Wednesday, October 2, 2013

in case you were wondering...yes, I did!!

There was going to be no birthday trip this year as I seriously expected to be completely immersed in housebuilding.

That was part of the reason why I took a big trip last year - to satisfy my wanderlust for a couple of years so I could focus on settling into my life in the country.

But alas, bureaucracy and the vagaries of rural sub-contracting have delayed the start of my empire!!

So - with the big day looming, I jetted off to Java. And contrary to my usual mode de voyage I took Paul along. He was as keen to explore the temples of central Java as I was.

It was only a short 10 day trip so the focus was on the temples of Borobudur and Prambanam and several other smaller temples around the Yogyakatar region.

It was hot, mostly cloudless and off season. This amounted to very few tourists wherever we went. In fact on our two visits to Borobudur at times we were almost the only visitors in the temple. This contrasts with the peak season human traffic jam that creates a long meandering line of weary tourists waiting for entry as the entrance stairs to Borobudur are narrow and permit a single line of people each way.

There is not a lot to say - the temples were wonderful, the palaces a little underwhelming and I'm afraid Yogyakarta was a little...how do I put it? Uninteresting! For about a day and a half we were seriously short of things to do there. Shopping (which I loathe) seems to be a big thing there.

So instead I will let the pictures do the talking.

BOROBUDUR:









































And finally - a chance to eat birthday cake back at the hotel.


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