JOGJA & SOLO TRIP

JOGJA & SOLO TRIP - 6-10/1/2012

 My 1st holiday trip his year begins with a trip to Jogjakarta n Solo with my beloved hubby from 6-10/1/12 travelled by AA n reach Solo airport by noon. Once reaching there, hire a cab to proceed direct to Jogja for 3 days stay. Booked a budget hotel + b/fast only RM90 p/night. Next day just after b/fast, hire a van to visit one of the wonders of the world i.e the Borobudur Temple, 2 hrs drive from hotel.

The signage of the temple

Once reaching the place already 10 am, many tourists around n we are the only malays n the rest mostly locals n mat salleh. After purchasing the tickets cost RM45 each, we were given a welcome hot drinks + mineral water, the most funny thing is we have to wear the batik sarong just to differenciate locals n tourists.    

From far, I can see the temple with high steps n already set in my mind that I don't think I want to climb it.  With full moral support from hubby at last I tried my best step by step. Local time showed 11 am + good weather n the sunny sun, hot but windy.  At last after almost 1/2 an hr, I managed to climb it...hooorry...alhamdullillah. I can do it as what my hubby said.

                                                               The temple at distance

                                                             The real image of the temple

 From the top of the temple, there was such a beautiful view with  the  mountain at the back of the temple + green jungle very cooling.   We returned back the sarong n walked to the museum in the temple compound which displays all the ancient materials of the locals. We spent 2 hrs over here then proceed to the Salak fruits farm at Kaliurang about 2 hrs drive from the temple.  There was so many farms on the right n left of the road, the driver stopped at the farm and we bought a few kilos, so cheap only RM3 per kilo, it tastes very sweet n fresh.

                                                                   The Salak Farm

On the way back to the hotel, we stopped for our lunch at the floating restaurant.  The food are good but a little bit expensive coz everything ala carte style cooked upon request!!.  Few places of interest such as Water Castle or Taman Sari which was build by the Sultan of Jogja for his Queen, a daughter of the Sultan of Pahang from Tanah Melayu now Malaysia. The white castle was beautiful with a huge compound and kolam for the Queen to bath accompanied with dayang2. Then visit  Sultan Royal Palace and local market called Beringharjo Market n Tembi Rumah Budaya.

                                                                 The Royal Palace

 Next day, began another journey to the Merapi Mountain, the volcano mountain area about 2 hrs drive.  After a year of the disaster, the kampung side already looked back to normal already.  According to the locals whom I met, some of them have left the kampung and make another living somewhere else but those who remained have no choice but stay at the same area. The volcano side looked very far from the kampung but during the disaster, the larva flowed about hundreds kilometres towards the kampung smashed  and sweeped away everything in seconds, everything gone. I can't imagined how they faced it...subhanallah. In the evening, had dinner and walked along the famous street of Malioboro. Shoppingwise...to me nothing look interesting n tempted to me, mostly handicrafts n batik so I save my budget this time.

                                                              The Merapi Mountain


Last day in Jogja, after b/fast,  catch the earliest train called Prabanam Express which cost RP7000 each for 2 hrs journey to Solo. Reach Solo Balapan Railway Station and take a cab to check in at the Ratu Hotel only RM78 p/night. Had lunch at the Minang Restaurant just opposite the hotel cost RM4 p/person, cheap n delicious. I noticed that most of the people in Solo used motorcyles as their main transportation just like in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Theres nothing much to see or visit in Solo, I visit Kasunanan Palace, Sriwedari Park, Kg Batik Laweyan, n Pasar Gede just to name a few.  Night time in Solo a bit bored so what else!!!......sleeeppping time. One thing for sure this trip really save my pocket coz I didn't spent a lot for shopping!!.  next morning ready to check out and back to KL with full of sweet memories of Jogja n Solo.  Next trip .... may be  Surabaya or Makasar n thats depends on cheap AA tickets of course.

Posing in the garden of the temple

with the batik sarong!!

That's the end of the trip!!!