Indonesia Report(English)
This is the fourth time to travel abroad together with our four brothers. We arranged the place and date in consideration of the intention of our eldest brother. The travel called as "Mysterious travel in Java and Bali islands for five days"was excuted from Nov.29 to Nov.30 in 2016. We participated in this tour with expectation of visiting three World Heritages and seeing "Kecha-Dance". The Republic of Indonesia having 230 million people (ranks the fourth in the world) is consisted from more than 13,000 islands across the equator, a friendly nation with Japan and the largest Islamic country in the world. Bali island to visit first is called as "Island of the God" having people of 95% Hinduismis out of bout 3.9 million population different from other Islamic islands. We left Haneda paying attention to take measures to protect from mosquitoes dangerous to us.
● The first day (Haneda〜Jakarta〜Denpasar)
After about 7 hours flight from Haneda, we crossed the equator and arrived at Jakarta airport in the southern hemisphere. After stepping down the gangway, we moved to the international airport terminal by shuttle bus while sweating heavily due to moist and hot atmosphere. After finishing immigration and laggage inspection, we had to transfer to the domestic airport terminal. We could move barely to the domestic airport terminal by shuttle bus and find the transit room on the 2nd floor while working hard to reach the right way. We waited there for GA4122 flight departed at 20:10 for about 3 hours. We bought some breads feeling troublesome to exchange money because Rupiah is 100 times more than Yen. Anyway we arrived at Denpasar airport in Bali island at 23:05 (Japan time 24:05). It was 12 hours passed after departing Haneda. Mr.Suwa, our guide waited for us with a placard and we got on a one-box-car after called the roll. Our car headed toward"Quest hotel" in Cuta and we cheched-in at 24:30 midnight. I found that members of this tour was grouped with five men and five women (including one married couple).
●The second day (Ubud sightseeing/Saren Agun palace, Rice terrace, Kintamani plateau,
Uluwatu buddhist temple, and Kecha-Dance) We gathered at the entrance of hotel at 8:45 in summer fashion and got on the car same as yesterday and headed toward the North direction for Ubud sightseeing. The cars on the roads were seen almost Japan made cars such as Honda, Suzuki and Toyota. We got off first at Saren Agung palace (constructed in the 16th Ubud dynasty). Passed the old stone gate and entered the open space, we saw some children performing Bali dance desperately in front of their teacher. I heard that descendants of royal family still lived in this area. Next we reached at the rice terrace, one of World Heritage extending on the hills. To my surprise, rice firming here is the triple cropping style so we could see simultaneously both planting and harvesting in the paddy fields. Shortly our car arrived at a restaurant in the corner of the Kintamani plateau and enjoyed lunch by toasting ourself with beer and having a magnificent view in front of the Patoul mountain (active volcano,1,717m) and the lake Patoul. The breeze in the plateau was so cool and comfortable that we could forget to sweat. We could take pictures each other in the terrace of the restaurant Next our car turned back to the South to visit the ruins of Goajaga in the suburbs of Ubud where we could see a huge face relief on the entrance wall of the cave in the meditation area with bathing place constructed in the 11th century. After this time our car went down to Denpasar and even in the car I got wet with sweat. We arrived at the Uluwatu buddhist temple located in the south end of Bali island in about one and a half hour by way of sea highway (7km) constructed with help of Japan. I heard that the mangrove cultivation in seaside was also projected by help of Japan. At the buddhist temple constructed on the precipitous cliff having about 70m height in about 10 century, we enjoyed Kecha-Dance with interest while looking at the sunset to the Indian Ocean. When the dance came to the end, it began to rain unexpectedly, so we turned back to the car hurriedly. One hour later it stopped rainning entirely and we could enjoy seafood dish at the table on the sand of seashore.
