16th Feb
Praying heaven and earth for the bus to reach in time.
We board a bus back to Singapore on Tuesday night. Hoping no highway jam on the road and human jam at the singapore custom. My bus reach Sg at 8am. Luckily the custom not many people. Then went back home take my luggage...need to reach the airport by 10am. Reach the airport in time. One staff was shouting, "Jogja, Jogja last call, check-in". Pheww...... lucky me.
17th Feb
Hello Jogja
I ve been listening about jogja from my friends.... nice place to visit, nice people, 10 days also not enough, a lot of places to visit, cheap food, cheap clothings, better than Bali, got terrorist, ... bla bla bla. So I am here to judge all that by myself. :)
At 2pm we reach Jogja airport. A small airport. Didnt care to take any pictures of it coz the custom is less than 50m away from the place the plane landed. Everyone was rushing to quequ coz if you are late, you'll be queing under the sun next to the plane. :P
Once we stamped our passport, there is a taxi counter just few steps ahead.. like 5 steps away. Taxi fare to Malioboro, the most happening place is 50 000Rp. It is actually expensive. If use meter taxi only 30 000Rp.
30 min slow drive to the city.
Taxi uncle too expensive
The taxi uncle was kind of friendly but I am sure they have their "udang sebalik batu". He say, "we are friend, I give special price, one day taxi 50usd". Do you think it is cheap? In Bali is ok la, about that price for a mpv.
We decline coz we learn by experience... never take the first offer. Look around..plenty of time, plenty to choose. And true enough , a day local tour is cheaper with a comfortable car. We pay like 100 000Rp per person. Took us to Borobudur, Prambanan, Kaliurang. And we met 2 Americans and 2 local from Jakarta.
It is fun to meet new people. Talk to them. Better than hiring a taxi and talk to taxi uncle the whole day.
Iris hotel the perfect choice
Hubby choose this hotel after studying the reviews. Perfect decision.
The hotel is affordable like Sg65 a night. And the hotel is connected to the shopping mall "Matahari". You have your JCo donut, mcdonals, pizza, body shop,... .. all under one roof.
Have an indoor swimming pool. Live band every night. Internet free at the lobby. But only once for 30 min.
Most importantly, it is along Malioboro street. Lot's to see, lot's to eat and lots of "beca" for you to sit.
Hotel Iris lobby - connected to Matahari mall
Malioboro street- a modern street. One side of the road for vehicle. Another side for horses and beca.
Matahari mall beside Iris hotel
First day itinerary - simply walk
The day is still bright and hot. We took our shower and walk along the street. Bought some snacks and tshirt. We saw alot of stall selling mie bakso, mie soto and ayam. There were like 10-20 stall. All selling bakso. Hubby ask me, "you dare to eat not?" Hahaha.. of course. This is not India la. So, both of us makan mie bakso and ayam. Then we drink air buah campur. Very interesting. Durian+manggo+rambutan+.... few more fruits... like drinking lai chi kang.
Bakso stall beside the road. Look like chinese stall - with bowls, meatball, noodles, chopstick
Mie ayam- use maggi mee but the soup is different.
Mie bakso- meatball, taufu, ... i like it better than mie ayam
air buah campur- got durian :0
Wet and soak under the rain
While eating bakso, we had a chat with the seller, a young guy. He is friendly, told us where to go, which place is expensive, which bus goes where... the opening hour of tourist places.....what to wear to borobodur.
Suddenly heavy rain..
Heavy rain - everyone is waiting under the bakso stall roof
Earlier, the taxi uncle told us about the weather forecast. He said , " Morning hot, Afternoon rain."
Go in right ear, come out left ear. We just say "oh ya ka".
But luckily got plastic roof on top of us. So we sit with bakso guy for quite sometime. Just simply talk anything and drink super slow. We needed the roof. :p
Then mr.bakso guy suggested a batik making centre. Basically, anyone that takes a customer to a batik centre gets commison. We knew about it but no harm to take look. But raining, how to go? He say he will walk with us there. He borrowed an umbrella. haha. One umbrella 3 person. It doesnt matter, coz the rain almost stop. So, 3 of us just walk...... until all a sudden rain like cat and dog. 3 of us bathing under the sky.
