Wednesday walk : Umbul Ponggok Klaten
Greetings everyone.
Dear friends, how are you? I hope you are all well. Thank you Wednesdaywalk by @tattoodjay. On this occasion, I walked to Umbul Ponggok in the Klaten area of central Java.
I took the night train from Bandung, west Java, departing around 9 PM and arriving around 5:31 Am. After getting off the train I went outside to wait in the station lobby while waiting for the drizzle to subside.
After the drizzle subside I walked to find breakfast and there was a rice seller not far from the station. The trip to Umbul Ponggok is about 13 kilometers. I used a motorbike taxi service by ordering it online in advance, the cost of riding an online motorbike taxi is 46.000,- IDR or around ($2,7).
Journey
During the journey from the station to the location of Umbul Ponggok, the rural atmosphere is very felt, the expanse of beautiful natural scenery, without realizing it, 30 minutes of travel time has passed,and finally arrived at the destination.
Umbul Ponggok
Umbul is a Javanese word which means spring. Ponggok is the name of a village. To enter I bought a ticket because it was a holiday, the ticket price was 15.000,- IDR ($0,89). I left my bag and backpack inside Umbul Ponggok.
Ponggok village has been blessed with the advantage of several natural springs that have been passed down from generation to generation and has been developed into a tourist spot since around 2010 and is still busy with visitors from both local and out of town.
In the pool there is a natural spring with a large discharge, the natural spring is collected in a large pool and becomes a tourist activity such as swimming, diving, snorkeling, underwater photography using bicycles, motorbikes and other properties or feeding the fish at the bottom of the pool with clear water.
I met with one of the managers of the natural spring in Ponggok village. He explained that the Ponggok spring's large water flow is used for agriculture, fisheries,and the community's clean water needs. It's managed by the local government's clean water company and distributed through pipes.
Natural spring management
Ponggok village has seven natural springs scattered throughout, and natural springs that collaborate with bottled water companies. Umbul Ponggok is one of the famous placed in Ponggok village.
In addition to other springs scattered throughout Ponggok village. All springs and their location in Ponggok village are managed by a village- ownned enterprise, including financial management.
Community welfare
Income from tourist management and other spring management is used for the welfare of the Ponggok village Community, such as for developing the tourism sector, developing community craft product, improving the environment and developing other sector in Ponggok village.
Then, resident who do not receive assistance from the government. The village provides money monthly or every three months, funds from the management of natural springs are also used to finance school fees at universitas for those who cannot afford it.
Once a year, usually on Eid al- Fitr, each head of family receives assistance in the form of nine basic necessities. Such as rice, cooking oil, eggs, butter,and other ingredients. At the same time, each head of family also receives a cash allowance of varying amounts.
Through the spring business, the residents of Ponggok village are able to build their village and improve the welfare of their community.
Thank you for reading
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