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Yogyakarta : Homy Adorable City by Lisa Hardini

Yogyakarta: A Homy Adorable City

Written by Lisa Hardini

Yogyakarta (also often called Yogya, Jogja) is located in the central area of  Java Island as the capital city of  Yogyakarta Special Region (Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta) Province.

In the past time, Yogyakarta became the centre of  some kingdoms: Mataram Kindom (Islamic Kingdom), Yogyakarta Sultanate, Paku Alaman. This city also became the Indonesian capital during the Indonesian National Revolution (an armed conflict and diplomatic struggle between Indonesia and the Dutch Empire, and an internal social revolution) from 1945 to 1949.

In many people’s opinion, this city is relative small but it is renowned as a centre of classical Javanese fine art, culture, and tradition that attract most tourists to visit this city.

No wonder that Yogyakarta is the second most tourist destination in Indonesia after Bali.

That’s why, it’s interesting to enjoy Yogyakarta with its traditional Javanese atmosphere and I suggest some tourist destinations for your first visiting:

1. Malioboro, is a major shopping street in Yogyakarta, Indonesia; the name is also used more generally for the neighborhood around the street. It lies north-south axis in the line between Yogyakarta Kraton and Mount Merapi. Sidewalks on both sides of the street are crowded with small stalls selling a variety of goods, the unique traditional crafts, souvenir, clothes, etc and you can bargain the price. In the evening several open-air streetside restaurants, called lesehan, operate along the street. There are also Bering Harjo Traditional Market and Mirota Batik situated in this street that are nice to visit.
   
   Note: it’s better to ask the price of the food and drink in lesehan otherwise they will give you high price and if you have Indonesian friend, it’s even better then he/she can accompany you J

2. Archaelogical Sights: Borobudur Temple, Prambanan Temple, King Boko Palace.
   Borobudur is the biggest Buddhist temple in the ninth century measuring 123 x 123 meters. It was completed centuries before Angkor Wat in Kamboja.

Well, actually, Borobudur is located in Magelang, a city near Yogyakarta.

Prambanan is the masterpiece of Hindu culture of the tenth century. The slim     building soaring up to 47 meters makes its beautiful architecture incomparable.

It’s located in Prambanan, Yogyakarta. This temple becomes a background of a cultural performance called Ramayana Ballet, a dance-drama accompanied by gamelan music as a marvelous visualization of legendary epos in Javanese culture, which performance in an open stage.

King Boko Palace is a luxurious palace complex that was built in the eighth century. The most luxurious building during its time was built by one of the relatives of Borobudur founder. It’s also located at Prambanan, Yogyakarta.

3. Parangtritis Beach is the most popular beach in Yogyakarta for enjoying the sunset while having fun conquering sand dune with ATV (All-terrain Vehicle) or walking along the beach with a carriage in the romantic evening.
4. Historic and heritage sights: Yogyakarta Palace (Kraton), Taman Sari, Kotagede.
   
   

Yogyakarta Palace was built to be a focal point of the Sultan’s entire kingdom. Today, the Keraton is a piece of living history and tradition. It continues to be used, both as a home of the Sultan as well as for other important ceremonial and cultural  functions of the Yogya court. At the back part of the Sultan's Palace that you can reach southwards from Wijilan, the central place for purchasing of Gudeg as special food of Yogyakarta., you can find Alun-Alun Kidul, commonly shortened as alkid (The South Square). Here, you can warm your evening and nighttime with friends by enjoying food and drinks. You can try baked corn, baked banana, or baked bread and the traditional beverages: ronde and bajigur. Then you also can try to an attraction called Masangin, namely walking through two banyan trees in the middle of the square with your eyes being closed with black cloth that is available for rent at 3,000 Rupiah. The belief says that those who successfully do it will get unlimited blessing.

Taman Sari was a recreation garden or a resting house for the Sultan and Family and had the other function as hiding place for royal family to defend against the enemy assault. There are the sacred room (the sacred place in the complex showing a separated building, which once functioned as a hermitage place for the Sultan and his family), the bathing pools (Consists of two bathing pools that are separated with a 2-storey building that from this building the Sultan watched all the women swimming in the outer pool then he might ask some of them to accompany him into the inner pool), Kenanga or Cemeti Island. This part compounds of some building such as Kenanga or Cemeti Island (forming Island), Sumur Gemuling and underground tunnels.

