a trip to solo

24.12.09, 05:00 AM. Finally after all these years, I went to Solo, again. The last time I went there was... I forget. Maybe when I was on junior high. Or not. Maybe when I was a sixth grader, or fourth grader. I always envy someone who does mudik often. Well it's not really my hometown. It's my parents'. hehe. We went to Solo by car, and I took my turn to drive. Shift #1 hehe. You know, it's kinda weird when you've finally grown up, you have the ability and also responsibility as an adult, and you have to do the same thing as your parents do. In this case: driving. The last time I traveled far away with my parents by car, I was still a young kid. I didn't even know how driving is like. And I didn't take care of anything. The only thing I know was I traveled, being inside the car for a long time, then suddenly I got to the destination. I didn't have to worry about the speed, the trucks, other cars, other passengers. But now, well.. I think it's one way to realize that I'm an adult.


Our first stop was at Pringsewu, Cirebon, for a lunch. By the time we got there, I've been driving for 6.5 hours. Next driving turn was my father's.


Next stop was Semarang. Really, I was sooo sorry that we stopped at Pizza Hut. hmpf..... So it was a very heavy rain and traffic jam. And also flood. And we had no other choice other than that everywhere's restaurant. And you have to know: suddenly the electricity went off. At the restaurant. hahahaha. What a funny beginning. I forgot what time did we finally arrived at Solo, but the only thing I remember was, suddenly it's Christmas day already.


So, Merry Christmas. Happy Holiday. It's time too sleep. he.


After breakfast. We went to my uncle's house, met all those relatives I didn't even remember each. haha.


Lunch time, everyone was eating inside the house; eh, at least grabbing food inside the house before going back to the front yard hehe. So the it became a bit unoccupied. I missed the durian :(

This is what all the trip's about: my uncle's 85th birthday. Old enough, huh? And this is the front elevation of his house. hahaha. Does it have any relation?


26.12.09 Before lunch. Me and my cousin went to Villa Park Banjarsari. I really don't have any idea why the heck did they name the place that way. It just doesn't fit everything about the place. And it has a monument inside the park. A patriotic monument; which makes the name more unfit.


Actually I have another sketch of this monument, but I can't find the file. And I'm too lazy to re-scan the sketch hehe.

The neighborhood's gate.

Boring, sleepy day after lunch. I really didn't know what to do, I was stuck in uncle's home. Everyone said that they need to practice their singing; therefor they need me to play the guitar. But they didn't. And I couldn't go out in case they need me in sudden. How bored it was, that I sketch everything unimportant, then I fell asleep. Hoahm..




Then me and my cousin finally decided to go out, took a walk for a moment.


Unfinished sketch of Bank Indonesia Surakarta. Soon after I started sketching, the unfortunate rain came and my mother called: time to go back to Kepatihan Kulon. Hmpf.


View from the hotel room.

27.12.09 Me and my cousin began the sandal jepit journey walking the city. My first target for today: The famous Perusahaan Roti Orion, where everyone buys local snacks for gifts.


Next target: Pasar Gede a.k.a The Grand Market :D drawing this surely makes my skin goes darker hehe.


After the market here comes the Bank. Redrawing the [also] famous Bank Indonesia Surakarta which competition for its new building was launched few months ago, and the deadline for the competition will be on January 11th hehe. I know it from Pak Gun. So this building is located in one corner of an intersection. On the intersection there are traffic lights. I drew this building from another corner. You have to know. Drawing this is not easy, at all. I've told you that there are traffic lights. Means: cars stopped. And also buses. And it covers my view to the building, so I needed to wait for a few seconds every time the lamp went red. And it also mean, the car, motorcycle, bicycle, becak passangers and drivers stared at me curiously.


Really, I'm so proud of this sketch. I don't mean to brag, but just proving myself that I can do such detailed thing makes me happy :)

Then we continued our sendal jepit journey, only to find a thick wall surrounds a very large area. And we entered the area soon as we found a gate.


This is kinda funny, I guess, for we didn't know what area is that, what buildings are there. No sign, no name, no introduction to the place.. After entering the gate, and still with confusion, we felt the need to find a security a.k.a bapak satpam or someone in uniform or someone that looks in duty and go ask them. We figured out that it's the famous Istana Mangkunegaran haha. Now tell me, how silly it was?


A strange, old, broken building on the backyard of Mankunegaran. Probably it's the army's.


So this is a map that I drew based on.. my memory of the places. And instinct. hehe. I could't find any accurate map at that time, and it's not easy to get the map instantly in the city: the hotel doesn't have it, the museum's guide told us to ask the tourism board, the bookstores were closed - it's holiday. The only city map I saw was the one that hung at the museum's wall, as a decoration.


Another eating place.

28.12.09 The next day, we went seeing the city by car. It's still a sandal jepit journey for me hehe but this time we went to some further places that can't be reached walking. And also, we means me, my cousin, my brother and my parents.


The typical 'angkringan' that we'll find in most trading places in the city. This one sells soto, in front of Pasar Klewer.


The figure of Kyai Raja Mala. It was placed on the head of the ship to scare the enemies. Raja Mala itself is... well.. I don't really know hehe and I don't want to speculate. But as far as I know, the origin word, Mala, means evil. You know, as in 'malapetaka'. Now that makes the name means 'the King of Evil'. So far, this is my favorite sketch :p

Pakubuwono X's ride, displayed at Museum Karaton Surakarta. I was amazed to see its European style and decorations, including the figure of a very European angel there.

What if you went to a school, where its gate is this:


29.12.09 was time to go home. Another loooonggg waaayyy round. And this is our last stop: Rumah Makan Bu Nani, Pekalongan.


Well, not really. We stopped at a gas station after this, actually, where I took my turn to drive. Going fast between the trucks and trailers through the stormy night was great :D