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...