| While I was arranging the photographs of this blog, I "accidentally" read one of the first few blogs that I wrote on this website; the travel blog to Medan in Apr 05. Inside it, I wrote about how Yogyakarta/Borobudur was my preferred choice of destination as compared to Medan. I would never had expected that it would take another 21 months later before I can finally visit it.
So there I went on a SilkAir flight to Solo in Central Java. While I will go more in depth into the quiet yet fiery city, first impressions of Adi Sumarmo airport was that it was TINY (my apologies as I am so used to large airports). It took me just 20 minutes to clear immigration. When I walked out of the arrival hall (or arrival room), taxi touts didn't bother me; maybe I don't look like a traveller. Somehow, I found a taxi (35kRp) got to Tirtonadi (Solo's main bus station) and boarded a Yogyakarta-bounded bus to Prambanan (a 8th-10th century Hindu temple). Apparently my adventure had started without much fanfare.
After spending 90mins on the bus (there were occasional buskings along the journey), I discovered a near-empty Prambanan (17km away from Yogyakarta along the Yogyakarta-Solo highway) on a Thursday. Did a "Been There Done That" and moved on to Candi Plaosan (Plaosan temples). Due to the earthquake in May 2006, certain potions of the park were tagged with the sign " No Entry". That was technically disappointing.
Things always work both ways (i.e. for or against you). It's amazing to think that one can "get away" with everything (temporarily of course) by cramping oneself in cattle class for 2 hours. But this will go against one as well; it takes the same amount of time required for one to get back.
|
| |
|
 |
wyattwang.com@Tirtonadi bus station, Solo. Bus fare was 6kRp to Prambanan. The bus conductor assumed that I was going to Yogyakarta and charged me 8.5kRp (bus fare to Yogyakarta).
No prizes for guessing where I was in the picture. |
| |
Jasmine shrubs were planted along the paths to Candi Shiva Mahadeva a.k.a. the main temple - first impressions of Prambanan
p.s.:
My Canon super-micro functions being put into use here
|
 |
wyattwang.com doing its thing in Prambanan. Hey, its barely 2 hours since I landed in Java!
|
 |
On a personal note, I think the ticket admission of USD$10 (or 90kRp) is a bit steep (saw that comment in one of the guestbooks as well). It doesn't really help when locals pay 8000Rp only.
Maybe its the lack of a dual pricing scheme in Sillypore (everything is expensive) that leads me to the above comment. |
 |
A joss stick burnts while time passes by. |
 |
Impressions of Prambanan. The windy and shady bamboo trees creates a sense of peace and tranquility. |
 |
More headless Buddhas; dreams of Angkor revived. - impressions of Candi Sewu (i.e. The Thousand Temples), a Buddhist temple built around AD 850.
p.s.: The presence of Buddhist elements were probably due to the marriage of Rakai Pikatan of Hindu Mataram and Princess Pramodhavardhani of the Buddhist Sailendra. |
 |
Padi fields forever...
While I was walking to Candi Plaosan, the reflections of the sun by the water on the fields created such a special sight that I stopped and took a couple of shots. |
 |
Candi Plaosan (admission 10kRp), 3kms away from the main temples of Prambanan. Again, it was deserted but I felt strange hearing prayers (played from speakers of nearby mesjids or mosques) in temples. |
 |
Does this remind you of a greyish Kueh Lapis?
I was to learn that during the rainy season, it rains heavily EVERY afternoon. This shot is on the "calm" before the "storm". I was fully drenched when I was trying to go to Yogyakarta.
|
| |
|
|
