Sunday, August 17, 2008

Surabaya East-Java Indonesia











Java's second city after Jakarta, Surabaya boasts some fine Dutch colonial architecture but it's disappearing quickly, especially the commercial buildings. Surabaya's classic pre WW2 mid-town street scape has all but gone except for a handful of examples led by the magnificent Majapahit Hotel. Even this building suffers from a 1930's addition to it's street frontage which when compared to the grandeur of the original wings is a complete joke.Old photos of the city show a civilised street life. Few motor vehicles, the clang of the streetcars and well dressed people meandering along the boulevardes. The difference with today's city life couldn't be more apparent.City life now is sequestered behind concrete in the many malls that spread the length and breadth of Surabaya.