Pieces of batik hang in glass cases in the Batik Gallery at the Jakarta Textile Museum like illustrated pages jumping off history books.
Each piece tells the life stories and legends of a bygone era in Kudus, the smallest district in Central Java.
One piece shows a black-and-white motif of a capsized ship. The unique piece of batik tells the history of Adm. Cheng Ho, who came to Indonesia in the early 1400s. One of his ships capsized just off the coast from Mount Muria, a dormant volcano, washing its cargo and survivors ashore.
The ship’s cargo consisted of exotic spices from around the world that sprouted on the fertile land around the volcano and still grow there today. Its survivors, the admiral’s army, populated the villages below Mount Muria and are the ancestors of the people of Kudus.
Another unique motif from Kudus is Pakis Haji , or Queen Sago Palm, which depicts the palm’s deeply furrowed trunks and lush green foliage.
“Sunan Muria [the guardian of Muria] cut the tree trunk and made it into a cane that accompanied him during his travels across Java to spread Islamic teachings in the 16th century,” said Yuli Astuti, a batik Kudus artisan. “It’s believed that the cane had magical powers.”
Yuli was one of the pioneers who led a batik revival in Kudus in 2005.
Since the early 1900s, batik from Kudus has been famous for its pictorial and calligraphic motifs. It reached its golden era in the 1930s, when Lie Boen Ien and Liem Wie Tjioe, batik artisans of Chinese descent from the northern coastal city of Pekalongan, also in Central Java, relocated to Kudus and set up production centers.
They combined their expertise and knowledge with the local cultural elements of Kudus batik.
“That’s what makes Kudus batik so unique,” Yuli said. “It’s a multicultural product that combines local, Chinese and Islamic elements.”
The Chinese batik artisans developed vibrant flora and fauna motifs in Kudus, such as the ornate buketan , or floral bouquet, and the exquisite merak katelia peacock and Cattleya orchids, designs that can take more than one year to create.
Handmade Kudus batik went into decline with the introduction of printed and hand-stamped techniques in the 1970s. Customers preferred these new varieties because it was much cheaper, due to the shortened production process.
“By the 1980s, Kudus batik was near extinction,” Yuli said. “The young generation chose to leave batik-painting and work in cigarette factories that guaranteed more pay for less work.”
Kudus produces tobacco and cloves and is an important center for cigarette production, with more than 100 factories.
By 2005, there was only one batik artisan left in Kudus, Niamah, who was then 75 years old and did not have any children to follow in her footsteps.
The Kudus district government became concerned and invited embroiderers to Kudus to study batik under Niamah.
However, only about 20 people accepted the offer and attended the free workshop. Even fewer followed through with what they learned at the workshop and seriously pursued the craft.
“But I felt that it was my calling,” Yuli said. “So, after the workshop ended, I came to Niamah’s house almost every day to learn how to paint batik.”
At the end of 2005, Yuli closed down her embroidery shop and opened Muria Batik Kudus, a workshop and production center. To promote her craft, Yuli participated in textile exhibitions in Jakarta.
It was during one of these exhibitions at the Jakarta Convention Center in December 2008 that she met Miranti Serad and Ade Krisnaraga Syarfuan, members of a textile group called Rumah Pesona Kain. RPK was set up in 2005 as an organization for lovers of traditional Indonesian textiles.
The group aims to revitalize Indonesia’s traditional textile industry by training and motivating traditional artisans, reintroducing traditional textiles to the Indonesian market and promoting traditional Indonesian textiles abroad.
“Kudus batik is not only a work of art, but also a cultural product with a deep historical and philosophical meaning,” said Ade, one of the group’s leaders.
“Take the yellow-and-black motif that resembles undulating valleys. It was adapted from the Arabic inscription of ‘Allah.’ The batik reflects the deeply ingrained religious nature of the people of Kudus,” she added.
Ade and Miranti proposed including Kudus batik as part of RPK’s incubation program, which aims to revitalize the production of traditional textiles by training, motivating and funding traditional artisans. Currently, RPK’s program is active in 19 areas the country.
