Semarang, Indonesia -- Looking for Air Conditioning

Semarang (Java), Indonesia, October 21, 2011 (Friday) 10:30am Local Time -- On board M/V Silver Shadow

After sailing from Singapore about 2:00pm on October 18, we had an uneventful crossing of the Java Sea with no eruptions of Krakatoa or visits from the ghosts of the USS Houston.  We arrived in Semarang, Indonesia in Central Java about 6:00am on 20 October to be greeted by a gamalon orchestra, Javanese dancers, and two dancing tigers.

Tiger Dancers

E&J had decided that another 9 hour trip to Bora Badur was not worth the 2 hours on site and the seven hours of acquiring bus butt.  Also, we had been there a few years ago, so we had another excuse to avoid the bus.  Instead, we did a city tour of Semarang, only 2 1/2 hours on the bus.

Since Semarang is at 2 degrees South, it has only two climates which usually occur daily -- very hot and very humid and exceptionally hot and exceptionally humid.  So sightseeing is a bit of a challenge.  We did visit the Dutch colonial part of the city (Oudstad/Kota Lama).  It is, mainly, in an advancing state of decay, judging by buildings along the old main street, Jalan Pemunda.

The one building that was in good repair and which we visited was the Gereja Blenduk (Domed Church).  It was originally constructed by the Dutch in 1753 and is still an active Christian church, containing one of only two pipe organs in Indonesia.

Pipe Organ, Domed Church, Semarang

On entering, the church offers one great advantage -- it is air conditioned.  It is an excellent example of Dutch colonial architecture, and one of the few in Semarang in good condition.  Did I say it was air conditioned?

Domed Church

After busing past too-numerous-to-mention government office buildings (Semarang is the capitol of Central Java Provence) and state-owned corporations, we arrived at the Sam Po Kong Temple.  The temple commemorates the landing of Chinese Admiral/Explorer Cheng Ho in Semarang in 1405.  It was totally rebuilt and remodeled in 2005 on the 600th anniversary of his landing here.  This is a large temple complex consisting of about 10 major structures, including a massive statue of Cheng Ho.

Sam Po Kong Temple (Part)

Cheng Ho Statue

Cheng Ho is revered as a father figure by the Chinese communities throughout Insular and Peninsular Southeast Asia, because many of today's Chinese (especially in Malaysia) are descendants of his crew.  This is especially intriguing because Cheng was both Muslim and a eunuch. In recognition of Cheng's Islamic heritage, there is a Muslim mosque among the Chinese Buddhist pavilions at the Temple.

The final attraction of the temple is a 150 yard long bas relief  depicting Cheng's voyages.  A small section is included below to give you a flavor of the art and to point out that some of Cheng's voyages took him all the way to the Swahili coast (Lamu, Kenya).

Bas Relief of Cheng Ho's Voyages (Africa)

The bas relief was a gift of the People's Republic of China to Indonesia on the 600th Anniversary of Cheng Ho's landing at Semarang.

As if you have not guessed, there was NO air conditioning here, and we nearly croaked.  Since Cheng Ho is one of J's favorite Chinese historical figures, the suffering had to be endured!

After the Sam Po Kong Temple, the tour went shopping.  In other words, no useful or entertaining information will be forthcoming.  However, the shopping mall (conventionally boring) and the government handicrafts building were air conditioned!