Borobudur, Prambanan & Yogyakarta - Part 1

I must admit I am naturally drawn to this cultural hotspot known as Java. Amidst the undulating landscapes of quietly rumbling volcanoes and valleys of lush tropical rainforest, the people of Java thrives on their palpable passion for life (and acres of paddy fields, of course). In South-east Asia where a multitude of cultures flourish, Javanese tradition is immediately recognizable - it's that strong. That being said, Yogyakarta and neighbouring Solo surely make up the beating heart of it.

The Garuda Indonesia flight from beautiful Bali was hassle-free. Once arrived at Yogyakarta, I was greeted by a sight of taxis and beca (trishaws) lining the parking lot, waiting for customers. It was getting dark so I quickly hauled my bags into one of the taxis, told the driver my destination and off we went westward to Magelang where my hotel was located. As we passed by silhouettes of houses and shops, I listened to the driver's ramblings about the recent eruption of Mount Merapi and its devastating sequelae - debris gushed upon the city as an unstoppable mud flood, bringing with it giant boulders, some the size of a house! 

Conveniently built within walking distance from Borobudur, Manohara Hotel was the only hotel that ran a sunrise tour of the temple (with an added fee), and that was the main reason I booked a room there. The hotel was not 5-star but its facilities and service were reasonably adequate. They even thoughtfully placed a big book on Borobudur on your queen-sized bed for your reading pleasure - a sure indicator of the hotel's target customers, historians and researchers. Not really bothered by history lessons that late at night, I put the book away, hit the shower and before I knew it I was fast asleep. Zzzz...

Headless Buddha statues sat still as the rolling mist blanketed a nearby village in the wee hours.

The anticipation to watch the sunrise was enough to wake me up at 4 in the morning (I would have to wake up way earlier if I were to join those tour groups departing from Yogyakarta city). I got ready and headed to the concierge desk to start the climb up the temple. Armed with a camera in one hand and a torchlight given by the concierge in the other, a bunch of us tourists dutifully followed a guide through the darkness until we reached the temple.

Borobudur is flanked on either side by the active volcanoes Merapi and Merbabu.

As the sun was about to rise at 5.30 a.m., it began to drizzle (oh no!). A couple of Americans who were lugging large DSLRs and tripods started swearing and people who wouldn't stand a bit of rain just wandered off. I was disappointed too but I reminded myself to make full use of the fee that I paid so I waited there until the rain subsided an hour later, taking cover under the carved stone arches of the stairway :(

I waited until the rain subsided to make full use of the fee, unlike some other people (scoff!).

During my visit, the level with the topmost stupa was closed to the public so as to allow it to be cleaned of the volcanic ash spewed by Mount Merapi. Indeed, a thin layer of the ash was still spotted along the way to the exit later on. Ash aside, the stone murals depicting the eventful life of Buddha which encircle the entire structure made up a truly impressive example of human handwork. However, all the waiting in the cold had probably numbed me of some of the excitement :)

Borobudur after the rain.

So there you go, no picture of sunrise at Borobudur for me, huhu. As a consolation, I did get some good photos of the temple, but nothing really spectacular, I must say. The breakfast with the view of the temple and butterflies fleeting around was really nice, but I left Borobudur less than inspired, I even skipped stopping by at the lesser Candi Mendut before I left for Yogyakarta city. And those persistent peddlers on the way out of the temple complex sure did not make things any better...

Bali, a retreat for the inner soul - Part 3

Garden Villa at Kamandalu Resort & Spa near Ubud - because you're worth it!

How can I not adore this place - a beautiful location next to paddy fields, amazing service, with my own garden day-bed and an outdoor rainshower! Kamandalu Resort & Spa could seriously screw your sightseeing plans, whether you like it or not.

Really enjoying the day-bed. The outdoor rainshower is on the left with the adjoining bathroom with no curtains. Oops!

Really nice room :)

Once, while going for a short morning trek among the paddy fields, I even saw those white herons which catapulted the adjacent Petulu village to fame - if only my camera had at least 20X optical zoom, I would have been able to snap some decent photos of them shy birds ;) Oh, and not to mention the naked villagers I saw bathing in the streams, haha :)

Paddy field trekking. Beware of naked villagers bathing in the streams!

