moi et Julie

 
I went to Balikpapan for a night with my friends two weeks ago and continued my solo trip to Yogyakarta. I was welcomed by Julie, a French gal who stayed at my house in Bandung almost 5 years ago, at the airport and we took taxi to her place in Demangan Kidul. We then went to the motorbike rental to rent a green Honda Beat.

rental price for Honda Beat is Rp 55,000 per day

We had dinner at Madam Tan then met Julie's colleagues at Institut Français in Sagan area and went together to Taman Budaya for 10Printemps Français. There was a show of hip-hop break dance by Pockemon Crew (I think I watched them at some B-Boys documentary 6-7 years ago). It was like a pantomime show by 9 men dancing so eagerly.

Pockemon Crew

I enjoyed the show so much and the surrounding made it felt not in Yogya but somewhere in France for everyone there was speaking French. At the end of the day Julie asked Arnaud and his Indonesian friends: Toni, Reza and Gibran, to hang out at this Cuban-something bar somewhere at Seturan. We drank beer with such Indonesian rice field background and local band performance. It's quite a different experience!

Gibran, Toni, Arnaud, Reza, Julie and me

riding the bike around the town

Kedai Kebun at Jl. Tirtodipuran

The next day, after a gudeg lunch at Yu Djum (I got free black coffee there!), we thought about visiting Museum Affandi but it was closed so we went south instead. We visited the North Alun-Alun, had a coffee break at Kedai Kebun Jl. Tirtodipuran (I love their food!) then went to South Alun-Alun to find a festival of colorful pedaling carts. We had one lap ride for Rp 25,000 (the price is up to Rp 35,000--you have to bargain cleverly here). It was so fun to experience such colorful night.

Odong-odong or Kereta Hias

Wayang play about Ramayana

After that we went to the Museum Sonobudoyo to watch a Wayang show at 8-10 p.m. for Rp 20,000 per person. It was a very unique thing to watch the dalang played all the leather 2D puppets with his two hands and how it looked like behind the white screen. I'd enjoyed it more if only I understand the language. But I got the main idea from the synopsis and have watched the sendratari (ballet) at Prambanan and kecak dance in Bali of the same story.

sack dolls dressed as politicians

It was not so late so we decided to visit Taman Budaya again for Art|Jog expo. We came just in time they open the exhibition room but it was just so crowded we could barely enjoy the artworks. It was interesting tho, with all the political theme they brought. And in my honest opinion it was much better than the Biennale I went earlier this year.

red pasta at Milas

The next day we went to SunMor (Sunday Morning flea market) at UGM complex, then just chilled for the rest of the day at Milas, Julie's favorite vegetarian restaurant which serves delicious veggie meals. I had this tagliatelle Red Pasta and hadn't forget its taste even until 2 weeks later! The place is also great with bamboo bale-bale décor and small garden at Jl. Prawirotaman IV. I rate a five star for this humble restaurant!

via heiupit

via keranjangpiknik

After that we went to Indiecology at Sagan for my dinner then moved to a new beer house (it used to be Geronimo but I forget its new name). We chilled there till Nadya, my childhood friend's little sister, came with her friend Alfi. We drank till midnight and promised to meet again the next day.

crab + meatball zuppa at Zupparella

Nadya, Julie and me

Angkring Gareng Petruk

Monday morning, Julie and I went to UNY for her business then off to Zupparella, a small zuppa soup parlor belongs to Alfi. We met Nadya there too. Then we went to Institut Français again to kill time. After 5 p.m. we went to the bike rental to return the green Beat. We then went south, had early dinner at Angkring Gareng Petruk at Jl. Mangkubumi. It was my first ever experience to eat at the real angkringan in Yogya.

drama and circus at one show

After that we went to another show from the 10Printemps Français at Taman Budaya by 7.30 p.m. It was a collaboration of theatrical drama by Sha Ine Febriyanti and a circus-acrobat by David Bobée. The play was about a Letter to Theseus by Phaedra and it was packed so unique that all of the audiences were gathered on the stage, watching the play closely with some flashlight to spot the actors when the room became too dark. They used real water for rain drops and wind of letters. It was spectacular!

via tripadvisor

The play also marked the end of my trip. We went for another drink at Lekker Je, then I went with Nadya to stay at her house. She dropped me at airport early the next day for my morning flight back to Jakarta. I really enjoyed my solo trip because this time I went to new places and experienced new things about Yogya. And to have found that best friend would stay 'best' even after separated for 5 years.

Merci beaucoup, Julie!