A Whirlwind Weekend in Semarang (and a Small Glimpse of Yogyakarta)

By logic, I should be visiting Semarang regularly. If that's too ambitious for a corporate person, let me revise that: I should be visiting Semarang at least once in a while. My dad was born and raised there throughout his childhood, so by logic, the least I could do is try learning my roots.

Up until a few days ago, I had only visited Semarang twice in my whole life. The first time was not long after I was born—let's skip the discussion about frontal lobe since my brain hadn't fully developed back then. The second time occurred almost a decade ago during a cousin's wedding—I had logic then, but no recollection of the place. It's safe to say that Semarang was a city I romanticized as a long-lost hometown but had never truly visited.

It came as quite a surprise to me that I finally had the chance to make new memories in Semarang last week. With some of my friends, I went to the city to do what I could: be a tourist in my dad's hometown.

***

For the first time in a while, which made it new and exciting, I started my trip quite late at night last Friday. My digital ticket told me that the train was scheduled to leave at 10:30 p.m., so I prepared to order a car ride to the station an hour and a half beforehand (being the overthinker that I am).

I spent quite a bit of time looking for my ride once it had arrived. An error occurred in the application, causing both the driver and I to believe that we were in the same spot even though we weren’t. After establishing that he had mistakenly been led to an alley next to mine by the map, I decided to just drag my luggage there, ignoring some curious eyes following each of my steps. Off I went to Gambir station after that.

At the station, after some moments spent waiting and expecting, I finally met eight of my friends. It became somewhat of a quick, swift night following the usual check-in routine, and most of us looked forward to visiting the canteen inside the train. I had never known there was a canteen before—what an interesting discovery! Forgive our excitement, but the train hadn’t started its engine yet when we made a beeline to the so-called canteen once we were inside the train.

If you’re curious, my first impression of the place was unique. It was a small canteen tucked between the long train carriages, but the vibe kind of reminded me of something retro, like Stranger Things, with a touch of the green color filter from Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix. I mean, the design itself didn’t exactly scream the '70s, and there was no such thing as a color filter in real life, but in my imagination, the shoe fit so I walked in it.

Well, the calm night took an a deeper tone as the sky grew even darker. For almost three hours, we sat in the corner of the canteen, talking and laughing and talking and laughing until we realized that we needed to rest. The night had flown by so quickly it was unbelievable. Before we even knew it, it was already 1 a.m. We reluctantly went back to the eighth wagon to sleep. Each of us found a blanket on our seats left by the train attendant. How nice and comfy.

At around 3:45 a.m., our train arrived at Semarang station. In three smaller groups, we went to our respective hotels to rest.

***

I think studies should explore why sleep often feels like the blink of an eye. I had barely three hours of sleep before waking up at 7:15 a.m. to the sound of my noisy alarm and an ache in my stomach. I went straight to the bathroom for a much-needed shower. After that, I did my makeup. My friends and I then had nasi langgi that we ordered online from a place called Kampung Nasi for breakfast. It was so good!

Our official first day in Semarang, as previously planned, started with what the ultimate goal of our trip was: attending a friend’s wedding. I wore a plain grey tank top, a black suit, and a pair of culotte pants for the holy matrimonial. We attended the event at a nearby hotel. It was so touching that I (almost) cried, and the food there was (really) good.

After the ceremony was over, my friends and I went to this place called Lind’s Ice Cream & Resto. It was a good decision since the weather was scorching hot in Semarang that day. Two of my friends and I decided to share a plate of something called Mr. Clown and another plate of Banana Split. While neither was my favorite, they were fitting companions for such a hot day. We basked in the cool comfort of the ice cream and the shop.

Not too long after that, we were back under Semarang’s very hot sun, heading to our hotel to laze away our several free hours before getting ready for the wedding reception. I spent mine talking to the girls. It was one of those conversations where no one wanted to be left out—you know the kind.

At nearly 4:30 p.m., we had no choice but to truly get ready. I wore a black tank top and the same pair of culotte pants. We arrived at the venue around 6 p.m. and gathered with our friends from other hotels there. It became yet another touching ceremony with a beautiful first dance and excellent food. This is why I (sometimes) love weddings.

Just like in Dancing Queen, the night was young and the music was high. It was hard not to sing along with the wedding singers, acting like we were in a karaoke session. At 9 p.m., we returned to our hotel, welcomed a few friends for a casual hangout in our room, and fell into a sound sleep. What a long, exciting, and tiring day.