●The third day (Tanarot buddhist temple, Denpasar airport〜Jog-jakarta, Dance
appreciation) We left our hotel for the west coast at 9 o'clock and it took one hour before arriving at Tanarot buddhist temple standing on the rocks in the Indian sea. We enjoyed only seeing the view not to approach the temple because of high water level tide. It might be wonderful too at the time of sunset. Lunch was prepared with Indonesian chicken dishes and we also toasted with beer. Then we went to Denpasar airport to take GA253 flight departed at 15: 00. I said good-by to Mr.Suwa our guide while shaking hands. Usually it took about one hour to Jog-jakarta in Java island however that day our flight was delayed about one hour because of congested air port condition. In such situation when our flight landed on the ground, we clapped our hands by chance for succeeding of our landing. Mr.Snarl, our guide was waiting outside to escort us to a big bus. The bus was a big size enough for only ten passengers. Was the bus profittable for the company arranged us, even if the price of gasoline cheaper than Japan? We occupied two seat enough for bus tour. Sightseeing to Prambanan buddhist temple today was cancelled so we went directly to Sheraton hotel for check-in because of flight delay and heavy rain. After taking a rest in each room, we gathered at the lobby in the hotel at 19:30 and started in a rain to enjoy for dinner and the traditional Indonesian dance. We took our dinner while drinking beers at a restaurant adjacent to the Rarmayana ballet place. After then we enjoyed to see the traditional dance until 21:10 before 21:30 closing time because we had to get up early tommorow morning. As soon as returning to the hotel we took a shower and went bed immediately.
●The fourth & fifth day (Borobudur ruins, Mundut buddhist temple, Royal palace, Water
palace, Batik atelier, Prambanan buddhist temple, Jogjakarta airport〜Jakarta〜Haneda) We got up at 3:15 and departed the hotel at 3:45 by bus. Fortunately it seemed to stop rainning in the dark sky. On the way to World Heritage Borobudur ruins, I heard Koran for Salah called aloudly from the speakers here and there. That recalled Saudi age worked before in that country to my mind. I expected to see the sunrise that morning from the top of the Borobudur ruins. We arrived at the entrance office when the sky became slightly white. The road to the World heritage was widely maintained and we walked to the vicinity of the ruins for about half an hour. When the big ruins appeared suddenly in front me, I was surprised to see the huge pyramidal buddhist temple built with stones. I heard the old stone temple having 123m square bottom and 80m height constructed between the 8th century and the 9th century, and discovered by british in 1814, this was 1000 years later. We went up 150 steps of the stair and waited the sunrise at the top of the temple. The view from there was hazy, fantastic, religious and wonderful. We four brothers took pictures while feeling fresh and religious. The stone relief directed by Buddhism were built in from the first corridor to the fourth corridor. Unfortunately we couldn't see the sunrise this morning so we went down to the entrance office with a sacred mind. Next we headed toward Mundou buddhist temple where we saw a big gajumal tree in the grounds. Three stone images were enshrined in the temple. We were troubled by souvenir sales persons here too because of their persistent sales. After then our bus returned to our hotel and we took a breakfast and checked out at 10:15. The bus picked us to go sightseeing to Jogjakarta city. After walking on the streets, we entered the Royal palace where the king as a governer was still doing his duty I heard. We visited next to Water palace where we saw some large pools used by old people. Lunch was prepared at a chicken restaurant owned by Japanese and we toasted again with beers. Then we visited a batik atelier where we were curious about the demonstration of making batik. We left there and next headed toward World Heritage Prambanan buddhist temple which was cancelled to visit yesterday. On the way Mr.Snarl our guide said " It became a pouring rain when getting off because the mountains over there were covered with cloud." As he told we got heavy rain out of the bus so we had to walk with an umbrella to the temple. I heard that the temple started to construct in about 850 years, was collapsed all by the large earthquake caused in the 16th century, and the restoration was being continued now. We found here and there collapsed square stones on the ground. We returned to the bus barely while getting wet with rain and I took off my shirts so as to towel my body in the bus. I thought the buddhist temple was likely to the god calling the rain same as yesterday. Anyway we finished all tour schedule and headed toward the Jogjakarta airport to take the flight to Japan. We changed 19:25 GA219 flight for 19:05 GA215 flight because of delay. Before checking-in, I could change wet shirts for new ones at the corner of the terminal hall. The GA219 flight carried us to Jakarta for about one hour and a half and we could transfer to the international airport as barely as before. We said good-by each other and we four brothers enjoyed the final shopping. We boarded on the GA874 flight departed to Haneda at 23:45 while felling easy and hoping to close this travel safely.(The End)
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