Today we will explore further near to Java – the Mt. Merapi. We heard that the Merapi eruption’s story where it has been the most severe eruption in Yogjakarta history on Oct continued to November 2010 since 1870. Hundreds of people killed in there including their volcano’s spiritual gatekeeper, Mbah Marijan. The activities culminating in repeated outbursts lava and ashes. Large eruption columns formed, causing numerous pyroclastic flows down the heavily populated slopes of the volcano.
We were told by our driver, Usha, that she’s one of the volunteer of the rescuer team during that time. She had very good experience on handling this phenomena. As one of the new knowledge we learnt from her was, vehicles that visiting volcano area MUST park their car with front facing down the hill. And always assure the cars are ready to go. We were worried if the Merapi is safe to visit though…..lolx…..but based on her information, the volcano will not erupt for the time being.
Along the way to Merapi, we can see the ashes were everywhere. At 1st we though it was some type of sand, but it was the volcano ashes. The distance between our stay place to Merapi takes around 3 hours to reach.
Usha told us the story on how it happened and share to us her experience on rescuing the villagers, it was so touching our heart. And it was quite sad when we reach Merapi, most of the villages were vanished and you can see the trees (bamboos and sugarcane) were all gone or burnt. Usha told us that the road to the villages were so beautiful before the eruption.
The stream
But still, they need to continue with their living….
Ok…entering Kinahrejo village
After that, Usha brought us to have Babi Guling, the best in Yogjakarta. I remember my 1st experience of babi guling was in my visit to Bali. When we asked Usha about the Bali’s babi guling, she told us, the one she will bring us to is much more better than Bali’s….can’t wait to taste it!!
I must said that…it’s REALLY…taste better than Bali’s……much more better!!! Highly recommended!!!! But your driver need to know how to get there…it’s only local people know how to and where….lolx
After filling our stomach, we continue to Candi Sari which is also a Buddhist temple.
“Candi Sari (Indonesian: Candi Sari also known as Candi Bendah), is an 8th century Buddhist temple located at Dusun hamlet near Bendan, Tirtomartani village, Kalasan, Sleman regency, Yogyakarta. It is located about 130 meters north east from Kalasan temple. The temple was a two story building with wooden beams, floors, stairs completed with windows and doors; all from organic materials which now are decayed and gone. It is suggested that the original function of this building was a vihara (Buddhist monastery), a dwelling place for monks.[1] The temple's name Sari or Saré translates as "to sleep" in Javanese, which also confirms the habitation nature of the building.”
Then we proceed to Candi Plaosan Lor, also known as the 'Plaosan Complex', is one of the Buddhist temples located in Bugisan village, Prambanan district, Central Java, Indonesia, about a kilometer to the northwest of the renowned Hindu Prambanan Temple. It has a twin main temples and 194 stupas. (I read through wikipedia, and it stated there only 116 stupas….)
I’ve captured the information from the Candi’s board before entering the complex.
The twin building
Ruin of small buildings and stupa around the main building
Next, Candi Prambanan. Candi Prambanan is a Hinduism temple. Candi Prambanan is the biggest Hindu temple in Southeast Asia It has three Trimurti temples which is the Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma; three vahana temples in front of Trimurti temples, Nandi, Garuda, and Hamsa and surrounded by 224 pervara temples. Besides that, two Apits temples located between the rows of Trimurti and Vahana temples on north and south side, four Kelir temples located on 4 cardinal directions right beyond the 4 main gates of inner zone and four Patok temples located on 4 corners of inner zone.
The temples before earthquake
The temples after earthquake
Candi Lumbung located nearby Candi Prambanan. Can’t get in there as they have some restoration work on site.
We did missed out some…errr….i think alot of Candis in Yogyakarta becuase of our time constraints. There’re Candi Sewu, Candi Boko which located at Ratu Boko Hill, Candi Morangan which buried hundreds meter under the ashes, etc. We ended our tour here as most of us were already starving and tired…..and you know what we found when we walked out from this complex……^^…. FOOD!!!
Looks like our chinese ‘thong sui’…lol…. they called it as Ronde
Yup….sweet and a little bit flowery taste.
Usha recommended us to a restaurant to taste on mutton satay. It is located in Yogja town area, but unluckily I did not manage to snap the restaurant name. Here’re the pictures:
Taste really good….!!
Delicious mutton satay.
Our Malaysian “Limau Ais”….lolx….they have another one…
Our trip did not went to any luxury restaurants in Yogyakarta, as we are dare devil team to taste their local food from local stall that local people will go. So, some stall’s name I may not be able to capture in my blog. Sorry for that…. :P . Before we return to our hotel, we ask Usha to bring us to buy their famous biscuit, Bakpia Pathok. It is a round-shaped pastries stuffed with red beans, cheese, pineapple jam, choclate, etc. depending on their offered. Usha told us that if we did not know where to buy, we may get very sweet bakpia in the town. So, she brought to a shop where they produce less sweet bakpia and the taste is just nice for tourist to buy.
Recommended as well ..oppss…forgotted to capture the shop’s name. But I believe it is a place where tour agent will bring tourists to shop.
Here end our journey to Yogyakarta, we were so happy to know that Yogja is a beautiful place and has amazing historical sites especially for those who loves to explore their history and cultures, as well as their delicious foods. Their people are quite friendly, and if you know how to speak Malay language, it will be an advantage for you to communicate with them.
And for readers, thank you for reading my blog about Yogyakarta. Hope that my blog will give another different impression for you before visiting Yogyakarta if you are 1st timer like me. And I apologize for my bad language here and if there’s any wrong information in my blog.
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