Sunday, March 5, 2023 - Semerang, Indonesia (Borobudur)

 

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March 5, 2023 – Java 

We docked in the city of Semarang, Java, Indonesia this morning. This is probably one of the least attractive ports that we have been at. There is a cruise ship terminal, but the port is very industrial and very well worn. Like many other ports, we are greeted by a dance troupe. 

We have a 9 hour tour today so are off the ship fairly early. We also learned a couple of days ago that this is a very popular tour with over 200 guests wanting to participate. This optional tour is to travel inland about 100 kilometers to see “Borobudur”. This is the largest Buddhist temple in the world and was built in the 9^th century. It sits amidst 4 volcanoes. One of them, Mt. Merapi is the most active volcano in Indonesia and has been erupting since the mid-1500s. 

At the base, the temple measures 400’ per side, and stands 115’ tall. There are 432 Buddhas on the monument. The monument sits atop a hill that is about 900’ of elevation.

Just a few people walking up 68 steps to get to the base. It takes a special ticket to go any higher than where you see this crowd. Only $100 USD.

2 of the neighborhood volcanos in the distance and the parkland surrounding the temple

More of the parkland.

3d relief. Every face has a different expression.

One of the many Buddhas.

 

 

 

Eventually the temple was covered by ash from the volcano and then vegetation grew. It lay buried for a very long time, being unearthed in the early 1800s by the British. It has been worked on over the years and became a UNESCO site in 1991. It is the most visited tourist site in Indonesia. So many tourists were visiting that the constant traffic began to cause damage to the structure. Then in 2019 the site was closed to most tourists. Post Covid, it has reopened, but it takes a special ticket to climb the structure. For everyone else, you are restricted to the ground level only. There are some examples of the 3D relief carving that covers the structure. The monument itself is surrounded by parkland that is lovely. 

An absolutely amazing structure. 

Viking did a fantastic job of coordinating this excursion. There were 7 busses with a police escort. The escort was essential. It kept all the busses together and cleared the path of other traffic. Much of the road to the monument was 2-lane. The escort would literally force on-coming traffic off the road so we could get around vehicles going the same way we were. On-coming traffic was forced to drive on the grass of the shoulder. Amazingly, nobody seemed to be upset. 

We stopped for a coffee break/potty stop about 1 ½ hours into the trip. Again, very well handled. They were ready for us and there was plenty of room to sit at a table. 

Our guide was excellent and has studied the monument in detail. After our tour of the monument, we were served a buffet lunch, then headed back to the port. There was a brief stop at a handicrafts shop that had quality merchandise. Another potty break where we stopped in the morning, then back to ship around 5:00p.

Lunch

Besides rice, we saw avocados and other fruit and a tree farm where they harvest latex. The trees will last for about 30 years, then they need to be replaced.

Rubber trees. Near the base of each tree is a device where then can harvest the latex.

 

Fruit stand. Those green things hanging from twine are individual avocados. I don't know what the other fruit is.

 

 

There was a high tide and the water was pouring onto the dock even though a wall made out of sandbags had been added to the edge. There was also some sort of delay getting away from the dock.