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ozens of foreigners were enjoying the 2009 "Kemang Palang Pintu Festival", leaving behind the horrible memories of the July 17 twin blasts in Jakarta's luxury hotels two weeks ago.

Saturday's heat failed to significantly reduce public enthusiasm to attend the annual Betawi (native Jakartan) cultural festival taking place along Jl. Kemang Raya, South Jakarta, on Saturday and Sunday.

Hundreds of visitors, including dozens of expatriates, flocked to the 500-meter long street where stalls stood on each side.

The Betawi atmosphere welcomed every visitor at the entrance. The stalls, as well as the buildings along the street, were full of traditional ornaments. The festival committee, security guards as well as officials attending the festival also wore Betawi outfits.

Most of the stalls were selling various Betawi merchandise, outfits, souvenirs as well as food and beverages.

Betawi culinary treats were also available, from kerak telor (traditional omelet cooked on a charcoal stove), bir peletok (a non-alcoholic drink made of ginger and other spices), roti buaya (crocodile-shaped bread usually presented in wedding ceremonies) and soto Betawi (a soup made of beef, potato and tomato cooked in a coconut and beef broth).

Two big ondel-ondel (giant Betawi effigies) stood at each side of the main stage, about 200 meters from the entrance. At the Betawi-decorated stage, a group of dancers performed "Ronggeng Blantek", a traditional dance in front of hundreds.

"Betawi dances and other traditional performances like lenong *a traditional Betawi comedy play*and palang pintu *a ceremony to welcome honored guests or a bridal couple*, will be performed at the stage," head of festival committee, Ridwan Nazar, from the Betawi People's Forum (Forkabi) told The Jakarta Post.

In his opening speech, Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo said the primary aim of the festival was to conserve and promote Betawi culture.

"This festival also serves as evidence that Jakarta remains safe despite the hotel bombings in Mega Kuningan *South Jakarta* two weeks ago," said Fauzi.

"I've see that dozens of expatriates are attending this festival. They are enthusiastic about this cultural exhibition because they believe Indonesian authorities are able to handle the terrorists," he added.

A Scottish visitor, Anderson, told the Post that he was not threatened by the bombings at the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels.

"I'm not leaving Jakarta. Why should I?" he said.

Having stayed in the city for 14 years, Anderson said he believed the terrorists were not representative of Indonesian people.