Bali Traditional House

The island of Lombok, which lies next to Bali, is not just blessed with beautiful beaches and unspoiled natural panoramas but also rich in traditional culture; and the most popular icon of Lombok’s culture (even the icon of Lombok) is Sasak’s traditional house. A visit to the island of Lombok is incomplete without seeing the Sasak’s traditional house; and one of the best places to see Sasak’s traditional house is in Sade Village, a Sasak traditional village.Sade traditional village can be reached with one-hour drive to the south from Mataram. Sade traditional village has a numbers of sasak’s traditional houses which are kept in good condition. There are usually two kinds of traditional houses that can be found in this traditional village, which are Bale and Lumbung. Bale is the construction for a living house, built with a single room functioning both as a sleeping room and kitchen. Lumbung is a curve-like construction functions as a rice store that have become the symbol of Lombok. Most Sasak houses are built with a lumbung and some also include sekepat or sekenem, construction which functions as guest reception or meeting place.The Sasak’s traditional house especially the Bale usually has an inner platform that stands one meter above the ground, and is made of a mixture of clay, droppings and straw, which is polished into a shining floor, for the lumbung the floor usually raises around 30 cm from the ground. The roof Sasak’s traditional house is made from natural products such as alang-alang, and the walls are made from bamboo or palm leafs.he Sasak’s traditional house especially the Bale usually has an inner platform that stands one meter above the ground, and is made of a mixture of clay, droppings and straw, which is polished into a shining floor, for the lumbung the floor usually raises around 30 cm from the ground. The roof Sasak’s traditional house is made from natural products such as alang-alang, and the walls are made fr

Zen Resort Bali Discovery Tour of Culture, Nature and Wellness

Zen Resort Bali announces a two week holiday tour from south to central to north Bali, encompassing all that makes for an unforgettable holiday – luxury accommodation, exquisite international gastronomy, beautiful beaches and water sports, exciting night life, wonderful and bargain shopping, culture and history, arts and architecture, ayurveda spa and holistic yoga wellness as well as natural tropical and pristine agricultural landscapes.

Seririt, Indonesia, January 26, 2008 --(PR.com)-- Zen Resort Bali, offering integrated and authentic ayurveda, yoga, pranayama and meditation together with traditional and modern wellness and beauty treatments, is a small boutique resort with just 15 villas, situated in a serene and peaceful environment in north Bali. The resort, perched on a small hill just 200 meters from the beach and with wide open sea views, is surrounded by rice fields, vineyards and natural forest

Zen Resort’s Bali discovery tour begins from the moment of landing at Denpasar Airport, with a warm uniquely Balinese floral welcome by the Zen driver - guide warmly. The comfortable and spacious car will be through out the length of the tour. The first stop will be the luxury beach hotel in Nusa Dua or Sanur. For the next three days it will be time to relax on the stretches of white sandy beaches or take a board to the surfer’s paradise or choose from a wide variety of water sports and even find time to go and shop at traditional markets and outlet super malls for some wonderful bargains. And as the golden sun sets on the sea horizon, it will be time to go and experience international gastronomy – from Balinese to European to Asian restaurants, followed by exciting nightlife to dance the night away. After three days of this “modern” holiday living, it will be time to head for Ubud in central Bali to feel, live and appreciate the world renowned Balinese culture and ceremonial traditions

Bali is one of the few places in the world where spiritualism and human solidarity with core values and morals have been preserved for centuries and are practiced everyday. In Bali spiritual worship, historically founded on a combination of Hinduism and Buddhism, gives great strength and the moral and caring means for a fulfilling, satisfying and happy life. Every Balinese home and public building has a temple and morning and evening ceremonies and floral offerings represent respectful and caring commitment towards fellow human beings and living in harmony with nature and the environment.

It will take just an hour’s drive to reach Ubud, staying for the next 3 days in a boutique luxury hotel surrounded by rice fields. Here highlights of the experiences will include, spiritual well-being in sacred temples, beautiful art and intricate craft shopping at a host of small boutiques where designers will be more then happy to show how it is all done. Walking around this small and picturesque small town, the most fascinating encounter will be to see some of the most beautiful gardens and rice fields through intricate gates fronting every Balinese home. And when walking becomes tiring, there is the host of Balinese traditional spas to take the aches and pains away. The evenings are time to dine in wonderful open air garden restaurants, offering a wide range of international restaurants where the prices are far below being reasonable. The evening comes to an end in Ubud early as there are no discotheques and no nightlife, with even all bars closing their doors by about 10 PM.

After 3 days in Ubud, it will be time to rethink about resolutions and thoughts of being healthier, beautiful, relaxed and rejuvenated on this holiday. For this, the next destination will be north Bali. The drive will take about 2 hours and Zen Resort guide will explain and stop when at temples and traditional villages, en-route passing through spectacular landscapes comprising rice field terraces, coffee, clove and cocoa plantations and pockets of rain forests.

The holistic wellness base for the next 8 days will be Zen Resort Bali. On arrival, the resident ayurvedic and yoga professionals from Kerala, India will consult and assess body constitution, lifestyle and health ailments towards designing each individual’s personal health and beauty wellness plan. Each morning will begin with an hour of yoga, pranayama and meditation. Also in the morning or afternoon, there will be 2 to 3 hours of ayurvedic treatments everyday. There will be plenty of time to read, slumber and relax in the beautiful tropical gardens as well as swim in the horizon infinity pool with alongside Jacuzzi. And in the early evening it will be time to join the meditation class at the Zen tree-tops meditation center. On selected days excursions will include visits to natural hot spring and a sacred Buddhist temple, eco-forest walk and rice field trekking, sunrise sail with the dolphins, and also options for snorkeling and scuba diving.

By the end of the week, all senses of feeling well will have been touched, awakened and renewed, thus revitalizing and rejuvenating the mind, body and soul, ready to head south to Denpasar Airport to catch the flight home. They cannot promise Nirvana, but Zen resort Bali assures an unforgettable and rejuvenating holiday that will be yearned for until the next holiday time.

Zen Resort Bali also offers a one week version of the Bali Discovery Tour as well as 3 to 21 days all inclusive integrated Ayurevda and Yoga health and beauty packages.

SmarterTicket Case Study – Bali Discovery Tours

Managing Worldwide Customer Support

These days, industries are finding it more and more difficult to set themselves apart from their competition. As segments become commoditized price devolves into the main motivating factor for companies interested in continuing to acquire new business and new customers. To counter this trend, a company has to find a niche, whether it’s service and support, the quality of the product being sold, or how fast a transaction can be completed and services rendered. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the travel industry, where quality of service and customer retention are critical.

