Yogyakarta True Asia Never Ends in Recall of a Child 7 years old **

I'm an Advisor in General Insurance

Now you read my first publishing in this blog. The blog talk about my business : serving i.e. car insurance, home insurance, Property All Risk, Contractor All Risk and so for. Recently my job is an advisor in general insurance of Takaful. PT Syarikat Takaful Indonesia as its Holding Company has 2 subsidiaries PT ATU whom core business in general insurance and PT ATK in life insurance. Takaful Insurance was founded in August 1994 and be the first shariah insurance company in Indonesia.

Where am I from?

Yogjakarta is the city in Central of Java Island. The city always maintain cultural traditions and is recognized as a center of Javanese culture with Solo, 63km east from Yogyakarta. These both cities are still standing royal Javanese (Sultanate), not as a political force but as the current ruler of the Javanese culture.

YOGYAKARTA is my birth place. My Mom gave birth in the Bethesda Hospital at Sudirman street, just  500 meters west from my home.  My house at the edge of Solo (Urip Sumoharjo) street near Rahayu Bioskop building in kampung Purbonegaran.  My father was a settled foreigner from South Sumatera who studied at the Faculty of FIPA of Gadjahmada University and my mother is a native resident. I grew into 'wong yogjo' as my father's metamorphosis of “Wong Palembang” shape slowly but surely changing himself into “Wong Yogjo.”  He so love Yogyakarta and never move. Instead I have lived in my father's hometown, Palembang, for 5 years before settling in Jakarta.

At that time, along the road of Solo street and Sudirman street, from State Islamic Institute/IAIN (State Islamic University now) until Gondolayu Bridge, grew tamarind (Asam Jawa) trees tens years old so that gives coolness in the daytime. Even around 300 meters east of my house there was a giant tree "Randu Alas" which age of 100-year estimated. Stem diameter more than 2 meters and only about 20 meters from edge of street (the former location of the giant tree is currently in the northwest corner Futsal field – across BCA Bank Yogyakarta at Urip Sumoharjo street). When evening, the sound of natural harmony –sound of birds, bat, swallow and others. Their lives were not disturbed, because the car or motorcycle was relatively small amount, more Becak (rickshaws), bicycles and Andong (horse-drawn carriage).

Every morning the road in front of my house passed by Becak, Andong and ox carts (Gerobag Sapi) carrying agricultural goods from villages in Sleman and Prambanan to markets in Yogyakarta. I often ride this Ox Charts from my home and down in front Ambarukmo Palace Hotel, the speed is much slower than a bicycle but very sensational because walking while swaying. When backing home I and my playmates had to walk along as far as 4 KM.

 
Two Ox carts (Gerobag Sapi) in rural of Yogyakarta passing village road.

Rivers became my favorite places for fishing Wader, Kuthuk, Cethul, Tin Head, Catfish and shrimp which hide in the rocky riverbed and sand. There was no plastic or paper waste. Every morning and afternoon people come to bathe in the river or "mbelik" (small source-waters).  In area of ​​rice fields east of campus IAIN there was 6 mbelik. After school at primary school SD Balapan (Rear DUTA Photo at Solo street) I used all day cruising and fishing along the river from the nearby Train Garage PENGOK up to ‘Kupel’ east of the Law Faculty of Gadjahmada University (also called "Lembah"). It was still a lot of paddy fields and Bong (Chinese cemetery). My hobby fullfilled when my family moved to SAPEN the village near Gadjah Wong River. I was satisfied cruising along the River.  At that time, the place was still natural with a vast of paddy fields and rubber plantations in east Timoho.

Population settlements in the area Kotagede

The shadows of vibrant Yogyakarta in the past

Atmosphere Sudirman street- west of Gondolayu Bridge in the past was shady by tall trees.
Now enter kampoeng Cokrodiningratan, district Jetis.

Notice in the distance standing Tugu – the icon of Yogyakarta and in the foreground Abdi Dalem Kraton rode bicycle. Around him now is Hotel Santika Premiere.   

  Kreteg Kewek Bridge from the southwest (Hotel Garuda)
Looks branch rail lines
Railway and Kota Baru residential background and the Katholic Seminary Building.
Vaguely reads:
Lucht Photo KNIL.

TUGU YOGYAKARTA – Dimly in the distance read TOKO SEN at Mangkubumi street to Malioboro. In 1992  I had a lathe machine block (Kotter) for my HONDA GL 100 motorcycle. Is the shop still being? Under the big tree (right) looks Ice Depot Pasar Kranggan direction.

Mangkubumi street in 1948.

I can be recognized from the form of sidewalks like I saw in 1980s. At the east side there was no shops
except near TUGU YOGYAKARTA.

White nameplate can be read "KEDAULATAN RAKYAT " on the left side. The sidewalk on the right side is currently a slow lane.

Big Post Office dan BANK INDONESIA buildings in KM NOL (downtown).

This photo was taken from Gedung Agung (the Presidential Palace). Across the BI Building was yard of Fortress Vreedeburg. I still remember in 1972 the road to the left (Panembahan Senopati street)  into the branch office of Bumiputera Insurance decorated with lush trees that evening sky was audible frenzied sound stork, swallow and bat. In 1976 Monument of Yogya Kembali was built just across from Post Office. The whole roads were 2-way without Traffic Light. See car and becak drove toward the left while now definitely banned.