Day 1 | Parambanan Temple & Parangtritis Beach (Resort)

Snippet from my earlier/old entry (Italic).

It started with my colleague telling me that I “SHOULD” visit Borobudur few months back after the earthquake in Jogjakarta, incase if there’s another earthquake. Since I am absolutely crazy about Wonders of the Worlds (my quest) or any of the UNESCO site. I feel there’s a “NEED” for me to visit the mystical place of worship. Suckers aren’t I….. Anyway; thus, my trip to Jogja in May07.

Checked Air Asia, asked my friend Anna whether she will be interested, YES the answer, same goes for my sis. YEAY! I went ahead and book - 3D2N according to my colleague advice (it's good enough if you are not a shoppaholic), he even gave me a travel agent he used for his trip - Lengga. No regret here, she was informative, good, and responsible and go to great length on my weirdest request. Thanks too google on this, I seem to want to visit all the places I read and she was ever so helpful.

We packed light for this trip since it going to be 3D2N, what is there to see right. As usual - WRONG! Hahaha….. This is ok as I ABSOLUTELY IN LOVE with historical sights. I did some “research”, and found a few places that I MUST MUST MUST go (note the MUST in cap). Parambanan Temple, Parangritis Beach, Taman Sari, Secret Passage, Maliaboro, Mendut Temple and ofcos the famous Borobudur Temple.


Lengga picked us up from Solo as during this time AA doesn’t fly directly to Jogja. We were shocked upon arrival at the Solo airport; it was an old old small airport of which the immigration counter was 10mtr from the entrance. This is light, you get down from airplane, walked for about 50mtr, reach the main entrance of the airport and immediately you queue for 10mtr to get your passport stamp. And next to us was the baggage lane where you can see the mover loading our bag to out begin the immigration (all this within your eye-view). We burst out laughing! This is yet the smallest old airport I have ever been and I thought Vietnam airport that I went few years back was bad. This is definitely starting of a new adventure for us.

Lengga telling me the history of Parambanan Temple.
 

Apparently, Parambanan Temple is the largest Hindu candi (temple) in ancient Java, it was build in circa 850CE.

Snippet from Wikipedia.

The present name Prambanan, was derived from the name of Prambanan village where the temple stood, this name probably being the corrupted Javanese pronunciation of "Para Brahman" ("of the brahmins"), doubtless an echo its heyday when the temple was filled with great numbers of brahmins.

Awat tetiba educative information lak nih! Hahhahah.....

Anyway, when we arrived here, it was super hot... no words can describe. But since Lengga our tour guide was so enthusiastic telling us the story and history (seriously, it is interesting; kid you not), we didn't realised the scorching hot sun. To our benefit Hahhahah....

We have learnt that Parambanan temple was badly effected after the earthquake that the compound have to be close for public worrying that it might endanger the them.

The ruins....

 

I got to know that most of the bricks (can I call them bricks?) are stacked. Like stack, ie STACK.... Hemmm.... Anyone who knows more, do comment and advice me yah.

Umbrelllllllaaaa..... HOOOOT!!! 

One for the road. And many more to come, feast your eyes....

The lounge area... it's sadden me to see something so beautiful and authenthic was badly impacted by the earthquake. Understood during my visit that the owner is closing it down for a year or so to do some maintenance and repairwork. Below was from my entry previously.

The good this is that, before taking us to see the beach itself, Lengga took us to this trunk road (rugged track more like it) and ofcos we did get panic at this point as we were in this so called “jungle”. She kept saying “usah risau” not to worry, I will take you see this resort on a cliff. We were thinking, on a cliff??…hemmm… Biar betul! BUUUUT, what we saw before our eyes were…..*and still speechless till now*. A quaint 17 room resort located on a cliff over looking Parangtritis beach AND the vast Indian Ocean. We ran all over the resort to take pictures. We found out that it has been close for awhile after the earthquake and they plan to reopen in 2008. It was badly damage *sob sob*.

The decor by the pool, well; actually it's the shower area before one jumps in the pool. Artistic huh

The lawn of the resort....

This is the magnificant view from the resort overlooking Parangtritis beach and India Ocean.

 

The moment Lengga took us to the beach area, we saw the horse cart, knowing the price.... we creamed that we wanted to ride the cart. Hell, no wild horses can't drag me away from this ride. Haahahahah.... It was so much fun. Do give it a try. 

 

This was what I put in my earlier entry.... after revisiting the entry. I will keep it as it is....

We rode to the resort foot cliff and back, stopover at the warungs (stalls) for a coconut drink. If only a hammock was there….plus an acapella singer strumming his guitar…..sigh…. The horse ride? Rupiah 10k ONLY.

Honestly speaking, I did bare minimal research on Jogjakarta as my only aim at that point of time is Borobudur and Borobudur and Borobudur... I think you know what I am trying to hint here. So, to make my life easier (one way of saying - I am SUPER LAZY); I asked my Indonesian relative Farhan whom is studying here in UIA on what to see and where to go (he studied in sekolah pondok in Jogja for a looooong while, his family is base in Pekan Baru, Indonesia).... he recommended Parangtritis. So, in my sms to Lengga, I said I wanted to cover this area loh. Easy peasy!

It is not a “swimming beach however, it has a errr… local legends says that visitors here (or perhaps anyone) should not wear anything green in colour, or the Queen [Ratu Kidul's] will entice the wearer into the ocean to drown them. Hemm…. Luckily none of us were in green that day*phew*.

 

We told the horseman to take us closer to the cliff resort as we wanted to see from the beach. Obidiently he insturct his beautiful horse to take us there...

The horseman took us to the foot of the cliff resort (I still unable to remember what the resort is called, Sorry!) where we were at a moment ago. Cam nih rupanye dari bawah yek...

Enjoying the breeze despite the story we heard on the legend was kinda eerie but then... the horse, the breeze, the... EVERYTHING... we don't care! Layar...

The ride took us from the stall area where we parked out van to the end, near to where the resort are. The horseman will stop and give us the opportunity to envoy the scenery, snap few pics with the horses, cart etc. Meanwhile, the horses will take a break (must be tired carrying chus me! Hahhahah....) to enjoy his drink by the spring (ceh waaah... spring gitus!).

 

We love the ride so much, the places, that we kept snapping pics non stop especially of ourselves. To a point it was sooooo hard to select a scenery pic as there was almost NONE! Goodness!!

Ni adalah kanak kanak Ribena yang mempunyai masalah berkuda. Hhahahaa.... Sorry Anna, we had great fun huh!

 

One of my favourite pics! You know what? I love them all despite that my Canon camera (HP camera performed better, and no noise!!) didn't do justice but care I not! The mood was there, the company was great, the weather in perfect harmony with nature... I am blessed.

While waiting for our coconut being served, Anna and I lazed around enjoying the Parangtritis wind while watching the local kids playing own invented toy or game. Envious lots we were.
 

Live within your means, play within your means. We were so creative when we were young, when our parents had nothing, with cans and kitchen utensils we will have a drumset, with just chairs lining up we will have school bus or with pebbles and stones we;ll have batu serembat. Sigh.... the good old days! Life was simpler (Awat tetiba drama, berjangkit kat John).

Jom main batu serembat kat Redang nanti! Heheheh....

My favourite pic of us.

 

 

 

Hyperlink credits : Wikipedia