Traveling in Semarang Within a Day

 

It's around 8:00 am when I came down in front STEKOM Baru, it's near Krapyak highway gate, and the Giri Indah Bus which I rode entering Semarang highway because it'll heading to Solo. I thought that I'll be come down in the downtown of Semarang. Luckily, it's next to Semarang Rapid Bud Shelter. I decided to take the bus, because the ticket officer said that this bus will pass Simpang Lima and Tugu Muda (Lawang Sewu). It looks quite vacant on the bus. I only saw a few persons and some students who want to go to school, maybe because it was a Saturday the third Saturday on the beginning year of 2012. It only cost 3,500 Rupiah to take a Semarang Rapid Bus, and less than 200 minutes I got to stop at the nearest shelter of Tugu Muda.

The first object I have to visit is Lawang Sewu, the iconic historical building in Semarang. I saw some visitors on this morning. Several freelance officers within ID card hanging on are standing on the gate waiting for visitors to be guided around the old building owned by PT. KAI. The entrance ticket is 10,000 rupiah and for the guide service is 30,000 rupiah in each group. For me, it’s a bit expensive to pay 40,000 rupiah alone. Finally I decided to wait for other visitors to join, so that it can be cheaper for me to pay the guide. Anyway, the entrance ticket is excluding the ticket to get into the basement sanitary corridor which cost the same as well.

A bit long to wait another visitor who roughly fit for me to join, finally there are 4 mid aged women who also just arrived in Semarang allow me to join them. So lucky, they pay the guide, while I only pay the entrance ticket only. But, I should be their artisan photographer instead, never mind.

Taman Sari, Yogyakarta Water Castle

On Christmas holidays in 2011 I went to Yogyakarta. I was going to Fort Vredeburgh and Taman Sari Water Castle at first. Although I often pass through those two sites when in Yogya, but I've never been come inside. But, at this time I just had Taman Sari Water Castle to visit. Might be next time I'll come inside to Vredeburgh Fortress if I come back to Yogya. Taman Sari Water Castle is not far from the Kraton of Yogyakarta (Sultan's Palace), you could walk from Kraton to the South. Entrance ticket is only 3,000 rupiah for a local tourist while for foreign tourist is 7,000 rupiah.

Originally Taman Sari is a pennant (springs) used by Prince Mangkubumi (Sultan Hamengku Buwono I) to determine the establishment of Ngayogyakarta palace in 1755. Then Taman Sari was built in 1758-1765, as the project leader is Tumenggung Mangundipuro which the costs borne by the Regent of Madiun. As compensation, Region of Madiun was exempt from paying taxes. Taman Sari building is acculturation of European Portuguese, Hindu, Javanese, and Chinese culture due to the architect is a Portuguese who known as Demang Tegis by the local people. (wikipedia)

Jalan-jalan ke Candi Gedong Songo

Jam 7 pagi saya sudah siap melanjutkan trip Semarang saya. Nunggu bus kota disebrang SPBU Masjid Agung tempat saya numpang tidur. Pagi itu saya bareng dengan pasangan ibu bapak usianya sekitar 60 tahunan yang mau mengunjungi anak dan cucunya di Magelang. Sepertinya mereka lebih cocok saya panggil budhe dan pakdhe. Dari sebrang SPBU ini saya harus ke terminal Terboyo yang letaknya persis di samping Rumah Sakit Islam Universitas Sultan Agung. Kemudian lanjut dengan bus Sumber Waras jurusan Jogja. Dengan ongkos IDR 6.000, Semarang – Ambarawa ditempuh 1,5 jam karena bus banyak berhenti mengangkut penumpang, walhasil berdiri dan desak-desakan di dalam bus. Jam 9.30 saya turun di pertigaan monumen Palagan Ambarawa, tak jauh dari pasar Ambarawa. Tujuan saya kali ini Museum Kereta Api Ambarawa dan Candi Gedong Songo.