The new LCCT
Warm welcome, but I was nearly frozen to ice age sleeping here. Ours was the...
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Stasiun Kereta Api Solo Balapan
Boarded the Prameks commuter to Yogya (Rp 7000, 1 hr ride).
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The Buddha at Mendut Temple
A 3m tall Buddha sits western-style with both feet on the ground, flanked by...
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Maha Pajapati Gotami
Prince Siddhatta's foster mother, who nursed the royal babe after...
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Mendut Temple
Also known as Veluvana Mandira (Bamboo Grove Temple), 2km east of Borobudur....
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Pure as lotus
In the shrine hall of Mendut Meditation Centre.
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Homage to the Buddha
There were Greeks in Java?
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The Buddha Eye Pillar
The Buddha Eyes similar to that of Bouddhanath Temple, Nepal.
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True wonder of the world
Borobudur is the world's biggest Buddhist monument and bears testimony to...
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The Borobudur Splendor
Standing 32m high at its 118m x 118m base, Borobudur structure resembles a...
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Bas relief of the Jataka Tales
Jataka Tales chronicled the Bodhisatta's journey from life to life to...
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The main eastern entrance
A staggering 2 million block stones were used to construct Borobudur.
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Gateway to the Arupaloka
The Formless Realms representing the 3rd and highest level of awareness.
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The top 3 circular terraces
Surrounded by 72 bell-shaped stupas (dagobs)
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Cloudy evening silhouette
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Dark shadow
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The Sakyamuni Buddha
Born a man, living as a mortal, by His own exertion He attained the supreme...
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Rhombic openings of the stupa
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Dagobs with square holes
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The rhombic latticed dagobs
Buddha images sit partly visible in the stupas.
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The huge stupa
The central stupa is 10m high, hollow and void - representing Nibbana,...
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Buddha in an open chamber
1 of the 2 Buddhas in open chambers. Hand mudra in the preaching position.
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The good are rare
Rare is birth as a human being. Hard is the life of mortals. Hard it is to...
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Sunset looming
When you travel westwards, you're sure to meet the setting sun. So...
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Dream of Queen Maha Maya
The queen dreamed about a white elephant (upper left) entering right...
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Birth of the Bodhisatta
Queen Maha Maya delivered the royal babe in Lumbini Park on the full...
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The royal prince
Myths had it that the royal babe walked 7 steps and proclaimed,...
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The attack of Mara, the evil one
The Bodhisatta's hand pointing to the ground asking Mother Earth to bear...
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The wall, the book and PC
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Our room in Losmen Setia Kawan, Yogya
The losmen was like an art gallery itself. All pictures were painted by the...
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The gecko umbrella
At the ceiling corner of our room.
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Local food - papaya leaf dish
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This might be err...gudeg or opor?
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Prambanan beckons
Also known as Candi Rara Jonggrang, or Temple of the Slender Virgin.
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17 km away from Jogja
The Prambanan Plain straddles the border between Jogja special region and...
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Rock rubbles and Prambanan
Lots of scattered piles of square stone blocks - these are smaller...
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Base stones matched up like tetris
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A cloudy morning
We were the 1st foreign visitors to the temple complex.
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Architecture wonder
The 3 main shrines of Prambanan are dedicated to the Trimurti -...
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The main complex
Facing each temple is a smaller shrine for the vehicles of the Gods,...
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Small lion in niches
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Trees of heaven - Kalpatura
With monkeys and birds, sometimes even rabbits and peacocks. The rounded side...
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Kinnara perched under Kalpatura
Kinnara are stylised half-human and half bird heavenly being.
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Hump of Nandi, the bull
Nandi was flanked by statues Surya, the God of Sun and Chandra, the God on Moon.
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Beyond the solid rock
Facing the Shiva Shrine.
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Of rock, stairways and dark entry
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Lord Krisna of Mahabharata
Another reincarnation of God Vishnu apart from Ramayana.
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In the western corridor of Shiva Shrine
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The arch window
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The ferocious Kala
Kala's montrous face giving a warning sign not to misbehave.
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From the corner
It took over 35 years to restore the 18 temples that now stood, and...
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Rama and Sita during happier times
They were smiling.
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Frowning at turbulent moments
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Sita was listening...
The Ramayana story carved on the Prambanan walls had a sad...
