Solo power
by prudence on 03-Apr-2011
Just back from a weekend in Solo, another storehouse of central Javanese culture.
Highly recommendable. Here's what to do:
1. Travel by train.
No seats free on the way out, but fast (one hour), on time, and offering splendid views of that archetypal green Javanese countryside that I love so much. Got seats on the way back, but it was very crowded, and the rain unfortunately kept the windows shut and delayed progress. Even so, this is definitely the fastest way to get between Yogya and Solo.
2. Stay at the Best Western.
This is new, nicely decorated, and brilliantly situated.
3. Eat lots of Solo food.
Every evening, in the area called Galabo at the end of Jl Slamet Riyadi, they stop the traffic for the night, and a vast array of roadside stalls set out tables, chairs, and/or mats, and serve hordes of hungry customers. I had nasi liwet (rice cooked in coconut milk, and served with chicken, slow-cooked, delicately spiced eggs, and choko). Also had delicious susu jahe (ginger milk) there, but that's not especially a Solo food. The hotel offered gudeg as part of the buffet breakfast. This is very different from the Yogya gudeg, and more akin to the Sri Lankan version. The jackfruit is cooked to a meat-like consistency, and served with tasty chicken, eggs, and rice. Adem Ayem is a pleasantly old-fashioned eatery with a vast, high-ceilinged dining-room lined with photos of old Solo. It serves up all manner of chicken, and the ayam goreng is spectacular. So's the pink drink that calls itself jus kopyor (grated coconut with sweetened milk).
4. Do lots of cultural stuff.
There are two palaces in Solo. The Istana Mangkunegaran is just beautiful, extremely photogenic and full of fascinating insights into Javanese history and culture. The Kraton proper seems to suffer from something of a bad rep -- Lonely Planet is not enthusiastic about it; the Istana guide said it was "dirty"; and the woman at the hotel said it was "quiet" (in the negative sense). We actually really enjoyed it. Hundreds of picturesque and tranquil little corners, full of atmosphere. Having walked round the pendopo, and the museum and environs, we hired a horse and cart to trot round the kampung. This is full of little streets, picturesque greenery, and enticing doors in walls offering glimpses of shady courtyards and airy pavilions. You can also wander round the grounds of the Mesjid Agung, supposedly the biggest and most sacred mosque in Solo. They still use prayer drums there, and we listened to the guy beautifully intoning the preliminaries to the call to prayer, while sounding the drum. Danar Hadi is batik heaven. There's a factory there, employing no fewer than 500 workers (unfortunately, we were too late to see this in action), a mega-shop, and a totally enthralling museum featuring a stupendous collection of batik of all periods and styles. Dutch-designed batik, Solo batik, Yogya batik, royal designs, Chinese-influenced designs, communist batik (full of flame motifs), and Sukarno batik (blending coastal and inland styles into "One Indonesia") -- it's all there in an exquisite and sumptuous environment.
Totally not to be missed under the heading of culture is the wayang orang performance. This takes place in the theatre behind the Sriwidari Amusement Park, a family-oriented funfair that is also nice to walk through. We couldn't stay for all the three-hour performance, being pretty tired by now, but it was very enjoyable. There's very much a pantomime feel to it, and the audience, the vast majority of whom were Indonesian families, were lapping up the jokes and slapstick.
5. Look at the sales opportunities.
I'm not in the market for much at the moment, but it's worth taking a look at Pasar Klewer, which LP claims is the biggest batik and textile market in Indonesia, and the renovated Pasar Triwindu, which stocks all sorts of antiques. The shops at the Istana and at Danar Hadi also offer a fantastic selection of batik.
6. Stroll.
Jl Slamet Riyadi is tree-lined, well pavemented, and very pleasant to stroll along at any time of day. If you get tired, there are plenty of becaks... On a Sunday morning, a whole tract of it is closed to traffic, and people come in their thousands to do group aerobics, bicycle, stroll, and eat at the numerous lesehan that have set up for the occasion.
7. Check out other places.
The Novotel does a very nice (if highly expensive) margarita, in an unfortunately rather gloomy bar. Roemahkoe will do you a very decent cup of coffee, which allows you to get a glimpse of the courtyards and gardens of this remarkably elegant 1938 house.
