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Last day in Jogja.
I really didn’t want to leave! But the time is ticking, the train would leave at 5 pm today. It means I only had just a few hours to enjoy the last moments. There was a place I wanted to go. And as expected, nobody was excited. So, it was only me, Aldi, my father, and my 2 sisters in law who went. Apparently, Aldi chose the right villa for the location was very strategic. It only took us less than 15 minutes to get there.
It was Buku Akik.
I loved the place so much! Why didn’t I know it since then? I could’ve visited it every time I went to Jogja. It was established in 2015 and opened for public in 2018 and I had visited Jogja since… ah, no worries about it. It makes me pissed off thinking how late I was knowing the place. Thanks to my virtual friend, Maria, who let me know about it. God bless you!
Located in Jalan Kaliurang Km 12, Gang Besi Raja No. 60 D, Candi Karang, Sardonoharjo, Ngaglik, Sleman Regency, Buku Akik is an independent book store. From outside, it looks like an ordinary house.
Its position made it even harder for it to be found. I was almost lost. The maps showed that we were close by but somehow we went in circles. I needed to get out of the car to check if Buku Akik was really there as shown on the maps. It was a small street, we were afraid it’d be a dead end or worse, the car couldn’t fit in.
The small street led me to quite a wide-open space with a big house on one of the sides. The house gate was opened. I almost asked a guy inside the gate who was busy watering the plants if only I didn’t see the small plate with ‘Buku Akik’ writen on it. At the time I thought, is it really the place I was looking for? It didn’t look like a book store at all. But I told Aldi to park the car right in front of the house. I with the others went in afterwards. I asked the guy in the end, asking whether it was really Buku Akik or no. He said, yes while pointing to the building in front of us while bowing a little bit – a typical gesture of Javanese people to show respect.
I was amazed when I saw Buku Akik from the front. It looked sooo chic! I couldn’t wait to get inside I almost kept my shoes on. Oh yes, we have to take the shoes off to be inside. So, make sure you wear something that is easy. You don’t want to waste a minute to be inside.
High dose of endorphins struck me when I stepped into Buku Akik. The entrance door was in the middle, so I could see everything from there. On my right was the bookstore, on my left was the library, in front of me was a long table with some chairs surrounding it. There were some classic stuff like vintage music player, typewriter, etc. I kept saying wow and I couldn’t help dancing. It was like finding a paradise!
I knew everyone felt the same way, even my father. He asked the cashier whether the music player was for sale or not. Of course, the cashier said no. It was only a display. It was like I wanted to scream, Daaad, it’s a bookstore, not a vintage store. Besides classic stuff and books, there were some knickknacks, T-shirts, and tote bags. They’re all sooo cute I couldn’t help myself! I wanted to grab everything!
If only I had more time or at least went there alone or just with Aldi, I wouldn’t have to rush. In less than an hour, I had 2 books, 1 tote bag, and 3 bookmarks with me. It all cost around Rp300.000. With a very heavy heart, I left the place. I will come back for sure. Or maybe I will make my own bookstore + library? Who knows?
The thing that I like the most from Buku Akik is the books collection. Most of them are rare. Like the ones I grabbed above.
Done with Buku Akik, I and the others went back to the villa. We packed our bags and checked out right after that. Since it was lunchtime, we stopped by at a diner to eat gudeg. Aldi’s father really wanted to eat gudeg in Jogja. We all did. So, we chose Gudeg Yu Jum nearby the villa on the way to the station. I think it’s the most famous gudeg in Jogja. I’ve ever filmed gudeg several years ago and it was Gudeg Yu Jum if I’m not mistaken. I know gudeg is yummy but there’s one thing I didn’t expect. I didn’t expect it to be so pricey! I spent almost Rp700.000 for 6 people. The gudeg we ate in was around Rp300.000 and my mother in law ordered more for takeaway for her friends and it boosted the price. The gudeg itself for a portion cost Rp65.000. To be honest, I was so shocked, finding a very high price in Jogja – the city where everything is believed to be cheap. Is gudeg that expensive in Jogja? Or it’s just Gudeg Yu Jum?
Oh, there’s a gudeg place I like, it’s Gudeg Mercon Bu Tinah. Too bad it’s only open in the evenings and it’s close to Malioboro and since I stayed quite far in Pakem, Sleman, I didn’t have the chance to go there. Anyway, Gudeg Mercon Bu Tinah was also quite pricey, but the portion was more that what Gudeg Yu Jum served. Read more about it:
After eating gudeg with stomach half full, I and the others went to the station. I met my friend who owned the cars I rented there. I spent Rp950.000 for the Innova that I rented for 3 days and Rp500.000 for the Agya (Aldo paid for this). If you want to travel Jogja and need cars or motorcycles, you can contact my friend Pak Moko at +6281311584404.
The family trip to Jogja ends here. Hope you enjoy it! If you have any questions related to this trip, just comment anytime!
Ooops, before ending this article, I almost forgot that actually, I and my family went to Tempo Gelato after eating gudeg for lunch. But there’s nothing special about the gelato, so I think I’ll skip it. It’s just an ordinary gelato with several flavours options. For me, the taste was so so. The price is not so bad but it’s a little bit pricey considering that it’s in Jogja. I think they only sell the vibes because the place is quite chic.
Okay. What’s next?!
