Hello! This is my first posting about tourism places of Indonesia, my beloved country #bigsmile!!! :D
Well, let me tell you something, I ever once post a Blackberry Messenger status for this trip, without having a thought that it would be happened, and it's not only one place that I can visited, but four in a row!! Hahahahaaa>.<
Actually it's kind of a pilgrim trip that I joined into. I could say that is such a luck for me, to have a chance to join this trip, with a group of people from a Catholic Church in my city, with my friends. This trip destination was a 2-days-trip around Central Java Province of Indonesia, and a bus went around with us. In that 2 days we visited some Catholic tourism destination around Central Java, it is: St. Mary Cave Getasan "Pereng", St. Mary Cave Ambarawa "Kerep", Cathedral Church of Semarang City, St. Mary Cave Juwana "Ratu Rosari", and St. Mary Cave Sendanghardjo. A trip without any souvenir to bring home?? Ohh..come on! Luckily we were served with a-3-hours-journey in all gift shop in the Street of Pandanaran, in Semarang city #thanksGOD! Eventhough that 3-hours was not enough for shopping...and that's why I even had no picture of them or story to tell..because I was too busy to shopping & queue in the cashier line #Oh..DearWoman!!
St. Mary Cave Getasan "Pereng"
This is our first stop, with such a tiring-body-not-sleeping-well-in-the-bus, and a-shaking-sick-tummy, but I did really try my best to enjoy every spot!
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| sign board |
This St.Mary Cave was located in Street of Salatiga-Kopeng Km.10 RT.01 / RW.02, Getasan, Salatiga, Central Java, Indonesia. Photo above is the main street near the location, where all visitors's vehicle parked away (also our bus). From the sign board, there was a small junction to the right, with such a village-non-paving-road straight to the location, (well eventhough the road near the location was already paved properly), about 10 minutes down-walking. There we found a lot of local people selling souvenirs, local food, and etc on the side of the village-road, for which I wasn't brave enough to take their stalls picture without buying anything from them...hahahahaaa...#ShameOnMe
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| down-walking-paving-road |
I was quite amazed with the landscape, as a person that never visit a St.Mary cave before, I was so full-of spirit to take a picture (of my self :)) and the spots there), but the true nature must be fulfilled first, hahahaha, restrooms! While we were looking for the nearest restrooms, we found one of the stop for "Station of The Cross", a slope with some tap-source-water stick on it and a cave of a source-water with a man that ready to help us taking the source-water.
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| That red is one of the station of the cross stop |
From the toilet, first thing I'd like to do was to try, or at least see what was "source-water" actually like. So, what I saw there, they served us with 2 optional source of water, first was the slope, it had some tap sticks on it, what I saw there was, people showered their hands or legs, or their face with the source water from the tap. Second, near that slope there was a small cave with a glass door in front of it, and a man stood there helping us taking the source water with a long-handle-bowl.
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| Source-water cave |
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| the slope with taps |
Me, myself, off course did the same as other people there, my hands, legs, face, and a bottle of drinking water was ready on their place!
What dissapointed me the most, was the fact that it was suddenly raining while we were had a holy mass, and in that moment I haven't had taken any closer photo of the Station of the Cross's stop and also the picture of St.Mary Cave closer.. huffft... :'(
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| St.Mary Cave Pereng Getasan |
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| St.Mary Cave Getasan Pereng |
Our second location is a St.Mary Cave in Ambarawa city. I'm sure that "Ambarawa" word itself must be familiar for all Indonesian, because Ambarawa city often mentioned in our school's history of Indonesia's book as a city where "Ambarawa war" was happened in past time where all Indonesian fight for their freedom and an independence of our country, Indonesia.
This St.Mary Cave was located in the Street of Mgr.Soegijapranata 56th (Panjang, Ambarawa) Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia. I wasn't sure why, but our bus (and the other group bus also) stopped quite far away from the location, hmmm... maybe the road to the location wasn't big enough for a big vehicle like bus. So the bus parked near the citizen-paid-car station (well, in Indonesian language, we called them 'angkot' or 'angkutan-umum'), then everyone was told to take a ride with those citizen-paid-car and go to the location. This car maximum capacity was 11 adult, so we have to paid the driver total amount of money Rp.22.000.,- which is each person was Rp.2000.,-, and if the car that we took wasn't full capacity enough, well everyone inside the car -off course- have to paid the full amount. It takes about 10 minutes to the location from their station.
