When I sought help from Indonesia-based couchsurfers in Facebook, one common denominator I got from their travel tips is to expect heavy traffic. So I assumed capital city is definitely busy. That’s why more often than not, one would hear there’s lesser to see in Jakarta. Probably because since one’s spent most of his time caught in the middle of the traffic, roaming around the city jungle is a luxury.

Surprisingly, I saw more than what I expected. Here’s how my smartphone captured Jakarta during my 24-hour stay. While I have more photos and videos from my cameras, these mobile photos are actually already pretty fancy. Let’s take a preview of Jakarta.

The Packer Lodge

While there’s no available bed yet for an early checkin when I got there, they allowed me to rest in their couch during my first mornight in Indonesia.

Breakfast spot. Smoking in Indonesia is pretty much a culture.

After biting some breads in, it’s time to take some bytes.

Comic strips around walls of the backpacker lodge depicting the country’s everyday life

Museum Bank Indonesia

The neo-classical architecture with a touch of Indonesia

Built in 1828, it was called De Javasche Bank.

Time is…

…gold.

The museum features a spacious quadrangle inside.

Beautiful welcoming arcs of monetary history

More stained glass artworks reflecting Batavia (old Jakarta)

Money is one of the facades of the nation’s stability

Fatahillah Plaza

A shoe line that one of the street vendors sells on our way to the Fatahillah Square

A fellow couchsurfer Diyah, who accompanied me in my tour around the city, shared her smile against one of the walls of Wayang Museum (Shadow Puppet Museum)

The post office is painted with striking orange. It peels so good!

Fine Art and Ceramic Museum

A spiral staircase to get to the second floor of the art museum

Intricate display of Indonesian art

I am still figuring this out if an ambigram

A perfect movie setting for two characters who met in an art museum

Jakarta History Museum

Stood as a city hall of Batavia in 1710

A ceiling of the museum. Most of the woods found inside are original and still intact.

A miniature of a Batavian building in old town of Jakarta

The street of Jakarta is busy because they got all kinds of transportation modes including this crossover of bicycle and tricycle called ‘becak’.

A mirror selfie catching another selfie

Windows Vista

Other visitors of the history museum having a jello-break

My favorite Indonesian food: Chicken Satay

Museum Bahari

Or the Maritime Musuem of Jakarta

These large planks of woods used in boat making stand the test of time.

Gateway doors to get to the watchtower

The skyline of Indonesia that we don’t usually see in the in-flight magazines

Jakarta City Proper

This old but functioning train station situated at the center of Jakarta is the initial point of all railway lines.

Most of the street food vendors carry their wagon to their claimed business spot.

And there you go… Buko!

Chinatown

One of the four Chinese temples and churches we visited within the Chinese community

Starlight Express

Candra Naya

Surrounded by the skyscrapers and hotels within the Green Central City, Candra Naya reflects the Chinese architecture of Old Batavia.

I like minimalist Chinese design. So classy.

Worship Places

Pniel Gereja Ayam, a Dutch reformed Protestant Church

Jakarta Cathedral of the Roman Catholic at night

And just across the street is the Istiqlal Mosque of Indonesia

I still got tons of pictures featuring the shadow puppets, the Indonesia boats, and the interiors and exteriors of the churches and temples so stay tuned for more photo essays of my day visit to Jakarta.