Jogya - temples and backpackers

[Bobcock]

The Muslims haven't blown them up??

Top pics Willy......btw...you heard from our mutual friends since the big departuure to the USA?

[Rural Surin]

Originally Posted by kingwilly

not to mention that the damn indonesians all want a photo with their brand new western friend, and that all the damn school kids have an assignment to interview a westerner, I've learnt and tell them all to fuck off., usually politely.

If they're smart, they won't find it necessary to gather Western friends. Nice thread Willy, central Java is quite spectacular as to the historical aspects. Cheers!

[kingwilly]

Originally Posted by Bobcock

btw...you heard from our mutual friends since the big departuure to the USA?

not a word. no phone, no email. no facebook (she never did that anyway) - bit of a shame cos i only wish them the best!

[Bobcock]

me neither, she's always popped up on MSN and sent me regular mails but this time not a sausage.

[kelantan]

Another good report

[Dick Farang]

Actually, the Buddhist Temple Complex Borobudur was destroyed by the Muslims, when they arrived in Indonesia. The same applies to the Hindu Temple Complex Prambanan, also near Yogyakarta, and lots of smaller temples anywhere on the main island Java. Up to then, Buddhists and Hindus lived peacefully together.

[Lily]

^Yank?

[kingwilly]

Originally Posted by Dick Farang

Actually, the Buddhist Temple Complex Borobudur was destroyed by the Muslims, when they arrived in Indonesia. The same applies to the Hindu Temple Complex Prambanan, also near Yogyakarta, and lots of smaller temples anywhere on the main island Java. Up to then, Buddhists and Hindus lived peacefully together.

really?

do you have any evidence for that statement?

[Rural Surin]

Originally Posted by Dick Farang

Actually, the Buddhist Temple Complex Borobudur was destroyed by the Muslims, when they arrived in Indonesia. The same applies to the Hindu Temple Complex Prambanan, also near Yogyakarta, and lots of smaller temples anywhere on the main island Java. Up to then, Buddhists and Hindus lived peacefully together.

As ancient SE Asian historical remains are observed, Borbordor ranks equally. Quite a place.

[kingwilly]

There was an article in the jakarta post today about these 2 places, unfortunately not on the online edition, just yet.

[Mu xxx]

I have a pic of me at Borobudur with about 1000 Indonesian's all around me... and yes, ALL the kids DO have school projects about Westerners... HAHA! I was with a group so I didn't pay seperate entry, but I plan on going back at the end of the year since I was only 16 when I went last time--is it true about the prices? What about if you speak Indonesian, will they discount for that do you reckon?

[kingwilly]

Originally Posted by Mu xxx

is it true about the prices?

erm, yes, I was there recently.

Originally Posted by Mu xxx

What about if you speak Indonesian, will they discount for that do you reckon?

doubt it. you can try.

[kingwilly]

News article from Sunday's paper.

Visitors will now have to wear sarong and sandals to visit the site, I think that this is a good thing in principal. I do wonder about the implementation, however.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 10:23 AM


Be a member & get the benefits! Register or login




TWC, UI sign a deal to preserve Borobudur, Prambanan

Novia D. Rulistia , THE JAKARTA POST , JAKARTA | Sun, 02/21/2010 4:11 PM | Discover
The University of Indonesia (UI) and PT Taman Wisata Candi (TWC) have signed a MoU to preserve and further develop the national heritage sites of Borobudur, Prambanan and Boko temples.
Director of archeology at the UI, Irmawati Johan, said the agreement would later focus on the publication of scientific journals about the temples.
"The number of scientific journals about the temples are still limited and mostly written by foreigners. Meanwhile other materials about the temples just sit on the shelf," she said.
"So this is the perfect time to publish the scientific works related to our people."
Irmawati said they would first publish the papers produced by the professors before publishing those written by the students.
The journals, which will be published some time this year, will cover chapters about the temple's philosophy, religious aspects and the stories of the bas-relief from which life in the ancient period is depicted.
Irmawati also said the cooperation would include training for tourist guides in the temples to equip them with better and more accurate information about the temples.
The Buddhist temple Borobudur is located in Magelang, Central Java. It sits on 15,129 square meters of land with a height of 42 meters and a width of 123 meters. It is believed the temple was built in eighth century.
Meanwhile, the country's largest Hindu temple, Prambanan, located in Yogyakarta, was built in the ninth century and has eight main temples that contain statues of gods. Both are included on UNESCO's world heritage list.
As part of measures to preserve the sites, which began on Feb. 1, visitors to Borobudur are now required to wear batik sarongs and rubber sandals around the temple area.
TWC president commissioner Darmono said the moves were taken to create a sacred feeling around the sites and to encourage visitors to respect the ancient temples.
"Many tourists see the temples as tourist attractions rather than as a holy place, making them less careful around the sites," he said. Besides sarongs, Darmono said that visitors were also required to wear sandals in order to minimize the effect that heels or other hard materials could have on the stone.
For the trial, the management will still lend the sarongs and sandal to visitors, but starting next month, visitors can choose whether they want to buy or rent them.
"The price of the sarong is Rp 25,000 and Rp 6,000 for the sandals and it will be included in the entrance fee," said president director Purnomo Siswoprasetjo.
The entrance ticket is Rp 15,000 for locals, Rp 135,000 for foreign tourists and Rp 10,000 for students.
The same regulation will also be applied in Prambanan and Boko temples over the next three to six months.

