May 21, 2026

May 21, 2026

Our hotel was built on the site of the former Ambarrukmo Palace of the Yogyakarta Sultan. Much of that palace still exists and is attached to the hotel. Last night we had a private dinner in a former audience hall. The food was delivered by palanquin by waiters wearing sarongs. (Sarong means ‘to cover’ in Malay) Our meal started with a Banana Crepe snack. I cannot stand the taste of bananas. I tried it anyway and found it surprisingly tasty. It makes me wonder if the US gets some different banana variety.

We were also served Java Beer. It was tasty but turned out to be non-alcoholic. It was developed a hundred years ago for the Muslim Sultan to entertain beer-loving Dutch envoys. Spices are used to provide the taste and foamy brown color. Aimee and I accidentally discovered it offered at breakfast this morning. We both had several glasses of this cinnamon infused beverage.

Today is a travel day. We checked out of our hotel and drove to the new Yogyakarta airport. It is over an hour away on the southern coastline. After security, Aimee had to buy an Oriental jacket to wear when she plays Mahjong with the ladies at home. While we were waiting for our flight to board, everyone in the airport suddenly rose at 10 am and listened to the national anthem being played over the loudspeaker. It caught me off-guard.

Our hour flight east took us down the length of Java and across to the island of Bali. Like Singapore, the Bali Strait is only 1.5 miles wide. As we land I can tell Bali is different. We see speed boats and para-sailing in the harbor. As we drive to our hotel I see colorful statues everywhere. That is because Bali is Hindu, while Java is virtually all Muslim. Beer and Pork will be easier to find here. Muslim traders took over the islands in the 14th century starting in Malaysia and spreading east. That explains the names of the major Javan cities. e.g. Jakarta (Victory Accomplished) got its new name when conquered by a Muslim Sultan. One ruler resisted and fled east. Bali was a small unimportant island that served as a refuge for the Hindu faithful.

When we flew east from Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta we gained an hour. We should have lost it. Oddly going east to Bali, we returned to KL time. That is due to a warped time zone map here. Because of heavy traffic and narrow roads, it took us an hour and half to drive the 22 miles to our hotel in Ubud.

May 20, 2026

May 20, 2026

After having some delicious Mango last night, I tried to get out of my fruit comfort zone this morning. Instead of Orange, I had some tasty Guava juice. And besides Watermelon and Dragon Fruit, I tried the Snakefruit. I get the name now, as after breaking open and peeling, the rind looks incredibly like real snake skin that has recently been shed. The fruit is firm and mildly sweet with a couple huge nuts inside. Tropical fruit tastes so much better when it is fresh.

After breakfast we drove seven miles east of our hotel to the Prambanan Archeological Complex. The star attraction is the World Heritage site of Prambanan Temple. This is the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia. It was built in the 9th century in the same time frame as Borobodur. This site is dedicated to the Hindu Trinity of Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver, and Shiva the Destroyer.

Around the three main temples are hundreds of auxiliary structures. The temples had a short life span. An eruption by Merapi buried the complex and caused the king to move his palace far to the east. It was rediscovered by the Dutch and Sir Raffles, but lots of items were carried off as souvenirs. Only recently were major efforts to clean up and rebuild the temples undertaken. Most of the structures remain as piles of stone rubble. There are a series of bas-relief panels circling the main temples, many of which are retelling the Ramayana story we watched a couple days ago.

We climbed up the main Shiva temple and explored the four interiors with our guide. There are statues inside each one. Aimee and I then walked around exploring the smaller temples. The general architecture looks similar to Hindu temples we visited in India many years ago. The many tall pointed temples are supposed to remind you of the sacred Himalayan Mountains.

Our temple tour was interrupted on more than one occasion by young Javans wanting to take a picture with us. Or at least with Aimee. I can’t blame the young boys. I like taking photos of her too.

We rented a golf cart to drive us to see the other temples in the park. We stopped to explore Sewu, a Buddhist Temple. While not as grand, I liked this one a little better as there were far fewer visitors making it a more relaxing experience.

Since we are in temple mode, we were ferried outside the park less than a mile away to another Buddhist temple called Plaosan. All three temple sites are different but similar. On the way out of this temple we passed through a local market where Aimee bought some Palazzo Pants and a Caftan dress. I bought some prepackaged Coconut Water to cool off.

We have lunch in a restaurant surrounded by rice paddies. The food was good but the outdoor environment made for a sweaty meal. It has been a long time since I have sweated this much. Interestingly the closest plot had been planted with new rice seedlings this morning. Clumps are scattered around awaiting more planting tomorrow. Paddy is the Anglicization of the Malay word 'padi' (rice plant).

We stopped again at the local Batik store. After mulling it overnight Aimee had to go back and get some more fabric.

