The Jakarta Post , Jakarta |  Fri, 06/19/2009 11:37 AM  |  City

To first-time visitors, attending the annual Jakarta Fair was akin to a blind date that only allows participants to know each other’s names beforehand, and of course, names can be deceptive.

“It was not exactly what I expected it to be,” Cecil, a Jakarta resident who has never been to the fair, said Saturday while resting on a bench at the venue. “I read once there was a lot more culture involved, like traditional dances and such.”

Her boyfriend Leon and younger sister Cella, a primary school student, nodded in agreement. “I thought there would be more traditional stuff,” Cella said.

Cella bought a set of congklak, a traditional Indonesian board game, at the fair. She said it was her sole reason for being there.

“My friends told me I could buy a set here,” she said.

Leon, meanwhile, was impressed by the government’s mockup of the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) system at the Jakarta administration’s display section.

“I think that section is the only thing that reminded me this was the Jakarta Fair,” he said, grinning.

The MRT project is scheduled for completion by 2016.

Riko and Idam, two high school students who came to see their favorite band, Nidji, play at the fair, said they didn’t feel the Jakarta vibe either.

“I thought there was going to be ondel-ondel *giant traditional effigies* or other stuff to give the fair a more Betawi theme,” Riko said.

Negative sentiments toward the fair rose higher for some. Roy and Sucipto, two middle-aged men who recently moved to Jakarta because of their jobs in the city’s transportation department, lamented the ill treatment they had received at the entrance.

“I asked for directions to a certain store, and the fair attendant told me to look for it myself,” Sucipto said angrily. “Then when I asked for a map, the attendant shoved it rudely into my hand.”

Roy, also looking slightly upset, said the fair catered to those in the higher income bracket.

However, not all visitors were as underwhelmed. Some even managed to find their own treasures, ranging from traditional knickknacks to bargains in household goods.

Tika Setian, staring transfixed at the MRT display, thought the Jakarta Fair had a lot of Jakarta flair.

“There’s lots of art, such as little statues of ondel-ondel. There’s also kerak telor,” she said, referring to the traditional Jakarta snack made of rice and egg.

She also praised the booths dedicated to the Jakarta administration, which, she said, gave her plenty of information about the city.

The fair offered great prices and was a great chance to buy little luxuries, said Nia, another visitor.

“I bought these sets of dishes at a great price,” she said, pointing to a large box of porcelain dishes next to her.

The Jakarta Fair was first held in 1968, inspired by the earlier Gambir Fair. The governor at the time, Ali Sadikin, was inspired by the Gambir Fair’s success to call for a larger event to accommodate the country’s trade affairs.

The fair was first held at the National Monument (Monas) park, before moving to the Kemayoran Fairground in 1992.

A trade event from the start, one might take care not to mistake it with the Jalan Jaksa fair, which is laden with traditional Betawi elements such as the Topeng dance or Te Lenong Comedy.

Nevertheless, to some the Jakarta Fair succeeded in epitomizing the city itself, albeit in less traditional ways.

“When I think of Jakarta, I think of shopping,” Nia said, as though in harmony with the piles of boxes in yellow plastic bags at her side containing dishes and other purchases from the fair.

Rizky, a college student from Depok who admitted he was uneasy being in a crowd, saw yet another side of the fair that matched well with the city.

“Jakarta is overcrowded with an assortment of people,” he said, shuffling from a stream of people heading toward the electronics display section.

“And so is this fair. It’s poorly laid out too.” (dis)

How to get there

Taxis are probably the most convenient transportation method, and they are abundant at the fair, lining up just outside the venue’s exit. If you’re feeling adventurous, though, take an ojek (motorcycle taxi), something the city never seems to be short of, and the Jakarta Fair is no exception.

The organizers have also provided free Transjakarta buses to transport Jakarta Fair visitors from the National Monument (Monas). These buses stop at the Gambir, Istiqlal, Juanda, Garuda and Benyamin Sueb shelters before making a final stop at the Gambir Expo shelter at the Jakarta Fairground.

In line with the event, several regular buses have also rerouted to pass by the fair. These buses depart from the Senen, Kota and Gambir terminals. However, they might not be available in the late hours.

Source : The Jakarta Post