By Oksana Starostina
When I think about a new route, the first thing that comes to mind is to find out 10 interesting facts about the country you are going to go to and find out if it’s worth getting there to see it. The facts that I read have left no shadow of doubt that my next trip will be in this country.
First days at Indonesia and Fact No 1
Indonesia – 1,920 million km2 and about 17,500 islands, of which only 6,000 islands have a population and infrastructure. If you want to cross the whole country by plane, it will take approximately 12 hours! Despite the large territory, Indonesia has only 3 time zones. The island of Java is the most populated island in the world. Its population is about 140 million people. Just imagine more than 11 thousand uninhabited islands! In Indonesia, we made 10 flights and all this time I did not move away from the porthole window – we flew over uninhabited islands and my mind refused to understand why a human needs space and other planets, while on our planet there are still millions of square kilometers left unexplored!
Jakarta is the first city where we arrived, it is also a huge mega polis – one of the largest in the world, in which there is no metro and therefore the capital traffic is simply unrealistically crazy. Therefore, we tried to leave this city as quickly as possible and went to another city on the island of Java –Yogyakarta. It is in Yogyakarta that you live simultaneously in the city and in nature. Here everything is simple – people are simple and smiling, mango grows right in the yard, the best transport is a motorcycle that you can hire here for just $ 5 a day and merge with a noisy crowd of motorcyclists to feel at home. For the whole Western world, it should be noted that in Indonesia, left-sided diversion.
We rarely think that we are surrounded not only by the cities, but also by the habitat of many unique species of flora and fauna. I clearly understand that our planet is ready to share its energy, but we have ceased to accept this gift. Sometimes it’s just enough to go barefoot on the grass to make up for your strength and get the charge for many months. Life in cities does not leave us such an opportunity and such simple things as a touch to nature. Here, in Indonesia, you understand this at the first minute. Here even cities here are buried in greenery and make your hidden rhythms work in tune with nature.
So I checked for strength Fact No 2:
Indonesia is the world’s second largest country after Brazil for a variety of animals and plants. Some of the inhabitants are really exclusive: for example, the Sumatran tiger, the Javan rhinoceros and the largest flower in the world – Rafflesia, whose diameter reaches at times more than a meter. More than 35% of Indonesia’s species of birds and mammals are endemic (a species that occurs only in this place on the planet). Only Australia can surpass this figure.
Every day, walking around the city, I found completely unknown to me, a man of the West, plant species, which amused me, looking for names of plants in the Internet in the evenings. But, actually we stayed in Yogyakarta because it’s the easiest way to visit 2 biggest and the most ancients’ temples in Asia – Borobudur and Prambanan.
I will tell about this later, after we discuss Fact No 3:
Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world. More than 87% of its population professes Islam.
Since I visited many Muslim countries, I can say one thing – Indonesia is not like any of them. Being in a Muslim country, the traveler expects to see an abundance of mosques and to hear in the pre-dawn dream a call to prayer, coming from the minarets of a nearby mosque. But here you will not see it. Thanks to the deep and contradictory history of this country, all religions are intertwined here in an incredible ornament of the most variegated colors and form the most complex configuration of all religions of Asia and the East. Most of the population of Java, Madura and Sumatra are Muslims (about 87% of the population), Christianity, Hinduism (especially in Bali) and Buddhism are also widespread. The national philosophy of “Panchasila” officially recognizes the main world confessions. This cocktail of religions does not leave the traveler thinking that he is in the country of one religion – therefore I can neither confirm nor deny fact No. 3.
So, I think the fact No 4 more truly shows the situation:
Fact No 4:Indonesia represents 12.7% of the Muslim population of the whole planet, since 87% of the population is Muslim. The Government of Indonesia officially recognizes 6 religions: Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Protestantism, Catholicism and Confucianism. Every citizen is obliged to officially indicate his religion, and at the time of marriage, the couple must have a common religion or converge on one of the allowed.
