Not Porty People or Places

First full day in Jakarta.

The temperature was over 30 degrees and the humidity and rain not far away - although the sun came out in the middle of day and I wish I had worn my hat! 

I have never been to a city like the old port of Jakarta before. It is the former eastern capital of the Dutch East India Company and some of that former colonial splendour lives on. 

There is virtually no modern tourist trade to speak of. Everyone was open and friendly and pleased that we were here - happy to have their photographs taken without any expectations of any reward. No one hassled or threatened us anywhere.

The cheerfulness and optimism of this young family living in tumbledown shacks in the middle of a capital city speaks volumes, for me, about all that has gone wrong in our world and yet also about all that is so worth celebrating too. 

Work began this afternoon and continues for the rest of the week.