Rain started to stop. We walked to the batik centre
Eventually we visited the batik centre. Honestly it is not expensive at all. The batik painting is very beautiful. The cheapest was about 25 000Rp. But we couldnt find any reason to buy one. Dunno where to hang. He was very nice and even though we didnt buy any batik, he was ok with it. Then he lead us the way to the tour agent called Ari Tour. Very near to Iris hotel. Nice itinerary they have. 100 000 is all you need to visit the main tourist spot. They gave us a tourist map too. Places like the Sultan Palace, Taman Sari, Kraton, just sit beca.. only 5000Rs.
Mr.Bakso guy is still there. And we know what is he waiting for.. tips. If you dont give, he wont say anything. But as a token of appreaciation , we should give him some. Well 5000Rp is not much for you but it is for them.
Teh botol in Jogja
If you read the internet, some would say becareful of what you eat and drink. And they also advise to stick to mineral water. I think you would loose a whole lot of fun. There are many drinks that you are not familiar. Simply order and drink la. Never try, never know. I ve been drinking alot and no lausai also. Some drinks you drank before but just different names. Like Air Jahe = Ginger Tea, Air jeruk = Lime. Of so many drinks I drank, I find "Teh Botol" is something different. I wouldnt say nice. Taste like drinking some sort of traditional perfume.. abit like flower... abit like tea..... dunno... taste weird to me. But "must try". If you dunno where to find, just go top floor Matahari Mall food court. :P
I know coz I drink it there.
Teh botol
Gado-gado- something like mamak rojak
18th Feb
Borobudur - wonders of the world
I was quite suprise that many of my Singaporean and Malaysian friend didnt know that Borobudur was one of the wonders of the world. Worse still, they havent heard of Jogjakarta. They thought Jogja=Jakarta. It is an hour away from Malioboro.
Our day starts as early as 6.30am. Had breakfast and started our tour at 7.30am. First destination is Borobudur. Some say visiting during the sunset is beautiful. But we chose morning... not going to risk another rainy day. And it is less crowded during the day. Paid 15usd per person. Too bad we are not student. Student half price.
Borobodur from afar.
Wall with buddha carvings
try this to keep cool- the walls are cooler
I heard from my Jakarta friend, touching the buddha over there is good luck. Well, no harm to touch, right?
Your hand wont stuck inside.
Inside each stupa got a buddha statue
Lots of butterlies and dragon flies around the stupa
Trying to reach my hands on the buddha statue.
Handicraff shops on the way exiting borobodur
Kaliurang- view spot of Gunung Merapi
A dissappointment. Raining. The view spot is too far away from the Volcano mountain. Cant see much- mist covering the mountain. Nothing like Gunung Batur in Bali.
Conclusion- not recommended.
There are few view spot which is nearer to the volcano mountain like ketep. But not sure good or not.
But if I have the energy I would take a climbing tour up Merapi. 5-6 hours trekking and you get to see the real stuff. Not sure got larva to see or not.
A small tower to view the mountain.
Gunung Merapi- too far to see anything.
Prambanan - Hindu Temple
30 min away from BOrobodur. It is actually quite interesting if you havent seen such architecture. But for us, seen before in Cambodia. A lot more bigger and beautiful.
But it is one of the tourist spot in Jogja. So, must go.
Lunch?
No lunch during the tour. Its own your own. Maybe bring some sandwic along.
What next?
The tour ends like 4pm. Went back to the hotel. Rest. Shopping comes next. Walk and shop at Matahari mall. There is a game centre on the top floor.
Walk until nothing to see, then walk on the street. The night atmosphere is very lively. Like pasar malam. You can see many people singing along the street for tips.
"Gudek" must try
There's a whole stretch of stall selling "gudek" on the right side of iris hotel. Like 20-30 stall. All selling "gudek". It is something like a mix rice. It is a popular food in Jogja. Everyone comes here to eat gudek.
