Una's Journey Journal

5 Things you Must Do in Jogjakarta

sittirasuna — Sun, 4 Sep 2011 00:24:00 GMT

5 Things you Must Do in Jogjakarta

Actually I live in Jakarta. But since Jogjakarta is both of my parents’ hometown also I was born and lived there for 7 years, so I choose Jogjakarta. Very difficult to list only 5 things to do in Jogjakarta. Jogjakarta has a lot to do, to see, to explore. Just mention what is your interest in tourism, you love history, or nature, culture, or culinary, all you can find in my province.

Eat in Angkringan

Angkringan is traditional food stall and basically sell ‘nasi kucing’, means ‘cat rice’, rice which wrapped in paper and only sized like a cat food. Nasi kucing is popular in entire Jogjakarta. Besides nasi kucing, there are hot ginger milk, iced tea, coffee, and other drink. Nasi kucing usually about 1500 rupiah, or 20 cents bucks. Iced tea is about 1000 rupiah or 12 cents bucks. Very cheap, right?

Malioboro-Walking

Jogjakarta also popular with its Malioboro, a street that no more than 2 kilos. Originally Malioboro consists of Malioboro street and also Ahmad Yani street. In the sidewalk of Malioboro there are many souvenir sellers, like batik, Dagadu T-Shirt, and silver. You can bargain if you buy there. There is Pasar Beringharjo where you can find traditional and art things. In the corner of Malioboro

Hop In Andong or Becak

Andong and Becak are traditional transportations. While andong is horse-drawn carriage, becak is a kinda like tricycle but the driver is in the back. You can go around in Malioboro – Keraton by Becak, and yeah, you have to bargain.

Mystic Tour at South Alun-Alun

Alun-alun is a square. In Jogjakarta we have two alun-aluns. South and North. Keraton (the Palace) is heading to north alun-alun. So, the south alun-alun is like its ‘backyard’. There are two old and sacred banyantrees. If you can go through between the two trees with closed eyes, your wishes will come true. Although this is myth.

Get to Keraton and Museum Kereta Karaton

Jogjakarta is a kingdom. There are two kingdom, Keraton Jogjakarta and Keraton Pakualaman. But the first one is more popular. The palace are open for public, but only the front-side of palace. And there is also Museum Kereta Karaton or in English is Palace Carriage Museum. The museum exhibits all of the palace carriages. In certain date, the carriages are washed by the Abdi Dalem (Keraton Men).

Best and Worst of Indonesia

sittirasuna — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 03:30:00 GMT

Kick the Air - Candi Sambisari, Central Java

Best

The Hospitality

Indonesians are best at their hospitality. We love smiling to other people, our guests or even strangers. One of wisdom sentence in Indonesia is “banyak tamu, banyak rezeki.” It means, “more guests, more fortune.” That’s why Indonesians are very happy when we have guest in our home. We serve our guests very well. And if you visit to a Indonesian home, the host will serve you, at least give you drinking water. :D

Island Hoping!

I am very proud to say that Indonesia is biggest archipelago in earth. We have 17508 islands, double than what Philippines has and triple than what Japan has. With assumption one day one island, you need more that 40 years to step in all island in Indonesia. Anyway, there are small archipelagos in Indonesia such as Karimun Jawa, Kepulauan Seribu, or Tojo Una-Una. For example Karimun Jawa have 27 islands, you can spend days by hoping island to island with boat. Can you do it in Hungary, Bolivia, or Kazakhstan? No. :P

Cultural Experiences

Consists of more than 17000 islands, with 230 million of populations, we have diversity of culture than another country does. In Indonesia there are more than 700 languages and tribes. And I only speak with two of them, Indonesian and Javanese. Bali is known for the dances, like Kecak, Pendet, and another art things. But if you cross to Java, you won’t find them. The Javanese dances are different from Balinese. The funny thing is if we find homonym word between two languages. We say ‘fried chicken’ in Indonesian with ‘ayam goreng’, but in Sundanese ‘goreng’ means ‘ugly’, so it will be ‘ugly chicken’ in West Java!

Worst

Bad Infrastructure, Corruption, and Rubber Watch!

Yeah, I don’t like to tell bad things so these three worsts of Indonesia I’ll make it to be one :P Someone said, “If you can do travel in Indonesia easily, you can travel in other country very very easy!” What does she mean? I’ll tell you with my story.

