Jogjakarta, in Central Java, Indonesia, may be the world capital of batik textiles, but that’s not the only handicraft that Jogja holds in its cards.  The Javanese are masters of fine detail in all their handcrafts.  So, any visit to Jogja is not complete without a visit to its SE suburb, Kota Gede where Indonesia’s best silversmiths show off their magic.

Javanese hand-drawn (batik tulis—pronounced BA-teek TOO-lis) has been around for hundreds of years, especially around Jogjakarta, Indonesia.  Reportedly in the 1920s someone found a way to streamline this labor-intensive process of wax masking cotton cloth with intricate designs & patterns.

A cycle ride through the Java countryside brings us to a traditional market where all the Javanese villagers around Borobudur do their shopping.  

The Muslim halal meat seller works with her basic tools—a simple butcher’s knife & a well-used scale. 

Everyone goes to Borobudur—the largest ancient Buddhist shrine in the world—and to the hotels & shops immediately around it.  But within a couple kilometers of the shrine, if you head in the right directions, you’ll soon get into Javanese village settings almost untouched by outsiders. 

Stay tuned!  You could be photographing these same scenes when you sign up for a soon-to-be-announced workshop to be held next year.  We won't only be visiting Borobudur shrine; we will also focus on the Javanese villagers in her rice farming vicinity.