Indonesia Abroad - A Short Trip To Yogya

And off we went — to the city of the special region with the same name: Yogyakarta! I'll talk about what shenanigans we've been up to in that city in no particular order.

We rented some motorcycles and drove around to look for stuff to do in the area where we stayed. On the way, we stumbled on a building with quite the look on the outside.

The Museum of Affandi

The museum was centered around a man named Affandi Koesoema, and he was considered to be one of the main forefathers of contemporary Indonesian painting.

The museum itself is split into 3 galleries. The first gallery was opened in 1974, where it originally consisted of the gallery itself, and Affandi's house. The second gallery was opened in '98 and displays paintings that can be bought, and also for the works of other famous artists, such as Sudjojono, Hendra Gunawan, Barli, Mochtar Apin, etc. They are Affandi’s friends, even though they have different paintings. The third one, built in '99, is a two-story building. It displays works by members of Affandi's family.

The museum was very inspiring. There was a lot to learn and to see in Affandi's paintings, and you could notice his way of communicating through his paintings. It was quite inspiring to witness. He had some funny things going on too, like designing his own car!

All in all, visiting the museum let's you dive into the mind of this master craftsman which became known all over the world. It was a fascinating experience and more impactful than I imagined it would be.

---

Prambanan & Borobodur

Candi Prambanan is a 9th-century Hindu temple and a sight to behold. The site covers a large area with ruins and restored temple grounds with a lot of original stones left. There's a lot of debris from older earth quakes, but that did not take away the insane view and experience provided.

Not only is there an outside view, but you can also enter the buildings. They're not that big, but there are different areas to see, each with different insides. The walls are covered in seemingly ancient scribbles and signs. You can find many statues of Hindu gods inside and on the terrain, and on less busy times, it makes you feel like an explorer of ancient ruins!

Kiki posing with Ganesh :D

The Borobudur was a funny surprise for me. I've been here once before when I was just a wee lil lad, so I remember it to be way bigger than what it actually is. It's not a small place, but Prambanan was definitely higher. Both sites have many stories to tell, but Borobudur is #1 when it comes to story telling, as on every level is a different part of a big story, with side stories included. There are 3 levels and multiple floors.

I'll leave the rest of the view for when you, dear reader, decide to there yourself.

---

Yogya Nightlife

One of the many things Yogya is famous for, are its night markets. There is so many food to get, you can walk around all night and you still haven't tried everything. You can also find funny cycle-cars to drive in, completely covered in LED lights, get souvenirs, or play mini games in the center of the night market area. Fun times!

During one evening, we had the lucky experience to see a once-a-year parade through Jalan Malioboro, the most famous street in Yogyakarta. It is a parade where groups representing different areas all over Indonesia participate and show their native clothing style, music, dance, and customs. It was a sight to behold, and we had a lot of fun seeing all kinds of different areas from Indonesia packed together in one street.

---

The Silver Smith

Silver in Yogya should not be difficult to find. It's a booming business, and well known to get in this area. Through one way or another, we took a chance to create our own silver accessories in a workshop!

They happily explained how everything was made with all the tools and materials they used. It was quite impressive.

What we could do was to decide if we wanted to create a ring, earring, or pendant, and create a design using very thin silver wire in a form we chose beforehand. Especially for the first time, I am of the opinion that our creations were really nice. It is really difficult though, as you need to have a lot of patience in order to fit the silver wire in the exact places where you want them to be. A very cool experience nonetheless.

And here you have it: the highlights of our trip to Yogyakarta. Hope you had as much fun reading this as I had doing them.

See you soon! ヾ(￣▽￣) Bye~ Bye~