It is estimated that nearly 80% of the families here own a canoe since this and the ferry service is the only mode of transportation available owing to the absence of roads. Fishing is a hard live and most of the people here are very poor. Unfortunately siltation and the encroaching mangroves will eventually cause the lagoon to disappear and who wish to continue to engage in fishing will have to migrate seawards or switch increasingly to farming activities. But before this way of life here is gone forever we continue to make our way down the lagoon. The backwater trip would prove one of the highlights of our trip in Indonesia. The fresh air of the open water was a welcome respite. We were met by many fishing boats along the way. On the water we notice to our amusement that some of the fish would jump out of the water in our wake. Not flying so much as jumping as dolphins would sometimes do.

Yogyakarta our destination  was the centre of the Mataram Dynasty (1575-1640) and provides easy access to the Borobudur and Prambanan Temples. We would be staying at the Jayakarta Hotel in town. Yogyakarta is a favorite of many travelers and in my opinion is preferable to the capital Jakarta. Considered the cultural center of Java it is the best place to see Wayang performances and traditional dance. Yogyakarta is a major craft center and many artists reside here, offering very fine batik and modern paintings. The Sultan's Palace, the water castle of Taman Sari, and interesting markets can all be seen in a day of sightseeing.