Trans JAVA, Back to the Land of Ancestor (Part 6)_ Special District of Jogjakarta

6th day....

Wake up early as I overslept last night. Today we just planned to walk around Special District of Jogjakarta city as we just stayed within the city centre. We started by strolling the Malioboro Market that selling batik, t-shirt ("kaus" in local language), souvenirs, pants, accessories etc. Make sure you did some bargain when you do shopping in this areas.

Our 1st stop is Benteng Vredeburg Museum. Some facts about this Museum, shared from Wikipedia.

• The museum comprises the complete area of the former fortress. The walls, gates, barracks, store rooms and houses has been restored to their original outward appearance. Collection of photographs, historical objects and replicas is housed in one of the former barracks. The exposition of dioramas represents the main attraction of the museum's exhibition. The original design included 93 of these showcases. When opened in 1987, 30 of them were finished. Another 18 showcases have been added until March 1996.
• The dioramas cover events during the period from 1830 (detention of Pangeran Diponegoro) to 1949 (return of the Indonesian central government under Sukarno to Jakarta). All incidents depicted in the showcases took place either in Yogyakarta or in the surrounding region. The dioramas present two kinds of scenes: unique incidents (33) like the founding of Muhammadiyah or Taman Siswa; and typical episodes of the war years (15) like guerrilla actions or incidents of labour unrest.

  

  Entry Ticket 

  

  The Vredeburg Benteng

  
  

  

  Museum entrance

The arch of General Soedirman

Miniture or Dioramas of important event.

Faces of Indonesian Heroin or 'Srikandi'

Dutch Colonial Architecture

For the next  destination we stopped "beca" or rickshaw to ride us to the Keraton of Ngayogyakarta. 

Tips: It is very easy to get any rickshaws and normally the fare about Rp.15,000-20,000 to a few tourism spot within the city. At the same time you can try horse carriage, but I never asked the fare since I have a bit nausea feeling for the horse dung or pooh...LOL!!! 

The Rickshaw

The horse carriage, can you see the plastic behind the horse..that is for pooh eeeuuww

Keraton Ngayogyakarta or Jogyakarta @ Yogyakarta Palace, looks like a small version of forbidden city of China. The King still resided in this Keraton. Only for 'Special District of Jogjakarta' the King have an authority to become a Governor. As we know Indonesia is a Republic country, which mean the King do not have any ruling power. It is just for a symbolic of local peoples culture and heritage. Furthermore the Keraton worker, mostly are on volunteering basis and their task was inherited by their parent. They also called as "Abdi Dalem", who does not against the king. If you want to understand more about the Keraton please can check through from attached link but was written in Indonesian language.

•  https://coretanpetualang.wordpress.com/petualangan-budaya/budaya-jawa/keraton-yogyakarta-istana-budaya-dan-keindahan-jawa/

The entrance of Keraton

Wokey, it is times to snapping some photos and enjoying the "gamelan" and "wayang kulit" or puppet show.

Where the King have serious meeting with the VVIP

The "Parang" pattern, one of my favourite batik design

The guardian of Keraton

Majestic decoration on the top of Keraton Ceiling

Still remember my grandmother used this kerosene stoves for cooking

The King Chariot

My most favourite part is "wayang kulit" or puppet show as I wishing to watch it during my previous trips to Indonesia. I am lucky because my wish was granted during the trip. The puppet show similar like story telling show, while the puppets become the actors or actress. Thus, it's represent richness of local culture. Literally the story background from the Mahabrata or Ramayana epic story.

Don't you ponder why I calling this trip as travelling back to ancestor land? It is because my late grandfather of my mother side, came from Java Island. They originated from Province of Blora, "Jawa Tengah" or Central of Java. But for this trip I unable to visit Blora because limitation of times.  Maybe next time...

The "Gamelan"

The "Gamelan" Ochestra

"Wayang kulit" from behind the white drape

"Wayang kulit" show from front

Peace smile from the player of oversize "Gong"

They need the young blood as a successor of this magnificent heritage 

Another interesting place to visit is Taman Sari which are functioned as the royal swimming pool during ancient time. "Dayang-dayang" or royal maid will entertaining the king and his consort or queen while swimming in this pool.

