travel and leisure

Prambanan Temple is extraordinarily beautiful building built in the tenth century during the reigns of two kings namely Rakai Pikatan and Rakai Balitung. Prambanan is the most beautiful Hindu temple in the world.The foundation of this temple has fulfilled the wish of the founder to show Hindu triumph on the island of Java.

There is a legend that the Javanese people always say about this temple. As tells the story, there was a man called Bandung Bondowoso who loved RoRo Jonggrang. To reject his love, Jonggrang question Bondowoso to his temple with statues of 1000 only in a night-time. The application was almost completed when Jonggrang asked the villagers to pound rice and set a fire in order to look in the morning as had been broken. Feeling of being cheated, that only Bondowoso completed 999 statues Jonggrang cursed to be the thousandth statue.

Prambanan temple has three main temples in the main courtyard, namely Vishnu, Brahma, Shiva temples. The three temples are symbols of the Trimurti in the Hindu beliefs. All of them face east.

Very attractive accompanying Garuda temple is the temple which is located near the temple of Vishnu. This temple keeps a history of half-bird man named Garuda. Garuda is a mythical bird in Hindu mythology. The figure is golden body, white face, red wings, with the beak and wings of the eagle-like. It is assumed that the figure is the adaptation of Hindu Bennu (meaning 'rising' or 'shining') that is associated with the god of the sun. Garuda managed to save his mother from the curse of Aruna (Garuda's brother disabled) for stealing Tirta Amerta (the sacred water of the gods). Their ability to save her mother made many people admire the present time and is used for various purposes. Indonesia uses the bird as a symbol of the country. Another country using the same symbol is Thailand with the same reason, but another form of adaptation and appearance.

You can discover many more things in Prambanan. If you feel tired to enjoy the relief, you can take a break in the beautiful garden in the complex. Since the September 18, 2006, you can enter the zone 1 zone Prambanan temple. The damage caused by the earthquake on May 27, 2006 is being rebuilt.

Bakpia Pathok are small and round in the form of cakes from Indonesia, usually filled with mung beans, but recently have come from other landfills as well as (for example, chocolate, durian and even cheese). They are one of Yogyakarta's specialties named in this city (Pathok) in the event that these sweets were originated. These pastries are similar to the big Indonesian round pastries (pia) - the only difference is the size. They are commercially packaged in small boxes and are sold in many food shops in Yogyakarta.

When you visit Yogyakarta, you can not just buy and enjoy the wonderful work of art batik, but you have the opportunity to learn the art of production. Batik patterns of learning can make hand-made batik, printed batik painting and batik. Each site typically has its special master to teach batik. Of course, one day, which is usually divided into two sessions, you will learn all the processes of batik which generally consist of models, colors of cloth, wax and drying of dying.


The process is followed by color the fabric. The pattern of fabric with which it crosses in a bucket full of colorful agent. This process seems simple, but it is actually difficult, on the other hand, if batik color should be more than doubled. Batik Many artisans still use natural colors of some natural materials, but there are many players who use synthetic dyes.

After color depth, the process is followed by the death of the wax, or the removal of the wax linked to the canvas. Initially, prepare the boiling water mixed with soda ash, and finally crossing the cloth is to remove all the wax. If there is still connected wax, should be cleaned after the death process.

The last step is washing. When using the natural coloring agent, washing can not be done through the use of detergent can harm the color. After being washed, the cloth is dried in the sun indirect avoid discoloration. After this drying process, you can see the difference in color with batik natural coloring agent, the color tends to be less bright.

Yogyakarta batik courses in professional instructors to provide you competent, though with only a short course. Some places also have instructors speaking foreign languages, especially English, to help understand the lesson.

Who does not know Borobudur? Borobudur, the largest Buddhist temple in the ninth century . This Buddhist temple has 1460 relief panels and 504 effigies of Buddha in its compound. Millions of people are eager to visit this building as one of the Wonder World Heritage. It is hardly surprising given that architecturally and functionally, as the place for Buddhists to say their prayers, Borobudur is attractive.

Borobudur was built by King Samaratungga, one of the kings of the Old Kingdom Mataram, a descendant of the dynasty Sailendra. The name of Borobudur, as some say, means having a mountain terraces (Budha), while others stated that the media Borobudur monastery in high place.

