8th days,
From Parangtritis we went back to the Special Region of Jogjakarta to buy some souvenirs at Malioboro Street. Since previous visit we do not manage to buy anything, so for this round we spend our times about half day to do some shopping and having nice Javanese lunch.
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| The Famous Malioboro Street |
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| Plenty of Handbags, T-Shirt, Accessories, Batik, Clothes & etc |
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| Heart beat of Jogja "Pasar Baru" or New Market for shopping spree |
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| Lots of restaurant along Malioboro Street...can you see those cart with selling goods |
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| Favorites food at "Wong Jowo Restaurants"...please be careful for extra hot & spicy but yummylicous |
Later in the evening we take train to our last destination, City of Surakarta or also knowned as Solo.
For your info, Solo is famously for "Keraton" or Palace for Royal Family. So we can find a few last palace that still inherit the Mataram Kingdom heritage. Another info is Solo also a birthplace of Joko Widodo or Jokowi the current President of Indonesia (7th President of Indonesia).
Since we arrived Solo at late evening...not so much we can do...just having dinner at warong pojok or street food. Not manage to take photo because we're damn hungry.
9th days,
Now we begin to explore the Surakarta city that under the tagline "The Spirit of Java".
Not much I can say cause I'm speachless....just enjoying the pictures...it is one of nicest city and at the most above all reason this city is well-planned and very clean.
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| Nice flowery decoration at the hotel entrance |
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| 3-meter wide pedestrian walkway & very clean. I can see lots of garbage provided along the walkway |
Not sure who's this guy...but he must be very influenced person as his statues was erected at the main street in Surakarta.
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| Javanese mask as street arch |
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| Taman Sri Wedari...cultural performance park |
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| "Keris"...Malays weapon symbolic of Malays Civilization |
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| Museum that have collection likes weapon, keris, traditional cloth & so on |
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| Mostly motorist on the road.... |
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| But I'm choosed Beca to circling around the city |
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| Grand Entrance to the Keraton Palace |
1st Keraton that we had visited is Keraton Surakarta or Hanacaraka in Javanese or its complete name is Karaton Surakarta Hadiningrat. Even the Keraton or palace is not really well maintain, but it is nice to see and explore the Javanese royal culture and living. The entrance fees only Rp. 10,000 per person.
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| Entrance Ticket |
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| High wall surrounded the palace |
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| The Keraton Gate |
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| Keraton Entrance |
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| Sultan Hamengkubuwana I |
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| Trees inside Keraton compound |
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| Not so well preserved |
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| Museum in Keraton |
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| Keraton Garden blooming with well maintain trees |
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| The Living Keraton |
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| One of Keraton Hall, where lot of Keraton Ritual and Activities happen here |
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| Amazing Wall Decoration |
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| Inside Keraton Walkway |
The second Keraton we have visited is Pura Mangkunagaran Surakarta. The entrance fee is Rp. 18,000 only. At the same time we use tour guide to give some explaination about this palace. It just cost us about Rp. 10,000 only...it should be alright....
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| Pura Mangkunagaran Surakarta |
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| Roof Decoration but it is more on Greek Style |
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| Keraton balcony lots of cultural activities happen here |
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| Ceiling Decoration |
Main Pillar
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| Private Garden inside Keraton for Princes & Princess to playing around |
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| We also VVIP guest LOL!!! |
Nice Swinging Doors!!!
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| Area for receiving guests |
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| Look at the window unique art |
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| Ceiling with full of mirror so you can see reflection of the whole hall |
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| Elephant Ivory...speacial gift from the King of Thailand...I'm amazed with the detail carving... |
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| Keraton Ceiling...Look at the joint, durable & sustainable |
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| Love the Architecture |
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| Another Door that I love to have |
Since I'm also looking for some old records so my eyes glimpsed to an antiques market of Triwindu that also located in the palace area of Mangkunegara. A variety of antiques items, ranging from vintage lamp, kitchen appliances, gramophones, vintage clocks to wooden sculptures. So please polishing your bargaining skills....
The name Triwindu is derived from Javanese language - tri (three/third) and windu (the eight year cycle of one’s life) - so the market was meant to the mark the third eight year cycle of the life of the princess.
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| Triwindu Antique Market |
Beside that, Surakarta also famous for its quality batik fabric. Some of batik places we visited is Kampong Laweyan, Museum Batik Danar Hadi and Kauman Batik Village. So we take this opportunity to buy a few nice quality of Javanese batik...since I love to wears Java batik with "kebaya" (Indonesian traditional clothes).
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| Laweyan Kampong Batik |
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| Danar Hadi Batik Museum |
Another must visit place is legendary recording studio Lokananta. It is the first record label of Indonesia. For those music lovers and followers of Indonesian music industry must be verse with this recording label.
"Lokananta has over 40,000 recordings, which include some 5,200 commercial labels, in its collection. About 20,000 recordings are without cover. It currently has more than 5672 vinyl records of ethnic/folk music from all over Indonesia, and old Indonesian pop songs. Lokananta also has the biggest collection of keroncong and gamelan orchestras recordings (Javanese, Balinese,Sundanese, even Bataknese), together with the first recorded speeches of Indonesia’s first president Soekarno and the original version of the national anthem" Reference from wikipedia.
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| Lokananta Recording Studio |
Located at 349 Ahmad Yani Street and beside Bengawan River, Lokananta need revitalization. The expansion of advange music technology left Lokananta at a bad stake. "Save Lokananta" and for young generatio,n appreciate your culture and know your history. Music is a connection to your historical culture...
Last but not less, Solo also famously for Bengawan River, the longest river in Java Island. Its give lives, and spirit for souls that surrounded it. The river stretching about 548,53 km to flow through Central and East of Java Island. The importance of Bengawan River was also captured in local folk famous song "Bengawan Solo".
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Bengawan River
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