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| citizen-paid-car or 'angkot' |
When we arrived there, we saw a lot of stalls outside the location entrance, they sells snack, like thin-slice-potatoes-stick-barbeque-flavoured (I forgot to take the photo, it's about Rp.5000.,-) and Catholic souvenirs like picture of Jesus Christ, St.Mary, or Rosario. There were also some stalls & local people selling flowers. We, visitors were welcomed with a big wonderful painting of St.Mary in front of the entrance.
They had some kind of gate at the entrance with "Per Mariam Ad Jesum" written there, which meant was "through St.Mary, we found Jesus" and a blue board written with some rules for the visitors, just an ordinary rules, like dress & act politely, stay calm, no shouting, and etc.
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| the gate entrance view |
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| the gate exit view |
First what we saw there, was a triangle-shape-building with a cross in the front side, according to the building models I would thought that it might be a church, but because our destination there was the St.Mary Cave, so we didn't walk straight forward, but we turn right. (I didn't upload its photo in this post, because the light wasn't so good, the sun was on my back, so the photo was too dark to describe the building, so I deleted the photo from my mobile-phone picture folder) There, in the junction I found a nice photo spot, some kind of an area-segregation with "Hail Mary" in big bold silver font written there and a statue of St.Mary with a sheep, unfortunately maybe because I was too busy take a picture of myself there, I took its photo by a quick move only, so the photo result wasn't so good to describe the place :(
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| Hail Mary |
View of this location was more modernized compare to the first St.Mary Cave, maybe Getasan's St.Mary Cave showed something more naturally compare to Ambarawa. I had this opinion from seeing their way to the St.Mary Cave.
But it's in contrast to the donation box (by the way, got a question to ask, "Have U donate today??") The donation box, it was far too simple, and for me its more look a like a dustbin...Oh My God! I'm so sorry! and to made sure, that it was a real donation box, I did read the sentence written there about five times.. :p
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| donation box :p |
OK...stop debating the donation box status.....hahaha... Then about the landscape location, compared to our first St.Mary Cave in Getasan, they had a descending landscape, (except..off course the cave area) but Ambarawa's St.Mary Cave had a hilly landscape especially in their Station of the Cross area.
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| Station of the cross |
This left, was the Station of The Cross majority models. In my opinion their stop's (for these models) were not well maintained, not so clean, and looks old...maybe it's because they used concrete-brick, or maybe because the edge & the numbering board's looks like has been peeled of by weather or by ages... Better if the got a re-paint as soon as possible, and also a better-well-maintenance.
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| Station of the cross#12 |
This stop, I could say, was the most photographed Stop in location, a lot of people took photo there (included me!!) and this was the only stop where people put flowers in the candle area (you can buy flowers in stalls outside the location) (so sorry that I couldn't tell how much the flower was, because nobody in our group bought it).
For this photo on the left, I really had to admit, that I forgot what was it, I mean whether this include in Station of the Cross or not. But this Jesus Christ's Cross also had a candle area... so I assume that this also include in Station of the cross, even that I wasn't sure what number was it... -.- (if any of you, my blog's reader, know this, please kindly comment my blog, so that I can revise my posting) and I could say that this one was the number #2 most photographed stop....wkwkwkwwkw... Well It was Indonesian people most favourite things to do.
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| St.Mary Cave Kerep Ambarawa |
The best in the location, the St.Mary Cave!! There we could see a lot of flowers put there from the prayers (you can buy flowers in stalls outside the location) Down-levelled to it was the candles area, next to them (in the most right edge of my photo) there was some taps for source water. It consisted of 3 sensory taps, and 1 manual tap... Those 3 sensory taps really support my opinion (that I mentioned in the beginning of this location's posting) in which I was sure that this location more modernized compare to Pereng-Getasan's St.Mary Cave :)).
