My impromptu end-of-year trip to Solo-Jogja (part 2)

Dec 28, 2008
We started the day with nasi liwet.... nyam-nyam. We already p;anned that the day was 'Solo time'. So after having our yummy nasi liwet, we decided to browse for batik.... hmmm...
Actually, I wan's really excited about buying one since I've got some in my wardrobe already. Anyway, I didn't plan to buy for my family either. HOWEVER.... as I stepped into the first batik gallery, I suddenly changed my mind.... heheeeeeee.
well... it wasn't even ten o'clock in the mornig, I already ended up buying things for my mom, dad, bro, sis, nephew, nieces, and in-laws.... (That's why now I'm flat broke, you know). But I wasn't the only one, though. My frieends did the same thing. At least this made me feel a bit 'better' =)

We had soto daging sapi triwindu as aour lunch. Then we headed for Solo Surakarta Keraton. They were preparing for 'Kirab Satu Sur' (Dec 29 was Islamic New Year and they had a kind of ritual to celebrate it called 'Kirab Satu Suro')




not many people visited the keraton that day








some historical objects inside the keraton






We went back to the hotel around 2 o'clock and had some rest. It was still hot outside, so we decided to continue exploring Solo in the evening. Anyway, we planned to see the kirab in keraton at midnight.
We ate some ice cream before having sate ayam as our dinner. Then we walked to keraton. The place was already packed of people. Even maybe the whole Solo residents were there since it was really-really full of people even though it was still 8.30 pm. While waiting for the ceremony, we browse around the 'Pameran Metafisika' or supernatural exhibition. Have you ever attended such exhibition? honestly it was the first time for me.



I wonder what his duty is.... waiting for 'patient' to consult or something?
Well... I didn't asked. But he did distribute brochures.







never thought they already expand to applied psychology.... hmmm...









We didn't spend much time for the exhibition. Instead, we tried to find comfortable posittion to wait for the opening.

the kirab opening ceremony.
This was done around 11 pm.

We went back to the hotel at two. My legs hurt since I had to stand up and walked for hours. I wasn't sure if I still had enough energy to go to jogja the next day.

Dec 29, 2008

We took a train to Jogja at 9 in the morning. everybody looked exhausted. But we couldn't just cancel our plan since we were scheduled to leave Solo on the 30th.




dah kaya anak ilang di stasiun... nunggu kali-kali aja ada yang jemput =)






Solo Balapan was a small but clean train station.







Malioboro was not much different from the last time I visited Jogja few years ago. Only more hotels bulit aroung the area, and the place looked too crowded. We managed to taste gudeg for lunch.

Dec 30, 2008

Time to go home. I and a friend took Argo Lawu to Jakarta while my other two friends took Lodaya to Bandung.

What a tiring but exciting trip!