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Indonesian thrill-seekers dine in the sky as COVID curbs ease

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Agence France-Presse 

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Customers dine at the elevated restaurant Lounge in the Sky Indonesia in Jakarta, Indonesia, 30 March 2022. The Lounge in the Sky Indonesia has opened as a new tourist attraction in the capital as the country aims to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. Mast Irham, EPA-EFE " src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/life/04/08/lounge-in-the-sky-1-epa-efe.jpg"/><figcaption>Customers dine at the elevated restaurant Lounge in the Sky Indonesia in Jakarta, Indonesia, 30 March 2022. The Lounge in the Sky Indonesia has opened as a new tourist attraction in the capital as the country aims to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. Mast Irham, EPA-EFE </figcaption></figure></div><p><br/>JAKARTA — Indonesians are heading out to eat again as the COVID-19 pandemic&#x27;s grip on the country loosens, and some thrill-seekers in Jakarta are celebrating by having dinner while dangling 50 meters in the air.</p><p>The Lounge in the Sky opened to the public this week in the capital of Muslim-majority Indonesia. </p><p>Spots were snapped up months in advance: it is fully booked in the evenings for the month of <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/03/22/ramadan-opisyal-nang-nagsimula">Ramadan</a>, when Muslims gather at the end of the day to break their fast.</p><p>The restaurant serves meals -- priced between 1.6 and 3.7 million rupiah -- to as many as 32 customers at a time on a platform that is lifted as high as 50 meters by a crane.</p><p>Diners are strapped into their seats, while the chefs and servers wear security harnesses.</p><p>Some customers were seen cheering as the platform rose during a visit by AFP.</p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="The elevated restaurant Lounge in the Sky Indonesia hangs from a crane in Jakarta, Indonesia, March 30. 2022. Mast Irham, EPA-EFE" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/life/04/08/lounge-in-the-sky-2-epa-efe.jpg"/><figcaption>The elevated restaurant Lounge in the Sky Indonesia hangs from a crane in Jakarta, Indonesia, March 30. 2022. Mast Irham, EPA-EFE</figcaption></figure></div><p>&quot;At first, it was not easy. I was nervous that I wouldn&#x27;t be able to swallow the food,&quot; said Yuni, a 29-year-old doctor.</p><p>&quot;But after some time I could... eat. It was thrilling.&quot;</p><p>The restaurant said it follows strict safety standards, but the experience does not come without precautions: its website recommends customers go to the bathroom before taking their seats to avoid the need to lower the platform during the meal.</p><p>Two Belgian entrepreneurs developed the &quot;Dinner in the Sky&quot; concept. Since 2006 it has expanded to dozens of countries.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse </strong></div><div><strong>FROM THE ARCHIVES: </strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1992455" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

As the COVID-19's grip on the Indonesia loosens, some thrill-seekers are celebrating by having dinner while dangling 50 meters in the air.