Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Two Days in Solo

Although many tourists visit Solo (Surakarta) as a day trip from Yogyakarta, we kept ourselves very busy for two full days including attending an evening performance. Not to mention that our hotel had a tremendous (and lavish) breakfast buffet and a great pool.

Day One we had back-to-back perfect included-in-the-admission guided tours; first at the Batik Museum and then at the Puro Mangkunegaran Palace. We shopped. We swam. We ate a tasty dinner at a backpacker joint. We attended an evening Javanese performance of gamelan music and theater.

Sun-Ling specially enjoyed the Javanese performance not only for the music and theater but also for the fact that it was well attended by locals of all ages, us being the only foreigners.

Day Two: We joined the locals for their Sunday morning "car free" walk, bike, run, skate. We
visited the Keraton Kasunanan (the other palace). We shopped and shopped. We got our hair cut at the mall. We swam.

Tempeh and rice at Warung Baru.
Warung Baru - Solo (Surakarta), Central Java, Indonesia

Serabi, a Solo specialty.
Serabi, a Solo Specialty - Solo (Surakarta), Central Java, Indonesia

The historic Hotel Central needs a paint job.
Solo (Surakarta), Central Java, Indonesia

In contrast, the nearby McDonald's looks pretty spiffy.
Solo (Surakarta), Java, Indonesia

Puro Mangkunegaran Palace where we also listened to a bit of the gamelan orchestra practice.
Solo (Surakarta), Central Java, Indonesia

Some video of the Gamelan Orchestra here.

No shoes, er sandals, in the palace.
Solo (Surakarta), Central Java, Indonesia

Quiet back street.
Solo (Surakarta), Central Java, Indonesia

Typical main street intersection.
Solo (Surakarta), Central Java, Indonesia

Pedicabs near the North Square.
Solo (Surakarta), Central Java, Indonesia

We stopped by the night market just as it was getting underway; bought a few snacks.
Solo (Surakarta), Java, Indonesia

Solo (Surakarta), Java, Indonesia

One of main drags is car free every Sunday morning from 6 to 9. Well attended.
Solo (Surakarta), Java, Indonesia

Solo (Surakarta), Java, Indonesia

Solo (Surakarta), Java, Indonesia

Solo (Surakarta), Java, Indonesia

The second palace, Keraton Kasunanan, had a clock tower, shady grounds and an impressive collection of horse carriages in its museum.
Solo (Surakarta), Java, Indonesia

Solo (Surakarta), Java, Indonesia

Solo (Surakarta), Java, Indonesia

Solo (Surakarta), Java, Indonesia

The hotel pool.
Solo (Surakarta), Java, Indonesia

Got our hair cut at this mall.
Solo (Surakarta), Java, Indonesia

Not much of a beer selection at the Carrefour. Guess it's because Indonesia is predominantly Muslim.
Solo (Surakarta), Java, Indonesia

4 comments:

Crash Eddy said...

Quite a crush of folks walking on the street. You foreigners must have stood out. Would these museums exist had it not been for colonialism? No PBR at the Carrefour? I posted Google map in comments of post below where you asked for it.

Crash Eddy said...

Oh, another question: mobile phones prevalent? Those folks walking all have their mobiles in hand? I don't see any in photos.

john said...

@Ed - Everyone has a mobile phone with folks over 40 mostly candybar, folks under 40 smartphone. And lots of selfie sticks in the under 25 crowd.

john said...

@Ed, Indonesia itself would not exist except for colonialism. It's a country made by the Dutch. According to what I've read there was not much sense of nationalism until the 1930's; then a surge of nationalism after 1945.

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