A glance of Taman Sari

By: Ambar Susilowati, Arum Wijayanti, Ike Irawati, Fajar Ahadi and Giartina Sulistyorini

17 July 2009

Taman Sari water castle is one of the tourist destinations located in Kampung Taman, Kraton District, Yogyakarta. Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono I, who was the first King of Yogyakarta, built it in 1758. This 10-hectare garden was also famously known as Perfume Garden or Fragrant Garden as there were many fragrant flowers grown in it. These flowers made this garden smell good and even more beautiful, but unfortunately those flowers do not exist anymore.

Several shots of multiple areas in Taman Sari

There are two main entrances at Taman Sari, that is Gapuro Agung (in the West part) and Gapuro Panggung (in the East).They are a combination of Hindu, Portuguese, Chinese, and Javanese architectures. Taman Sari used to function as a recreation place for the Sultan’s family, a place for meditation for the Sultan, and also a defense fort to avoid the enemies. After the death of Hamengku Buwono I, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono II who was the second King of Yogyakarta, used Taman Sari. Sultan Hamengku Bowono I and II are the only kings who used Taman Sari because in 1812 the Merapi Volcano erupted and destroyed it.

Officially, Taman Sari consists of three sections: the water castle, the underground mosque and Kenanga Island or Pulo Cemeti. Guides usually start the tour of Taman Sari from the entrance gate and continue to the water castle, then proceed to the underground mosque, and end the tour at Kenanga Island. There are three swimming pools (two for the concubines and one for Sultan), one dressing room and one private room in the water castle. The Sultan’s concubines usually gather at the swimming pool because one lucky concubine would be chosen by Sultan to accompany him swimming in his private swimming pool. The underground mosque is a place where Sultan used to pray and meditate. There is also a secret path as an escape route from the enemies. This mosque used to be surrounded by water and Sultan had to use a canoe to come to this place. The Kenanga Island or Pulo Cemeti is a fort to scout for enemies as it was the highest building in Yogyakarta at that time. This place got its name because at this place there were many kenanga flowers (Canangium Odoratum) which made this place especially fragrant.

Kenanga Island (Pulo Cemeti) in 1881.

There are many tourists who come to Taman Sari, both local and international tourists. Based on the information given by the guides at Taman Sari; every day there are about 200 visitors coming to this place. Shortly after the earthquake which destroyed Taman Sari in 2006, the number of visitors began to decrease. However, after the renovation and restoration of Taman Sari, the number of tourists visiting Taman Sari has begun to increase.

Taman Sari is under the authority of Kraton. It means that some of the income from Taman Sari is channeled to the Kraton. This also one of the reasons why a visit to Taman Sari is included in the Kraton tour package. Travel agents usually arrange their schedule to visit Taman Sari after visiting Kraton.

Taman Sari opens daily from 9 a.m to 3 p.m. with its entrance fee 2,500 IDR for local tourists, 7,000 IDR for international tourist and 1.000 IDR for a camera fee. A licensed-guide will be available to accompany the tourists (optional).

So for those who are interested in cultural heritage especially in Jogjakarta, Taman Sari will be a good place to visit.

Diary Entry: Day 8

By: Kemi Harahap

16 July 2009

I woke up with a heavy burden on my chest. It was not only the fact that I was enduring a terrible cough (one that I acquired ever since the post-exams holiday) but also because I was waking up to our second to last day in Yogyakarta.

After getting ready, my phone rang, and as I peered to the screen of my phone I saw a message from an old high-school friend, who is studying at UGM. We decided to meet for lunch, and as she picked me up from Malioboro Mall, we exchanged stories over mie-ayam. It was ironic, yet somehow funny at the same time, to find out that throughout the 4 years she has been living in Yogyakarta as a student, she has never visited any tourist sites as we have in the past 8 days. In fact, her knowledge about the city, was limited to the UGM area and several shopping malls.

I do not wish to condescend or intimidate my friend, yet I have come to the understanding that if only I had rejected or pulled out from this trip, I would probably be like my friend. Being Indonesian, but the only knowledge of my country will be what is good to eat or where is good to chill. Living only under the confined, air-conditioned rooms in Jakarta, and not having my eyes open to what there was available for me outside of my little box. I have always lived under this generalized idea that cities outside of Jakarta are somewhat underdeveloped, they do not have the kind of shopping malls or developed districts as we do. Yet this visit to Yogyakarta was an eye-opener. I found out that the gems of this country are not the grand and boastful shopping malls that host a number of luxury brands or franchised chains. What allures people, especially people of different cultures and nationalities, to Indonesia is our culture and our scenery.