So the two began the job of helping to revive Kudus batik. At the time, the art form had lost much of its originality, so the pair conducted in-depth research and borrowed old pieces from collectors for local artisans to reproduce.
One of the collectors was Hartono Soemarsono, a batik entrepreneur who owns more than 600 vintage pieces from all over Indonesia.
“Kudus batik is a rare find,” he said. “It has exquisitesogan [brownish] hues like Yogyakarta and Solo batiks, yet they have more descriptive patterns.”
Fourteen of Hartono’s pieces of Kudus batik from the 1930s and the 1940s are now on display at the Jakarta Textile Museum until the end of the month.
“They’re very difficult to make,” Ade said. “The original motifs are very detailed and intricate. It takes between three and eight months to create them.”
RPK promotes the final products of all that effort in various textile expos in Indonesia and abroad. The groups has also invited a number of high-profile Indonesian designers to create collections using the textile.
Fashion designer Barli Asmara is one of them. The designer presented his collection “Pesona Batik Kudus” at Graha Bimasena in South Jakarta at the end of March.
“Kudus batik is still underexposed,” Barli said. “It’s not as famous as batik from Yogya, Solo or Pekalongan. Yet, it actually has very beautiful motifs that could be turned into chic outfits.”
Barli combined Kudus batik with intricate tobacco motifs, lace and brocade and made them into stylish dresses and flared skirts.
He also combined the batik with vibrant butterfly motifs, chiffon and taffeta to create elegant jackets.
“I wanted the young generation to realize that Kudus batik can also look young and trendy for their daily wear,” Barli said.
The designer’s work is on display at the RPK gallery in Epicentrum Walk in South Jakarta.
With so many exhibitions and fashion shows, Kudus batik has enjoyed a newfound popularity.
In April, Djarum, one of the country’s largest cigarette producers, which is based in Kudus, ordered 70,000 pieces of batik from Yuli for employee uniforms.
“It’s a special batik that incorporates traditional Kudus motifs, including tobacco leaves, cloves and shipwrecks,” Yuli said.
This year, the Kudus district government passed a regulation that requires all civil servants to wear local batik every Wednesday and Friday.
“Hopefully, this regulation will help to support the growth of the local batik industry,” Yuli said.
With growing demand, the industry has once again expanded and attracted young artisans.
Today, Yuli employs 40 paid artisans at her workshop. In her spare time, she organizes free batik workshops for students from elementary school to high school.
Talented participants from the workshops could get the chance to be hired as artisans for Yuli’s workshop. One of the newest hires is 21-year-old Malihatun. After graduating from high school in 2009, she took part in a workshop to learn how to paint batik.
“I love drawing,” she said. “So, painting batik is a way to channel my hobby.”
After she completed a three-month training course, she was asked to join the workshop full time. Malihatun jumped at the opportunity.
“I was so happy,” she said. “I am able to make a living out of what I like doing best.”
Some of her friends chose to work in the cigarette factories in Kudus, but Malihatun never looked back.
“I’m so proud of what I’m doing,” she said. “I’m actually creating a fashion product for people to wear.”
A high point for Malihatun came when she watched her favorite actor, Reza Rahadian, win the Best Actor Award at the Indonesian Film Festival in December last year.
On the television screen, the actor accepted his award in a black batik shirt, featuring a Queen Sago Palm motif that gave away its Kudus origin.
“I recognized it as the batik that we had worked on at the workshop,” Malihatun said. “So, I gathered all my friends and family members in front of the TV. I was so proud. It gave me a deep sense of satisfaction that no amount of money could buy.”
When hearing the name of Bali you might remember going to eksotikan directly attractions, but in Bali is not only famous for its art and culture and its natural beauty, the island of the gods is there a place that could be an option as well as a tourist destination, especially for those looking for a place religion tourism and history, namely Vihara Dharmayana, located in the Kuta area of Bali, since being promoted after the reform era, the Vihara Dharmayana Kuta, Bali, which includes historic buildings, attracting many foreign tourists visit mainly from Korea and Taiwan.many foreign tourists, especially tourists from China visited this place, there is hany a merely curious to those who wish to worship melakaksanakan prayers and other rituals in this oldest temple.