Kotagede is a silent witness of the rise of the Islamic Mataram Kingdom that ruled almost the entire Java. We can find Pasargede (Kotagede tradisional market), The cemetery of Islamic Mataram Kingdom forefathers, the fort’s ruins, Masjid Kotagede, Kotagede Javanese traditional house, that is called Rumah Joglo. Kotagede is also well-known as the centre of  the Yogya silverwork industry. There are a number of workshops where visitors are welcome to watch silver being transformed into beautiful works of art known as "Yogya Silver".

5. Tugu Jogja, is the most popular landmark in Yogyakarta located right in the center of the crossroad between the Mangkubumi, Soedirman, A.M. Sangaji and Diponegoro roads. It’s almost 3 centuries old has a very deep meaning.

6. Kaliurang is an area which has nature beauty and coolness in that foot of the Merapi mountain.,In the early of the nineteenth century, some Dutch geologists living in Yogyakarta intended to find a place for their family to spend their vacation. They went along the edge of the north area as the high land and arriving at Kaliurang, the "meneers" finally built bungalows and decided to make the area their place for vacation.

7. Prawirotaman and Sosrowijayan are neighborhoods as tourist kampong.

Prawirotaman  (it’s predicated 'international kampong') was once an     independence struggler post and is a famous batik business area also has many lodgings at affordable prices; most of them are managed by descendents of one clan.

Sosrowijayan as the second famous tourist kampong after Prawirotaman is located in the center of Yogyakarta city, along Malioboro street. It offers lodgings and hotels at affordable prices and other interesting facilities from old hotel building to batik course.

8. Gudeg centres are places to taste gudeg, the particular and most popular food of  Yogyakarta. You can find gudeg in Wijilan, an area that is not far from the Palace of Yogyakarta (in example: gudeg Bu Slamet) and in Barek, an area on the north side of Yogyakarta, near Gadjah Mada University, along Kaliurang Street  (in example: gudeg Bu Ahmad, gudeg Yu Djum, gudeg Yu Narni).

Well that’s all my suggestions. As I had been living in Yogyakarta for five years, I could feel this city as amazing cultural city and of course, a homy adorable one for me. Hope you all will have a wonderful time in Yogyakarta as I did J..

Website links as sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultanate_of_Yogyakarta

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakualaman

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogyakarta

http://www.yogyes.com/en/yogyakarta-tourism-object/candi/borobudur/

http://www.yogyes.com/en/yogyakarta-tourism-object/performance/ramayana-ballet/

http://www.yogyes.com/en/yogyakarta-tourism-object/candi/ratu-boko/

http://www.yogyes.com/en/yogyakarta-tourism-object/market/malioboro/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jalan_Malioboro

http://www.indonesia.travel/en/destination/458

http://www.indonesia-tourism.com/yogyakarta/kota-gede.html

Asian Wedding

Asian Wedding

In 2005 besloten Rob en Tamara te gaan trouwen en het idee was om Azie als inspiratiebron te gebruiken.

Rob had zijn keuze laten vallen op de traditionele Maleisische kelding zoals Baju Melayu, Sampin, Bengkung, Tanjak en het geheel werd natuurlijk afgekleed met het dragen van een keris. (Een keris is een dolk wat als cultureel erfgoed van het Maleise ras wordt gezien). Rob liet zijn keuze vallen voor de kleuren zwart en wit/zilver.

Tamara's keuze was gevallen op een jurk, jas en sjerp uit handen van een Indiase ontwerper. Zij koos  tevens voor de kleuren  wit/zilver.

When Rob and Tamara decided to get married in 2005 the idea came up to have Asia as an inspiration for the wedding.

Rob chose the traditional Malay outfit such as Baju Melayu, Sampin, Bengkung, Tanjak. The whole was finished by a Keris. This is a dagger that is seen as the cultural heritage of the Malay people. Rob chose the colors black and white/silver.

Tamara chose a dress, jacket and a sash by an Indian designer. She also chose the colors black and white/silver.

Jay van der Meer

Jay van der Meer

Enige tijd geleden kwam ik vakfotograaf Jay van der Meer tegen, zijn manier van fotograferen fascineerde mij, tijdens een paar fotoshoots heb ik jay leren kennen als een man met een visie en een creatieve geest.

Tijdens de virtuele reis door zijn online galerie kwam ik verschillende foto's tegen die het ware oosten belichamen, zijn manier van verbeelden en het visueel vastleggen van een moment is van grote klasse.

