The other day I went on probably the longest journey I’ve ever taken in the city by myself. Another historical building in Jakarta to cross off my list: The National Archives Building. It’s located on the part of town that I have never truly ventured into, so when I took the bus, I saw the underbelly of the city that I never even knew existed—who knew Daan Mogot was that far away? Although I had to stand in said bus for three hours on the way there—and two hours on the way back, plus several minutes waiting for them—it was really worth it when I caught the sight of this gorgeous building from across the street.
Starting as a townhouse of a governor of the Dutch East Indies, this 18th century structure started being used to store the state archives in 1925 until 1974, when it is turned into a museum. At the time of my visit, the place was actually used for a private event—to which I sneaked in—so I couldn’t see what was inside, but the area is a famous choice for a wedding venue. Plus, it’s a great area for outfit photos, so that’s always good news for me!
Thrifted jacket + loafers // gifted top // old skirt // Kaboki macramé purse // Dad’s old watch
Recently I’ve just realised how I used to live so close to castles and forests back in Germany. Hell, I practically went for an afternoon stroll to a nearby castle in the forest in this post. But now…well, that ship has sailed. Not only do I live in a big city blooming with skyscrapers and the pollution that comes with them, but also that there are virtually no castles in Indonesia—palaces, sure, but castles? Not so much. When I realised this, I was so bummed out because I miss being able to relax in nature with picturesque structures nearby. I can’t believe how casual they were, so much so that they felt like a part of my everyday life back then.
Luckily, Jakarta is, as I’ve mentioned several times, rife with historical sites, so we’re not entirely lacking on old buildings—mostly from the colonial times. I know, 18th century townhouses don’t exactly hold a candle to Medieval castles, but they’re practically the next best thing. When I realised this, I can finally make peace with trading my European castles with post-colonial buildings.
P.S: Tomorrow I’ll be heading out to Surabaya for Eid holiday, so all the posts for the next two weeks will be pre-prepared ones. Please excuse any late replies on (possible) comments!
The other day I went on probably the longest journey I’ve ever taken in the city by myself. Another historical building in Jakarta to cross off my list: The National Archives Building. It’s located on the part of town that I have never truly ventured into, so when I took the bus, I saw the underbelly of the city that I never even knew existed—who knew Daan Mogot was that far away? Although I had to stand in said bus for three hours on the way there—and two hours on the way back, plus several minutes waiting for them—it was really worth it when I caught the sight of this gorgeous building from across the street.
Starting as a townhouse of a governor of the Dutch East Indies, this 18th century structure started being used to store the state archives in 1925 until 1974, when it is turned into a museum. At the time of my visit, the place was actually used for a private event—to which I sneaked in—so I couldn’t see what was inside, but the area is a famous choice for a wedding venue. Plus, it’s a great area for outfit photos, so that’s always good news for me!
Thrifted jacket + loafers // gifted top // old skirt // Kaboki macramé purse // Dad’s old watch
Recently I’ve just realised how I used to live so close to castles and forests back in Germany. Hell, I practically went for an afternoon stroll to a nearby castle in the forest in this post. But now…well, that ship has sailed. Not only do I live in a big city blooming with skyscrapers and the pollution that comes with them, but also that there are virtually no castles in Indonesia—palaces, sure, but castles? Not so much. When I realised this, I was so bummed out because I miss being able to relax in nature with picturesque structures nearby. I can’t believe how casual they were, so much so that they felt like a part of my everyday life back then.
Luckily, Jakarta is, as I’ve mentioned several times, rife with historical sites, so we’re not entirely lacking on old buildings—mostly from the colonial times. I know, 18th century townhouses don’t exactly hold a candle to Medieval castles, but they’re practically the next best thing. When I realised this, I can finally make peace with trading my European castles with post-colonial buildings.
P.S: Tomorrow I’ll be heading out to Surabaya for Eid holiday, so all the posts for the next two weeks will be pre-prepared ones. Please excuse any late replies on (possible) comments!