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Monday, January 09, 2012

Indonesia -- Day 8 Yogyakarta / Jogyakarta Sultan's Palace

Our first Garuda flight yesterday from Medan to Jakarta was lovely. The plane was new, done in two tone brown. There was in flight, in seat entertainment and a lovely food service. The staff were gorgeous and efficient. The 2 hour flight flew by.

Yogyakarta / Jogjakarta, Java, Indonesia

Food Stall -- Yogyakarta / Jogjakarta, Java, Indonesia

Upon landing in Jakarta we exited onto the tarmac and took a bus to the terminal. It is a new terminal with lots of choices to eat and drink at, including Krispy Kreme and Starbucks. I found a little cafe/bar and asked the lady if I could use her wall plug and wifi as my iPhone was about to die.

I had an hour to kill so decided to have a beer. I ended up having two and chatting with a kiwi guy who had been an attendant with Emirates Airlines. When I finally went through to the gate for our flight from Jakarta to Jogjakarta, I learned we had to wait two hours as the plane was late. Once we were cleared to take off we learned we were also 17th in line to take off. We finally arrived in Jogjakarta and were picked up by oy local tour guide Marcelle and our driver.

We got to the Novotel Jogjakarta Hotel at 1030pm. We had missed the dinner buffet so they had a dinner delivered to my room. That was a fantastic treat. Showered and refreshed with a Steak and prawn dinner in bed followed by dessert. Yummy !!!

I made another great impression hereon Indonesian men, speciffically with the hotel porter. He was a nice young Indonesian man, and when he dropped my bags and I off to my room he said that he thought I was beautiful. I was surprised and of course flattered. Then he made an Incredible Hulk Pose, with his body hunched over and his fists coming together and an "" arrgghh" like tone and said I was well built. Wonderful !! so much for flattery ;) I know my breasts could apparently feed a village but now I also looked like the Incredible Hulk. Fantastic to the self esteem ;)

Photograph License -- Sultan's Palace, Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Sultan's Palace, Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia
I love this hutch -- the color and the wear are fantastic !!

The Sultan's Guard -- Sultan's Palace, Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia
Impressive bunch, aren't they??

Sultan's Palace, Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Face Mask -- Sultan's Palace, Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Sultan's Palace, Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

The Adventures Abroad itinerary for today stated:

Today we visit the most extensive Hindu temple site in Indonesia -- Prambanan.

Prambanan is the largest Hindu temple compound in Indonesia, located approximately 18 km east of Yogyakarta. The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the largest Hindu temples in Southeast Asia. It is characterised by its tall and pointed architecture, typical of Hindu temple architecture, and by the 47m (154 ft) high central building inside a large complex of individual temples. It was built around AD 850 by either Rakai Pikatan, king of the second Mataram dynasty, or Balitung Maha Sambu, during the Sanjaya Dynasty. Not long after its construction, the temple was abandoned and began to deteriorate.

After our comprehensive guided tour, we return to Yogyakarta. This afternoon's sightseeing includes the Sultan's palace, the Kraton, a vast complex of courtyards, halls and pavilions in Javanese traditional style. The most important structure is the Golden Pavillion; ornately carved, and heavily gilded, its graceful roof is supported by finely carved wooden beams. Here the Sultan used to receive royal guests and hold balls and banquets.

We also visit the nearby Taman Sari (Water Castle), the ruins, pools, arches and underground passages of the former pleasure gardens. It was built in 1758 by Sultan Hamengkubuwono I as a rest house and pleasure park for the Royal Family.

At some point during our stay in Yogyakarta we hope to attend a performance of the Ramayana ballet, a dance based on ancient Hindu folklore.

Overnight in Yogyakarta. Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Sultan's Palace, Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Another name for the Sultan's Palace is Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat. The palace is where the king of Yogyakarta, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono lives.

The palace was not traditional "palace/castle" style as you would think of as a westerner. It did have some very ornate detail and wonderful traditional tilework and woodwork.

Tile Floor -- Sultan's Palace, Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Tile Border -- Sultan's Palace, Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Sultan's Palace, Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Painted detail --Sultan's Palace, Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

From Wikipedia:

Yogyakarta's centre is the kraton, or Sultan's palace. Surrounding the kraton is a densely populated residential neighbourhood that occupies land that was formerly the Sultan's sole domain. Evidence of this former use remains in the form of old walls and the ruined Taman Sari, (or Water Palace) built in 1758 as a pleasure garden. No longer used by the sultan, the garden had been largely abandoned. For a time, it was used for housing by palace employees and descendants. Reconstruction efforts began in 2004, and an effort to renew the neighbourhood around the kraton has begun. The site is a developing tourist attraction.

painted wood detail -- Sultan's Palace, Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Sultan's Palace, Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

According to Marcelle, our local guide:

Jogjakarta is an educational town with 40 private universities and 3 public ones. There are over 40 000 students in Jogja. It is one of the cheapest towns in Indonesia and therefore great for students. For example, people can get breakfast for IDR3000. A room can be had for 350 000 IDR for a month within a 1km of town. Of course, the further out you go the cheaper the ropoms. If you went to approx 4km of downtown then you could get a room for 100 000 IDR or approx $10CAD/USD.

