Yogyakarta with Love 3: Closed Kraton

We were hoping to make it in time to see Kraton which is the Sultan's royal palace since the 9th century. The most interesting thing about the Sultan's palace here is that it is surrounded by houses and shops. You wouldn't be able to spot the palace from far, hidden in the sea of houses and shops surrounding it. A real 'people's sultan', they say. In fact, the residence of the Sultan's brother is also nearby, amongst the maze of houses and shops and I was told his residence actually doubles up as a fine-dining restaurant!

Felt a little small

The gate doors look really sturdy and heavy. 18th century style. Love the locks on the door. I imagined battering rams and all

Yogyakarta is a "special" province in Indonesia, the only province (or there may be others, I'm not too sure) where the province is still ruled by the Sultan but as Governor. All over Yogyakarta I saw posters pledging support to the Sultan because apparently some people wanted the Governor to be elected, and not automatically given to the Sultan's successors.

When we arrived, the Kraton was already closed to visitors. No!!!! We were told that it closes early every day, but wasn't sure exactly what time (due to conflicting information given). Since we were pressed for time, we couldn't visit Taman Sari as well. So this will be on top of our go-to places the next time we come here :) Initially we thought that there wasn't time for us to slot in Kraton in our quite packed itinerary but thanks to Ibu Kartika Affandi who insisted on bringing us here after lunch. So even though it was closed we made the most of the visit by taking pictures of the outer compound of Kraton.

I love the colour scheme of the outer compound of the palace. The ancient gates are huge and I felt safe. The guard outpost used to be staffed by the Dutch army when they were occupying Indonesia. The Royal Court outside used to be where the Sultan would meet his subjects and become the judge to cases. Now I'm told that they perform royal gamelan shows on special occasions.

Simple but still, there was something regal about this royal court

That's where the Sultan sat to give judgment
Love the splash of turquoise

1928 might mean something

The compound of Kraton was deserted and quiet when we came. Even the beca drivers were sleeping under the trees. So we took that opportunity to pose with the becas (trishaws)! Hehe. I really have to go back here and visit the palace properly. Til my next visit!

Yogyakarta with Love 2 : The Majestic Prambanan Temples

So on to the Prambanan temples. Although we stayed up very late the previous night to watch Kiai Kanjeng (will get to this soon), we set off very early in the morning to reach here on the same day we went to the gorgeous Parangtritis Beach.

Welcome to Prambanan. It's so small kan?

Actually, I didn't know much about Prambanan. Even when we arrived, my first impression on looking at Prambanan from afar was that it looked deceivingly small. I thought it wasn't that big. But Prambanan is apparently the biggest ancient Hindu temple in Java. Prambanan is an 8th century temple complex comprising of 237 temples. Much of it are in ruins, and although there are continuous restoration works, most of the smaller temples cannot be restored. Only the foundation of the smaller temples are left, but the stones have been reduced to rubble. What is interesting about Prambanan is that they did not use cement for the stones, but an interlocking technique to keep the stones together (something like pasak i suppose). Pretty impressive, especially as there were different 'interlocking designs' on the various stones. Our guide mentioned that the designs were like puzzles, so you couldn't interlock one random stone with just any other stone: You have to find it's matching design. That's why restoration works are slow. The whole temples are like one big puzzle. Awesome right?

Top left: Architectural model of how the complete Prambanan complex looked like. The outer Candis are almost destroyed now

So my first impression was wrong: The three main temples are huge! It was only when we were walking towards the temples that I discovered how big they really were. And the climb up the big chunks of steps to go into the temples were quite tiring okayh! I haven't exercised this much in a while so it was good for me. :)

The stones leading to the main temples. All that's left of the smaller candis.
Even the smaller candis dwarf us.

