Protest in Jakarta!!

Friday night, August 29th,  we were just finishing up at the mission office when two of our missionaries,  Elder Evers and Elder Tenepere, that had left the office to head home, came  back.  They said that it looked like protests were happening on their route home.  There were also two sister missionaries, Sister Webb and Sister Potoh that were still at the office.  The sisters would need to take the same route home.    So we suggested that Scott and I take them all  to dinner and then maybe the protest would be done and they could go home.  We headed away from the protest site to go to a restaurant for dinner.  On our way, it started to rain.  Of course, none of us had bought our umbrellas.  So we got a bit wet.  We were going to this Chinese restaurant that has really good dim sum.  When we got there the restaurant were having their kitchen repaired so they were not serving food.  So we went to the Indonesia restaurant that was next door.  So there was 6 of us and we all had rice and chicken or shrimp and we also ordered an avocado juice drink.  Believe it or not but the whole meal for all 6 of us cost Scott and I a whopping $21.  Can you believe that.  Pretty great deal.  You can get food here pretty cheaply.  But they also have fine dining where you will pay about what it costs in the USA. 
After dinner, it was still raining and the protest were still going on, so we got Grabs for all of the missionaries and they were able to make it home safely!   (Grab is like Uber)

Saturday morning, we headed out to go to the Grand Indonesia Mall and then to the Ballet at the Jakarta Concert Hall.  We thought we would take the subway (MRT).  We walked down to the subway and came upon all the destruction of the night before.  I knew that the protester had been on the street that the bus and MRT station are on.  But I didn't realize that they had burned and destroyed the stations. Call me dumb but I just thought they were demonstrating and didn't realize all the damage they had done.  I understand being upset about the inequity, but I struggle to see how all the riots and damage help the people of Indonesia.  These bus and MRT stations are very important to the people and necessary to help people get around the city.   However, there is service in other parts of the city.  

Pictures of the burned-out Bus stations!!  These are pictures of the two closest stations to our house.  They are both about a 5-minute walk.  So Super close!  I don't think we will be riding the bus from these stations anytime soon.  The protesters wrote KILLER because of the Grab Motorcycle driver that was killed by the police vehicle.  Also on Friday some protester burned a government building in Makassar, in South Sulawesi.  This blaze killed at least three people that were trapped in the building.  
This brings the death toll to 4 and many injured.  The new reports that around 3,200 individuals have been arrested across Indonesia in connection with the violence.  

This over the road walkway which has an elevator, is how you get to the bus station and also how you cross the road. (The bus station is in the middle of the street.)   

Pictures of the damages to the outside of the subway (MRT) stations.  We couldn't go into the station, so I don't know if inside the station was damaged also. 





These are pictures of the Police Station.  This is the main Police station in our area.  About a ten-minute walk from our house.    You can see all the riot gear laying out on the ground!

Since we could not take a bus or the MRT we hailed a Grab and made our way to the Grand Indonesia Mall.  We were not buying anything.  We were just looking around.  We had ramen for lunch.

Taco Bell and KFC right next to each other in the food court.  

This is for my grandchildren.  They even have One Piece here in Indonesia.  

Fake food outside the restuarant just like in Japan.

The buses were not running so we walked from the Mall to the Concert Hall for the Ballet.  We were careful and on the lookout for any trouble.  We didn't see any problems.  Below are some pictures from the streets as we walked the 1 mile to the Jakarta Concert Hall.  We made it without any problems.

People have asked me how people dress here.  So, I took a few pictures of people as they were waiting for the ballet to start.  Mostly people here are Muslim, so the women wear a head scarf and long-sleeved tops and either long pants or a skirt or a dress.  Not all the women wear the head scarf but these pictures are pretty typical of what people wear here.  

The concert/ballet was almost completely sold out.  But because of the protest, many people didn't come.  The theater was probably only one third full.  It was a lovely concert/ballet, and I am glad
we went.  

/

Nasi Goreng!!!
From a Street Vendor!!!
Hati Hati!!!
Means Caution!!!

We got brave or stupid, I am not sure which, but we had Nasi Goreng (fried rice) from a street vendor for lunch the other day.  It cost about $1 per person.  It was fairly tasty.  We have street vendor like this all over the city.  They have their portable cooking cart that they can move around to different street corners and stop and cook people a meal.  Below are the pictures of him making our lunch.  

Things have been closed (like The Gym) most of this week.  But at the end of the week things are starting to get back to normal.  I hope that things will get back to normal soon and we will not have any more riots or loss of life.  
Tomorrow is Scott's Birthday!  September 4.  I am making gingersnap cookies for his birthday so we can share them with everyone in the office.  I have been searching all over Indonesia for Molasses.  Apparently, molasses is not something you can get here.  The salespersons in the stores don't know what it is.  So, I have been trying substitutes.  First, I try Gula Jawa.  It made an okay ginger cookie.  The Scott wanted me to try kecap manis!  I wasn't so sure it would work that well. Kecap manis is a sweet soy sauce.  I thought it would taste to soy saucy.   But I tried it anyway, and it made a great substitute for the molasses.  I think the cookies turn out great.
 I bought a blueberry yogurt cheesecake birthday cake for Scott and The Maks got him a chocolate cake.  They were both very good.  We had a lot of people in the office that morning because we had new missionaries coming in that day. (Probably about 10 extra people and then the regular 10-15 people) Everyone sang Happy Birthday to him in English and then in Bahasa Indonesia (loud and with hand clapping etc.)  I think we sang about 4 version of Happy Birthday.  It was quite a party!!!   We had just enough cake for everyone to have a piece.  Scott had a good birthday. 
 

Semua orang tetap aman dan sehat!!!

Everyone stay safe and healthy!!!