The main purpose of our call to Semarang, was the attraction of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Borobudur, a Buddhist temple, built around 824 A.D. An added bonus was for our Indonesian crew, almost 1,000 family and friends joined the ship for the day to see their loved ones. We arrived at dawn, coming down a long, shallow channel and turning in an equally shallow harbour before backing down to the berth.
We were taking advantage of going to see the Temple, we may never have the opportunity again and so it was with some excitement that K and I walked off the ship, past our welcoming dancers and joined guests in the assembly area outside the terminal. We had transport arranged and all of us, cars and buses, were to be escorted by police vehicles; they were going to “plough the road” for us, for were they not there, the journey getting there would take twice as long. Assembly complete, the ‘convoy’ set off, sirens on, (all the way) and traffic being (literally) forced off the road to let us pass.
Our car, (to the left)
Our Excursion manager, Nyron, taking shelter from the sun as he organises the tours
Through Semarang, (the number of mopeds and motorbikes are astonishing) and eventually onto a motorway, where the pace picked up, (the sirens, however, continued). The journey took us some 3 hours, including a break for coffee and nature’s necessities.
An opportunity for a photo with the police, men and women at the coffee-house, along with our tour organiser
We pass some ladies, carving chairs. They wave as I shoot the photo, in fact everyone we saw would wave….
I made a video of our escapades and thought long and hard where to put it in this post; now would seem opportune, so here we go……You will notice that there’s talking in the background; our guide talked incessantly during the journey, so it is he who you hear…!!!!!
O was it hot when we arrived at the temple. We were being treated like royalty, even parking the car in a reserved area, closer to the temple; a distinct advantage in the heat and humidity. It is uncertain as to the date the temple was built, it is thought around 824 A.D. and obviously, took scores of years to complete. Over time, the temple disappeared, buried under volcanic ash and then the growing vegetation completed the task, no-one except a few locals knew of its existence It wasn’t until 1814 that the founder of Singapore, (as we know it), Stanford Raffles, heard of the possibility of a temple at Borobudur and set off, with a Dutchman to look for it. (Obviously) finding it, it then had to be uncovered and restored, lasting from 1907 to 1911; further restoration took place when it became a World Heritage site, $25m being donated by participating countries. Enough of the history lesson, some photographs!
Our first view
We were to climb the steps later….
Carvings depict the history of Buddha, his birth and his life.
Me taking a photo of our guide taking a photo of us, does that make sense ?
🙂
A distant hill, the ‘sleeping Buddha’, to the left is the head, nose and chin and the body, centre
A wonderful 2 hours here and then off to lunch; a secluded hotel and restaurant, with a magnificent view of the temple from the terrace.
Borobudur from the terrace
Our dining area, complete with high-power binoculars
Karen in here ‘buddhist’ pose
A delicious soup, base was coconut milk, with prawns, quail eggs, vegetables and noodles; outstandingly delicious!
Duck, Javanese style,(spices and herbs), the rice ‘tower’ too
So it was that, reluctantly, we set off back to the ship. However, before did so, we stopped at a coffee shop. Not any old coffee, but Luwak coffee, the most expensive coffee in the world. A bag (small) in the U.K. would cost around £50, or $65! The coffee beans are eaten by civet cats and then, when they ‘poop’ the beans are collected, washed, cleaned and then roasted. It is absolutely delicious and I, Karen, our guide and driver enjoyed a cup, (at $2 each 🙂 )
Before cleaning….
The various processes
The ‘roaster’
One of the civet cats
The finished product
Karen, guide and driver outside the coffee shop
I write from Singapore, having arrived here 4 hours ago, I have spent a relaxing 3 hours downloading photos and videos for this post. A hectic early morning, transiting the busiest shipping lane in the world, the Malacca Straits. Ships galore, bound east and west and others coming out of the vast ports which surround Singapore. The Navigation officers, those who keep the Bridge watch have had a time of it, however once accomplished, one can see and feel the satisfaction in their faces, a job well done. More later……….
