The next day, we left around the same time and headed towards the active Volcano called, Mount Merapi. It had previously erupted in 2006 and then again in 2010, causing major destruction to the surrounding areas and covering most of the Yogyakarta area with ash. During our trips around Borobudur and Prambanan, we saw the remnants of the ash in certain parts, but it was during this trip towards the epicenter of the explosion that we saw the main bulk of it.
As we approached the mountain, we could clearly see smoke bellowing from the crater and some low clouds hanging in the middle. It was at the remnants of a nearby town that we upgraded our minivan for a 4×4 jeep and a dirtbike, before we began to drive further towards the mountain.
While it is possible to climb the mountain, we decided to not press ourselves so much, instead choosing to view the surrounding towns (or what’s left of them) as we did a lap around the area.
At one point we were driving through a valley with diggers excavating volcano ash, used as a building material for the community. The tour guide informed us that this valley used to be a river and that technically we were driving on the riverbed. It was horrifying to think that one eruption could do to the wildlife and eco system. However, just as interesting was the benefits of the ash on the ground, as it made for excellent fertilizer. The areas now cleared out and replanted with crops grow in magnificent shades of green – a stark contrast to the predominant greys of the scenery.
One of the main products of the land is coffee, or Kopi Merapi to be specific. A nice blend of either Arabica or Robusta coffee that is brewed using hot coals. During the journey, we stopped at a coffee hut and sampled some of the brew, with many of us buying some to take back.
The village of Kali Adem was one of the worst struck habitats, and we could see several homes destroyed and the items inside melted down. Mostly, the only things remaining were the concrete foundation slabs. At one point, the tour guide pointed to a small patch and noted it was his grandparents’ old house.
My midday, the sun was starting to bake us, and we decided to head back to Yogyakarta to look at the Palace or Kraton, and to sample the local food.
One of the culinary highlights was another coffee (what do you expect from the island of Java!), which was dubbed to be the World’s most expensive coffee. The process is a bit disgusting, and I was hesitant to try it out at first, but I’m glad I did, as it was very good. Kopi Luwak is made by brewing the beans that have been digested by an Asian Palm Civet. In hindsight I found that certain shops in the West sell a cup of this coffee for upwards of $35 to $80. I managed to grab 50g for 200,000 Rupiah (£12).
The journey back home the next day was fairly uneventful, however all of us had bought way too much stuff and ended up overweight. I managed to bring my newly bought Chess Board back in one piece without too much fuss from the airport security. I’ll try and upload the pictures of the board once it’s all set up at some point. For now though, I’m extremely tired and glad to be back home…
