Wednesday,Dec 15 2004, 05:48:56 AMPART 50: SEMARANG HOLY SITES & GEDUNG BATU Th

PART 50: SEMARANG HOLY SITES & GEDUNG BATU

 

 

            This is my second time here in Semarang. If you want to know more, click on “next” and look for my previous tour. Now I have the chance to see the temple that I missed.

           

            SEMARANG maintains a strong Chinese flavor, with the highest percentage of ethnic Chinese of any city in Indonesia. Best-known Chinese merchant in 1920’s was OEI TIONG HAM, the “sugar king” who made fortune from agricultural exports and control of the state opium monopoly at the turn of the century. His company has been called Asia’s first multi-national corporation.

 

 

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GEDUNG BATU TEMPLE commemorates the visit of an envoy from the Ming Court at the beginning of the 15^th century. His name was ZHENGHE (Cheng Ho), an imperial eunuch whose seven voyages to the coasts of Southeast Asia, India and eastern Africa were designed to re-establish trading and diplomatic links severed by wars of dynastic successions in China.

 

            He was later deified as the folk god SAM PO KONG or SAM PO TAY JIN - the “Three-Jeweled Grand Eunuch.” Shrines honoring him are maintained by Chinese all along the coasts of java, Sumatra & Malaya. In Surabaya, a school and a mosque is being named after him (see Surabaya Cheng Ho profile photo)

 

            Because Zhenghe was a Muslim (from Yunnan), the Gedung Batu temple is considered sacred by Javanese Muslims as well as Chinese. It consists of several shrines clustered at the foot of a hill around a grotto containing:

-   the altar to Sam Po in the center where a huge temple is being built for the next 2 years

-   to the left is an anchor said to have come from Zhenghe’s ship (in fact it’s a VOC anchor) where I saw a lady asking a Muslim to pray for her welfare through the intercession of Cheng Ho. Galih overheard the prayer and he translated it to me.

-  to the right is the grave of KYAI JURU MUDI DAMPAOWANG, the admiral’s Muslim helmsman

-   at the far right is a shrine dedicated to the temple’s guardian spirit (taopekong)

           

 

            In the evening, it rained hard therefore Azmee cannot go out anymore and Galih has to work in the evening shift coz he had requested to move his working hours just to accompany me this morning. He is still in MTV SKY radio station but now as an announcer! I just stayed home with Asti and his elder brother, Jose.

By the way, Jose studies Law in Yogyakarta. He was named after our Filipino National Hero - Jose Protacio Rizal - because when he was born; his father was studying in University of the Philippines in Laguna province.

 

 

 

 

NOVEMBER 21, SUNDAY

 

            6 am - Adi from Bintari picked me up to have breakfast, Bubur Ayam. He told me that Ika Yadin is getting married in Jakarta to her long-time boyfriend.

 

            9 am - I was picked up by the Door-to-Door Travel Service from Asti and Galih’s place. Too bad I was not able to bid farewell formally to their parents and have a family picture because they left early to attend to their ill grandmother. And I feel sorry to hear that.

 

            3 pm – stop over at BULU, a town in the boundary of Central and East Java.

                        BRAWIJAJA KODAM LAMBANG MONUMENT is the name of this temple (candi) in front of the restaurant. This is my third time here. I haven’t eaten lunch.

 

            This day was the last day of my trip; I'm going back to Surabaya after 2 weeks of traveling. So I thought I AM THE UNLUCKIEST MAN ALIVE!!!!!!!@#%#&^@^ #

 

Looking back:

-   I didn’t go to Bromo or Jember or to the southern sea

-   I waited 3 hours outside Blok-M Mall in Jakarta

-   I forgot my atm and passport in Surabaya

-   I was not able to meet other friends

-   I could not get a travel booking from Jakarta to Bandung that is why I took the train

