YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia — Former U.S. President Barack Obama and his family wrapped up a five-day vacation on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali and headed to the historic city of Yogyakarta on Wednesday during a nostalgic trip to the country where
YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia — Former U.S. President Barack Obama and his family wrapped up a five-day vacation on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali and headed to the historic city of Yogyakarta on Wednesday during a nostalgic trip to the country where Obama lived for several years as a child.
Obama, his wife Michele and daughters Malia and Sasha arrived on a private jet at the city’s military airport, said Indonesian air force base commander Air Vice Marshal Novyan Samyoga.
Samyoga said the family looked relaxed and smiled at onlookers who greeted them with cheers.
The Obamas later visited Borobudur, a ninth century Buddhist temple complex. They are also expected to visit the ancient Hindu temple of Prambanan during their two-day stay in the city.
Samyoga said about 650 Indonesian security forces were deployed to protect the family in Yogyakarta, an ancient city where Obama’s mother, Ann Dunham, spent years doing anthropological research.
Obama moved to Indonesia in 1967 at age 6 after his divorced mother remarried an Indonesian man. She stayed on after the marriage broke up, working as an anthropologist and development aid worker, but Obama returned to Hawaii when he was 10 to live with his grandparents.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has invited the Obamas to visit the Bogor Palace in West Java during their nine-day visit to Indonesia.
Obama is also scheduled to speak at an Indonesian Diaspora Congress in Jakarta on July 1.
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