Tea with Sultan Humengko Buwono X

This morning I met up with Jess K & Erinn and we went to the breakfast market at uni. I had no idea it was so big! There were stalls and stalls of food, jewellery, clothes, toys, everything! Lots of people too, we got there a bit after eight and a lot of the food was selling out (gotta get in early). It was really nice tho, had a great chicken and rice curry, the others had peanut vegie dishes and we sat on mats on the floor to eat it (called lesehan, its where there are low tables and bamboo mats, more often than not eating with your fingers). After that Jess and I headed down to Malioboro and the Kraton, the sultans palace. I'd been there last year and Jess too a couple of years ago, but we were told that theres a second entrance to the side so we decided to check that out instead. It was great! I cant believe it- we spent ages walking around, there were heaps of buildings and courtyards and displays- how many people must miss that just cos they go to the front entrance! (Which wasnt much, last time we covered it in about 15 mins). We also saw a Javanese dance performance, got interviewed and signature requests from about 20 high school girls, had afternoon tea with the Sultan.... nah not that last bit... it was interesting, but I forgot my camera. I used to carry it round just in case that photographic opportunity arose... but now its raining all the time, it puts a real dampener on things! (hahaha...)
Exciting day, I also discovered that someone goes around and turns on all the street lights. Manually. And that a packet of Berocca performance only costs $3. And that Antarctica makes up 90% of earths fresh-water supply.