My guide came back for the sunrise visit. The day before I had wondered about getting up at 3:30 to set off at 4:30 (LONG before sunrise), but I had gone to bed early and woke up happily before the alarm. The guide said,"you don't have any heart problems, do you:" I could imagine he was worrying about my collapssing on him. I assured him I did indeed, but well controlled, and I hope he felt better. This time I did want to go a short way up--to the first level wit...

The hotel found me an excellent guide. He talked more or less nonstop, partly about the temple and a raft of stories, all interlaced with references to American television and films which he certainly knew better than I did: a story about one hero ended with"so you see, he was just like Batman," which didn't leave me any the wiser. Still, he was very helpfula and entertaining. I had never planed to actually climbing these many layers, only contemplating them resp...

This is the entrance to the Hotel Manohara on the grounds of the park around Borobodur. (a little way from Condong Cator, which the map insists on imposing). Short flight from Singapore, met in airport and driven here, seeing one of the temples on its pilgimsge route along the way. Hotel is a series of structures--reception-with-breakfast, lounge, dining hall, various clusters of bedrooms--linked by gravel paths. All on one level, looking out over pleasant...

Changi airport, view from hotel room

Fisheye lens view of room with its flowered glass wall. Slept the morning away (plane trip roughly 21 hours with stopover), lazed and planned. Cancelled the tour I was going to take: saw mainly the airport, very impressive with an excellent clinic--and the hotel pool and gardens.