INDONESIA: Temple Hopping

If Cambodia has Angkor Wat, Malaysia has the Petronas Towers and Thailand has the Grand Palace, then Indonesia has Borobudur and Prambanan - the two main tourist attractions and UNESCO World Heritage sites in the Yogyakarta region. Kurt and I spent a day for each temple for a leisurely pace but it's also possible to do both in one day. We first went to Prambanan, the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia. The towering temples reminded me of the Hindu temples in India which were laden with finely crafted images of Hindu gods. The details and intricacy of each sculpture was superbly done.

Prambanan

One of the towering temples

Notice the small images on the walls

The devil is in the details

The god is wearing a bindi 

(forehead decoration)

Around the compound

A view of the top

Right before closing time

The following day we went to the famous Borobudur which is located between twin volcanoes and two rivers. Whereas Prambanan is Hindu, Borobudur is a Buddhist temple and also a popular pilgrimage site for Buddhists. This temple houses 504 Buddha statues and about 2,500 images of Buddhist teachings such as karma and suffering to name a few. It was a treat to walk around the temple, sit on the uneven temple blocks and admire the surrounding mountains and greenery curtained by a mysterious fog. Certain parts of the temple are damaged so let your imagination conjure up the grandeur of Borobudur. This will enrich the experience ten-fold.

Borobudur

Stupa-fied

Stupa

Also famous to the locals

Making offerings

Gargoyle head is a water drain

Head was stolen and brought to Western museums

Stupas and headless Buddhas

Ohm

Prambanan and Borobudur are testaments to the presence of Hinduism and Buddhism in ancient Indonesia (Java Island). Later on, there was a Indonesian (Javanese) conversion to Islam which was brought by the maritime traders of the time. These two temples are perfect day trips while in Yogya especially for the culture-vultures and history buffs. Prepare for an impromptu photo session while you're there, the locals get a kick out of posing with foreigners.

INDONESIA: Strolling Yogya

Yogyakarta (derived from Dutch, pronounced as Jogjakarta; "Y" is pronounced as a "J") is small artistic town more popularly known for the nearby Borobudur, an ancient Buddhist temple and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Unknown to many, this town has more to offer than old temples. The city of Yogyakarta is simple yet artistic, busy yet full-of-heart. The main avenue is littered with shops that sell hand-made batik printed shirts in all hues and patterns -- quite an eye-candy for the color-hungry. Though the streets were filled with cars, there weren't any traffic jams or devil-drivers to complain about. At night, acoustic bands, complete with make-shift percussion instruments, play on the streets to serenade lovers walking hand in hand or families eating in the sidewalk restaurants. Later into the night, their songs turn into lullabies that cradle the city to sleep.

The main avenue

Malioboro Street

Your shirt is my canvass!

This is just wrong!

Catching the last bus

Another treat that Yogya had to offer was an organized bus transportation system complete with time schedule for the day. This is a rarity in Southeast Asia; usually it's just "hop-on / hop-off" when the bus comes. This made going to the nearby sights a breeze. Some say that by 2016, the small town of Yogya will have its own monorail and aerobus. Take that, Southeast Asia!

Buses come every 5-minutes (Can you believe it?)

A bus schedule, God's gift to mankind

Bintang Bar is small and cozy beer shack on Sosrowijayan Street - a street popular for backpacker-friendly hostels. Bintang Bar regularly features indie bands of different genres each night -- a tell-tale sign how the arts thrive in this city -- to play music and promote their albums. On the night we went, a ska band called The Brown Sugar gave a fantastic performance. They are extremely popular with the locals. About 30 minutes before their first set started, the house was already jam-packed. Though nights usually end early (12MN), the people still lingered to chit-chat with the band and continue drinking by the convenience store right across the street. I congratulated them after their set and the vocalist gave me a free copy of their album to share with my friends.

The Brown Sugar

Star of the night

For all its simplicity and artsy-ness, Yogyakarta has become my favorite city in all of Southeast Asia. If you're into traditional Indonesian paintings, contemporary visual art and indie music, then Yogya is definitely worth a visit. If you're into history and culture, Prambanan and Borobudur are just around the corner so Yogya would be a convenient place to stay.

