INTERESTING FEATURES OF MAGELANG INDONESIA
A year ago, I and my friends wandered in the streets of Magelang but only for a
few hours as we insisted in going back to Malioboro Yogyakarta just after
sunset at Borobudur Temple - even if it entails haggling for cab fares in the
most creative and persuasive way we can.
There was total darkness in the dirt road and we I, speaking for
myself, felt we’re trapped in a dungeon with nowhere to go. There’s nothing interesting as
perceived. But such perception all
changed through the Ministry of Tourism of Indonesia’s prepared itinerary. Indeed, there are interesting sites to visit
and things to do at Magelang, Java, Indonesia.
JAVANESE DANCE PERFORMERS
AT PENDOPO ONTEL TINGAL
In
what they call a pendopo stage,
actually just an open space within a village, there were positioned gamelan
instruments with its musicians and performers garbed in colorful costumes when
we arrived in one village at Magelang one afternoon. The sound of the gamelan, mostly percussive instruments
greeted us, as we entered the village and it echoed throughout the
vicinity. Instruments used were
metallophones played by mallets and a set of hand-played drums called kendhang which register the beat.
An
open-air dining hall serving traditional Indonesian cuisine served as our
refuge from the midday sun, and for our entertainment, a presentation of an
interesting traditional Javanese dance was shown. I was eager to know what the storyline of the
performance was all about. And someone
in the group said it was a story about a group of horsemen in a dance named Kuda Lumping.
In
this traditional Javanese performance, dancers ride horses from woven bamboo
and decorated with colorful paints and cloth.
The dance portrays troops riding horses.
When the possessed dancer is
performing the dance in trance conditions, he can display unusual abilities. And along with the professional traditional
dancers, someone from our group performed the traditional dance but she wasn’t
possessed though. Audience participation
was part of the rehearsed performance.
In
Java, this traditional dance goes by the name of Jathilan showcasing the choreographed fighting dance. It was really fun watching them perform.
KARANGREJO AND WANUREJO
VILLAGE
Karangrejo
and Wanurejo are villages in the District of Borobudur, Magelang, Central Java,
Indonesia. Being open to tourists,
discovery can be either by cycling or a horse-drawn carriage. I opted for the latter. The almost two-hour tour started at
Karangrejo, passing by houses made of light materials and terracotta roofs, a
small river and a backdrop of lush mountains and bamboo stalks.
The
vast rice fields in a foothill and the dirt road makes a good sight of
discovering the villages of Magelang that are passable by tourists. Wanurejo Village is one of those, which was
the target destination. The narrow trail
was somewhat a challenge though I did not pedal my way throughout. The fresh air, green paddies and swaying palm
tops were enough for me to enjoy the ride.
It was a relaxing afternoon for me while extra challenge is placed on my
friends who did the cycling tour.
We
ended the day with a glimpse of village activities like batik-making and pottery.
Everyone was given the chance to try the same after we were served light
snacks at Warung Kopi Borobudur.
Exhausted, it was the best way to relax after the tiring yet fun-filled
activities for the day.
Borobudur Bike Tour
Tour
Fee: IDR450,000.00 inclusive of bike rent, drinks, snacks, pottery and
batik-making activities
Contact
Number: +62 293-788-888
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| THIS TRIP IS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM OF INDONESIA |
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