Absorb yourself in history with a
becak ride through the old city. Historically, Solo or Surakarta has been a centre of
power in Central Java. In 1745 the Mataram court was transferred here
from Kota Gede,
and, since then, the city has built on its reputation as a cultural
hub. From Solonese dance, wayang puppetry through to hand-crafted batik
Solo remains a city that prides itself on its artistic traditions of
elegance and refinement.
Today, Solo is part of the province
of Central Java. With a population of over 550,000 people, Solo is a
densely populated city. But while people may live close together there
are no high rise buildings, so this city has a community atmosphere that
is difficult to find in any other city in Indonesia.
Get Around
The handiest way to get around
Solo is by becak. The compact size of the city means walking is an
option however the streets are crowded and noisy and not well paved.
Bicycles
are a good option for those who are willing to brave the traffic and
can be rented from tourist offices in town. For a more traditional
experience, try renting a horse drawn carriage.
Taxis
are available though they can be difficult to find away from the main
tourist areas. Rental cars are available for hire and can be organized
through some of the bigger hotels in Solo.
Get There
Solo
has a large airport, the Surakarta-Adi Sumarmo Wiryokusumo International
Airport, which has daily flights traveling from most major cities
throughout Indonesia. International flights also fly from here to
Malaysia and Singapore. AirAsia flies from Kuala Lumpur to Solo and
SilkAir from Singapore.
From Yogyakarta,
you can travel to Solo by express minibus which takes around one hour.
The cheaper but more crowded public buses also travel by this
route. Night buses travel from Jakarta to Solo and take around 12
hours.
The train goes regularly between Solo and Jakarta
and the trip takes between 11-12 hours. The train continues to
Surabaya. Domestic airlines that fly in and out of Solo include Garuda
Indonesia, Lion Air, and Sriwijaya Air.
Batik Solo: Keeping The Tradition Alive
The two famous traditional cloths
produced in Solo are batik and lurik. Batik is an important icon of
Indonesian culture. The batik which comes from the areas around Solo and
Yogya is known as court batik. Traditionally the colors used in this
batik are blue to symbolize earth, brown to symbolize fire and white to
symbolize air and water. Batik Solo uses sogan (chocolate brown) on a pale yellow background.
If you’re shopping for batik in Solo
try Pasar Klewer, a textile market with a bewildering array of batik.
Prices here can be almost half what you would pay in a store. The
selection of prints on sale can be overwhelming so remember to keep
focused on exactly what you want. It is best to go shopping here as
early as you can as it gets hot and crowded quickly.
Bargaining skills are essential and
all part of the fun. The price will vary depending on the quality of the
cloth, the process, the amount of detail, the quality of the dye and
the presence of any defects.
Serabi Solo
Solo has a yummy snack to satiate your
craving for some sweet goodness called Serabi Solo. Don't confuse this,
however, with the other types of Serabi offered on the island of Java.
This snack is basically made with rice flour mixed with coconut milk and
then fried similarly to the way pannekoek (Dutch pancakes) is fried.
Some variations include toppings such as bananas, chocolate sprinkles,
cheese or even jackfruit. Just watch out for those calories because once
you start munching, you just can't stop!
See more traditional Solo dishes: http://www.indonesia.travel/gb/en/trip-ideas/5-traditional-dishes-in-solo-that-are-simply-irresistible (Indonesia.travel)
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