Bali Discovery Tours is a full service travel agency selling vacations to the island of Bali, Indonesia, over the Internet. Visitors to their website can book stays at hundreds of hotels and villas on-line. In addition, they provide a wide range of activities and excursions in Bali that visitors to their site can inquire about or book. As can be imagined, the exchange and tracking of information between Bali Discovery Tours and their clientele is the lifeblood of their business.
Bali Discovery Tours Logo

Before their adoption and implementation of SmarterTicket, Bali Discovery had relied upon a rather archaic system of website-generated emails. When a customer had an inquiry or wanted to book a trip, a hotel room or ask a question, they filled out a simple form on the Bali Discovery website. That form information was then sent to a generic email alias which forwarded it to nine different Bali Discovery employees. With no organized dispatching of an inquiry, Bali Discovery noticed that a number of different things could happen : it was answered correctly and immediately, it was answered multiple times by multiple representatives (sometimes with conflicting information), or it wasn’t answered at all because one representative would assume that another representative would answer it. The confusion and frustration that developed as a result of the latter two happenings was palpable and soon became a real problem for Bali Discovery and its management. Something needed to be done to streamline the process and to ensure clients were answered quickly, efficiently and correctly. According to Markus Niesen, E-Commerce Manager for Bali Discovery, “It became clear that we needed an email management solution to cope with the ever growing number of bookings and enquiries generated by our website.”

However, whatever solution Bali Discover implemented needed to be able to be integrated with their existing infrastructure (a website as well as their existing call center) with little modification. It also needed to be easy enough for multiple representatives to learn quickly so as to keep from disrupting normal business operations. SmarterTools was able to meet with Bali Discovery Tours and provide them with SmarterTicket, a fully manageable sales/support ticketing system that was able to meet, and in some cases surpass, each and every requirement issued by Bali Discovery.

Help Bali Help

Help Bali, the Balinese and other islanders against the cancer of corrupt Indonesia

The Balinese need your help to make Bali a paradise for them too, free of the cancer of endemic civil and human rights abusing Indonesia.

Please do not go on holiday (vacation) to Bali where you put money into the pockets of corrupt Indonesians and foreigners. Please support genuine Balinese and Bali friendly hotels and other businesses only. Please do not allow yourself to be so easily sold into kidding yourself that your preferred hotel is just that simply because this is what you wanted to hear or rather anesthetize yourself with.

Just because the tourist area Balinese always smile at guests to their island does not mean they are happy; Bali has one of if not the highest suicide rates in SE Asia, perhaps the world. Please, do not pay the Balinese lip service, please chose only Bali friendly tourism businesses (see Ethical / Responsible Bali Hotels & Travel Companies).

The more I understand the enormity of whitewashed, swept under the carpet Balinese suppression, the more I know they need individual westerners' help.

Understand that the Balinese are unlikely, under present conditions, to speak their minds about what they would really like for their island. They only lost their royal family and independence to the Dutch within the last 100 years. Many thousands of Balinese were murdered by the Indonesian military and Suharto / Golkar party loyalists "Laksar" (mafia). The TNI (Indonesian Armed Forces) believe that it is their duty to uphold the sovereignty and national integrity of Indonesia against all enemies including their won civilian government, political parties and their own people. Indonesian political parties rely on support from the military and their influence to be able to get anywhere in elections and most politicians are former army officers anyway. Understand that because the TNI only get 1/3 of their operating budget from the state, their officers need to get money to pay their troops wages and for military equipment from elsewhere. When you also realize the Indonesian armed forces only recruit from trusted families and that it costs over US$2,000 in bribe money for someone to become an army officer cadet when the pay is so bad, you will understand army officers clearly are very successful at making money elsewhere. An example is that the main beer supplier for the luxury hotels in Nusa Dua is actually an army officer and no-one dares buy elsewhere; this is why prices in Bali are so high when they should not be in comparison with other neighboring countries and why the Balinese can not compete in their own main industry on their own island.

The Balinese can't compete against army / Suharto owned or connected businesses. The political parties can not offer them any solution to the problem and even if they could they did and were allowed to live or even continue, Indonesian elections are at best totally flawed at worst rigged so they would not get into power anyway. Any Balinese protests against their corrupters or corrupt conditions are likely to be put down if considered to be of any risk to Jakarta. Any Balinese standing up and shouting "Bali Independence" which is their legal right under International law would likely "disappear" along with their whole family if they were really unlucky, as countless thousands have before. With the widespread state murder in other regions of Indonesia which seek independence, the Balinese really are not able to tell the world what they want or even so much as speak out against Indonesia's corrupt hold on their island.

In order for Bali to be able to express itself and its wishes, Indonesia has to be dealt with as the militarily controlled unlawful state it is. So apart from boycotting all Indonesian and foreign businesses on Bali which are not 100% legal, ethical and Balinese friendly, you need to do more if you claim to love Bali, be a humanitarian or both. I truly believe in order to support the Balinese you must also support your own political parties at home whose foreign policies truly recognize the human rights of others and are prepared to take measures against governments like Indonesia. Second I believe where people have either had their independence taken away from them by Jakarta or have clearly shown a desire for self-determination as is their international legal right, I believe it is important for us all to support their leaders both morally and financially against Jakarta. I believe it is also critical to show support for the oppressed groups of Indonesia, such as the Christians who have their churches burnt down, new church building licenses denied, parishioners butchered, plus civil and human rights abused. Only by doing for others what we would wish others to do for us if we were in their shoes are things ever going to change for the better in Bali.

John M. Daniels (AKA Jack Daniels) Bali - psychopathic corrupt police colluding enemy of the Balinese.

This is the face of Sanur Bali based travel agent and local tour operator John Millard Daniels; he calls himself Jack Daniels reportedly because of his love for copious amounts of the liquor of the same name; so much for professionalism. Jack Daniels is a small time businessman (by western standards), he describes himself as "president director" of his travel agency, PT Bali Discovery Tours.

Mr. Daniels holds himself out to be an ethical, professional pillar of the tourism industry; he actually is a very nasty vindictive individual who unlawfully colludes with the corrupt police of Bali and incites them to act highly unlawfully against people’s civil and human rights. There is substantial evidence that Jack Daniels is a former illegal immigrant and a dangerous even murderous psychopath who does business with both the Indonesian mafia (Laksar) plus Thailand's criminal gangs. How can you believe such statements from me are true? Because I will substantiate the facts to you and point out I have tried to get American citizen Daniels into a US court to address this face-to-face with him, but he would not have it and even evaded legal service.

The more I found out about former mortician's assistant John Millard Daniels, the more I realized human regression was not just a possibility but a probability in Indonesian business "life".