Prambanan temple and Fact No 5.
The monument of medieval art, amazing in beauty and elegance of the temple complex of Prambanan is not accidentally considered the best landmark of the country. It dates back to the 10th century, although the exact date of the majestic building cannot be determined for many years, and is dedicated to three Indian deities – Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma.
Since 1991, the Buddhist and Hindu sanctuaries of Prambanan have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The largest complex of religious buildings in Indonesia, Prambanan includes more than two hundred temples, most of which, alas, is in a state of ruins and ruins – and all because of strong earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. However, here and nowadays there is something to see: in the first half of the 20th century, the spiers of the Hindu and Buddhist sanctuaries were restored by the Dutch scientists. The “culmination” of the whole complex can be called three temples that rise above the center of the upper concentric platform in the center of Prambanan – local call them “Lara Jongrang”, which in the translation from the language of the inhabitants of the island of Java means “Slender Virgin”. All of them are decorated with a quaint, exceptionally fine work of stone relief on the themes of the ancient Indian epic “Ramayana”. Nearby – all kinds of shrines that are less dedicated to the mythical bull Nandi, the riding bird of God Vishnu Garuda and others.
I stayed here for a whole day. I went from the temple to the temple, looked at the paintings that decorated the temple and could not believe that 10 centuries ago, people could build something like that. 10 centuries ago, here, so far from civilization, the history of which I taught at school, lost the whole world that lived by its rules and understood the structure of the world in a completely different way! This is the strangest feeling I’ve ever experienced. After such places you begin to understand that our history, the history of mankind is not as simple as it may seem and keeps more mysteries than we can imagine.
This temple complex, like a giant magnet, attracts not only tourists from all over the world, but also tourists from all over Indonesia – from all 6000 inhabited islands. All of them are completely different from each other and speak different languages and dialects, so I am ready to believe in Fact No. 4.
Fact no 5:The population of Indonesia speaks 700 languages.
Just imagine, my dear compatriots, how diverse the population of one country can be! In Ukraine, where I come from, there is one state language and one main religion, we are descendants of the Iron Curtain, we almost all speak Russian and we cannot even imagine that there were 700 languages and several religions equally respected by all the inhabitants of the country! It’s incredible!
Borobudur temple and Fact No 6.
Fact No 6: In the world’s largest Buddhist temple in Borobudur on the island of Java, there are 504 Buddha statues. The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They say that it was built for 75 years.
The next day it was decided to hold in another super-energetic place of our planet – in the Temple of Borobudur. This is a huge temple complex, built in the form of a giant mandala. Just imagine yourself in a huge matrix, oh sorry, in the huge Mandala.
Needless to say, your state changes, as if you were in a matrix … in the time matrix that takes you to the origin of universe.
Borobudur, located on the island of Java, about 40 km northwest of Yogyakarta, is a Buddhist temple complex consisting of nine tiers (six square and three round platforms) and decorated with 2672 bas-reliefs and 504 Buddha statues. The main dome of the temple, located in the center of the upper platform, is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues placed inside the stupas.
After a large-scale restoration, carried out in the period 1975-1982, Borobudur was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Originally built in the 9th century during the reign of the Silendra dynasty, the Borobudur temple is still a pilgrimage site for Buddhists. As the ritual detour of each tier is performed, pilgrims get acquainted with the life of the Buddha and elements of his teaching. Heading to the top of the temple, the pilgrims move along a vast system of stairs and corridors through three levels of Buddhist cosmology: Kamadhatu (world of passions), Rupadhata (world of forms) and Arupadhata (the world without forms).
