My first whole day in both Indonesia and Jakarta. My plan for that day was to go to Anime Festival Asia Indonesia, which was held in JIExpo. My hotel was supposedly 2 km from it. Well, hard reality (no pavements, lots of traffic and no knowledge on the route except rough map) crashed onto me with all might. When I finally admitted that I'm helpless, I took a taxi and paid 20.000 IDR for the ride.
I came there from the opposite side, so it was a long way to the ticket counters. I paid 350.000. IDR for the pleasure of attending the concerts.
Festival consisted of one big hall (with stalls) and a stage hall (meetings with idols, concerts). In the stalls hall there was a place where you could wear cosplay costumes and then they took a photo of you and the maid and butler cafés. In the company of good looking Asian boys you could talk to your friends (or strangers) a veeeery expensive food (even 150.000 IDR when near hotel a meal was for 15.000 IDR) and drinks (22.500 vs 5000 IDR in shop). Yet, all these expensive meals were sold out, when I entered the cafe (after 3 hours of waiting). The butlers wandered among the tables, talking to everybody. Tho the café was Japanese-stylised, only one of them could speak Japanese. They talked to me in English and every one of them asked the same question – where I’m from, when did I come, is it vacation etc. I’ll probably have to answer these questions quite a lot during this coming year.
The concerts were nice. It was fun to listen to Japanese trying to talk in English ("Let's dance with us") with the audience. I would enjoy the concerts better if I knew the songs they performed. I'm definitely out of touch with the new anime. The song I enjoyed the most was "Cruel Angel's Thesis" from Neon Genesis Evangelion. It reminded me of Polish anime conventions. I prefer them better. Sure, this festival had meetings with idols and Japanese stars' concerts... But it was so commercial. I prefer fan-to-fan Polish conventions.
I was a strange "thing" in the Festival, so people wanted to take photos with me. For now, I've already lost the track of people who wanted to have a photo with me. Just cause I'm white :D
On my way back, when I was looking for a taxi, a driver wanted to take me to my hotel (2 km away) for 100 thousands IDR! Uh... hello...? I went to the other side (from which I came) and there were no-meters drivers, that offered me going there for 50 000. I declined. I also declined a becak driver, that wanted to take me home for 30 000. I said "I will go only in a taxi with meter". They all were like "there is no taxi with meters here" so I waved them goodbye. I didn't make even a hundred of meters, where a taxi driver (from a company) appeared by my side offering me ride home. I took it.
In a place that I already recognised (I was able to point him to the destination) I became sure that he cheats. He didn't go the straight way. He was stopping here and there, going to the back street (it's here for sure! NO, it's not, go straight!) and not pulling out just making a detour... Everything so just the meter shows more and more. In the end I paid 25 000 IDR.
As for the hotel, I was living in Rumah Shinta on Mangga Dua Raya street. It was nice, with AC, TV, hot water shower in the bathroom and better or worse wifi. The drawbacks of my room? It was single so it had no windows. And the electricity was cut down on leaving the room. :/ I liked the breakfast there (included) – everyday was a different Indonesian meal and toasts. And with tea or coffee. You could take whatever you wanted. I was always getting coffee in the morning, the breakfast between 7 and 9 was too early for me. :D Back then I thought I would be having coffee every morning, here in Indonesia. Well, I hardly drank any coffee after moving to Solo. Maybe three times during those 3 weeks here.
Below are some photos from AFAID 2012.