For me Bali’s Jack Daniels is part of the greedy anti-Balinese “Institutional Tourism” brigade of Indonesia which significantly includes so called luxury hotels which were or still are owned or part-owned by members of the Suharto family. Jack Daniels himself was once chairman of the Bali chapter of the Pacific Asia Travel Association, which I find very appropriate really as I believe “PATA” are frauds (see Pacific Asia Travel Association). I have an equal disregard for a large proportion of the foreign expatriate community in Bali / Indonesia, many of whom have criminal records including for pedophilia and yet act so self-importantly and piously publicly, while others are "spiritual enlightenment seekers" too often puffing on a joint. Jack Daniels himself I believe worked illegally in Indonesia for many years because he was a director of an Australian small cruise boat which operated exclusively in Indonesia and was closed down for tax evasion; which almost certainly meant it was not licensed to operate legally and means Daniels worked both illegally and without paying taxes. This seems quite appropriate really as there is clear documented evidence that his travel agency operates equally unlawfully including documented tax fraud (see: Bali Discovery Tours Sanur).

Jack Daniels filed an unlawful (unsigned) false and malicious police complaint against me in Bali for "spying" and calling the Balinese police "corrupt" (a well documented fact even if it does hurt a bent cop's untenable sense of pride) after I caught him and his company offering unauthorized hotel rates on the Internet which he was embarrassingly forced to remove by the hotel and which said they would not have be honoured. It is a fact that Indonesian travel agents have a bad reputation for both credit card and Internet fraud called "bait and switch" where they advertise rooms at popular hotels for a lower rate than they can honour, only to report to any potential guest who enquires (and provided their credit card details in advance in good faith) that the named hotel is fully booked (when it is not) but the agent can offer something "better". I am a director of an English travel company who received a complaint under our "Guaranteed Lowest Rate" with that hotel by a customer of ours and therefore bought the matter to the hotel management's attention.

After I witnessed appalling police security in Bali after the 2002 terrorist bombings, upon my leaving Indonesia and its jurisdiction for home I emailed my business contacts in Bali to let them know. My email can be read here; as you can see it was a well intentioned and lawful attempt to stop yet more tourists and Balinese getting hurt and to save Bali's suffering all-important tourism business from a second attack which I knew would cause even more economic damage than the first. Jack Daniels has tried to selectively deny being involved but you can read the documented evidence I have against him here: Bali Police; you can read how the police acted both unlawfully to the extent of threatening to shoot me and how the British Embassy in Jakarta had to intervene to secure both my and my unlawfully held passport release; after I left Indonesia and Indonesian jurisdiction I published the facts of this.

What came next shows just how corrupt the Indonesian justice system really is and also how very nasty and unlawful Jack Daniels can get; he claimed that as he did not sign the original complaint no proof existed it was him and therefore what I published was defamatory. He also boasted on his company's web site that the police had agreed to take a (2nd) complaint from him alleging "criminal libel and other criminal charges" against me in a sealed envelope and would wait until they could get their hands on me before opening it! Of course the police accepting a sealed complaint and trying to entrap me is totally unlawful and if they did it would show that Jack Daniels had colluded with them unlawfully, as otherwise he would not have been able to boast about it in advance of actually making the complaint. I do not know which amazes and disgusts me the most, the fact the police acted unlawfully as Daniels boasted they would or that Daniels tried to make his boasts look like ethical professional acts; I believe both only go to prove Daniels is dangerously mentally ill. I do not want to repeat the whole nasty police story again on this page, please read the full story here: Bali Police. I am told Daniels through his notorious lawyer paid a corrupt senior police officer in Bali US$3000 to get me this way.

When I failed to oblige the bent police of Bali by turning up again in Bali for yet more civil and human rights abuse, Jack Daniels commissioned a fraudulent private investigation through a friend of his (see: Hill Associates Bangkok) and also was involved, unbeknown to me at the time, in my name being placed on Interpol's automated watch facility as a suspected insurgent by the Balinese police; details of my international movements were then passed to Jack Daniels. Under feign of a failed WIPO domain dispute by Daniels against me involving another friend of his (Terry Laidler of the Victoria Police Ethical Standards Committee), confidential data about where I lived was passed to Daniels unlawfully. Details of my home address in Phuket Thailand being given to Daniels coincided with my receiving a telephone death threat by a man with an American accent on a (modem) line which I never received anything but wrong numbers and one from Hill Associates (pretending to be Airborne Express); clearly implicating Daniels as the person who made the death threats. An attempt to trace the call failed because of Thailand's antiquated telephone network but they could say it came from or via (as an international call) Bangkok; my subsequent requests to the Balinese police to have Daniels' phone records examined have been ignored. In addition I then had the "pleasure" of Thai gangsters coming and watching myself and my family from just across the road; really.

I met with a Thai police officer contact I had from before (our previous house in Phuket was burgled by a drug addict) and explained the situation regarding the gangsters. He said he could try and do something about the gangsters but that might not be a good idea, as it would likely make them more dangerous out of revenge. He said that unless I felt the situation could be resolved with whoever was paying them that I should move home or even leave Thailand. He also said it might be an idea to approach the gangsters and pay them to turn a blind eye when we moved. Because I was aware of Daniels’ other actions and clearly evolving intent, we decided to move house to Europe out of harms way. I paid the gangsters to stay away, then we moved to England temporarily and then on to Portugal to put ourselves out of Daniels and his friends’ reach. Jack Daniels was given the chance to deny making the death threats against me but declined.

I believe I was lucky in that I am sure the Thai gangsters were probably ordered and paid for by Daniels but arranged by his buddy in Bangkok who may not have wanted to get involved in anything more than the fraud and harassment they were already, as I had challenged them specifically over this. But I believe Daniels personally is well capable of arranging acts of physical harm because of his documented associations with the Laskar mafia of Bali. As point of reference, a friend of mine in Bali made me aware of the low cost of human life (having someone killed) in Indonesia in a way I took as being an offer to put me in touch with someone who would be prepared to kill Daniels for a fee; much less a fee than it costs me fighting corrupt police and avoiding harm myself. Of course, by token of the fact Daniels is still alive you can therefore be assured I was and am not interested in sinking that low, as I am sure Daniels is. I can not remember for sure the "price quoted" to have Daniels shot, but think it was US$20,000. Which sounds about right as it is a recently disclosed fact that Tommy Suharto paid just US$14,000 to have an Indonesian supreme court judge murdered in 2002. Now you can understand why going to Bali knowing the police work with Daniels unlawfully is so dangerous for me.

Jack Daniels has done several other very peculiar things which I believe prove he is a dangerous psychopath. In 2003 he sent out a circular email from Bali Discovery Tours inviting people within the travel industry to report any illegal (unlicensed) villas in Bali to him so he could in turn report them to the police. This fits in with what I heard about Daniels in that people claim he is extremely jealous of certain foreign villa owners on the island. However when the email obviously backfired on him with the ensuing negative publicity you would expect, Daniels published an article on his company's web site that someone had hacked into his company's mail server and sent the email out in his name; he clearly implicated it was me. However I received one of these emails (on an email account I guess Daniels does not realize is mine) and so was able to look at the transaction information contained in what is called the "header" of the email; you can see this if you click "file, properties". Not only did it come from Daniels' company's web / email server which meant it was either hacked or whoever sent it knew the password, but the originating IP information was from account "Jack" at Indonesia's Telkom Internet Service Provider; yes, that is Jack Daniels' account, I had it confirmed. So whoever sent the email used Jack Daniels' internet connection and knew both his ISP login and hosting email passwords. That's right, it could only have been Daniels who sent it.

