The Trip
Early in the morning of Monday, November 27, we headed out for Java: first to Jakarta, then a short flight to Yogyakarta, which the locals call “Jogja” (Sounds sort of like “Georgia.”) We got picked up at the airport by our driver, “Didit.” (These folks try to give you names that you can remember — and pronounce.) The sun was down, it starting to rain, and the drive to the hotel, near the temple of Borobodur, took about an hour and a half. The drive was hair-raising: dark, narrow roads crowded with scooters, cars, and trucks. No signs to speak of. I’m glad the driver was expert at this; we would never have found the hotel. We were wiped.
The hotel itself was awesome, and those of you who know me know I don’t use that phrase lightly. It was built 20 years ago, faced with a white stone that looks like limestone — well, like a limestone temple in the middle of a forest. The greeting we got was also unique: we were showered with flower petals!
R&R
There are flowers everywhere in this place. On the table in our villa there was a spherical stone vase filled with scorpion orchids, pale, delicate flowers with a shape like a scorpion with its stinger raised high.
Tuesday was rest and recovery: Mary swam; I did two watercolors.
This is one of two large plants (trees?) in big pots on our terrace. It has a few tiny, five-petaled yellow flowers, and green leaves that turn pink near the end of the the branches, ending with a flower.
The Ballet
In the afternoon we were picked up and driven back to Jogja to see a Javanese ballet that evening. It’s a retelling of the Ramayana, accompanied by a Javanese gamelan. I thought it was fascinating and great fun: beautiful costumes, well-danced and acted, and I think the music was really well played. It’s only the second time I’ve actually heard a gamelan played, so this was a treat. I’m relieved and happy that Mary enjoyed the performance, as well.
Then another long drive, just like the night before, back to the hotel. Misery, but I slept.
And now I’m up at 5 am catching up on the blog. This morning we go to see the temple of Borobudur, the local market, and some other nearby temples. In the afternoon I’ll try to do some more painting: outside, if the rain stops, or maybe a scene from a photo from the ballet. Tomorrow, off to Borneo!