Friday, July 21, 2023

Strolling Around Pasar Baru Hidden Gems | Jakarta, Indonesia

The 5th walking tour and it goes to Pasar Baru route, same as my 4th walking tour, we start from Juanda station. You can join this walking tour through @jktgoodguide and suddenly this Pasar Baru route become my favorite walking tour route so far. LOL. 

It was my first time come to Pasar Baru even some of my friend have business there. And if I ask people what Pasar Baru has? They will said it just a pasar (market) that sell lot of fabric & cloth. But I told you should join this walking tour, it open my mind and give another score for Pasar Baru. It really above my expectation of Pasar Baru. 


They said its the famous soto padang from 1966


Start from Juanda station, did you know why Juanda station is blue color? Actually each station have their own identity but for Juanda there are 2 things. First, Juanda is the one who raised to declare Indonesia as archipelago and set maritime boundary. He plays role on this maritime aspect and blue is sea color so Juanda station where this place previously was Juanda place given with blue color. Second, on rupiah 50k you can see Juanda also in blue color. 


What is the story behind the name of Pasar Baru or Passer Baroe for ejaan lama? So in that era, all pasar named with days. Pasar Senin, Pasar Selasa, Pasar Rabu, Pasar Kamis, all the way until Pasar Minggu. Nah then the 8th pasar is Pasar Baru, oke since the day dont have the eight one so they give this is the new pasar so it called Pasar Baru. 

Since 1820 this area is already a big pasar area. Who is the important trader here? He is Tio Tek Hong 道德鳳 a chinese that start to open recording store and sell laser disc and follow with his big supermarket at that time that people said it was the first supermarket that sell many things (palugada store). 

This is his first recording store that ever on the scene of Galih Ratna someone said

He lives & trade in Pasar Baru, so when you stroll some place will relate with him. 

it was his home that now become a hidden cafe - Kopi Maru

see, a really hidden right inside this alley



It was his palugada store before with the eagle statue - the history is they said Pasar Baru on google map is like centipede and across have Pniel Church which has cock statue and based on fengshui the cock will eat the centipede so once upon a time this pasar become very silent and less visitor, so he made this eagle statue to afraid cock to eat the centipede and visitor come again

Nah this is Gereja Pniel, a beautiful old building that people called it Gereja Ayam or Cock Church that build in Dutch era. A very beautiful church and inside have a bible from 1855 from Dutch. It only have 2 in the world, one is here, another one is in Dutch. 



the cock

Including Toko Kompak that you may found the video on youtube. This building previously is Tio Tek Ho house, he is sibling of Tio Tek Hong and major at that time. If you see on the youtube its really like time traveling, an old building but still operating. 


Here also inside a hidden alley there is the second oldest temple in Batavia. While the first one is in Glodok. 




Nah, other side of this temple now become Bakmi Aboen, if you see from this side, the alley called Gang Kelinci. You can see the famous Bakmi Gang Kelinci and Cakwe Ko Atek.



Also suprisingly here have a genuine leather shoes store from1943 which famous with is durability & affordable price. 

A hidden ice cream store is this Tropica, they said its underrated store, yet I havent try. 


Why I say it beyond my expectation of Pasar Baru, this really have many things to know to learn to see. Also there is old theatre here called Capitol that only the story left with us since its being burned because across of it is Istiqlal Mosque then at that time the resto of this theatre sell alcohol so it become contradict. 

And here also has the new centre that pro dutch at that time now become anchor learning centre. 


and this is the opposite one, news centre for that who pro indo (pribumi) but now already become HAKA resto. 


Thanks Pasar Baru to open my eye and waiting for next walking tour again yeay!