Solo -The Polite City-

"Bengawan Solo
Riwayatmu ini
Sedari dulu jadi...
Perhatian insani..."

Maybe some of you know this songs, its really famous back then. If you don’t click hear to hear the song. Even Japan’s Prince Akiyoshi  like this songs. Thank you so much *bowing.

Solo is located in Central Java. It takes 2 hours from Yogyakarta and 12 hours from Jakarta, head town of Indonesia. You can go there by train like Argo Lawu or using plane and droping in Jogja then continue to solo by bus or train. Unlike Bali that provide us with beach, solo provide us with beautifull mountain scenery and the culture of course.

Solo is one of kesultanan that still exist until now beside Jogja and Cirebon. That’s way the tradition is still dominated here. There are still lot of traditional event that still hold in this city, it was such a inner atraction of this city.

Along the main road of surakarta –center of solo – we could see the railway. It hasn’t barricade amongs it,car and other vehicle using the road together side by side. It just like a trem in west, but in Indonesia it only provide us with Solo – Wonogiri route. So want to see that?

If you go to East Java and Central Java then you should search where is alun – alun. Alun – alun is a large field that in the past usually used for kingdom’s event or for any other traditional ocasiassion. It usually located in the middle of the town, because everything was start from it just like zero point. Go there if you get lost and you’ll find way back.

Solo have a magnificant growth. The town is having a diffrent face now. Altough that it doesn’t fade their own culture. You can see the Honocoroko – the Java’s old alphabetic – in big building. It makes an impressive. Its rare to find that in Jakarta, isn’t it?

Indonesia has five big island and thousand or more small island, and even some of them never be explore until now. It makes Indonesia has a lot of culture and traditional food off course hahaha. It is the best thing having a lot of cultures. Beside it attracted many of tourist it also attracted your stomach. Since in Java everything isn’t so expensive as in Sunda and Jakarta. If i live in there i will get fat soon. No doubt why my friend is ‘not as thin as before’ :P

Not far from surakarta you’ll find a village called Karanganyar. It still located in solo. This village provide you with a beautifull mountain scenery of Lawu Mountain. Lawu is full of Myth especially in Muharam lot of climbers go there. I’m not one of them, so much risk to go in that stormy climate in January. Lawu most popular myth is Pasar Dieng or should i say it as Devil Market. The story said on the way you reached the top of the mountain suddenlly you’ll see a crowded like a traditional market. I don’t know how far the truth is. Well who knows?

If you wasn’t a mountainers then just go to candi ceto or  just dropping in tawangmangu. It is a good place to take a photo there. Have a narcissm right? I know you have. Sometimes narcistic is important too hahaha. Okay i admit it just my own defense.

For the transportation i suggest you to go by Becak. What is becak? Becak is a traditional vehicle. It was driven by a human. It looks like one in Kyoto right? ^^ But the diffrencess is in Kyoto's rickshaw, the man is the one who control the speed. The motor of this vehicle is theirselves. Or maybe you can use delman or Batik Solo Trans. Batik Solo Trans really have a pleasure serving, and i love it.