Khubby fooling around. The stones weren't stable, but he still climbed up

The biggest temple in the middle was closed because it was damaged during the earthquake back in 2006, so we were not allowed to go in. That's where most of the statues are. Our guide took us around the other temples and explained the stone carvings on the outer walls of the temples. There are stories in every carving and it has to be read from left to right. There were some "interesting" stories. Even some of the parts of the three main temples could not be entirely restored so the cracks and chips on the stones made the temples have even more character.

The main Shiva temple closed off for repair because of structural cracks

Okay! Made it up the steps!

I almost forgot to mention that the entire compound surrounding Prambanan was enormous! According to the guide, Prambanan was an important area of worship for the Hindus in the 8th century, but some time after that, they fled to Bali or East Java, probably because of the Merapi Volcano eruptions. Prambanan was then neglected and was lost as the forest grew around it. People even used to live around Prambanan in the jungle (and didn't even bother about the ruined temples) and they even took some of the stones for their own homes! But after the temple's discovery by the Dutch in the 1800s, the government of Indonesia relocated these people and set up a beautiful park which is really big. Even though I was all so excited and awed by the architectural design of the majestic temples, I was a little bit tired from all the climbing up and down the steps and from walking around the park. I think we spent 2 hours plus there. Luckily the guide knew a short cut to get to the exit otherwise that would be another one kilometer's walk, leaving me out of breath in the scorching hot sun.

I love visiting reminders of the ancient past. It's just marvellous to look at all the intricate stone carvings and I can only admire how people were able to build such monuments in the past without the aid of technology. The stones are pretty big too, so they must have been strong in those days.

I just wonder, centuries from now, whether people would admire our generation's architectural buildings the way we admire the buildings of the past? It makes me reflect on the hard work of our ancestors to build these buildings without cranes and all the effort to carve stones. In fact, it made me wonder about the workers who build all our buildings now. Even with technology I don't think its easier and that's something we shouldn't take for granted. And also, well done to the Indonesian government for preserving such an important piece of history for us and the future generation to be able to have a glimpse of the past.

Okaay.. sorry for side-tracking. Enjoy the pictures!

exploring the outer walls

The guide showed us these interesting carvings. top left: Unfinished. Top right: The naughty carver made the bird head on the left face the wrong side. Bottom: The naughty carver again made the bird on the left with a beard. The only carving in the whole of Prambanan (according to him)

Other 'interesting' carvings

Just love the cracks and chips on the stones. Reminds me of my post last year, imperfections are beauteous.

The main temple.

Sitting on the steps. It was good exercise but a little tiring towards the end.

The ruins of Prambanan. Such a pity.

Side look of Prambanan

Last shot. I didn't manage to take a picture of the whole park surrounding it.

Till my next post! :)

Yogyakarta with Love 1 : Parangtritis Beach

I just got back from Jogja. How was it? It was SPECTACULAR! We loved the place so much that both me and my husband felt like we did not want to leave. We felt that our stay was too short and there were just too many more things to see there. Honestly, it was perfect. I couldn't imagine my honeymoon to be at any other place. Well done Khubby! (He planned everything since before we were supposed to go in July 2010). It was worth all the wait and extended delays to finally get here. We just left everything behind in Kuala Lumpur and enjoyed exploring various parts of Jogja and digging up the rich and glorious culture and art there. The trip really opened our hearts, souls and minds. Jogja and the whole experience was, for me, incredibly romantic as well as spiritually absorbing (You can read my longing to go to Jogja in '10 months ago').

There are just too many stories to share about my incredible discovery of Jogja and (you may be able to guess) too many photos that we took there to sum it all up in one post. So, I am going to post in several parts the things I love most about Jogja.

