Around Solo in One Day

This is my answer if you ask me what you should do if you only have one day in Solo. My answer is based on my four days experience in Solo during ASEAN Blogger Festival 2013 ABFI2013 .

MORNING

I started the morning having breakfast at Sahid Jaya Hotel's restaurant. But if you want to have more experience, you can step outside the hotel and buy nasi gudeg ceker or nasi liwet which are sold on sidewalk everywhere in Solo. The best place to enjoy Solo's traditional breakfast is probably the sidewalk along Jl Slamet Riyadi, the center of the city. The sidewalk is wide enough for the pedestrian and the merchants and shaded by trees. In Sundays, it becomes car free street so a lot of people and merchants come to share and enjoy place. You can find almost all of traditional and modern food, enjoy a lot of attractions, see some communities or even borrow books from mobile library.

When you already have peace in your stomach, you must ride sepur kluthuk Jaladara. It's an old train, moved by steam power comes from wood combustion. Jaladara cannot be operated anytime because of its particular operation. You must book first for the whole train. It costs Rp 800.000 for one trip. Jaladara moves slowly across the city, becomes a tourist attraction for people along the railway. Just wave your hands and smile.

The excitement continues to a kampung near the Purwosari station where Jaladara stops. It's time to buy souvenirs and the best souvenir from Solo is batik. You can buy batik in Pasar Klewer, PGS and Kauman, but Laweyan is the most recommended place to buy batik. It may not the cheapest place to buy batik, but it's the most reasonable one. Don't forget to bargain!
Although Solo has a lot places to be visited, Solo is actually a small town where you can get to a place from another in a short time. So, you will still have plenty of time to go to Keraton Surakarta. I missed the visit because I had to catch my plane. But from my friends report, I conclude that you must visit Keraton since it's the most important place of Solo's cultural heritage.

AFTERNOON

Although expert says that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but we, Indonesian, does more effort on lunch. Solo gives a lot of choices. You can choose nasi timlo, selat solo or else. I had the opportunity to go to Adem Ayem restaurant in Jl Slamet Riyadi. It's exactly across Loji Gandrung, the official mayor's resident, where I got free dinner the night before. Adem Ayem offers a long list of menus but you should order the fried chicken. The fried chicken is so delicious that the taste will still in your mouth for long. The price is not cheap but it's still reasonable. It's about Rp 125.000 for four persons. I think I had made the correct choice since pak Hermawan Kerjataya, our marketeer mentor, also had lunch in the same place.

I bought serabi which stationed in front of Adem Ayem restaurant for my friends at ASEAN Blogger Festival 2013.  I had to go back to the venue as soon as possible, so I couldn't go anywhere else. But I advice you to buy serabi Notosuman instead, it's far more delicious. I had a chance to buy it at the last day. I like the original or white one so much. The coconut milk makes the serabi so tasty. You can eat the serabi between meals.

Despite cultural heritage, you can also study the human evolution in Solo. How amazing! Actually, Sangiran museum not only gives us the information about human evolution but also the natural disasters which formed the land of Java.If you need to have the clear pictures about what happen many years ago, you can ask the museum guide to explain the history. Although the wall is covered by all information needed but the guide explanation will wrap it up. Souvenirs can be bought outside the museum. I bought watu telo, a stone that break uniquely like steamed cassava, for Rp 15.000.

Before night comes, riding Werkudoro around the city will be nice. Werkudoro is a two level tourist bus. The roof can be opened so we can enjoy the Solo's air as well. I rode Werkudoro at night that time, which I don't recommend it to you. A lot of stores and places are closed early so there are not many to see at night. Evening will be wonderful. But be ready to test your reflex since Solo has done well with its eco city. Trees will slap your face along the journey hahaaa....


NIGHT

Among all attractions, Mangkunegaran Performing Art is the most amazing cultural performance I have ever seen. It's well prepared, awesomely performed and free! Everybody from anywhere can come and enjoy the performance without paying anything. Yet, the performance quality is excellent. The wardrobe, choreography and music (gamelan) are harmonized carefully. They dance and sing amazingly, included very young artists. You can bring the whole family here. Mangkunegaran palace also provides two big screens that can be watch from both sides if you cannot get the appropriate views because of the high enthusiasm of the visitors. Unfortunately, it's not performed everyday, so make sure to check the schedule at Solo's government website.

Dinner will end the day perfectly. Solo gives you unique choices because a lot of places to eat are open around 2-3 am. Who will eat at sleeping hours? Well, Solo people does that. It's up to you to do it either. I had a chance to eat dinner nasi liwet Bu Wongso Lemu and Galabo. Both gives you different experiences. If you want to just enjoy the food, you can go to Jl Teuku Umar, Keprabon. But if you want to mingle with the citizen, you must go to the merrier place, Galabo. A lot of food stalls here. I bought selat solo and manage to take away sego kucing. The prices are cheap.

I was lucky that night because we were entertained by Pecas Ndahe, a old time comedian group. They were sooo funny that no one left their seats despite of raining.
That's one day of the unforgettable Solo I plan for you. It's really worth to try.