View across the Colosseum
Rome, is the capital city of Italy.
Vatican City, residence of the Pope, is a walled enclave within Rome.
Italy’s capital is an ancient area where the Roman Empire began 2,800 years ago. Notable archaeological buildings, such as the Colosseum, Pantheon and the Forum Romanum ruins, bared witness to the vast civilization that existed centuries ago.
Vibrant modern day Rome is a reflection of its 14th-16th century renaissance period, illustrated by the crowded Piazza Navona, Piazza Popolo and Piazza di Spagna, plus the Piazza del Campidoglio, re-designed by Michelangelo.
The famous Trevi fountain, designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and created by Nicola Salvi (1732), is another popular site for both tourists and locals.
The 18th century Spanish Steps, by Italian architect Francisco de Sanctis, which lead to the lavishly designed French church Trinità dei Monti with magnificent views over Rome, is also another popular meeting place.
The combination of stylish architectural extravagance, vast vociferous crowds and an important church, conjure a vivid picture of Rome, both during the renaissance and today.
However, what is the significance to a blind person? Indeed, even to someone daring to travel with sight loss?
The answers only become apparent once people realize that blind people might wish to travel or, in my case, journey frequently. I’ve spent the last thirteen years travelling solo around the world blind. This came from a desire to be independent and challenge myself.
My girlfriend Tatiana, who I met through my website, is from Greece and is also totally blind.
Since we both live in separate countries, we decided to meet in Rome for four days, as it is approximately half way between Greece and England. In addition, Tatiana is studying Italian and strongly desired to visit Rome.
On 18th July 2011, we met up in the arrivals area of Fiumicino (Leonardo da Vinci) airport. Rome has two international airports – the other is Ciampino.
Most disabled people receive assistance when flying and are usually met at their destination. So, despite both Tatiana and I being blind, we found each other assisted by airport staff. They even helped us catch the airport train into Rome’s centre.
A single ticket currently costs 14 Euros and the journey takes forty minutes. We discovered later that although the bus takes over an hour from the city to Fiumicino, a single ticket only cost 8 Euros.
I’d researched Rome’s attractions and hostel accommodations on the internet previously, with the help of a screen reading software called Jaws.
Therefore, I roughly knew the directions to our reserved accommodation. We met an Australian couple on the train and they kindly assisted us to our hostel, as it was getting late and dark and there were many homeless people and thieves loitering outside Termini train station.
Once at the hostel, a second floor apartment up three flights of stairs and through several heavy doors, we settled in and asked directions to a nearby restaurant to sample Italy’s delicious cuisine.
Tatiana and I both use long canes to negotiate streets, stairs and all other obstacles. We rely on the public, other travellers and hostel staff to help with directions to places and attractions. Travelling is a challenge which is often difficult, but most rewarding when successful.
Why do we travel?
For the sounds, smells, food, music, historical interests we both share. But mainly to meet people and experience the culture.
The next morning we asked for directions to the nearest metro for the Colosseum, Rome’s most famous building. We exited the hostel, turned left and walked along the uneven pavement until we found the first street on our left.
We quickly discovered that Rome’s roads and pavements are uneven and many have cobbles, which caused problems for our canes. We asked directions for the nearest metro in both English and Italian and were eventually guided there by a local.
Once inside, we stood still with our canes until someone asked us if we required a help “companion”. We stated our destination, and were taken to a staff member. Several escalators later, we’d descended into the bowels of the metro and were helped onto the correct train.
Rome currently only has two metro lines, A and B (although line C is under construction). We both knew that the metro and buses would be busy and provided good opportunities for robbery, a common practice in Rome. We kept our valuables close and suffered no incidence. Tatiana counted the stations and listened to the Italian announcements.
At our stop, we pushed our way through the people and alighted. However, as I was stepping off, I slipped and my left leg went between the metro and the platform – a scary moment for both of us. It’s happened to me before and I’m used to incidences occurring having travelled for many years.