-   I didnt meet the member of the band Peter Pan

-   I was not able to shop in Bandung

-   I traveled from Semarang to Surabaya in a hot van, the aircon was not working well

-   My seat was above the wheel’s hood so if it runs fast, warm air is coming from underneath

-   Some towns were crowded causing heavy traffic because it was the last day of the holidays

-   I have Rupia 10,000 left and I have to eat lunch at the a stop over

-   I was the last person to be delivered home with only Rp 3000 left in my pocket

 

 

Looking on the bright side:

-   I know who my real friends are

-   They were so kind to bring me or drive me around their city

-   I saw the Singosari Kingdom relics near Malang

-   I have been at the top of Indonesia’s National Monument and seen all traditional houses in one park in Jakarta

-   I was able to see beautiful and must-see places in Java: the structures, infrastructures, landscape, panoramic views, historical sites, religious places, the flavor, the scent and the taste of life in Java’s major cities and small towns

-   I met some new friends and welcomed by nice families

-   I had exposure to Muslim culture and celebration of religious festivity

-   I didnt spend much. I spent only Rupia 1.5 Million (USD 160 = Php 9,300)

-   I didnt have to pay for the place to sleep or for the gasoline

-   I didnt spend much on food and bought no souvenirs

-   My travel reservations was prepared by my friends

-   When I unload my pockets, I still have Rupia 20,000!!!

 

 

 

Special thanks to the following people for making my trip possible and memorable:

 

Dito, Basma, Gracey, Theo, their friends and family in Jakarta.

Fhami, Ariel, Jezper, their friends, relatives and family in Bandung.

Edwin, Wenni, Tino, Ricki, Sita, Riri, Laluna in Bandung.

Galih, Azmee, Alissa, Bram, Aiesec Univ. Diponogero members, newbie and alumni, their friends and family.

Fadil (LCVP-US-Surabaya), Shanti (LCP-UP_Bandung) and Asti (LCP-UD-Semarang).

 

Wednesday,Dec 15 2004, 05:42:39 AMPART 49: DEMAK & KUDUS – Pilgrimage to 2...

PART 49: DEMAK & KUDUS – Pilgrimage to 2 of the “Wali Songo” (9 Saints of The Javanese Moslems)

The eastern “pasisir” region - 300 km of dry, barren coast lying between Semarang and Surabaya, was thus the birthplace of Islam. This transformation was the work of the Nine Islamic Saints - the legendary WALI SONGO (Javanese word for Nine Saints) - who proselytized the new faith and assimilated it to Java’s pre-existing social conditions.

NOVEMBER 20, SATURDAY ...

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Wednesday,Dec 15 2004, 05:37:51 AMPART 48: SEMARANG AIESEC-UD GATHERING NOVEMBE

PART 48: SEMARANG AIESEC-UD GATHERING

NOVEMBER 19, FRIDAY

After 10 hours of traveling from Bandung, I have arrived in Semarang at exactly 6 am. I was welcomed by Asti and her mom. I slept again after taking breakfast and shower then woke up at 10 am. ...

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Friday,Dec 3 2004, 06:40:21 AMPART 47: BANDUNG & ARIEL’S FRIENDS NOV. 17,

PART 47: BANDUNG & ARIEL’S FRIENDS

NOV. 17, WEDNESDAY

My brother Ariel drove me around the city for the last time. Im leaving for Semarang tonight. We went to Gedung Sate, the minaret of Masjid Agung (Grand Mosque) and see the town in 360 degrees view. Bandung is surrounded by mountains - the city in a basin. ...

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Friday,Dec 3 2004, 05:55:07 AMPART 46: TANGKUBAN PARAHU CRATERS NOV. 16,...

PART 46: TANGKUBAN PARAHU CRATERS

NOV. 16, MONDAY - (Part 2)

We were joined by Tanti, Ariel’s friend. She also went to Brazil last year under Rotary Club’s Host Family Exchange Program same as Fahmi. She is young, smart and cute. ...

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