Via Via connects tourists to Javanese tradition<\/p>\n
Cynthia Webb, Contributor, Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
Nestled in Yogyakarta's popular tourist district of Prawirotaman,
\nthe Via Via Travellers' Cafe distinguishes itself from other
\ncafes and restaurants with its character, history and reason for
\nexistence.<\/p>\n
Like many other dining places, one can order food and
\nbeverages at the cafe while enjoying a good collection of diverse
\nmusic.<\/p>\n
However, it offers more than just an \"oasis\" at which to stop
\nfor food and rest. Friendly and helpful staff are ready to serve
\nup dishes from traditional Javanese cuisines.<\/p>\n
The place is also designed to encourage interaction between
\nlocals and travellers, as one can make arrangements for budget-
\npriced cultural explorations and activities, accompanied by an
\nespecially trained local person.<\/p>\n
One can also arrange for a short course in Bahasa Indonesia
\nand it is a place where travellers can get a quick update on the
\nupcoming art exhibitions and performances in the city. Young
\nlocal artists also often hold exhibitions at the cafe.<\/p>\n
In a corner of Via Via there is a useful library of folders
\nfilled with cultural information cut from local newspapers and
\nmagazines, giving visitors ideas about places and activities of
\ninterest in the city.<\/p>\n
How did all this come to be? The story begins with the Belgian
\nKaravaan tour leader training organization, which contributes
\nsome of its profits to cultural and training programs in
\ndifferent parts of the world and has links with various non-
\ngovernmental groups.<\/p>\n
The first Via Via cafe opened in Louvain, Belgium, in June
\n1995. At the same time, a business plan for the cafe in
\nYogyakarta was being prepared by one of the cofounders of Via
\nVia, Mie Cornoedus.<\/p>\n
Cornoedus says, \"Why Yogya? I had traveled quite a bit through
\nAsia and I thought that Yogya would be the perfect city in which
\nto locate a Via Via cafe. It has lots of travellers passing
\nthrough who are interested in culture or in something more than
\nonly sun and the beach.\"<\/p>\n
\"It also has many travellers who are coming to Asia for the
\nfirst time. So there I saw a role for our cafe -- to offer them a
\nview on tourism that was different than what they usually find in
\nthe brochures.\"<\/p>\n
The cafe in Yogyakarta was founded in December 1995 as the
\nfirst overseas Via Via cafe. There are now other Via Via cafes in
\nSenegal (Dakar), Spain (Barcelona), Honduras (Copan), Tanzania
\n(Arusha and Zanzibar), Argentina, Nepal, Mali, Nicaragua and a
\nsecond one in Belgium (Antwerp).<\/p>\n
In Yogyakarta, the beautiful and ancient traditions of old
\nJava are still thriving behind the busy facade.<\/p>\n
However, it can be difficult for a traveler who has only a
\nshort time in the city to gain any depth of understanding without
\ngood guidance.<\/p>\n
By the time visitors have been to the Yogyakarta palace,
\nBorobodur and Prambanan temples, and done a bit of shopping on
\nJl. Malioboro, they are often running out of time and, sadly,
\nleave without getting beneath the surface -- never really
\nunderstanding Javanese culture.<\/p>\n
This is where Via Via cafe steps in -- providing a contact
\nplace where visitors can meet people who will help them begin to
\ndiscover the heart of Java.<\/p>\n
For some visitors, it is a relief to escape the fast-talking
\n\"guides\" who accost them on Jl. Malioboro, angling for
\ncommissions, quoting exorbitant prices and making all sorts of
\ndubious claims about their knowledge and ability to help them
\nfind just what they are looking for.<\/p>\n
Via Via's list of tours shows affordable fixed prices and they
\noffer experiences that visitors could not find elsewhere. The Via
\nVia staff are trained according to the philosophy of the parent
\norganization.<\/p>\n
They are carefully chosen local people who speak enough
\nEnglish (and sometimes other languages) to communicate well with
\ntheir guests. Advice is given about what to wear, as many of the
\ntours involve visits and activities in traditional villages, and
\nmeeting local people.<\/p>\n
Cornoedus, who acts as a consultant to the Via Via staff, is
\nalso a writer and photographer and herself a keen observer of
\nIndonesian culture.<\/p>\n
Under her mentoring, the staff are encouraged to take part in
\ndiscussions and planning. She says this Western-style workplace
\nconcept is sometimes difficult to achieve in Javanese culture,
\nwhere a hierarchical structure has always been the way of life.<\/p>\n
Via Via is clearly achieving its aims, because there is
\ndefinitely a friendly atmosphere of harmony, respect and equality
\namong the staff and guests -- a feeling of belonging to a
\nfriendship group.<\/p>\n
Here are some of the activities on offer by Via Via: a bicycle
\ntrip to a village; a visit to Ceremai Cave; a religious tour to
\nsites of worship of five different religions; a tour of Prambanan
\ntemple by motorbike (via small rural roads and village paths); a
\nvisit to the hidden temples in the Prambanan area; a jamu (herbal
\nmedicine) and massage excursion; a silver-making course in Kota
\nGede; a visit to Candi Sukuh, which includes the Ceto walk
\nthrough forest, tea plantations and fields; an overland drive to
\nEast Java; an Indonesian cooking course; and an introduction to
\nthe Indonesian language course.<\/p>",
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