May 19, 2026

May 19, 2026

Last night we drove into downtown Yogyakarta, Indonesia to have dinner and then watch a traditional dance performance of Ramayana, an epic Hindu love story. It was a cross between ballet and opera. Aimee and I both found it boring. Although Aimee enjoyed watching the Gamelan band provide the background music. I still find it fascinating that the culture of a majority Muslim country could rely so heavily on ancient Hindu scripture. It is also interesting that the costumes of the lady performers are so revealing compared to their daytime wear. We were also surprised to see so many Dutch tourists. There must be some weird fascination about visiting former colonies of your homeland.

This morning we drove west crossing the new World Heritage site called the Cosmological Axis of Yogyakarta. Supposedly the local king drew an imaginary line from Mt Merapi to our north down through his palace in the center of town, south to the seashore. I am not sure I understand the meaning of this new designation.

We continued on northwest to another World Heritage Site at Borobodur. This is the largest Buddhist temple in the world. Built in the 9th century, it sits atop a small hill. I assumed Indonesia was not a tourist mecca. But it seems tourists overwhelm every destination today. So many want to see Borobodur that visitation is now limited and time sensitive. We have the 9 am time slot and we are limited to one hour. Also to avoid damage to the temple, we are required to wear bamboo sandals for the climb.

Borobudur is built like a step pyramid with each level representing a stage in the enlightenment of the Buddha. The first several levels have bas-relief sculptures ornamenting all the walls. Our guide showed us some examples of the stories illustrated in the carvings. Some are still in pretty good condition while others show wear and deterioration.

The top of the structure is the most interesting. Surrounding the central dome are 72 bell-shaped Stupas with a Buddha inside each one. Two have the tops removed so the Buddha is revealed. The top is also the most photogenic spot. If only I didn't have to share it with a hundred other visitors.

From Borobodur, we drive to the nearby farming village of Candirejo. We see one farmer processing soybeans to make a traditional food called Tempeh. The soybeans are steamed and then allowed to ferment inside a leaf with some yeast. Shockingly, they are using soybeans imported from the US. Much of Indonesian agriculture is so antiquated.

On the way back to our hotel, we stopped at two more Buddhist temples. Both are small. The first, Pawon temple is very tiny with an empty chamber inside. The second, Mandut Temple, is larger but has scaffolding on it because it is undergoing restoration. The interior has three Buddha statues. Our guide demonstrates that one of the Buddha's many hand gestures represents the Chinese yin-yang symbol. Borobodur, Pawon, and Mendut lie on a straight line. There must have been some long forgotten ritual relationship between the three temples.

There is a large Banyan tree nearby. It had hundreds of air roots hanging like a curtain. They are searching for ground contact. I didn’t realize that is how the Banyan expands. The air roots are strong enough to swing from like Tarzan. We then explored the Mendut Monastery adjoining it.

After lunch, we stopped at another Batik shop. This time Aimee was looking for Batik rayon to make me a shirt but came up unsuccessful.

May 18, 2026

May 18, 2026

Our hotel has a great buffet. The previous night I had the items I rarely get at home because they are not on Aimee’s preferred list, including Japanese Sushi and grilled Calamari. The breakfast was just as diverse. I took the opportunity this morning to try a couple items I have been on the lookout for. I had a bowl of Nasi Lemak (fatty rice), the national dish of Malaysia. I followed it with a bowl of Laksa Kari. The key word is Kari, which is the Malay form of Curry. That adds the spice flavor I love and had been hunting. Last night we went to the 39th floor rooftop for a drink of the locals beers Bintang and Bali Hai. We watched the sun set behind our nearby smoking volcano.

This morning we checked out and drove the two hours to the other big city in the center of Java, Yogyakarta. This region is the only one ruled by a king. In many ways Indonesia is a collection of widely diverse states and cultures. Despite the high cost of oil today, there is no shortage of vehicles on the road, especially motorcycles. Interestingly if you call their Uber (Grab) you might have to jump on the back of a motorbike. One reason there are so many vehicles is that the price of diesel is subsidized. It is merely $1.50/gal. That is part of the ‘resource curse’. There is no incentive to use domestic resources economically. Indonesia used to be an oil exporter and a member of OPEC. No longer. They are now an importer.

We had a bathroom break at a Batik craft shop. Batik is not only used for clothing but also for making beautiful art. The pieces we saw make our attempt yesterday look pretty childish.

We stopped for the day in the old part of the city called Kota-gede, or Big City. We first walked through the market where the local food stuffs are sold. Tropical Asia is so different than our own. There are blue Duck eggs and tiny quail eggs. The ground spices are not displayed in colorful bins like Morocco. Here they were recently dug out of the ground. It is 'grind your own' Turmeric tubers, Cinnamon bark and Lemongrass stalks. Sugar comes from Palm trees. And the fruits are all things you will never see at home. Snakefruit is called that because of the scales on the covering.

