Making Batik in Solo

With our language training wrapping up, I decided to make a weekend trip to nearby Solo city, just an hour train ride from Yogya and considered the second "cultural capital" of Java. Since the city is famous for its batik fabric (a claim every other city likes to make, but this one actually is), I thought it would be a good time to learn how to make it myself. The morning after our arrival, our homestay in the city led us to a batik shop that offered batik making courses in addition to tours of its own batik making process. I quickly developed a new appreciation for this traditional craft as it took 4 hours and frequently cramped hands to complete just a 15" x 15" square print! The series of steps begins with first using a pencil to trace the pattern onto the plain fabric and then going over the design with a tool that traces hot wax onto the fabric. After completing the intricate design of your choice you then apply paint in the colors and places where you want them to show up. After that is all done the little piece of fabric was dipped in some mystery liquid, then a boiling hot cauldron of water and finally cold water before being hung in the sun to dry. Because of the colors options, mine looks a little tropical but still interesting despite the mistakes where the color bled or wax got spilled accidently. I was happy to leave the shop when we were finished and was amazed by the women who evidently worked there all day applying waz designs on reams of fabric.

After trying our hand at making batik we headed over to Pasar Klewer, described by Lonely Planet as the largest batik market in Indonesia. It was a bit overwhelming but after a bit of bargaining I left with a cute three dollar batik shirt. Our wanderings of the city also led us to the most sacred mosque that had a sign clearly stating non-Muslims were not allowed to enter. After spending a month admiring the beautiful and intricately decorated Buddhist temples in Thailand, the mosques in Indonesia appear extremely sparse and just provide room for prayer without adornments. Saturday being the first day of Ramadan the city was also emptied of most of the normal food stalls. We didn't have much difficulty finding food but in the evening the whole city came alive with people happy and relieved to eat. Unfortunately during the train ride back, the oleh-oleh (souvenir one is expected to bring back from a trip) I had bought for my Ibu was squashed and when I presented her with the package of distorted pastries she accepted while chuckling at my embarrassment.