For hundreds of years, Borobudur lay covered with volcanic ash and overgrown with jungle, and the facts that show how this unique monument was forgotten are still a mystery. It was discovered only during the British occupation of the island in 1811-1816. The then-appointed Governor, Lieutenant Thomas Stamford Raffles, showed great interest in the history of Java. Visiting in 1814, Semarang during his inspection “tour” of the island, the governor received a message about the monument found deep in the jungle. Because of the inability to make the discovery in person, Raffles sent there the Dutch engineer Cornelius, who assembled a team of 200 people. For two months the monument was cleared of trees and vegetation, and Cornelius was able to present to the governor a report on the work done, providing him with some sketches. Although there were only a couple of sentences about the “find” of the monument, the discovery is attributed to Raffles.
Oh, how I would dream of being part of the expedition that went to discover this lost in the jungle temple! Why was I born only at the end of the 20th century? Or maybe in a past life I was there? When you wander through a huge mandala, you are ready to believe in past lives … Who knows, maybe I opened it … in a past life…
So one more day of my life flew by and it was time to return to Yogyakarta to move ahead to the meeting with new adventures.
Surabaya and Fact No 7.
Surabaya is a port city on the island of Java in Indonesia. In a booming, expanding metropolis, modern skyscrapers coexist with canals and buildings that have been inherited from the Dutch colonial past. Part of the city is occupied by a prosperous Chinatown and the Arab quarter with the Ampel Mosque, built in the 15th century. Another landmark of Surabaya is a monument to participants in the battles for independence, held on the streets of the city in 1945.
Fact No 7:From 1942 to 1945, Indonesia was occupied by Japan, which attracted the country’s natural resources. According to the UN report, during this period, at least 4 million Indonesians perished from hunger and forced labor.
Despite the fact that Surabaya is of great importance in the commercial life of Indonesia, for us it has become a staging post on the way to the Ijen volcano, which is lost in the jungles of eastern Java. After spending the night in capsular hotel in the morning we took a train and went to a small town called Banyuwangi.
VolcanoIjen and Facts no 8 and no 9.
The volcanic complex of Ijen in East Java consists of more than 10 volcanic objects, located within a radius of 20 km around the caldera with a width of 1 kilometer and a depth of 200 meters.
It is an active volcano. In its crater is the sulfuric lake of Kava Ijen, famous for its extraordinary and varied shades of water and an absolutely fantastic view.
Fact No. 8: The lake in the crater of the Ijen volcano is the largest acid pool in the world!
Incredible color of the lake gives the acidity of water – a mixture of hydrochloric and sulfuric acids, and the content of dissolved metals in it. Depending on the activity of the volcano, the lake changes color from turquoise to green and even gray. Water can be transparent, and can be cloudy, milky-white. It’s amazing that the “picture” changes every day, and sometimes even several times during the day. The lake is huge: about 1000 by 600 meters and a depth of 200 meters.
Under the lake is the magma of the volcano. What is called lava when it comes to the surface. Because the depth and density of water is too great, the magma remains locked down. The eruption of the volcano occurs not by lava, but by the release of methane gas to the surface of the lake, which allows you to work there and visit this fantastic place.
There, in the crater of the volcano, on the shore of the lake there is a natural deposit of natural sulfur, which has been extracted here for more than 700 years!
Sulfur extraction is not an easy job, which is also paid very cheaply. Miners, the local population, being low and very small, in the opinion of the European, rise in huge baskets of 90 kg of sulfur perone rising from the crater to the surface!
By the way, here is the fact No 9: Indonesians are the smallest nation in the world. The average height of local men is 158 cm.
The average life expectancy of such a mining miner, unfortunately, is 35-37 years old.
To visit this place is also necessary to understand what a formidable planet our planet can be. If you are lucky and you get there, do not distract the miners from their work, take a stand on the narrow path to skip the miner with huge and heavy basket, wish him luck and do not find it worth the trouble to buy from him a small piece of sulfur that they carry in their pockets in order to earn something else besides the basic 5-7 dollars a day.
Bali Island – Island o Gods.
