Call me lucky, last week the Company sent me for a workshop in Jogjakarta, the culture capital of Indonesia.
After arriving the hotel, I managed to drive around Jogja (Short name of Jogjakarta) for three hours on a 'Becak.'
Becak is a Indonesian kind of pedicab. One becak can carry two passengers.
There are so many becaks in Jogja, so many that you can find them queeing waiting for passengers.
It makes me think there maybe more becaks than the people of Jogja itself :)
Besides becak, other tradisional transportation is called 'Delman.'It is a horse carriage. The same type you can find in other part of the world.
Well, my three hours becak tour start from the hotel at one o'clock to Jalan Malioboro or Malioboro Street. The street is popular among tourists as it offers various handicraft and souvenirs and clothes it low price.
After Malioboro, I went to the Sultan Palace.
The palace is built in the 17th century. The Sultan family still live in the palace as Jogja Sultan is still functional there.
I asked the becak driver to wait while I went for a tour inside the palace.
It was very hot, so after less then 30 minutes I left the palace thru a big gate guarded by some nice servants of the palace.
Next stop was Taman Sari or Water Castle. Taman Sari is actually part of the palace, however is no longer in use by the Sultan family. The castle was build in 17th century as well and consisting of many sections. Most of them has been ruined by earth quake which hapened sometimes in Jogja.
On that day, I went to the underground mosque. To get there, we have to walk thru a tunnel.
Then I visit the section where in past is used as a pool for the Sultan and his family.
It was almost three o'clock in the afternoon and I havent had my lunch yet. So, I went to Jalan Wijilan, a street full of cafe or restaurant selling 'Gudeg', Jogja tradisional food.
Gudeg is unripe jackfruit curry served with rice, chicken curry, chillies, eggs and soya cakes.
I was so hungry, I finished the whole plate!!
Then I went back to Malioboro to buy some clothes. The most special clothes in Jogja, also in Indonesia, is 'Batik'. Batik is a piece of fabric which is printed or painted with traditional javanese patterns. The cheap one usualy mass produced by machines but if we can afford it, we can purchase the one painted by this lady ....
At around four o'clock I was back at the hotel with bags of souvenirs ....
