「 Not Just A Cafe 」
Seneca has this saying that basically if traveling doesn’t change the way you see life, maybe it’s not the scenery that needs to be changed rather our own heart. This time though, I am no longer that person Seneca tried to talk about. I no longer move around restlessly anymore. No longer running away but to truly live and enjoy every bit of it.
I set out early from my home to take care of some business back in Yogyakarta. In the past, I would never know when to come back home again considering that I just enjoy being on the road and aimlessly drifting around. This time, I have a house to come back to, so I can’t really travel too long. It was ideal for me to do a 3 days 2 nights stay in this city.
From my home to Yogyakarta, it takes about 3 hours by train ride, passing through densely populated Java from its eastern to the central parts of it. Occasionally, I could see some beautiful hillsides and lush rice fields. From inside the train, the thought of visiting a place I used to call home feels a lot more strange. I was no longer part of it but I have that constant yearning of this place.
Once I reached Yogyakarta, it was still around 11 AM and I had to roam around the area a bit to actually do some check-in. I ended up visiting a place that was on my back burner for a while. This space is called Ruang Jaka.
If you’re in Yogyakarta and waiting to kill the time before your check in, Ruang Jaka is one of the best cafes to visit. It is located in historic parts of the town. So, you can also see some traditional houses and sightseeing around the area.
While Ruang Jaka looks pretty small on its front-side, it is actually bigger. Inside the place, they have more than 4 separated areas depending on your preference. They sell various types of coffee, even knick knacks. Inside the place, it’s almost like a gallery too with architecture drawings neatly framed on its wall.
Since I hadn’t had food from the day before, I decided to get some easy bites, a plate of Shumai and coffee. It was pretty filling and they gave a generous portion of the Shumai. Inside the place, I got so comfortable because they have this creative interior that really rejuvenates your mind.
For someone who needs some creativity flowing in, being inside the place, I felt overwhelmingly inspired. I was no longer feeling bored, feeling stuck, and even feeling like I had nothing going on. It was a good place to start the tone of my visit this time, where I refreshed my mind and injected it with a good dose of creativity and inspiration.
These days, I don’t really like visiting that many points of interest. I love checking out local cafe scenes and that’s about it. So, it’s why even during my visit to Yogyakarta again, I don’t really explore places but rather see which cafe I haven’t checked out and is on my back burner for a while.
These days, other than cappuccino that usually is the benchmark for a good cafe, I always sample their filtered coffee. I asked the barista for a recommendation and they have me a recommendation, beans from west java. It has this pleasant notes and the barista knows how to actually serve it in v60 iced style without missing all the taste and afternotes of the coffee.
From Ruang Jaka, I got to actually plan my stay. I decided that I would see my newly born nephew and maybe just stroll around Malioboro street for a while.
On my way back to where I was staying, I got to see the familiar scenery that I used to normally see. To me, it all feels familiar but also foreign. It’s as if I was once part of them but the whole place just didn’t really consider me a part of it anymore.
That being said, if you’re running out of recommendation for a cafe/co-working spaces to visit in Yogyakarta, Ruang Jaka is definitely a must-see and visit. They serve great coffee, comfortable place, good internet and area where you can also explore the palace compound.
Stay tuned for more stories of mine. I recently got the energy to actually write about what had happened about a week ago. I juggled quite a bit of things post-travel and only know, I got some clarity and time to actually sit down and write about it all.