View of one Prambanan temple to another

Little is known about the early history of this complex, but it is thought that it was built by Rakai Pikatan to commemorate the return of a Hindu dynasty to sole power in Java.

May 27th 2006 Earthquake

Earthquake caused serious damage to the temple complex - very little work has been done to restore it.

Candi Shiva Mahadeva

This temple dedicated to Shiva, is not only the largest of the temples, it is also the finest. The temple is lavishly carved. with small lions, trees of heaven, and a multitude of stylised half-human and half-bird "kinnara" (heavenly beings).

Prambanan Temples

Outside of Yogyakarta is the huge Prambanan complex which consist of Hindu temples. It was in ruins for many years, and not until 1937 was construction first attempted. The outer compound contains the remains of 244 temples, while eight minor and eight main temples stand in the highest central courtyard

Dino's owner and Regina

We had arranged to share a rented car with some people we met at the hotel on the grounds of the Borobudur Temple. Since we were running late, and Dino the wonder horse could not go any faster, the owner gave Regina a ride on his motorcycle back to the hotel to let the people know we were coming! Not to worry, I did not drive the horse and cart- that was the owner's brother's job!

Mendut Buddhist Monastery

Mendut Buddhist Monastery

Beautifully manicured lawns with lush foliage of trees and flowers, the bell-shaped marble stupas lining along a square pond and the clean terrazzo paths evoked a sense of serenity even to the most indifferent mortals. I had read that you were to have a monk accompany you through the monastery, but no one stopped us as we wandered around in respectful silence and awe.

Mendut Buddhist Monastery

After walking along the exquisite square ponds, and after a number of steps, you will arrive at a large prayer hall where a colossal Buddha statue made of gold in lotus position.

storage of rice in a house in Borobudur

This is where all the rice is stored after harvest. I'm not sure where it goes after that. It's just an open room beside the kitchen. It reminded me of a sandbox in a playground, rather than the staple of the people's diet.

Ceiling and roof one in the same in Borobudur

This is the only light that is in the kitchen of this house. There is electricity in the front room, but none here.

Dwelling in Borobudur

At outskirts of the village was a house that Dino's driver knew the occupants. For a small sum, they allowed us to tour the house. This dwelling is about 200 years old. This is the kitchen, with the fire below the clay mound where the pots and pans were. To the left is the "sink" which is nothing but a huge tub that they fill with water. Two elderly people live here, their children are grown and have moved to the "big city" of Jakarta.

Dino the wonder horse

After the sunrise visit to Borobudur, we hired Dino and his driver (we never did find out the driver's name). We took the horse and buggy around the small village of Borobudur. It was the day of legislative elections, so many things were closed. But it made for a peaceful, quiet journey to the edges of the village.

Borobudur Temple- construction

The smaller picture is the view from our hotel, as we ate breakfast on the open-air veranda.
Almost 2 million cubic feet of stones were taken from neighboring rivers to build the monument. The stone was cut to size, transported to the site and laid without mortar. Knobs, indentations and dovetails were used to form joints between stones.

2,672 relief panels at the Borobudur temple

Lion statutes - Borobudur

Access to the upper part of the temple is through stairways in the center,

which is watched by a total of 32 lion statues.

Stupas at Borobudur

A stupa is a symbol of enlightenment and is one of the most ancient icons of Buddhist art. Stupas are also the oldest and most prevalent forms of Buddhist architecture. More than just being examples of art and architecture, these holy monuments were designed with deep symbolism and sacred geometry. Filled with Buddhist relics, and other holy objects, stupas emanate blessings and peace. There are approximately 72 at Borobudur.

Sunrise at Borobudur

We arrived at our hotel, located on the grounds of the temple at 3:30 a.m. (Yet another unique travel experience, found only in Indonesia). We requested the sunrise tour and were awakened at 4:30. I slept in my clothes, since I knew if I changed I'd never want to get out of the bed. The "sunrise tour" consisted of a young man handing us a flashlight each and leading us to the entrance of the temple. We climbed the ten-terraced building in the dark, but it was worth every step.

Borobudur Temple

This is one of Southeast Asia's most spectacular sites, and the largest tourist attraction in Indonesia. Looming out of the surrounding bottle-green rice paddies and swaying palm trees is the Borobudur Temple, the largest Buddhist monument in existence.

Gunung Merapi - Fire Mountain

From the Buddhist monument in Borobudur at sunrise, is the Fire Mountain. It is an immense active volcano, towering 2,911 m over the surrounding area. This is a destructive volcano and every year there are offerings from Yogya's kraton (palace) to appease the mountain's foul temper.