Borobudur and Prambanan

Yesterday was a full day of sight-seeing around central Java. We left at the ungodly hour of 6:00am to begin our drive to Borobudur (about an hour away). There was a method behind the madness of leaving so early: (1) arrive before the crowds…by the time we left the place was swarming with people and (2) beat the heat! The drive north to Borobudur was not fancy but we were met with some stunning views of lush greenery and rice paddies. Upon arriving at the temple our group of 9 Americans and 6 Indonesians was greeted with coffee and tea before our walk to the temple. Borobudur is a Buddhist temple, constructed in the 9th century, the height of Buddhism in Java. Now, the temple is a place of pilgrimage and is listed as a World Heritage Site. Stone carvings along the temple walls could captivate one’s attention for hours (until the heat gets the best of you). In the photo album I have included a few close-up pictures of the stone carvings. Also, statues and carvings of Buddha are everywhere around the temple. Many of the statues along the outside walls are decapitated Buddhas; legend says that invaders tore off the heads because they thought gold was stored inside. I would be curious to know exactly how many Buddha statues adorn the temple; my guess would be thousands!

Our next stop was the mountain pass named Ketep. We arrived a little after lunchtime and by then the clouds had settled in for the afternoon, impeding our view of the neighboring mountain tops. Supposedly, from atop Ketep one is be able to see 4 different mountains, all in different directions; but, all we saw was the green valley and dense fog. The intense cloud cover at this time of year is abnormal because by June central Java should be well into the dry season. However, it seems to rain every few days here and clouds continue to cover the sky most afternoons (which isn’t too bad, really, because it blocks some of the intense sun). Nonetheless, the viewing conditions at Ketep weren’t too ideal, but I did enjoy the cooler mountain temperature!

Our last stop of the day was Prambanan Temple, the Hindu temple just outside Yogya. By the time we arrived at Prambanan I was totally exhausted and kind-of over being a tourist for the day. Alas, I forced myself to take my camera out of its case and at least take a few pictures. (So, when you look at the albums there are quite a few at Borobudur and fewer at Prambanan.) Many of the temples at Prambanan are closed to the public due to damage incurred by an earthquake a few years back. At Prambanan we encountered quite a few school groups of Indonesian children visiting the historical site.

I am noticing a trend where young Indonesian school children come running up with pencil and paper to talk to me (and everyone else in the group) at these historical/tourist sites. They notice my white skin and assume I am from America and that I speak English. Then, they begin a conversation (most are quite assertive). It goes something like this….
“Excuse me miss.” I say, “Yes.” They ask, “Do you speak English.” Again I respond with “Yes.” Then they proceed to ask me a series of questions….what is my name, where am I from, how long will I be in Indonesia, do I think it is hot here, what type of food do I like, etc. At the end of the dialogue (more like a question-and-answer session, really) they ask to take a photo with me. When I say “yes” to this request they run to gather around me, and someone takes a photo with me (the tall white American) in the center and a gaggle of 12 year-old Indonesians around me. It’s an experience, that’s for sure. Most of the time I do not mind the questioning by the children; although I have devised a plan for those days when I simply do not want to engage….. “Je ne parle pas Anglais!”