BBQ chicken) was being served by the armload. I would later watch Novie practice singing with a small orchestra in an adaptation of a Spanish love story.

In a seemingly endless display of talent, I met up with an Indonesian photographer, Rarindra Prakasar. For a few years I have been following his jaw-dropping image gallery where his philosophy is immediately apparent – to make photographs look like paintings, and paintings look like photographs. I was lucky enough to follow him around for a photoshoot and witness his talent for capturing the magic of light.

Indonesia is an incredible country full of diverse people with almost unparalleled charisma. The landscape is quite literally of volcanic proportions. The climate and fertility of the soil provides a cornucopia of exotic fruits with looks and tastes more diverse than the capability of your imagination. Apples and oranges cannot stack up to the pleasures of sucking the seeds from a fresh marquesa, chewing the sweetest pineapple, drizzling lime over a plate of succulent mango, ravishing a sweet mangosteen, peeling the red prongs off a hairy rambutan, licking the smooth inside skin of the soap-like gargantuan jackfruit, conquering a dragon fruit, savoring cinnamon strawberries, or harvesting a fresh young coconut from the tree and turning the milk and flesh into an iced shake to fend off the afternoon heat. Here, even papaya tastes good. Fruits from places like The Big Durian make fruits from places like The Big Apple seem a little worm infested.

Jakarta, Indonesia (sorta). Jenny breaking her durian-virginity.


Jakarta, Indonesia. Sometimes my life is pretty rough. Can you tell? Novie and Jenny and me in the middle.


Jakarta, Indonesia. There were a few mostly clothed dancers that put on quite an entertaining show on the bar that would make Coyote Ugly seem like Sesame Street.

Jakarta, Indonesia. Novie practicing for her musical adaptation of a Spanish love story.

Jakarta, Indonesia. This extremely popular roadside restaurant was a very cool gathering place and the BBQ chicken (ayam bakar) is to die for!


Jakarta, Indonesia. I count an amazing 10 plates that this guy is delivering at one time... and he does this ALL night long!


Outside Jakarta, Indonesia. My photos when learning from Rarindra Prakasar.


Outside Jakarta, Indonesia. My photos when learning from Rarindra Prakasar.


Outside Jakarta, Indonesia. My photos when learning from Rarindra Prakasar.


Outside Jakarta, Indonesia. My photos when learning from Rarindra Prakasar.

Outside Jakarta, Indonesia. My photos when learning from Rarindra Prakasar.

Outside Jakarta, Indonesia. My photos when learning from Rarindra Prakasar.