We often support the Muslim countries that get a bad rap from certain governments, and Indonesia is no exception to the rule. The people here are beautiful and tolerant and they have a gorgeous country that everyone who gets a chance should visit. However, there are always some hardliners in the world who make beautiful places a little more scary than is necessary, and most of the hardliners in Indonesia seem to live in Jakarta. Not that we've had a hard time with anything; just the reaction some people have had to me (probably because I'm wearing shorts) has been a bit unsettling. I try to be sensitive to the culture, but there is no way I can wear jeans in Jakarta. It is so, so hot here! Side note* If every other woman in Jakarta was dressed so conservatively, I would be too, out of respect. But lots of women wear more revealing clothes than me!
As always, though, the vast majority of people are kind and smiling. None of our stuff (knock on wood) has been stolen, which we hear is the normal sort of annoyance here. But then, we heard that about Yogyakarta, too and had no problem. We heard that about Bali too, but they just scammed us there. No real harm done!
So this morning we went to the Tourist Information Centre to have them call and make sure our boat to Sumatra exists (apparently, sometimes they don't) and everything seems to be running smoothly. After that, we went to the National Museum. I must say, I wasn't too psyched about the idea. Someone told us to go to the museum in Yogyakarta, too, and all that was there were a bunch of dioramas documenting the communist takeover after WWII. Lonely Planet said this was a good museum, though, so we walked through the crazy traffic and got there just in time for a (*free*) English guide of the premises.
This is a great museum, with lots of artifacts, a knowledgable staff and really cool exhibits (like the entire room devoted to stuff found on shipwrecks). I also liked the exhibit of the different houses found over the archipelago. So interesting and creative! We spent a few hours at the museum and then went back downtown for lunch. After coming across some mean looking politicos who were very not happy to see me in my shorts and pink sunglasses, we changed direction and went to a "fast food" indian place for lunch. Yummy grub.
Then, because we are finally in a city with stuff that is slightly familiar to us, we went to the cinema and watched a terrible movie (they only had two choices and neither were great). Maybe the selection will be better in Kuala Lumpur; our next urban stopover. Stay tuned!
Bromo:
View from the horse I took back. I think he was as tired as I was, and I spared him the walk up the hill...
Bromo's belching, stinky gut (so much sulphur; my throat burned).
Borobudur:
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