Entry ticket of  Taman Sari 

The entrance of Taman Sari

Taman Sari swimming pool

"Wayang kulit" in the making by highly skill carver

  

The Kraton Mosque, located just next to the Taman Sari

  Tips: 

• Recommended to visit "Nyogjakarta Keraton" during morning because the opening hours are from 7.00am-12.00pm. By 9.00am normally they have shows of "wayang kulit" and traditional Keraton dance.
• Most of the tourism spot charge for entrance fee per person. There are also additional charge photograph. Each cameras even phone camera to be use for photos taking will be charge. 
• Entrance charges are as below:
• Museum Benteng Vredeburg- Rp. 3,500, no photograph charge
• Keraton Jogyakarta- Rp. 10,000,  photograph -Rp.1,000
• Taman Sari-  Rp 5,000,  photograph- Rp. 2,000

About half-day we had finished the city touring. So my  next dream destination is BOROBUDUR, an ancient building that I wish to see in front of my eyes. It's also carved lots of fact about Malay Austronesian civilization thousand years ago.

Well, transportation to Borobudur and the accommodation was planned earlier because in Magelang there are very limited places to stay. We also bought tickets to watch"Mahakarya Borobudur" for tonight show. The distance from centrel of Yogyakarta to Borobudur, Muntilan, Magelang more or less about 42km. For under budget traveller, can always catching local bus from the city of Yogyakarta to Magelang. 

Bus Routes: Please find Bus with Borobudur signboard
Jombor Bus Terminal (Northern Yogyakarta, takes 1 1/2 hours) or Giwangan Bus Terminal (Central Yogyakarta, takes 2 hours) - Muntilan 
Bus Fare: Rp. 25,000

Damn....I am excited and I can feel my heartbeat pumping. The driver took us from the hotel and straight bring us to our next accommodation of Cempaka lodging. The travel times took about an hour plus and more if during peak hours. 

Online booking and collected during the show, price Rp.300,000

Exhibit at the entrance

Entrance to the open theatre

Searching for our seat, and we understood lot of VIP's wearing batik came over to watch the show. But we still with our tshirt and traveller pant...LOL...

  And the show begins....

"Kuda kepang" as part of the show

The scene when the construction of Borobudur was completed. Spotlight emitted sharply toward the Borobudur tower...WoW!!!.... dramaticly the audience started to see the whole original monument... TaRRaaa....Believable, it is just in front of my eyes...

Dancers happy faces...well done guys..it is awesome show.

Tonight, I am sleeping with full of joy...as part of my wish was granted and I can't wait for early dawn. After subuh I will climb up to the one of the world wonder that built by our Austronesia ancestry.....Tidur dengan kesyukuran...

Trans JAVA, Back to the Land of Ancestor (Part 5), Prambanan & Boko Palace

5th day...

Fuh!!! need to settle my traveling log in Indonesia, or else I can't update my traveling log in Cambodia....

We arrived in Jogyakarta about 4.00am. Too early to start the day...so we just been sitting around in the train station and doing domestic observation huhuhu.

The trains keep on coming and transporting peoples over others province too.

Waiting area provided in the train station

Wifi also provided

Tips: Information Centre was provided at the train station entrance. So you can make any enquiries of your destination and get a map from there. However their operating hours from 7.am-6.00pm. There are a few friendly officer will assisting you.

After 6.00 am we went to our accommodation for that day. The distance just about 200 metres from the train station. We left our baggages and then went out to Malioboro Street (the most famous street in Jogyakarta) looking something for breakfast. 

Jalan Malioboro, during early of morning

The train passing the street, normal views in Jogja

Having breakfast at this foodstall

The food considered cheap in Jogja but mostly a local delicacies likes Bakso, Nasi Rawon, lots of  Sambal or chili paste and a lots more... I had noticed that they just provide a small portion of food and  basically a light dishes.

After breakfast, we did a check-in and very lucky we can check in early...at less we can take shower after 24 hours and change our new attire. Or else we just keep on continued to our next destination....perghhh busuknya...Asian people do not get used without taking shower at less twice a day...

Next destination is Prambanan Temple and Ratu Boko....wink! wink!...so excited since I love history soo much and I did a lot of reading about this place.

Since we do not take driver for today, so we just get a bus trip to Prambanan. It is so convenience because most of the busway routes was well connected from City-Airport-Prambanan. If you depart from the city to Prambanan it just takes about 20-30 minute travelling time.

Bus route shows as below:

Bus stop or Halte

Inside the bus- very convenience

So, once we reached Prambanan Terminal, we choosed to walk toward this UNESCO site. However there are a lots of beca and taxi awaiting to transport you to the entrance of Prambanan. As for us, I just wanted to do some observation and takes our sweet time to reached there....kitaorang tak kedekut ok....

