Windows

Vendors and pedibike drivers take a break to hang in a funky shelter.

A favourite activity of mine in any city I visit is to wander back alleys. They provide a window to the soul of the city; they are the veins that run through it, the behind-the scenes, life-pumping pathways that keep the city alive.

Jogja was a great city to wander. I discovered my favourite cluster of alleys; laden with graffiti, overgrown plants, and hidden treasures; tucked behind the main artery of Maliboro Street, where most guidebooks will direct you for souvenir shopping and accessible, overpriced food. You will feel life on Maliboro, sure. You will experience the overwhelming sounds, smells, bustle and flow of Yogyakarta. But you will not experience realness. Maliboro is Jogja’s Times or Dundas Square: commercialized and intended to fulfill the purpose of allowing outsiders to dabble in culture at surface-level.

I won’t pretend that during my one week in Jogja, mostly spent hanging with backpackers and hostel staff, that I completely immersed myself in Javanese culture. But wandering its alleys allowed for more interaction with people living their daily experience, even if just a passing smile. It allowed me to see unique decorative quirks and feel the vibe of the city, way more than browsing mass-produced pseudo-cultural trinkets and paying more than $2 for nasi goreng would ever allow.