All in all, I loved Solo, and found it a very rewarding complement to my current home, Yogya.
Highly recommendable. Here's what to do:
1. Travel by train.
No seats free on the way out, but fast (one hour), on time, and offering splendid views of that archetypal green Javanese countryside that I love so much. Got seats on the way back, but it was very crowded, and the rain unfortunately kept the windows shut and delayed progress. Even so, this is definitely the fastest way to get between Yogya and Solo.
2. Stay at the Best Western.
This is new, nicely decorated, and brilliantly situated.
3. Eat lots of Solo food.
Every evening, in the area called Galabo at the end of Jl Slamet Riyadi, they stop the traffic for the night, and a vast array of roadside stalls set out tables, chairs, and/or mats, and serve hordes of hungry customers. I had nasi liwet (rice cooked in coconut milk, and served with chicken, slow-cooked, delicately spiced eggs, and choko). Also had delicious susu jahe (ginger milk) there, but that's not especially a Solo food. The hotel offered gudeg as part of the buffet breakfast. This is very different from the Yogya gudeg, and more akin to the Sri Lankan version. The jackfruit is cooked to a meat-like consistency, and served with tasty chicken, eggs, and rice. Adem Ayem is a pleasantly old-fashioned eatery with a vast, high-ceilinged dining-room lined with photos of old Solo. It serves up all manner of chicken, and the ayam goreng is spectacular. So's the pink drink that calls itself jus kopyor (grated coconut with sweetened milk).
4. Do lots of cultural stuff.
There are two palaces in Solo. The Istana Mangkunegaran is just beautiful, extremely photogenic and full of fascinating insights into Javanese history and culture. The Kraton proper seems to suffer from something of a bad rep -- Lonely Planet is not enthusiastic about it; the Istana guide said it was "dirty"; and the woman at the hotel said it was "quiet" (in the negative sense). We actually really enjoyed it. Hundreds of picturesque and tranquil little corners, full of atmosphere. Having walked round the pendopo, and the museum and environs, we hired a horse and cart to trot round the kampung. This is full of little streets, picturesque greenery, and enticing doors in walls offering glimpses of shady courtyards and airy pavilions. You can also wander round the grounds of the Mesjid Agung, supposedly the biggest and most sacred mosque in Solo. They still use prayer drums there, and we listened to the guy beautifully intoning the preliminaries to the call to prayer, while sounding the drum. Danar Hadi is batik heaven. There's a factory there, employing no fewer than 500 workers (unfortunately, we were too late to see this in action), a mega-shop, and a totally enthralling museum featuring a stupendous collection of batik of all periods and styles. Dutch-designed batik, Solo batik, Yogya batik, royal designs, Chinese-influenced designs, communist batik (full of flame motifs), and Sukarno batik (blending coastal and inland styles into "One Indonesia") -- it's all there in an exquisite and sumptuous environment.
Totally not to be missed under the heading of culture is the wayang orang performance. This takes place in the theatre behind the Sriwidari Amusement Park, a family-oriented funfair that is also nice to walk through. We couldn't stay for all the three-hour performance, being pretty tired by now, but it was very enjoyable. There's very much a pantomime feel to it, and the audience, the vast majority of whom were Indonesian families, were lapping up the jokes and slapstick.
5. Look at the sales opportunities.
I'm not in the market for much at the moment, but it's worth taking a look at Pasar Klewer, which LP claims is the biggest batik and textile market in Indonesia, and the renovated Pasar Triwindu, which stocks all sorts of antiques. The shops at the Istana and at Danar Hadi also offer a fantastic selection of batik.
6. Stroll.
Jl Slamet Riyadi is tree-lined, well pavemented, and very pleasant to stroll along at any time of day. If you get tired, there are plenty of becaks... On a Sunday morning, a whole tract of it is closed to traffic, and people come in their thousands to do group aerobics, bicycle, stroll, and eat at the numerous lesehan that have set up for the occasion.
7. Check out other places.
The Novotel does a very nice (if highly expensive) margarita, in an unfortunately rather gloomy bar. Roemahkoe will do you a very decent cup of coffee, which allows you to get a glimpse of the courtyards and gardens of this remarkably elegant 1938 house.
All in all, I loved Solo, and found it a very rewarding complement to my current home, Yogya.