Enjoy nature's charms along 'Sosebo' route<\/p>\n
Bambang M. and Gigin W. Utomo, Contributors, Magelang, Central Java<\/p>\n
What could be more relaxing and beautiful than visiting rural
\nareas in the mountains, and witnessing farmers working on green
\npaddy fields, with a volcano in the background?<\/p>\n
If visiting rural areas is to your taste, than you can try the
\ntourist route through the mountains all the way from Magelang to
\nBoyolali, Central Java. The route is known as \"Sosebo\", an
\nacronym derived from the names of the Central Java towns of Solo
\n(or Surakarta), Selo and the famed Borobudur Temple.<\/p>\n
\"The tourist route was created for visitors who arrive at Adi
\nSumarmo Airport, Surakarta,\" said Budi of the Boyalali regency's
\ntourist office.<\/p>\n
Besides enjoying the pristine environment, visiting tourists
\ncan see local handicrafts, waterfalls or old temples along the
\nway.<\/p>\n
The first thing one experiences along the route is the rural
\natmosphere, with farmers busy working in the fields. When the
\nweather is clear, one can see Merapi and Merbabu mountains in the
\nbackground.<\/p>\n
After about a 10-kilometer journey from Magelang, one arrives
\nat Sawangan district. From there, one can choose between visiting
\nTirtosari village on the left, where villagers create artistic
\nornaments from old tins and cans -- transforming the materials
\ninto shadow puppet figures or even aircraft -- or to the right,
\nwhere a 500-meter walk will take you to three old Hindu temples
\nin the middle of rice fields.<\/p>\n
The three -- Asu, Lumbung and Pendem temples -- are located in
\nthe middle of rice fields, with Asu Temple the easiest to spot
\nfrom the road. Those wanting to see the other two should ask a
\nlocal farmer for more detailed directions.<\/p>\n
The three temples are not yet fully restored, as their roofs
\nare still damaged. Unfortunately, lack of interpretative
\ninformation about the temples' history means tourists can only
\nenjoy the view.<\/p>\n
From this area, the route leads to Gardu Pandang, near Dukun
\nvillage, where one can view Merapi volcano. From the Sosebo
\nroute, it can be reached by going for another three kilometers,
\nas far as Bukit hill. From the hill, located about 1,700 meters
\nabove sea level, one can view seven mountains -- Merapi, Merbabu,
\nSindoro, Sumbing, Andong, Tidar and Menoreh -- simultaneously.<\/p>\n
From the hill, Merbabu and Merapi are most clearly visible.
\nWith some luck, one can also see black eagles (Icnaetus
\nmalayensis) hovering in the sky.<\/p>\n
Tourists wanting to spend the night here have the choice of a
\nnumber of resorts in Wonolelo village, below Ketep hill, that
\nsuit the purpose. The price? \"You can negotiate it yourself, but
\nit's obviously not that high,\" said an official from a local
\ntourist office.<\/p>\n
Not far from Wonolelo, one can visit Kedung Kayang waterfall.
\nThe stream is 30 meters long and drops beautifully, as the water
\nexits from a single point. On the right side of the waterfall are
\nleafy trees and, if you are lucky, you can see black starlings
\nflying in and around the tree canopy.<\/p>\n
From Kedung Kayang the next stop is Selo village, located
\nhalfway between the tourist route and the base of Merbabu and
\nMerapi mountains.<\/p>\n
If trekking or walking are your preference, these two
\nmountains are beautifully suited for the purpose. From this
\nvillage, it takes six hours to climb Merbabu and five for Merapi.
\nNormally, trekking starts at midnight.<\/p>\n
If you do not like trekking, staying overnight is not a bad
\noption, since at nightfall, if the weather is clear, one can see
\nred or yellow lava being emitted from Merapi, a beautiful sight
\nunder the full moon.<\/p>\n
The next destination, after Selo, is Dukuh Tumang in Cepogo
\nvillage, still in Boyolali. Famous as a center for handicraft
\nmade from bronze and copper, tourists can buy a range of
\nproducts, ranging from artistically produced fruit dishes to
\nlarge lamp shades. Alternatively, one can simply enjoy watching
\nhandicrafts being made.<\/p>\n
\"Foreign tourists usually like to buy small handicrafts,\" said
\nSupri Haryanto, one of the handicraft producers in the village.<\/p>\n
Before reaching Boyolali, one can still visit another group of
\nold Hindu temples, like Lawang, Cabean Kunti or Sari temples, all
\nlocated in Cepogo. However, signboards indicating the way to
\nthese three are relatively small and hard to see, although they
\nare not far from the main road that connects Boyolali to
\nMagelang.<\/p>",
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