MANNERS AND OTHER MATTERS

My phone/camera is always with me... Christmas is over, and New Year celebrations are pending. Like thousands of people, I have taken tens of photos over the Festive Season so far, some with my iPhone and others with my camera and quite a few have been uploaded to my Facebook page so that I can share them with friends, near and far. An uploaded photo to Facebook...to be shared only with "friends" I read a news report yesterday  in the West Australian newspaper, and quoting The Telegraph. about the sister of Facebook chief, Mark Zuckerberg,  Randi, being tripped up by the company’s privacy setting.  According to Associated Press, a picture that Randi posted on her personal Facebook profile was seen by a marketing director who then posted the picture to Twitter and her more than 40,000 followers. Randi then tweeted that the picture was meant for friends only and that posting the private picture on Twitter was “way uncool”:  The marketing director replied

                                    Unspoiled, wild mountain flowers. Switzerland  (photo LP) Please  remember today all of the children dying needlessly around the world...from Africa, to Syria...and to America. May they Rest in Peace.

Mt Merapi, Central Java (photo LP) Considered the most important island in the vast archipelago of Indonesia, Java is at the centre of Indonesian culture and industry.  Stretching for more than 1,000 km, Java is framed by the Indian Ocean to its south and the Java Sea in the north with Sumatra bordering its west coast and Bali immediately to the east.  The volcanic, tropically green and ruggedly beautiful island of Java is about the size of England.  It's population is about 105 million - nearly half of Indonesia's entire population. We started touring around the vicinity of Yogyakarta and after visiting the Buddhist Temple ofr Borobudur  we had lunch at the stunning Amanjiwo  (peaceful soul) hotel, which overlooks the Temple; it was a superb lunch  in a truly spiritual location. Borobudur fromo the Amanjiwo hotel restaurant (photo Christine Simmonds) Of the four days I spent with friends in Central Java, there was one that was absolutely amazing. My friend

The Buddhist Temple of Borobudur (photo LP) I am currently in Jakarta, Indonesia, visiting a dear friend and her husband, having spent the last four days touring in Central Java. The environs of Jogjakarta are as far removed from the hustle and bustle of southern, tourist laden Bali as possible. And my eyes have been opened to a culture so diverse, so rich in history and so engrained in every aspect of everyday life, that I have felt truly humbled by the experience. The Eastern side of Borobudur (photo LP) The most extraordinary part of my journey into the centre of this island of Java was a visit to the ancient Buddhist temple of Borobudur. I know little about the Buddhist religion other than general concepts, but I am now in awe of the beliefs and will endeavour to learn more. The Buddha, the top Stupa, Borobudur (photo LP) Words like " spectacular" and " awe inspiring" do not do justice to the magnificence of this ediface. And while the