I was in holiday in Karimun Jawa last June. In 29^th June, I was scheduled to back to Java. At 4am, my guesthouse friend told me that the ferry ship was almost full! The ferry actually scheduled to leave Karimun at 8am. So, my cousin, which was my travel partner, and I packed our things in a rush and got to ship in 4.30am. He was right, the ship was full so I couldn’t find any empty seat. We found empty seat but tagged with black mattress. I asked to other passengers and what they could said, “Those seats had been tagged with someone.” Yeahhh, the someone bribed the ship crews so they could get those seats. At 6am, there was a chaos about ticketing and the crew commanded us to get off ship. And all the passengers didn’t want to. All I was afraid about was if I couldn’t get on the ship and back to Java next 3 days. The ferry schedule is once every three days. Blablabla, the ferry left at 11am, 3 hours late than the schedule. And it called ‘jam karet’ – ‘rubber watch’, if there is late in the schedule. And yeah, we got in the ferry also by bribing the crew. I know that was illegal, but… ah… it’s very confusing. :P

So, she means that transportation infrastructure in Indonesia is not good. So if you can conquer by traveling in Indonesia, you can do travel VERY EASY in other country, since they maybe have good infrastructure, no bribing, and all timely scheduled.

Photos: Karimun Jawa - Central Java

sittirasuna — Mon, 8 Aug 2011 12:00:00 GMT

Do's and Don't's in Indonesia

sittirasuna — Mon, 8 Aug 2011 11:55:00 GMT

DO!

Do Eat Rendang

Rendang is one of traditional food from West Sumatera, Indonesia. Made from beef and caramelized sauce from spicy herbs mixture, Rendang is being in 11^th rank in the list most delicious food in the world. You can find this food on many Minang Restaurants which are spread in Indonesia, even in small village. Even, in US there are Minang Restaurants too! So if you’re in Indonesia, get a taste of Rendang!

Do Bargain When You’re Purchasing Something

You can do bargaining prices when you’re buying something in sidewalk hawkers, traditional market, or in art market. You can’t do it in supermarket or minimarket :P What I mean is, in most of tourism point like Bali, Borobudur, the sellers in art market will rise the prices since you know you’re a tourist. Moreover, they will multiply the rise when they know you’re foreigner. So be careful!

Do Show Your Effort To Speak Indonesian

Since elementary school, Indonesians are taught to speak English. So I think you have no worry if you get here, in my country, many people can speak English. But if you take an effort to speak a little of Bahasa Indonesia, Indonesians will be happier. Try to learn ‘terimakasih’ – thankyou- or ‘selamat siang’-good afternoon- when you’re planning to take holiday here.

DON'T

Don’t Expect You Can Find Pork Easily

Indonesia consists of 90% Muslims and they don’t eat pork. You will only find pork in special place like Chinese food restaurant or in an area where it doesn’t have Muslims people majority there like Bali, Manado, and North Sumatera.

Don’t Use Your Left Hand

Indonesians are trained using right hand for giving or taking something. It is part of cultural thing in Indonesia and we’re taught the right hand is good hand. Young people nowadays don’t care about this. But since you meet elderly here, you must really consider this rule.

Photos: Candi Barong - Jogjakarta

sittirasuna — Sun, 3 Apr 2011 21:37:00 GMT

Photos of Candi Barong in Jogjakarta

My Travel Writing Scholarship 2011 entry

sittirasuna — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 03:13:00 GMT

My name's Una and I think I was born with spirit of traveling. One of my dreams in next 15 years is that I have ever stepped on at least 50 countries and 50 Indonesia's islands, as Indonesia is my beloved country. In order to fulfill that dream, I must make my big adventure for traveling complete circle around the earth. I have to prepare and I don’t care whether it would be traveling solo or with a friend or with my closest cousin. I just want to make my own big adventure, and realize it starting in next 5 years. Why not now? I am 19 years old girl, an ordinary college student, financially limited. If later I graduated and had money, I will on my own way around the world. Because for now, I can’t go on adventure in another countries, I began by traveling to cities nearby my city, such as Semarang, Jogjakarta, or Bali. The adventure itself means journey, not the destination. Doesn’t it?

My dad always told me to think differently, because it will make new knowledge for my own. From my dad's advice I want to be an extreme traveler. Extreme in my thoughts is that I would do something extreme or extremely doing something in my adventure. I don't know if it is eating turtles, going to Vanuatu, or biking for thousand miles, or another ways. That's what again one of my dreams, travel differently.