"We want to come and see Merapi anyway and especially now. It happens so rarely and we happen to be in the area, so it seems very lucky," says Magdalena Skipper, a 37-year-old British tourist at an observation deck.

Vulcanologists declared last week a "standby" alert status on Java island's Merapi, one level below that which would spark an evacuation of at least 29,000 residents living on the slopes of the 2,914-metre (9,616-foot) volcano.

Indonesia's location along the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire make it home to more than 100 active volcanoes which are already popular tourist attractions, but a volcano on the near brink of an eruption -- emitting massive, soaring clouds of smoke -- is much less common.

"If it erupts while we're here, of course I will be very afraid... but right now, it's very interesting to see the mountain so close," says Skipper, a London-based science magazine editor.

Skipper's husband Clive Muir says he is thrilled to see Merapi again after travelling here 27 years ago to see Indonesia's second most active volcano.

"I feel happy being here but if I was a resident living here, it might be different," the 42-year-old former geology students says.

He adds that it would be "interesting to see an eruption, but obviously for the people, you don't want to have any damage caused."

The rich, fertile soils produced by Indonesia's volcanoes lure farmers to make their living around them despite the potential danger an eruption poses.

Superstitious Javanese believe that a volcano's eruption is the result of spirits being angered by not receiving sufficient offerings or by a disrespectful attitude among the people living on its slopes.

"I believe in the forces of nature rather than in superstition but I think it's important that the people maintain their beliefs," Muir says.

Merapi holds particular significance for the Javanese as it is one of four places where officials from the royal palaces of Java's Yogyakarta and Solo make annual offerings to placate the spirits of ancient Javanese mythology.

Wiwiek Riyani, who runs a small drinks hut near the observation post, is among those here who offer prayers to Merapi daily.

She says she feels "truly grateful, because every natural resource of Merapi can be turned to money."

The 27-year-old says she has been trudging up and down the volcano to collect and sell firewood, banana leaves, orchids and grass for livestock since she was 15.

She makes about 7,000 rupiah (less than a dollar) from selling a bundle of firewood weighing about 10 kilograms (22 pounds), and about 5,000 rupiah for a 10-kilogram bundle of grass.

"The money is not much but it keeps my family alive. I am a bit apprehensive about the possibility of eruption but still calm as I know this mountain quite well," she says.

Her husband Ngadiyo, 28, a local tourist guide, believes Merapi has been good for his family despite the ever-present threat.

"I am making a living by guiding tourists visiting Merapi, so I am thankful... I make some offerings to Merapi while I continue to work, since if I don't, what will my family eat?" he asks.

Community
Email This Article
Comment On This Article

Related Links
- Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters
When the Earth Quakes
A world of storm and tempest

Memory Foam Mattress Review

SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS Solar Energy Solutions Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ... Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News