Guided by my hungry stomach, I managed to pry myself out of my garden villa and into a cafe-lounge in central Ubud. Ubud is of course the artistic centre of Bali. Handicrafts, paintings, sculptures made of wood or stone - everything from visual arts to performing arts - they're all here. And if you're pressed for time, there is always Ubud Market, a one-stop shopping extravaganza. Shop till you drop during the day and when the shops close, watch all the dance performances to your hearts content. Very convenient if you ask me. In fact I did exactly that :)

The symbol of power at Puri Saren Agung, the residence of the Balinese royal family in central Ubud. Smile!

Not much space to venture into as you're only allowed to wander in the courtyard :(

Depending on where they are held, most shows start around 7.30 pm including at the centrally located Ubud Palace. Different venues showcase different dances and these change every night, so search the net for an updated dance schedule before you go barging in ;)

Legong dance at Ubud Palace. Shake your bon-bon.. or maybe not.

Kecak dance at Pura Dalem Ubud starts at 8 pm.

The next morning, I got myself a little side trip to see Pura Taman Ayun, the temple complex for Balinese royalty at Mengwi famous for its multitiered meru before moving on to another great spot, Tanah Lot. 

Pura Taman Ayun at Mengwi - tall, taller, tallest!

The Pan Pacific Nirwana Resort at Tanah Lot was specifically chosen because it was one of the few hotels open for business on Hari Raya Nyepi. That is, open but still respecting the rules of Nyepi - no lighting fires, no working, no entertainment, no travelling. Nyepi is the Balinese Hindu day of silence, fasting and meditation. If I am going to be stuck in a hotel for the whole day, why not make it a good hotel, eh? Well, apart from feeling treated second rate to white tourists, it's not that bad considering the superb location. The hotel also offered a free shuttle bus to see an ogoh-ogoh procession at a nearby village but there was a thunderstorm that night so I'd rather not go.

Pan Pacific Nirwana Tanah Lot - stand at the edge and let the breeze take your mind off things...

The room looks nice but the floor is curiously wet all the time :(

A visit to Pura Tanah Lot is ever-tempting to say the least. The temple is believed to be built by the 15th century priest Nirartha and is one of the 7 sea temples around the Balinese coast. Perched on top of a tiny rock formation, it was definitely a wonderful sight. I got there a bit late in the morning so the place was already swarming with tourists. On top of that, I didn't get to take photos of the temple at sunset despite a 2-night stay at Tanah Lot, which would be awesome (I blame the rain). Oh well, maybe next time :(

Tanah Lot temple swarmed by visitors, local and foreign alike.

That's all for my personally enlightening week-long island excursion, folks! Since this trip was supposed to be a mind-soothing getaway from work and everyday stresses, I wasn't really bothered to see the tourist-strewn beaches of Kuta and Jimbaran, nor was I excited about the bopping club beats at KuDeTa and the likes this time round, although I have a sneaking suspicion that I will be back, haha :)

Bali, a retreat for the inner soul - Part 2

The 3 resident black ducks of Danu Bratan.

That morning I was greeted by the cheerful quacks of the 3 resident black ducks of Danu Bratan after I returned from the neighbourhood mosque for my morning prayers. The lake itself was pretty much uncontaminated, as several species of wild birds may be spotted here, much to any birdwatcher's delight.

Locals leaving for Pura Ulun Danu Bratan after offering prayers by the lake.

The celebration of Hari Nyepi only a few days away had resulted in the whole island being enlivened with back-to-back religious ceremonies and people putting finishing touches to their ogoh-ogoh (large puppets representing demons paraded on the eve of Nyepi). I was even lucky enough to witness a Balinese ritual while having my breakfast by the lake :) Worshippers in their best clothes gathered at the water's edge to offer prayers and afterwards they followed a band of traditional musicians to the nearby temple, Pura Ulun Danu Bratan.

Watching a Balinese ritual while having breakfast by the lake - priceless. For everything else, there's Mastercard ;)

After breakfast, Wayan and his brother agreed to take me to Kebun Raya Eka Karya (Botanical Gardens) at Candikuning in Bedugul (entrance fee IDR 7000, car parking IDR 6000). I spent 2 hours brisk walking among the tall trees and looking at some gorgeous orchids, cacti and whatnot - it sure felt like a cardio workout.

The Lady's Slipper - the kind your feet wouldn't fit into.

Perched on higher grounds, one can enjoy a panoramic view of the whole of Danu Bratan from the Botanical Gardens. There is also a guesthouse in situ aimed mainly at scientists who would come to study the plants and trees, aptly named Guesthouse Etnobotani. I did not book a room there since it is located quite far uphill from the main entrance but if you have your own vehicle, it's all good.

