Yogyakarta
Trip Start
Sep 02, 2007
1
301
326
Trip End
May 13, 2009
Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia
Sunday, April 19, 2009
I got here on the train which was a pleasent journey but the a/c made my cold worse again.
After 14 hours of non sleep overnight I stumbled out of the train and into a guest house. Paid whatever the guy wanted and slept till mid day.
Ive made it a personal mission to get rid of this stinking cold so I decided to do nothing today. Just be healthy and force myself to sleep a lot. It worked - it made me feel a lot better.
On day 2 I saw the Kryton which is where the royalty used to live but to be honest - it was rubbish. Everywhere you walk in Yogyakarta you get hasstle from people trying to see their batik - and I really dont like batik. I started off being politely interested but it soon changed an by the end I was just saying - I DONT LIKE BATIK!!!
This did the trick!
I then went out to Prambanan by public bus to not pay the stupid amount they wanted for the tour. The bus was quick and nice and arived at Prambanan in an hour. Prambanan is the most important hindu monument in Java and would have been nice to walk around but because my guisdebook is very old I didnt realise there had been a substantial earthquake which means most of the place was under reconstruction.
I spent half the day here still and it was nice and peaceful - I found a spot far away from evryone and just sat in the shade for a few hours - it is always the case at these sort of places that you have a sence of wellbeing inside - just being next to these massive structures.
Just before sunset the place closed so I got on the bus and back to Yogya for another early night to beet the damn cold.
On day 3 I got up and saw the bird market which took me a while to find but I am glad I did. It was really cool and all about the pidgeons. They race them so they sell for big money. It is a crazy place wih birds everywhere, a lot in cages and others not. Some trying to get into cages, others trying to get out - lots of flapping anyway. I walked around for 30 mins then went on through the maze of streets to the watercastle. It is tax free living so the houses are piled into the area and the 'roads' are no more than pavements - so small! So I weaved through and came accross the water castle from the wrong side. This had its advantages. I just walked straight in - didnt pay and saw the whole place - chatted to some kids - see the pic and then walked back out the back again - the perfect crime!! It was nice - but only ok nice - not special.
I have saved the best till last though. After a rain interlude I went out to Borobudhur. The most important budhist monumenbt in Java. I had to get a local bus to Jombor and then change for an hour long jurney to Borobudhur. After walking through the usual annoying throng of hawkers at these places I was faced with the immence size of Borobudhur. It is a massive temple - only comparable to Angkor watt in my eyes - not as impressive but still stunning.
It took me 2 hours to walk up and down the 8 levels and explore the nooks and crannies, have my photo taken with the really friendly locals many times over and sit around a bit. The photos I hope speak for themselves - it was realy, really impressive.
I came back at sunset with no issues. Went back to my accomodation and booked up a tour for tomorrow to go to Gunung Bromo followed by bali - I am trying to save time by being quick through this section and I calculate the tour will save me a day and not cost me all that much - it was an easy decision.
I am also happy to leave Yogya. I loved the little avenues I stay around with te quaint little building and colours everywhere - but it is a town of nn stop hastle for me and to be honest - I just wasnt in the mood for it feeling a bit crap with my cold. Time for pastures new.
