The buzz of the fan hummed through the air, the kettle began whistling. I turned it off and poured myself a coffee. We were doing as the locals do today – staying inside until the midday heat begins to cool off. We spent the morning planning some upcoming trips and finishing some work. It was late afternoon by the time we got outside and we were getting cabin fever. Malioboro Street is the main tourist drag in Yogya, a place for hawkers and peddlers to tout their wares, hassling anyone who looks remotely foreign. Prices are at least double here, the quality at least half what you can usually find. Still, it was worth an explore.
About 20 minutes later and we arrived. We had no doubts where we were. The streets were busy with tourists, locals passing through, food stalls cooking, men selling cold water bottles. The clip clap of horses could be heard over the constant beeping of horns, as horse drawn carriages drove up and down the street. Shops upon shops upon shops, a huge mall, a Starbucks, a KFC, it was all here on Malioboro Street. The sunset turned everything gold, and the smell of food began to fill the air. We made it through the crowds to the end, before turning back the way we came. It was good to see, but we didn’t want to stay.
We stopped to eat at a little garden restaurant, enjoying some Nasi Goreng (as vegan as I can find out here), before enjoying a night cap at a little coffee shop. Despite the mayhem of Malioboro St, Yogya has such a cool atmosphere. A laid back vibe that makes it easy for you to feel at ease here. We’re settling into quite a little routine.