As I looked back to the past 8 days of our trip, I couldn't help but agree that however bad our hotel/motel rooms were, it was balanced by all the beauty we saw around us. From Mount Merapi, Borobudur, Prambanan, and even the paddy fields behind INSIST headquarters, I now understand what the commotion about Indonesia being a beautiful country is all about!! By looking at my other traveling mates, I sense that they see it too.

Yet this honeymoon period that we've experienced is coming to an end. We decided that our last night in Yogyakarta must be a memorable one. And yes, memorable it was.

We started the night with our farewell dinner at Bale Raos, a restaurant within the Kraton complex (rumoured to be owned by the Sultan's family members). As our honoured guests arrived, we all queued to get our food at the buffet area. White and Brown rice, sate-ayam, and a new favorite of mine, Timlo Soup (also the Sultan's favorite!), we digged in while chatting and mingling with our guests, which included Pak Roni from Rifka Annisa and Ariebowo.

Arriving at Bale Raos with a parade of Andungs (Horse Carriages)

However, the night was not just for gulping down royal menus. Our student guides, Nana, Adi, Ike and Ambar, wowed us with a performance of them singing a medley of Indonesian traditional songs, including the classic oldie from Benyamin S, "Hujan Gerimis", in full Indonesian traditional costumes! Their friends Ika and Marsela also performed a traditional Javanese dance, the Saung Asmara. As a tradition (which started off two years ago), we also had to prepare a little performance to entertain and show our gratitude to our guides and guests. Our remixed rendition of Oasis' "Wonderwall" echoed the Kraton walls, as we sung,

"We've seen so much our bright new eyes are yearning,
For all we've done, we'll spread the word concerning,
There are many things that we would like to say to you but we don't know how..

Hey maybe,
We say Terima Kasih....
and after all.... you're so Wonderful..."

Saung Asmara dance

Performance by the Student guides

Our Performance at Bale Raos

The dinner ended in tears, as several of the girls hugged and exchanged email addresses. However, for the others, the night had only started.

Leading the pack, Dr. Yeoh, Shazwan and Rashaad lead the way to what was suppose to be the first option for our hotel near Jalan Sosrowijayan. After taking a peek, we embarked on a journey to the darker side of Yogyakarta- the red light district area of Jalan Pasar Kembang.

Jalan Pasar Kembang does not have the bright lights or the laid-back atmosphere as Amsterdam's red light district, De Wallen. As opposed to De Wallen, Pasar Kembang was a long but narrow alley, relatively dark in lighting, but bustling with people and loud dangdut music. There was rooms on each side of the lane, the walls painted green and empty with only a matress, and a girl as the decoration. As our large group walked quietly through the alley, we received calls and pokes from several of the bystanders, both men and women.

At Lucifer's at the end of Pasar Kembang

Throughout our trip, we have always seen the bright side of Yogyakarta- the green fields, the beautiful volcanic scenery, and the majestic pre-historic sites. For some of us it was hard to believe that there was a dark side to all of this, but for others, this is the real, uncensored Yogyakarta, the things we don't see in tourist brochures or advertisements. This is reality.

Talking about reality, it is time for us to get back to our reality. Our reality could be the new semester that starts on Monday, or the fact that graduation leads us to the world of job-searching...whatever it is, Yogyakarta has been a great detour from our reality.

*View more pictures of the day from our photo album


WRITER'S PROFILE: Kemi is pursuing her last semester as a Communication major and International Studies minor. She is among one of the Indonesian students in this trip and is of Javanese descendant (as well as Bataknese, Sundanese and Bugis) which justifies her fondness for sweets. She is in charge of the management of the In Search of Yogyakarta blog as well as the resident tweeter.

Diary Entry : Day 6

By: Paulista Bunga Surjadi

14 July 2009

After a nice walkabout the last two days, I was dreading the fact that we were going to ride on a bus for hours. Little did I know that the journey would be short, what we were about to see and experience was totally worth the ride and the energy.

