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More Jakarta
Java: Day two.

Spent some more time in Jakarta seeing the local sights and preparing for a trip to Yogyakarta in central Java.

I'm woken up by an echo-y recording of someone singing: it's the Muslim call to prayer, Athonk tells me when he comes by for breakfast. Throughout this trip, I hear a chorus of these recordings - five times a day at the appointed time for prayer. Indonesia's not only the world's fourth most populous country, it's also got the largest Islamic population too.

Buses are great here - there's a constant stream of vendors walking through the aisle, and street musicians come in and sing for change as you bounce along. In this town, it seems that everybody's hustling to get by. There's a constant, restless motion that's fascinating.

Went to check out bootleg Video CDs with Athonk - the preferred choice of movies for most of the 3rd world. You can get current hollywood films for under a buck, things are bootlegged so fast it'd spin your head. Far out.
It's kinda like "Mystery Science Theatre" - many films are videotaped at a theatre, so if you watch closely, you can sometimes see the heads of audience members.

Naturally, seeing a Westerner with a pocket full of change really caught the vendors' attention - "Hey! Hey! Mister!" Just chill out, huh?

Athonk points out a local landmark, a huge tower crowned with gold leaf. Publically known as "Monas" - 'Monument National' or more colorfully and colloquially known as "Suharto's Last Erection". "We're still waiting for the earthquake" says Athonk.

I spot a few broken windows. "Riots" notes Athonk. The recent monetary crisis (or "Krisis Moniter", Krismon) and elections led to some massive demonstrations.

Then on to check out from the hostel, and hit the train station. It's great having someone who knows the ropes to help me navigate around here, I'd be totally lost otherwise.

The train takes off around 8pm, and is so bumpy it's almost impossible to sleep.

We get in to Yogyakarta at about 3am. We grab a taxsi to Athonk and Laine's house and crash hard.

Next: 'Yogya' fun