From Jombang to Malang - Why Everyone Wants a Photo with Us (Java Tour 5)

In the morning, we took the train from Yogyakarta to Jombang. We traveled first class (like almost all Europeans) and enjoyed wide seats and plenty of legroom.

The ticket was called 'Boarding Pass' and you could only go to the platform if you had a valid ticket. In the train, videos about important safety information (such as the nearest emergency exits) were shown, which strongly resembled flying.

In Jombang, we were picked up by our driver, who had already driven our luggage there at night. On the way, we visited the Trowulan Archaeological Museum. We were now off the beaten path of most tourists. In the museum, every other visitor - apart from the only other European couple - approached us to ask if they could take a photo with us.

At the next temple we visited, Candi Bajang Ratu, we were allowed to pose for several photos with a group of girls.

White skin is considered beautiful here and you can even buy special creams that are supposed to make your skin whiter. So we are very popular as a photo motif here because of our exotic skin color, sometimes even secretly without asking and group photo.

The 'Mouse Temple', as it is called because many mice lived there during the excavation, was actually a ritual bath with various basins.