De foto hierlangs is genomen in Tibet omstreeks 2005 en geeft een jonge monnik weer die zich tracht te bekwamen in martiale kunsten. De martiale kunsten zijn voor de monniken in de kloosters in het Oosten een belangrijk instrument om een balans te vinden tussen lichaam en geest.

Een tip van Asian Culures is om eens de website van Jay van der Meer te bezoeken en een virtuele reis door het Oosten te maken.

Some time ago I met professional photographer Jay van der Meer. His way of photography fascinated me. Then I learned to know him at some photo-shoots as a man with a vision and a very creative mind.

When I took the virtual trip through his online gallery I saw a diversity of photos which all embody the true East. The way he visualizes and captures the moment is of an extraordinary class.

The photo of the young monk was taken in Tibet around 2005. The boy is training martial arts. In the East martial arts are an important instrument for monks in monasteries to find balance between body and mind.

Asian Cultures advices you to take a virtual tour through the East by visiting the website of Jay van der Meer.

source of the picture: http://www.jvandermeer.com

Authentic Malaysian Meal

Authentic Malaysian Meal

Afgelopen vrijdag 4 november 2011 heeft Ann Ramli een authentieke Maleise maaltijd geserveerd voor echte liefhebbers van de Maleisische keuken. Deze culinaire activiteit werd gehouden in Zeeland. Op het menu stond; Nasi Lemak geserveerd met sambal, rendang, telor, rebus.

Ann Ramli kookt vaak Maleisische gerechten. In begin 2012 zal er een speciale dinner worden geserveerd in combinatie met een mooie Silat Melayu demonstratie en de mogelijkheid om een workshop bij te wonen van de Silat Melayu en de Senaman Tua gegeven door Guru Rob Brandt.

Middels deze blog en facebook willen we u op de hoogte houden van deze ontwikkelingen op het gebied van de Maleisische cultuur. Wilt u meer weten over de authentieke Maleisische keuken of de Silat Melayu stuur een mail naar: asiancultures.nl@gmail.com

For the real enthusiasts of the Malaysian kitchen Ann Ramli cooked an authentic Malaysian meal. This took place November 4, 2011 in the Dutch province Zeeland. On the menu was: Nasi Lemak served with sambal, rendang, telor and rebus.

Ann Ramli cooks a lot of Malaysian meals. Early 2012 there will be a special dinner in combination with a Silat Melayu demonstration and the possibility to attend workshops of Silat Melayu and Senaman Tua, preceded by Guru Rob Brandt.

Through this blog and Facebook we want to keep you posted on the developments of Malay culture. Do you want to know more about the Malaysian kitchen or Silat Melayu? Send an e-mail to: asiancultures.nl@gmail.com

Tourism Malaysia

In het weekend van 12 en 13 november zal Tourism Malaysia en Fox vakantie een twee daagse presentatie houden om het vakantieland Maleisie en de Maleisiche cultuur te promoten. Wij van Asian Cultures zullen daar tevens aanwezig zijn om te proberen prachtige reisverhalen, ervaringen en belevenissen vast te kunnen leggen middels dit blog. Wij willen min of meer een platform zijn voor diegene die naar Maleisie op vakantie willen gaan, zaken willen doen of een huis in Maleisie willen aanschaffen.

In Maleisie draait alles omtrent Adat en Adab (cultuur en gewoonterecht), dus als u meer wilt leren omtrent de Maleisische cultuur doet u er verstandig aan om zich de Adat en Adab eigen te maken. Mocht u meer willen weten omtrent Adat en Adab stuurt u gerust een mail naar asiancultures.nl@gmail.com met subject 
Adat & Adab dan sturen wij u een E-zine omtrent deze 2 belangrijken elementen in de Maleisische cultuur.


Tijdens deze 2 daagse presentatie zal er tevens een prachtige silat demonstratie zijn van Silat groep hier uit Nederland die zich reeds enkele jaren zich bekwaamd heeft in deze fascinerende krijgskunst. De Silat, internationaal ook wel Pencak Silat genoemd is gracieuze en geestelijke krijgskunst van de Orang Malay die zich gehuisvest hebben in de landen Maleisie, Indonesie, Singapore, Brunei, een gedeelte in Thailand en de Filipijnen. Deze Silat groep die de naam Seni Silat Satria Pusaka draagt staat in nauw contact met verschillende perguruans in Maleisie en heeft de nauwste banden met Silat Melayu Keris Lok 9 van Mahaguru Azlan Ghanie. Voor meer informatie www.satriapusaka.nl

Asian Cultures

This blog is started to promote the Asian Cultures. We want to build bridges between the East and the West.