Any visitor to Jogjakarta knows that must see attractions in the region are Borobudur & Prambanan Temples.  But sadly most visitors never know that they should visit Prambanan’s neighbor—Rato Boko’s Palace ruins.

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.

The Javanese in Indonesia make the world's most intricate wax-masked batik.  Most batik comes from the Javanese artists around Jogjakarta. Some is still done the traditional way—hand-drawn with wax pens by Javanese women batik artists. 

Batik is an almost world-wide phenomena, so everyone thinks they know what it is.  To most people it’s nothing more than highfalutin tie-dyed fabric.  That’s why it’s so hard to get people to appreciate the breathtaking amount of work that goes into Javanese batik.

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. 

Keep watching this blog & you will have an opportunity to go on a cultural photo tour where you can set up your tripod in the same place where mine was when I took these images.  Wait & see if the sunrise you witenss is more spectacular, or your skills better, so that you produce better images than mine!  

You’re going to want to stay tuned after viewing this.  I’m not just telling you about a very cool place I visited to photograph.  This is a world-famous site where I hope to lead YOU to photograph in the months to come.