But you need to sit on the floor mat. I think we spend like 100 000Rp for the dinner..... prawn, chicken, soup, gudek, jahe, jeruk.
Gudek stall - everyone sitting on the floor mat.
sambal prawn
Gudek
burung dara
sup ayam
delious dinner on the floor mat
19th Feb
Beringharjo centreSleep until10am. Rain already started. Cannot go out. So hang round Matahari mall eating Mcdonalds.
The rain almost stop.... then we start walking the street again. There is one centre call Beringharjo Centre on the left side of Matahari- few blocks away. Mainly selling batik clothes. Got few floors , i think until 3rd floor. Near to the market too.
McD menu
Waiting for the rain to stop
Beringharjo center- lots of batik and other clothings
Bak piah from market cannot eat.
Happen to see bakpiah at the market. Bought one box. Got few variety of flavour like cheese, choc, strawberry..... but after try.... not nice. Like eating flour. Not suppose to buy from market. Should go directly to the "oleh-oleh shop".
Lousy bak pia from market
All visiting places close at 2pm on Friday
So happen today is Friday. Wanted to take the beca to the sultan palace and taman sari. Rain start to pour again. Then uncle beca say all the palace is close coz Friday is Muslim prayer day. :( So. the whole day we just walk around the city. Taste new food and see new things.
simply walking int he dizzling rain
Food that I cant swallow.
When you walk nearer to the city towards kraton, there are many stall selling kuihmuih. And again, all stall selling same thing.
I saw a guy rolling a big dough of flour. The dough is superbig- big enough to make more than hundred kuih.
I was wondering why they make the dough so big. Finally after tasting the kuih, I got the answer. They actually make all the kuih from the same dough. That means,... different kuih but almost similar taste. maybe one kuih put salt, one kuih put sugar, one original.
I dont recommend the kuih at all. eeeeee....
Big dough
kuih muih from big dough
One more thing I found at the market is something that look like a nice dessert. But taste like glue+bobochacha. Very disgusting feeling when I swallow it.
bobochacha+slimy gluey
Hotel Iris buffet
Not so great. Dont have local food during the buffet. And the same vege and fish and chicken during my breakfast. 80 000Rp per person. Eat one time, no more second time. But got live band. Sit at the lobby also can hear la.
Dinner buffet Iris hotel
This particular fruit.. i ve been seeing it in Bangkok, Bali... but havent try it before. Finally got to taste it here. Not good. Taste like chemical.
Human Beca ride. Why not horse beca?
In Malaysia, you only get to sit beca in Penang, melaka. But I think when we are locals, we dont feel like sitting beca to Komtar penang. Since we are foreigner in Jogja, then we took a ride for 5000Rp. Got two type of beca here. One is the common beca- human cycling. Another one is like a charriot - horse pulling a cart.
After looking at the horse, we decide to take the human cycling beca. Why? Coz I dont want the smell of the horse shit on my face. The cart is just behind the horse ass.
Normal beca
Horse beca
Kraton at night is livelier
There is a big funfare here. And also look like pasar malam. But some of the "wayang kulit" show is here. We did plan to go one of the wayang kulit show but after taking a sneak peek from outside the gates, we change our mind. Look like very boring.
Piles of clothing.
Pillow sky
Sponge bob
"pu ta ong"
20th Feb
Vredeburg Museum
Dissapointment too. No rain but no electicity as well. So the museum is blackout. Cant see anything. So just walk outside the park. But I think it will be boring anyway. Luckily entrance fee is only 7000Rp.
Sonobudoyo Museum
Also no electricity but can see something la. The uncle took us for a tour briefing. But also boring.
Sultan Palace
Also nothing to see. platform with wayang kulit show. Dunno what to write here also.
Taman Sari -floating palace.
See swimming pool.
Taman Sari entrance
Try some international fast food.
After eating so many local food, we try some fast food- pizza.
I still think Malaysia pizza nicer. I cant see cheesy on Jogja pizza hut. Cant pull the cheese also.
21st Feb
Taxi for 30 000 to airport
5.30am took a taxi for to the airport. Reach Singapore at 930am.