At the entrance, there are a ticketing counter to buy your entrance tickets. The rate for locals are much much cheaper then the international guest. We should doing talking in Indonesian slang as we also know how to talk in local language...but we a bit nervous and finally admit that we are from Malaysia. No choice still have to pay as international rate....mahal siot!!!!. 

Tips: Entrance ticket fare US $25, however to cover two historical site of Prambanan Temple and Ratu Boko Temple. Since the distance from Prambanan to Ratu Boko about 8km they will provide shuttle bus to transport you.

So we decided to go to Ratu Boko Palace first since it is too hot and we need air-conditional (sekejap pun jadilah, dapatler rasa sejuk bila naik shuttle bus tu). 

Nice view...entrance to the palace

Can you see Mount of Merapi and Prambanan Temple from Ratu Boko Palace??

The gate of Ratu Boko Palace

The gate overlooking Mount Merapi

Swimming Pool for Princes

Local people carry heavy stone manually for the palace restoration, even the old lady did the same.

One of the "balai" or hall

Walkway in the palace

Steps to the Palace. Actually there are a wall covered for the palace, however it is made by woods so after a hundred decade it have been abolished by nature just left scattered stones. But in this picture they already did restoration works to preserved the historical monument.

Palace areas, complete with water system, even they have swimming pool. As a palace it was located at higher ground so that the King of Boko or Ratu Boko can administered the country from the top.

Side of the Palace seem it also have a systematic drainage system

Located at the top of the hill

Breathtaking view from the top

After spending about 2 hours in Ratu Boko palace, we went back to Prambanan to explore the temple area. The area soo huge to discover and and as Asian people we're getting darker as usual.... nak putih balik kena ambil masa 6 bulan.

Prambanan Temple or also known as Loro Jonggrang Temple

The Legend behind:

Prambanan temple is extraordinarily beautiful building constructed in the tenth century during the reigns of two kings namely Rakai Pikatan and Rakai Balitung. Soaring up to 47 meters (5 meters higher than Borobudur temple), the foundation of this temple has fulfilled the desire of the founder to show Hindu triumph in Java Island. This temple is located 17 kilometers from the city center, among an area that now functions as beautiful park.

There is a legend that Javanese people always tell about this temple. As the story tells, there was a man named Bandung Bondowoso who loved Roro Jonggrang. To refuse his love, Jonggrang asked Bondowoso to make her a temple with 1,000 statues only in one-night time. The request was nearly fulfilled when Jonggrang asked the villagers to pound rice and to set a fire in order to look like morning had broken. Feeling to be cheated, Bondowoso who only completed 999 statues cursed Jonggrang to be the thousandth statue.

Courtesy from the http://www.yogyes.com/

Prambanan Temple

The hole is use to channel water out from the building

One of the Temple

Dwarapala or The Giant Guardian 

Sewu Temple or known as Thousand Temple, as the myth of  Rara Jonggrang and Bordowoso. This temple are built more earlier then Prambanan and Borobudur

Originally there were a total of 240 temples standing in Prambanan. The Prambanan Temple Compound consist of:

1. 3 Trimurti temples: three main temples dedicated to Shiva, Visnu, and Brahma
2. 3 Vahana temples: three temples in front of Trimurti temples dedicated to the vahana of each gods; Nandi, Garuda, and Hamsa
3. 2 Apit temples: two temples located between the rows of Trimurti and Vahana temples on north and south side
4. 4 Kelir temples: four small shrines located on 4 cardinal directions right beyond the 4 main gates of inner zone
5. 4 Patok temples: four small shrines located on 4 corners of inner zone
6. 224 Pervara temples: hundreds of temples arranged in 4 concentric square rows; numbers of temples from inner row to outer row are: 44, 52, 60, and 68. 

Reference:Wikipedia

The model of  original Prambanan Temple....where is 999 temples???  think this place not only functioned as a religious activity however it also as a city centre.

Loro Jonggrang @ Rara Jongrang @ Dewi Durga, unfortunately during the visit this place is close.  But I understood it is most beautiful arch and look surreal

Courtesy: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/

The funny part after all of this visit and have been walking under the hot sun, my body soo tired and got headache too. When we get back to our hotel, I was slept like nobody business. Planned to walking around Malioboro Street during night time, however I just been dreaming in my sleep....ZzzzZzzzZzzzzz