January 3-5, Komodo and Bali, Indonesia

January 3-5, Komodo Island and Bali, Indonesia

(Sorry for the length of this blog, but we were enchanted by Bali, and spent two days there.)

Our visit to Komodo island was incredibly hot and humid, but a short trek through the jungle turned up a few Komodo dragons, albeit at a man-made watering hole. Our guide was accompanied by two men with long forked sticks, which at one point were used to stop a quick lunge in our direction. The dragons look lethargic, but can make a very quick move to capture their prey—largely wild deer on this island, who thoughtfully keep reproducing. Gives Sex On The Beach a whole new image.

 

Bali captured our hearts. It’s a beautiful and captivating island, with lovely people, and so much to see and do. Arts flourish in Bali—silverwork, batik, music and dance, wood and stone carving, among others.

Batik dying, second color.

The fine silver work of the Balinese.

The Gamelan troupe accompanying the Barong & Kris dance below.

Badong temple in the middle of town.

 Those of you who have visited largely Hindu countries no doubt have seen thousands of temples, but every village in Bali has at least three, and individual living compounds have private temples. On the main roads, there is a temple at least every kilometer. Some are out of the town, like the mystical Tanah Lot.

Tanah Lot or Sunset Temple.

To the smallest shrine and the grandest temple are brought each day food offerings and the canang sari flower offerings https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canang_sari, with four different-color flowers always pointed in the same directions to each of four gods. Many temples large and small are 1000+ years old, and there is a shrine at every entrance to any structure.

Life in Benoa, the capital, is hectic—roads are jam-packed with scooters (primary mode of family transportation), buses, trucks, and new cars (for tourists, who represent the primary source of income), but drivers, while aggressive, seem to handle the chaos well. Miles and miles of tiny shops line the major roads, selling everyday resident things right next to stone and wood carvings.

Challenging driving.

Motorcycle repair shop.

Bali's version of a food truck.

Bali bath and toilet store.

Petrol station.

But tranquility reigns in the private compounds of lucky families who have resided there for years. Some compounds were started the same time as nearby temples, at least 1,000 years ago. The compounds were originally assigned (not given) to village leaders by the village itself, and have been occupied by the same family (usually at least three generations together) for centuries. They are laid out (as are many things in Bali) in a symmetry that puts the head (grandparent space) toward the gods in the mountains, and the less lofty foot (kitchen and toilet) toward the sea. Sleeping spaces wtih platform beds are carefully placed in an exact pattern on the property.

This compound sign indicates there are 2 men, 4 women, and 6 children living here.

The kitchen, where all food is cooked, on a wood fire, early in the morning, because of the heat.

The day's rice supply.

Rice granary above one of many platform beds.

And the Bali Bird Park was special—incredible bird species, and some very friendly macaws. Suzy has a thousand bird pictures, if you are interested.