Borobudur temple

Day 74 – Borobudur, Indonesia

Once I put the disappointment of the sunrise behind me, I waited for most tourists to clear away, the sun to rise more and the clouds to disperse.

I took a few neat pictures that I invite you to consult my gallery.

The temple is built around a hill, which helps it rising above the plain. The base is square with several levels, carved with delicate bas-reliefs, numerous statues of Buddha facing outward, strange water-spouts, and so on. The last square level is the base for several round levels, each ringed by stupas, small monuments in the shape of a bell containing each a statue of Buddha. Two such stupas have been opened, showing the statue sitting peacefully inside a ring of stones. (See picture above.)

I walked a lot around, meeting now and again my dormitory neighbour, a woman from Singapore, with whom I shared lunch yesterday.

As usual, people want to take selfies with me, or have a group picture together. It becomes a bit irritating after a while, especially since some people don’t ask, just plaster themselves at my side (their head arriving barely at my shoulder) and expect me to smile. As I suspect that the resultant pictures will end up on Facebook with a caption such as “Me and the weird foreign tourist”, I don’t feel that incited to comply gracefully.

Tourists and pictures don’t stop at that. A French family asked me to take their picture (in English), the father and I wore the same T-shirt, thank to a famous French sport chain. We switched languages quite soon. A woman in a long green dress (well, two, but one was French, the other Asian, and I’m talking about the Asian) was posing around the stupas as her boyfriend/male companion was snapping shots away; one group wore the same red T-shirt with gold writing, which I noticed went quite well the grey of the stones.

Poor employees spend their time reminding tourist not to sit on the stupas themselves, although numerous signs clearly instruct the same.

When I decided that enough was enough, I went back to the morning entrance point to give the torchlight back and get the stuff I had let in a locker. I received in exchange a souvenir, a scarf with the outline of the temple on it. Since I had taken the torchlight of my new friend to give it back (the official exit is not near the hotel, and she had a flight to take), I got two scarves. Fortunately, I caught up with her in time to give her hers.

Exiting the temple, one passes a gauntlet of hawkers and stands, selling cheap (and not so cheap!) souvenirs. I loved the small stone stupa that can be opened to reveal the statue inside, but how could I take it to travel the world with me?

(This is the 6th time I attempt to finish this note, since my server seems to be bugging. I’ll be quick, or rather, I’ll stop now.)