Borobudur was built as a ten-building terraces. The height, before it was restored to 42 meters and 34.5 meters after the renovation because the lowest level was used as a base of support. The first six terraces are in the form of squares, two terraces above are circular in shape, and the upper terrace of them is the statue of Buddha that faces west. Each terrace symbolizes the stage of human life. In line with the Mahayana Buddha, anyone who intends to reach the level of Buddha must go through each stage of life.

The base of Borobudur, called Kamadhatu symbolizes that human beings are still bound by lust. The top four stories are called for the Rupadhatu symbol that human beings have been set free from lust, but they are still bound to the appearance and form. On this terrace, effigies of the Buddha are placed in open spaces, while the other three upper terraces where effigies of Buddha are confined in domes with sets are called Arupadhatu, which symbolizes that human beings have been free of lust, appearance and form. The upper part is called Arupa symbolizes nirvana, where the Buddha is residing. All groups of relief in the temple of Borobudur reflect the teachings of Buddha. For the reason, this temple serves as a means to educate those who want to learn Buddhism.

When you spend the night in Yogyakarta while enjoying leather puppet show, you feel alive. The melodious rhythm of the gamelan in harmony with the voices of women singers will not let you sleep. The history presented by the dalang as the puppeteer, as well as the narrator takes you to be one of the characters in the story. You soon learn the greatness of Javanese culture in the past.

Shadow puppet show is a performance art that has been over half a millennium old. Their presence has its own history, in connection with the entry of Javanese Islam. This approval was made from shadow puppet show has been attached to the Javanese people so that they became good media to spread Islam, while Islam prohibits the visual arts. Consequently, shadow puppets are made so that people can see the shadow.

Shadow puppet show is performed by the puppeteer who is also the narrator who is possibly the best artist in the world. All night, he plays all the characters of the puppets of leather that form the human characters from buffalo skin decorated on the occasion of the proceeds of leather carving. He has to change the character voice, change the pitch, the production of humor and even sing. In order to live the atmosphere, the narrator is assisted by the musicians who play gamelan - a traditional Javanese musical instruments - and the woman called sinden singers who sing songs Javanese. The leather puppet show begins when the dalang pulls out a puppet in the form of a mountain called Gunungan.

Java is still famous for batik and traditional patterns, developed over centuries, remain part of Javanese dress, but very few are made by the traditional method of painting wax. This, in turn, has been rediscovered and put to use by craftsman around the world to find the freedom to work with liquid was, and control of color possible through dye, batik makes a unique and exciting half expressive work increasingly inch - all models over Eastern batiks are being replaced by images and imaginative designs of all kinds, which are sued to make soft sculptures and tapestries, murals, as well as decorations for clothes and household items.

Because batik applies hot wax, it needs to be done fairly quickly and this may produce a freedom (or loss of self-consciousness) that makes many people who think they can not draw find, to his astonishment, that they can . Of course, designs can be prepared in advance and for many things, such as borders and ornaments, this is necessary, but the designs drawn spontaneously in wax, or according to the brief sketch, can bring surprising benefits.

Gudeg is usually served with rice, soup of coconut milk (areh), tofu, a country of chicken eggs, and traditional Sambal goreng krecek (another traditional food of Yogyakarta)

Yogyakarta, the city with the progressive movement of industry, culture, arts and traditional rituals, located in the southern island of Java. Led by a sultan, the governor and inherited by the Yogyakarta Hadiningrat highborn.

Although Yogyakarta is a small city surrounded by Mountain Merapi volcano, Mount Merbabu, Dieng Javanese and Indian Ocean, there are so many places we visit. You can choose whether they want or go to the beach or find fresh air in Kaliurang. Parangtritis beach is a very famous, known also by things ritual special night. From there, if you want to find another beach, on a trial Baron, Depok, or even farther, Congot. But if you just want to have fun with little things like handicrafts, hand, batik, silver, jewelry, etc. You can easily find in the city centre.
After traveling throughout the city (well, maybe not in a single day, because there are too many beautiful places that would be of interest to you), you might want to try the delicious food and drinks around Yogja. But if you look Yogja specialty, why not treat yourself lesehan (sit on the floor covered with Tikar) and tries lesehan food, perhaps Gudeg (sweet flavor made substance jackfruit) or chicken or perhaps as only a cup of tea poci to relax. Lesehan food is easy to find. It's everything and everything Yogja Malioboro Street at night and is very cheap.

U If you feel that you lose, do not be afraid to ask for help. People in Yogyakarta is very friendly and pleasant. Just do not forget to say terima kasih which means thanks!