Most Indonesian wayang golek wooden puppets have a faint resemblance to real humans.  In my last blog I showed you one example in Putro Wayang Workshop of a Javanese woman puppet that moved toward realism.

Not far from the southern gateway through the fort walls of the Jogjakarta sultan’s palace one comes to Prawirotaman Street—long a famed hangout for backpacker tourists.  But these days there’s an increasing number of higher grade hotels, restaurants & even antique shops on Jalan Prawirotaman.

The Javanese of Indonesia are world renowned for their wayang kulit shadow puppets.  To their west are the Sundanese who prefer wayang golek wooden puppets—no screen, no shadow, just let us see the puppets.

There's just 7 days left for you & your friends to get in on the 2013 Java-Bali Photo Tour

The island of Java, in Indonesia has been documented to have the most fertile soil in the world. The volcanic soil here grows rice like crazy. Where there’s abundant food people have time to do more than just look for dinner & culture thrives.  

Many Javanese have long been freed up to delve deeply into the arts.  Batik, filigree silver making, ornate wood carving—some of the world’s best of these can be found in Java.  And then, there’s wayang kulit shadow puppet theatre!

When the Dutch colonized Java in modern-day Indonesia they struggled with the equatorial heat.  They eventually figured out that the high volcanoes of Java provided cool temperatures—if you could get there.  So they built roads into the highlands & then developed hill stations where they could retreat.

Sapeken--remote old port at the eastern end of the Kangean archipelago, north of Bali, Indonesia. 

As magic hour was coming on, we took a stroll circumventing Sapeken--only 1 kilometer across--to see the people who live on this remote but crowded island.  

As we started walking we saw the inevitable Indonesian small-scale entrepreneurs setting up in the late afternoon to sell Sapeken treats. 

The first time I came to the remote Kangean Archipelago—NNE of Bali—in Indonesia I yearned to take a peak at the untouched coral reefs & other underwater life there. 

Several of you have been asking for more details about the upcoming Java-Bali Photo Tour that we’re leading this September 14-21 (25) in Indonesia.

One of the most stunning places to visit in Bali is Ulu Watu Temple in Indonesia.

After watched our little Balinese friend get ready for her dance (see last post), we needed to move back to our car to get on to an appointment. 

But being very schedule-conscience in Bali is not always very useful.