1. Bali.

A week relaxing at Lovina Beach.
Beach-massage was great, especially from
the woman-boss of the massage ladies:
a villager who had learnt it from her
grandmother with arms and hands to reckon
with!
Another attraction was dolphin watching.
We arranged on our beach with a captain
who got drunk the next evening to celebrate
his new gained business ("2 weeks no business"
was a standard expression). We set out too
late the following morning with a much smaller
boat than promissed, eventually didn't make it
to the place where the dolphins were because
of strong wind and high waves. A nice snorkel
dive at a small nearby coral rif made the 
journey at least worthwhile.
The day after we returned to Malang there
was a major bomb blast at a popular nightspot
in Kuta on Bali, killing almost 200 foreigners.








2. Borobudur.

This temple is one of the greatest South-East Asian
Buddhist monuments, built in the 9th century AD.
After settlements due to improper site and structure
drainage a major restoration was completed in 1983.
An impressive and large monument:
6 square terraces featuring 1500 panels with stories
in reliefs, 3 circular ones with domed buddhist statues
and a stupa on top. 
A major tourist attraction in a sleepy little town, but
the premises (especially the labyrinth of stalls)
could use a redevelopment. And it was HOT.







3. Kawa Ijen.

All the way in East-Java, near Bondowoso,
is this crater with beautiful coloured lake
and sulphur fumes. Going down to the lake
you'll find people working there to collect
sulphur blocks that are formed at outlets of
man-made pipes that force the fumes downwards.
Men carry baskets with loads of 70kg up the
crater rim and down to the valley.

Let's go: