Welcome to Yogyakarta! The most metropolitan city in a country severely lacking in metropolitanism. Yogyakarta is renowned as the educational epicenter of Indonesia and is littered with Javanese art and culture, most notably for its batik, street art, dangdut music, food scene, and wayang puppets. Historically, the city was a capital of the region for hundreds of years and briefly the Indonesian capital during the Indonesian National Revolution from 1945 to 1949, while Indonesia transitioned from a colony to an independent country.
Our first day in Yogyakarta was spent exploring the city. We left our hotel and wandered the downtown stopping to eat wherever possible. Seriously, I could post a dozen photos of just the best dishes we ate. And yes, many of the places are carts that sit along the streets and for the faint hearted may seem unsanitary, but after living in Indonesia for several years now I am far from faint hearted. I was a bit surprised by Bryan's inhibition at where we ate, although he didn't have a horrendous bout of Typhoid in his past to remind him of caution when choosing where to eat. Now for a stroll in the city...
Street Art
Unavoidable Macet (Traffic) in Indonesia
Sultan's Palace
Yogyakarta is a special region of Indonesia, which still has a monarch, Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, despite Indonesia being a democracy. The Sultan also acts as the region's Governor.
Rujak Buah
In front of the palace is a rather large, permanent festival area loaded with delicious food and decrepit carnival rides. Bryan and I had some martabak, think a more buttery chocolate chip pound cake served warm, and rujak buah, which is a collection of fruit and vegetables served with a sweet sauce that packs a punch. Typical fruit and vegetables would include cucumber, mango, pineapple, water apple, and papaya. The sauce is made from palm sugar, peanuts, and chilies.
Bulé (White Person) Fan Club
When Bryan saw his opportunity to try the infamous durian, he couldn't resist. And again to my surprise, he enjoyed it. You can learn more about durian and see my initial reaction tasting it, which was much different than Bryan's reaction, here.
After we explored most of the central downtown, we began exploring some of the outskirts and stumbled across a neat alley with a kopi luwak coffee shop and a batik art dealer.
After we explored most of the central downtown, we began exploring some of the outskirts and stumbled across a neat alley with a kopi luwak coffee shop and a batik art dealer.
To the above right you can see the form of kopi luwak before it is cleaned and brewed. Below you can see the Asian Palm Civet, which are what gives kopi luwak its distinct flavor. If interested, I wrote about kopi luwak in my last post.
Asian Palm Civet
Meanwhile next door... Bryan purchased a batik painting and took a picture with the artist. Batik is an art technique using wax and dye to create intricate designs on cloth. The art form is popular in Southeast Asia, but is most well-known in Indonesia, particularly Yogyakarta. The application of the wax may be done using the tool seen to the left or by using a cap, which is a large copper stamp used to make repeat designs. The wax resists the dye, which allows the artist to color different sections of the cloth, and then remove the wax by boiling the cloth in water.
That evening Bryan and I took in the sights and sounds of Malioboro Street. Near dusk you start to see a trickle of the nightlife beginning as shop owners light the never ending row of stalls that line both sidewalks. By the time dinner strikes, it is a madhouse.
Yogyakarta's Famous Malioboro Street
One of many food stalls found on Malioboro Street
After a few days, I reveled in the walkability of Yogyakarta. It was a refreshing change of pace from the concrete jungle, Jakarta, where I live; where it is essentially impossible to walk anywhere. Yogyakarta's many cafes, bars, and intriguing mixture of high end restaurants and street food give it a unique atmosphere not found in the rest of Indonesia. An added bonus, this is an Indonesian tourist destination, which means the city does not pander to bulés as Bali does, which to me makes the whole experience feel a lot more authentic.
Borobudur
Whereas the previous day was spent almost entirely walking, the following day was spent traveling to the surrounding area to see iconic UNESCO World Heritage Sites Borobudur and Prambanan. Borodubur is the world's largest Buddhist temple; it was built circa 825 AD. There are nine platforms topped by a central dome; surrounding the dome are 72 Buddha statues inside perforated stupas. When entering the first platform you are supposed to walk in a particular route, which guides you along an extensive path of stairs and halls. All the while lining the walls are an extensive story narrated over the course of more than 1,000 stone carved images.
As for Borobudur's design, it takes the form of a giant tantric Buddhist mandala, which represents the universe. Most commonly, mandalas are a Buddhist geometric pattern used to assist in focusing attention, guiding the spirit, or aiding in meditation to reach nirvana. Each of Borobudur's nine platforms represent one stage of enlightenment. When I visited Kathmandu, Nepal last year, I bought a mandala painting shown to the right.
What I found most interesting about Borobudur was that it was mysteriously abandoned sometime during the 14th century. It is widely thought that the abandonment was due to the decline of Hinduism in favor of Islam, an increase in volcanic activity, or a combination of both, which ultimately led to this emblematic structure disappearing into irrelevance for hundreds of years only to be rediscovered in the 19th century covered in volcanic ash and jungle growth by British colonials.
What I found most interesting about Borobudur was that it was mysteriously abandoned sometime during the 14th century. It is widely thought that the abandonment was due to the decline of Hinduism in favor of Islam, an increase in volcanic activity, or a combination of both, which ultimately led to this emblematic structure disappearing into irrelevance for hundreds of years only to be rediscovered in the 19th century covered in volcanic ash and jungle growth by British colonials.
Image Lining the Walls of Borobudur
Image Lining the Walls of Borobudur
Borobudur
Buddha Statues inside Perforated Stupas
Top of Borobudur
Following a 90 minute drive from Borobudur, we arrived at Prambanan, the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia. Prambanan is a collection of six major shrines surrounded by hundreds of smaller shrines; from afar it reminded me of King Louie's temple from the Jungle Book. The most pronounced shrine in the center is dedicated to Shiva (The Destroyer), while the next two largest on either side of Shiva's shrine are for Brahma (The Expression of God as the Creator) and Vishnu (The Preserver). The front, smaller three temples are for each of the god's vehicles: Garuda (Humanoid Bird for Vishnu), Hamsa (Goose or Swan for Brahma), and Nandi (Bull for Shiva).
The first building was completed in the mid-9th century standing 47 meters tall (154 feet), while the rest of the structure was expanded over time by the regional kings. Prambanan shares a few similarities with Borobudur. For example, the shape resembles a mandala, although not as closely as Borobudur. In addition, Prambanan was lost for several centuries following an eruption or a power struggle between kings. The temple has also known peril having been severely damaged following an earthquake in the 16th century. The main temples were reconstructed many years later; however, most of the surrounding smaller shrines continue to await their restoration.
Prambanan
Shiva Temple
Ganesha (Left): Shiva's Son & Durga (Right): Shiva's Consort inside Shiva's Temple
Prambanan
Prambanan
Close up of Shrine Artwork
Nearby Additional Shrines
I cherished my time in Yogyakarta and at the nearby temples. It satisfied my endless yearning for museums and culture, which are nearly non-existent in Jakarta. I cannot wait to return for another visit. For the final leg of our trip, Rashidah will be joining Bryan and me in the jungles of Kalimantan to visit orangutans.
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