The plane has landed at the Adi Sucipto airport before we can even snooze a little. Me and hubby usually go to Jogja (or Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta) either by train or by car from Semarang for a family occassion. But this time, we’re going to enjoy our time like a honeymoon couple! 😀 It’s lucky for us to get Rp 50.000 ($5) AirAsia one-way ticket for 2 person to Jogja (it’s Rp 25.000 each!). It’s basically Rp 0 but we paid for luggage and Go-Insure. Even our taxi fare from house to Soekarno-Hatta airport is more expensive! 😀
We walked hand in hand like a true love bird, seeking for a hotel, outside the airport. Get 1 room for Rp 300.000 ($30) at the Amanda Hotel, Sosrowijayan area. It’s a tourist area around Malioboro street (the most famous street in Jogja). It’s kinda ‘low-budget’, but hey, we’re backpacking-honeymoon-tourists remember 😛
Forget rented cars or taxis, we use Trans Jogja. It’s Rp 3000 each ($0.3) and we’re arriving safe and sound in Malioboro Street. Soon after we hit Malioboro, those becak man (abang becak) already calling our names, offering service to take us around the neigbourhood. One of them got really agressive but look like a good guy, so we’re going with his Becak.
I don’t know if we getting more fat because the Becak just won’t fit us two, but we managed to squeeze ourself in 😛 First stop was to have Gudeg for breakfast at Wijilan street. Gudeg is Jogja’s popular food. Tastes sweet, suitable for Javanese taste.
Then the Becak Man, Mr. Yono, took us to what he said the original DAGADU store. Dagadu is one of Jogja famous brand for t-shirt. Damn, I really eat the bait without thinking. Bought 4 over-priced tees there, that turned out non-original. He took us to several batik places and Bakpia that also overpriced. OMG, I know this things happened in tourist area, but in Jogja? Never occurred to my mind before, that these nicest people would do such scams.
So, just be careful when deciding to buy things, but other than that, Jogja has much to offer. Just take the cultural experience to the max. Ask them to take you around the city, historical building, Keraton, etc. Of course you could also go to temples like Prambanan and Borobudur and take photos there, then watch Ramayana Ballet at Prambanan in the evening to have unforgettable moment of your life.
Me? Just going around Malioboro, and we went to Taman Sari as well. Taman Sari is the place where the King used to watch his girlfriends swimming and eventually will ‘have fun’ with one of them. The King’s children sometime spend and enjoy their time in Taman Sari as well. It’s a truly nice place that nowadays are used as the setting for couple to take pre-wedding photos.
Shopping for batik was my next schedule. Beringharjo market is the place to search for various kind of Batik. Because it was very hot in Jogja and my husband was starting to sweat so badly, I feel bad to let him suffer. That’s why after 2 batiks, we took off and strolling down the street to Shopping.
Shopping is the place to shop used text-books, regular books, magazine, etc in Jogja. I was surprised to see it so clean and big, unlike the regular traditional market type like it was before. We spent 2 hours in Shopping, try to find our childhood memories in these old Manga like Mari Chan, Swan, City Hunter, Pop Corn, etc 😀
Beside Shopping, we visit the new “Taman Pintar” playground where kids can play and learn from musical instrument, to Physics theory. Wow! Real nice!
Just like an old couple, we lost our energy and fell asleep for 3 hours. Waking up, it’s already 9 PM. I still can’t believe we’re in Jogja and we’re sleeping instead of going somewhere. I wanted to go to my old homestay when I was in Jogja. But yeah, can’t happened. So, we went out to eat fried duck at Malioboro. The street musician sing the unofficial Jogja Song by KLA Project, “Pulang ke kotamu… ada setangkup haru dalam rindu….” and a street artist capturing our moment with his illustration (Hey! My lips is not that big hehe). So… damn… romantic… and emotional as well.
What a day… we walked back to our hotel holding hands like teenager, smiling and greeting every other tourists, just because we’re one of them. Crossing the Malioboro street, I made one final stop at one of the Batik stands. This time, I won’t let my money spilled. “Give me this batik for Rp 15.000, it’s final offer!” And when she handed me the batik shirt, I smirked. Now, my Jogja trip has come full circle.
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