One Year Memory: Yogyakarta after Merapi Eruption 2010

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Of course, I will not forget that day, November 5, 2010. Merapi, one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia located in Yogyakarta Province and Central Java Province showed its "power" to the world. I was in Yogyakarta at that time and constantly heard the strong rumble voices since midnight. I thought Merapi was ready to erupt and it was precise. I came outside from the hostel I stayed inside Gadjah Mada University and amazingly (and scarily actually) for the first time in my life I saw and felt the rain of sands. It was not only ash rain that already happened several days before. Both ash and sand rain were the impact of the Merapi's activity. Then I started to turn on television and it had already been the headline news in all Indonesian TV channels. People were hectic to move to be further from Merapi area.
Around 7 in the morning, I started to explore the area of Gadjah Mada University. It was so silent - of course it was too different compared to the daily life of the university which was commonly very crowded with students' activities. Then I took Trans Jogja Bus to go to Malioboro, that normally was one of the most hectic spots in Yogyakarta. Uniquely, there was also so silent without many people going to shop in the area. So much different. All the areas I saw from Gadjah Mada University to Malioboro were full of ashes and sands. Other unique view to see was all the people wore masker.

Today, Yogyakarta has proven that it is dynamic city which is full of the toughness and spirit from the people. Through the hard time, they can face and undergo life after Merapi eruption. Now it has been exactly one year after the eruption and Yogyakarta has settled itself like before: great place to visit, nice home to stay, comfortable spot to enjoy your life. Yogyakarta and its Merapi always have their exotic beauty in whatever time and condition. So you don't have any reason to not put them as your list to travel.

Those are the pictures I took on my way from Gadjah Mada University to Malioboro. I wish you enjoy them and for those who experienced that day as me could have them as memory.

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Comments

[Ferrial Pondrafi]

Nice
finally, i can comment to your blog mas.. hehe well, the pictures are about ashes. i don't find any eruption there.. but they are nice

[George]

Good sonny.
Thank you Sonny for your effort to document your experience about Merapi eruption a year ago in this piece.I thank God we are still living to tell the story.Your narrations and pictures are good memories and I encourage you to keep writing.

[Lina]

so sweettt
terharu u u u uu...

[Mohammad Anwar Ahmadi Omid]

:))))
Dear Sonny , last year in these days I & my friends were ready to depart from my country to Indonesia, but unfortunately there is happened Eruption in Merapi mountain and our coming here delied for one month again. Finally in 6 Dec 2010 we left Kabul City and came to Indonesia. , , , , , , :) I am sorry for those who to lost their family members and lost their sweet life for this natural disaster and present my deepest condolence to them. wish to them comfort life , and wish peace for all over the world,,,,,,,, :) thank you Dear Sonny for sharing this artical , it remembered me one of my nice rememberance of my life time . be happy and successful :)