The past few days have brought us over ¾ of the way across the island of Java. From Jogjakarta, we went to Solo, then on into Batu in East Java, and now are at the edge of the Tengger crater. From our experiences, we have learned about the incredible diversity of Java, as well as what a primarily agrarian society looks like.
Jogjakarta was an obvious place to stay for a few days. From there we had opportunities to explore many areas in and around it. As told earlier, we had a chance to climb Mt. Merapi, but our sightseeing did not stop there! Taking local transit around, such as the horse and buggies or the rickshaws, we got a chance to see busy markets, the water palace, and small rickety suburbs. Kiky and I were also able to do some shopping for her boutique that she wishes to start up again in Canada. The first time she did this she was able to make a bit of money, and now she is prepared to follow the same plan as before, with additional twists.
While waiting for Kiky, I was able to talk to many people along the road. I was officially Kiky’s bag porter, and was going to follow cultural etiquite and do what other help does: hang out and chit chat. The most interesting person I met that day was an old shoe repairman. He had been sitting on the same piece of street side selling his services for 50 years, and everyday rode his classic bicycle, complete with metal rods to operate the brakes, the 10 km to work. He seemed happy to be a working person, and although likely had had a hard life, still seemed to be positive and friendly.
On the 11th, we started our day a little late because we wanted to drop Ben off at the airport. It was sad to see him go, but I know that I will see him again soon enough. He always seems to be popping up here and there all around the world! He was an ideal travel companion, and hopefully will be able to join us on other adventures in the future.
After leaving the airport, we took a short jaunt over to Prambanan. Last time I was here, Kiky was angry at me, and so I was not able to fully enjoy it. This time, my brother Tom was not in the best of moods, but in the end it did not stop us from exploring and looking at these ruins. They are amazing ruins, but for some reason they are quiet in comparison to Borobodur. Both are world heritage sites, and I was happy to see that more is being discovered and repieced each time we go.
That evening we made it as far as Solo. It was an opportune place to stop, since we could rest assured that there were many places to sleep and eat. In the end we found a nice little backpackers in the heart of the city. While lounging around that evening, I heard a familiar whistle pass by. I ran out and shouted ‘Putu’. It is a snack that is made on the spot using rice flour and palm sugar in the centre, and topped with shaved coconut. What amazes me about it is the process in which it is made. The vendor makes each putu individually, and then sets it over a steaming vent. The steam then soaks through the bamboo encased desert and cooks it perfectly. In the end you have one of the nicest treats imaginable, and at 500 Rp a piece, I can never resist the call of the whistle.
The next morning Kiky and I toured the Sultan of Solo’s palace, a place still functioning as the royal residence today. Among things of interest were a male chasity belt and gifts from various nations. The male chasity belt is certainly something unheard of in the west, though the female equivalent was common throughout the midevil period. After our tour, we returned to the hostel and prepared for one of our longest days of driving. We took off before noon, and slowly made our way eastward. The end of the day proved to be difficult, as we headed into a mountain pass between two volcanoes. This made Charlene, Tom, and Kiky all quite carsick. My mom and I could not help but enjoy the breathtaking scenery as we heading up through the pass. By the time we got to the other side, all were ready to quit and bed down for the night.
This morning, as we headed out, all were in better spirits, and Kiky even decided that she would continue onwards with us to visit Bromo. After an unincidental ride
along the lowlands, Prapto (the driver) finally headed inland. Soon enough we were on ridges hanging high above valleys. Down in the valleys were beautiful rainforest trees with trunks that looked the size of train cars.
A long ascent finally led us up to the crater Rim, which immediately floored all of us. Looking our we could see a smoldering volcano, and extinct volcanic cone, and a sea of volcanic sand. After checking into the hotel, we raced down to the sea of sand before the sun set. We are pretty chilly up here, but also really excited for our early morning hike tomorrow!
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