But Tatiana is relatively new to the game and it frightened her. However, metro staff rescued me, assisted us out the station and gave us directions to the nearby Colosseum.
Tatiana and Tony outside the Colosseum
Although I’m blind, I like taking photographs. So after refreshments at an adjacent café, we crossed the road by listening for the quiet of traffic and followed the sound of other pedestrians. Once across the road, we discovered a large cobbled open space, which I took for Colosseum Square. We were in direct sunlight, which meant we were away from the shadow of buildings.
I asked a tourist for directions to Constantine’s Arch built (315 A.D.) located on Colosseum square, and another tourist helped me take a picture. We walked forward a few metres before turning right and followed the sound of more people.
We enquired about the line for the Colosseum and were told to continue passed the people, many who’d been standing in the blazing sun for over two hours to buy tickets.Being blind enabled us to skip the line and enter the Colosseum. I showed my disabled bus pass and we were allowed free admittance and received a discount on the audio guide. It’s a hand-held device containing a tactile keypad.
We were taken to the start of the self-guided tour, physically shown the direction to go and informed to complete the audio tour in approximately two hours. We were left beside a stone column on its side near the entrance in a corridor like area underneath the amphitheater. We briefly listened to the audio guide before going in search of our first location.
With our audio guide and cane in one hand and our other linked together, we followed the corridor. I tapped the right hand wall with my cane until I found steps on my right. With confirmation from an American tourist, we ascended the flights of large steep steps, following them until they finished. Once up, we listened to the first commentary about the Colosseum. I took photos of the area, using the walls and pillars as a guide.
The audio guide was somewhat confusing, as it gave no directions to each place relating to the commentary. Initially, I was unsure if we were on the correct level, and when we asked other tourists for the numbers relating to the audio guide, nobody understood our request. Eventually, we met a tourist with a map corresponding to the guide and the lady helped us to the next place.
The upper gallery gave views over the Colosseum’s arena where circus animal entertainment and gladiatorial contests occurred. The animals and gladiators were held in cages and brought into the arena through trap doors in the floor. These doors and underground tunnels are now visible. We continued following the audio guide and feeling the walls and ruins as we went.
I showed Tatiana a huge column and she measured its circumference by walking around it. We located the panoramic terrace, which apparently gave good views towards the Roman forum, Constantines Arch and the ancient Temple of Venus and Roma. We learnt about the seat sectioning according to class with the carved names of important individuals still noticeable in the marble.
The Colosseum’s Construction began in 72 A.D. under Emperor Vespasian and was completed in 80 A.D. under Emperor Titus. It’s considered one of the greatest structures of Roman architecture and engineering. We enjoyed it for its size, rough textures of various building materials, such as stone, brick and marble, and absorbed the information, gaining an impression of the Colosseum at the height of roman imperialism.
We briefly explored the lower level, assisted by a couple of staff members before exiting into the hot blazing sun and returning to the only café in the near vicinity.
Tony and Tatiana at the Trevi Fountain
Later, we visited the Trevi Fountain, one of Rome’s most famous attractions, full of atmosphere and people. We entered the Colosseo Metro and asked about a train to Trevi Fountain. A staff member informed us we needed a bus and took us to one outside the metro entrance.
We told the bus driver our destination and hoped he’d remember as the bus was packed! It was early evening, around 7.00 pm. Two People gave us their seats and another local told us when to alight.
However, we were dropped a few streets from the fountain in question. Tatiana asked in Italian and eventually we found someone who spoke both Italian and English. The lady helped us cross several streets and told us to continue walking straight, the most common advice we received in Rome!
We finally arrived in a pedestrian street with many restaurants and continued asking for the Trevi Fountain. We reached a dead end, the street being blocked by a large van. A local man took us around a barrier and up to Trevi Square.
Tatiana heard the fountain and we walked towards the noise. We pushed through the large crowd and moments later our canes hit a barrier and we were beside the Trevi Fountain.
