This is a highlight for anyone interested in culture. Semarang, in Central Java, is the starting point for our tour of Borobudur, the largest Buddhist temple in the world. As we got off the ship, we were treated to a cultural dance performance special to this area. On the way to the buses, we each received a fragrant flower garland and we were on our way, crossing the island, passing rice fields and several volcanoes on the way. Borobudur, a large square temple with seven levels to explore, takes one’s breath away. We slowly climbed and wandered in between over 500 Buddha statues and 1,400 reliefs depicting scenes of his life. The temple sits among tropical trees, such as mahogany, teak, and various fruit trees.
For lunch we were treated with traditional Indonesian dishes, a Gamelan orchestra played for us, and we saw a Wayang puppet show. Both these artforms are on the UNESCO World Heritage list as uniquely Indonesian. After all these new and exciting experiences, the bus took us back through the countryside dotted with villages to board National Geographic Orion.
