Today was an exciting day for those interested in the culture of local people. Semarang, located in central Java, was the starting point for our tour to Borobudur, the largest Buddhist temple in the world. As we got off the ship, we were treated to a cultural dance performance that is unique to the area. On the way to the buses, we each received fragrant flower garlands. Soon we were on our way, crossing the island and passing rice fields and several volcanoes on the way. Located on the southern side of Java, Borobudur takes one’s breath away. The large, square temple has seven levels to explore, and we slowly climbed up and wandered in between over 500 Buddha statues and 1400 reliefs depicting scenes of his life. The temple sits among tropical trees, and we discovered mahogany, teak, and various tropical fruit trees. For lunch, we were treated to Indonesian dishes that are often served on special occasions. To top it off, a gamelan orchestra played for us, and we saw a Wayang puppet show. Both these artforms are on the UNESCO World Heritage list as uniquely Indonesian. After this myriad of new impressions, the bus took us back through the countryside dotted with villages, and we returned to the ship.