Yogyakarta Walks

We ended up walking around the local neighborhood alleys as well as the festive Malioboro street. Our hotel is located off the main drag and a maze of small roads of local one story homes adjoin each other with variable but small spaces for front yards where cars and motorcycles were kept. People do not have much privacy from their neighbor but there seemed a lot of interaction between the locals. We woke up at 0430 hrs to prayer chants would hear them again at 1200, about 1600 hrs and then again after sundown. Wherever there was toilet there was a nearby "Mushola" or praying room, even in a franchised restaurant and at the airport. We ordered breakfast once through the hotel and were given a box containing the signature dish of Yogyakarta "Grudeg" - white rice, a boiled egg which was brown due to soaking in spices, stewed jackfruit and a bit of meat. We noted that due to the climate most foods are either boiled and served into a bowl (Bakso), stir fried or deep fried, typically on a wok over a charcoal containing clay pot. As cafes were closed we picked up snacks for lunch. We have been surprised here that there have been no fruit/vegetable vendors and snacks in general are fried or (to our taste and label reading) contain excessive sugar/palm oils/ and additives such as MSG even in nuts. Quite a change from the Westin!Läs mer