Jogjakarta : Mount Merapi

The path to Mount Merapi was still coated with dust from earlier eruption. True enough, the place is now a historical site, or locally called “wisata”. Parking is chargeable. Rides (normal bike, dirt bike, jeep) are chargeable. Guide is chargeable. What else? They have stalls selling souvenirs along the way up. Undoubtedly the eruption had created such income for the villagers.

The surrounding was clearly depressing with the after-effects. Burnt trees and sapless land, with little bit of greenie grass that starting to cover the whole area. I prayed to Allah that nothing will happen while we were there. I turned 360 degree and sulked, questioned hubby and his family, where Merapi is. And I, again, felt like cursing someone, or something, probably the cloud, for hiding it. We didn’t get the chance to view the Mount Merapi at Merapi Golf, and we didn’t get the chance to view this marvelous, fabulous, tremendous mount, at its own location?? Double punched! Allah the almighty. (Mengucap.)

Hubby and I decided to ride “ojek”, where each of us rented two bikers and bikes to bring us uphill. The rest stayed. Along the bike ride, we saw Mount Merapi, NOT STILL! The clouds were thicker than Alleycat’s hair then. Anyhow, we stopped at the site and one of the biker tagged along with us, doing the story-telling. The house was totally burnt out and ashes were what left. There were vehicles like van (that came back to save Mbah Maridjan) and bikes that burnt and rusty (own by the villagers).

There was a mini mushola on the upper left side of the house. Opposite the house ground, there were souvenir shops that run by Mbah Maridjan’s daughters. All of them (including the wife) are safe and sound, coz they did run away before the eruption. And everyone knows that Mbah Maridjan didn’t make it (he didn’t even move a step), for he thought that he will be protected since he’s the Mount Merapi’s keeper. Well, Allah is almighty. What is written, is written.

I remembered that Eny used to say, the villagers are quite believe-in, somehow, with this supernatural and mystical thingy. Moreover, they didn’t want to leave the place coz they didn’t believe in the forecast (of eruption), they didn’t trust in technology (on the forecasting), and they afraid of their “sapi” (cows) being stolen by the volunteers. Like, seriously?? Who wants to steal and drag a group of cows down the hill when hot magma chasing behind you?? You can’t even drag a cow, I tell you! But if I was in their shoes (villagers) I would understand that, coz this is where they live, this is where they shepherd their animals, this is where they harvest their plants, and what not. It’s a hard life, you know. Ok, I love Malaysia.

Since the site started to occupy with school kids, we decided to turn back. We then unable to see the rest of the family, for almost an hour! We lost them! At this point of time, I swear that I will kill Ridz if he was to bring Abah and Mama to the site, in jeep! Expensive you know! And I wanted to try the jeep too! Unfair! Huh! So we waited.

But they actually didn’t. (Drama.) They just walked up and get some souvenirs. (Buruk sangka.) Mama got herself a wooden spatula with Merapi written on it, and Putri got herself a Hello Kitty cap, from her beloved intan payung grandpa. Whatever you insist, Putri, you surely own it. Hahaha!