Indonesian Holiday #69 - Jakarta

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Indonesia was our destination for two weeks in November/December 2019. Luckily we were back home before all the current virus issues became apparent, spoiling any travelers near future plans.
We had a wonderful time starting in Jakarta on Java and finishing in Ubud on Bali.

• Jakarta is the most densely populated city on earth with over 14000 people per sq/km. You can certainly see this by the insanely congested traffic.
  A city tour, including Chinatown, Fatahillah Square & Istiqlal Mosque were among the activities we participated in while in town.
• In Pangandaran we did a a tour of the local surrounds - market, villages, cottage industries and Green Canyon as well as visit to a producer of the famous Javanese wayan golek (traditional wooden puppets). At Green Canyon hopped aboard a boat and travelled upriver through superb jungle scenery, stopping for a swim up in the canyon itself. This spots water is as green as its name suggests.
• Yogyakarta - was certainly a town to get a dose of Buddhist and Hindu culture with visits to the Borobudur Temple and
  Prambanan Temple complexes. A cycling tour a small village gave us insights into the art of Batik, rice growing and local brick making.
• At the Seloliman Nature Reserve we went for a walk through terraced rice fields and learnt how local herbs and plants are used for medicines and food for more self sustainable living.
• Mt Bromo - Sunrise climb meant we had to be up at 2.30am to beat the crowds. After viewing the sunrise from an adjacent mountaintop we then proceeded to Mt Bromo and hiked up the side to have a peek inside the smoking crater.
• Spent an evening in Kalibaru and dined at a small local eatery with the locals. The next day we did a tour of a local coffee, cocoa and rubber plantation.
• We arrived at Pemuteran after a ferry ride across the Java Strait and enjoyed an Indonesian cultural dance performance at our hotel. we spent the rest of the time here exploring the local area.
• On the way to Ubud we stopped for a tour of the Taman Ayun Temple which once again gave us an insight to the Balanese culture.
  In Ubud it was back to the usual tourist scene with markets, restaurants and a lot of small local shrines and religious statues.
  Over all the food was inexpensive and very tasty. The people were extremely friendly and especially the children were enthusiastic photographers. We were constantly stopped and asked if we could be in their photos.
  A lot of our transportation involved travelling by train and I must say that the long distance trains are like travelling in a business class environment which made the trips very comfortable and pleasant.
  The trip was well worth the money and we came away with another pile of fond memories.

• Enjoy the photos