In Reply to: Jogja is a bad joke posted by Dr Bali on Tuesday, 20. July 2004 at 03:22 Bali Time:
it's a big dirty polluted city. Wouldn't want to live there for longer than the 2 weeks we spent there. For 2 weeks, it was interesting.
Taking a cyclo a few times (forget correct name, still in viet nam mode)was a major mistake as we were sickened by the traffic fumes.
Some of the restaurants were great, but a lot served slop.
Avoid the third world zoo unless you're interested in complaining to the newspapers about the horrendous conditions.
Be very clear on what you're paying for transport as "you misunderstood my english" wasn't uncommon at end of short trips. Get the figures in writing maybe.
While shopping wasn't all that good, some of the batik paintings were brilliant.
Loved the ceremony at the sultan's palace, the motorbike trip to Merapi and the rain forest there, the shadow puppet theatres, the Ramayana at Prambanan at night time (wan't hassled at all), the classes where we made our own batik paintings, and most stunning of all, Borobodur. We weren't hassled at Borobodur either but perhaps things have changed since we were there. Fairly easy to get to Mt Bromo from Jogya also.