We spent the next 15 minutes sitting in the tunnels until the rain slowed, changed to a drizzle and walked into the busy Yogyakarta bird market where it eventually stopped raining. Lots of “tweeting” going on with cages filled with pigeons that Indonesians race (not eat), exotic birds for sale (tell me what the parrot-looking one is if you know)…

…along with pythons, and other snakes including a bright red one with black bands that Gus said is poisonous. There was a very sad looking monkey…View image, different Geckos…View image, lizards, fruit bats, mongoose, boxes of bees, bugs to feed birds, kittens and puppies for pets (at least I was told they weren’t for eating).

Python Snake at the bird market in Yogyakarta, Java 

pretty bird… in Yogyakarta Bird Market, Java 

waiting in Yogyakarta’s bird market for the rain to stop, Java
Feathers flying throughout the entire market, “bird flu” kept running through my brain while we slogged through the muddy aisles.

possibly a Coral Snake at the bird market, Yogyakarta, Java
Exhausted by now, back to our Becaks. It is worth every Rupiah to hire a Becak because it is so darn hot and humid a person can’t walk a block without expiring. Believe me, we tried to walk a few blocks into some antique shops before wilting and returning to our air conditioned hotel room.

Meet and greet at 6:30 p.m. and now there are nine. Josleen and Susie from U.K., Jacques, Gerry & Serge from Sydney, Australia, Linda from Houston, Marianne from Zurich, Switzerland and us, with everyone extremely well traveled. Information given, local tour payments collected, tip kitty, then off to dinner down the street. Whatever the name of the restaurant was, didn’t care for the food. Cold Noodles, and the sate with peanut sauce didn’t have much zip to it. One more day in Yogyakarta on our own before the touring actually begins.