My DH and I just returned from a fabulous vacation on the beautiful Indonesian island of Bali. There simply are not enough words to convey the magnificent beauty, tranquil spirituality, and warm friendliness of this incredible place. But never one to shy away from words, I will make an attempt to show pictures and tell you about our adventure.
We used to have a direct flight (well, sort of direct), from Kwaj to Denpasar, Bali. That bit the dust back when airlines were fighting for their lives and so many didn't make it. So our trip to Bali was convoluted to say the least. We started here on Kwaj with the island hopper to Guam. Stops at Kosrae, Pohnpei, Chuuk and finally Guam where we had to get our luggage and go through customs. Mad rush to get to the plane for Cairns, Aus. They were calling our name on the loud speaker while we were "randomly" chosen for explosive searches!
Tropicbreeze, did you have all the medical questionaires and doctor gaunlets? We sure did! Filled out all the forms, then Docs came on board before we were allowed to disembark - then we had to run the gauntlet through dozens of scrub-clad medics and get photographed by an infrared camera in search of fevers! As if traveling was easy to begin with!!!
Layover in Cairns - which we love - spent a pleasant couple of hours with the gardener at our hotel. Fascinating man and so knowledgeable! Breakfast and off to the airport again. Landed in Darwin with a 5 hour layover. Darwin's airport is pretty much an "excuse me" place...no amenities whatsoever, so we took a shuttle into town. Middle of the afternoon, and all the shops and restaurants were closed!!! Finally found sustenance at a place called The Hog'sBreath Saloon. Terrible name - great food. Back to the airport. Landed in Denpasar somewhere around 9 pm. The plane was out of all the forms, so we had to locate them and fill out same...more medical screening. Went to get our bags and four guys with enormous smiles had collected them and each one wanted to be the one to carry them out and find us a driver! The couldn't believe that we wanted to roll them out ourselves! Much discussion. Finally, bags in hand we ran the gauntlet of money changers that line the exit hall. There were dozens, but it felt like hundreds...each one clamoring about their rates and no commission. We turn the corner into the waiting area, which is outside, and are suddenly surrounded by hundreds (literally!) of drivers trying to convince us to choose them. The sound was deafening!!!
We had already made arrangements with a young man that many of our friends here had used in the past, and had exchanged e-mails with plans etc. Suddenly there he was...a short, slight man in western clothes, holding a sign with our names. His face was gentle and peaceful, and his eyes were large, dark and so very kind. I felt a calming influence immediately - even though the noise level hadn't changed. As he recognized us, he came and got our bags and walked us over toward his car. Then he stopped at the curb and turned to us, bowed, introduced himself - even though we knew who he was because we had pictures- touched his hands infront of his chest and said "Om swasiastu". That was the beginning of one of my most cherished friendships - we have sort of adopted Gede (G'Day), his wife and 8 yr old son. As you will see in the posts that follow - he is a remarkable young man, and a truly gifted tour guide!
More to come,
Yokwe,
Shari
It was after midnight by the time we got to our hotel. We were spending the first week at a resort called the Royal Bali Beach Club in Candidasa which is on the far east coast of Bali. A two hour drive from the airport. We checked in and pretty much just fell into our beds. The next morning we did some reconnoitoring around the hotel and just relaxed. Gede was coming to get us at ten the next morning to start our tour of Bali. Here are some pics of the hotel.
This was the reception area. It looks quite rustic at first, but then you find that the floors and desks are marble, and the tiles lining the outside walkway are designs made with tiny pebbles...just gorgeous!
Bali is an intensely spiritual place. Every building has at least one, and often 3 temples or shrines. The religion is mostly Hindu - but it is a Balinese Hindu - something found only here. These 3 temples were placed between the reception area and the beginning of the rooms. The largest is to the sun god, and the others were to other beneficent deities. Offerings of flowers, rice, cookies/crackers and incense were placed on each of these every morning.
Bali is blessed with an abundance of sun, and plentiful water running down from the two major mountains...both volcanoes btw - one of which erupted last in 1963. This blessing from mother nature has created an island of rich volcanic soil, plentiful fresh water and sun to nourish all the amazing plantlife in the area. Most hotels take full advantage of the weather, and provide lots of beautiful grounds in which to just wander, and outdoor cafes, with thatching overhead to protect from the afternoon showers and intense heat. This was the building our room was in.
Now why didn't the picture come out??? Hmmmm....
Well let's try again.
This shot is of the restaurant attached (well, right in the middle of actually!) to our hotel. You can see the thatch...this is made from the bark of the coconut palm...most buildings in Bali use this for roofing...it will last for 50 or 60 years!!! They put it on very thick, I think I have a shot later in which you can actually see how thick it is.
The chef here was fabulous!! Some unusual combinations that played together very nicely, and even without the combinations, the guy was amazing. Rarely have I tasted so many delicious dishes from the same restaurant. Candidasa was a very tiny village, so we pretty much ate here unless we were out and about with Gede.
Right behind the restaurant was the pool area, and then this fantastic view. The island out there is Nusa Penida...we didn't get there, but we heard there is some great diving off that island. Did I mention the spa treatments? Oh yes! Spas everywhere! I had several massages here...they had a lovely peaceful area curtained off behind the buildings...you choose the scent of oil you wish and a 1 1/2 hour, full body massage, with reflexology on feet and head...$15!!! As I said...I had several here.