Retreat House of Elika
After one full day trip, with a-fully-exhausted-body-and-mind our bus took us to where-we-stayed, in Bandungan area, which was Retreat House of Elika. About this retreat house and Bandungan area I ain't gonna write them all in this posting, instead it will be posted on my next posting on or about month of July 2013. (So keep follow all my blogs ^^)
Cathedral Church of Semarang
Our second day, first trip destination was Cathedral Church of Semarang city, it was a famous church in Semarang especially for Catholic. It's officially named as Cathedral Church "Santa Perawan Maria Ratu Rosario Suci" (named in Indonesian language), located in street of Pandanaran 9th, Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia. From the Church street name, you surely could guest what we did before visited the Church....yup! We stopped at Pandanaran street of gift-shop, and spent 3 hours in the morning for shopping!!! :)) Then, after we had no money at all to spent, we walked down the street, about 15 minutes to the Cathedral Church. But the Cathedral Church's photos & stories will be posted on my next posting in July with stories of the Retreat House (mentioned above).
St.Mary Cave "Ratu Rosari" Juwana
My 3rd St. Mary Cave!! Hoped that we would be able to the procession of Station of the cross prayer there, since it was our last day trip, and days getting noon already when we arrived there (3.30 pm).
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| wall painting at the entrance way |
Quite a long journey from Pandanaran area to Juwana, about 2-hours-trip. It's located at Wr.Supratman street 1st, Juwana (about 12 kilometres east of Pati way to Rembang) (200 metres from bus station of Juwana).
It's said that this St.Mary Cave at first was an ordinary house owned by a man who has crocodiles as his pet (inside his house -off course). This St. Mary Cave was built as a token of gratitude for his mother's recovery from her illness for their prayer to Jesus Christ through St.Mary. But long time before his mother has been healed, it's said also that there were an old lady from another village /area, who dreamed of this house, in her dream, she saw a great-shining light from the backyard, near the crocodiles cage, well maybe it's a sign that this house supposed to be built as St. Mary Cave ?_?
My first impression of this St. Mary Cave was "it's way too simple from what I expected at most", why, because our way to enter the area was really out of my mind that it was a St.Mary Cave area, it was look a like a normally citizen's house, there were house's fence in the front, a garage with car parked there, we also found some opened-room near the restrooms, look a like a closed-restaurant (or a meeting area, maybe?) because there were tables & chairs in put aside with Jesus Christ & St.Mary in traditional ornaments. In the corner of this restaurant-look-a-like-room, we found a table and some bottles on it and a sign written there "for sale" "source water & bottles". What?? Why were they selling their source water, instead of giving them for free?
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| Per Mariam Ad Jesum |
I assumed that the man who owned & built this St.Mary Cave must be a Javanesse, because most of the area ornaments, from the wall-painting, in the entrance way, the rooms ornaments, the restroom style, signboards, and etc was using a traditional Javanesse style & language, even I met an old lady (maybe, a local people who hired to kept clean the area) who couldn't speak Indonesian at all, we met her while we were looking for restroom, she couldn't understand what we said until one man from our group asked her using Javanesse language. #fiuhhh....
There were also an opened-room with "Per Mariam Ad Jesum" statue inside, and I thought that nobody in my group (except me & my friend) realized the existing of that room, hahahaha, so that I was sure enough that this photospot were only found by us! :)
After took some photo during our queue line in the restrooms, and finished the-restrooms-business, finally our group leader called us to join the praying procession for Station of the cross. Me as someone who never did this praying procession before, felt so much enthusiasm, then we did he praying procession, which was so much boring for me (well for someone who wasn't a Catholic, I really did prepared my heart & mind to pray completely) I didn't know why, whether it was because I was too tired, or maybe because I didn't prepare my heart & mind well enough, or maybe because the Station of the Cross area was too small and too simple (in my opinion as a non-Catholic-tourist)
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| Station of the cross area |
As you can see in above picture from photo that I took, the Station of the cross area was only a backyard aarea, with a 2D statue in the wall, and we were stood there in one spot in front of them all while we were read the praying in procession, no movement, and no candle-light-on for each station praying procession. Compare to what I saw in the 2 other St. Mary Cave, because their Station of the Cross area were in very wide, hilly, or slopelly (compare to this one) shape, so people there were moving & stopped at each station, pray, then put candlle light on. I didn't know whether another people would did the same as our group or they would went around the Station of the cross area (like what I saw in the 2 St.Mary Cave before).
