A Tale of Two Javanese Cities: Jakarta and Yogyakarta (Indonesia Pt II)
Jakarta
As many people do when heading to Indonesia, I spent some time in the capital, Jakarta, home to a staggering 34 million people (2nd in the world behind Tokyo when measured by urban area). That is a *lot* of people. To make things even more crazy, until last April, it was the largest city in the World to not have a subway system. (A small line opened in South Jakarta recently, with lofty expansion plans.) However, Jakarta does have the longest BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) network in the world, with a length of over 150 miles, and a huge amount of trunks and lines.
In all honesty, I had more fun reading about Jakarta than actually participating in it. It was unsettling, chaotic, unfamiliar, and overstimulating. The traffic was otherworldly (it often gets heralded for worst traffic in the world!), and I often got stared at. The staring wasn’t bad, but I prefer to be invisible, or at least boring, when going around my day-to-days. Unmotivated to explore the city, my sightseeing started and ended with taking a glimpse at the national monument from afar.
Yogyakarta
Thankfully, after my mediocre visits of my first two Indonesian cities, my next stop ended up being one of my favorite places of my travels. I was heading to Yogyakarta (pronounced “Jogjakarta” [like Jakarta], and colloquially known as “Jogja” via an 8 hour train ride). I splurged for the eksekutif (executive class), and relaxed, enjoying the stunning views of the countryside and numerous rice fields.
Simply put: I loved Jogja. It is Java’s cultural centerpiece, with a vibrant, youthful, college-town feel that sheds the disarray of Java’s biggest city. My hostel only added to the charm — an inviting Dutch colonial era building with a lush courtyard and plunge pool, and some wonderful hosts in Endo, Samsul, Marion, and Mochi. Each morning got off to a great start with some fresh muesli and a whole arrangement of fresh fruits.
I also got to meet one of Lena’s old classmates who now studies law in Jogja, Dwi, and he was a wonderful guide/friend, giving us a brief city tour. One urban legend is if you can walk blindfolded through the palace gates, you will be free of accidents and your heart has good intentions. Lena and I both passed with flying colors!
Jogja is also the jumping off place for two of the world’s most famous temples: The Buddhist Borobudur and the Hindu Prambanan.
Borobudur
Built back in the 9th century, Borobudur remains the largest Buddhist temple to this day. It was quite stunning, and I was even able to wander all through and around the temple, which helped immerse me in this massive historical landmark. I can only imagine seeing its grandeur from far away hundreds of years ago, the only man made landmark with such a big impression. Borobudur remains Indonesia’s biggest tourist attraction (even surpassing any of those on Bali).
On the way back we stopped at Gereja Ayam, better known as the Chicken Church. My Grab Driver posed as my tour guide so he could get free entry (he hadn’t been either). I felt mischievous, but I was glad that we were both able to go. The place was as silly as it sounds. The church was in the shape of a giant chicken. I soon learned it was actually supposed to represent a pigeon, would be even more baffling to me. I did appreciate the sentiment behind the structure; it was a non-denomination place of worship, where anyone could pray.
Prambanan
Equally as impressive was Prambanan, which is the largest Hindu temple in all of Indonesia. Hinduism used to have a big claim over the region before Islam forced Hinduism’s retreat to Bali. Prambanan is a testament to the former religion’s dominance of the island. It also happened to be built in the 9th century, just like Borobudur.
Sadly, some of the temple remains in rubble, but massive temple spires still make up the majority of the temple, with various gods of worship located inside each one. I even was able to rent a bicycle and see three other smaller temples that were located nearby. It was a refreshing change of place seeing temples of a different religion as well.
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Jogja remains one of my favorite places on the trip, and I highly recommend including it in any Southeast Asian Itinerary. The vibrancy, architecture, and history create a winning combination.
