Finished with touring Borobudur, it was lunchtime and the bus worked it’s way down a series of dirt roads to a tourist restaurant, Opeks Resto…View image, almost in Prambanan’s backyard, the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Prambanan complex is located nearer to Yogyakarta than Borobudor, approximately 18 km/11miles east, and on the way, Ian spouted some Indonesia facts,

- Marco Polo was one of the first Europeans to visit Indonesia

- Indonesia has 100 snake species, Rhinoceros, Tiger and Leopard (all three of these very rare)

- Indonesia has 30 active volcanos and

- Java is the most populated island in the world!

…and since everyone was hungry, Serge enlightened us with a little “Aussie food” trivia. A “chip batty” – french fries (or chips as they Aussies and Brits call them) between two slices of bread. Add that to your food vocabulary.

Indonesian child with his superman shirt at lunch, Java 

Prambanan signs, Java, Indonesia
Yogyakarta was an ancient Hindu capital until the arrival of Islam drove the Hindus to Bali. Bus parked, past map sellers…View image, paid for tickets in the “Westerners only” area with free toilets, met the Prambanan guide, and began the walk to the temples.

approaching Prambanan Temple complex in Java, Indonesia
Prambanan is characterized by typical Hindu temple architecture with tall and pointed spires in three zones. The outer zone was originally marked by a rectangular wall and no one knows what the original function was. The middle zone had four rows of 224 ruined Hindu temples and temple blocks were laid out in different squares for reconstuction. The 2006 earthquake extremely damaged Prambanan and most of it is still being rebuilt…View image. The guide said it takes approximately one year to reconstruct one temple!

The central compound is the holiest with eight main shrines dedicated to the three gods: Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Keeper, and Shiva the Destroyer. This is the most interesting area but visitors are only allowed in a few of the shrines. The remainder were blocked by the restoration work and scaffolds filled with workers. The group sat in the shade for a bit while the guide told some very long, and boring, stories about Hindu mythology and history. It would have been more enjoyable to just give the facts and let everyone wander off on their own. However, the rain stopped, there was a beautiful rainbow over one of Prambanan’s shrines and the detail work…View image… in the temples was exquisite…View image.

Apsaras at Prambanan Temple, Java
A walk to the back of Prambanan complex which is the only spot you can get all the main towers into one photograph. Done and generally “underwhelmed.” Probably because two major sites in one day was too much to take in, the majority of the complex was in ruins or under construction, and the guide was extremely boring. Perhaps, you’ll have better luck.

rainbow over Prambanan Hindu Temples, Java 

the best view of Prambanan Temples, Java
On the way back to Yogyakarta for one last night before the drive to Malang tomorrow, a short stop at a Silver Factory to watch silver jewelry and other items being made…

…and a fast dinner tonight at Civet Coffee, Prawirotaman #14…View image, that had the best peanut chicken satay up to now. Tomorrow, Malang…

yummy chicken satays at Civet Coffe, Yogyakarta