Our journey started at about 9am as we made our way to our first destination, the Kraton,or the Sultan's Palace. The palace is just around the corner from our hotel. Passing by Alun- Alun Selatan, a part of the Kraton compound made me realize how the area looked so different during the day as compared to the previous time we saw it during the night. The area was generally quiet and not bustling with activity compared to the crowds and peddlars crowding the area during the nights.

As we entered the Kraton's main gate we were greeted by two Gupalas, two statues made from stone, the guardians of the palace. There are two Gupalas, both on the left and right side of the gate because the Javanese people believe that for there are always two sides to a story, the bad and the good. Hence, upon approaching the main gate, one can see the Gupala symbolizing goodness on the left and that which symbolizes evil is on the left . The Kraton has seven main areas,catered for different purposes, ranging from meeting places to warehouse . In the main complex of the Kraton, known as the Kedhaton there are quite a few major places including Gedung Kuning (The Yellow House), the place where the current Sultan Hamengku Buwono X resides and Proboyakso, the place with a wooden wall used as a warehouse to keep royal heirlooms and sacred weapons. Next, still within Kedhaton, we visited Bangsal Manis literally meaning 'Sweet Pavilion'. This is where the royal family serve their meals during a party or a function.

Kraton gate

We continued our exploration inside the Kraton with a visit to the museum dedicated to Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX. The museum houses a lot of his personal belongings, awards, and pictures to be used as a constant reminder of the Sultan's contribution to the people of Indonesia.

One thing about the Kraton that really grabbed my attention was the fact that all motifs and figures have some philosophical meaning attached to them. Where they may look simple physically, each one of them is significant. Even the name of the Sultan himself has significant connotations. The name 'Hamengku Buwono' comes from Javanese language where 'hamengku' means on the lap and 'buwono' means the world. Altogether, Sultan Hamengku Buwono suggests that the world is metaphorically on the Sultan's lap.

Our short visit to the Keraton ended with the mystical sounds of the Gamelan ensemble entertaining the palace's visitor in the pavilion on our way out.

It was around 11am when we were supposed to continue our journey to another area of the Keraton, known as the Taman Sari (Water Castle) but due to the fact that many of us were hungry, we decided to give this place a miss and head for lunch near the biggest shopping mall here in Yogyakarta, Ambarukmo Plaza.

After we had a nice lunch, we walked over to the mall for a quick exploration before embarking upon our next destination, the Prambanan Temple area for a tour of the area and also to watch the most-anticipated Ramayana Ballet performance. In the mall, some of us sat down and enjoyed the delights of Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts while the others roamed the mall and did a little shopping for snacks and other things.

We reached the Prambanan Temple compound by 3pm greeted by a nice weather. Although there were significantly less visitors to this temple as compared to Borobudur, it does not mean that Prambanan is any less magnificent in its architecture, history and breath-taking view. In fact, most of us were happy moving around in the spacious area with members of the video team and the alumni shooting short clips utilizing the vast amount of space.

The temple was damaged during the 2006 earthquake in Yogyakarta and restoration work was still in-progress within the inner zone. Three out of six shrines in the inner zone are dedicated to the Trimurti( 'three forms') Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu and the other three are dedicated to the vehicles of the respective gods, Nandi, Hamsa, and Garuda.

We did not hire a guide during this visit and explored the place individually reading the notes available in front of the various structures. The video and photography crew has a great time taking in the beautiful view and posing for different jumping shots at the vast amount of space available.

Our favorite jumping shot with Prambanan as the background

While waiting for the Ramayana Ballet to begin, we settled for dinner at the beautiful Prambanan Restaurant. Admittedly, I entered the restaurant with indifference about the location of our dinner venue but I was in complete awe, staring at the most breath-taking view ever, as we stared out at the Prambanan Temple filling the landscape of the foreground. The romantic scenery prompted one of the travelers to consider it as a potential venue for her future wedding ceremony. After the sun set, we found ourselves sitting under an open starry sky, enjoying dinner, sipping ginger tea, and found it hard to avert our gaze from the majestic view of the Prambanan Temple.

Delicious meal and beautiful background..

The majestic view of Prambanan at night

Soon after, it was time to head to the open-air theater for the Ramayana Ballet. We equipped ourselves with a bit of background information provided by the synopsis of the Ramayana epic provided at the entrance. Two of our lucky travelers, Rachel, who was doing a write-up exclusively for our visit to the Prambanan Temple and Jinn Wei, a member of the video team had an opportunity to interview some of the performers of the ballet before the show commenced. We were greeted with soothing music at the ballet's beginning and as the story unraveled, everyone was in awe of the splash of colors and costumes. The gentle dance movements continued to capture the audience's attention as they told the story of the great Ramayana epic in sequence.

