Vancouver Banshee: February 2012

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Indonesia -- Day 11 Penglipuran Village, Bali

After visiting Tenganan Village we headed on over to the beautiful Penglipuran Village.

Eastern Bali, Indonesia

Local Life in Bali
Indonesia

Local Transportation
Bali, Indonesia

From BaliStarIsland.com

The houses exist in this countryside from north to the south is look very beautiful in particular the Balinese traditional entrance gate which are made similar each other. When we step down to this village, we will meet the Balinese houses are oriented northeastwards to Mount Agung which is located in north-east of Bali Island . The structure of house building between one house and others are equal in particular to condition, form, size and function from the building except building of family bed room is freeform. The family temple building is places the same direction to the Agung Mount, kitchen is located in upstate from the lawn and the building of Bale Sakaenem is the six beamed building which its function for ceremony place. The place for look after the livestock and the place to plant assorted vegetable are referred as non irrigated dry field which is called Teba. Its Construction material is made from wood except family residence. It is predominated by substance from bamboo because around this countryside is bamboo producer.

Penglipuran Village
Bali, Indonesia

Amaryllis
Bali, Indonesia

Penglipuran Village
Bali, Indonesia

Above is the "census" plate that is listed outside everyhouse in Penglipuran Village.
It lists the number of men, women, children and the total number of people.

gorgeous tiled path
Penglipuran Village
Bali, Indonesia

Decorative Statues
Penglipuran Village
Bali, Indonesia

Fence detail
Penglipuran Village
Bali, Indonesia

Penglipuran Village
Bali, Indonesia

This local village woman was decorating food baskets for sale.

Penglipuran Village
Bali, Indonesia

Typical village house
Penglipuran Village
Bali, Indonesia

Penglipuran Village
Bali, Indonesia

If you would like to visit Penglipuran Village,

then contact Adventures Abroad at 1 800 665 3998

Quote Code AANK for a special discount

Huge sign for breastfeeding outside
Penglipuran Village, Bali, Indonesia

Indonesia -- Day 11 Tenganan Village, BaliHibis

After going through the countryside of Eastern Bali we finally arrived at Tenganan Village.

Dyed Roosters
Tenganan Village, Bali, Indonesia

I love these natural looking roosters kept in handmade weaved baskets.

Tenganan Village, Bali, Indonesia

The Village is laid out with three strips of "houses" with two "laneways" in a large rectangle.

Tenganan Village, Bali, Indonesia

Fabric for sale
Tenganan Village, Bali, Indonesia

weaving demonstration
Tenganan Village, Bali, Indonesia

Sarongs for sale
Tenganan Village, Bali, Indonesia

The village has several arts & crafts "houses" selling different items Bali and Indonesia are known for. These batik sarong prints were for sale. These are massed produced sarongs and not handmade. I have almost every single one of them. I found that I could buy them for 40 000 IDR a piece if I haggled well and bought in multiples. Not a bad price when they started off at 200 000 IDR each.

Tenganan Village, Bali, Indonesia

The village notice board. Rabies can be spread when dealing with the local bats that people try to capture for food.

another eggplant
Tenganan Village, Bali, Indonesia

Hibiscus Flowers that fell to the ground
Tenganan Village, Bali, Indonesia

Wonderful painted shutters
Tenganan Village, Bali, Indonesia

If you would like to visit Tenganan village in Eastern Bali,

then contact Adventures Abroad at 1 800 665 3998

Quote Code AANK for a special discount

Indonesia -- Day 11 Eastern Bali

Today the Adventures Abroad itinerary:

Today we explore the highlands and the east coast area of Bali where elegant Balinese Hindu temples sprout amid lush green rice terraces.

We will also visit the native village of Tenganan, a symmetrically laid out Bali Aga village with walled homes and unique crafts. Bali Aga was the original inhabitant of Bali, before the arrival of Hindu Javanese. Tenganan retains its ancient pre-Hindu customs through a strong code of non-fraternization with outsiders, further enforced by the protection of its surrounding walls.

We continue to the ancient law courts at Klung Kung. Klung Kung was the oldest Kingdom on the island, and its "raja" was the most exalted. At the walled-in "Court of Justice", which dates from the 18th century, a mural portrays punishment in hell and the rewards of heaven.

Our final stop is Bali's most important temple, Besakih, and sacred Mount Agung. This volcano is to the Balinese what Mount Olympus was to the ancient Greeks. Steps over 1,000 years old ascend through split gates to the main courtyard where there are many shrines. This temple was built on a site where animist rites, ceremonies and feasts once took place. The structure incorporates the holy triad of temples venerating the Hindu trinity. Every district of the island maintains its own temple within the complex.

Overnight in Candidasa. Meal plan: Breakfast and dinner.

Rice Terraces
Bali, Indonesia

We had changed the order of sightseeing and were now making our way from the Besaikh Temple to the village of Tenganan.

Rice Terraces
Bali, Indonesia

Buddha Statue
Bali, Indonesia

Bali Rafting
Bali, Indonesia

Rice Terraces
Bali, Indonesia

Local Women
Bali, Indonesia

Local Life and Women
Bali, Indonesia

Local Life
Bali, Indonesia

Honeymoon Suite?
Rice Field
Bali, Indonesia

Rice Field,
Bali, Indonesia

Isn't this gorgeous????
Bali, Indonesia

The views were amazing ... Unfortunately the road to get here was basically a single lane through the mountains and at one point when we got to a hairpin turn we were surrounded by children trying to sell us things by climbing onto our moving car. It was a very surreal and a little sad to see the children so.

Isn't this gorgeous????
Bali, Indonesia

The children trying to sell us their wares
Bali, Indonesia

Even with some of the proverty, Bali and Indonesia itself is one of my favorite places in the world.

If you would like to see the temples, villages or countryside of Bali then

contact Adventures Abroad by email or at 1 800 665 3998

Quote Code AANK for a special discount.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Indonesia -- Day 11 Mother Temple of Besaikh

After visiting the Klungkung Courts of Justice we continued on down to the road to

the Mother Temple of Besaikh. The temple dates back to the fourteenth century.

rice terraces
Bali, Indonesia

Jackfruit
Bali, Indonesia

Sarong and souvenier shop
Bali, Indonesia

Restaurant
Bali, Indonesia

Besaikh Temple,
Bali, Indonesia

From Wikipedia:

The Mother Temple of Besakih, or Pura Besakih, in the village of Besakih on the slopes of Mount Agung in eastern Bali, is the most important, the largest and holiest temple of Agama Hindu Dharma in Bali, Indonesia, and one of a series of Balinese temples.

Besaikh Temple,
Bali, Indonesia

From Wikipedia:

This Mother Temple is actually a complex made up of twenty-two temples that sit on parallel ridges. It has stepped terraces and flights of stairs which ascend to a number of courtyards and brick gateways that in turn lead up to the main spire or Meru structure, which is called Pura Penataran Agung. All this is aligned along a single axis and designed to lead the spiritual person upward and closer to the mountain which is considered sacred.

The main sanctuary of the complex is the Pura Penataran Agung. The symbolic center of the main sanctuary is the lotus throne or padmasana, which is therefore the ritual focus of the entire complex. It dates to around the seventeenth century.

A series of eruptions of Mount Agung in 1963, which killed approximately 1,700 people also threatened Puru Besakih. The lava flows missed the temple complex by mere meters. The saving of the temple is regarded by the Balinese people as miraculous, and a signal from the gods that they wished to demonstrate their power but not destroy the monument the Balinese faithful had erected