INDONESIA: Sanur Beach and Ulu Watu Temple

After a hard night in Kuta Beach, we set off for Sanur Beach, a few kilometers to the east Kuta. Sanur Beach is a quiet and calm beach town, an apt contrast to the riot of a night we just had. There, time felt like it passed slower than usual. The sound of the waves was soothing. "If you go to a beach and listen to your iPod, then you're missing the point." -- this quote made much more sense after spending an afternoon in Sanur Beach.

Off to Sanur

Blue is the color of the sky

Afternoon companions

For the rough day ahead

The following day, we went to Ulu Watu, a Hindu temple complex by a cliff down in South Bali. They made us wear funny-colored costumes before we entered as a sign of respect. Knees are supposed to be covered. Walking around inside didn't feel like being in a temple at all. The actual temples were separated by wide gardens.  If it wasn't for the heat, the whole complex would have made for a relaxing stroll in a dainty park-by-a-cliff. The view of the ocean was spectacular to say the least.

Ulu Watu

By the cliff

Temple Ruins (Photo by Kurt)

The view below

Blue-green (Photo by Kurt)

Vastness

The monkeys playing in the temple served as clowns for entertainment with their adorable antics on trees and in their swimming pool. But they were also pickpockets who'd steal your camera, hat, or in my case, key chains if you're careless.

Porn (He's chewing on my key chain.)

MTV Cribs (Primate Version)

Both Sanur Beach and Ulu Watu are good choices for a laid-back, easygoing plan to spend a day in Bali. I'd recommend these two as a "chaser" to a night of clubbing, perfect for some moments of quiet before heading off to the next destination.

INDONESIA: Clubbing in Kuta Beach, Bali Island

Kurt and I arrived in Kuta Beach, Bali Island after a 12-hour bus ride from Probolinggo, the jump-off point for Mount Bromo. We spent a good part of our night searching for a reasonably-priced hostel; it wasn't peak season but the whole beach was packed. The following day, we took our time and just relaxed on the beach. Just to keep you in the know, though Indonesia is predominantly Muslim, Bali Island is predominantly Hindu. It is also the largest tourist destination in the country.

At a local eatery

The narrow streets of Kuta Beach

The view from our hotel window

Afternoon beer on Kuta Beach

Kuta Beach was dirty. I don't think I'm alone in saying this because all the other backpackers I met before and after going to Kuta said the same thing. I didn't feel welcome to take a dip because I'd be swimming with plastic bags and beer bottles. I was surprised that some surfers still took the plunge despite the filth. The waves were perfect for beginners, perhaps that's why.

Stoked

Kuta Beach

Kuta is the most touristy beach in Bali. Here you won't have trouble exchanging money or eating Western food, which could be a welcome respite after eating too much satay or nasi goreng. The clubbing is scene in Kuta is also the liveliest in all of Bali. Probably, though, not exactly the island's strongest asset. Clubs are usually filled with thirsty Australians (because they're nearby) and Dutch (because of historical links).

Night life in Kuta

Bounty Bar

The night would not have been complete without Bintang Beer, the "national" beer of Indonesia. The maker is a subsidiary of Heineken, a Dutch beer. (Makes me wonder, was San Miguel a subsidiary of a Spanish beer?) It tastes pretty much like water so before you know it, you've already had one too many. Each big bottle went for about 2 USD inside the club. Thanks to Bintang Beer, we met some "characters" in Bountry Bar. Let me introduce you to some of them.

Definitely High 
(She robot-danced the whole night.)

BINTANG!

Best dressed 

(He had this wicked piercing through his nose)

The Asian Tupac

Initially a girl was dancing inside this neon cage. The people around her egged her to dance more. This random Australian (I think) guy sneaks inside the cage and dry humped the girl from behind. She didn't notice it at the beginning but when she did, she played along! The crowd cheered louder and they just kept going at each other.

RELAX, PEOPLE!

Wow

Boom boom pow

That's a taste of what clubbing in Kuta Beach is. Bounty Bar was definitely one of the more popular clubs in Kuta. Most of the people we randomly met on the streets ended up there even though they had other plans at the beginning. Don't be surprised to see prostitutes offering you innocent smiles. After four bottles of Bintang, one is sure to be in Happy Land. It was pretty good for a first night in Bali. Good times!