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Hanoman, the Monkey God was grinning
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Ancient advocation of breast feeding
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The guide and Kuvera, God of Wealth
Notice the protruding belly.
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The spire
Each temple was held together by gravity, not concrete.
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Against the sky
The towering core of central spires surrounded by hundreds of subsidiary...
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The giant and ants
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Exiting from the North Gate
It was hard to say farewell to Prambanan.
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View from Mt Penanjakan
It was cold up there.
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Cemoro Lawang
Settlements at the ancient Tengger crater.
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Dreamy view
Mt Batok (2440m) in front, Mt Bromo (2392m) in the middle and Mt...
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Closer
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Photographer in action
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Golden ray of light
Bromo once fell within the realm of King Joko Seger and Queen Roro...
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Timeless
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The Wow factor
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The faraway mountain
Seen from the Bromo Highland, think someone mentioned it was the Ijen Plateau.
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Nature's Borobudur
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Humble Batok
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Mighty Semeru
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Perfect view
Legend has it that the Tengger crater was originally dug out with just half a...
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In motion
Towards the Bromo staircase, either walking or riding on ponies.
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At the foothill of Mt Bromo
Shot this photo while catching on our breaths.
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The beginning of the 253 steps climb
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Nearly there
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Smoke gets in my eyes
Sulphurous smoke from Bromo crack.
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Foothill covered in mists
Slopes of Mt Batok carpeted with fine green vegetation.
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PC and Mt Batok
PC claimed that Mt Batok ain't looked real here.
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Reaching over to Mt Batok
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Watching in silence
Locals selling some snacks.
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Solitude
An abandoned, worn down hut.
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Glancing up
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Pura shrouded in mists
The Hindu Tengger people fled here to escape the wave of Islam that...
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This pony was Tiwo
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Jeep in sea of sand
PC and CF seeking shelter in the jeep.
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Tiwo at high country
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For Woofy
Marvelling at the Hindu Temple.
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Pony : Jeep or me?
From the Tengger crater, one may take a jeep or ride pony to Mt Bromo area.
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Bromo T-shirts for sale
Price ranged from Rp 15,000 to 25,000.
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Bakso mantep
Noodle soup with chicken fishball, bean curd and crackers.
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Green, green cabbages
Vegetable farms become part of Bromo landscape. The fertile volcanic...
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The shed and house
An onion farm. Most pony huts perched beside houses. Sign of an...
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Local horseman at Cemara Indah
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Till ponies gallop us apart
Pony ride after the afternoon rain.
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Intimidating
Mt Bromo up close.
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Empty staircase
Back to Mt Bromo.
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Pura on the caldera
The Sea Sand (Laotion Pasir) stretched far and wide (over 10km across).
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PC promoting USM in Bromo Highlands
USM is University Science of Malaysia in Penang.
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View of Bromo and Batok
On a bright, clear morning.
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Steaming furiously
Mt Bromo is appeased during the annual Kasada festival, when local Tenggerese...
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Tiny Hindu pura atop a hill
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The Ijen region
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Penjor in Bromo
A decorative palm leaf ornament hung from tall, curving bamboo pole,...
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Marvellous landscape
Have known PC over half my life.
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We made it to Bromo
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Ijen kiddo and mama
Found the Ijen kids aggresive, pulling my hand asking to take...
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The majestic Mt Raung (3332m)
Mt Raung is the volcano with cropped peak, situated on the...
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Standing tall and proud
The Ijen Plateau part of a reserve that stretches northeast to Baluran...
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In the basket
Slabs of sulphur, cystallized sulphur and slipper.
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Herculean bearers of sulphur
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Leaving
It took about 3km uphill climb to arrive here at the lip of Kawah Ijen.
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Puffing smoke of Kawah Ijen
Sign we have arrived at the crater.
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To the right
A steep gravelly path leads down to the sulphur deposits and the turquoise,...
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Largest in the world (20 hectares)
The vetra-acid lake lies at 2148m asl.
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Bright yellow sulphur
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Along the dilapidated stairway
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Cheers
After the climb up from the work site.
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Hard day's labour under the sky
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PC pretended to carry it
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Heheh...
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PC and the haunting green lake
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Manual scale at weighing station
Just the other day one of the worker was carrying over 90kg of sulphur.
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From sulphur mining
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Dawn at Bromo
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Bright morning view in Bromo
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