So i and my family went to a vacation couple days ago. The itinerary were Central Java Province and Yogyakarta Province. It was road trip vacation. This was the very first time my family went to road trip. I was so happy. It was a long car ride. The distance between Jakarta Semarang, the capital city of Central Java. Is 446 km. it was so long I took nap 2 times. I didn't even have Wi-Fi, I only played fun little game on my phone. But the car ride was 5 hours. Need 8 hours for us, because we stop by in some rest areas but that was fine.
At 9.00 pm we arrived at Semarang. we don't have any time to go through any tours or attraction places because it was night already. so we just want to bed at the hotel name Oak Emerald Hotel. For some reasons my dad says the hotel a bit too fancy. My mom said “because the hotel build in luxury residence and with their own green area, I don't see a problem with the hotel being fancy but okay, Dad.
On day 2, we went to Lawang Sewu and Kelenteng Sam Poo Kong. Lawang Sewu is a abandoned building built by the Dutch, also a haunted landmark in indonesia located on Tugu Muda Roundabout, in Semarang, capital city of central Java. Lawang means door and Sewu means thousand. It calls Lawang Sewu or Thousand doors because the building has many doors. When we first entered Lawang Sewu, we were greeted by Java, Dutch, and Japan traditional clothing to try on. My dad wanted to but i absolutely didn’t. We then went upstairs where there was a bunch of empty rooms with connecting doors and went on one of the balconies. On one of the balconies you can see everyone below and there was a band. One of the members playing Angklung, a traditional instrument. We then went down and there was a lot of food stalls, and stuff to explore! I wanted to go on one of the scooters thinking it was normal. But it was electric scooter and absolutely scary. I pressed the gas and it went sonic boom. It shocked me. I didn't like it but I tried to enjoy.
My mom got my sister a Dino riding costume. I don’t know why she wanted it, but I guess she gets to wear it. After the time limit for my scooter and my sisters costume finished we went to the abandoned train! It was really dusty but you could go on it. After some pictures we went to Sam Poo Kong temple . Sam Poo Kong temple also known as Stone building is the oldest Chinese temple in Semarang. The temple is located on Jalan Simongan, West Semarang. The temple foundations were first built by Admiral Cheng Ho, elsewhere better known as Admiral Zheng He, a muslim explorer from Mainland China.
When we first entered there were many sellers but we didn't buy anything. After walking for a little while we saw big buildings and took a bunch of pictures. We didn’t do much activities here beside taking some pictures. Until I saw electric bicycles instead of scooters. Me and my sister nagging to ride it. But they owner only accept cash. Glad Mom had some money in her pursue. I like these more than electric scooters. It was so fun to ride! Me and my dad and sister rode on it for a while until we continue our journey.
At day 3, we visited Jogjakarta. We Slept at Om Ismet (My Father’s Brother) home in Sleman. We met my cousins. The last time I meet them when I was Three years Old. This was the first time Anna met them.
We went to Candi prambanan and Candi Borobudur. First we went to Candi Prambanan. Candi Prambanan is a 9th-century Hindu temple compound in Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia, dedicated to the Trimūrti, the expression of God as the Creator (Brahma), the Preserver (Vishnu) and the Destroyer (Shiva). The temple compound is located approximately 17 kilometres northeast of the city of Yogyakarta on the boundary between Central Java and Yogyakarta provinces.
Candi Prambanan tells a legend of a love story between Roro Jonggrang and Bandung Bondowoso. Roro didn't want to mary him. He was a mean guy, so she said " If you want to marry me, you have to build a thousands temples in one night! " so Bandung Bondowoso knew it was impossible and asked help from the genies. They all helped him build it and it was unbelievably fast, Roro was worried they were almost done. So, she asked all of her servants to help her. “Please prepare a lot of straw and mortar. Please hurry up!” said Roro Jonggrang. “Burn the straw and make some noise pounding the mortar, quickly.” All those servants did what Roro Jonggrang ordered them there were burning straw and pounding the mortar, to making the genies think that the sun is going to rise before the 999th temple was built. Bandung Bondowoso knew Roro tricked him so he said “You cannot fool me, Roro Jonggrang. I already have 999 temples. I just need one more temple. Now, I will make you the one-thousandth temple.” He pointed his finger to Roro Jonggrang and said some spells. Magically, Roro Jonggrang’s body turned into stone. The statue still lies in the center till this day. I think she slays!
Anyway back to my vacation. when we first enter we walked to the building. There were some piles of stones in temples areas. These stones through many things over the ages. Volcanos, tomb raider, colonialism and the latest was Yogyakarta earthquake in 2006 ago. We took bunch of pictures. i liked drawing in the sand with a rock alot and my mom said that was vandalism, but I guess she just kidding. there wasn't a lot to do there. There was no electric bycicle, sadly. It was kind of boring to me. We just grabed ice cream and left.
After we exited Candi Prambanan, we went to Candi Borobudur. It is a 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist temple in Magelang Regency, not far from the town of Muntilan, in Central Java, Indonesia. It is the world's largest Buddhist temple. The temple consists of nine stacked platforms, six square and three circular, topped by a central dome. It is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and originally 504 Buddha statues. The central dome is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues, each seated inside a perforated stupa. Some of Statues lost their head. Dad said tomb raider stole it and sold it to the collector. The temple was really far away, so we went there by golf car. There were a bunch Buddhist people there. They were doing Pabajja Samanera, it was like a training to become a monk.
There are other things in the temple area. There is elephant feeding area, food, sellers, A LOT OF SELLERS. After we arrived at the temple we took a bunch of pictures. Because the area was so wide, I was tired to walk. My sister is in a stroller. Well probably because she is a baby and always wants to be carried. We had to walk through market place where many sellers sell gifts. It was so far to find the edge of the market. That was a pain. It took so long to find our car and so many sellers nagging us, but eventually we found our car.
We went to Punthuk Setumbu after that. But sadly the ticket counter already closed. We couldn’t see the gereja Ayam. After that we went to my uncle’s house to bunk in and slept.
At day 4 we were planning to go to solo but change my mom changed the plan. We went back to Semarang instead. But bofore that, we visited Malioboro street, took pictures in Malioboro sign, rode pedicap and bought some oleh-oleh. My father took an alternative way go to Semarang through the streets of the dark forest. I couldn’t sleep until we found main road. We stayed at Pop Hotel, surprisingly that hotel was so much more comfortable then the fancy one.
On 5th day of vacation we planned to back to Bogor. We stopped by at some rest areas. One of them more like a tourist attraction. It was in rest area Heritage in Brebes regency. There was a big donut slide, a trampoline, a bridge and small pedicaps. My sister went to he painting section! And you might be thinking. Ara you like art why didn’t you join your sister? I was lazy.
Me and my sister went on the donut slide. It was so fun! We went on it 4 times straight. After that we off to Bogor. We stopped by a rest area in Cirebon Regency to chill. But suddenly OUR CAR STOPPED WORKING.Thankfully were already at a rest area and not in the middle of the road. We have to wait 1 hour or more to fix it. Luckly the car is good again. Yay!! After that i slept and we arrived home. END.
