Indonesian cooking

Indonesian cuisine could be classified among the world's great cuisines.

As Indonesia was and is still on the route of the trade between Asia and the Middle East, foreign cuisine was blended with the islands' own cooking secret. This is in addition to traditional Indonesian meals.
Traders, immigrants, adventurers, and even pirates have been drawn by the the riches of Spice Islands (The Maluku Islands).

From India came curries, cucumber, eggplant, and cowpeas. From the Americas, chili, pepper, vanilla, soursop, pawpaw, and pineapple. From China , mustard and vagetables as brassica and cabbage. From Arabia, kebab, goat stews. The European have introduced peanuts, avocado, guava, papaya, tomato, squash, pumpkin, cacao, and soybeans.

Wayang Kulit, the Indonesian shadow puppets

Wayang Kulit in Central Java is probably one of the oldest continuous traditions of storytelling in the world, and certainly among the most highly developed.

The wayang is a flat or round puppets used for shows in Java.The wayang kulit is the flat one and it is made with buffalo leather. They are maipulated behind a white screen with a back light, so the attendance can see them as shadow puppets.

Wayang is well integrated in Javanese society, and it is considered to be a highlight of Javanese culture.

Wayang Kulit was already established in the East Javanese kingdoms one thousand years ago.

The art of batik

The art of "batiking" is similar to the one of drawing or painting on a piece of cloth.

The main tool, the canting ('tjanting'), is used in staed of a pencil or brush, and liquid wax (see paragraph here below)in stead of paint.
A canting with more than a spout (it can be up to seven) is used for patterns with dot forms. Basically, as an art, batiking is painting. The canting is used to produce the picture; its size depending on the type and degree of fineness of the lines or points desired

Indonesian Batik has a worldwide recognition.

The word "batik" is Indonesian in origin, even if the concept was known by Egyptians and Indians. It is known to be more than a millenium old, and there are evidences that cloth decorated through some form of resist technique was in use in the early centuries AD in several West African, Middle-Eastern and Asian communities. The word Batik is originally an Idonesian-Malay word and means to dot .This art of textile is spread in the hindu and malay world, but Indonesia is certainly the heart of the Batik.This way of painting and coloring textile has reached its higher degree of excellence in the Island of Java , in cities like Solo, Yogyakarta, Pekalongan or Cirebon. From Java this 'batik' cloth was exported to other islands of the archipelago and to the Malay peninsula. On the 17th century, the Javanese sultanate of Mataram accorded important ceremonial functions to the Batik clothes. Sultan Agung of Mataram is known to have dressed in white cotton decorated with Indigo blue, and his court dancers wore kain kembangan colored with a red organic dye. During the past two or three centuries batik has become one of the principal means of expression of the spiritual and cultural values of Southeast Asia.

the heart of the Indonesian Batik.

Yogyakarta the capital city of the most powerful and respected Kingdom of Java, is also at the heart of the Batik art.

All the old Traditions and customs are observed, as well as in Solo, and one can still find many symbols that are related to Hindu-Javanese culture.

The combination of motifs in Yogya batik is unique, and there is a tendency to combine a number of large geometric motifs.

The Grompol motif is a distinctively Yogya design customarily used for wedding ceremonies. Grompol, which means gather together symbolizes the coming together of all goods things, such as luck, happiness, children, and harmonious married life.



The Nitik motif is found in great numbers in this area. During a colonial annual fair (Jaarbeurs) during the Dutch period, a batik producer gave the name Nitik Jaarbeurs to a motif which received an award.

Yogyakarta in General

Yogyakarta is one of the supreme cultural centers of Java. Full Gamelan orchestras visions from the past, classical and contemporary Javanese dances exhibit beautiful control and poise, wayang kulit-leather puppet theaters come to life and hundreds of other traditional illustrations of art keep locals and visitors spellbound. It is as if the city itself has an extraordinary life force and charms, which seldom fails to captivate.

