Yesterday was my first full day in Jogjakarta.
I woke up very early around 5:30 or so, and I left my sneakers in Jakarta so I couldn't run. When I wake up early I look forward to peace and quiet in the morning.
So I went downstairs to the common area with my computer and started doing some work, when the fella who works here are the hostel started to explain everything these is to do here in Yogajarta. My head was spinning as he spoke quickly in his Indonesian accent about the Water castle, sultan's palace, big street with lots of stores, animal market, etc. He gave me a map, which from the appearance of the map, it seemed like it would take about 15 minutes to walk across town-but actually the top-to-bottom distance of the map was 120 KM.
Breakfast was served around 7, which was rice, eggs, and some other stuff. But then another guy from the hostel came over and told a group of us eating breakfast about the next place to go about Jogjakarta. He had a map, and pointed out there different 9 hour train routes to a volcano in another part of the country. Once again my head was spinning.
Later on, myself and another guy from the hostel went on the suggested self-guided walking tour. We walked through remote streets, with people with 2 teeth missing smiling from the side of the road. We made several wrong turns, past dilapidated tin shacks to small houses, and we found the first place: The Water Castle-which was the royal palace of the Sultan of Yogyakarta-it was mostly run down, and was filled with people. Once again, my friend from Lithuania and myself we're photographed over and over again since we both have light skin. We we're interviewed and even given gifts-a package of key chains and a little wooden toy.
We asked directions to the Sultan's palace, which wasn't too far away. The guy didn't just give us directions, but gave us a tour of the Water Castle. The tour wasn't wanted, the guy kept talking fast and didn't smell too good, but he led us to the Sultan's palace. We gave him a few bucks and went going.
The Sultan's palace was closed, but we looked at the various shops, and went to a small carnival next door, with rides and various booths. One featured "doctor fish". You put your feet in a pool and hundreds (if not thousands) of little fish (the size of goldfish) surround your feet and nibble at them. It tickled at first and then wasn't too bad.
We ate some exotic fruit and then took a little tuk-tuk like ride to the hostel. I took a nap, and after dark, walked back into town for dinner. I met some folks from the hostel and went for a few beers. Here we sat with the waiter at the restaurant, and he told us how he was a student, and was getting prepared to study in Holland. He also talked about the Indonesian language.
