Postcrossing Blog

Once again, we give the Little Mail Carriers’ cousin center stage, so that he can finish telling you about his adventures in Indonesia (here’s part one in Jakarta, if you missed it)!

The Yogyakarta meetup was slightly different because it was not just for Postcrossing members but for all mail lovers… even Indonesian Post attended!

The meetup was held in Indonesia Education Museum (Museum Pendidikan Indonesia) at Yogyakarta State University (Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta), and was opened by Vice-Regent of Sleman Regency, who symbolically signed a postcard.

It was really exciting for me to attend what was the largest meeting in Yogyakarta so far. Everyone was really friendly and took the time to introduce themselves and exchange gifts! :)

After that, we went straight to the post office, to have a look and mail some cards! Did you know that pillar boxes are orange in Indonesia? Neat!

The next day we visited Vredeburg Fort (which means Peace Fort). It used to be a military fortress, but these days it’s been restored and turned into a museum. Inside of the former barracks there is a collection of historical photographs, historical objects and replicas.

Street food in Indonesia is unbelievably delicious, I couldn’t get enough of it! This is mendoan, which is basically soy bean that has been yeast fermented for around to 2 days. When it’s sticky enough, flour and spices are sprinkled on it, and then it’s fried. Nom nom nom!

I also visited the souvenir heaven in the corner of Malioboro street, one of Yogyakarta’s main shopping streets. There were a lot of miniatures there that were just the right size for me, yay!

We got the chance to watch a lady painting batik, a traditional art in Indonesia which UNESCO has classified as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Wax must be applied to the cloth before it is dipped in color, so that the design can be unveiled once the wax is removed. It was wonderful to see, such attention to detail! The lady explained to me that batik must be painted diligently, neatly, and patiently.

I had gudeg for my last meal in Indonesia. It’s a jack fruit stew, served with rice and chicken, and it’s also the signature dish of Yogyakarta. I must have gained at least 20 grams here… I can’t seem to stop myself! :)

And that’s a wrap! Indonesia is so huge and diverse… I regret not having more time to properly explore it, but at the same time, I’m grateful for the amazing opportunity! :) A big thank you to Yanita, Aisha, Tintin, Ari, Dewi, Tascha, Dhani, Maya, Fathia, Sekar, and Fatima who welcome me warmly and took some very nice pictures for me!