Borobudur is a ninth-century Mahayana Buddhist monument in Central Java. It’s got six square platforms topped by three circular levels, decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues in various poses. Pilgrims begin their 3/4 mile journey by entering the eastern staircase. This base, or Kamadhatu, symbolizes where human beings are still bound by lust. They then walk clockwise around the galleries and up. Each level progresses towards enlightenment, with lower levels depicting bas reliefs of life on earth, with the range of sins of mankind. A guide is about 50000Rupiah (12300Rupiah/$1 at this time), and it’s well worth it.
Elaborate gateways to the next levels are guarded by the fearsome beast Kala. Each level up represents the journey towards enlightenment.
The upper four stories are called Rupadhatu, symbolizing human beings that have set themselves free from lust but still bound to appearance and shape. 
The upper three terraces with Buddha effigies inside perforated domes are called Arupadhatu, symbolizing human beings freed from lust and earthly form. The top part is called Arupa, symbolizing nirvana, where Buddha resides.
For lack of an eagle’s eye angle we can take ourselves, this is a model of Borobudur, taken at the museum at the base when we returned back to the world of sin and hedonism.
Indonesia: Wayang Kulit
Wayang Kulit (wayang=show, kulit=skin, as in the leather the puppets are made of) is a type of shadow puppet theatre from the Indo-Malay archipelago. Its Javanese Hindu-Buddhist tradition has its origins in India. Hand-crafted leather puppets depict epic stories of the gods in shadow play.
This artist was prepping the puppet show, at the Museum Sonobudoyo (Javanese archeology museum) on Jalan Trikora 6 at north alun-alun. The puppets are usually made of buffalo or goat hide and mounted on bamboo sticks. The best puppets are made of young female water buffalo parchment with curing time of almost ten years.
A traditional Gamelan orchestra would accompany the story-telling. Their typical repertoire include an overture, travel and battle music, and character pieces.
The next photos are of musicians playing their Gamelan instruments, preparing for the same puppet theatre at Kraton (Sultan’s Palace). This first instrument is a Bonang and the one below is a Saron Demung, followed by a better photo of that instrument in red.
This musician was playing the Kenong, the next down is a Bonang, and the third is the setup behind the stage where Sinden singers are practicing.
Most shadow play is based on two epic stories from India – the Mahabarata and its sister work, the Ramayana. The Balinese and Javanese combined the Hindu stories with Buddhist and Muslim elements as well as their own folklore. 
Indonesia: Making Batik
Batik is a resist dye technique with hundreds of years’ history in Java. Since I wasn’t with K when someone showed him how to batik, here’s the general gist as I know it:
A natural light-colored cloth is used to make batiks (synthetics or blends won’t work). A rough sketch is made on the cloth as in the first photo. Then you paint wax on top of the areas you do not want to dye. This woman uses a tool sort of like a crude fountain(?) pen to take the dye to the areas she’s drawn. When the paint has absorbed into the cloth it is allowed to dry, then a hot water bath is used to melt off the wax. 
Here’s the finished product. It’s a very thin cloth so it’s beautiful framed with light shining from behind, such as daylight or if indoors then a frame with an embedded lamp. I love bright designs, but this region (Jogyakarta)’s color palette consists of the varying shades and tones of brown.
…on the auto industry bailouts
Jeffrey Sachs is for and Joseph Stiglitz is against.
But this poster says it better:
… so what’s another year of recession?
from ritholts.com
…since we’re on the topic of Development!
What happens when well meaning aid and development ‘experts’ find a hungry man?
Bought this gem of illustrations from the author years ago in Cambodia. It’s a riot read for anyone in the field (and managers sitting in headquarters). Available online here.
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