The location of Guesthouse Etnobotani may be quite a hassle if you don't have your own means of transport.

On my way to my next accomodation near Ubud, the taxi driver suggested that I drop by at Tegal Sari Bali Coffee & Spices in Tabanan to sample some local coffee including the infamous luwak coffee (a.k.a. the most expensive coffee in the world) made from the sweetest coffee beans selected, eaten and excreted by civet cats. It tasted so good, I had to buy a jar of luwak coffee for souvenir!

Bali, a retreat for the inner soul - Part 1

The water temple, Pura Ulun Danu Bratan at dawn.

Good morning, Bali! It's quite hard to believe that I was waking up next to a serene lake 1200 metres above sea level, a far cry from the hustle and bustle of Timor-Leste's dusty capital, Dili where I was working at that moment. Like all my previous adventures, I took a good week or so to carefully plan my travels so as to fit my personal needs, to find the most strategic accommodations and to minimise cost, while also allowing some flexibility.

It was quarter past 6 in the morning and I leapt out of bed for a quick shower because I didn't want to be late for the sunrise! That's why I booked the resort in the first place - it's the only accomodation to offer free and unrestricted passage to the famed water temple, Pura Ulun Danu Bratan regardless of the opening hours ;) As soon as I saw the dark silhuette of the wooden temple set against hues of blue and orange reflected by the water, I gasped in awe and literally ran around snapping pictures until the magical scene slowly disappeared about an hour later. Suddenly, yesterday afternoon's tiring flight and the subsequent 2 hours of unnecessarily expensive taxi ride to Bedugul seemed worth every penny!

Danu Bratan in early morning as seen from the vista point at Masjid Besar Al-Hidayah.

Room 303 at Enjung Beji Resort was especially memorable for its ultra-slippery bathroom floor, huhu.

Since most tourist guides advertised on the internet won't accept a lone traveller like myself, I asked the concierge whether he could arrange a personal tour guide for me to Jatiluwih and Singaraja. "Of course," he said, quickly phoned his brother for the car, and there we were zipping our way through the winding road down the highlands!

Jatiluwih is a vast expanse of rice terraces Indonesia nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It really gave a new meaning to the word green, as one traveller described it. There, Wayan, the concierge cum tour guide dutifully accompanied me through the terraces, offering to take pictures once in a while with my trusty camera. It was one of those rare occasions where I felt immersed in nature as I trudged along the narrow strips of earth and hopped across slender streams, glancing occasionally to Mount Agung and Mount Batukaru in the distance. At one point, it was raining lightly so we had to take cover at a cow shed in the middle of the terraces next to the cow :)

The Jatiluwih rice terraces at the further end was breathtakingly beautiful.

Next, we travelled to Singaraja. Located north of the island, Singaraja is famed for ikat, a beautiful local fabric. But what drew me to this town was Masjid Keramat (a.k.a. Masjid Kuna/Kuno), a tiny mosque mentioned only in Indonesian- and Malay-speaking blogs. Built by Sunan Parapen in 1654, it is the oldest mosque in Bali and as its name suggests, it is considered sacred by the local Muslims and Hindus alike. I took some time for prayers and reflection before taking pictures of the town's main mosque, Masjid Agung Jami' Singaraja, and heading to the nearby Lovina Beach for lunch. Lovina is of course the black sand beach from which tourists depart to see dolphins. When the brothers offered me a stop at Gitgit waterfalls on our way back to the resort, I looked at what I was wearing and I had to say no :(

Quick lunch at Lovina Beach with its black sand.

A brief stop at Masjid Agung Jami' Singaraja and the nearby Masjid Keramat.

Before Bukit Mungsu Market at Candikuning closed for the day, I dashed there for a quick look-around. It took me 45 minutes on foot (yes, I walked) to get there from Enjung Beji Resort where I stayed. Here, strawberries, snake fruits and other fresh produce grown in the neighbourhood were traded side by side with Balinese handicrafts. Indeed, ikat fabrics sold here were noticably cheaper than the ones sold at Lovina Beach, even before bargaining ;)

For dinner, I sauntered off to the nearby local restaurant for something different and ordered sate kelinci (skewered rabbit meat). It was different alright (because I never ate rabbit meat before), and the peanut sauce was a bit sweet compared to Malaysian satay. And that's the end of a promising first day in Bali!