We then walked through the Great Mosque of Kotagede. It is the oldest built almost 500 years ago. It looks nothing like those we have seen in the Middle East. Its structure is Javanese with distinctive elements of Hindu and Buddhism. So much so that the entrance gate has the head of a Hindu demon, which is taboo in Islam. There is no minaret or dome anywhere.

We next explored the traditional Javanese music culture. It uses all percussion instruments called Gamelan. They are bronze instruments that are struck to make a sound. The instruments range from bells, to xylophones to gongs. Gong is a Javanese word. We listened to a bunch of young students play these instruments while munching on some local snacks. Then we were recruited to try it ourselves. A young Java girl taught me how to play the gong in a band. I was a slow learner but provided the encore sound at the end.

After lunch, we drove to our Yogyakarta hotel. After checking in, I drank a beer while watching Aimee swim in the hotel pool. One benefit of travelling in the Third World is living like a king despite a shoe-string budget.

May 17, 2026

May 17, 2026

We awoke on the 20th floor of our Surakarta, Indonesia hotel. I looked out to enjoy the view over the city and noticed two giant mountains looming over us. Oooh! The one one on the left is the 10,000 ft Mt. Merapi (Fire Mountain). It is the most active volcano in Indonesia and it is smoking! I forgot that Indonesia is a major part of the Ring of Fire.

After breakfast we drove an hour east up the slopes of another even taller stratovolcano, Mt Lawu. Fortunately this one seems to be dormant. The steep ride up the slopes is a nice change of pace. It is cooler and more scenic Our first stop is a tea plantation. Volcanic soil is incredibly fertile. The Dutch took advantage of this and introduced tea during the colonial period. After walking amongst the plants, we stop and have some local tea along with Fried Cassava and a Banana Fritter. Aimee and I are not big tea fans.

Our next stop is at Sukuh Temple. These ruins were first documented by Sir Raffles of Singapore fame. He was temporarily governor here when the British were fighting over control of the East Indies trade. Sukuh is a Hindu temple from the 15th century. It was one of the last to be built before most of the island was converted to Islam. Hindu temples are much more interesting than Muslim ruins because of the preponderance of figures. In particular, based on some of the explicit depictions, this one must have been used for sex and fertility education.

Since the temple was built late in the Hindu period, it has unique elements that diverge from the older Javanese norm. After going through a gate with a Shiva Linga, we enter a courtyard with wall stories and a pyramid at the far end.

Our last stop was at a tall waterfall cascading down the mountain slope. Aimee and I both thought a nearby wall of water was more interesting. We have seen large waterfalls everywhere.

We went to a local restaurant for lunch. Since this is Indonesia, Fried Banana was on the menu again. I filled up on Fried shrimp along with potatoes and vegetables. For dessert we had a Rice Coconut concoction wrapped in a Banana Leaf. We finished with some delicious fresh Mango and an odd fruit called Mangosteen. We had to pry it open to enjoy the garlic-shaped interior fruit.

On the way back down the mountain to our hotel, I noticed all the rice paddies along the road. Planting and cultivation is all manual in small plots. Java gets three crops per year. At one stage in the growth, the paddies are flooded. It has several purposes, but the primary reason is to control weeds and pests without the need for chemicals.

May 16, 2026

May 16, 2026

We are up very early today for a morning flight from Jakarta. I am surprised at all the bicyclists on the road. I always thought biking for exercise was a western thing. Since it is Saturday traffic is light and we make it to the airport quickly. This beautiful airport is named after Soekarno and Mohammad Hatta, the first President and VP of independent Indonesia. The country name was coined from Indo-nesia or Indies Islands as compared to Polynesia (many islands) and Micronesia (small islands).

Our Garuda Indonesia flight follows the coastline east before turning south to land in Solo, aka Surakarta. It is too early to check into our hotel so we visit the nearby Mangkunegaran Palace. Like most parts of the world Java society was based on feudalism. Like the British in India, the Dutch exploited that system in a 'divide and conquer' strategy to control the population. The current king of the local municipality is still a major landowner. The legacy of feudal societies can be hard to throw off. We had a guided tour of the palace but it was not that exciting. Since we are in a tropical environment, the buildings have an open terrace design.

We have another buffet for lunch. We have Turmeric Fish again along with Fried Tofu. The accompanying sauces seemed to have a nice spice kick to them. This time I washed it down with a local Bintang beer.

In the park adjoining the restaurant is a metal sculpture of Krishna in a Chariot. This is a story from the Hindu religion. Strange in a majority Muslim country. But like Easter and the Resurrection in Catholicism, the Javanese culture has melded the two historical religions.

