Java Part 2

I know that I need to think of better titles, maybe next time!

We did have a bit of a hiccup with the start of the tour as the G20 cultural summit so there were some last minute changes to the itinerary. On Day 2, we had a bekak/rickshaw tour of Yogyakarta, not the cycle rickshaws but motorbike ones. It is funny how different SE Asian countries offer the same type of excursions!!

On the road!

We were taken to the Kraton (Sultan’s Palace) and Taman Sari (the Water Castle) an 18th century portuguese complex- where royalty used to bathe in the old days. The basic and original layout of the main building of The Kraton began its construction during the reign of Sultan Hamengku Buwono I, in 1755 – 1756. It is still the Sultan’s residence and all the state functions take place there. The caretakers of the royal household still wear traditional costume and all the female guides had their hair styled in the traditional way.

The Dutch made some refurbishments and the central pavilion is constructed of dutch stained glass. I did find it all looking relatively modern, I think that I expected it to be ‘ancient’, but then I suppose if it still the Royal Residence, it needs to be maintained and updated as neccesary?

Musical Instraments used at royal functions.

Our next stops were Wayang – shadow puppet makers and batik studios. We had a lesson on how shadow puppets were made and the meaning behind the different facial points of the puppet. Wayang is an ancient form of storytelling that is renowned for its elaborate puppets and complex musical styles, normally performed at cultural festivals and play out mythical stories such as the Ramayana and cultural legends.

The shadow puppets are made out of pig skin (I think, I can’t totally remember!) and are traditionally hand made. There are also marionette type puppets that are also used.

I really liked Jogyakarta, it was a calm, respectful and interesting place. The mix of ancient civilisation with colonisation has left a very unique and interesting place. I really liked the way each road or neighbourhood had a gateway with the name of the area welcoming you in. There were wide, open green spaces circled with traditional houses. The people were respectful, they had suffered with the lack of tourists but they did not hound us. Taxi drivers and guides approached us whilst we were out walking but as soon as we said ‘no thanks’, they left us in peace. We even saw our bekak drivers the next day and they acknowledged us as they drove by, good customer service ;-).

I don’t know what it was, it could be that I had not travelled in a while and was just enjoying being abroad again and forgotten how it all feels, it could have been that I was with Rajiv and Tayla and it is always so much more special sharing a trip with loved ones, but I loved it there – even with the 80% humidity!!!

The next morning we had an early start as our group had requested a visit to the Borobodour Temple Complex and we needed to be off by 6.30am as we had to then catch a train to our next destination. Obviously I was not happy about that as I do like my sleep but, it was very much worth the effort – it was stunning.

My naive thinking was that nothing could compare with Angkor Wat in Cambodia, but then I was told that Borobudur was built way before! It is UNESCO World Heritage Site built between AD778 and AD856. It is the largest Buddhist temple in the world and represents the Buddhist concept of attaining Nirvana.