Chapter 2
Day 3 - Arriving in Yogyakarta
The flight to Yogyakarta was fantastic. We took off that the was sunrise. The land was mostly covered by mist and sun gave it a bright golden glow. Every now and then some mountain or even a volcano appeared rising from the clouds layer. It looked like a sea of molten gold from which rose several green islands. Some of them were volcanoes with even a pinnacle of smoke coming from their mouths. It was definitely amazing!
When we landed we had two options to get to the centre. The first was to bargain with some taxi driver for a ride, while the second was the local train. Every driver was literally submerged by hordes of people asking for a ride, while only few locals were walking toward the station. If the locals chose the train, it must be the best option! So, we followed the locals and we took a train at a tiny fraction of the taxi price.
I like to use public transportation. It makes me feel closer to the people and not under a glass barrier that keeps me at bay from the people. The train was quite clean, it had air condition provided by some electric small fans nailed top-down on the roof, and people were smiling friendly. I was happy of our choice!
Our hotel, the Istana Batik, was just in front of the station, so when we reached the Yogyakarta station it took very short to find it. As soon as we did the check-in we were taken to our room which was across a very gorgeous garden with swimming pool. The room itself was very simple and the furnishing quite old. But it didn’t matter! We crushed on the bed. It was mid morning of the 20th August. Mathematics say that we travelled for 40 hours straight, but in the end, counting the hours difference, it fell to about 30 hours! It has been such a long journey!
We took off our dirty clothes and jumped in the swimming pool. If we left the hotel without it, we’d visit Yogyakarta with that sense of tiredness that would spoil our trip. So we got rid of that laying in water, swimming and then laying for a bit on the poolside deckchairs. It was great!
When we landed we had two options to get to the centre. The first was to bargain with some taxi driver for a ride, while the second was the local train. Every driver was literally submerged by hordes of people asking for a ride, while only few locals were walking toward the station. If the locals chose the train, it must be the best option! So, we followed the locals and we took a train at a tiny fraction of the taxi price.
I like to use public transportation. It makes me feel closer to the people and not under a glass barrier that keeps me at bay from the people. The train was quite clean, it had air condition provided by some electric small fans nailed top-down on the roof, and people were smiling friendly. I was happy of our choice!
Our hotel, the Istana Batik, was just in front of the station, so when we reached the Yogyakarta station it took very short to find it. As soon as we did the check-in we were taken to our room which was across a very gorgeous garden with swimming pool. The room itself was very simple and the furnishing quite old. But it didn’t matter! We crushed on the bed. It was mid morning of the 20th August. Mathematics say that we travelled for 40 hours straight, but in the end, counting the hours difference, it fell to about 30 hours! It has been such a long journey!
We took off our dirty clothes and jumped in the swimming pool. If we left the hotel without it, we’d visit Yogyakarta with that sense of tiredness that would spoil our trip. So we got rid of that laying in water, swimming and then laying for a bit on the poolside deckchairs. It was great!
Yogyakarta
We left the hotel that we were refreshed and relaxed, ready for a new day of exploration. We followed the street and we reached the famous Jalan Malioboro. The city centre is all around of it. Honestly, Yogyakarta isn’t that beautiful. It has that badly-cared decadent look, at the street sides nice and alleys with small flags decorations alternated with dirty and shady small roads. On the rights side pavement, under a sort of arcade, there was a small market selling uninteresting stuff at far too high prices.
Before leaving for Indonesia we searched how to plan our trips in the surroundings of Yogyakarta. Luckily we found that, in order to save some money, people should avoid local tourist agencies and head to the Tourism Authority which is in Jalan Malioboro. So, we went down this street until we found the Tourism Authority and entered it. It looked a little uncared and a little messed up. The world “cleaning” was slowly fading away from the memory of the local employees as long as the layer of dust was raising on the shelves and leaflets piles. Anyway, the workers were nice and helpful, this is what counts the most. They were selling trip packages and we booked two of them. The first would be for the next day and it’d take us to the Borobudur and Prambanan Temples, while the second one was the transportation that from Yogyakarta would take us first to the Mt. Bromo and then to Kuta, Bali.
