Set on the island of Java, we've come to the city of Yogyakarta (Jogja to the locals)which is the nearest city to Borobudor, one of Buddhism's mose famous temples. Not to be outdone, it is also close to one of Hindu's most ..... called Prambanan.
We are staying in a French colonial hotel which is lovely. Having checked in, by tricycle, with the tourist office and booked up B... We headed for P...
Upon arrival we were greeted by three kids who told us in broken English that they were trainee guides, on a school work experience and could they cut their teeth by showing us around. It's an awesome site, difficult to photograph as the stone is weathered anthracite. It was built in the 9th century and has only recently been renovated having been seriously damaged in the last big earthquake of 2006. The site, and the city of 3 million inhabitants, lies beneath an active volcano. Think Mt Etna and Pompeii and you've got the same perspective. The great thing about these incredibly ornate sites is that the engraving that circles each of the 16 temples tells the story of the time.
That night we finally had the Asian meal I've been waiting for. The restaurant was small, very ethnic and run by a Frenchman, married to an Indonesian lady, who was the cook. The food was exquisite, he was great company and illuminating on the city, people and sites. The meal cost less than £20 which gives you an idea of the cost of living.
The next day we headed out early to visit Borobudor. It's about an hour away and is a huge monument on many levels, all of which you are encouraged to walk clockwise. Again, a stunning building overshadowed by the volcano Merapi, which last covered the area in ash in 2010. The carved stone was stunning and you could identify their level of sophistication in their dress, arms, agriculture, animals...
Our final visit was to the Sultan's Palace. This was fabulous, probably as its occupied by the current incumbent. A real glimpse into Indonesian heritage amidst ornate, gilded, glossed open air meeting rooms.
One feature of all three sites is their fascination with tall Europeans of which we appear to be the only living examples on each site. We are pleasantly inundated with requests for photographs and an excuse to try out their English! Each request is very polite and agreement is met with great excitement. One 80 year old lady wanted to tell me how she'd visited England 40 years ago, won the heart of an Englishman but, refused to stay with him, despite, she told me, looking like Elizabeth Taylor! Oh, the other common point being the need to wear a sarong, which I was happy to do, in case you were concerned when you look at the pictures!
A really enjoyable way to be introduced to Indonesia rather than going straight to Jakarta.