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| Stop #9 |
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| St. Joseph & St.Mary |
So when our group praying procession reach the stopstation number 5, there I saw a St.Mary & St.Joseph & a child statue in the left outside the backyard area. I put my candle on, there, and pray. After that I joined my group in praying procession again T_T. Finally when we reach station stop number 12 which had the most different style of stop, our group leader allowed us to put candle on. Stop #12 as usual, it had the biggest statue & different models, while the other was only a 2D on the backyard wall, stops #12 had 3D statue models, and the widest & biggest area.
It's such a pity that the candles area was too full (as you can see in the photo), so I found it's quite hard for me to put candle-light-on while struggling & competing with other to find the best place & way to make my candle stood correctly.
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| Stop #12 |
- Father, forgive them, for they know not, what they do
- Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise
- Woman, behold your son! ; Behold, your mother!
- Eli, Eli, lema sabachtani? (My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?)
- I thirst
- It is finished
- Father into your hand I commit my spirit!
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| Jesus's seven last word |
It was a great sign, that reminds us about the incidents of Jesus Christ in cross, so that we will remembered Jesus Christ sacrifation to saved us in this world.
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| Jesus's 7 last word |
There was a hidden area (actually it wasn't really that hide, but it's a bit separated from the other and darker place. The place was a-real-cave-made, it was a stop (I forgot what number, since I was too busy to find a light for me, (well there were small light from the sunshine) to that I could put my candle on in that stop), next to this stop, there was more great things, it was a more hidden & darker cave, and no light at all. It was Jesus Christ's body replica, and the more amazingly was they made some lamp (shaped as candle) around the Jesus Christ's body replica, we had to drop some rupiah's coin then the lamp will be put on for a while, I thought that it did really built a holy atmosphere ther O_O.
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| Jesus Christ's body replica |
Getting out from the Jesus Christ's cave, next to it there was a hidden garden, with statue of open-arm-Jesus-Christ there, and also a bench for visitor to sit and prayed there. (tips: take off your sandals /shoes before you enter this all hidden area & bring small coins money).
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| Jesus's cave, take off shoes! |
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| Hidden garden |
Lucky me! I found the source water for FREE.. it was near the St.Mary Cave, but why the put it inside a dispenser? made me curious whether it was real or fake.. But I thought that it was a real one, because I had no experience of stomachache till I got back to my city, Surabaya.
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| St.Mary Cave |
It's free time! I went around all the area and found a good photo-spot! The last supper 2D color statue wall! A St.Mary statue in the center of the Station of the cross garden! (forgot to take its photo).
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| The Last Supper |
As I wrote above, that this St.Mary Cave first was an ordinary citizen's house, so there was a side area, out from the St.Mary Cave. there I found a sign statue of "Fiat Voluntas Tua". It's said: Fiat Voluntas Tua; To be happened as Your will; Hopefully that this place will be a proper equipment for everyone who wants to have a quiet, pure, and purpose of being able to imitate St. Mary Mother, and Jesus Christ's.
There was an opened room for local people selling souvenirs, such as T-shirt, Source water in special bottle, and etc, but the most special sold there, was a history book of this St. Mary Cave, it cost you only five thousand rupiahs fo each.
Before we went to the last St.Mary Cave, hahahahaa it seems to be a must for us to find the restrooms again! Surprisingly for me, in our way to the out-restrooms, I found another sign-statue again, it was a sign-statue that told a phenomenon of the shining light as I wrote above. It's said: The shining-light phenomenon is Jesus Christ's creation full of power and miraculous. This phenomenon should grew & more increase our faith & belief to the light-way of Jesus Christ ; Be Blessed.
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| Rp.5000 |
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| Shining-light phenomenon |
St.Mary Cave Sendanghardjo
It was way to late when we arrived there, even in our guide-trip-book was written that there no light at all in those area, the really depen on the sunlight! Oh..my God! and we were also too tired.. There were only some small white-lamp garden. So I couldn't tell anything about this place, or post any photo at all >.<
But I could tell that this St.Mary cave had a great landscape, since we had to walk up to the hill, and their statues were on hilly cave also (even though it wasn't clear enough for me to see exactly). During our way to the hilly caves, there we saw some board written as it was also provide a rehabilitation service (I didn't know whether it was for narcotics-user or what), and there were also some small rooms for visitor to stay overnight. Was it for free or rent? I wasn't sure...
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