Galungan is a Balinese holiday celebrating the victory of dharma over adharma or the triumph of good over evil. Praying at the temple is the climax of Galungan Day. The people put on their finest traditional clothes and go to the temple with their families to pray and bring offerings to share. Early in the […]
Indonesia 14 – Bali 6 – Galungan Day Prep
Galungan marks the beginning of the most important religious Hinud holiday that recurs every 210 days in Bali. It is like Christmas, where families come together to celebrate. The spirits of the people who have died and been cremated return to visit their former home, and the family has a responsibility to welcome them through […]
Indonesia 13 – Bali 5 – More Karya Agung Temple Ceremony
An Odalan or temple ceremony usually lasts for three days, but larger ones, which occur every 5, 10, 30 or 100 years, can last for 11 days or longer. This is one of the larger celebrations that occurs every 30 years, called Karya Agung, or “Great Ritual,” and was held at the Pura Puseh Temple at Tulikup […]
Indonesia 12 – Bali 4 – Karya Agung Temple Ceremony
Bali is known as the land of a thousand puras or temples. The reality is there are up to 20,000, since every family also has their own private temple. The Karya Agung temple celebration is a significant event at the 30 year point, in which they ask the gods to come down and join them. […]
Indonesia 11 – Bali 3 – Market and Ancient Village
Sunrise at Mount Batur, an active volcano that last erupted in 2000. Pejeng Traditional Market at Tampaksiring, Bali. The locals shop here for all basic necessities, including fresh vegetables, fruits, meats, fish and spices. It is similar to Feria Libra in Cuenca, though some of the foods and non-perishables are unique to Indonesia. The market […]
Indonesia 10 – Bali 2 – Rice Paddies
Rice production is a very important part of Bali’s and Indonesia’s economy and culture, accounting for more than half the caloric intake of the average diet.. Indonesia is the third largest producer of rice in the world, and the rice cycle is a process that takes either approximately 120 or 210 days, depending on the […]
Indonesia 9 – Bali 1 – Holy Water Temple
After leaving Kalimantan (the Indonesian province in Borneo), we traveled to Bali, which has been voted for years on TripAdvisor’s list as one of the top destinations, with its idyllic beaches, volcanic rocks, beautiful temples and welcoming people. Bali is only one of over 17,500 islands in Indonesia, with more than 6000 being inhabited. Bali […]
Indonesia 8 – Borneo 8 – Village Life
We visited four Dayak villages along the rivers in Central Kalimantan: Pahandut, Tanjung Pusai, Tumbang Nusa and Pilang. Some of the villages had no road access, so you could only reach them by boat. They shared several common characteristics: Visitors were always welcome, there was plentiful kids, and people appeared to be genuinely happy. Tanjung […]
Indonesia 7 – Borneo 7 – Village People
Interacting with local people is a favorite part of visiting any new area. The Dayak villages of Central Kalimantan were a special treat in this regards. Not only was there a throng of adorable children, but they mostly clamored for us to take their photograph and they welcomed visitors. Some of the children were embarrassed, […]
Indonesia 6 – Borneo 6 – Orangutans
One of the top attractions of Central Kalimantan is viewing the orangutans in the wild with no fences. We took a small canoe from our Houseboat three times, along the river into the Orangutan Sanctuary operated by the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOS). Initially at Kaja Island, we were disappointed that we did not see […]
