Yogyakarta: Borobodur and Prambanan (Aug 25-26)

After a short drive from Semerang, we have arrived in Yogyakarta in luxury, totally spoilt rotten in a honeymoon room in the Hyatt hotel. Gosh do hotel points go far, but not without the guilt. An early morning swim under bridges and alongside waterfalls we awaken our bodies in preparation to feed our minds. Our first destination is Borobodur Temple, a Buddhists icon of power, beauty but most importantly an architectural book of teaching. We rise up the steps, one by one, circling in a clockwise pattern. The story unfolds as we ascend through the levels of Karma then into Reality and eventually arrive at Nivana. A mathematical equation that rounds perfectly into the magical number eight, the infinite symbol of life. Where a square equals a perfected state of stability and diamonds refer to the instability of life. We descend into previously friendly people whom wished to give you there name ‘Remo, Iyen,’ they shout ‘remember me’, and ‘later, later’. We smile and pass by, but now they swarm around us with their simple trinkets of cards and stamps, even a few sculptures are forced on us. We take the time to review like good fellows, but the prices areso high we try to walk away. Still they follow. We give in and get a welcomed daylight robbery - a hard lesson learnt at the gates of hell.
Three kilometers away, we have the time to ponder our bargaining defeat under a Bodhi tree. What a glorious tree! I just love this tree with its long dangling vines, within arms reach wishing to be touched, caressed even swung through. There a shared a few moments whilst Tyler enjoyed in Rock star moment with the local children in the nearby Temple. I sat until a smile rose to my cheeks – very memorable.

Further traveling is needed to reach our final destination, the Prambanan temple complex (we did have a quick stop of at the Palace and learnt all about the Sultan and his 40 wives Indeed a very busy man!). Prambanan temple complex was a Hindu temple with feminine lines as compared to the solid mass of the Borobodur. A temple so beautiful view under the setting sky. We quietly praise the moment completely in awe of such an ancient culture who decided to bless us with such magnificent architecture. Several shines have been restored for the main gods and even a cow (they have gods for everything). Each shrine layered with symbolic teachings of the Buddha’s seated pose either in teaching, meditation or giving. A connection between Buddhism and Hinduism. Pinnacles with lotus flowers and the sacred bowl reaching high to a centered point of a multi-coloured volcanic rock. Hands selected and dragged by elephant the tops showing connections made by zigzagging channels opposite the pervious dove joints. An unplaced stone is visible that fell from the recent earthquake, an the temples are surrounded by a grave yard of felled rock patiently waiting to be reincarnated.