Building boom

All over South East Asia I am always struck by how fast skyscrapers are being erected. Jakarta has experienced more rapid growth than Beijing, Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok. It comes as a surprise to many that Jakarta is in the top 20 of the world's largest cities, and that only China, India and the USA have more people than Indonesia.

This is in a swanky area of Central-South Jakarta. The kind of place where you can pop to a French-style deli to pick up saucisson at $40 per kilo, while outside street kids try and make a few rupiah by strumming a guitar for passersby.