***

I had to applaud Semarang for my tendency to wake up early while I was there. It was like yesterday again—I woke up the next day with the same aching in my stomach. Mother Nature wanted me to be disciplined, so I went to answer its call and get ready. After doing my makeup, I ordered our breakfast online from a random place called Nasi Ayam Bu Darmi. It tasted a little spicy but was good.

Our morning was a little hectic but fun. We were misinformed, assuming that Sunday service started at 8:30 instead of 8. We hurried to the church, starting our day on the right foot.

After church, we went to try this famous restaurant called Ayam Goreng Pak Supar. A quick Google search revealed that it opened at 10. We thought we would be the first, but the restaurant was already packed. We became the first group to join the waiting list instead.

Well, I understood why so many people flocked to this place. The fried chicken was among the best I had ever tasted. Even the gizzards were soft and chewy. It was so, so, so delicious!

After a satisfying lunch, we decided to go to the most unexpected destination: Yogyakarta. It took us two and a half hours on the road. I snacked on cheese kue pukis and napped for a few minutes between chitchat. A car ride with friends is usually fun, and this one was no different.

Upon arriving in Kaliurang, Yogyakarta, we decided to visit Tempo Gelato first. It was a different branch from the one I had tried last year; this one was much bigger and crowded. My friends and I shared two medium cups of gelato, so we got the privilege to choose six out of so many flavors.

After taking so many cute pictures in the gelato place, we decided to aimlessly wander around Malioboro. Well, true to our words, we did walk aimlessly for about fifteen minutes or so before deciding that we needed to eat… again.

Since we didn’t have any idea about what to eat in Malioboro, we decided to head to The House of Raminten, a well-known restaurant for its Javanese dishes in a traditional setting. We ordered quite a lot of food there—probably too much—but in our defense, we needed the energy for the two-and-a-half-hour ride back to Semarang.

Considering how much we ordered, it's understandable that we spent several hours in the restaurant. Seated on the second floor by the open area, we enjoyed the evening’s soft breeze while savoring the traditional dish and decor. It was a well-spent time with my friends. With lovebirds in the group, we tested them with the “Who is More” game for couples.

Who’s excited to return to the hotel, though? Me! I longed for a good bed and pillow even if they weren't mine. But I needed to hold it together first. Before going back to Semarang, we stopped by a fruit stall to buy some fruits for my friend’s parents, who lived nearby. We decided to say hi.

Visiting my friend’s hometown and meeting her family made me realize how little we knew about one another. As I write this, I think about some people I know, and wonder, “What are their background stories? What makes them who they are today?” Eventually, I reflect on the experiences that have shaped me—some of which I don’t normally talk about—and marvel at the realization, “Assumptions are made based on what I’m willing to share, just as theirs are.”

I felt a little bit emotional. Why did it never occur to me to look beyond what was visible? While it might not be my place to know their secrets, I feel like I owe them a larger space in my mind to store their unforeseen past backgrounds or upbringings if the opportunity arises. I must always be ready to accept that people—my friends included—are more than what the eyes see.

After yet another meal at my friend’s house, we resumed our journey back to Semarang. It was a quieter car ride during which we shared our first and last impressions of each other.

Back in Semarang, we met two other friends for a quick late-night snack before calling it a day. I slept at 3 a.m. that night—so unusual for me.

***

I had been consistent in rising early those past few days, but on my last day in Semarang, I was a bit of a rebel. I woke up at ten, which woke my friends shortly after because I was being 'loud'. We quickly got ready because we had to check out at 12. It was definitely not a slow morning, and a quick glance at my phone reminded me it was Monday—what did I expect?

After getting ready in such haste, we went to the famous Toko Oen to have lunch. The place gave off this particular vintage, colonial-era vibe. I shared a plate of spaghetti carbonara with bacon, spare ribs (essentially pork steak drizzled with sweet soy sauce), and cheese and chocolate poffertjes for dessert with my friends. Everything tasted amazing that I promised myself I would revisit this restaurant one day.

Well, the rest of our day went on pretty moderately. We went back to the hotel to pick up our luggage, ordered a car ride online to go to the station, and boarded the train at around 4.45 p.m. But as I was enjoying the peaceful train ride and the comfortable silence with my friends, I realized that good things did take time. While it took me quite a while to be able to get closer to them, I learn that perseverance rarely disappoints. I just hope that everything would remain this good, or even better, like the dinner I enjoyed that night in the train's canteen: another nasi langgi ayam from Kampung Nasi and a cup of noodles with tori miso flavor.