After being awake for approximately 40hrs –(following a Canada Day eve
on an epic island with no rules, missing our first ferry, just making the last
bus back to Kuala Lampur making it just in time to head right to the airport
for a 4hr wait, followed by a 2hr flight), we let out a massive, “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH”
of relief. We were really looking forward to our highly anticipated return to
Indonesia. Our fingers were crossed that we would find the same type of
positivity and open-arms we received in Bali and Lombok.
If you recall (only if you actually read this blog) our goodbye
Indonesia Round 1 post, we were kind of rattled in our search for “culture” in
Bali and Lombok (although it is there is you step outside of resort overloaded
south Bali); that is until the amazing realization that the people is where the
magic really reveals itself.
I can say after just 5 days in Yogyakarta aka Yogya, that positive Indonesia
feeling and the uniqueness that you look for as a traveler is here.
Unlike Bali however, English is harder to come by and Javanese culture
punches you in the face around every corner. It’s the good punch through. Like
the one from a grade school playground crush (even though it’s egotistically
devastating when it hurts more than one from a dude). Western food is harder to
come by – which is great because indo food is great. Transportation is slow and
long… but wherever you get dropped off always seems to make up for the slow
haul in a minibus or becak (rusty and unfit for the road bicycle rickshaw).
Art and culture is in abundance along with music and streets littered
with cafés spreading the love with the amazing aroma of Sumatra and Java coffee
beans.…….. and then there are the people… Just magic. They are pumped to teach
you Bahasa Indonesian and even more so to practice their English, or in the
case of Java French also, which in itself is a truly amazing thing. These guys
teach themselves through tourists, music and movies.
The history also comes alive here. Yogya has seemed to find a great
marriage between history, tradition, chaos and calm, with a more modern way of
living. You see this everywhere:
whether it’s In the streets and markets or at the breathtakingly
beautiful and remarkably well maintained Hindu and Buddhist temples of Prambanan
and Borobudur just an hour away that are.
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| Becaks lined up on the street |
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| Driver asleep at the wheel |
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| Women selling goods in one of many markets |
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| Sun rising over Borobudur temple |
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| Profile view |
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| Entrance to Prambanan temple |
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| Token tourist shot in front of temple |
We were looking to soak up the Java and Indonesian culture in our short
time left there… And so far, that is exactly what we found. Let’s see how our short
time in Yogya compares to Java’s east coast in the Beautiful Beach Pagandaran.
Until next time…
OOO_Jonny and Talia
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