Yogyakarta Era 1970 In Memory of a Child Aged 7 Years

YOGYAKARTA City is my birth place. My mother gave birth to me in the Bethesda Hospital at Gen Sudirman street. While my house at that time was at the edge of Solo street (General Urip Sumoharjo street) and just was 500 meters east of the Hospital near Rahayu Cinema building, kampoeng Purbonegaran, district Gondokusuman. 

My father was a settled foreigner from South Sumatera who studied at the Faculty of FIPA UGM and my mother is a native resident. In this city I grew into 'wong yogjo' as my father's metamorphosis of “Wong Palembang” shape slowly but surely changing himself into “Wong Yogjo.”  He so love Yogyakarta and never move. Instead I have lived in my father's home-town, Palembang, for 5 years before settling in Jakarta until now.

at that time, along the road of Solo street and General Sudirman street, from State Islamic Institute – IAIN ((State Islamic University now) until Gondolayu Bridge, grew tamarind (Asam Jawa) trees tens years old so that gives coolness during the hot air in the daytime. Even around 300 meters in the east of my house there was a tree of Randu Alas which age of 100-year estimated. Stem diameter about 2 meters and only about 20 meters from edge of the road. (And now, the former location of the giant tree is currently in the northwest corner Futsal field – across branch office  of BCA Bank Yogyakarta at General Urip Sumoharjo street). When evening, the sound of natural harmony –sound of birds, kelalawar (bat), Walet (swallow) and others. Their lives were not disturbed, because the car or motorcycle is relatively small amount, more Becak (rickshaws), bicycles and Andong (horse-drawn carriage).

Every morning the road in front of my house passed by Becak, Andong and ox carts (Gerobag Sapi) carrying agricultural goods from villages in Sleman and Prambanan to markets in the city of Yogya. The whole roads in Yogyakarta were 2-way without Traffic Light. I often ride this Ox Charts from the front of my house and down in front Ambarukmo Palace Hotel, the speed is much slower than a bicycle but very sensational because walking while swaying. When backing home I and my playmates had to walk along as far as 4 KM.

Rivers even became my favorite places, areas for fishing Wader, Kuthuk, Cethul, Tin Head, Catfish, shrimp and even clear the rocky riverbed and sand, there are no plastic or paper waste. Every morning and evening busy people come to bathe in the river or mbelik (small source-waters).  In area of ​​rice fields just east of campus IAIN moment there was 6 mbelik. After school at primary school SD Klitren Lor I (Balapan) (Rear DUTA Photo at Solo street) I used all day cruising along the river looking for fish from the nearby Train Garage PENGOK up to the eye-water in ‘Kupel’ east of the Law Faculty of Gadjahmada University (also called the valley). It was still a lot of fields and Bong (Chinese cemetery). This hobby fullfilled when my family moved to kampoeng SAPEN the village near Gadjah Wong River. I was satisfied cruising along the River.  At that time, the place was still natural with a vast of paddy fields and rubber plantations to the east Timoho.

Population settlements in the area Kotagede - Yogyakarta

Here is the shadow of the vibrant city of Yogyakarta in the past  :

Atmosphere General Sudirman street- west of Gondolayu Bridge in the past was shady by tall trees.
Now enter kampoeng Cokrodiningratan, district Jetis.

Notice in the distance standing Tugu – the icon of Yogyakarta City and in the foreground Abdi Dalem Kingdom rose Raleigh Bicycles. Around the right of the Abdi Dalem is Hotel Santika Premiere now.

      

 

 Kreteg Kewek Bridge from the southwest (Hotel Garuda)
Looks branch rail lines
Railway and residential background and the beautiful Kota Baru Katholic Seminary Building.
Vaguely reads:
Lucht Photo KNIL.

 

 

TUGU YOGYAKARTA – Dimly in the distance read TOKO SEN at Pangeran Mangkubumi street to Malioboro street. In 1992  I had a lathe machine block (Kotter) for my HONDA GL 100 motorcycle. Is the shop still being? Under the big tree (right) looks Ice Depot Pasar Kranggan direction.

Pangeran Mangkubumi street in 1948.

Can be recognized from the form of sidewalks and on the east side there was no shops
except the tip of the north road near TUGU YOGYAKARTA.

White nameplate can be read "KEDAULATAN RAKYAT " on the left side of the road. The sidewalk on the right side is currently a slow lane.

Big Post Office (right) dan BANK INDONESIA in KM NOL (downtown).

BIG POST OFFICE (right) and BANK INDONESIA in KM ZERO.
This photo was taken from the front of the Gedung Agung (Presidential Palace). Across the Bank Indonesia Building was yard of Fortress Vreedeburg. I still remember in 1972 the road to the left decorated with lush trees that if the evening sky was audible frenzied sound stork, swallow and bat. In 1976 Monument of Yogya Kembali was built just across from Post Office. See car and becak drove toward the left while now definitely banned because of one way traffic.