A 6:30am start to catch the minibus to Borobudur and Prambanan. we were joined by two young looking and uncommunicative Danes. A 1.5 hr journey through Yogyakarta and the surrounding countryside to Borobudur. The five of us hired a guide for 5,000rp between us and he showed us to the info centre and gave us a commentary about the history of the temple and the meaning of some of the scenes carved in the rock. He was a Muslim and a few of his views about the life the Buddhists have seemed a bit cock-eyed to me. Praying 5 times a day and fasting for a month doesn't sound like having a good time but he thought it did.
This was by far the most impressive temple we've seen but it's renovation has been funded by the UN. If it was left to the Indonesians it would probably be under a pile of used aqua bottles by now. We were then left on our own to wander around and take pictures but Oz used his time to relieve his sloppy botty. Tony Wheeler reckons 50% of travelers get the trots and so far 66 2/3% of our group have had it so it looks like I'll be alright.
Back to the minibus and off to Prambanan. Very nice of the Indonesians to build their two biggest temples so close to each other. When we got there our driver suggested we eat first. I was the only one that wasn't hungry but I was voted down and we went for food. This turned out to be a mistake because about 5 minutes after we got to the temple it started pouring down. We sat in the main temple with a lot of so-called workers for about 40mins waiting for the rain to subside. The rain stopped when our Danish friends put on their cagoules. Oz went back to the Minibus to rest his bottom while Beth and I wandered around being tourists. It'll be good when they finish the other 996 temples, UN funding permitting.
2012
These two amazing temples. one Buddhist and one Hindu, are only about 50km/30miles apart.
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And for fans of the Amazing Race - this is when they got to Borobudur. It may also feature the Sultan's Palace in Yogya.
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