Last weekend, I did something for the first time… (and other stories!)

So, like others before me, I created a #30before30 list not too long time ago. The list can be found on my old blog – but I’d rather not re-publish it here now because there are some things in the list that I want to change (hahaha can I actually do that though? I think I can! After all it’s my list :D).

Anyway, one of the things in the original list was to visit Pekan Raya Jakarta or Jakarta Fair. It’s Jakarta’s biggest annual fair which first started back in 1968. Why did I put it on my list? Simple, I have been living for almost 25 years in the city but I never actually been. And since there might be a possibility for me not to live in this city anymore in the future.. I want to visit the fair before I’m 30 (Or, if leaving the city come sooner – before I leave this city for good). So I went there last Saturday with my mum and little brother.

Before I actually went there, I imagine the fair would have a lot of stalls and booths – food and snack stalls, game booths, even some mini rides like the ones in American boardwalks. I was really excited to go. But then when I got there.. turns out that there are more sponsorship and trade booths rather than the ones I mentioned before. It is indeed an exhibition fair, with many big brands’ booths selling everything from potato chips to mop, even car!

There is also a retail section where you can find discounted items of your favorite brands.. and when I say discounted, I mean BIG discount! I even scored a pretty Marks & Spencer top for only Rp.150.000 which is almost impossible to be found in their stores. Yay! While food stalls are not a problem (you can find many of them), only few I found selling traditional snacks.. and I couldn’t find rides for adults (SAD!). I found some rides like merry-go-round and boom boom car, but both in small version so it’s only suitable for kids.

Well.. although the reality is not really like what I imagined, I pretty much enjoyed my first time going to Jakarta Fair. That’s another off my #30before30 list! Yay!

On Sunday, me and my friends went to Thamrin City – a big shopping mall full of wholesale kiosks selling everything – mostly clothes.. cheap good ones. The three of us came there with a mission – that is to find kaftan to be worn on Hari Raya day! Hehehe. It did not take long for me to find a nice coral kaftan priced only Rp.85.000 (Oh! Have I told you that my favorite color is coral?), and neither did my friends – we managed to spend only 2 hours shopping there.

I consider that as an achievement, because Thamrin City was so packed that day! People (mostly mums) were shopping like crazy; almost everyone was seen carrying (minimum) a big shopping bag full of clothes. Just look at this picture!

So next time I want to find cheap kaftans or similar clothes, I think I would avoid going to Thamrin City during Ramadan month. Too crowded!

Moving on.. after going to Thamrin City, I went home for a quick shower then went to my friend’s house for buka puasa . There were 9 of us, my college friends. Food was awesome – my friend’s husband cooked it for us. He made roast chicken and some sort of Rösti, veryyy yummy. We spent the night eating, chatting and laughing.. and that concludes my awesome weekend.

I hope you had a good weekend too, enjoy your Monday and the rest of the week! 🙂