What is worrying, and this email is not the only case, there have been web sites Daniels claimed are mine but almost certainly were his to make trouble for me, is that Daniels goes then to the police and files yet another police complaint against me; I believe he has filed 7 so far which again only testifies to his mental instability as it is obvious I am not going back to endure the first unlawful investigations, so additional complaints are pointless and only show desperation on his part. I would like to make the point at this stage that although I am seeking criminal investigations against 4 very senior police officers including three former police chiefs of Bali (Budi Setyawan, Made Pastika and Soernarko Ardanto) that I believe Daniels is not well connected with senior police chiefs; I do not want him to get any kudos in that respect. In fact the only police officer Daniels seems to be able to meet with is officer Tri Kuncoro who is head of Bali's Cyber Crime Department, but that is hardly a senior and / or important police role especially when you consider Kuncoro thought in the unlawful investigation of Harry Bleckert he had to go to Harry's premises in order to see Harry's web site! And perhaps Kuncoro only tolerates Daniels because he drops him a few dollars or because I have stated I want Kuncoro arrested and have the evidence to put him in jail.

Jack Daniels seemingly only got lucky with former police chief Budi Setyawan, who instigated the original unlawful police investigation against me, because Daniels was selling tickets for the "Bali Security Workshop" where he met Setyawan. By all accounts former Balinese police chief Made Pastika could not stand and clearly avoided Daniels by token of the fact Jack Daniels only seems to have written articles about Pastika in his "Bali Update" which he got from newspapers. When Jack Daniels filed his highly unlawful second police complaint with Chief / Director of Detectives Kombes Boy Salamudin it was via his very nasty and notorious lawyer, Suryatin Lijaya, not directly. I believe that replacement police chiefs Made Pastika and Soernarko Ardanto only continued with the unlawful investigations because that is the way the corrupt Indonesian police do "business" (once they start they never let go), nothing to do with Daniels' esteem.

Currently I am going through the long drawn out process of filing a complaint under the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment against the Balinese police. Unfortunately Indonesia is not a signatory to the First Optional Protocols of the first convention which means I can not make my complaint to the UN body, I have to make it to Jakarta. Given I have documented evidence of Interpol's abuse, I do not think the Indonesian Department of Justice and Human Rights can easily deny my complaint. With such evidence against the Indonesian Authorities, if they denied my complaint I would then have to petition the British Government (God help me) to take the matter up with Jakarta as such interstate appeal is the only remedy under the "plain jane" convention which Indonesia limited itself to. So we are likely to be talking years before I can force the Indonesian authorities to fulfill their legal obligations, but I am prepared to endure the wait for good reason.

Part of the process of a successful human rights complaint is "remedy"; the country who has a successful complaint bought against it must not just compensate the victim(s) but also remedy the situation so it never happens again. Due and proper "remedy" in my case would I believe mean criminal investigations against the police officers involved, Daniels' lawyer and Daniels himself. I am not so naive so as to expect anything but lip service such as except token disciplinary action regarding the 4 senior police officers and probably Daniels lawyer (who has contacts), but as for Jack Daniels and his pet police officer Tri Kuncoro I believe they will one day go to jail or perhaps, in Daniels case, a secure psychiatric hospital.

What would happen if I went to Bali before any favorable ruling? I have no doubt the Balinese police would normally just arrest me for ignoring a previous summons and bring charges against me for criminal libel against the Balinese police, even though they do not have jurisdiction; I believe the police telling me I could be shot as a spy was simply done to terrorize me (although that is a human rights violation in itself of course). But I also believe they are capable of and would "stand off" to allow Daniels to get access to me for a few dollars. Remember, I have clearly documented evidence Daniels, the police and the local mafia who conduct contract killings have been working together to try and get their hands on me. Yes, truly, I believe hand on heart if I was stupid enough to go to Bali with a British passport bearing my name I would be followed by the police so my whereabouts could be reported to Daniels and then shot dead by Laskar Bali under Daniels' direction and payment. No, I am not paranoid, I have documented evidence Daniels paid Laksar to find me when he thought there was a chance I was in Bali. So I first need at the very least to have Daniels and his pet police officers put in jail or otherwise rendered ineffective unless I had dual citizenship and travelled under a different name and passport of course.

Bali Bali Discovery Tours trade unlawfully and dishonorably

Bali Discovery Tours trade unlawfully and dishonorably

Bali Discovery Tours/ Bali Mice have been caught red-handed collecting tax and service charges which never made it to the Indonesian tax man and hotel staff it should have. What Bali Discovery Tours do is offer their customers (tourists and businesspeople coming to meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions in Bali, the later normally at the Bali International Conference Center) hotel and villa rates including 21% tax and service charges. However, I have documented evidence (emails from Bali Discovery Tours) that show they do not pass the service charge to hotels / villas, so the poor / underpaid (US$50 a month) staff at those places do not get the money they are legally entitled to; Bali Discovery Tours pockets the money as profit. I also have documented proof that not all of the tax Bali Discovery Tours collect goes it should to the tax man; that's right, the Bali Mice are tax fraud criminals. Of course tax revenues go to pay for hospitals, roads, schools, etc. and if you should ever see the state of of Bali's schools and public hospitals I have no doubt you will call Jack Daniels and company "Anjing Kurap" as well. How come Bali Discovery Tours have not been prosecuted in Indonesia for their crimes? Because Indonesia is one of if not the most corrupt countries in the world regarding law enforcement (source: Transparency International) and Jack Daniels has a documented history of working with (colluding, paying bribes, etc.) with the bent police of Bali.

I am a director of a travel company registered in England. Once a customer of ours complained to me that she had found a lower room rate for a hotel in Bali she had booked via my company and then found a lower rate on Bali Discovery Tours' web site. I contacted the hotel involved who informed me the rate Bali Discovery showed was neither authorized nor sustainable (the hotel would not accept it); Bali Discovery Tours were then forced to remove the rate by the hotel. Unfortunately Indonesian travel agents have a bad reputation for "bait and switch"; offering popular hotels' room at rates they can not honour in order to get enquiries, credit card information (a commitment) and then to offer an alternative. When I next travelled to Bali I was unlawfully detained by the police and had my British passport unlawfully seized; The British Embassy in Jakarta confirmed their actions were unlawful and intervened to secure my and my passport's release. The police were investigating me as an alleged "spy" after an unlawful (unsigned) false and malicious complaint involving a mistranslated email of mine from English into Indonesian by Bali Discovery Tours. These Bali rats continue to file unlawful police complaints with corrupt elements of the Balinese police through collusion and bribes inciting them to act against others civil and human rights.