Performers at the Ramayana Ballet

It was the last night in Yogyakarta for our 2 alumni travellers, Aron and Eunice. They managed to present a short speech in the bus on the way home, telling us about the good time they had. We truly enjoyed their company and contribution and wished them a safe flight back to Kuala Lumpur .

It is now 3 am as I write the conclusion to this diary entry. Aching muscles and droopy eyelids prove to have been worthy for a fact, documenting the great day that we had today. I will always remember today's sightseeing trip as one of the very best.

*View more pictures of the day from our photo album


WRITER'S PROFILE: Paulista is pursuing her final year in Bachelor of Arts. She transferred from Monash College, Jakarta last year and is among one of the Indonesian students in this trip. Although having been raised in Jakarta, Paulista has been exposed to the cultures of other regions of Indonesia, and admits that she would rather pick spicy or salty foods over sweet ones.

Sightseeing Kraton

By: Abeer Yusuf

14 July 2009

Our visit to Kraton, like any other tourist attraction, started with an impressive line of souvenir stalls and persuasive peddlers. Our 6th day in Yogyakarta, was dedicated entirely to doing 'the tourist thing'.

The first thing you notice about Kraton, the Sultan's Palace, is how massive it is, yet how the vibe of minimalism and not opulence runs through you. Sprawling far and wide and divided into 7 parts, never once are you overcome by the simplistic grandeur of the premises, yet surprisingly pleased with the calming effect of the whitewashed walls.

I must admit, my own preconception of Kraton was that it would be a fancy place, gilded walls with gold lavatories and whatnot, but I was more than satisfied when I saw the same down-to-earth-ness reflected in the palace grounds as in the people of the city.

Rini, our guide for the day, led us from the 1st part outside for coronations, to the 2nd part (which was where we met her) to the 3rd which is a waiting hall and where the gamelan (traditional Javanese music) is played every Sunday. The 4th part was still under reparation, as it had been badly damaged during the 2006 earthquake, so it was from the 5th till the 7th part in which we really understood the Kraton and its entirety. The first thing that greets you as you make your way into the Kraton is a pair of giant gupalas, monstrous looking statues which are said to be the guardians of the entrance. One statue represents all that is good, while the other represents all that is bad. The reason why both good and bad are represented is to display basic human nature, which includes both, the power of good and evil. Throughout the tour, we were informed about many deep symbolisms around the palace's elements. One that got everyone's attention was the intelligent way in which the Javanese year 1853 was 'written'. In Bangsal Manis, the dining area, one can find 2 red snakes with heads moving in opposite directions. Closer inspection (and a guide's help) will tell you that the swirls add up to the number 8, the crown atop the snakes represents the number 1, the face of Ravana represents the number 5 (because it is believed that every bad person has 5 characteristics, which include promiscuity, theft, alcoholism, and drugs)and the leech on the face number 3, all of which very conveniently adds up to 1853.

Gamelan music playing softly in the background

The snakes at Bangsal Manis, representing number 1

Yet another set of 'signs' was shown to us by our guide when she was leading us to the 6th part of the palace- the male and female residences. As per rule, as soon as the royal children reach the age of 17, they are separated into girls'(“keputrian”) and boys'(“kesatrian”) quarters, and what better way to show that than to use 2 dragons, one male the other female, both looking away but intertwined, to deliver this message? Ingenious I tell you.

Besides that, we all got a chance to look at various 'bangsals'- pavilions. Among them was Bangsal Kotak, where dancers wait in line before performing in front of the Sultan, another was Bangsal Mandolo Sono, where the Sultan listens to various types of music and most importantly, the Bangsal Pochono, where any type of important ceremony, from Muslim religious festivals to the receiving of official dignitaries, weddings and deaths are held.

Finally, we were led into a museum holding the previous Prince's, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX's vast memorabilia. There, we discovered, in our search of Yogyakarta, another interesting fact that set Yogyakarta apart from all other Indonesian cities.In 1945, the first President of Indonesia, President Sukarno passed a decree that allowed the reigning Sultan to simultaneously be the Governer. Many students also giggled at a cage-like playpen for young royals, while admiring intricate artwork on various sedan chairs made for the royals.

