Wednesday 26 May 2010

malioboro

Malioboro, Nostalgia in Souvenirs Paradise

Stretching on imaginary poles connecting Yogyakarta Sultan Palace, Tugu and the peak of Merapi Mountain, this street forms trading locality after Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono I developed means of trading through traditional market since 1758. After 248 years, the place still persists as a trading area; it even becomes the icon of Yogyakarta, known as Malioboro.

Located around 800 meters from Yogyakarta Sultan Palace, this place was always crowded with flowers each time the Palace held ceremonies. Malioboro that in Sanskrit means bouquet serves as a basis for naming this street.

Framed by shops, offices, restaurants, star hotels and historical buildings, the street that once functioned as struggling center during the second Dutch military aggression in 1948 was once a place of wandering for the artists joining together in Persada Studi Klub (PSK) community led by Umbul Landu Paranggi since 1970s to around the end of 1990s.
Souvenirs Paradise

Enjoying shopping experience, hunting exclusive souvenirs of Jogja, tourists may walk on foot along the arcades of Malioboro Street. There are many vendors selling their merchandises, ranging from such local handicrafts as batik, rattan ornament, leather puppet, bamboo handicrafts (key holder, ornament lamp, and others) as well as blangkon (Javanese / Jogjanese traditional cap) and silver goods to general little things that you may find in other trading places. Along the arcade, tourists will not only enjoy shopping peacefully on sunny or rainy days but they also enjoy bargaining prices. If they are good at bargaining and have good luck, they will end up buying at third quarter or even half of the prices offered.

Do not forget to save energy. There is still one big traditional market tourists must visit. Well known as Pasar Beringharjo, this market provides complete traditional products in addition to similar goods sold along the arcade of Malioboro Street. In addition to local products of Jogja, products from neighboring areas such as Pekalongan batik and Solo batik are available. There are many choices of hand made batik, printed batik, window curtain with unique motifs and batik bed sheet. This place will satisfy the desire of buying unique goods at reasonable price.

Please make sure that you are not cheated by the offered prices. Usually, the vendors will increase the prices for tourists.
Vredeburg Fort and Gedung Agung

At the end of this "bouquet" street, tourists can drop by at Vredeburg Fort that is located across Gedung Agung. This fort was the Dutch protection basis from possible attacks by Yogyakarta Kingdom troops. Similar to other forts, this place built in 1765 is high, square walls confining the area inside with one monitoring tower in each of the four corners for patrolling purpose. From the tower at the southern part, YogYES took the opportunity to enjoy sceneries of the Sultan Palace and other historical buildings.
Malioboro Cross-Legged Food Vendors (Lesehan, Javanese Language)

When the sun sets in the west and at the same time the lights along the street and the arcade add more beauty to Malioboro, food sellers begin to set the cross-legged eating place. Special menu of Jogja such as Gudeg and Pecel Lele are served in addition to oriental cuisines and sea food as well as Padang cuisine of West Sumatra. The street singers will sing hit songs and memory songs for some small change.

For tourists who are going to try menus served along Malioboro Street, please do not hesitate to check the price list and confirm it to the seller to prevent illogical charge.

Visiting Yogyakarta, the city known as "The Javanese Culture Living Museum" will not be complete unless you pay a visit to the street that keeps various stories of Indonesian Nation struggle and crowded with various souvenirs. It is paradise for history lovers and souvenirs hunters.

Wednesday 12 May 2010

The discovery of Cirebon's Treasure

Treasure discovery of Cirebon. Latest News, Treasure Hunting is done by PT Paradigma Putra Sejahtera apparently has produced results. After finding a way to search for data by conducting underwater arkelogi Ekskarvasi and Snifter form of diving skills, excavation, removal and transfer of findings. Hunting is strictly diawas by the Minister of Culture and the Navy. An estimated 30 people including, captain, diver, chef, parts cleaners who work in this hunt. After performing in dives led by an expert diver Luc Heymans has finally found a treasure in a sunken ship. This ship is estimated to have lived in the 969 and 971 that serves as a means of transportation and trade of that era expected to ship this legacy of China. A total of 270 thousand artifacts found.

The discovery of Cirebon's Treasure

Belgian archaeologist diver, Luc Heymans confessed to dive as much as 22 000 times to lift objects such artifacts. Artifacts in the form of Rubi, Jewels from the Fatimid dynasty, Gold Jewelry, Vases, gold dagger sheath, Crystal and Plates. Jewels a very large and estimated Fatimid legacy of this has been found 24 pieces. An expert mentioned that the Fatimids Permata only 40 copies exist in this world. If true, the gem it truly priceless items. Findings were reported to have been auctioned but no serious enthusiasts to buy these valuable items. But some parties, including the Sultan of Cirebon to the rejection of the auction with a way to write to the President. According Cik Jero, Minister of Culture and Tourism said "There need not be disappointed on this auction because the results of these findings is not the legacy of Indonesia but of Chinese heritage can be seen from the findings terukirkan Chinese writings." The auction was opened with the open bidding for Rp.720 Billion. Large price for the discovery of a very big also. Until now, the decision whether or not the auction is still considered by the government including the President.

'Five terrorists killed' in raids in Indonesia'

JAKARTA (AFP) – Five suspected terrorists were killed in two raids in Indonesia on Wednesday, police said, during the latest in a series of anti-terror operations nationwide.

The men were linked to a terrorist training facility that was discovered in Aceh province in February, triggering a number of police raids that have left dozens of suspects killed or captured, a police spokesman said.

"Five were killed and one arrested," spokesman Edward Aritonang told reporters. "We suspect they were planning to launch a terror attack within the next few weeks."

Three were shot dead around noon (0500 GMT) as they got out of a taxi in Cawang, East Jakarta, he said.

One was identified as Maulana, alias Mukhlis, who had trained with Islamic separatists in the Philippines and had been jailed under Malaysia's Internal Security Act.

"Maulana had just got out of the car but he tried to escape so police shot him. He was with two other terror suspects whose identities are still under investigation," Aritonang said.

Another two were killed two hours later in a raid on a suspected militant hideout in the West Java city of Cikampek, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) from Jakarta.

Aritonang said one of the suspects killed in the second raid was Saptono, who was involved in a suicide car bomb attack which killed 10 people outside the Australian embassy in 2004.

"They were linked to the terrorist training facility in Aceh," he said.

"In the two raids police have seized a number of firearms, including AKs and M-16 (assault rifles) and a huge amount of bullets," he added.

On March 9 police killed the alleged leader of the Aceh group, Dulmatin, who was considered one of the masterminds of the 2002 nightclub bombings in Bali that killed 202 people, mostly Western tourists.

He had been a leader of regional terror network Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) but analysts believe the Aceh group was a new, more extreme outfit which combined militants from various Islamist organisations around Southeast Asia.

JI, an Al-Qaeda-inspired group whose mission is to create a Muslim caliphate across Southeast Asia, is blamed for multiple incidents across Indonesia including the 2002 carnage in Bali and attacks on Jakarta hotels last year.