Jakarta's Humidity and My Quest for the Perfect Kopi: A Botanist's Ramblings
okay, so jakarta. wow. just…wow. i’m still peeling the moisture off my skin, honestly. i just checked and it's clinging to everything like a lovesick gecko - ninety-eight percent humidity. delightful, right? if you’re a fern. i’m less of a fern.
I came here ostensibly to study the local flora - specifically, the crazy diversity of orchids and medicinal plants. But let’s be real, I also came for the kopi. The real kopi. Not the instant stuff you get everywhere else. I’ve been on a mission, a caffeine-fueled pilgrimage, to find the best cup in the city. It’s harder than it sounds. You think, ‘coffee, how hard can it be?’ Turns out, very.
I’ve been crashing in this tiny guesthouse in *Menteng. It’s…rustic. Let’s go with rustic. The walls are thin, and I can hear the neighbor’s ayam (chicken) crowing at ungodly hours. If you get bored, Bandung and Semarang are just a short hop on the train. Apparently, they have some amazing botanical gardens too, so maybe I’ll check those out later.
I spent yesterday wandering around Kota Tua (Old Town). It’s a chaotic, beautiful mess of crumbling colonial buildings and street vendors hawking everything imaginable. I got completely lost, naturally. Ended up eating some seriously questionable street food (don’t ask) and almost got run over by a motorbike. It’s an experience, that’s for sure. You can check out some reviews on TripAdvisor if you're feeling brave: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g294245-Activities-Kota_Tua_Jakarta_Java.html.
I overheard this guy at a warung (small restaurant) saying that the best kopi is only found in the back alleys of Glodok, the Chinatown. Apparently, there’s this one old man who’s been roasting beans the same way for fifty years. “He doesn’t even speak Indonesian,” the guy mumbled, swirling his tea. “Just grunts and points at the beans.” Sounds promising, right? I’m heading there tomorrow.
Speaking of warungs, someone told me that Warung Nasi Ampera has the best nasi goreng* (fried rice) in the city. Drunk advice, probably, but I’m willing to investigate. Yelp seems to agree, sort of: https://www.yelp.com/biz/warung-nasi-ampera-jakarta. It’s a bit of a trek, but hey, for good food, I’ll brave the traffic.
I’ve been trying to document all the interesting plants I’ve seen. The sheer number of epiphytes (plants that grow on other plants) is mind-blowing. I’m thinking of starting a little online guide - something for other botanists who are brave enough to venture into this humid jungle. Maybe I’ll put it on my blog: https://www.botanicalwanderings.com/.
Oh! And I almost forgot. A local warned me about the traffic. Said it’s “like a swarm of angry bees.” He wasn’t kidding. Seriously, invest in a good Gojek driver. You’ll thank me later. You can find them on the Gojek app, which is pretty much essential for getting around.
Temperature-wise, it’s been consistently around 20.72 degrees Celsius. Feels like 21.41, which is…still pretty warm. The pressure is 1012, and the ground level is 891. I have no idea what that means, but I’m reporting it anyway. Gotta be thorough, right?
Anyway, I’m off to find more coffee. Wish me luck. And maybe send some dry socks.
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