yogyakarta in 5 days

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My family and I made a whirlwind trip to Yogyakarta, Indonesia over the Lunar New Year break. As holidays are concerned, it was very touch-and-go - just enough to do the things people head to Yogya for: to visit the 9th century Borobudur, Buddhist monument in the world, built before Islam came to Indonesia; and climb/see Mount Merapi, one of the world's most active volcanoes.

Neither of those things are actually in Yogya, so honestly I hardly got the measure of the city, which is one of Indonesia's oldest, and has a long literary culture. It feels like an unassuming place that doesn't seem to make too big a deal of its long history and place in Javanese culture, but almost everything one might find familiar about Indonesian arts calls Yogya its capital - beautiful batiks, "shadow play" puppets, gamelan music.

Although the temples of Borobudur and Prambanan are crowded and have the usual sideshow of stalls selling touristy wares, the people who trade in tourism are far, far less aggressive than anything you'd find in Vietnam, Bali, or Phuket. I also saw none of the frightening sleaze that seems to invade every Southeast Asian tourist destination like the plague. It was relaxing, to be around people who seem very relaxed about your presence, friendly without being effusive.

Borobudur is a must-see, even with the hype. I visited very late in the afternoon, just an hour before in closed, and the crowds were thinner (I was told). There was a coolness in the air from a heavy thunderstorm, and steam rose from the surrounding jungles and mountains, while the setting sun cast a warm, diffused glow through the aged stupas and serene Buddhas. The place is stoic, eternal, less grand than the temples of Angkor, but with the same feeling of dignity.

Climbing Mount Merapi, which most recently erupted in 2010, was quite an adventure for me, and one that was pretty much unplanned - having not climbed a mountain in almost a decade, and done no training whatsoever before the trip, I thought I would only make it as high as its third plateau (pasar bubrah), about 400m below its summit, where I would enjoy a leisurely breakfast watching the sunrise. But after my sister and I reached, our guide had other ideas, and nudged me towards the start of the horrible, heart-in-mouth trek to the top. "You can do it," he said reassuringly, as I eyed the tiny flag of Indonesia, small as a pinhead, flapping on the summit (elevation 2,900 metres).

I did it, yes. I did it with my legs sinking into gravel almost to my knees with every step, chest almost bursting with the exertion of trying to climb when I was sinking backwards 2 out of every 3 steps. After that, it was a near-vertical clamber over rocks that left my legs burning, with the wind whistling my ears to remind of how exposed I was, perched on the side of a steep rocky mountain over 2,000 metres above sea level. The only thing more unnerving was thought of the descent.

The summit is a narrow strip of rock that tips into a crater 200 metres deep. On the day of my climb, steam was billowing gently below, keeping the mountain's vulcanic rages to itself, with only a hint of sulphur in the air. I peeled an orange, snapped photos with my camera (more in another post) and tried not to fall off. It was a less a moment of triumph, more a moment of disbelief, and at the same time, a sense of exhilaration from surprising yourself. I found myself eyeing the beautifully symmetrical Mount Merbabu opposite - at 3,300 metres, just a shade taller than Merapi - and planning a future trip.

(The descent was no fun for someone with pretty clumsy feet. My advice is to go slow. I'd rather arrive an hour behind schedule than break something.)

Just two more things about Yogya:
- Taxis are cheap and plentiful and every driver uses the meter without asking.
- Eat fried chicken ("ayam goreng"). Eat lots of it.

All pictures here taken on my phone

Comments

Ammu said…
Sounds like such a fulfilling visit. Bravo on making the climb!
Lindsay K said…
Congratulations on making the climb. Challenging oneself always feels good, especially taking on a physical challenge- I love that feeling!

Happy Lunar New Year!
Anonymous said…
There is something therapeutical about climbing up..
when physical pain of exertion and profound beauty of the enviroment are cleaning your soul.
love climbing, never did the active volcano..remember being on Santorini experiencing actual fear of the volcano which destroyed once whole civilisation.
How was going down? sometimes it is much harder than climbing up..considering the quality of the surfaceyou described must be difficult.

Happy Lunar New Year!

diana
lin said…
ammu: it was! i'm constantly amazed by how much there is to see in the world, and every chance to get away feels like such a blessing.

lindsay k: thanks! i agree with what you say about physical challenges, they're such a great way to really buckle down, concentrate and surprise yourself.

diana: thanks! i love and fear climbing because it's really a big physical test for me. and you are right, coming down was much worse in this case than going up! especcially since i haven't climbed in a while and discovered that my joints have aged since.
Amanda said…
I'm extremely clumsy, I fall down just standing up so I avoid stairs as much as possible. I wouldn't even climb portions of the Great Wall because I was so afraid I might stumble and die.

That being said, I've always wanted to climb Mount Kinabalu (talk about great expectations!). Anyhoo, if I were in Indonesia right now, I would have nasi timbel every single day with a generous side of... ayam goreng & keropok. Ultra yum.
My husband's family lives near Borobudur but we never made it there on our trips to Indonesia. Thank you for sharing your trip with us. I'm now itching to go and check the place out. You're a brave soul to eat ice kacang there. My daughter and I ended up getting food poisoning in Bandung.
lin said…
Amanda: I can safely say Mt Kinabalu has a better defined "steps" than Merapi for most of the way, although things can get tricky when you get to the rock surfaces near the summit - not so much rickety but mainly because it's smooth and steep in parts. But still easier than Merapi, I think. Mt Kinabalu is very "climbable" for novices like us, with some running and stair training before the climb. Just watch your pace because altitude sickness can hit...I say go for it!

I virtually have no voice now, as a result of the diet you described. Haha.

Marlene: I highly recommend a trip to Borodudur, especially at sunset! The surroundings are pretty serene as well...apparently some developer wanted to kill the place with a nearby mall but I didn't see one. I would love to splurge on a stay at the nearby Amanjiwo some day.

I've only ever gotten food poisoning in a very respectable looking restaurant in China...everywhere else I've been lucky so my attitude about street food is pretty relaxed.

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