A Short Visit to Solo (Surakarta)

Train from Yogjakarta to Solo

Our friends encouraged us to travel to Solo (Surakarta), since we had only spent an afternoon there almost 40 years ago. We had a friend to introduce to a new city and off we went. From Yogjakarta to Solo is a short trip. Forty years ago we travelled by bus, but this time it was via a short a/c commuter train at a cost of 20,000 (IDR).


We arrived late in the morning, checked in at our hotel (Hotel Indah Jaya) and went immediately by taxi to a section of the city specializing in batik clothing. It was a Sunday and many of the stores were closed (a weekend day off). the store we were interested in was not there. We got two pedicabs (one pedicab operator called for another, but only by clapping....yelling is frowned upon).

A Solo Pedicab

One driver was extremely frail, but he took Lina and Liz. Several km later and 20 minutes of furious pedeling we arrived at the Batik Keris factory  (a large modern manufacturing facility specializing in the export trade). It was closed (Sunday). We felt like were were in the Amazing Race (little did I know I would be checking into a hotel the next night where the man in front of me had an Amazing Race staff luggage tag). After we got down from the pedicabs, they (the pedicab drivers) made the great escape. Two security guards  came to our assistance.

Helpful Security Guards

They phoned for a taxi. While waiting we had a conversation in broken Indonesia (ours), Malay (Lina) and English (guards).

We decided to abandon our quest for cheap batik and headed off to the Batik Keris showroom in central Solo. I purchased two hand print batik shirts and drooled over a hand painted batik shirt. Liz found one blouse. Even though I have lost significant amounts of weight, broad shoulders are still not easily accounted for in Indonesia patterns. Maybe another 10kg will solve that problem.

We went outside to find some food. A street cart vendor satisfied our desires. A crisp crepe like confection. We now knew we were in the right city for food.

The food vendor

Sampling food

It began to rain and we found refuge outside of a bank. We sat for about 30 minutes observing locals escaping from the weather.

A rain storm

The Solo Kraton is a prime tourist spot. The staff at the hotel said there was a fair outside the Kraton. We were not disappointed. It was a cross between a densely packed Asian market and a carnival at a US state fair. We again used a pedicab to travel around the crowed grounds. Once we got down from the pedicab we abandoned the idea of visiting the Kraton, but decided to visit the shops near the Pasar Klewer and Batik Kampoong (this spelling came from a Solo Tourist map). A restaurant provided a respite from another rainshower. We had a nice soto ayam (chicken soup). Afterwards we wandered through Batik Kampoong. It lived up to its name with numerous Batik clothing shops and small factories. Lina purchased material for a Malay baju kurung, which takes a minimum of 4 meters of cloth. Finally we purchased a supply of snacks for our return trip to Bandung. Our favorite was a cracker made from carmelized palm sugar with roasted peanuts on top.

Because of the weather, and the short period to time we spent in Solo, we were unable to taste the food recommended by our friends.  However with AirAsia and cheap fares we will be able to return to Solo for less the $110 USD r/t ++++(taxes, fuel surcharge, booking fee, luggage fee, etc), but still cheap if you plan in advance.  Several days may be required to sample the food, go to the villages where  batik is made, and visit the weekend market where batik is sold by the makers.