Before leaving for Indonesia we searched how to plan our trips in the surroundings of Yogyakarta. Luckily we found that, in order to save some money, people should avoid local tourist agencies and head to the Tourism Authority which is in Jalan Malioboro. So, we went down this street until we found the Tourism Authority and entered it. It looked a little uncared and a little messed up. The world “cleaning” was slowly fading away from the memory of the local employees as long as the layer of dust was raising on the shelves and leaflets piles. Anyway, the workers were nice and helpful, this is what counts the most. They were selling trip packages and we booked two of them. The first would be for the next day and it’d take us to the Borobudur and Prambanan Temples, while the second one was the transportation that from Yogyakarta would take us first to the Mt. Bromo and then to Kuta, Bali.
Yogyakarta - Kraton
Once outside the office we kept on following Japan Malioboro in the scorching midday sun. We reached the Kraton grounds. The Kraton is the Sultan Palace, but it was closed. Just few people were wandering around this barren battered soil wide square. We waited some minute under one of the few trees around and in less than a minute we were surrounded by several becak (cycle rickshaw) with their drivers screaming at us to hire them. It was worthless to stay still under that sun, so we looked at our maps and we saw that our next point of interest was just nearby. We said to the becak drivers that we didn’t need them and we left. They followed us a little and then they gave up.
Yogyakarta - Taman Sari
Looking at the Kraton from the trees, we went left and entered Jalan Nagan lor, at the big crossroad we turned right and we kept on going straight at the following crossroad where this street was crossed by Jalan Ngadisuryan. At the following crossroad we turned left and went straight to the white marble gates of the Taman Sari, known also as Water Palace. While we were getting close we were sure that we were reaching a very touristic place. The road was flanked by typical banner flags and many tourist carrying becaks were going all around in a chaotic motion.
The Taman Sari, that in Bahsa Indonesia means “Beautiful Garden”, is a palace hosting a complex of gardens and pools. It was built in the XVIII century and was used by the sultanate as a resting place and meditation area. In past it was larger than the part that can be visited in our days and only the central area was well preserved.
We entered the beautiful white, finely carved, gate and we found ourselves in the bathing area. We were surrounded by different series of pools. Some were small, while other were larger. Following the information that we found on our guidebook, we discovered that some of the pools were for the Sultan family, others were the concubines and one reserved at the Sultan himself. By the time that we were visiting this complex, water in the pools was still for such a long time that was taking different shades of green. From a dark one to a shade that reminded of acid green paint. Some dark things were moving in the water. I watched them more carefully and I discovered that there was a billion of mosquito larvae. Fantastic… I forgot my repellent somewhere in the hotel!
We reached the Sultan broad private pool and then we were up to his tower-like private room. Here he had windows facing different pools, so he could keep on watching his wives and concubines. This Sultan was a smart guy!
The palace is made of white stone. In such a bright sunny day, it was absolutely scorching. The walls were carved with nice sculptures and the tourists were trying to photograph anything that they could while hiding in the few shadow spots. Anyway, it was really beautiful to be in such a nice place.
The Taman Sari, that in Bahsa Indonesia means “Beautiful Garden”, is a palace hosting a complex of gardens and pools. It was built in the XVIII century and was used by the sultanate as a resting place and meditation area. In past it was larger than the part that can be visited in our days and only the central area was well preserved.
We entered the beautiful white, finely carved, gate and we found ourselves in the bathing area. We were surrounded by different series of pools. Some were small, while other were larger. Following the information that we found on our guidebook, we discovered that some of the pools were for the Sultan family, others were the concubines and one reserved at the Sultan himself. By the time that we were visiting this complex, water in the pools was still for such a long time that was taking different shades of green. From a dark one to a shade that reminded of acid green paint. Some dark things were moving in the water. I watched them more carefully and I discovered that there was a billion of mosquito larvae. Fantastic… I forgot my repellent somewhere in the hotel!
