JOGJAKARTA & BEYOND - Day 3 Part 1

DAY 3 (Part 1) - JOGJAKARTA TO PARANG TRITIS

The map above was scanned from the Jogja city map found at the airport. My planned trip was to cycle south to Parang Tritis beach, via Bantul. Then, I would swing west to end at Cilacap.

Returning from Prambanan on Day 2, I decided it was time to head out into the countryside and explore. I would first travelled South of Jogja to Parang Tritis. Then swing west to my ultimate destination at Cilacap, roughly 200 kms from Jogja. I chose not to take the main highway. Instead, from the detailed map that I had, compliment from an Indonesian friend, Bapak Rachmad, I planned to cycle and seek out the villages as much as possible. I knew I could also rely on people on the road, who would usually point me in the right direction.

Day 3 being a Sunday, I anticipated less vehicles on the road. I left early. Paid IR80,000 for my 2-night stay and headed out into Marlioboro. No sooner had I reached the street, I was greeted with loud music. Part of Marlioboro was closed. Sundays would be aerobic days for residents! Shame on us lazy bones who hugged our pillows on sunday mornings.

Every age group were there. Old, not so old, children, mothers, fathers, grandfathers, grandmothers. It was a great sight to see population of various generations gyrating to the beat of aerobic music, most with un-cordinated moves but all for one purpose - the pursuit of a healthy activity.




This man above wore a self-explanatory T-shirt, and he "danced" ever so sloooowwwllyy and you know why of-course. Alhamdulillah, I'm still "Ostine free"!

I moved on towards my first destination, Parang Tritis. PT is a beach-front and I told myself, if the location is suitable, I'd spend my first night here. Located about 30kms south of Jogja, it was a pleasant ride through several kampungs.

Reaching Bantul, a town about 15kms from Jogja, I was greeted by this "warrior" by the roadside. Guessed I had to behave here. "Permisi Pak" !

As if the "warrior" was not enough, another "face" was looking at me as I continued my cycling! "Ngak bikin apa-apa Pak. Tumpang lalu aja Pak. Bisa ya Pak" And as I said in my earlier posting in Minangkabau country last Nov, everything in Indonesia is "poison"!

It was also harvest time and I would see the harvesting-related activities throughout my journey to Cilacap.

There was this river that captured my attention. If this was Solo, this could be Bengawan Solo...ah...that beautiful song of yesteryears.

Arriving at Parang Tritis beach, I was greeted with fierce winds and waves. I must add, very fierce winds. There were signs forbidding swimming in the sea. Earlier, I was imagining booking myself into a cozy losmen, relaxed by the beach, read a book and write while gazing at the setting sun.

No losmen, nor any dwelling was built by the beach. Where I was standing, the wind was so strong that it swept up loose fine sand. Worse, the fine sand glued onto my oily bike chains. So I make haste and had to move on. Good-bye setting sun.