Night Views of Jakarta Before and During COVID-19
Day Three of April Landscape Photo Challenge
In early May 2019, I returned to my hometown, Jakarta (Indonesia) after 16 years of living overseas. It’s nearly a year that I live in Jakarta, then the world experiences COVID-19 outbreak. Returning to Jakarta has been challenging, with or without COVID-19. I have this ‘hate and love’ relationship with my hometown, aside to deal with other personal matters.
But that’s how life is. Challenges have to be faced, as a reminder to stay humble and alert.
One of the living challenges in Jakarta was to deal with traffic jams during peak hours. The peak hours in Jakarta were weekdays 6.30am-11am and 4pm-8pm (sometimes until 9pm). Traffic jams were horror here, and it’s getting worst during the rainy season because of floodings around the city.
But, the traffic has changed recently. On March 20, Jakarta’s Governor requested that all offices in Jakarta let their employees work from home until April 6. His request is now prolonged until April 19 since the number of positive cases and mortality rate keep increasing. Since then, I can see how different the traffics in Jakarta during the evening peak hours when most of the employees are working from home.
The following pictures were taken from our apartment’s windows during peak hours. The first picture was taken in 2019, and the second was on March 31 2020. It would be interesting to see the comparison of global emissions these days.
Do you experience the differences in your surroundings before and during the pandemic?
indahs: dive, travel & photography 
Comparing global emissions at this very unique period, would be and will be invaluable! M 🙂
Indeed, and it’s good to review that it is possible for some occupation just to do it from home. Less commute, less pollution..although I have some colleagues who already miss coming to work at the office..
I can’t really say as I’ve lived close to where I worked and never had to deal with much traffic, but the supermarkets have certainly changed. We have to line up standing meters apart and wait. Once we enter, there are so few people inside it’s very different.
Hi Malle, it’s great that the supermarkets have arranged social distancing inside their shops, I find it very useful especially at the cashier. Here, as well, the shopping malls and supermarkets are not as crowded as before. I guess most people are buying groceries online these days to avoid travelling and less social contacts.
I’m working from home now for more than two weeks now and it was announced today by local government here that lock down will be extended till mid of April.
World has certainly been turned upside down and downside up by a virus.
Indeed 😦 I hope things get better soon, but I am afraid things will never be the same anymore… wishing you to stay healthy and stay safe, Hammad.
I used to take cityscape pictures on the roof of the building in Jakarta. At 6 o’clock, there were already fog around the city.
The only time I could take a good photo easily was at night. I’d love to photograph the sky in central Jakarta today, but that would be risky in the present, of course. Lol.
Anyway, I’m glad you’re back to writing again, mbak Indah.
Thank you so much 🙂 I am glad to be back as well after almost a year off the blogsphere 😀 I hope you will be able to take pictures outdoor soon – just hoping the outbreak will be over soon!
You might be able to find an omissions map online. They have been posting some from around the globe.
Thank you, Teri! I found them and an interesting article that stated the pandemic could trigger the biggest fall in carbon emission since WW 2!
Which is good but then again……sigh!
In Rotterdam, the Netherlands, there is a big difference between before and right now. It is very quiet outside.
Thank you for the updates, Astri! I do miss Rotterdam..I hope all is well with you and Pim! Dante is adjusting the tropical weather here, active in the morning and evenibg, napping the whole day 😁🐕
Hello Indah,
A very interesting post, Indeed !
We could clearly see the difference in the color of sky, compared to 2019, the sky looks much darker due to less light pollution and emissions, I believe.
In India, we are under lock down for almost two weeks and the difference is clearly felt in bid cities like Delhi, which is notorious for it’s air pollution, now it’s much better.
After 30 years, the snow capped Himalayan mountains were visible from a city named Jalandhar, which is 200 km south of Himalayas.
I really wish, the mankind learns a few lessons from this Pandemic and take some collective effort towards climate change, as they are all doing to fight the virus now.
Thanks again for sharing this timely post 🙂
Hi Sreejith, I am happy to read your comment. It is good to hear positive updates from India’s climate during the outbreak. I hope India will recover from the pandemic soon too.
I do hope the same as well, that we will learn from this, personaly, I start to enjoy working from home. No hussle traveling to beat the traffic!
Wishing you well and stay healthy!
what a big difference, Indah. so many things to learn from these difficult times. stay well 🙂
Indeed! I hope for better of us and our planet 🤗 hope you are too! have a great week 💐