Our next stop is a Batik Museum. I groaned about going to a fabric museum. From past trips, I thought Batik was just stamped fabric patterns. I learned this Javanese art form actually uses a wax process to mask the part of the cloth that is not supposed to be dyed. It seems analogous to the way integrated circuits are made. The process is repeated to make intricate designs. While I found it a little boring, Aimee ended up buying fabric at the end of the tour.

Unfortunately the fun didn’t stop and we got a chance to try this technique for ourselves. We were given a piece of cloth and we used molten wax to ‘paint’ the designs. (Wax stamps are now used to automate the process). Then we colored in the design. We will get the results tomorrow after the wax is washed off by the staff.

May 15, 2026

May 15, 2026

We had breakfast this morning in our Jakarta, Indonesia hotel. I had a variety of Dim Sum. It consists of bite-size Chinese snacks. We also had a cup of 'Java' grown on this island of Java. After breakfast we joined our tour group.

Our first stop is at Merdeka Square to view the National Monument. This tall obelisk was built to memorialize the Indonesian struggle for independence from the Dutch colonialists. It was declared in 1945 after WWII but took four years of fighting to achieve. The Dutch only relented after the USA threatened to withhold Marshall Plan aid for rebuilding. At the same time, the Dutch colonies tried to get their British East Indies counterparts to join them. That effort failed and they became the separate country of Malaysia. Unfortunately the first leaders of Indonesia were socialists and communists following in the footsteps of China, Vietnam, and Cuba. That is the main reason this resource rich country is still poor compared to their capitalist neighbors, e.g. Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan.

After walking around the square, we were dropped at the nearby National Museum. It was recently reopened after a renovation. I found it to be a little haphazard in its presentation. The Hindu/Buddhist era artifacts are the most interesting as they include intriguing figures. The relics from the later Muslim period are mostly boring because that religion forbids human depiction. So gravestones are merely decorated with calligraphic script.

Indonesia is the world's fourth largest country with just under 300 million people. It is spread out over many islands the size of the US. It consists of hundreds of tribes speaking as many languages. Like Malaysia they use Malay (aka Indonesian) as the common tongue. Over half the population lives on this island of Java about the size of Tennessee.

We next drove towards the old port of Dutch Batavia stopping at Fatahillah Square. This is the old downtown of Batavia and is surrounded by the former colonial government buildings.

Before lunch we make a visit to the next-door Wayang Puppet Museum. Puppet shows have a long history in Indonesia and was a method to teach kids about morals and religion. Wayang means ‘shadow’. Originally the puppets were just flat pieces of leather that cast shadows. Later the puppets were elaborately decorated. Our guided tour was mediocre but the relics were extensive.

Much better was the presentation we got afterwards at a puppet shop. The owner was very entertaining and informative and gave us a little show in order to encourage us to buy something.

We had lunch at Cafe Batavia, housed in one of the old colonial administration buildings. We had a nice variety of entrees to try. Aimee liked the Gado-Gado peanut sauce salad starter. I especially liked the Turmeric fish dish. Indonesia was originally colonized for these spices and Turmeric is supposed to be a good anti-inflammatory. To commemorate the Dutch history, I have a Heineken beer with lunch.

May 14, 2026

May 14, 2026

We had a late start this morning in Kuala Lumpur because we have a flight scheduled in the early afternoon. After another big breakfast we used Grab to get a car to the airport. This was the most dangerous part of our travels, a long high speed journey to a faraway airport with a driver who thinks he is in an Indy speed trial.

With the Strait of Hormuz closed and jet fuel shortages looming, I was a little worried about all the plane flights we are taking. I was relieved when I realized that Petronas is the national oil company of Malaysia and is an oil exporter. Singapore is the refining capital of southeast Asia so we will probably not have an issue getting home.

Our flight leaves on time at 1:45 pm. We follow the path Dutch East Indies traders would have sailed centuries ago down the Strait of Malacca across the equator to the island of Java.

This route is still filled with trading ships of all kinds, including container ships and bulk carriers (eg LNG). They are hugging the Malay side as the Sumatra shore is visibly shallow.

We land in the Dutch Indies capital of Batavia, named after the German tribe that settled Holland. After Independence, the name reverted back to the original name of Jakarta. Unlike Kuala Lumpur, immigration is fully automated and we make it through in seconds. The fun ends there as we have trouble linking up with our driver. In the end it works out and he drives us to our hotel downtown. Indonesia though is much poorer than Malaysia. The air seems very smoggy and we pass lots of shantytowns. We share the road with thousands of motorcycles. Jakarta is now probably the largest metropolitan area in the world with a population of 42 million. Wow!

Aimee is happy to find our hotel is like a colonial palace. After settling in, we go to the bar for a drink. We both have a glass of Bordeaux wine. It cost us the princely sum of 479,000 Rupiahs.