Bali Discovery Tours' management are totally non-Balinese, they also work with the local "Laskar" (mafia) and lie to their customers about credit card payments; they inform their customers they need to provide copies of their passports along with their credit card details for "security" purposes; that is a falsehood. The reason Bali Discovery want a copy of customer's passports is their bank is not willing to pay them on internet credit card transactions unless they also get a copy of the card holder's passport to prove Bali Discovery are not committing fraud, which is an entirely different thing. Bali Discovery Tours also lie to their customers when they inform them that all deposits taken by Bali Discovery Tours are held in an escrow bank account. Whether the term "escrow bank account" is a falsehood made by Bali Discovery Tours or their repeating a falsehood of their bank, I do not honestly know nor care. What I know and care is that Bali Discovery Tours' customers money (prepayment of the hotel bill) is not held in escrow. Escrow would require the customer to sign to agree they have received the goods or services provided by Bali Discovery Tours and are happy with them (which would mean upon check out and where the hotel does not ask them for any more money) and that their payment could then be released to Bali Discovery. As Bali Discovery get the money before the customer checks out and without their signature approval, what they offer is not escrow. I believe Bali Discovery Tours lie about this because they are not "bonded" (they do not have insurance to cover events like their own bankruptcy as many western travel agents are required to have). Therefore what Bali Discovery Tours claims is both fraudulent and unethical.

Do you say "But Bali Discovery are well respected in the industry, their director is a former chairman of PATA Bali (Bali Chapter of the Pacific Asia Travel Association)". Well if you read my page on PATA you can judge for yourself based on the facts about this American registered marketing corporation (yes, that is what PATA really and solely are) whether you agree with my personal opinion, that PATA are callous, greedy frauds.

How do you know what I tell you is truthful? Because if it were not PT Bali Discovery Tours would sue me (and not in judicially corrupt Indonesia) and they are not about to do that. How do I know they are not going to sue me? One, because what I say is the truth and it is fully legal to publish the truth when it is in the public's best interests in the European Union; God bless the EU. Two, I have tried to get Bali Discovery Tours and their nasty American CEO Jack Daniels into a US court room to face off against one another but they refused. You see, Bali Discovery Tours really are Indonesian rats and Bali mice.

Bali Web Designer (More Cheaper)

Contac him at : 623618011296



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Bali Zoo Park

Bali is a house to numerous parks, museums, art galleries and cultural centers. Apart from Sightseeing in Bali, tourists also enjoy visiting the innumerable ancient buildings, caves, temples and other such attractions in the island. The Zoo is also among the most important Amusement Places in Bali. The Bali Zoo is a wildlife conservatory. Over 350 species of mammals, tropical birds and reptiles find their abode in this amazing Tourist Attraction in Bali.

The Bali Zoo in Indonesia stands on 3.5 hectare of spacious natural landscapes featuring tall trees, thick vegetation and grasses. This natural habitat avidly promotes wildlife conservation and offers shelter for the endangered species. The Bali Zoo protects over 200 indigenous animals from the Asia Pacific including kangaroos, primates and Sumatra tigers within its premises. The birds found in the zoo are Cockatoos, Cassowary, Bali Starling, Peacocks and other Asian bred species. The reptiles found here are the python, green snakes, Iguanas and the komodo dragons that are the largest living lizards found only in this country.

The landscape also features a wide variety of plants like the Kayu Putih, Mengkudu, Cendana, Cengkeh, Matoa and so forth that are used to make herbal medicines. Cooking ingredients like Melinjo, Salam and Lemo are also found here apart from things like Bambu, Perasok, Coconuts, Nagasari, Lontar, Majegau, Kuning and Palm Uduh and so forth that are utilized for ceremonial occasions.

The Bali Zoo also includes on site restaurant where you can relax after a long walk on the lush green landscape. You can enjoy delectable Balinese cuisines and other seafood and vegetarian preparations at the restaurant of the zoo. The Bali Zoo is surely a must visit for all the tourists in town.

Bali Property

The Batubelig Residences
Batu Belig Residences

Five large freehold super-luxury houses are currently under construction at Batu Belig, just north of Bali’s famous Seminyak beach strip, and are being offered at very attractive “under construction” prices.

Elite Havens partner, Matthew Georgeson, says that this is one of the last opportunities to buy premium freehold beachside land in the Seminyak area. “We’re just not seeing freehold beachside property of this quality so close to Seminyak anymore,” he says.

The Residences at Batu Belig have been architecturally designed in a very spacious and contemporary tropical style, by internationally renowned Fredo Taffin (architect for KuDeTa and The Istana). They are being built to the highest international standards, with premium finishes, fittings and comfort in mind.

With prices starting at US$995,000 during the construction phase, and in close proximity to the new ‘W’ hotel currently under construction, the Residences at Batu Belig represent a unique opportunity to acquire some of the last freehold land available in the Seminyak coastal area.

Painting Bali Today

As Bali opened up to tourists after 1965, young Balinese painters and sculptors as well as many Javanese, Sumatran and Western artists settled in the area between Mas and Ubud. Almost every year a new art style (Pop Art, Macro Art, Magic Realism) emerges and new materials and techniques (batik, silk- screen) have become highly fashionable.

Only a small number of Balinese painters receive formal art training either abroad or at the Indonesian art academies in Yogyakarta (operating since 1950) and Denpasar (foundeded in 1965). Formally trained artists work in styles and with subjects that differ completely from those of other Balinese painters.

The work of the non-academic painters is still heavily influenced by stories from the epics and folktales, to the extent that many cannot be understood without a knowledge of Balinese literature. All painters, however, are fond of depicting daily Balinese life with its rituals and dramatic performances.

Most non-academic painters produce primarily for the tourist market. Many less talented ones, often children, engage in mass production of imitations of works by their more talented colleagues for sale in” art markets” and shops.

Balinese art is now displayed in many fine art galleries and several museums in Bali. Through Bonnet’s efforts, a museum for modern Balinese art, the Puri Lukisan, was built between 1954 and 1956 in Ubud. Sales annexes were added in 1972 and 1973. In 1979, an Arts Center, also designed for tourists, was opened in Denpasar. Expositions of paintings and sculptures are now held there, especially in conjunction with the yearly Arts Festival from July to August.

Palinese Painting

In the past, Balinese artists were patronized by kings, princes and temple councils. The majority of their works served ritual and magical functions, emphasizing the symbolism of a temple ceremony or domestic sanctuary, or supporting claims of divine authority by the ruler. Traditional calendars, with their attendant astrological symbols, also Formed an important category of works.

A major center of traditional painting was and still is located at Kamasan, near GeIgel in Klungkung regency. Village craftsmen here once served rulers who reigned over the whole of Bali. Other centers were located in Gianyar, Bangli, Karangasem, Tabanan, Sanur and Singaraja, where local rulers resided or were influential. After the Dutch took over Bali in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the authority of the rulers waned and new patrons had to be found. As a result, modern influences soon manifested themselves.

