Glutton in Yogyakarta and Solo

Subtitle: Makan-makan in Indonesia

I love eating and food in Indonesia sure was good. I’m not sure how much weight I’ve gained during this trip. Hopefully, all the calorie intake has been canceled out by all the walking with my heavy backpack.

While we spent two nights in Solo, most of the eating was done in Yogyakarta. Here are some of the highlights of the food we ate.

Nasi Gudeg

Yogyakarta is famous for nasi gudeg which has cooked young jackfruit inside. (I had thought that the dark cubes of jackfruit was meat. I’m easy to bluff when it comes to food.)

We only had gudeg twice during this trip. The first was not as good as the last I had. The last dish was right before our plane back in a shop just around the corner of the road leading out of the airport. The dish was fragrant with coconut milk and the sides were really flavorful. Yummy!
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10 things I love about central Java, Indonesia

Finally, my one week trip in the two cities of central Java–Yogyakarta and Solo–has come to an end. These seven days seem longer than they are and that’s always a good thing to feel when you’re having fun.

While my memory of Jogja and Solo is fresh, here are 10 things I’ll miss after leaving Indonesia. Items are ranked in priority and each deserve their own blog post.

1. Food

Food in Indonesia is cheap and good. Most noodle dishes that we had didn’t cost more than S$2. Their noodles are good and the rice dishes are yummy. I even had siomay which we thought were siewmai posing as meatballs.

Surprisingly, we had Peranakan food for two (three?) times during our trip. We accidentally stumbled upon Kedai Tiga Nyonya while being lost. The avocado juice there made me think I went to heaven. Those were the more expensive meals that we had.

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#FriFoto: Seeking enlightenment @ Borobudur

(Post written while still in Indonesia. Internet courtesy of Excelso.)

Taken on Day 1 at Borobudur. By the time we reached, it was about 4.20pm and I only had 40 more minutes before the gates close.

Our hotel was on the temple grounds so it was just a stone’s throw away from the temple–if you throw really really hard that is.

There wasn’t many tourists on that afternoon. One reason being it was really late and another being the rain.

I had the chance to circle some of the levels of the temple. But in the opposite of the righ direction.

When I was on top of temple, the place didn’t seem really big. Until I started circling the lower levels then I felt its vastness. But it wasn’t until I was sitting at the restaurant of the hotel, looking at it from the proverbial stone’s throw that I really realized how big it is.

I think it’s a methaphor for life. While I’m in the fish tank, I don’t feel that the world is big. It’s only until I step away from it that I can appreciate how large the universe is. Or something like that.

My first in my series of #FriFoto. Stay tuned for more each Friday.

Selamat tinggal, I’ll be in Yogyakarta

Translation: Goodbye (to those who are staying) or “So long suckers!” Just kidding.
Malay trivia of the day: Selamat jalan is Goodbye too but you say it to those who are leaving.

By the time you have read this blog, I’d be in Yoygakarta (Jogja, for short). Finally breaking my 7-week trip-less spell. Phew!

I’ll be away for 8D7N. We’ve only booked one night of hotel for the whole trip. That’s the hotel right in the Borobodur complex which also allows us free entrance into the temple grounds.

The decision to visit Yoygakarta (someday) was made somewhere in my last semester. I remember asking an Indonesian from my “stress-less sessions” about the place and she admitted she has not been there.

I’m not even sure where I’ve first heard of Jogja but it must have been from D. Perhaps it was during my Bandung trip that I learned of the place.

At the time of typing (07:51am), there is about 4 hours to our flight. I haven’t packed yet. I have a visual representation of the things I need to bring, just in case. But I’m not terribly worried, since everything can be bought during the journey.

What does Jogja have to offer?

A friend of my mom’s was very curious why I decided to go to Jogja instead of the more popular destinations such as Siem Reap. I couldn’t really answer her then but in case you are wondering, here are some of the things I’ll be doing:

Visiting ancient hindu temples at Borobudur and Prambanan. (Or as I tell my mom’s friend, “Something like Angkor Wat, but smaller.” correction: Jogja is advertised as the largest Buddhist temple on eartj. But, I still have no idea which is bigger.)
Watch Ramayana ballet
Eat lots of Indonesian food
Drink lots of avocado juice with chocolate syrup
Read an Indonesia/Malay book on round-the-world travelling (and review it)
Try to be spiritually connected to the heavens during sunrise at Borobudur (and feel sleepy doing it)
Meet some couchsurfers. (I’m quite terrified about this because my social skills with strangers isn’t terribly good.
Make a travel video of the trip: Very excited about this

Besides Jogja, we’ll be going to Solo/Surakarta, hopefully by train. There are erotic temples around the area. ;) I’ll be there, of course.

I’ll be getting a local SIM when there. Hopefully the microSIM for iPhone 4’s are available. I’ll update on Twitter or even do short posts when there.

