Batik

The technique of applying wax to cloth to produce a design is very famous in Java.

Water Castle- Yogyarkarta

Two of the secret passageways at the Water Castle.

Taman Sari- Water Castle Yogyakarta

Once served as a splendid pleasure park of palaces, pools and waterways for the sultan and his entourage. The legend has it that after the Portuguese architect built this palace between 1758-1765 he was executed by the sultan in order to keep his hidden pleasure rooms secret.

Courtyard Duta

courtyard at Duta- Waterfall into the pool, hanging orchids. Every morning I sat here and drank my coffee.

"parlor" at Duta Gardens

This hotel had a comfy room with shower and a/c! What more could I have asked for? It also had a peaceful ambiance and a central pool. It was also located near a wonderful coffee shop (Ministry of Coffee) and a restaurant that featured Jazz one night.

Duta Gardens view from balcony

After the temples, we went into the city of Yogyakarta and stayed at this simple, but charming hotel. It was our base for the next two days as we explored the sites of the city

I'm back!

It's been quite a while since I blogged. Part of the reason - I got to have an adventure with Doctors and hospitals in Indonesia. I woke up with pain in my lower left abdomen one night that just would not go away. It came in spasms and after three hours I finally decided that there was something wrong. Regina and her husband came and took me to the materinity hospital. The "supposed" ER doc had my blood pressure checked (160/80) informed me that I had a spastic stomach, gave me a shot and told me I could go home. I was in so much pain I couldn't move. After a half-hour of him sitting stone-faced and quiet, and me writhing in pain, Regina asked him how long it took for the medicine to take hold. He responded "5 minutes". Obviously my problem was not a spastic stomach. I was admitted to the hospital and watched the sun rise as I waited for the internist to arrive at 7:00. In the meantime, ants visited me, crawling up and down on the wall near my head, and a nurse who could only say "Obama." The intern came in wearing the Indonesian version of a Dr.'s white coat; it looked like the top of a very cheesy tuxedo. The intern informed me that he was going to take an ultrasound (my first!). Later that morning I had an ultrasound, where the nurse/aide smeared the jelly on my belly with a spatula. I kept thinking of Betty Crocker as she swirled the jelly from one side to the other, as the Doctor commanded. To keep a very long story mercifully short, I went to five different hospitals, one so appalling I can't imagine anyone gets out of there alive, and five different "specialists". Finally it appeared to be a small kidney stone, or crystals, which I was able to pass while drinking copious amounts of water. Now back to the travels and pictures!