market – Gail G. Collins

Jatinegara, The Might of the State

October 21, 2015

Story & Photography by Gail G. Collins

At the beginning of the 19^th century, Jatinegara became a busy transportation hub. Pausing on a pedestrian bridge over car-choked Jl. Raya Bekasi Barat, it has only grown busier—from markets, burgeoning onto the roadway, to buses and trains. The railway station began as the main connection east to Bandung, and its Dutch Colonial heritage building, designed by S. Snuyff, was constructed in 1910. Continue reading “Jatinegara, The Might of the State”

Jalan Surabaya—Treasures and Trinkets

August 11, 2015

Story & Photography by Gail G. Collins

When poking into stalls on Jalan Surabaya, an old saying comes to mind: One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. Regardless of how you feel about Chinese porcelain or Led Zeppelin vinyl, the antique market, or Pasar Antik, is a shady, half-kilometer browse in Menteng. As the previous seat of government, the area boasts upscale, tree-lined, residential streets. The traditional market was born in the mid-70s through entrepreneurial spirit and a good idea. It grew from a weekend event to daily standard shopping hours. Officially opened by Ali Sadikin, then-governor of Jakarta, the antique shops took the place of Kota Tua’s traveling traders. Many of the stalls are run by the next generation of owners. Continue reading “Jalan Surabaya—Treasures and Trinkets”