Yesterday, I flew to Yogyakarta - a one hour flight from Jakarta. This city is referred to as as Jogja by the Indonesians. Yogya is the center of Javanese arts and heritage. It is also still headed by its sultan whose palace is called the Kraton. The Kraton is a walled city inside Yogya and consists of several open walled rooms, some lavishly decorated, and where the sultan still lives. Caretakers, in traditional Javanese dress, live within the walled city also.
Shadow puppets, or wayang kulit characters, are crafted in Yogya (and elswhere in Indonesia) from buffalo skin. Their design is intricate and beautiful, and could therefore be expensive.
Malioboro street in Yogya is a good shopping strip where one could buy almost anything at very low prices. Bargaining works!
An hour's drive west of Yogya is Borobodur, one of the biggest and most beautiful Buddhist temples in the world, built by the rulers of the Sailendra dynasty some 1200 years ago. Inside each stupa, or bell shaped dome, sits a statue of the Buddha. It is believed that if you can touch the Buddha's feet by stretching your arm inside a stupa, you'll be bestowed with good luck. I was able to, so we'll see... :)
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