Hills of The Stars (Bukit Bintang)

The greatest exotic up here. What do you think about stand with the stars shinning above? You do not need to be an astronauts or becoming NASA members anymore. There's a way to make it happen: visit Bukit Bintang (Hills of The Stars), a southern spot in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. You can get it for free; find the exotics of real life there.

People come by driving their motorbikes and cars, parked it along the downhill way. And wait, then the moment of crazy little things happened: sunset. The color blends, just like a rainbow and sea. Like millions leafs of green, strawberry of red and cheese of yellow. The pretty of sunset blows up my head with question: how it could be.

For the next minutes, dark sky comes. It's almost 6.30 p.m. People who lived in the downside of the hill will turn on the lights. And the next crazy things happened: stars-lights are represented by the lamps. It's more than a sunset. Stars came out from their nest. One by one.  They tried for welcoming you. You are above them.  Please, enjoy it first.

Mostly, people came there for escape from their daily life routines. They think they can away or at least give space for their own. The wide scenery and landscape of Yogyakarta easily captured. And it's time for relax.

Few young men started their living. They are wearing light orange jacket and holding torch in their hand. Yes, they are parking man. Some of local villagers used the empty space as their business places. They sold meal and coffee. You got everything less than $1. They build their building without no one knows for safety and good knowledge of constructions.  Just by bamboo and some with cements.

While people tried to be happy and found greatest exotics, the villagers start to make a living.  The responsible people leaved them high and dry.

The Amazing Ratu Boko Temple

Now, you can see the amazing Ratu Boko Temple. Standing on the top of the hill and hide of it beauty. From this place, you can feel the peace and also able to see Jogjakarta/Yogyakarta city and Prambanan temple with Merapi Mountain as the background. Ratu Boko Temple has a width of 2.5 lakh square meters and boasts beautiful monasteries, terraces, ponds and temples. 

The impressive entrance gate of the Ratu Boko Temple boasts two separate gateways set at different levels. It is decorated with intricate stone facings. About 50 m from the main gate is a temple of white stone. Just nearby you can see two square terraces used for burning corpses. Within the Ratu Boko Temple, there is a well called Amerta Mantana. The water of this well is considered lucky and used on auspicious days by Indonesia's Hindu people. 

At Ratu Boko Temple you'll also see a series of circular pools carved into the limestone. These were used for royal baths. Two caves formed of sediment stones lie at the eastern end of the palace, The upper cave is called Gua Lanang (Male Cave) and the lower cave Gua Wadon( Female Cave). These Buddhist caves also have Hindu elements of Linga and Yoni, and statue of Ganesha. So, visit the beautiful Ratu Boko Temple, Yogyakarta and get an insight into Indonesia's fascinating heritage.

Plaosan Temple

After visiting Prambanan temple, you should not rush to your hotel, because close to the beautiful Hindu temple, you can also see other interesting temples. Moving 1 kilometer northwards, you will find Plaosan Temple; a temple constructed by Rakai Pikatan for her wife, Pramudyawardani. The architect of the temple that is located in Bugisan village of Prambanan sub-district is combination of Hindu and Buddha.

Plaosan complex is divided into 2 groups, namely the North Plaosan Temple and the South Plaosan Temple. Both of the temples have square terrace that is encircled by wall, a pillbox for meditation at the west part and dome on other side. Because of that similarity, the appearance of both temples are the same when they are seen from distant so that Plaosan temple is also called the twin temples.The North Plaosan Temple has middle courtyard encircled by wall with the entrance at the west side. In the middle of the courtyard, there is a hall as wide as 21.62 m x 19 m. At the eastern part of the hall, there are 3 altars, namely north, east and south altars. The pictures of Amitbha, Ratnasambhava, Vairochana, and Aksobya are at the east altar. Samantabadhara statue and Ksitigarba figure is at the north altar, while Manjusri picture is at the west alter.

The South Plaosan temple also has a hall at the center that is encircled by 8 small temples that is divided into 2 ranks and each rank consists of 4 temples. There also pictures of Tathagata Amitbha, Vajrapani with vajra attribute at the utpala and Pranjaparamita who was considered "the mother of all Buddha". Some other pictures can still be found but not at their original places. Manujri figure that according to a Dutch scientist named Krom is significant can also be seen.

Part of this bas relief has unique picture of man and woman. There is a man described as sitting cross-legged with worshipping hands and a figure of a man with vara mudra and vse at his leg encircled by six smaller men. A woman is described as standing with vara mudra hands, while there are book, pallet, and vase around her. Krom explains that figures of those man and woman are descriptions of supporting patron from two monasteries.

The entire complex of Plaosan temple has 116 ancillary domes and 50 ancillary temples. Ancillary domes can be seen on each side of the main temple, as can smaller ancillary temples. Walking northwards, you can see open building called Mandapa. Two inscriptions can also be found; they are the inscription on gold coin at the north of the main temple and an inscription written on a stone in the first line of the ancillary temples.

One of the characteristics of Plaosan temple is the smooth surface of the terrace. Krom explains that such a terrace is different from other temples of the same time. To his opinion, it is related to the function of a temple by that time that is predicted to keep canonical texts owned by Buddhist monks. Other prediction by Dutch scientists, if the number of monks in that area is small then the terrace might be used as a place for Buddhists to pray.

If you go around the temple complex, you will notice that the complex of Plaosan temple is wide. That can also be noticed from long fence stretching 460 meters from north to south and 290 meters from west to east. There is also moat inside stretching as long as 440 meters from north to south and 270 meters from west to east. The moat can be seen by walking eastwards through the middle part of this historical building.

References :

www.yogyes.com

Soto Pak Slamet, Yummmy...

Cooking is expertise, the Javanese word for a mention talent. That's why many owners like the traditional food stalls, the brand name for its own business. For example, of Sate Mangun Pak, Gudeg Mbok Sadhem, Ayam Goreng Suharti day or so.

Similarly, Slamet choose the name Soto Pak Slamet sotonya to stall. The type of food that he be selling "generic" because soto can be found in almost every road in Yogyakarta. However, soto-owned Pak Slamet different stalls soto other. No need to talk about taste, the evidence stalls Pak Slamet has stood since a quarter century ago.

Starting from a small shop reot the roadside near the railway Patukan Road, south of Hamlet Mejing, Ambarketawang, Dalkeith, Dollar, the original Slamet buyers expect only from workers who each day pass in the lane next kiosk.