Our trip was filled with many bits of interesting information; for example, older abdi dalams (servants of the Sultan) who help out with the Dutch tourists, since most of them are quite fluent in Dutch. Another thing we were told was that there are distinguishing features in terms of the length of service to the Sultan where abdi dalams who have been working for 3 years or less are not allowed to wear a kris, a traditional weapon, though the senior members of staff are often seen wearing them tucked on the backs of their sarongs. Also, the current Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, has only one wife and no sons (only 5 daughters), a stark comparison to his father, Sultan Hamengkubuwono the IX, who had 5 wives. Still, that is not half as shocking as when we found out that Sultan Hamengku Buwono VIII, had 8 wives and 42 children through the genealogy showcased in the museum.

Posing with two Abdi Dalams (royal servants)

Being an Abdi Dalam is considered an honour

All in all, it was a fantastic lesson in Javanese culture, insight into the royal life behind the walls of Yogyakarta's palace and further evidence of the simplicity of the people of Yogyakarta. We were also intriguied that the ground one walks upon in the Palace is actually soil brought in from Mount Merapi, the active volcano in the Yogyakarta.

*View more pictures of the day from our photo album


WRITER'S PROFILE: Abeer is pursuing Writing and International Studies at Monash University Sunway Campus. Being especially talkactive and chatty, Abeer is also part of the blog team that is in charge of this blog and In Search of Yogyakarta's facebook.

Exploring the Royal Dimension- The Spatial Allocation within Kraton, the Sultan's Palace of Yogyakarta

By: Siti Nur Farhanah

13 July 2009

Found in the heart of Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta (DIY) is the palace housing the Yogyakarta sultanate. It is designed with intricate thought and planning that begun in 1755 by Prince Mangkubumi who was also known as Sultan Hamengku Buwono I. Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, the official name of the Sultan's palace becomes a central point from where the rest of the city crawls out strategically in all directions from this royal residence. The grand display of Javanese architecture is enthralling and proved to have been crafted with careful allocation of different areas of the territory dedicated to different purposes. However, given the extensive compound covering approximately 14 000 metres square, it would be impossible to elaborate on every aspect of this structure.

Every section within the Kraton has its own name accompanied with significant meanings which convey crucial Javanese principles like the Sangkan Paraning Dumadi, the historical past and existential future of the human being. The palace stretches from north to south, both cornered with a front yard known as Alun-Alun Utara and a back yard known as Alun-Alun Selatan respectively. What is most unique about the design of this historical site is that it has been purposefully constructed so that the palace, the Tugu monument, an obelisk 2 kilometres north of the palace, and Mount Merapi is situated in a single file. It is believed that such a decision was deliberately made as this strategic position is essential for its spiritual status, bringing good luck and prosperity to the area.

Keraton is located in the middle of Alun-alun Utara, Alun-Alun Selatan, and Mount Merapi

Nestled on the west side on the north square of the Sultan palace is the Grand Mosque or what is locally known as Masjid Agung. The traditional outlook of the mosque is clearly illustrated via its special roof known as the “tajug”, a characteristic feature used specifically for the construction of an Islamic structure. This is where the weekly Friday prayers, religious ceremonies and activities popular amongst the Javanese Muslim population like 'Sekaten' (an annual event to commemorate the birth of Prophet Mohammad) and 'Grebeg' (an event held during the first of Muharram, to commemorate the Islamic new year) are held at.

The Purworetno, is the main area of the palace, an area that the Sultan frequently visits to perform his duties, made especially more relevant now as the current Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, is the elected governor of DIY. Beside the Purworetno, visitors are introduced to a two-storey building known as the Panti Sumbaga which houses the Sultan's private collection of texts from various eras. The Sultan takes his seat in the Manguntur Tangkil Hall within the area of Siti Hinggil which rests itself on a higher ground as compared to those surrounding it. The elevation of this particular area has been done in line with his status within the society, a figure well-respected by the rest of the community.

The Rahwana - one of the many symbols within the Kraton

A most unique feature within the vast space of this building is the section of the palace known as Regol Gapura. Not only do the various structures installed house great symbolic significance, the fine architecture of the building even takes pride in the type of plantation which exists within this compound. A number of 'waringin' (banyan) trees are grown to symbolize the human body, 'Asem' (sour) trees, grown mostly in the southern section, connote youthfulness and the 'pakel' (a type of mango) tree signifies the puberty stage. Such is the intricacy in the planning of this historical building as extra effort is put in, in order to ensure that the authentic Javanese architecture is showcased on the exterior walls complemented by the palace's interior composition.

