Last night my friends advised me to not stay in the office till too late. I heard about experiences of friends that wanted to go for a party around this time last year, millions of Muslims would be celebrating in the streets, blocking the way and rejoicing. Not a good night to be out in the streets they said.

I took their advice and left for home little past ten. After the Ojek ripped me off (I thought traffic jam, than Ojek) because of the traffic argument I got home. I guess I live and work in the wrong side of town, because the streets were quite empty. No jams at all, but yes, more motors and more little groups of people than usually around that time of the night.

At home I found my boss practicing his guitar and voice. Today he found out that his brother will get married, so practicing needed to be done. It was too early for me to fall asleep anyways so I decided that since it was so quite in the streets it would be nice to get my camera and do a short walk around the block.

Outside the ambience was kind of.. strange. It might be the news that has influenced me a lot, or maybe the long era my friends used to play Command and Conquer Generals.. In a way the prayers coming from mosques gave me a slight uncomfortable feeling. Connecting it with the news items which usually are about bombings and war and the theme of the game of Command and Conquer Generals, I don’t think it is strange I did so. I didn’t realize this feeling till I was walking outside yesterday and listening to all the mosques that were airing their prayers in what seemed to me an unstructured way. The streets were empty, an occasional motor with happy people past me, the air didn’t seem as bad as it usually seems; still feels like a thick, warm, wet blanket. Cooler than during earlier yesterday though.

Walking out of the gates of my neighborhood I didn’t feel like walking the same way home. I took the way around, not knowing that during the night there is only one entrance that is open to my neighborhood. The rest is sealed of with high fences and guards drinking tea and talking the night away about what ever subject, while sitting around little bonfires or laying on their motorcycles.

On my way I passed several little parties. People were playing on self made drums, others gathered around ghetto blasters listening to Indonesian, hyped up Hip-Hop.

Walking along the bigger roads trucks filled with families passed by. Flooded instead of filled might be a better choice of word, since there were so many people on the truck. Some even had to sit on the roof of the drivers cabin, because the back didn’t provide any more room for them anymore. The children were holding flags I did not recognize, I guess flags from their neighborhoods. The trucks past too quick to take a good pictures though. I don’t want to flash the driver to death (if my small flash would already be able to do that) and since it’s so dark all the pictures are taken with either 4 or 8 second exposure time. And no, I don’t have a steady hand ;) .

After my 1,5 hour walk I returned home. The guard that accompanied me from the neighborhood gate to my place must have thought something like bule gila when I told him I just went out for a small walk. He seemed to know my name, as well as Rohims’ (my driver) and that of Ronny (my other boss) name. I guess now I know what the guards are talking about, gossiping away the night shift. All fine to me, I do love the placid street scenery by night and don’t need to be in a car to enjoy it.