People speak Javanese in Jogjakarta. There are three (3) levels of language. The highest is for addressing royality and for special occasions.  Most people speak ground level javanense.

Food wise people in Jogjakarta eat more sweet foods than elsewhere in Indonesia.  They use a lot of brown sugar and are rated #1 for Diabetes in Indonesian. Indonesia itself is rated #4 in world for Diabetes.

One of the major streets in Jogjakarta is Solo street. It is 65km long. Most of the street is owned by Chinese people but they aren't allowed to advertise in Chinese or use their Chinese name, only their local Javanese name. Chinese new year is the only time they can celebrate in Chinese. Solo street is fixed price area.

Sultan's Palace, Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

green and yelloe ornate railing -- Sultan's Palace, Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Ceiling -- Sultan's Palace, Jogjakarta / Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

If you would like to visit Jogjakarta and/or the Sultan's Palace

then contact Adventures Abroad at 1 800 665 3998

Quote code AANK for a special discount

Sunday, January 08, 2012

Indonesia -- Day 7 The Flying Foxes or Fruit Bats of Sumatra

After leaving the St Francis of Assisi Church in Berastagi we continued along the road to Medan. The road from Berastagi to Medan is basically only a single lane each way. There is some beautiful scenery and nice hotels along the way.

a lovely house in Berastagi

bananas off to market, Berastagi

local houses on the road between Berastagi and Medan, Sumatra, Indonesia

Our Adventures Abroad itinerary for today was:

This morning we drive from Berastagi to Medan and fly to Yogyakarta, Java's cultural heart. Located at the foot of the volcano Merapi, the fertile plain of Yogyakarta was, in the 16th and 17th century, the seat of the mighty Javanese empire of Mataran.

NOTE: Our flight from Medan to Yogyakarta will likely transit through Jakarta.

Overnight in Yogyakarta. Meal plan: Breakfast and dinner.

local houses on the road between Berastagi and Medan, Sumatra, Indonesia

the road between Berastagi and Medan, Sumatra, Indonesia

Flying foxes or fruit bats on the road between Berastagi and Medan, Sumatra, Indonesia

We also stopped to see flying foxes/bats which are sold for food. I wanted hold one but was advised against it because of rabies. I did get some beautiful shots of them though. Unfortunately because they are used for food they are currently endangered.

Flying foxes or fruit bats on the road between Berastagi and Medan, Sumatra, Indonesia

From Wikipedia:

The large flying fox is among the largest species of bat. It weighs 1.3 lbs to 2.4 lbs and has a wingspan of 4.9 ft on average. As with all megabats, it has a fox-like face, hence its name. It has no tail and has pointed ears. The hairs on its upper back are short and stiff while the hairs on the lower back, mantle, underparts and sides are longer and woolly. The hairs that make up the mantle tend to be the longest. The color and texture of pelage varies based on age and sex. Males tend to have slightly stiffer and thicker pelage than female do.^[Immature individuals are almost all dull gray-brown.Young are born with a dark-colored mantle that becomes lighter in males by maturity. The color of pelage on head ranges from mahogany-red and orange-ochreous to blackish. Underparts vary from blackish to brown, with a sprinkling of other colors, ranging from chocolate to gray or silver. The color pelage of the mantle can vary from pale dirty-buff to orange yellow, with a dark-golden brown or dark russet chest. The skull of the large flying fox is large and robust. It has a total of 34 teeth. The large flying fox has short, slightly rounded wing tips which produce a slow, maneuverable flight. Wing membranes are hairless except near the body where they are distinctly furred. Wings are strengthened by a longitudinal ribs of thicken skin.

Flying foxes or fruit bats on the road between Berastagi and Medan, Sumatra, Indonesia

local transportation, Sumatra, Indonesia

local market, Sumatra, Indonesia

a local, Sumatra, Indonesia

If you would like to get see the flying foxes or fruit bats of Sumatra

then contact Adventures Abroad at 1 800 665 3998

Quote code AANK for a special discount

Indonesia -- Day 7 Grand Mutiara Hotel and St Francis Assisi Church, Berastagi

This morning I had a fantastic breakfast on the patio of the Grand Mutiara Hotel, Berastagi. As I feasted on the buffet breakfast I looked out on the fantastic pool and the volcano Mount Sinabung. The last eruptions at Mount Sinabung were 29 August, 03 September and 07 September, 2010. Before that it was 1912, and before that 1600.

Grand Mutiara Hotel and Mount Sinabung,
Berastagi, Sumatra, Indonesia

The grounds of the Grand Mutiara Hotel are just gorgeous !! I'm sure that they are an amazing site when in season and everything is blooming.

Grand Mutiara Hotel and Mount Sinabung,
Berastagi, Sumatra, Indonesia

me ;)
Grand Mutiara Hotel and Mount Sinabung,
Berastagi, Sumatra, Indonesia

Grand Mutiara Hotel and Mount Sinabung,
Berastagi, Sumatra, Indonesia

After breakfast we were leaving the hotel and heading to Medan to catch our flight to Jogjakarta. The road from Berastagi to Medan is basically only a single lane each way. There is some beautiful scenery and nice hotels along the way.