Borobudor and Beyond: Our final days in Indo

Greetings. We are TRYING to get caught up on the blog scene, so I will attempt to fill you in on our experience at Borobudor in Java and the few days that followed.

We had the honor of spending a few hours roaming around Borobudor, the largest Buddhist temple in the world. Thankfully, we decided to chip in for a local guide and it was well worth it - we learned about the discovery and restoration of the temple, as well as the stories that are depicted through the detailed carvings on each level and what the traditional Buddha positions mean. It was fascinating, and despite the extremely warm weather, we wished we could have lingered for a while (one of the the downsides of a tour). If you are interested in the history of Borobudor, I have provided a link with some details below... it's quite fascinating.

http://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/a_nav/boro_nav/main_borofrm.html

I have to admit that it's always been a little tough for me to grasp the true historical value of such sites... I was often in la-la-land during my history classes in highschool and college and I don't often find myself researching old events or stopping into museums. But this was a special place. The workmanship was palpable and the spiritual vibrations were strong. I separated myself from the group many times to stop and breathe in deeply... to reflect on the mindset of those who build the structure... to give thanks and acknowledge the greatness and mystery around me... it helps me embrace humility.

I'm having some difficulty expressing my thoughts on the experience, as it is not something that is easily described in words. So I will include a few of my favorite photos that helped capture the experience. I hope you enjoy.

We enjoyed the rest of our stay in Yogyakarta, and then hopped on a bus to the southern coast of Java to a place called Pangandaran. Even though you couldn't initially see much damage, this was one of the cities hit by the tsunami in 2006. We were lucky enough to hear about it from Lee, one of the survirors that chose to stay in the city afterward - she still has nightmares from time to time, but says her decision to stay and rebuild her home and business was the right thing to do. Pangandaran was quaint and the water warm. We spent some time playing in the surf together, took a walk in the near by National Park, ate some delicious hand-picked seafood and relaxed under the guidance of a local masseuse. It was a relaxing last stop before heading out of Indonesia. After an overnight bus to Jakarta and a few more transfers, we flew to Malaysia and said hello to our second country in Asia.

Monkeys like Guinness too!

We hope to return to Indonesia soon - one month is not enough to see all that these islands have to offer and we left many stones unturned. We made many, many friends here and even offered to sponsor our masseuse from Pandangaran if he would like to come to the US to teach his trade and save money to build a home for his family. We would feel honored if we had the opportunity to host any of the people we've met on our journey and certainly feel blessed for those that have shared so much with us.

So we keep moving along...
Jen

written by

TwoSouls on April 7, 2008 from Yogyakarta, Indonesia

from the travel blog: Indonesia: So many islands, so little time

Send a Compliment

wow, i guess u guys had a good time... I'm from Yogyakarta (people here usually call it Jogja). I've read ur post and it was awesome. You didn't discover it all though, there're still many places to go.

If u guys need some help, check me out here http://www.facebook.com/indra.purwita :)

have a nice day then :)

written by Indra Purwita on July 6, 2010

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