The Guards

I still dream of returning to Bali. It was too beautiful and friendly to forget, and four days was not nearly enough time to enjoy it. One of my favorite things around Bali (besides the beautiful views) was the sculptures--the Hindu influence around the island is amazing.

This temple guard was photographed at Ubud Palace. Our tour guide didn't know what to call it. He did, however, explain that its purpose depends on the color of the cloth that is wrapped around it (I think black and white means it's a destroyer, but I don't remember what any other colors mean). When we visited Tegalalang, Jia convinced me to purchase a colorfully-painted wooden temple guard for $7.

Flight of Garuda

One of my favorite parts about traveling through Asia (though still far behind the food) is the sculptures--the religious and cultural images adorn so many sights are amazing. My favorite from around Bali is Garuda, the bird god depicted in Hinduism and Buddhism. In Tegalalang, we came across a shop that specialized in wood sculptures of Garuda, ranging in size from a few inches to enormous (the largest one took up almost half the shop). My wife bought a small one at an inflated price in Ubud and regretted asking the price in Tegalalang, as it was half the price. The large sculpture in the shop was the nicest I saw in Bali, but I wasn't allowed to take a picture of it. I got the next-best image of Garuda--it was in the lobby of our second hotel.

Snowed In

It looks hell has frozen over, which means the government must have compromised on healthcare reform (yes, I know it would take more than hell freezing for the government to compromise on anything).

In the last two weeks, I think Jersey City has had more snow than the Winter Olympics--it's certainly been colder than Vancouver. And it is still snowing with no end in sight. The back yard attached to the art gallery next door is filling fast and the snow is almost up to our window.

Once again, I am trying to think warm thoughts and planning to move to warmer climates. This photo is from a new park in Bali, Garuda Wisnu Kencana--the plan is to produce a cultural history of the island through enormous sculptures. What we saw was the progress on the largest statue of Vishnu (Wisnu) riding Garuda. Judging from the parts that weren't yet combined or finished, this statue will be a few hundred feet tall.

Warm Thoughts

With yet another day in New Jersey below freezing I'm forced to think warm thoughts in the hopes that I won't freeze (coffee, tea, and strong Christmas beers that are now on sale help keep me warm too).

About this time last year, Jia and I were keeping warm in Bali. It was nice to be able to wear shorts and t-shirts in the middle of winter. If we could, we'd move there permanently. The weather was great, the scenery stunning, the food delicious, and the people friendly. Looking at this photo of Tanah Lot makes me feel warm inside...or maybe it's the radiation from my computer.

I hope everyone will send donations to the "Get me out of New Jersey before I freeze" fund.

Friday's Metaphor

On our tour through Bali, we took a trip to Turtle Island (it was part of the package--something for the four kids in the group to enjoy). I think this photo from the boat ride to the island sums up my feelings about the US economy.

On the Ocean

I had my first glimpse of the Indian Ocean on the first day in Bali. The waves were huge, crashing against the coast at Tanah Lot. The name of this Hindu temple means land in the middle of the sea--very appropriate for the island temple. The site is supposedly about 400 years old.

This stop on the tour was the highlight as it was one of only three cultural sites we visited until our final day, which we used for a private tour of more interesting things. Like Uluwatu, Tanah Lot is must-see for visitors to Bali. The sunset can be wonderful. However, the views can be a bit more crowded than those at Uluwatu, making photos a bit more difficult to come by. There is also a shopping area there for touristy souvenirs at lower prices than at the market in Ubud.

If you look closely at the bottom right of the photo, there's someone swimming.

We were told that only Hindu worshippers could enter the main temple, which is only accessible at low tide. I have not confirmed this, it may have just been a ploy by our guide to ensure that we didn't spend too much time there when we could've been spending money for him to make a commission. He did, however, neglect to inform us that poisonous snakes guard the temple, which might be a reason to not attempt to enter.

A sign near the temple says that the Japanese government has been involved in restoration and preservation work at Tanah Lot.

On the way out to our tour bus, we found a field with empty coconut shells neatly set.

Uluwatu Sunset

One of the top destinations for tourists in Bali is Uluwatu--a Hindu temple on a cliff overlooking the Indian Ocean--otherwise known as Pura Luhur Uluwatu. It is the southernmost point in Bali and the views from the walk through here are beautiful.

Most visitors go to Uluwatu to watch the sunset and enjoy a Hindu performance known as Kecak. While we were there, the sunset was extremely painful--no shade and clear skies. We also didn't sit high enough in the theater to get the best view (though the front row was good for the performance--there was the chance for interaction with the performers).

On the way to Uluwatu, we were warned that the monkeys are thieves. Our guide told me to leave my sunglasses in the car, so I was left with only my regular glasses without which I am nearly blind.
After more than three years in what many consider the crime capital of China without any incident, I figured I was prepared for the monkeys. Well, it seems these monkeys are better thieves than anyone in Shenzhen. The fat one on the wall by the cliff snatched the glasses right off my face. It cost about $2 to get them back with the help of a guy trading fruit for the inedible glasses.

I'm fairly certain this was the thief.

About a Tour

There's only one reason why Jia and I joined a tour to Bali: price. The tour package was only slightly more expensive than the flight from Hong Kong, which meant we would save money on hotels and such. I was prepared for the worst after hearing horror stories from expats on Chinese tours. 

The biggest challenge I saw going in was that there were 26 of us. That's a rather large group to organize. I know how difficult it can be to get people to arrive anywhere on time--it's even worse with tour groups. Our group was rarely on time, but not overly late, so it wasn't too bad. Another problem with a large group is having a large bus--complicated by the narrow, winding roads of Bali (I blame the British for building roads like this).

I quickly discovered why our tour was so cheap--shopping trips. They had some pretty bad stops for us. The only one I sort of enjoyed was to the coffee factory (which wasn't really much of a factory, more like a warehouse). Unfortunately, there wasn't a deal for the coffee--not much cheaper than buying it in China or at the airport. One surprising shop was the traditional Chinese medicine shop--where some of the group paid a few hundred Yuan on things they could buy in any city in China.

We also had to change hotels during the short trip. The first one, The Grand Mirage in Nusa Dua, was wonderful and convenient. The second was far from anything (almost a mile to the nearest store), which provided the tour guide a way to convince the group to sign up for an overpriced spa and dinner day on our "free day." Jia and I skipped that and saw the real parts of Bali.

Despite the problems of the tour, it was still worth it. We did see more on our free day with a rented car than we did on the actual tour. Now, we just have to find a way of getting back.

Next time, more details stories of the sights.