Our first day trip out into the countryside was up into the mountains to a place called Tirtagangga or Water Palace which was built in 1946 by the last raja of Karangasem. Apparently he had an obsession with pools and fountains which has left the people of Bali with this beautiful spot for picnics, swimming (in Holy water no less!) and just relaxing.
The area was so intoxicating! The smell of the flowers and trees, wind blowing through the Banyans up on the mountain overlooking the grounds, and the sound of flowing water. We wandered around just admiring everything for a couple of hours.
This banyan is several hundred years old. This whole area was damaged in the 1963 eruption of Gunung Agung, and it was feared that the Banyan would not recover...but as you can see, it is hale and hearty. The restoration of the whole area is remarkable...you can see some missing statues, and some repaired areas, but on the whole, unless you are specifically looking for it you don't notice a thing but beauty.
One of several "temple" structures...the 11 tiers are significant to the Balinese Hindu religion.
There are two swimming pools fed by the mountain springs which are considered "Holy water". The larger, lower one is free, and there is a small charge to swim in the upper one. I understand that villagers pay for their priests to swim in the upper pool.
As you can see...we got a bit silly playing with all the statues
Your's truly:
And Gede:
This was a typical resting area within the Water Palace. Nearly all the temples, and all the villages had areas just like this for sitting and cooling off from the heat.
Here you can see people swimming in the lower pool, and the rooms above for hotel and retreats.
This type of stone work is typical of Balinese decoration. You see it all over the country, generally on temples, but also in and around private home compounds.
A beautiful stone dragon bridge. Dragons are a symbol of good luck, power agains evil spirits, and helpful aids to the good gods and goddesses of Balinese religion/mythology. This pleased me no end, since I love any and all draconia.
We say a fond sampai jumpa nanti (see you later) to the Water Palace.
gorgeous! I'm so enjoying this through your pictures and story.
Me too! I am ready to tune in for the next episode ^_^
Okay, so for those of you still interested, I hope you blow up these next few pics...I've left them a little larger than usual so that you can get some detail.
Rice farming is unrelenting, back-breaking work. It is nearly all done by hand by the multitude of farmers and their families. These emerald green rice terraces are everywhere. Ranged in steps up hillsides, tumbling down steep-sided river valleys, encircling villages...even the poorest farmer on the outskirts of a village will have terraced his tiny plot of land. The terracing is an ecological maneuver to help prevent erosion, but it has created a land of beauty that is truly stunning.
The fertile volcanic soil, abundant sunshine and near daily rain showers create ideal growing conditions for this life sustaining grain, and the farmers generally get two crops a year out of each field. Even so, Bali imports much of its rice from neighboring Lombok! That astonished me!
An ancient system of irrigation op-operatives ensures that neighbors help each other from the initial painstaking planting of the seedlings to the harvesting and threshing of the sawah (paddy). Though everyone helps, you will often see individual fields marked off with flags of many different colors...this flutter of gaily colored individualization adds to the whimsical beauty of the areas.
Spiritual help is also enlisted from the rice goddess Dewi Sri, who is strictly a Balinese goddess. She is found no where else in the Hindu world. Dewi Sri (I will have a close up of one of her statues later), is courted with numerous shrines and ritual offerings and ceremonies throughout the country in every area of rice production.
Remember Sting's beautiful song about the Golden Fields of Bali? Now I know whereof he spoke! When the grain ripens it turns a magnificent gold...this was as close as I could get of a golden field when I had the camera! Naturally, when we saw the truly golden ones, the camera was in the other car or something! The heads of the grain wave gently in the wind, the uncountable shades of green surround the sawah, and the golden hues draw your eyes with almost a hypnotic affect. Magnificent!
Shari, Thank you so much for sharing your vacation with us! Your photo's and words made me feel like I was right there! Bali absolutely looks like a serene island of much beauty! I love the photo's of the rice terraces with that gorgeous scenery in the background!
Thanks again for sharing ... hope you and your husband had a wonderful vacation!
Hiya Lin!
Well folks, I have a ton more to show you...but my DH is clammoring at me to get off the pooter cuz we are trying to install a new one. I hope to be back soon, but if his track record holds true, it may be a few days.
See you on the flip side!
Yokwe,
Shari
Mahalo Shari, being an armchair traveler is the next best thing to being there myself!
For those of us who are landlocked, this appears to be magical, as is Maui. Oh, Shari, what a fantastic trip. One I would never even imagine. Jen, Maui is still like a dream I had one time. Maybe someday.
Princess Kilikina
Oh, I just found this new thread! What a wonderful trip you've been taking us to, Shari! Paradise! Thank you!
While I was in PNG recently my boss was in Bali, he has a place over there and is a regular visitor. I've never been, one of the very few Australians who's never been there. It's very close to here, so one day .......
Shari, what an extraordinary trip. You had quite the vacation there. When everything is said and done, we have our memories, our photos, a new appreciation for what we have at home and what they have over there.
I truly enjoyed reading your posts and oggling the great pictures. That picture of you with that statue is very good. Looks like you had fun.
Take care, all.
Sylvain.
Hello, friends. Have missed all of you.
PK
Hello, PK. How are things coming along for you?
Pu'ole, aka Sylvain.
A little better each day....unless something reminds me of a particular experience and then...here we go again. Without my DG friends I would still be in a lump with no reason to go on. Have missed our little chats, Pu'ole.
Sometime soon I would ask that you repeat how you became "lourspolair". I was/am so impressed. And then again how that translates into Haiwaiian. Hope Gail is doing well.
Princess Kilikina aka LouC aka Christi