[WujouMao]

so flip flops and a skirt for a man? nice......................

just been to xe.com for an understanding on price. so only a quid for the locals, yea seems ok, and near enough a tenner for a tourist. seems a tad bit expensive

[mr Fred]

I have visited both of the temples.
I should explain I'm from Yorkshire in the North of England. That makes me a tight sod.

With that in mind I do not pay to go to these places. I wait until a school invites me to go with then as a native speaker and go for free. Saves all that messing around avoiding interviews as well.
They always give you 'lunch' money for your effort. The envelope usually has enough inside for a lot of lunches.

Nice photos KW.

[mr Fred]

Originally Posted by Bobcock

The Muslims haven't blown them up??

When I first started visiting Asia in 2005 I did not take my intended trip to Indonesia.
The reason for this was the stories I kept hearing about "Muslims".
All suicide bombers and blah, blah bollocks.

In fact the vast majority of Indonesians, regardless of their religion, are a friendly bunch would would never dream of doing anything that bloody stupid.

The country is 86% Muslim and I suspect the visitors to the temples roughly follow that.



These are all Muslims but forgot their bloody explosives when we visited the temple, They got a right bollocking when they got back to school and the headmaster found out they just went around having a good day out.

Chopped the heads off the lot of them. They bloody deserved it too.

[Bobcock]

Actually it was in reference to the Buddhist statues blown up in Afghanistan......

Nothing to do with suicide bombers.

And it only takes one fanatical group to do this and there is without doubt one fanatical group in Indonesia.

Doesn't for one second suggest all of them are willing oir capable.

Sounds like in the beginning you were far more scared of them that I ever have been.

[kingwilly]

Originally Posted by mr Fred

Nice photos KW.

cheers. there was a particularly good photo in the Jakarta post on sunday of Borobudur during twilight, unfortunately I cannot find it online.

[mr Fred]

Originally Posted by Bobcock

Actually it was in reference to the Buddhist statues blown up in Afghanistan......

Nothing to do with suicide bombers.

And it only takes one fanatical group to do this and there is without doubt one fanatical group in Indonesia.

Doesn't for one second suggest all of them are willing oir capable.

Sounds like in the beginning you were far more scared of them that I ever have been.

I saw the extremist idiots blowing up those things with the tanks. Bloody stupid vandalism.

You said

The Muslims haven't blown them up??

Bit of a group term that many misuse badly.
What you mean is the violent extremist idiot end of Islam that seem to think that it's fine to vandalise history or even murder total strangers.

Oddly enough, after the clear first consideration for the poor sods that are killed or injured, it's mostly Muslims that are hurt by the bombs in Indonesia. The tourists all pretty much sodded off overnight leaving a lot of businesses to go bust and a lot of people not eating properly after they lost their jobs.
My old place in Wonosobo turned from a tourist magnet full of busy hotels to seeing a few faces here and there.

What is the greatest sadness is that such a few nut jobs can do so much harm to so many people and take away their living with a few bloody stupid actions.
Ye godz the fucking terrorists bug me.

It also bugs me a bit when people just say Muslims instead of what they should say.

Right bee will be removed from bonnet and I will get back to posting photos and being generally filthy.

[kingwilly]

Originally Posted by mr Fred

and I will get back to posting photos and being generally filthy.

good.

but point of order, a couple of titty shots and some references to sheep (did you realise that Bobsknob is Welsh?) is hardly filthy, jsut wait till you get your 100th post and access to the members section !