We reached the Sultan broad private pool and then we were up to his tower-like private room. Here he had windows facing different pools, so he could keep on watching his wives and concubines. This Sultan was a smart guy!
The palace is made of white stone. In such a bright sunny day, it was absolutely scorching. The walls were carved with nice sculptures and the tourists were trying to photograph anything that they could while hiding in the few shadow spots. Anyway, it was really beautiful to be in such a nice place.
Yogyakarta - Masjid Bawah Tanah (Underground Mosque)
We asked to some Indonesian for the direction to reach the Masjid Bawah Tanah, known also as the “Underground Mosque”. Long time ago this mosque rose on a artificial island in the middle of a small lake. In order to reach the mosque, people had to follow a tunnel beneath the bottom of the small lake. In our days the lake doesn’t exist anymore and a Yogyakarta neighborhood of small houses rise there.
The people shown us a small gate in the side of the Taman Sari wall and we crossed this gate to the other side. We found ourselves at the border of the neighborhood. That wall was like an interdimensional gate. Few seconds before we were in a touristic spot surrounded by hundreds of tourists, now we were in a Indonesian town where we were the only westerners. Already at the first glance, this part of Yogyakarta looked lovely as it confirmed to be.
Just few minutes earlier, before passing through the “interdimensional gate” I heard a local tourist guide saying that they were going to the Masjid Bawah Tanah and they headed to the main entrance. I looked at Lula and I told her that it was a challenge. Would the two crazy travelers arrive at the Mosque earlier than the tourists and their guide? Ready, steady, go!
Along the way we met such a nice spots great to be pictured and where were living lovely people. A swarm of kids were all running and playing around us, laughing and posing for Lula’s camera. In the meanwhile, using my English, my charming smile and the typically Italian gesture, I gathered any kind information from the kids and the local people. In short we reached the mosque, but it looked like closed. I asked for more information and then, passing by a private garden, up a ladder, across the roof of a house and following a alley, we reached the real mosque gate! We were alone! We arrived first!
We entered the mosque gate and we followed the underground tunnel that one was below the bottom of the lake around the same mosque. When we reached the other end, we found ourselves into a circular structure made of two floors. The central area was open and the floors were looking like facing a sort of low pit. In the centre of this area there were the stairs that were connecting the two floors. Four flights of stairs started at the bottom floor edges rising and converging to the centre. From the centre a single “fifth” flight of stairs connected the half way meeting point up to the second floor. So, in the end, if looked from above, the five flights of stairs looked like a five-pointed star.
This mosque was so much different from the other mosques that we visited before, that, more than a worshiping place, it looked like the house of some creature from a Tolkien book.
We were free to wander around for some long time until we heard voices. They were from the same tourists that we met at the Taman Sari. It looked like that the kids that helped us had been better guides than their own.
The people shown us a small gate in the side of the Taman Sari wall and we crossed this gate to the other side. We found ourselves at the border of the neighborhood. That wall was like an interdimensional gate. Few seconds before we were in a touristic spot surrounded by hundreds of tourists, now we were in a Indonesian town where we were the only westerners. Already at the first glance, this part of Yogyakarta looked lovely as it confirmed to be.
Just few minutes earlier, before passing through the “interdimensional gate” I heard a local tourist guide saying that they were going to the Masjid Bawah Tanah and they headed to the main entrance. I looked at Lula and I told her that it was a challenge. Would the two crazy travelers arrive at the Mosque earlier than the tourists and their guide? Ready, steady, go!
Along the way we met such a nice spots great to be pictured and where were living lovely people. A swarm of kids were all running and playing around us, laughing and posing for Lula’s camera. In the meanwhile, using my English, my charming smile and the typically Italian gesture, I gathered any kind information from the kids and the local people. In short we reached the mosque, but it looked like closed. I asked for more information and then, passing by a private garden, up a ladder, across the roof of a house and following a alley, we reached the real mosque gate! We were alone! We arrived first!