First up, Parangtritis Beach. Situated in Southern Jogjakarta, we were told that this is a must visit in Jogja. It was quite weird, because the first thing we were told was that no one was allowed to swim in the sea as the waves are deadly. Parangtritis beach is rich in folklore because it was the home of the Queen of the South Sea, "Kanjeng Ratu Kidul". The driver explained the story of her legend on the way. We were warned not to go there wearing green because it was the Queen's colour (and the Queen will seduce you to join her in the sea) so I opted for yellow instead. We were soon to find out exactly why Parangtritis is a must visit :)

We went for the (quite) long journey to Parangtritis after visiting the Prambanan Temples and Kota Gede. Just before arriving at Parangtritis, our chauffeur (mas supir) took a detour and brought us to a long stretch of (largely) a deserted road and we stopped by a desert-like spot. We were told by mas supir that usually in August and September the area would be so dry and full of sand that there would be no greens at all and people go there to have desert-like photoshoots! The place was called sand-doon (or something like that) and true enough, when we reached there there was a photo crew shooting pictures of a model!

As we arrived at the beach, the guide told us that although the beach is popular with locals and tourists, there are certain spots which was the most beautiful and serene. Trouble is, it'd take us about 30 minutes of walking to get there! We did a lot of walking already that morning at Prambanan and we were pressed for time before the sunset. Luckily at the beach, they offered transport services: we had the option to choose whether to take the ATV or the horse-cart to get there. So what did I choose? The horse-cart of course!

I am the kind of person who likes to watch the morning sky while I am in the car on my way to work or watch the moon light in the sky while I am on my way back from the office. Oh yes. But, nothing, and I mean nothing, beats the feeling of being on a horse-cart ride on the beach as we moved away from the huge crowd to the secluded area of the beach, accompanied by nothing but the sounds of the waves and the horse gallops. The winds of the sea was blowing ilir-ilir gently on my face and body, and the sparkles of blowing sand occasionally smacking right on my face too. I loved the feeling of the gentle waves coasting between my feet. The sky, the sea, everything was serene and tranquil.

It was surreal. We did not get to spend as much time as we wanted to as it was already dark and the water has gone up when we were about to leave, but the short time that I get to spend there is enough for me to be reminded of how beautiful this world is and how blessed I am to be alive in this world. When I was there I was reminded of and quietly hummed the beautiful song by Maher Zain, Open Your Eyes.

'Look around yourselves
Can’t you see this wonder
Spreaded in front of you
The clouds floating by
The skies are clear and blue
Planets in the orbits
The moon and the sun
Such perfect harmony

Let’s start question in ourselves
Isn’t this proof enough for us
Or are we so blind
To push it all aside.. No..'

On the way back, our guide actually told us that Baron beach is more beautiful, due to its largely undiscovered nature. I don't know how that is even possible? Because of the time restriction, we didn't manage to explore the other 'spots' there at Parangtritis and we were also told that certain ceremonies people would be held there would be great to watch, so that is something I will have to go back there and explore.

Parangtritis actually felt like a slice of heaven on earth. I don't know how else to put it. Enjoy the pictures.

At the Sandoon

Our majestic (hehe) & romantic ride

Corals by the beach

Next up (in no particular order) my experiences I intend to share about Jogja:

-The majestic Prambanan Temples
-Silver and Batik factories at Kota Gede
-Food for the soul: Mocopat Syafaat with Emha Ainun Nadjib and Kiai Kanjeng
-The splendour of Borobudur
-Climbing the Abode of the Heavens, Dieng Plateau
-Visiting Museum Affandi, Jogja's most famous artist with Kartika Affandi
-Living at the foot of the Merapi Volcano Mountain
-Watching the open air Ramayana Ballet with the backdrop of Prambanan & the full moon
-The delicious food and colourful streets of Jogjakarta

It might take a while, but wait for it!

10 months ago : Wedding Photos & Video 1

I really can't believe that my marriage was almost 11 months ago, it feels that it wasn't that long ago. Too many things happened prior to my wedding day which will take quite some time to tell, but not yet. I'm going to leave for Yogyakarta (aka Jogja) now, which will be my first twice-postponed honeymoon due to me being hospitalized in July. My husband then re-arranged the trip to November, but I was hospitalized again. I'm pretty stubborn and I really wanted to go the second time, but it was impossible to go because suddenly there was also an earthquake in Jogja at that time. Yes, I know right??

