Midweek Field Trip

When last week was packed and hectic, this week the tension has been toned down a little bit. More leisure in zoom school schedule means we could have more pleasure in home school one.

This week has been quite pleasant so far. Got boosted at home by the doctor, less zoom meetings from school and the little girl had done her final theory exam for this first year. So, yesterday, when she only got one zoom school in the morning, we went around to visit some places on my list.

Whenever I see some empty schedule from the school on the day where afternoon class schedule allows, my brain is racing faster. It would be bad to waste such precious chance to just stay at home.

So, whenever that empty schedule is available, I spend quite some time to check on google maps to see which option is available for our field trip. Mostly, I will take her on bus or train riding with a little bit of walking.

Planning itineraries with public transportation has been my favorite thing to do since long. Even better, since I have more free time on my hand. Since the little girl was little, we had visited few spots in Jakarta, by car, like TIM, or small library around the area. During London days, I have been excitedly planning things to do on weekend, where to eat, what to visit, with which bus or train to take. Playground and park always become main idea and the rest will follow.

It’s been a year since we visit many outdoor playground around this town with public transportation, like here for example. Some of them are free, some a paid one.

For this week, I had an idea on my head days before yesterday. Planned to merely visiting a gelato shop nearby with only 15 minutes bus riding from home and short walking.

(Much) better ideas always come on the last minute. I found that it was possible to add another more interesting itinerary together with gelato shop.

Instead of heading to gelato shop from the start, we were heading to National Library first. When I think about going by car, it feels so far, more with odd-even number policy. But, when I checked the way there by bus, it only took 40 minutes without too much bus changing hassles, more, very agreeable transport fee.

So, off we went to National Library first.

We arrived around 10 am. If previously children can enter any buildings without question as long as accompanied by vaccinated adults, yesterday, I was asked to be presented the little girl’s vaccination proof. Luckily, she had done her first jab, but unfortunately her vaccination certificate is together with her dad apps not mine.

But, the officer was quite helpful on that. I showed her the screencap of her vaccine certificate and then we were allowed to enter.

The library has 24 floors. Since our time is limited, yesterday we only focused on the 7th floor which is children section. They have quite wide range of collections. It was quite empty and pretty cozy.

The little girl found book series that kept her sitting and reading for more than an hour, and that made me so happy. I looked around to almost every shelf. I found a box of Enid Blyton books that I once had during childhood.

What needs to be improved from the library is, the signage for books category. It’s not that easily read thus, the browsing experience is a little bit less comfortable, for me.

Done with children’s floor, we went up to 24th floor, the executive lounge where you could see the view of Jakarta from above. They have outdoor balcony too. The wind was quite strong yesterday.

But, luckily, after days of grey sky, yesterday we got pretty clear blue one. So, the view was even better. Pictures below will explain it better.

Overall, the library is one of the free-worth-to-visit spots in Jakarta. I saw lot of college students there, either just hanged out or did their homework.

There are only two problems. First, the elevator. It took long queues to go up and down waiting for the elevator. They have three which stop in every floor, and they are almost always full. So, yesterday, instead of going up directly to the 24th floor, we went down first, as long as we got on the lift.

The other problem is quite personal.

If there’s one thing that is similar in museums or library runs by government that I have visited here,they put so many unnecessary people pictures everywhere (mostly those faces with power). As if we couldn’t get them enough around the street all over the city, we still have to see those faces too inside a building. Such a nuisance.

Instead of those pictures everywhere, what we need more is this kind of libraries around the town and make it more accessible for everyone.

Done with library, we proceeded to the main idea for the little girl. Found this secluded gelato shop when I was waiting for her time at the daycare. Planned to take her here during weekdays because they’re closed on weekend.

From the library, we only had to take one bus ride straight to the gelato shop, so it was so convenient.

Their gelatos are pretty good. I chose dates with almond and the little girl went with oreo cream. I bought five more cups home for the doctor and had tried all of them, they were equally good.