Mini-trip to Yogyakarta!

Living out of a hotel room is very difficult and you find yourself bored out of your mind 99% of the time. We are left to fend for ourselves in these big cities with no agenda or any routine. We are simply waiting for the days to pass so we can receive our documents and move onto the next step in the permit application process. On one occasion, when we had to wait another 5 days for our documents to be processed, we decided that a mini-trip out of the big city was needed. When I think of Indonesia, I imagine a city filled with culture and traditions, however, so far we have seen none of that. Java itself (excluding Jakarta) is unique in its history and cultural traditions and as a result we all decide that the destination of our mini-trip will be Yogyakarta.

 

Volcanoes

Yogyakarta is a city where you can always find something to do. During our time in Yogyakarta, we were actually able to act like tourists and do “touristy things”. Our first stop was the Prambanan temple. The Prambanan temple is the largest Hindu temple in ancient Java and is part of the UNESCO world heritage site. We got our cameras out and went photo crazy. 

However, it is a shame to say that our time visiting the temple was far from peaceful. Locals were constantly tapping us on the shoulder to take photos with them and their families. Just remember, if you say yes to one person you are essentially saying yes to EVERYONE. This advice comes from a firsthand experience since this is exactly what Helen and I did and we learned our lesson. At first Helen and I thought this was sweet, so we said yes. However, one photo turned into thousands and after a few hours we were tired, cranky, and our cheeks were aching! The worst experience we endured was when we said yes to a little girl. Within seconds, 50 or more school children ambushed us. Worst of all, all the children were shouting at us to look this way and that way since they all wanted photos with the foreigners! The locals really loved Helen and her blonde hair. 

She was the Prambanan celebrity! 

When we finally escaped the main temple, we walked around the compound and discovered another temple approximately a kilometer away, however it had absolutely nobody. This was our chance to really enjoy the temple and its beautiful architecture without constant interruptions. This was a Buddhist temple and we even enjoyed a lovely view with an active volcano in the background. After we finished exploring, John, Helen and myself took in the moment by watching the sun go down with the volcano in the backdrop. Our day was not over yet as we had tickets to watch the Prambanan Ramayana Ballet that evening. We wanted to grab dinner before the ballet started and luckily enough were found ourselves the best taxi driver. The driver recommended a restaurant located on a hill, high above the city. When we arrived, we were awestruck by the beautiful view and it felt like we were at a 5-star hotel. We ate our dinner in complete bliss and we still had to the ballet to enjoy! The

Prambanan Ramayana Ballet was an incredible experience. The story of the ballet brought you back in time to when a prince named Rama ruled a kingdom in India and meets a girl named Sita. I was captivated by the classical Javenese dances, which were complemented by Javenese musicians playing live music in the background on traditional instruments. Furthermore, the costumes were magnificent in portraying the traditional Javenese clothing. I highly recommend going to the ballet if you are ever in Yogyakarta as it is an experience of a lifetime, but make sure you set aside an entire day for this excursion.

Our next day was just as wonderful with a visit to the Royal Sultan’s Palace. Here we admired the traditional Javenese architecture that was meticulously designed back in the 1700’s! We learned about the function of Sultan’s Palace and how it was designed to be the focal point for the Sultan’s kingdom, in addition to being a royal residence. 

Volunteer guards of Sultan's palace in the traditional uniform

After our tour of the palace finished, we decided to explore the local markets on foot. This is always a great idea, as you never know where you will end up or whom you will meet along the way! This is exactly what happened to us as we stopped into a small shop to get some water and escape the blistering heat. John struck up a conversation with a local man and he happened to work for the tourist office of Yogyakarta! He recommended that we visit a batik gallery up the road. Here we learned about the complicated and painstaking processes involved in manufacturing batik designs by hand. After the tour finished, we were able to shop around the gallery and buy some handmade batik pieces for friends and family. This was a very special experience for me as I got to buy some authentic gifts for family and friends back home. Overall, our trip to Yogyakarta was a success and we were able to see many magnificent things.