Matur Nuwun Jogjakarta!

It was my second time going out of my home country, and of all places, I landed in a city so vibrant of its culture, that I have the inkling of going back and experiencing it once more—Yogyakarta. This city of three million (in its region) is known to be the gateway to the great ancient temples of Borobudur and Prambanan. However, there is more to being the gateway of ancient civilization than it meets the eye in Jogja.

Yogyakarta, or called Jogja for short, is one of only two special regions in Java in Indonesia. Why is it so special? It’s because the Sultan of Yogyakarta still has a degree of authority around here. Also, being one of the successor sultanates of the old Mataram kingdom, it has preserved and even enriched Javanese culture. For a city so bent on its tradition, it still has this laidback charm despite the perennial issue of traffic (especially near Royal Ambarukmo Mall, hehe!)

Upon landing in Jogja, I was surprised that it has a lot of similarities with Philippine cities, particularly Davao, Gensan, Iloilo, and Cebu. It feels homey here, except that homes have tiled roofs over GI sheets.

Again, Jogja is more than just the entry point for Borobudur and Prambanan, much as I like to refer to Iloilo, my hometown, as more than just a gateway to Boracay. Heritage sites abound, especially near Jalan Malioboro and the Kraton (Palace) district; sumptuous food, from the royal courts to street dining; and of course—non-stop bargain shopping in Jalan Malioboro in a hunt for the most affordable and best batik and souvenirs in town.

Three days I spent in conference, two days at the streets. That’s more or less five days, yet I feel “bitin” or I am not yet satisfied with all the tour and local immersion I had. Then a sign showed up on the last day…Merapi Volcano showed up for the first time in days, and I was in the ceremonial area of the Kraton. Looks like I’ll be back sometime soon. It has been more than a week yet Yogyakarta has left its imprint in my mind. Never had I been so long in a foreign land, and being in the people who were so warm and accommodating to their brothers of the north.

Terima kasih Jogja as what they say in Bahasa Indonesia, Matur nuwun Jogja in Java. I’ll sure to come back here!

This is only the start of my Yogyakartan blog posts. Stay tuned for more.