When the bed started shaking early this morning I thought Becci had woken up feeling frisky but no, it was an earthquake. They get them occasionally here and were hit badly with the tsunamis 10 years or so ago. Hopefully it wasn't a tremor before a big one on its way.
So the earthquake woke us up at 7am in perfect time to get breakfast before heading off to Borodubur, a 1200 year old Buddhist sanctuary with the largest Buddhist monument structure in the world. It is incredible! It's a huge stepped temple built with large blocks of volcanic stone which are carved with amazingly detailed sculptures explaining the whole story of Buddha's life running clockwise around the walls. It's topped with large bell shaped stuppas with great panoramic scenery of the surrounding mountains and forests from the top. This thing is so mind bogglingly detailed on such an epic huge scale that I feel I can't comprehend it well enough to appreciate it properly. I would continue to try and describe it but I can't do it justice with words or pictures so I'll stop here. Go and see it for yourself!
Next we go to see a nearby village and are taken around by horse and cart. I'm a bit uncomfortable with it because I don't agree with the horses being enslaved for this but it's the only way I can continue with the day so I jump on one of the carts. In part of the village we visit a small factory work shop producing fried cassava crisps. They farm the cassava then peel it, pulp it, shape it, dry it, fry it and there you have the greatest crisps in the world ever. maybe they're crackers, maybe they're crisps but they are the best either way. I bought a big bag for 5000 rupiah but there's no way these are making it all the way back home to England, not a chance!
We have some little children do a musical performance for us on some gong type instruments and then learn to play ourselves too. Good fun!
A good dinner in the village which included what was billed as the world's best soup which I can personally verify which pretty much makes it official. World's best crisps and world's best soup in one small village. Not bad going! Another reason for anyone reading this to visit this place.....
This evening bec is going for a massage spa thing with Amanda so whilst she is doing that, I kid you not, I am going to the ballet!
So the earthquake woke us up at 7am in perfect time to get breakfast before heading off to Borodubur, a 1200 year old Buddhist sanctuary with the largest Buddhist monument structure in the world. It is incredible! It's a huge stepped temple built with large blocks of volcanic stone which are carved with amazingly detailed sculptures explaining the whole story of Buddha's life running clockwise around the walls. It's topped with large bell shaped stuppas with great panoramic scenery of the surrounding mountains and forests from the top. This thing is so mind bogglingly detailed on such an epic huge scale that I feel I can't comprehend it well enough to appreciate it properly. I would continue to try and describe it but I can't do it justice with words or pictures so I'll stop here. Go and see it for yourself!
Next we go to see a nearby village and are taken around by horse and cart. I'm a bit uncomfortable with it because I don't agree with the horses being enslaved for this but it's the only way I can continue with the day so I jump on one of the carts. In part of the village we visit a small factory work shop producing fried cassava crisps. They farm the cassava then peel it, pulp it, shape it, dry it, fry it and there you have the greatest crisps in the world ever. maybe they're crackers, maybe they're crisps but they are the best either way. I bought a big bag for 5000 rupiah but there's no way these are making it all the way back home to England, not a chance!
We have some little children do a musical performance for us on some gong type instruments and then learn to play ourselves too. Good fun!
A good dinner in the village which included what was billed as the world's best soup which I can personally verify which pretty much makes it official. World's best crisps and world's best soup in one small village. Not bad going! Another reason for anyone reading this to visit this place.....
This evening bec is going for a massage spa thing with Amanda so whilst she is doing that, I kid you not, I am going to the ballet!
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