Traditional drawings for magical purposes (rerajahan) were inscribed with a stylus on palm leaves, potsherds and metal, then blackened with soot. Others on cloth or paper are executed in black ink. The ink was formerly made of soot, and paints were handmade from natural dyes. At present, Chinese ink imported paints are used. Cloth paintings were only displayed during religious ceremonies; the subject matter being chosen to harmonize with the intent of the ritual.

Artistic conventions were passed down from father to son. There are fixed elements of style, ornamentation and overall composition. Human figures were represented in the so-called wayang style, a reference to the leather figures in the wayang kulit puppet play. The figures have characteristic cloth jewelry, coiffures and headdresses, and their facial features and figures indicate their class, age and character. Sky, rocks and ground are indicated by specific shorthand ornaments. There is no perspective.

Balinese Girl

The natural beautiful of balinese girl is ,no make up to use beside her body, thats make how a balinese girl is naturalis.... many people from other country like with it.
so if you want to know about balinese girl, coming to bali! so you will be know more about here...
The lovers and a happinese day would you get in bali.

General Information on Bali

The following are a few web sites that have a wealth of information about living on Bali:

Bali Blog (http://www.baliblog.com) – this is a daily blog written by an expatriate living in Bali. You can find information here about buying a car in Bali, real estate, shopping, hotels, and a variety of other things.

Cyberbali.com (http://www.cyberbali.com) - is my web site which has information about Bali, Papua, Sumbawa, Pakistan, and pages with information for teachers.

Bali Portal (http://www.bali-portal.com) - has an incredible number of links to web sites about Bali.

Living in Bali can be the experience of a lifetime, and there are many expatriates who have lived there blissfully for years. But like with any major lifestyle decision, caution needs to be exercised. I can’t tell you how many foreigners I have met over the past 15 years in Bali who arrived lock, stock and barrel and were gone within a year because they weren’t prepared for all the realities of living in Indonesia because in spite of what some expatriates like to pretend, Bali is still part of Indonesia with all of the good and bad that that situation encompasses. Come and visit, study the culture, do your research, talk to long-term expatriates, monitor the Bali forums on the internet, and then make your move if you feel that Bali is really for you. It could be the best thing that you’ve ever done for yourself.

The following are the previous articles Bruce wrote for the magazine:

What Kinds Of Material Goods Are Available in Bali?

Bali has a variety of shopping opportunities. You can get all of the usual Asian fruits and vegetables in Bali like durian, rambutan, and jackfruit. Seafood is plentiful if you live by the coast although the cost for things like prawns has gone up a lot over the past decade as more and more of the catch goes to hotels and restaurants. The Balinese aren’t supposed to eat beef, and the Muslims aren’t supposed to eat pork. Both are available for the expatriate. If you regularly eat local dishes like nasi goring (fried rice) and mie goring (fried noodles), you’ll find that your food bill will be quite low.
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Bali has the superstore, Makro (http://www.makro.co.id/makro), which sells just about everything. It’s a supermarket with a stock similar to what you would find in a Western supermarket. It also carries electronic goods like televisions and microwaves and music systems, tools, toys, clothes, and office supplies. You’ll find it full of Westerners buying items in bulk. Bali now has a number of computer stores, and it is cheaper to buy your computer and peripherals here than bring them in as customs charges an excessively high duty on imported electronics. If you really have the shakes and need to do some Western shopping check out the new malls down in the Kuta tourist area – there is even an Ace Hardware store there now.

While Bali doesn’t have cable tv, it does have a subscription satellite company, Indovision, which receives approximately 40 channels. You can buy inexpensive televisions or the more expensive large models. We recently purchased a 43-inch television for approximately $1300.

Transportation is another expense. The motorbike is the most common vehicle on the road. A 100cc Honda goes for around $1200. Make sure that you get an international license before you leave your home country. Automobiles are relatively expensive in Bali, although several new inexpensive models have been released and can be purchased for as low as $10,000. Driving in Bali can be a harrowing experience, and if you are not a skilled driver, it would be worth your money (and your life) to hire a driver.

What Is The Cost Of Living Like In Bali?

That all depends on what your lifestyle is like. The more Western you get, the higher your overhead will be. Electricity and telephone charges are relatively high. If you plan on having a large house with lots of lighting, you are going to be paying out some serious money. If you crave a lot of Western foods and material items, you will be paying more for them than you would back home. On the other hand, if you blend your lifestyle in with local realities, shop in local markets, and keep the overhead down, you can get by on a relatively modest income. For example, my family of six and a ravenous German Shepard gets by comfortably on about $1,500 a month.

Most expatriates have at least one Balinese employee, a pembantu (maid); many also have a driver and gardener as well. The cost of household help is quite reasonable. You can expect to pay between $40 to $70 a month for each person. Many employers supplement their staff’s pay with contributions to their children’s education, gifts for ceremonies, and help with medical expenses when necessary.

How to living in bali

Some expatriates consider it paradise and, as they might say, thank the gods every day for their good fortune of being able to live in Bali. Others arrive with high hopes, ambitious plans, dreams of palm trees, blue surf, and friendly Balinese, and then become frustrated with the cultural differences and end up leaving bitter and poorer.

For people who can adapt to the significant personal and cultural differences, occasional confusing dealings with the Indonesian bureaucracy, lunatic drivers, the lack of a reliable infrastructure, and increasing pollution (depending on where in Bali you decide to live), Bali offers a truly unique culture with delightful surprises daily. There are lovely beaches (but certainly not the best in Indonesia or Southeast Asia), unique cultural experiences, a warm and pleasant climate, a resident expatriate community, a language that can be learned relatively easily, and, of course, the Balinese people.

Rice fields

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Bali is changing as Western culture increasingly intrudes on the traditional culture, but outside of the tourist ghettos of Kuta, Legian, and Seminyak, traditional culture continues to hold its own. You might find that all of your neighbors are glued to the popular dramas on television each night, but if someone is holding a ceremony with dances and a shadow puppet play, they’ll turn off the TV and get out and enjoy the festivities.

For expatriate families, there are several international schools in Bali although they can be rather costly: Bali International School (http://baliinternationalschool.com) is the oldest international school on the island and has an excellent reputation; Australian International School (http://www.ais.or.id/) has a curriculum designed especially for Australian students; Canggu Community School (http://www.ccsbali.com/), is a non-profit private school serving both the international and local communities in the South Bali area and uses the British National Curriculum and employs certified foreign teachers; Sunrise School (http://www.sunriseschoolbali.com/), is another school in Bali that it is located in Kerobokan in the south of Bali – its website says that it has an international staff and curriculum, an IT room, a library, and art and science room, a small student-teacher ratio, and covers the years Kindergarten to Grade 8. The website has a map. For families who cannot afford the cost of an international school, it is possible to send children to the local schools, but teaching is in Indonesian, and the facilities are generally of low quality.

