Second week in Yogyakarta and Salatiga

Cynthia

Allready another week has passed, so here’s an update.

The weekend in Yogyakarta was very relaxed at a good hotel and I went to a good Salon&Spa. Also I had dinner with my good friend Efan and I saw the amazing show of Ramayana Ballet Purawisata, who performed the epic Ramayana tale of Valmiki. Terima kasih banyak.

With the cast of the Ramayana ballet
With everybody

On monday Warin and Surotun from Salatiga Heritage drove to Jogja to pick me up and drive me to Salatiga. They gave me a 3-day tour around the city and surrounding area. Besides showing me where my grandparents used lived, worked and spent their spare time, they also told me more about them and the history of Salatiga.

Driving from Yogyakarta to Salatiga
Soto ayam for dinner
We passed by a temple

At the hotel

My grandparents met eachother when they were children. They lived next to eachother, here, with the families. Next to their houses was the ‘soos’ where parties were helt and opposite their houses used to be a tennisfield. They played tennis everyday. Behind the houses was the swimmingpool, which is still there.

Their former house is still here
This is it
Warin coincidently also lived next door
The square
Panorama view of the square

This used to be the ‘soos’
The church
The swimmingpool

This is where my great-grandfather almost was crushed by a big tree, according to an article in the old newspaper.
Near the Alun-alun
The powersupply behind me
The former office of my great-grandfather, who was head of B.O.W.
It is now an elementary school
Warin went to school here as a child.

Meeting Warin’s family
The old assistent resident’s house

The former hotel Kalitaman, where my family stayed when they visited Salatiga after they moved to Sukabumi

I didn’t know their fathers (my great-grandfathers) had been so important to this city in the 1920’s. They made it possible for the school for indos and Indonesians to be built as well as the watersupply from the spring in Senjoyo to Salatiga.

My great-grandfathers at the watersupply building
My great-grandfathers

The watersupply in Senjoyo
The watersource
The water is very clear
Remains of an ancient Hindu temple
More remains of the Hindu temple

I was invited to the school to meet the headmaster, teachers and children. I helped them practice their English and joined a class about the history of Salatiga and the ancient art of lontar writing.

The headmaster welcomed us at the school
In the headmaster’s office doing the ‘Salatiga sign’
In the headmaster’s office doing the ‘Salatiga sign’
I helped them practice their English
We had lunch together
Lontar workshop
Lontar with Javanese writing

At the Salatiga Heritage museum was a rock with an ancient inscription and many more artifacts.

Stone with ancient inscription

Bananatree with flower hanging
The bananaflower

Outside was a jackfruittree and many bananatrees. One of them had a flower. They took it and I was invited to the family, where it was prepared in a special dish for lunch. I also watched the traditional preperation of a special candy they make.

Preparing the bananaflower
Special dish made from a bananaflower
Lunchtime!

And I’ve visited my friend Anti in Semarang and had a delicious lunch at her restaurant. She gave birth to her baby girl a few days ago. She’s sooo cute. Terimah kasih untuk soto ayam enak!

It was a wonderful tour, lots of fun and delicious food. Terima kasih banyak untuk semua dan sampai jumpa.

Bye bye Salatiga

Tomorrow I’m going to Bengkulu and after that to Jakarta, Penang and Singapore.