Once in a while - such as when faced with zealots, naked women, bungee jumping, etc - I lose my usual cool, trenchant edge. At the moment, after a brush with Prambanan, I feel sufficiently awed and introspective.
But hey, not for long. As with France and the "croissant", Indonesia and bakso (translation - "balls"). Roughly half the population vends food (delicious, btw) on the streetside to the other half. Presumably they take turns, to keep the "GDP" going, whatever that is. Most of this vending takes lace in the narrow sidewalks on Malioboro St (in English - Marlborough. Really, look it up!!), alongside batik, puppets and becaks. I'd reckon maybe a quarter of Indonesia saunters casually on this very stretch at any time, two or three abreast, holding hands, and bithely unaware of a crazy tourist trying to overtake them.
I kid of course. They do not.want to sell you a becak, they just want you to take a ride. In both senses of that phrase.
3 comments:
ahh... Jalan Malioboro, such fond memories I have of that place. :) You're in Jogja?
If I remember correctly, "Malioboro" means freedom. Because the street has played a pivotal role in Indonesia's freedom struggle.
The Inna Garuda hotel at the beginning of the street was where General Sudirman lived for several months. The hotel was the headquarters of the freedom struggle (Indonesian texbooks describe it as the "temporary parliament") where Sudirman & Sukarno launched their campaign to drive the Dutch out.
In fact, the junction between Jln Sudirman & Jln Malioboro is considered as a place of spiritual importance in Jogja. The Javanese have elevated Gen. Sudirman to demi-god status. :D
Anyhow, enough history lessons. I must be boring you.
~div
Lonely Planet (motto: Let's make the world a stinkaroo) says it is named after the Duke of Marlborough. You think Wheeler and gang went for a ride on that one? Wouldn't be surprised.
PS: "Stinkaroo" because LP is of course Ozzie.
The LP version is folk lore in a cigarette mad country, but I got my story from the Head of the Political Science Dept. at University of Gajah Madah in Jogja. ;)
~div
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