Geographic
Geographically, Yogyakarta Special Province is situated in the Southern part of Central Java and lies between 7 degree 33' and 8 degree 12' South altitude and between 110 degree 50' East longitude. The administrative boundaries of this region are surrounded by some regencies of central Java Province:

Southern East	:	Wonogiri Regency
Eastern	:	Klaten Regency
Northwestern	:	Magelang Regency
Western	:	Purworejo Regency

The Indonesian Ocean borders the Southern part of Yogyakarta. The borderline of the seashore stretches from West to East of which the length is around 100 km, started from Congot Beach in Kulon Progo Regency and ended at Sadeng Beach in Gunung Kidul Regency. Because of its location,

Yogyakarta is strategically positioned for the economic activity network in Java as well as for the tourist destination area. The special region of Yogyakarta lies midway on the axis of several main tourist destination areas, Jakarta and West Java westward. Central Java northward, East Java and Bali eastward. It is linked by regular rail, road and air services to other parts of Indonesian archipelago.

Sepanjang, The Old Kuta Beach

If you want to enjoy the nostalgia of Kuta Beach in the past time, Sepanjang Beach is the right place. Sepanjang has long coastal lines, clean water sands, and medium waves. You can just choose: sun bathing under the bright sun, surfing, or just enjoy the beach beauty. You can enjoy all the things when you come to the beach that lies some kilometers from Sundak Beach.

Sepanjang Beach is one of newly opened beaches. The name 'Sepanjang' which means 'long' derives from the characteristic of the beach that has the longest coastal lines of all beaches in Gunung Kidul. The atmosphere of this beach is so natural. The seaside is decorated with palm trees and huts roofed with dry leaves. The coral reef in the rise and fall of tides area is kept well. The dashes of waves reflect blue color signaling uncontaminated sea water. With such a situation, it is not false if the local government and investors plan to make this beach the second Kuta Beach.

The natural atmosphere makes Sepanjang Beach superior to Kuta Beach. Sepanjang does not offer such cliché things as beach café and luxurious cottages, but closeness to nature. You can still dig out coral reef to find mollusk and starfish (Echinodermata). You can also pull out seaweed from the coral. However, you must be careful in order not to stick the sea urchin's spines. You will not find those all in Kuta, will you?

Sepanjang also has a historical site, namely Banyusepuh. 'Banyu' means 'water' and 'sepuh' means to wash. Thus, the name means that the place that used to be a water spring is used to wash or to bathe. Those who used the place were Islamic pious leaders who washed their sacred weapons. You must ask local people to locate this site.

Sosrowijayan Street

Walking about 200 meters southwards from Tugu railway station, along Malioboro Street, you will find Sosrowijayan kampong. A plank at the corner of the small street with the same name on it leads you to the area. Connecting Dagen Street and Malioboro Street, Sosrowijayan is split into two areas, namely East Sosrowijayan and West Sosrowijayan. Later, East Sosrowijayan is known as the second famous tourist kampong in Yogyakarta after Prawirotaman.

Arriving at the T-junction of the street named after the past authority of the area (Sosrowijoyo), you will be greeted friendly by pedicab drivers. Usually, they will assist you to get lodgings or take a mini tour along Malioboro Street or to get bakpia (the special snack of this city) at Pathok area by riding their pedicab. Many guides will readily assist you to get lodgings, for example. They will tell you many things about places of interests in Yogyakarta, too.

Entering Sosrowijayan area, you will see an old building functioning as a lodging, namely Aziatic Hotel. The building that was built during the Dutch colonization has typical European architecture. The building has white wall with three doors and some supporting pillars on the front side, while the name of the hotel is directly embossed to the wall in black color. Once, this hotel was used as the shooting location of 'Daun di Atas Bantal (The Leaf on A Pillow)' film that was shown in Cannes Film Festival.

Entering the first alley, there are two bookshops. Most of the works sold there are novels in English; some of them are in Indonesian language. You can freely select or just take a quick reading of the content since they are all unwrapped. Even though most of them are used ones, physical quality of the books is preserved so well that they are worth collecting. The prices vary but they are definitely cheaper than those in bookshops.

If you want to be able to make batik, you can take a course offered by a lodging in the second alley. Close to the lodging, there is a batik studio managed by a local inhabitant. The style of the batik in this studio is painting batik, just like the ones you find in Taman kampong, near Tamansari Water Castle. The superiority of painting batik lies of its colors and temporary design.

