At first glance it looks like a gritty labyrinth of narrow streets with an impossible number of cars, scooters becaks (pedicabs) and pony carts all competing for road space. Bit by bit, as you get to know the special region of Yogyakarta, you discover a city which is equally home to Sultans, burger shops, batik and advertising hoardings - and where you can find almost anything - old and new, ancient and modern.
Our new motto: expect the unexpected. This blog will track my discoveries over the next ten months, sharing Hal's and my adventures in our new home.
Firstly a bit of orientation. Not to be confused with the capital Jakarta, Indonesia's frantic financial and administrative centre to the west, Jogja is situated between the island of Bali to the east and Sumatra to the West. Borneo is to the north and Christmas Island to the south.
Known as the soul of Java, the region is also one of the most crowded places on the island. With a population of 135 million Java itself is the most densely populated island on the planet! Something you can quickly get a sense of in Jogja's traffic - which I might add is nowhere near as bad as Jakarta's.
Our new home is special in a number of other ways. Situated on the southern coast of Indonesia's largest island (there are 17,000 in total), Jogjakarta the only region in Indonesia that is still governed by a pre-colonial monarchy, the Sultan of Jogjakarta.
Our new motto: expect the unexpected. This blog will track my discoveries over the next ten months, sharing Hal's and my adventures in our new home.
Firstly a bit of orientation. Not to be confused with the capital Jakarta, Indonesia's frantic financial and administrative centre to the west, Jogja is situated between the island of Bali to the east and Sumatra to the West. Borneo is to the north and Christmas Island to the south.
Known as the soul of Java, the region is also one of the most crowded places on the island. With a population of 135 million Java itself is the most densely populated island on the planet! Something you can quickly get a sense of in Jogja's traffic - which I might add is nowhere near as bad as Jakarta's.
Our new home is special in a number of other ways. Situated on the southern coast of Indonesia's largest island (there are 17,000 in total), Jogjakarta the only region in Indonesia that is still governed by a pre-colonial monarchy, the Sultan of Jogjakarta.
Jogjakarta is naturally proud of its special administrative status which was awarded to the region due to its important roll in the Indonesian National Revolution (1945-1949) - more on that later!
The only non-elected official in Indonesian state, the Sultan acts as the hereditary governor of the region and enjoys enormous popularity with the people. Exploring the old walled palace or kraton in the centre of the city is first on the list of must-see things to do.
Living in Jogja means we are watched over by Mount Merapi, which sits smouldering a mere 30 kilometers away. A not very reassuring National Geographic article lists it as one of the world's most active and dangerous volcanoes. It last erupted in October 2010 killing and injuring many - and displacing around 100,000 residents nearby.
Jogjakarta's geographic distinctiveness is just the beginning. Known as the center of classical Javanese fine art and culture, such as batik, ballet, drama, music, poetry and puppet shows it's also one of Indonesia's most renowned centers of higher education.
The city sprawls in all directions from the kraton, with the the core of the modern city to the north. Over 100 public and private higher education institutions are located here and Jogja attracts students from across Indonesia and the region - including plenty of Australians. With so many young minds congregating here to learn, there's also an exciting scene for modern music, art and self-expression as well as activism.
As if the array of food, art, culture and industry wasn't enough, Jogjakarta also boasts Indonesia's most important historical sites - Borubadur and Prambanan.
So it's into this rich landscape that we find ourselves for a year of living curiously. I'll keep you posted!
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