Indonesia was a new country for me. So just by looking around I noticed new things during these ten days. Here are my findings from this short vacation. Yours, Pollybert
1.) Surprisingly lots of people speak English in Yogyakarta.
2.) Sidewalks are not for walking but mostly for plants, cars, other stuff unrelated to walking.
a sidewalk in the city @Yogyakarta
3.) Beware of spicy. Here spicy means putting flames in your mouth.
4.) Getting lost in the city is great fun except for the heat. People are super nice to help you find your way and also understand you (see number 1.).
6.) Ramadan is in truth the best time for visiting a Muslim country like Indonesia, but only when you go to a city. There are fewer tourists and the whole atmosphere is very peaceful. Just make sure to visit museums and other public sites in the morning. Most public buildings close at noon so that people can rest.
7.) It’s quite a relaxed practice of Islam, at least in Yogyakarta. The muezzin was calling and people kept on staring at their phone. And every evening there was a party at my hotel which is understandable when you don’t eat all day.
8.) The cell phone appears to be the most important thing in everyone’s life here. Basically you don’t see anyone without it in his hands
9.) A large beer here means really large. Not kidding. This is what I got when I ordered a large beer. After that I stuck to small beer.
a pitcher of beer @Yogyakarta
10.) Maps.me lost me on my first day in Yogyakarta. They need to put some work in here.
11.) The feeling that you get when you go to a 5* star hotel and the staff just doesn’t understand you while everywhere else in the city people do speak English.
12.) As much fun as it is to travel during Ramadan in a Muslim country, however there is a downside to it. Really fast I grew tired of the constant sing-song preaching of the Imam which comes on the ‘stereo’ in the middle of the night. Which is really annoying on small islands where it’s quiet and sound travels far. The prayer in the evening was better to suffer through (and please don’t @ at me. Would say the same if it was a priest doing this). Because what is the guy talking about for 30 minutes in the middle of the night while good people still want to sleep?
13.) Not a single person confused Austria with Australia in Indonesia. Not even on Gili Air.
14.) As much as I love Asian food, Indonesian food didn’t do it for me. The most memorable food I had was on Gili Air in a small shack called Aura Bowl. It seats about 10 people and when I passed it the second time, a couple talked me into trying it. Best decision ever! The food was awesome there! As a result I went back three times.
curry from Aura Bowl @Gili Air
15.) Usually I abhor Starbucks and any other big chain restaurant. But on this trip I went there thrice. And you know why? Because they have excellent functioning AC and a tasty Frappuccino. But honestly that my ticket to the Avengers: Endgame was half the price of my coffee just seems wrong.
16.) Finally it’s easy to fall in love with Indonesia and therefore it remains on my travel list! Definitely have to come back again.
somewhere on Gili Air @Indonesia