Javanese architecture is heavily influenced by Hindu and Chinese culture

The multi-purpose hall

The exquisite design of the Kraton's ceiling

Kraton has been generally accepted by the Javanese community to be a physical symbol with the Sultan as its soul. Despite being an extremely old structure that has been damaged and restored, the philosophy behind its intricate architectural plan is still preserved. Replete with philosophical and symbolical connotations held firmly by the Javanese people, the Kraton is a manifestation of the forces of nature led by the enchanting structures put in place.


WRITER'S PROFILE: Farhanah Bagharib aka Nana is currently doing her Honours in Monash University Malaysia. She graduated the previous year with a degree in Bachelor of Communcations. Nana is a citizen of Singapore with immediate ancestry from Yemen in the state of Hadramawt. Being extremely interested in the workings of the feminist theory, Nana's Honours thesis revolves around the concept of feminism in Iranian cinema. Nana is SUPER picky with food but as long as there's fast food, she's all good.

Diary Entry: Day 1

By: Natasha Tan

9 July 2009

The view of Mount Merapi seen from up above in the comforts of our cramped AirAsia seats signalled the end of a gruelling two hours and thirty-five minutes flight. We have finally arrived after months of planning and constant exchange of emails between the pathfinder, Dr. Yeoh Seng Guan, local student guides as well as the other 17 eager travellers.

View from the airplane

It became apparent that the adventure of our lifetime was about to begin; from the bumpy descent to the tasting of a local dish labelled as ‘gudeg’, a sweet dish eaten with rice and ‘krecek’ (bull’s skin), to the discovery of a 24-hour McDonalds (you can imagine the happy faces of our travellers!)

Arriving at Adi Sutjipto Airport

Tired and hungry, we started the festivities with a getting-to-know-you session where we each had to introduce ourselves, providing our names, course of study and giving an interesting fact about ourselves. Our team traveller’s had it easy as we’ve already known each other before the trip began but for the local student guides, it was a test of their memorising skills. Each of the five local student guides had to mention the names of 5 travellers! Granted that they only started to know us about 5 minutes ago, they managed pretty well getting our names and faces right.

After that, we began our hunt for dinner and at the same time, managed to have a tour of Malioboro Street, a shopping haven for any shopaholics out there. There were T-shirts, batiks, souvenirs and the likes going at low and affordable prices. Food stalls too were aplenty, all displaying their delicacies, making us even hungrier as we continued on our journey to the restaurant.

Road-crossing is certainly hazardous to one’s health! The zebra crossing is there but there are no proper indications to point out to pedestrians whether it’s an OK-go. Instead, we had to rely on the traffic and move according to them. If there’s a red light, we would literally have to speed across or risk being knocked down by the opposite traffic. Crossing the road is an experience itself here in Yogyakarta!

On the other hand, the food may require an acquired taste. It was sweet and slightly spicy but nonetheless, extremely good. Nothing was going to ruin a hungry appetite. Everyone finished their dinner and chatted with the local student guides, resting our tired legs before heading back to the hotel.

Gudeg at Jalan Wijilan

But before heading back to the hotel, there was a detour where we stopped by ‘Alun-Alun Utara’ and had a local dessert which consisted of ginger, bread and some local fruit thrown into the mix. An interesting fact about ‘Alun-Alun Utara’ is that it is located directly in front of Kraton (the Sultan's Palace) where the road leads directly to Mount Merapi. It is believed that the King receives his power from Mount Merapi. Interestingly enough, the King also receives his power from the South Sea, which is the opposite direction of ‘Alun-Alun Utara’.

'Pengamen' (Street Musicians) on our way to Alun Alun Utara

All in all, it was a promising first day where the sights and sounds of Yogyakarta are waiting to be discovered by us 17 travellers.

Here’s to 8 more days of adventure to go...

*View more pictures of the day from our photo album

WRITER'S PROFILE: Natasha is in her final year pursuing a degree in the Bachelor of Arts majoring in Communications and Writing. She is from Subang Jaya and in this trip, she will be seen lugging the unversity's camera being a part of the photography team, as we embark on a journey in search of Yogyakarta.