As a kampong for tourists, there must be many guesthouses there. Different from the ones in Prawirotaman, the guesthouses and lodgings in this kampong are among local people's houses since most of them are in the alleys of the kampong. If you want to stay in more a private lodging, you can choose one among many hotels alongside Sosrowijayan Street. The tariff of the lodgings in this kampong that is located to the south of Pasar Kembang area is not different from that in Prawirotaman.

In the afternoon, while relaxing after wandering about Yogyakarta, you can enjoy the life of local children. Usually, girls will play rope jump or other traditional children games and boys gather in a certain place to have a chat. Meanwhile, the young people play guitar while singing Indonesian hit songs. They are members of Maliboro Art Community that in certain occasions they perform on stages.

Tour travels are also available in Sosrowijayan. Moneychanger, internet connection, telecommunication booth, motorcycle and car rental are all available for your convenience. When you are hungry, you can just go to dining places opened by local inhabitants. At the end of the first alley, for example, there is a simple dining place yet many foreign tourists come to have meals. Traditional cuisine such as fried noodle, stir-fried vegetables with chili and other delicious dishes are served. Some restaurants serve steak and other menus at affordable prices.

In the evening time, Sosrowijayan gets more vivid. Many young people gather at the street sides while some cafes tune live music as an alternative amusement. In combination with the nightlife of Malioboro Street, Sosrowijayan becomes vivid. A small warong under an orange tent that local people call angkringan is a nice place to have a talk. While chatting, you can enjoy tea, ginger beverage, or the other delicious menus at very cheap prices.

An Old City as Center of Silver Handicrafts

Kotagede

Located around 10 kilometers at the southeastern part of Yogyakarta city center, the area is now well known as Kotagede as the center of silver handicrafts in Yogyakarta. Keeping around 170 old buildings built in 1700 to 1930, "Kotagede is not only named Silver City but an Old Capital City" as Achmad Charris Zubair, a Kotagede cultural observer, said.

Entering Kotagede from the north through Gedong Kuning, a small street framed with classical buildings along both sides look like an exotic opening for tourists after going through the gate.

Since entering Kotagede area, tourists begin to enjoy various kinds silver handicrafts at various prices sold at the front part of local people's house functioning as the gallery at the same time. Most of the houses are in traditional Javanese architecture called Joglo.

Yogyakata Exotic Beach

Sundak Beach

The name Sundak turns to experience evolution of which evidences can be traced geologically.In order to know its evolution, visitors must know first the condition the sea sides of Sundak Beach in the past and at present time. At the west side of the beach there is a mosque and a vacant space that is now utilized as a parking area. On the east side, there is a cave made of coral reef as high as around 12 meters. Entering the cave, there is a spring from which local people get fresh water.

Before 1930 the above area was still under sea water. The story tells that sea water reached the area where the mosque stands now and the cave was submerged in sea water. In line with geological process in the south sea, the sea water level decreased and sea water stood out more to the sea. The coral reef and the area around the mosque became new land that later coastal people used it for economy activities until today.

There was unique, natural phenomenon of the activity that finally served as starting point of naming this beach. When rainy season came, there was much water from the land flowing to the sea. Consequently, the land on east side of the beach split to make a river-look form. The flowing water looked like splitting the sand. When dry season came, the crevice disappeared since the sea water came ashore and drag away the sand. The name Wedibelah (the split sand) originated from this natural phenomenon.

Tens of years later the name changed. In 1976, there was an interesting occurrence. In an afternoon, there was a dog running about the seaside and entered the cave where it met a sea urchin. Being starving, the dog tried to prey on the sea urchin but the sea urchin avoided. Then, the fight happened and finally the dog succeeded in eating half of the sea urchin body and the dog got out of the cave proudly. The owner of the dog, Arjasangku, saw half of the sea urchin body was still in the dog's mouth. Since then, the name Wedibedah was changed into Sundak as an abbreviation of asu (Javanese language for dog) and landak (Javanese language for sea urchin).

The quarrel turned to bring fortune for local people. After being short of water for years, local people finally found a spring. Initially, the owner of the dog was astonished that his dog was soaking wet after getting out of the cave. The hypothesis was that there was a spring inside the cave and the dog might fall in it while hunting the sea urchin. After some investigations, the prediction turned out to be true. Now, the spring functions as source of fresh water for local inhabitants. Pipes are now installed from the cave to distribute water to the community. The finding of the spring consoled the community who were disappointed because the wells that they dug were inundated by sea water.

