We only had 3 hours left before we had to be at the airport in Bali to catch the flight back to Jakarta. But after watching the Barong performance at Batubulan and having visited some of eastern Bali’s most picturesque palaces, gardens and temples we […]
A big family were walking down the outer courtyard, each donning bright-colored traditional costume with some of the family members carrying ceremonial paraphernalia: small umbrellas with very long wooden handles and baskets made from woven palm fronts. As they walked further away from the candi […]
Palm trees fill both sides of Bali’s eastern coast road, with small puras – Balinese Hindu temples – occasionally popping out amid modest houses, a scenic setting for a juxtaposition of bucolic scenes and modern twists. It bears little resemblance to the raunchy atmosphere of […]
Since the dawn of mankind on Earth the planet has changed so dramatically, caused both by Mother Nature’s relentless energy to twist, turn and flip the world’s tectonic plates, volcanoes, skies and oceans, and humans’ insatiable demand for resources. So often we hear that the […]
Bli Komang took us along the main coastal road in eastern Bali where earlier that day he introduced us to what is now my favorite place on the island: Taman Ujung Sukasada. Passing by trucks loaded with high quality sand from the slopes of Mount […]
Set against the rocky coast of western Bali lies a sacred rock topped by a Hindu temple, a creation of the Majapahit priest, Nirartha, who fled Java to Bali in the 16th century. Known as the reformer of Balinese Hinduism concept of deity, among other […]
A girl in Balinese traditional sarung for woman puts canang sari – a small basket of woven palm leaves filled with colorful petals and shredded pandan leaves – on the ground, then sprinkles holy water on it, puts some incense sticks made from the fragrant […]
It was 7 pm, James and I were seated in Ubud’s wantilan, a shaded traditional pavilion open on three sides with a stage set up for the night’s performance, flanked by Balinese gamelan – a set of traditional musical instruments originally created to lull kings […]
A towering water fountain stands amid decorated pools, water flows from one pond to another, carps meander around beautifully-laid stepping stones, all under the beautiful morning sun and skies. As we enter the grounds of the water garden a pool welcomes us, rimmed by intricately […]
Bali, a land with towering volcanoes and pristine rivers flowing out onto turquoise water of the Indonesian seas. Its fertility not only brought welfare to its residents but also sparked wars between Bali’s many small kingdoms, fighting for as many lands to control as possible. […]
The moon. For millennia it has been a perennial source of fascination for humans from almost every culture in the world. The celestial object – often perceived as a gentle balance to the mighty sun – plays an important role in many mythologies: from the […]
Nyiur melambai di tepi pantai ǀ Palm leaves waving on the beach Menghias indah wajah tanah airku ǀ Adorning the beautiful face of my homeland Siulan burung di puncak bambu ǀ Birds singing on top of bambo trees Berirama pujaan tumpah darahku ǀ Rhyming with […]
What an Amazing World! 