We entered the mosque gate and we followed the underground tunnel that one was below the bottom of the lake around the same mosque. When we reached the other end, we found ourselves into a circular structure made of two floors. The central area was open and the floors were looking like facing a sort of low pit. In the centre of this area there were the stairs that were connecting the two floors. Four flights of stairs started at the bottom floor edges rising and converging to the centre. From the centre a single “fifth” flight of stairs connected the half way meeting point up to the second floor. So, in the end, if looked from above, the five flights of stairs looked like a five-pointed star.
This mosque was so much different from the other mosques that we visited before, that, more than a worshiping place, it looked like the house of some creature from a Tolkien book.
We were free to wander around for some long time until we heard voices. They were from the same tourists that we met at the Taman Sari. It looked like that the kids that helped us had been better guides than their own.
Yogyakarta - Birds Market
We reached the Bird Market area that was at the side of a broad and trafficked street. Here there were many rows of cages and fencing with any kind of feathery animal. You could find birds, from the common Canary to some pretty and colored exotic species. In the middle of the market there was also a cage with Bats that, in spite they aren’t properly birds but mammals, they are winged, so, qualified for the Birds Market. There were chickens, ducks, geese and of course roosters. Roosters usually were in isolate upside-down-basket-like cages. The reason is that in Indonesia is widespread the cruel custom of Chicken Fights and by this way, people “train” their roosters to live in chaos and near people… Or just driving them insane.
The most peculiar were the painted chicks. In fact, in Indonesia there is the belief that the custom of painting baby chicks in bright colors brings good luck. So, it was easy to spot cages filled with chicks painted in pink, green, electric blue, orange, etc… They were pretty but I don’t know how did they feel being painted in that way. I wished to buy them all and take them at my uncle’s chicken pen!
The most peculiar were the painted chicks. In fact, in Indonesia there is the belief that the custom of painting baby chicks in bright colors brings good luck. So, it was easy to spot cages filled with chicks painted in pink, green, electric blue, orange, etc… They were pretty but I don’t know how did they feel being painted in that way. I wished to buy them all and take them at my uncle’s chicken pen!
Yogyakarta
After that we took a load of pictures we went back to Malioboro Street from where we took a street by the river until we reached a bridge. It was almost sunset and the sky was turning from blue into a golden orange shade. We spent some minute looking at the river and a shanty neighbourhood was at our right hand side. Roosters were crowing everywhere. I’d say that along with the “Kechak Dance” that I attended in Bali, the Rooster Crowing would be the soundtrack of this trip.
We entered the labyrinth of the shanty neighbourhood. We followed the road that was running parallel to the river. Along the way we saw a lot of people. Some were repairing their homes, others were cooking while others were just laying on the ground of their homes watching TV. Along the people, roosters were everywhere and they were looking and crowing to us from their upside-down-basket-cages. We reached again the main road, from the bridge we say that in the river below there were some kids playing, exploring and fishing for something in the garbage filled banks. This is the less touristic Yogyakarta!
That evening we dined into a roadside restaurant. I mean, it was just at the side of the street on a broad pavement, and we were sitting on carpet on the ground. We ordered two Nasi Goreng that it’d turn into our most common food for all our trip in Indonesia.
We walked back to our Hotel. Again a nice night time swim under a starry sky and then off to bed. We had few hours to sleep as we’d get up at sunrise. Or even earlier for our next trip.
We entered the labyrinth of the shanty neighbourhood. We followed the road that was running parallel to the river. Along the way we saw a lot of people. Some were repairing their homes, others were cooking while others were just laying on the ground of their homes watching TV. Along the people, roosters were everywhere and they were looking and crowing to us from their upside-down-basket-cages. We reached again the main road, from the bridge we say that in the river below there were some kids playing, exploring and fishing for something in the garbage filled banks. This is the less touristic Yogyakarta!
That evening we dined into a roadside restaurant. I mean, it was just at the side of the street on a broad pavement, and we were sitting on carpet on the ground. We ordered two Nasi Goreng that it’d turn into our most common food for all our trip in Indonesia.
We walked back to our Hotel. Again a nice night time swim under a starry sky and then off to bed. We had few hours to sleep as we’d get up at sunrise. Or even earlier for our next trip.