My Cup of Java

The island of Java is not the first place that comes to mind when thinking of a tropical vacation, but Bali is. In fact, the latter is part of the former. Java is one of the main islands of Indonesia, an archipelago straddling Southeast Asia, from Malaysia and the Philippines in the north to Papua and Australia in the south. Of all our travels so far, Indonesia has been the biggest revelation. We loved the people, the food and the culture, although there were plenty of challenging moments along the way. 

Indonesia is a proud nation with a rich history. Independent since 1945, after centuries of Dutch rule and a protracted struggle for democracy, it's a force to be reckoned with. The country has developed in fits and starts, with some decades providing more stability and wealth than others. As in other places, people are flocking to the cities from the countryside. Jakarta is the capital of this vast nation of islands. The whole country is the size of Florida with nearly the same population as the entire United States. It's the fourth most populous country in the world.

In the urban areas, most people move with a sense of purpose. They are used to foreigners and open up if you smile first. In the suburbs and countryside, foreigners are somewhat rare, so people will stare with wide-eyed fascination. The scrutiny is innocent, but can feel taxing sometimes. School children tend to flock towards tourists to ask them questions, as part of their school projects. These interviews can take a while, so, again, it depends on your state of mind. Overall, we were charmed by the Indonesian people, as they made us feel very welcome wherever we went. They clearly care about their country and its reputation. One man even asked us to tell our friends back home that Indonesia was safe. Not only did we feel safe, we're happy to report back that Indonesia is a wonderful example of a diverse Islamic country with an almost palpable sense of curiosity about the world.

Since it was first inhabited by Austronesian explorers millennia ago, there has been an artistic flair in the islands. Each island has its own set of specialties, from carving and painting, to architecture and dancing. Music is played everywhere in many different forms, both traditional and modern. There is even evidence of this creative inclination in the strong visual branding on the streets, where food carts and other small businesses display striking logos. Indonesia is a photogenic country, with dramatic light and vivid colors. The villages are as memorable as the cities.

During our three-week stay, I fell in love with Indonesian food. While Jona is usually the foodie, this time I was the one counting and fixating on meals. The first morning, as we oriented ourselves in Bali, we ate a "Western" breakfast—the first and last time I did so. Our next meal at a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant or "warung" was a revelation. Most countries cook with a few ingredients at a time. Not so in Indonesia. Meals typically include nine ingredients, and in Bali twelve, including a healthy dose of chilies and other spices. It's like a succession of small sensory explosions in your mouth; an adventure for your taste buds. The national dishes of Nasi Goreng (fried rice with egg and chilies) and Mie Goreng (fried noodles with egg and chilies) were simple yet delicious, as were other dishes like Gado Gado (vegetables, egg, and peanut sauce). Why Indonesian food isn't more popular around the world is a mystery I have yet to solve.

Getting around Indonesia is an adventure in itself. Take your pick of scooters, cars, rickshaws, tuk-tuks, buses, trains and horse-drawn carriages. We flew into the beautiful new airport at Denpasar in Bali and navigated around the island in Ubers. Yes, Uber operates in Indonesia. It made life very easy, because we could avoid the language barrier and know how much the ride would cost before getting in. While Uber is commonplace in Jakarta (and even has strong local competition in Grab), drivers are encountering stiff resistance in other cities like Bali and Yogyakarta. Taxi drivers resent the online services and resort to dirty tricks (like placing fake orders), as well as the occasional bout of violence (beating up drivers). The taxis are OK, but they are significantly more expensive and drivers here tend to get up to the same shenanigans as back home. Buses are popular and cheap. Thanks to some fantastic blog posts, we were able to take public buses and trains within and between cities. I will never forget our trip to the magnificent Prambanam Temple on a bus during rush hour or our train ride through the rice field terraces from Yogyakarta to Bandung. Flights are also affordable and decent: we flew AirAsia from Bali to Yogyakarta and Garuda from Jakarta to Singapore. The only options we didn't explore were scooters (too crazy and dangerous), tuk-tuks (too small) and horse-drawn carriages (the poor horses didn’t look too healthy or happy).

As we move on to the next leg of our journey, I look back on our time in Indonesia with great fondness. It is not really a destination, but rather an experience. Despite being overrun with foreign tourists (thanks a lot, Elizabeth Gilbert!), Bali was beautiful. Yogyakarta, though, was our favorite place to stay, with equal doses of culture, history and entertainment. We will never forget the traditional Ramayana Ballet performed in front of Prambanam or the stone carvings at Borobudur. Bandung was less thrilling, but we'll always remember our walk in the monsoon rains. Last, but not least, we'll smile at the memory of Jakarta, that other crazy busy city that never sleeps. I hope to return to Indonesia one day but, in the meantime, have a cup of Java on me.