Borobudur and Prambanan

From Bali on our way to Luang Prabang, Laos, we stopped for ten days in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.  Depending on the age of the literature and the spell checker, this city is also known as Jogjakarta (possibly from the Dutch phonetics). Besides hanging out in one of Indonesia’s tidiest cities, we took the opportunity to see the worlds largest Buddhist temple at Borobudur. With a combination ticket, we were able to see one of the largest Hindu temples in SE Asia at Prambanan.

Our visit was one of contrasts in weather and in timing.  The first day we had partly sunny skies at Borobudur.  On the second day, it alternated between light and heavy rain. We spent two nights in Borobudur while Prambanan was visited in a single afternoon.

In an attempt to capture the experience of these impressive temple complexes, this post tries to contrast views from a distance and up close. In Borobudur we saw from a far, then approached.  In Prambanan, we visited the temples and then on leaving saw them from a far.

Borobudur.

 

Prambanan.

 

Some other views of the region around Yogyakarta

 

An alley off the main commercial road

One of many street art sculptures

An Art Museum with Wayang Kulit (puppet shadow plays) exhibition

Misunderstanding Bali

After an unusually cold spring in Perth, we moved up to tropical Bali.  We stayed for over two weeks, first in Ubud the Art and Meditation center, then in Semniyak the surf and shopping center.  Reading the book, Indonesia ETC. by Elizabeth Pisani, during this time has heightened the contradictions. As the banner photo shows,  the Mount Agung volcano became more active. Our stay played out within the predictions that there would be an eruption soon.

No great revelations occurring here. Whatever conclusions I might draw, in the end, I probably miss the point.  Instead, I will post some sunrises and sunsets, and some vistas in between. The detailed photos of architecture or lush foliage or Balinese dance don’t exhibit the dynamics of the moment.

Sunrise from our front door

Our front door in the distance

This rice ready for harvest

Mount Agung

Sunset over our house

Uluwatu Temple

on southern tip of Bali

Nusa Dua Waterblow

Pantai Jerman (German Beach)

Seminyak surfers

Sunset over Seminyak

 

Thirty days hath highs of 34°

The lows were  25°.  If you still use the British (now abandoned) System, the daily high was 93° and a little more, and a low of 77°. A month in Malaysia with a long weekend in Jakarta with no variation in temperatures. We stayed in the heart of Kuala Lumpur near Masjid India (Indian Mosque), not the real Little India of Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, but pretty close.  I could bear the heat so enjoyed walking all over the city. I used to work here. In those days, I was driven by many interesting locations. This is the first time to really explore on foot.  Except for the oppressive heat, Kuala Lumpur has become a very walkable city.

I have lots of photos of the Petronas Twin Towers and the Kuala Lumpur Tower. I like this one from the Thean Hou Temple:

Here are three more:

Lots of good eating:

Banana leaf rice, eaten with fingers

Every kid knows food eaten with fingers tastes better

Indian bryani rice

Hakka Lui Cha with Father-in-law

In Jakarta, we walked all over Old Town and China Town contrasting the traditional with the modern.  My photos fail to capture this essence.  For me having seen the whole humbly-jumbly cacophony, the photos remind me of what is not shown, not captured.

Cats checking out local artist

Wedding at Cathedral performed in Bahasa by Chinese

Jakarta was and is a port city