We began today with a very early morning—we met together at 3:30AM to drive about an hour to see a magnificent sunrise from the Borobudur Buddhist temple. This temple was built from 800AD-900AD and then was later abandoned due to volcanic activity surrounding the area. We arrived and then walked about 10 minutes to the top of this very large temple and waited until the sunrise came up over an active volcano across the valley. It was a beautiful sight and a great way to start off a very enjoyable day.
The sunrise view from the Borobudur temple
Our touring group including Patrick and Roy, our tour guides in Indonesia
BYU Singers in front of the Borobudur temple
After the sunrise, the choir had some time to walk around the temple after which we gathered together to go to the Pusat Rehabilitasi Yakkum, a local rehabilitation center for disabled children and adults. BYU Singers had a very special opportunity to shake hands with each disabled child and introduce themselves. Seeing the smiles on the children’s faces was definitely one of the highlights of the tour so far for many members of the choir.
Meeting each child in the rehabilitation center
The joy we felt as we met one another was palpable
After the introductions, the choir gave a short performance for the children and their family members that were accompanying them. The choir performed Hela Rotane, The Battle of Jericho, and four men from the choir gave a stunning barbershop rendition of Auld Lang Syne in Indonesian. Then after the crowd cheered for one more piece, they sang Luk Luk Lumbu as well.
The choir gives an informal performance for a small, loving audience
A very captivated and excited audience
Dallin, Stephen, Kevin, and Cody sing an Indonesian arrangement of Auld Lang Syne
A group photo just after the conclusion of the performance
A quick photo opportunity before leaving
From the rehabilitation center, we then went to eat lunch at a beautiful restaurant next to a small river. It was an open restaurant where we felt a wonderful breeze as we ate the delicious food that was prepared for us. After we were finished, we walked over to the buses and right next to where we were parked we saw a man holding a small alligator. Needless to say, a very select few within the choir took advantage of this opportunity for a quick photo.
Our beautiful lunch venue for the day
One of the very few who felt the courage to hold this small alligator. He was actually quite friendly!
We then went to the Prambanan Hindu temple, which is the largest temple in Indonesia. It has several buildings within the temple area, and the choir had some time to walk around and enjoy this very impressive structure. After seeing the Prambanan temple, we gathered on the buses to drive back to the hotel and finish our day with an evening of relaxation. Overall, it was very hot and humid today, but we all fully enjoyed each of our various activities.
The Prambanan Hindu Temple