After exhausting ascent and descent from the volcano, which will take a lot of time, go to Bali. We took a bus that ferried us to Bali. Here you will see a very different Indonesia! Bali is not Java and you understand this from the first minute of your stay.
Bali is an alloy of indigenous beliefs, Buddhism and the teachings of Shiva, who came from India (see Majapahit). Buddhism in the form of Mahayana (a large chariot), which is common in China, in Tibet, in Korea and Japan.
The number of temples is amazing. They are everywhere. There are public temples in which common services are conducted. They are usually available for visiting tourists, but usually not the whole territory is open, but only the courtyard, maybe a couple more places. Also there are family temples that are located right in the houses. For decoration and luxury, they sometimes are not inferior to public temples, except that it is smaller in size. However, all the Balinese temples are of the same type, so, over time, the luxury of their decoration simply ceases to pay attention. All this carving in stone and wood is so widely used in Bali that it becomes the norm, which you quickly get used to and stop paying attention to.
Fact no 10: Bali is an fest Island – 230 days a year fall on festive processions, colorful events, interesting customs. Residents residing on the island have different nationalities and religions that is why Islamic, Hindu and Christian holidays are celebrated here.
So be sure that every day for you in Bali will be a holiday.
These local traditions.
The Balinese consider the house to be a living creature, the head is a family temple (the house temple must necessarily look at the Agung volcano), the hands are residential buildings, the legs are a barn, kitchen. Each house has its own small temple where the inhabitants conduct their religious rites.
One of the strangest traditions of the island is the ceremony of cutting teeth. The meaning of the tradition is in shortening the fangs, so that a person is not like demonic entities and pacifying the six major sins of Bali: greed, lust, anger, jealousy, drunkenness, arrogance.
On the island in different parts you can find statues, dressed in black and white skirts and hats, so the locals believe in magical abilities and the opportunity to come alive at night.
On the streets and the coast you can find a lot of colorful umbrellas they are called “tedung”, which means “protection” and each color has its significance, the indigenous population believes that umbrellas have a protective function. In Bali, there are four sacred colors: red, green, white, yellow. In fact, there are many traditions here, and this is an occasion for a separate article, at least, and maybe even for a book. I listed only those that immediately catch the eye or most of all I liked.
Beaches of Bali.
In fact, in Bali there are more than 60 beaches. They are all different and for every taste. There are beaches with white, yellow, black and pink sand, there are
Rocky beaches, beaches with caves, separate beaches for surfers and simply city beaches. I drove around a dozen different beaches but stopped at the beach I loved Greenen Bowl. It is a small beach in the very south of the island (Indian Ocean) with two small caves. Down to it you need a long staircase that runs through the jungle. I’ve never been as good as there.
Still, you can rent a bike, try to take a trip, which you will remember for life!
Only in Bali, you can meet the dawn in the Pacificocean, then cross the entire island from north to south and meet the sunset on the Indian Ocean. This is the best day in Life – to meet the sun on one ocean and to say “good Bye” on the other!
Some more facts about Indonesia that will force you to buy a ticket there.
Fact No 11:Coffee Luvak (kopi luwak) is the most expensive coffee in the world, because it is the only one of its kind. A small animal Musang eats coffee berries, then it digests and “gives out” the basic element of this coffee. Then it is all washed, roasted and the most real coffee beans are obtained, from which they make an amazingly delicious drink.
Fact No 12: Komodo dragon is the largest species of lizards from all existing (their length can reach up to 3 meters!), They can be found only in Indonesia on the same island of Komodo and several other islands. By the way, they originally lived in Australia, but decided to migrate to Indonesia almost a million years ago.
Fact No 13:The Indonesian archipelago is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire. There are more than 400 volcanoes in the country, about 150 of which are active.
Fact No 14: Indonesians do not know how to swear. As soon as you start to talk a little more emotionally, you turn on the energy saving mode and you will not get feedback.
Fact No 15: Once you visit Indonesia, you will leave your heart there forever.
