Expat Explorers - travels with my family ideas...insight...inspiration
Get in contact
  • About
    • Meet the family
    • Photo gallery
  • Blog
  • Travel ideas & advice
    • Expat suitcase >
      • Moving to Dubai
      • Moving to Singapore
    • Jigsaw pieces: travel advice
    • Australasia
    • Middle East
    • South East Asia
    • USA
    • Where in the world are we?
  • In the news
    • Freelance work
    • Who said that? Travel quotes
    • Signs that make you think
  • The book
  • Contact us
    • Explorers' Club

Our day as Indiana Jones: discovering Borobadur, Java

28/4/2013

2 Comments

 
Picture
Day 7
A day of culture as we headed out to the famous 9th century Buddhist temple of Borobadur. Surrounded by beautiful forests and mountains, the temple had been hidden beneath vines, bushes and volcanic ash, until being rediscovered by the Indiana Jones of the Day, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, our friend from Singapore, the then British Governor of Java. Intrigued by the Indonesian stories and rumours, he managed to uncover the ruins in 1814. Historians know little about why it was built or why it was abandoned.

Having had two or three rounds of renovations, it’s of course impossible to say how much of the site is original. Certainly parts have been removed or covered to adhere to current sensitivities. The monument’s six square platforms are decorated with more than 2,500 relief panels, some of which has been covered with plain blocks for being too sexually explicit. There are 504 statues of Buddha, 72 of which are seated inside perforated stupa, or mounds, resembling large bells.

To pay the due respect afforded by a temple of this status, we approached it from the east side and circumnavigated the structure three times clockwise, being rewarded with a different view at each level. Once a place of contemplation, it is on the outside of the temple that worshippers gathered – this is not a building in the traditional sense and there is no inside cavern or vestibule to visit.

With the sun beaming down, creating a steamy haze, we were forced to beat a retreat back to the air conditioning of our car by 11 o’clock. It’s worth visiting the temple early in the day, and dawn tours are popular – a little too much for us to manage with the children this time.

On the way back we planned our afternoon’s activities, but there is nothing as unpredictable as weather apparently. “Will it rain today?” is the question I asked our driver. “No. It’s the end of the rainy season.” Five minutes later the heavens opened, the roads turned into rivers and the mopeds were forced to find cover. Those who were hardy enough to venture out, gamely tried to negotiate water a foot deep in places, covering themselves only in a plastic bag.

But an hour after the rain stopped and the pavements were dry again, although the air was still thick with humidity. With an eight hour solid drive on tomorrow’s agenda, let’s hope our car is air conditioned.

Other things to try: stop at Borobadur Silver to see workshops and famous filigree jewellery.
Wander the markets and stop at Mirotar.

2 Comments
ken pratt
4/3/2014 04:57:37 pm

buddham surinam gachami

Reply
Expat Explorers link
5/3/2014 02:45:52 am

A Buddism follower. Welcome. I go (Gacchami) for refuge (Saranam) to the awakened one (Buddham).

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Get the book

    Picture

    Destinations

    All
    Abu Dhabi
    Advice & Top Tips
    Al Ain
    America
    Argentina
    Arizona
    Australia
    Bali
    Batam
    Belfast
    Burma
    California
    Cambodia
    Chicago
    Dubai
    England
    Expat Life
    Hong Kong
    Illinois
    Indonesia
    Japan
    Java
    Jordan
    Kuwait
    Las Vegas
    London
    Malaysia
    Misc
    Myanmar
    Nevada
    New Zealand
    Northern Ireland
    Oman
    Ras Al Khaimah
    Restaurants
    Salt Lake City
    San Diego
    Scotland
    Singapore
    Southeast Asia
    Travel Musings
    Uae
    UK
    Usa
    Utah
    Wales
    Woodstock

    RSS Feed

    Or if you prefer to receive an email update click here to register.

    Archives

    June 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    June 2019
    April 2019
    July 2018
    June 2017
    May 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    September 2015
    August 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    August 2012
    April 2012
    February 2012
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    August 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.