Yogyakarta means “a city that is fit to prosper” and is named after Ayodhya which was the birthplace of Rama from the Indian Ramayana epic. Yogya, as the locals call it, is no doubt the soul of Java where the traditional arts and culture are still very much alive. It is a royal city still … Continue reading Faces of Central Java Jan 2020
Most probably built to rival the Buddhist Borobudur temple 19 km away is the 9th century Hindu Prambanan temple in Yogyakarta. Prambanan, dedicated to the Hindu gods: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, is the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991. Archaeologists believe that Prambanan was first built between … Continue reading Prambanan Temple Central Java Jan 2020
On my recent trip to Central Java, I had the privilege of visiting the most famous kris maker in Yogyakarta, Empu Jeno Harumbrojo. The Keris or Kris is an asymmetrical dagger made by pounding iron and meteorite nickel together layer by layer over 250 times. After which it is meticulously polished and designed. The alternating … Continue reading The Javanese Kris Jan 2020
I vaguely remember coming to Yogyakarta and Borobudur as a child with my family. Sometimes memory is a strange thing, you remember the most random things. I actually don’t remember much of this mesmerizingly beautiful temple that is the Borobudur Temple. What I do remember from that trip was seeing ladies in sarongs without their … Continue reading Borobudur, Central Java Jan 2020
Burana Tower is one of the best known archaeological sites in Kyrgyzstan, near the town of Tokmok, about 1.5 hours drive east of Bishkek. Burana Tower is a 24-meter high brick minaret standing alone in the fields with the backdrop of the beautiful Tian Shan Mountains. It was originally 45 meters high but the upper … Continue reading Burana Tower & Ala-Archa Oct 2019
After my horrible experience at the Dushanbe airport in Tajikistan, I am glad to finally arrive in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan which is the final Stan left to visit on my journey through Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is also my 100th country visited! Yay! 🥳 Can’t believe I have visited more than half of the … Continue reading Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Oct 2019
Today we drive 3 hours northwest to the stunning Iskanderkul Lake. Iskanderkul Lake is an alpine lake in the Fann Mountains and many say you cannot come to Tajikistan and not make a stop here. Truth be told, the lake is beautiful but not that beautiful and saying you cannot miss it is a bit … Continue reading Iskanderkul Lake, Tajikistan Oct 2019
After an eventful week in Uzbekistan, I moved on to Tajikistan also known as “Roof of the World”. Tajikistan is the smallest of the Stans in Central Asia and also the poorest with over 90% of the land mountainous. I have to say Tajikistan is my least favorite of the 4 Stans I visited this … Continue reading Dushanbe, Tajikistan Oct 2019
My visit in Samarkand continued with Gur-e-Amir. Gur-e-Amir means “tomb of the king” and is not only the final resting place of the great Timur but also became the royal necropolis of the Timurid rulers. Timur’s two sons: Shahrukh and Miranshah, and his two grandsons: Muhammed Sultan and Ulugbek, as well as Timur’s spiritual advisor: … Continue reading Samarkand, Uzbekistan Part 2 Oct 2019
From Bukhara, I took the hour and half Afrosiyob train to Samarkand. The Afrosiyob is a Spanish built high speed train that connects Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, with other major cities like Samarkand and Bukhara. The high speed train cuts traveling time by at least half so many tourists and locals are now taking … Continue reading Samarkand, Uzbekistan Part 1 Oct 2019