I suppose the third time is the lucky charm. I'm so excited because I've always wanted to go to Jogja since forever. My first planned trip to Jogja was in 2006 with my uni gamelan group. We were supposed to go there to watch performances and meet with gamelan groups there. But would you believe it that the trip also had to be cancelled because of the terrible earthquake in 2006?

Now, I think you'll understand why I just can't wait to explore Jogja. Especially because it is rich with culture, art and heritage.

So anyways, I promised to upload photos of my wedding here since some people asked me to share what I wore during my wedding. I guess for this post I'll start with my nikah (solemnization) ceremony at home. Since there are so many photos and I'm in a bit of a rush, I'll blog about the actual ceremony later when I have the time. The solemnization and the receptions, were truly few of the most memorable days in my life.

Pictures with a few of my friends and cousins who were there early. My wedding wouldn't have been so beautiful and went so smoothly without the HUGE help of my family, relatives and friends because I was in the hospital for almost all of the preparations period and was only discharged the day before the wedding. I also remember the day before my wedding when my house was full of my relatives and friends who were helping out tremendously. I will forever be thankful to them. Love you guys.

This is my nikah wedding dress designed by Cho (Azalea Ramli) of Pu3. The cloth material for the kurung modern top was beaded chiffon which was a hantaran gift from my husband during the tunang (engagement) ceremony. I just love the design, texture and details of the material. The beadings were non-symmetrical as you can see. Cho did a fantastic job with the dress design. I just love it! I especially love the vintage-y and stylish yet funky shoulders which she says was inspired by Lady Gaga! -_- Some of my friends who saw the dress told me that it was 'just so you' and I was so happy to hear that on my wedding day. It helps that Cho knows what I liked and designed it that way. It was already perfect the first time I went for fitting.

That's Cho in the background making some last-minute alterations on my veil, and Najeeb Azami putting the final touches on me. I just loooooveeee his make-up. He made me look so natural and soft. His make up was flawless. I really want to learn his secrets. Hehe. Najeeb is a very friendly person and he really knows how to make me calm when he made me up. He was also quite strict and made sure no one else bothered me unless it was really important. He told me it was really important that the bride was calm and had peace of mind. Girls, if you're the nervous type and always worrying about a million things in your mind, he's definitely the guy to calm your thoughts.

My dearest Auntie Raja Noora Ashikin also of Pu3
who designed my reception dress which you can see here.
I'll do a proper post about it soon!

Me walking to the pelamin (dais) accompanied by Sanah and Shereen, my besties.

Just as my husband was about to put on the ring..

One of our first few photos after we were married. :)
Hasanah and Shereen arranged for the gorgeous hand bouquet.

Really love the trails. Thank you Pu3!

After the event was over, I was really reluctant to take off Najeeb's beautiful make up. It was so natural and light yet even though I cried so many times that night, his make up was still perfect and nearly still flawless. There wasn't a single smudge before I took it off okay!

After a very tiring night. I remember that the photographers kept telling me to open my eyes and I finally know why: my eyes look so sleepy in the pictures. I was on very powerful pain-killers at that time which made me drowsy and a little high. Haha.

Credits to my good friend Pacak of Chaxphotography and Intai-Intai & Zati Hanani for the photos above. Thank you.

I'll just share snippets of our aqd nikah ceremony and wedding reception on the 9th and 10th July 2010. Credits to BeeHunt Videography for the video! Sorry about my singing, it was spontaneous and I only sang after the guests had left. Didn't know they were going to put it in the video. I chose the background song as well, which was one of my favourite songs. Life in Technicolour by Coldplay. Hope you guys enjoy it.

♥ ♥ ♥




Bye guys, I'm off now. See you when I'm back! :)