Monday, January 26, 2015

Yogyakarta, The City and People

We liked the folks in Yogyakarta. The bus drivers and conductors were helpful and friendly. The hotel staff always seemed to be smiling. The area gets many local, regional, and international tourists yet it still seems quintessential Indonesian.

We made two trips to Tugu Staion to by onward tickets. Both times we were helped by Customer Service and both times the ladies at the ticket counter were professional.
Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Beautiful facade to the train station.
Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Of course it's nice to relax every afternoon at the hotel pool.
Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Almost everyday we bought gorengan (deep fried bananas, tofu, and tempeh) from this gentleman.Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

It's the rainy season now in Indonesia. Most afternoons there are showers or drizzle for a few hours and the rare thunderstorm. Occasionally it rains at night.
Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

The horse cart (dokar) and pedicab (becak) are still used by the locals to get around. And used by tourists in city center.
Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Cruising south on Malioboro.
Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

And farther south towards the Sultan's Palace; the main in-town tourist site.
Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

We've found folks in restaurants to be particularly patient and we're learning how to order vegetarian Indonesian food like nasi telor (rice with a fried egg and sides).
Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

There's always a pleasing volcano in sight in Yogya. This is Mount Merapi (right) as seen from our hotel window. I think it's smoking. SL disagrees. I read online that it smokes about 300 days of the year.
Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

The few Dutch Colonial buildings in city center are in pretty good shape.
Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

The Sultan's Palace (Kraton) marks the center of Yogyakarta. There are in fact 2 kratons as competing royal factions have split the palace in two parts. We visited both.

The first.
Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

And the much more prosperous second with expansive grounds and exhibits, scores of sarong-clad guards, and free daily performances.
Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

These guards (check out their short swords) are also puppeteers.
Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

We were impressed by the restored royal water gardens (Taman Sari Water Castle).
Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Equally impressive was the nearby circular, multilevel, escheresque underground mosque - not in service these days but popular as a photo shoot location by the younger crowd.
Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

I count four photo shoots in progress in this shot. ;-)
Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

And more here.
Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

We ate lunch several times at a Loving Hut Vegan restaurant near our hotel.
Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Yogyakarta, Central Java, Indonesia

And we provisioned several times in the modest mall down the street.
Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia





4 comments:

Kathy said...

Glad to see you posting. I was beginning to wonder whether you were OK.

john said...

Kathy, Getting our Chinese visas in Jakarta has us off schedule. But hope to catch up before flying to Singapore.

Crash Eddy said...

Pedicab queue is impressive. Did you ride in one? I see McDonalds in mall, is there one every few blocks as in the USA? Dutch colonial buildings appear to be in excellent shape, now Javan goverment use?

john said...

Ed, Great questions! 1) Did not ride in a pedicab. 2) Indeed in city centers it seems one is always in sight of a McDonald's. 3) Yes, most Dutch Colonial buildings are in excellent shape and are used by govt, banks, hotels, and universities.

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