Just imagine the condition of the area hundreds of years ago when we know its condition in 1930s. There had to be many organisms that utilized the lower part of the coral reef that now functions as a cave. For the reason, many archeologists believe that as the consequence of the occurring geological process, there were many sea organisms were left and piled up as fossils. Not many researches reveal what fossils exist in the area.

In addition to offering its silent historical witnesses, Sundak also offers enjoyable night atmosphere. You can enjoy the breeze of the night wind while ordering fresh fish to be grilled together with your friends. You only have to pay some thousands Rupiah for the firewood. If you are reluctant to do so, just order ready-to-eat grilled fish. To spend the night, you can just sleep anywhere; you can put up your tent or just lying on the bench of food sellers that are not used at night.

Yogyakarta The Performing Arts

Wayang Kulit

The most famous of all performance art in Yogyakarta (and for that matter in Java and much of the rest of Indonesia as well) is the ancient art of wayang kulit. The word wayang literally translates to theatre and the wayang kulit performances are theater performances of shadow puppet plays. This beautiful art began as a method of storytelling as far back as the first century and has continued to develop ever since. There are wayang kulit performances nearly every night somewhere in the city of Yogyakarta .
Another popular form of performance art in Yogyakarta is the unique style of music developed there called the Gamelan Yogyakarta. Gamelan music is made up of the sounds of unique instruments such as gongs and xylophones; Gamelan Yogyakarta is a variation of the traditional gamelan sound. Travelers should ask their local hotel representatives where they can hear gamelan yogyakarta during their stay in the area.
Travelers should also consider checking out more traditional forms of performance art. For example, the Ramayana Ballet is an option for travelers. Various other performing arts events take place throughout the year.

The Beautiful Night in Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta Nightlife

Before heading out to see any of the local pubs and clubs, visitors should make sure to catch a performance of the famous wayang kulit shadow puppet theatre performances which play nightly at locations all throughout Yogyakarta. See for more information. After completing this cultural experience, travelers can head out to enjoy the area’s nightlife scene. Most night spots are open from ten in the evening until three in the morning athough times vary by venue. Places worth checking out may include:

Blatz Lounge – Travelers interested in checking their email while sipping some wine can do so at this location.

Junction – This club is known for its DJ music.

Malioboro Street – Visitors getting tired of being indoors should head over to this street on weekends to see nightlife moved outside.

Papillon – This location is great for getting out on the dance floor.

Sheraton Mustika Resort and Spa Complex – This resort is home to several different bars and nightclubs which keep guests of varied interests entertained.

Hugo’s is a popular club here which is known for its midnight bar performance as well as its live music. Embassy is another nightclub frequently enjoyed by guests in the area.

Soda Lounge – Travelers interested in meeting up with others in the area for things such as talking about books will find that this is a place to do so.

TJ’s – The name is short for The Jetsets, a bar which offers live music as well as local DJ’s.

Yogyakarta Museums & Attractions

There area approximately one dozen major museums located throughout Yogyakarta . These museums serve to explain and share the culture of the Javanese people with the tourists who come to the area. They also serve to preserve and commemorate the history of the area. Some of the museums to see while in Yogyakarta include:

Batik Museum – This museum is entirely devoted to the ancient batik art which has spread throughout the world in recent decades.

Dirgantara Air Museum – World War II was an important time in this area; the museum showcases World War II military airplanes, including rare Russian airplanes, as well as airplanes from other times.

Kekayon – This is the most famous of the museums which display the wayang puppets which are central to the performing arts culture of the area.

Kraton (or Keraton)

This historic site include a museum which describes the area. Perhaps of more interest is that it includes an exhibit of chariots belonging to the sultan who lived here.

Sonobudoyo Museum – Travelers interested in exploring exhibits of the famous wayang puppets which make up a great part of the area’s creative culture should head here. Other artifacts include statues and ancient weaponry.