While potential expatriates don’t like to think of such unpleasant things as ill health or accidents, living in the tropics entails a certain amount of health hazards. During my fifteen years in Indonesia, I have contracted typhoid, amoebic dysentery, and malaria. Additionally, I’ve been in one semi-serious motorcycle accident, been stung by a scorpion, my son fell out of a tree and suffered a triple fracture of his arm requiring surgery and the implant of three metal pins, and my mother and father in-laws had severe heart attacks. Then, too, my wife has had four children here. So what about medical facilities? I have an old tourist guide from the mid-1980s, which states that there are no x-ray machines on Bali. Fortunately, today medical facilities in Bali are much more developed than they were 15 years ago. There are local hospitals equipped to deal with most basic emergencies and illnesses. Some hospitals like Kasih Ibu in Denpasar are equipped for procedures that are more complicated. My son’s operation for his triple fracture was done at Kasih Ibu and, while expensive, the work was excellent as was the post-operative treatment. The south of Bali has international clinics like International SOS and the Bali International Medical Center (BIMC). For life-threatening illnesses, most expatriates fly to Singapore that is only a two-hour flight away. Medical insurance can be purchased which covers evacuation if necessary. Dental facilities in the south of Bali are quite acceptable, and a number of my students have had braces done in Bali. Some expatriates (like me), however, prefer to fly to Singapore or Bangkok for dental treatment. Bangkok, in fact, has an outstanding hospital that expatriates from all over the world use for yearly check-ups.

Temples of Bali: Pura Kebo Edan

On the road north from Bedulu towards Tampaksaring you will pass by the Museum Purbakala (worth a visit) on the right-hand side. On the left-hand side not far from there you will see the ‘Mad Buffalo Temple’ or Pura Kebo Edan. Very little is known of this temple. However, Archaeologists have approximately dated the large statue, ‘The Pejeng Giant’, as 700 years old. Urs Ramsayer wrote in his book ‘The Art and Culture of Bali’ that Pura Kebo Edan was most probably a Balinese version of the East Javanese Singosari magic temples. Interestingly these temples were built in the 12th C in Java. Containing some of the oldest statuary in Bali, one amazing and awesome example is that of a giant 3.60-meter tall figure. Quite startling is his huge phallus pierced with four pins, said to increase a woman’s sexual pleasure. Another rather unusual statue is that of a fat, crouching demon. This figure holds an inverted skull to his chest while in his curly hair is an ornament of tiny skulls.

The temple is small in comparison to other temples in this region. The most significant part of this temple is a huge wooden shelter. It stands out in its height and that’s because it houses the four metre giant statue of the Pejeng Giant. This interesting statue has snakes seemingly curling around its ankles and wrists. The most prominent feature of the statue is its well-endowed and realistic penis. There is a lot of debate regarding whether or not this ‘giant’ is actually a demon or a God. It is said that it could be a Bima (a warrior-lover). However, its dating is around the 13th or 14th C, and again, there is debate as to its influent creation. Some Archaeologists state that it was either by Shivaite or Tantric Bhuddist cults or factions. Interestingly, the giant is flanked by two ‘raksasa’ (Hindu mythical giants) threateningly decorated with skulls.

The legend behind this pura is fascinating. The Giant or Bima had immense desires for a woman. However, his rather large penis was too large for her and subsequently the woman took another lover. Bima, at one point in time, found the couple copulating and immediately set out to stomp them to death out of anger.

Bali Travel Tips

Bali Travel Tips

How to get there (including how to book airfare to Bali), how to get around, where to find stuff and how to ask for it. These are tips from the local insider to make your stay here a breeze.
Temples of Bali: Pura Kebo Edan

On the road north from Bedulu towards Tampaksaring you will pass by the Museum Purbakala (worth a visit) on the right-hand side. On the left-hand side not far from there you will see the ‘Mad Buffalo Temple’ or Pura Kebo Edan. Very little is known of this temple. However, Archaeologists have approximately dated the large statue, ‘The Pejeng Giant’, as 700 years old. Urs Ramsayer wrote in his book ‘The Art and Culture of Bali’ that Pura Kebo Edan was most probably a Balinese version of the East Javanese Singosari magic temples. Interestingly these temples were built in the 12th C in Java. Containing some of the oldest statuary in Bali, one amazing and awesome example is that of a giant 3.60-meter tall figure. Quite startling is his huge phallus pierced with four pins, said to increase a woman’s sexual pleasure. Another rather unusual statue is that of a fat, crouching demon. This figure holds an inverted skull to his chest while in his curly hair is an ornament of tiny skulls.
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Date: October 15th, 2008 | No Comments
The Kids of Bali

Without a doubt the Balinese have the best facial structures for portrait photos and, especially the children. Like most kids around the world they have their shy moments and avoid the lens like the plague, yet others are quick to pose, proudly. Then there are those that like to play games coyly as you attempt to take their photo. I remember one time up at Pura Ulu Danau Bratan I had this child’s parents in fits of laughter as their son decided to play hide-and-seek with the lens but, he really wanted his photo taken and it wasn’t until I caught him off-guard that I snapped the image. In general, you will find children will let you take their photo and you will find the parents are more than happy to allow you. If you are unsure then just ask the parents politely. Here is a few of the numerous images that I have taken over the years.
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Date: October 8th, 2008 | No Comments
Tears at a Funeral

The other day I attended a funeral of a dear friend of the family and I was happy, celebrating in the life of the deceased person and what she had ahead of her. As a practising Bhuddist this was the norm for me. But, as it was a western funeral there were tears flowing, men sobbing and the general ambience of the place, depressing. I have been to many funerals around the world and all in varying cultures, but it was this western culture with its sadness in death that blew me out. Sure, the person they loved for so many years had departed the planet but they should have been happy for this person and being celebratory in their attitude to death. There then I suppose is the difference between ancient cultures and that of the western culture with regards to death and burials.
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Date: October 6th, 2008 | 1 comment
Security Measures in Place at the Airport and Sea Gateways

I have to admit then when I saw the headline of this article Coming to Bali, Bring Your ID Card, I thought to myself not more rules just to get into Bali. It’s bad enough having to pay excessive airline fees and airport charges, and, visa fees. Fortunately, when I continued reading the article it had nothing to do with westerners visiting the island. Whew! With the upcoming mass invasion of domestic tourists arriving on the island in the next week to holiday there because of the Idul Fitri celebrations and kids holidays it is only natural that officials are eager not to allow those people with another agenda on their minds entering the island. Without writing it you all know what I mean. October is not a good month for a lot of people who lost a loved one due to certain tragic events on Bali. Anyway, it’s good to see that the gateways into Bali are being covered efficiently. As the article in the Bali Discovery mentions, Tough security measures are now in place at all entry points to Bali including supplementary personnel from the police and armed forces, transportation department officials, medical teams and local community security teams.
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Date: September 29th, 2008 | No Comments
Monkey Business

Probably the cutest attraction on Bali has to be the numerous troupes of monkeys that are found in the jungles and temples across the island. I’m quite sure you have all seen them, had your photo taken with them or taken hundreds of photos yourself of these delightful creatures. The most popular place on Bali or these simians being the Sangeh Monkey Forest and a place inundated on a daily basis by hordes of camera toting tourist. The monkeys here are friendly, to a point, downright thieves and can be aggressive especially if there is a baby monkey in the vicinity. It’s a cool place to go but has more to offer than just monkeys. The other well-known place is the Monkey Forest in Ubud. I am not particularly fond of this place as I found the resident simians to be outright aggressive. However, there are several other places on the island where you can see our nearest relatives, or so Charles Darwin has us to believe.
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Date: September 27th, 2008 | No Comments
Will the Global Economic Crisis Affect your Travel?

