After what seemed like the glamour of Jogjakarta, Solo was a let down. This was partly due to the overwhelming January heat. We ducked into a movie theatre for the air- conditioning for a couple of hours of relief and watched a long-forgotten movie.
Continue reading Next stop—Surakarta/SoloTag Archives: Indonesia
The Dieng Plateau.
Some two thousand metres above sea level, we arrived on the Dieng Plateau. It was a bonus to enjoy the cooler air in a quieter part of the island. Rice was being harvested as we climbed up on our way to an ancient Hindu site built during the era of the Kalingga Kingdom.
Continue reading The Dieng Plateau.Prambanan
We ventured to Prambanan one afternoon to the ninth century Hindu temple. It was hot and sticky and the bus crowded, but the site wasn’t far from Jogja.
Continue reading PrambananJogjakarta
Jogja seemed like the silver capital of Indonesia. We spent a couple of days roaming silversmith shops and all the other goodies that Indonesia had to offer. I was after batik, but it had to be green and brown seemed to be the dominant colour on display. My daughter was drawn to fake Cartier watches. This was a dream come true for her because everything was cheap compared to Australia. We idled through markets where batiks hung like waving flags, tasbis (Muslim prayer beads) filled entire stalls in a multitude of designs and hues, and the food was to die for.
Continue reading JogjakartaThe magic of Borobudur
I thought I was clever going to Borobudur on Christmas day, after all, this was a Muslim country. I guess I hadn’t learned my lesson from the train from Bandung. Instead of no one being at the site, the Buddhist structure was overcrowded. I soon realized it was a holiday in Indonesia. I’m not sure if it was a hangover from colonial times or that Islam revered Jesus (Isa) as a prophet and thus the holiday.
Continue reading The magic of BorobudurWould we ever reach Jogjakarta?
Jogja was the highlight of the entire Java trip both for my daughter and me, but getting there was a nightmare. It was the Christmas weekend—not a problem in Muslim Indonesia, I thought. Wrong! Every train and bus was booked with students returning home. The only possible route out of Bogor, was a taxi to Bandung where we waited until the following day to catch a jam-packed train to Jogjakarta. After this grueling nine-hour journey, my daughter started counting the days before we’d be back home. “Twenty-one days to go,” she moaned as we wearily dumped our packs in our room. At least I scored one point landing in a hotel with a swimming pool.
Continue reading Would we ever reach Jogjakarta?Bogor and a muddy mountain trail
We didn’t stay long in Indonesia’s capital. We reached Bogor, sixty kilometres south, and relief at being away from Jakarta’s congestion washed over us in more ways than one. A guide approached as we left the markets and soon convinced us to visit Mt Salak the following day.
Continue reading Bogor and a muddy mountain trailFirst steps on to Java
Years after I left Bali, I often regretted not seeing more of Indonesia—my nearest neighbour at the time. It wasn’t until well over a decade later, I landed in Jakarta with my nine-year-old daughter. Her two older sisters had gone to Canada, so I grabbed this opportunity like an Indian passenger half out of a rail carriage door but clinging on. I intended to explore Java from one end to the other.
Continue reading First steps on to JavaBali before the tourist invasion
From the aeroplane window I spied no buildings, only coconut palms. I asked myself, what had I done? This was my first trip outside Australia, so like the vista below, I was green.
Continue reading Bali before the tourist invasionRemembering a past flavour
It’s been many years since I last visited Indonesia but what I can’t forget is the food. Though not my favourite cuisine in the world, it comes near the top.
With the final days of summer, there’s one dish that is perfect in the heat — gado gado. It’s a mixture of salad vegetables topped with a peanut sauce that adds a distinct flavour unique to Indonesia and Malaysia.
In my version however, I leave off the boiled egg.