Jogjakarta's Day Trips

Yogyakarta is an amazing city with a lot to see, but there are also a number of other astounding locations scattered throughout the area. Visitors may want to consider getting away from Yogyakarta for a day or two to check out some of the following:

Borobudur Temple – This is a frequent attraction destination for Yogyakarta visitors. It is known for being the largest Buddhist monument in existence today. It is located approximately forty minutes drive to the north of the city.

Ketep – This small town is located approximately forty minutes drive north of Yogyakarta , just to the east of Borobudur Temple (see above). Travelers who head to see the temple should drive over to this location to get the best view possible of the Mount Merapi.

Mount Merapi – This is a volcanic mountain located to the north of Yogyakarta . It has been known to erupt in small amounts so visitors should always ask locally before heading to this area. At the base of the mountain is the small town of Kaliurang.


Parangtritis Beach – Visitors interested in exploring the local beaches should head south to this one. But, they should be forewarned; this is a beach for seeing the water, not for swimming in it.

Other locations all through Java
( http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g2... )
and greater Indonesia ( http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g2... )
are also excellent for day trips.

Yogyakarta Public Transportation

Public transportation in Yogyakarta is one of the best methods of getting around the area. There are buses which, although sometimes crowded, are relatively easy to use for getting around. There are also trishaw carts and horse carts which tend to be inexpensive, a bit more comfortable than buses and have the added benefit of offering a unique travel experience for visitors from other parts of the world.
The trishaw and the horse cart options are both local forms of public transportation. The trishaw comes in different forms, including the three-wheel traditional cart known as the becak. The horse-cart is more like a carriage and tends to be a bit more comfortable, and slightly pricier than the trishaw. Each of these is inexpensive and prices can be negotiated with the drivers. The main difference between the two in terms of travel around the area is that the hose-cart is frequently set up on a standard route (similar to the modern bus system) while the trishaw will take travelers to their specified destination (similar to the modern taxi system).
Travelers interested in using the public bus system to get around the area should find that it is relatively convenient. Visitors should note that it is a crowded system which puts them at risk for travel safety concerns such as pick pocketing. The bus is basically safe but visitors should remain alert. See http://www.itisnet.com/english/asia/i... for bus contact information.

Yogyakarta Getting Around

You can explore Yogya on foot around the Malioboro area - which is the main shopping street. However, traffic is heavy with hundreds of bicycles, trishaws & cars. If you are staying for a few days, it is advisable to hire a car with a driver who can drive you anywhere in the city & to the historical sights. Car hire fees should include unlimited petrol & most hotel staff will be able to assist you.Almost Becaks (Trishaws)

Wherever you wander on foot in Jogja, you can be guaranteed to hear the familiar, "Becak, mister?" from one of the dozens of becak-drivers. A becak is, basically, a modified bicycle with a twin seat on the front, with the guy on the back. pedalling. Good if you want to experience a more open and leisurely view of the town, but not so good if you like to breathe in the copious amounts of pollution given off by other traffic.

Scooters have been found for hire for as little as Rp 18,000 ($2US) per day in the tourist-area of Jogja, around Prawirotaman, but you need to provide your own gas for these, and might be an idea to get them checked over at one of the many Honda service-centers dotted around the city, just to make sure you last the day on one of these. You often take your life in your own hands when you brave the traffic on the streets of Jogja!

Yogyakarta's Weather & When to Go

The temperature in Yogyakarta tends to be relatively moderate, although high levels of humidity can make the summers in the area seem quite hot. The average summer high temperature is in the nineties and the average humidity at that time is approximately seventy five percent. Humidity throughout the rest of the year varies between sixty five and eighty five percent. The average temperature throughout the year is a comfortable eighty degrees, with the average winter low being in the sixties.

Despite the fact that it is hotter in the area during the summer, many people travel to Yogyakarta at this time because it also marks the area’s dry season. Yogyakarta is a wet environment, with a rainy season which begins in September and continues through May. The heaviest monsoon rains generally last from January through April, with February being the rainiest month. The area has been known to experience horrifying tropical storms, so visitors should remain updated about current weather conditions in the days leading up to their trip.

Updated weather information for Yogyakarta , including short-term weather forecasts, can be located online through Yahoo! Weather ( http://weather.yahoo.com/climo/IDXX00... ),
MSN Weather ( http://weather.msn.com/local.aspx?wea... )
and Weather.com ( http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel... ).