See you in 8 days! (I’ll still have two scheduled posts for next Tuesday and Saturday. Stay tuned!)

Have you been to Jogja? Any recommendations?

Visited: Mint Toy Museum, Singapore

I had the chance to visit the Mint Museum of Toys courtesy of a Groupon which made the entrance fee slightly less than half price.

The museum is located right opposite the Raffles Hotel, there’s a sign pointing to it right where the street begins. It’s not that difficult to find since the sign is pretty big.

The place has five floors–entrance on first floor with four exhibition levels. The levels are themed and you start from the top floor: Outerspace, Characters, Childhood favorites and Collectibles.

The floor space is really cramped and half the time I have to wait for someone and their date to finish staring/photgraphing/commenting on the exhibitions before I could politely look at the stuff.
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Travel contest to Korea

Just when I thought I was missing out on global travel contests, I found out about one for us in Singapore!

Korea Trailblazer Wanted! by Chan Brothers Travel

There’s two stages of winning, it seems. First round is resume sending and they will decide if you are worth for the challenge. After that, you’ll need to come up with a 48-hour itinerary for Korea. Have fun there, updaing your Facebook, twitter, any social accounts. Come back, edit your trip into a video. After that is the second round of contest where folks will vote which video is the best.

Prizes:
Grand Prize (Trailblazer): 2 pax 4D Free & Easy Korea Trip
Weekly Facebook/YouTube Lucky Draw: Chan Brothers Travel Voucher $100 X 5 winners
Voter Lucky Draw: Chan Brothers Travel Voucher $500 X 1 pax

How to enter: Sign up at their website and upload your resume and also a link to a video (if any).

Deadline: April 15, 2012

Eligibility: Singapore citizen or PR

May the odds be ever in your favor.

Singapore Art Museum, interesting exhibition

The first time I went to the Singapore Art Museum was a long long time ago. The artwork that were exhibited were a bit depressing then and I did not have a good impression of it.

But last Friday night, I went with J who had been on Curator’s Tour of the museum. She shared very interesting things about the exhibits that I would not have known.

My favorite exhibit is the interactive piece where you open the door of a wadrobe and enter a narrow corridor. Much like Narnia, without the snow. The corridor brings you to a room of a writer. A small small room with desk, cupboard and half a TV.

I like how the Art Museum lets me participate in the piece, unlike other museums where you just stand about nodding your head. (Although I’m still a big museum fan.)

Do you have a favorite museum? Which is your favorite exhibit?

The Silken Serenade to Kuala Lumpur

Trains are the new planes.
–@t_phuck

(Caution: Content is not optimized for blog posts.)

I had the chance to take the overnight Malaysia train on Feb. 10 from Johor to Kuala Lumpur to meet my friend who was visiting from Ho Chi Minh.

As it was my first Malaysian night train, I was excited even when buying the tickets. The train that I will be taking was called Senandung Sutera. Singapore’s Prime Minister’s Office translated it as Silken Serenade which I took to mean the train would emit a low hum while on the tracks.

I’m not a train romantic but since it was my first overnight train in Malaysia, my imagination run wild.

In your dreams

I imagined that I would leave for my train with a small hand carry and a gorgeous vintage travel dress (much like Nellie Bly’s round-the-world outfit).

On the train, I would sleep like a baby as the train gently rocks me. In the morning, I would wake up fresh from the night’s sleep. I would then alight the train with light steps and in my hand, I carry the small lady-like hand luggage.

In my gorgeous vintage travel dress, I would step out on the platform while the wind blows and tousles my hair. Something like what these ladies are doing.

Of course, things never quite work out the way I want it to. For one, I have two luggages–a backpack and a gaudy Lesportsac sling bag. Then, I have unflattering glasses and messy hair. My only consolation is that I do have a nice sundress. Good enough, I suppose.

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My travel hero: Nellie Bly

Nellie Bly was the person who reinspired my round-the-world ambition.

I learnt of her during my visit to the Jules Verne museum in Nantes.

In the three-storeyed house, there was a little corner about Around the World in 80 Days book. At that corner, and there was a yellow A4 poster of a vintage-wearing lady.

The little description that accompanied the photo told me that she was a journalist (like me!) and had went on a round-the-world trip in only 72 days, 6 hours and 11 minutes. How impressive!

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My first backpacker moment

AKA The time I had shower in a squat toilet cubicle.

I’m more of a flashpacker: someone who’s willing to pay just that little more for comfort and cleanliness while travelling.

I did try backpacking (staying in a multi-person dorm room) once in Shanghai. I found out that I cannot sleep with someone snoring in the room. Since then, I opt for private rooms in hostels.

So, being the flashpacker that I am, how did I end up in a squat toilet cubicle, rinsing my hair with a hose that was meant to clean someone’s bum?

It’s a short story but I’ll make it longer.

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Category: Countries