Well I should just say that I am having a better time now that I have escaped from Jakarta. If 'they say' that travel broadens the mind they haven't sat on an Indonesian tran and local bus for fourteen hours or they would know that its much more than the brain that gets broadened....and deadened at the same time. Never mind, we passed trees hanging with mango, banana, jack fruit and, strangest of all, snake fruit whose skins so resemble their namesake that you never need to ask why they are so named. As to taste, well that's to be considered. Sharp and immediately dry in the mouth so probably not a big import possible for the UK. Also began to travel through beautiful vistas of paddy fields in varying shades of green as the seedlings are forced through for the next crop. Seemed a little cautionary to me that what most of us were seeing as a 'photo opportunity' is really twice a year back breaking work for most of the inhabitants of the island and for little more than a living. After the fields, spent most of day before last in a 'jungle' watching porcupine, black and macae monkeys and 'toying' with black scorpions which were everywhere around us. This morning (4.30am) rose to travel to see the ancient (7th century) Buddhist site of Borabudur with its wonderful collection of stupa (see photo on the card). Place was empty as the season is still wet here and most people have called off their visit.......we carry on regardless. Wonderful impressions of size and detail but the irreverent thought occured to me that it is more than a little ironic that one of the major visitor attractions in an Islamic nation is a Buddhist 'monument'. On enquiring of the guide, found that there is only one active buddhist temple left in Java, and that is in the monastery adjacent to the site of the monument. Despite what the brochure says about the city of Yogajokarta, it is pretty much another poor Indonesian city with little to offer in the way of things to do or places to visit. So that usually leaves the interesting subject of food. Well, sad to report, once you exclude barbecued sea food, Indonesian Cuisine is an oxymoron of fairly large dimension. When you have eaten Nasi Goreng (fried rice) for breakfast, lunch and dinner you begin to feel like a tourist in the Greek islands faced with yet another helping of dolmades. And, vegetarian lovers, although they do serve tofu in a variety of ways as ever, it doesn't taste of anything anyway so what the hell is the point in the stuff anyway, except to blow you up. One more day here and then off to another national park area where we might escape from the jingles bells music which still rings out, even in country where Christmas is hardly seen as a major festival of celebration. IN CASE THIS GETS TO BE TOO CLOSE TO CHRISTMAS FOR MORE POSTCARDS, TO ANY AND ALL WHO MIGHT READ THIS RAMBLE, HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY TIME. Sign of the day (at the top of BOrobadura) Don't scratch!