We followed the voices of several tourists, descended a slight slope, carefully climbed down three irregular shaped stone steps and approached the large rectangular fountain. Tatiana and I sat on the small wall and dipped our fingers into the cool water. The fountain itself was in front of us and slightly to the right. I followed the small wall towards the fountain’s sound and asked a tourist to take our picture.
An American guy described the fountain with ‘the restive sea horse’, a statue of Neptune in a sea shell chariot being pulled by two sea horses, one calm and the other restless, representing the changing moods of the sea. We sat on the small wall and relaxed in the company of the musical Trevi Fountain.
Later, we had dinner in the pedestrian street we had walked earlier. We shared a pizza topped with cheese, tomatoes, mushrooms and Italian sausage, washed down with lemonade, followed by the exquisite ice cream gelato in a nearby parlour.
As we finished our meal, it began to rain – some people would have a wet meal that night!
Restaurant tables are invariably outside and usually consist of wooden tables and chairs, the tables decorated with fine linen, candles and a rose – the Italians appear both friendly and romantic. It was extremely hot both day and night during our stay, hence dining in the open.
We returned to our hostel by bus, locating the bus stop with help from a delightful Irish couple. They were on their honeymoon and exploring Italy.
This is a brief account of the activities of two blind people exploring Rome. An interesting city, full of history, ruins, friendly and helpful Italians, good food and wonderful piazzas and fountains.
Basilica del Voto Nacional
A walking tour of the historic center in Quito is a relaxing way to start your sightseeing in Ecuador’s high-altitude capital city.
Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and considered to be one of the best preserved old towns in Latin America, the neighborhood is full of old churches, plazas, and museums.
I began my walk at the Basilica del Voto Nacional, which is the largest neo-Gothic cathedral in the Americas. A ticket to enter costs $3.
Elevators run up both towers in the front, but I declined them in favor of the stairs. After two flights, and a pounding heart, I remembered that I was 2,800 meters above sea level.
Stained glass inside Basilica del Voto Nacional
By the third or fourth floor, you can take a break and look out from a balcony down the cathedral’s nave. Stained glass windows line the upper walls.
Go a few more flights up, and you’ll be presented with a long, sketchy looking walkway that extends down the length of the nave, and ends with a near-vertical ladder.
Walk up the ladder, and then an even sketchier one to reach a spire in the rear of the cathedral. Just don’t look down and you’ll be fine.
View of Quito from atop the Basilica del Voto Nacional
The rewards of your death-defying cathedral climb are sweeping views of central Quito.
During my visit, I ran into a few other travelers in the spire. Upon asking one of the two 22-year old, blonde, blue-eyed girls to take my photo, we began chatting. One of the girls was from the USA, and the other from Norway.
As we were all starting our walk of the historic center of Quito with the Basilica del Voto Nacional, we joined forces for the remainder of the afternoon.
From the Basilica, we walked a few blocks to the Plaza de la Independencia, which was the true center of the historic center. We didn’t linger too long, and there wasn’t much to see.
I didn’t find the central plaza to be particularly pretty, or any more well preserved than similar places I’d been in Colombian cities.
The gold-painted front door of the Church of La Compañía de Jesús.
Next on my list was the 400-year old Jesuit Church of La Compania de Jesus a few blocks from the main plaza. Entrance is $2, which seems like a minor price to pay for what’s deemed as one of Latin America’s most beautiful churches, but the girls decided to skip it and wait for me outside.
No photography is allowed, however the front door (pictured above) is a good indication of what you’ll see inside.
The entire interior of the church is painted in gold leaf. I’ve seen a lot of old European churches, but none like this one. It was well worth the cost of admission.
Plaza San Francisco
Lastly, I lead our group one block further to the Church of San Francisco, with its large plaza by the same name. By this time, we were still bearing the full strength of the sun from the West, while ominously dark storm clouds began to roll in from the South.
There are a bunch of museums in the old town as well, but I wasn’t too interested in visiting them, nor were the girls. Instead we, caught a cab back to the Mariscal neighborhood where we were all staying just as the afternoon rains arrived.
