8/14 -- Fly to Yogyakarata, Begin Exploration

We left the hotel at 7am to catch a flight to Yogyakarta, about 400 miles away near the south coast of Java. We will be here 4 nights, exploring the area. When the plane landed, it was time for lunch and we went to an off-the-beaten-path restaurant with a sort of a dim-sum theme. Servers approached each of us and offered a variety of delights: rice, curried vegetables, sauteed papaya leaves, beef satay, fish, bbq chicken, etc. I passed on several options but ended up stuffed anyway. Dessert was ice cream and a kind of fat pancake cooked on only one side that was better than it looked.

Inner Courtyard at hotel/restaurant

After lunch, we explored the restaurant, which is also a boutique hotel, and wandered across the street to observe the rice harvest. Three women were working together -- two cutting the rice stalks off at the bottom and one separating the rice from the straw with a simple but ingenious machine powered by a pulley and a bicycle peddle. We got a chance to chop down a few sheaves ourselves. I personally was very glad I didn't have to cut more than 2.

Nearly ripe rice

Winnowing machine has a bunch of spikes on a rotating cylinder
powered by foot pedal. Very clever.

Attempting to cut rice. Nasty job.

 When we finished 'helping' with the rice  harvest, we headed off, by bus and rickshaw, to a nearby village that has a crafting focus.

Another rickshaw ride.

Planting rice. Another nasty job.

 Our first stop was to learn about these three ladies (one sort of hidden in the right background) who are making bamboo baskets, starting with bamboo sticks that must be separated into thin strands. The basket top remains loose and the shopper  holds it closed around her purchase.

Arinto showing shopping baskets made by
these ladies. They are all stripping bamboo
to prepare it for weaving.

Next up was a factory decorating pre-made terra cotta vases.  They use mirrors or painted glass mosaics. On the scraps, we could see that one side of the glass was painted and the clear side placed facing out. They paint the vase a coordinating color to begin.

This group is decorating vases. An artisan
can make two of these in one day.

 Then came textiles. Elaborate prints had raised detail added to make it look fancier.

Printed cloth with glue designs overlaid.

Workers adding the glue design to the colored fabric.

This men's head covering has the same kind or raised 'glue' details.

Jim modeling a typical head covering.

 A pottery project like this is normally an order for a wedding. In the background of the photo below, you can see 1 larger and 2 smaller cylinders. These are a matching table and stools which have been hand-painted. A set of one table and four stools sells for $60.

Hand painting little vases intended to be wedding favors.

Candle holders for the wedding - the raised design on the right
one has been painted on the left one.

Interesting sculpture tucked away in the background

Home or storage buildings in the village

Lamb snacking on mango leaves.

 The artist below makes fiberglass moulds to cast his figures.

Artisan working on a plaster cast that is
intended for a new airport wing.

Then it was back to the bus and on to the hotel, which is very nice. In addition to delicious orange juice, we were faced with a selection of very small snacks and desserts -- about a bite or 2 each. There is also a spa here and several of us competed to get appointments at times we liked on the day we will have the  most free time. The prices are more than reasonable -- my 90 minute massage will cost about $21 plus tip.