I took the Malioboro Express train from Yogyakarta's Tugu Station to Malang in East Java. The journey was between 7 and 8 hours and I sat in economy class. The ride was during the day, so I got to see a lot of Java's countryside, mostly farms and rice paddies. I went to Malang to visit our friend Edi, who we met while he was studying at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio in 2014. I had visited Malang once before, in 2005, while on a touring show with the non-profit, Sanggar Anak Akar. My impression with Malang was that it was so beautiful! It is a city set in a valley between three very tall volcanoes, Mount Bromo being the tallest at 7,641 feet. Because of its location and altitude, it is much cooler than most other cities on Java.
Unfortunately, I got sick the minute I arrived in Malang. I'm not sure what caused me to get sick, but it lasted for over 2 weeks, even staying with me once I was back home in Ohio. My time in Malang was, therefore, quite difficult. I didn't have much of an appetite and most of my memories feel foggy. Edi did, however, take me with him on a work assignment to Tulungagung, west of Malang toward Yogyakarta. On the way we passed Edi's hometown and stopped at his rice field for sunset. As you can see, it was quite picturesque.
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| My only view of Mount Bromo. I was too sick to tour the volcano, but I'll be back! |
Great pictures of the rice field at sunset!
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