It was only a few weeks ago that foreign exchange markets were doing a flourishing trade and the AUD$ was up around Rp9,000 but, along came the global economic meltdown and all hell broke loose. Foreign exchange rates slumped. It is indeed a worry for those travellers who booked their holiday six months ago or more feeling confident that could go to Bali, chill out and enjoy a lot of shopping. If you are flush with cash then this may be true but a majority of tourists visiting the island are basically budget travellers out for a good and cheap holiday. Now, instead of being flash-with-the-cash and liberal in shopping it has become a matter of economising and playing it safe whilst on holidays. That is only one aspect of travelling not only to Bali but also globally.

Bom in Kuta Bali

This post is coming live and direct from Jl. Pantai Kuta Bali. This cafe is about 200 meters from the site of the Saturday night bombing at Raja’s Cafe. There were 3 bombs that hit Bali tonight, 2 in Jimbaran and 1 in Kuta at Raja's restaurant in Kuta Square.

I met a friend, Andy Walker, today at the airport and said 'Welcome to Bali'. After some Indonesian food and chatting with Ika, we went to JP's Warung on Jl. Dhyana Pura in Seminyak for some microbrew beers. After about 30 minutes a young Italian guy ran in and started shouting about a bomb in Jimbaran. He said it sounded like a wave crashing. Andy and I continued chatting and I started getting sms’s from people, realizing there was a problem.

Walking back to my house I had a eerie 'something is going on' feeling and the Balinese guys in my alley told me there were 6 bombs, scattered from Nusa Dua, the Four Seasons Jimbaran, to Kuta. Arriving at home I woke a peaceful Ika sleeping with Jevon and told her the news. A smart person would stay in the house, but I decidecd to explore, and rode my bike down to Kuta.

At the bottom of the loop on Jl. Legian the cops had the street blocked off. It seemed as though everyone in Bali wanted to see the bombing and the street was full of people. Iwalked to the beach via Jl. Benesari and then down to Kuta Square. I had heard Hard Rock Hotel was hit, a logical choice for me, but actually it wasn't. Still people were out partying, drinking and having a good time, although the locals were sitting at the side of the road checking theri cell phones.

At Kuta Square I peered over the police tape to see an ambulance and some glass. The Raja's sign was still intact, giving me the impression the blast had been small. Its amazing how global media is right now. While i was walking down Pantai Kuta my brother Chris called me from England to tell me exactly where the bombs went off. I headed straight there.

Well its 11.16pm now and I am going to look for a bar with Premiership football. Please tell Andy Walker's wife he's okay.

Bali Garden

now pleased to offer a range of Bathroom Terrazzo imported from Bali. These are quality made products at an affordable price.

Please come and inspect - You will not be disappointed in price or quality.

Our New Range of Terrazzo is available for you to see at BaliGarden. For more photo's click on News.

Why not pop out and see our range of products at 190 Cattai Ridge Road Maraylya or grab a bite to eat at 'Secret Garden' Cafe and see some of our range there. They are also Open 7 days a week and are located on Annagrove Road Dural - for Cafe Reservations please call Ian on Ph:- 02 9654 3339 - you will not be disappointed the food is delicious!!!!! Then Please let them know you heard about them through our Website. :-)

We are currently updating this website so please be patient and we will add photo's regularly as they come to hand.

Global Warning

Kehidupan mempunyai batas begitu juga organisme. Kini, batas sudah tidak ada lagi dengan rasa ketidakpuasan manusia yang tak mengenal batas-batas. Abad ini merupakan kemunduran peradaban manusia bukan kemajuan peradaban manusia. Banyak para ahli mengatakan bahwa sains adalah penyelamat manusia abad modern. Betapa hebatnya, ketika manusia menciptakan, mesin uap, kapal, kereta api, lampu gas, computer, fotografi, AC, lampu gas, pesawat dan berbagai produk yang mengagumkan semua orang di dunia termasuk penulis.

Dan ini merupakan peradaban kemajuan manusia. Di sinilah muncul bahwa manusia adalah mahluk sempurna, luar biasa. Marxisme juga menyatakan sains sebagai penyelamat kehidupan. Dan manusia, pada akhirnya menjadi penguasa segala bidang, baik dari social, ilmu pengetahuan, sampai-sampai menjajah bulan. Sadar tidak sadar pada saat bersamaan manusia menjadi tuan penguasa alam, penguasa dirinya sendiri-bebas. Mengutip Toffler bahwa “Tujuan akhir kemenangan sains subyeksi proses evolusi itu sendiri untuk manusia yang sadar”.

Kekuasaan diatas kekuasaan kekuatan rasionalitas manusia tidak bisa dipungkiri lagi. Dan, kekuasaan dan kekuatan merupakan tujuan utama manusia tanpa harus memikirkan dampak dari kehidupan ekologis. Namun, bukan pesimis sains sudah terbukti tidak lagi mengenal batas kemanusian dan ekosistim kehidupan. Ternyata sains di abad globalisasi ini berbeda dengan tujuan yang diharapkan. Ilmuwan tetap mengatakan dengan kredo humanistik bahwa pekerjaannya demi kebaikan manusia sebagai alat untuk menyelamatkannya.

Terbukti, riset untuk sains memerlukan uang yang banyak. Dan, ironisnya ilmuwan tahu bahwa proyeknya harus dijual belikan. Dewasa ini sains sepenuhnya dikuasai oleh militer dan sistim ekonomi kapitalis global. Bisnis tetap bisnis, sains tidak bisa menghidupi dirinya sendiri dan akhirnya membunuh kehidupan ekologis.

Mengutip Robert Musil, matematika, Ibu sains alam eksak, nenek ilmu mesin juga ibu jauh sains yang memiliki semangat darinya, pada akhirnya,melahirkan gas beracun dan pesawat tempur. Dan, tujuannya, penulis menyimpulkan bahwa sains adalah mesin pembunuh biosfer kehidupan manusia.

Dari sainslah lahir sistim ekonomi global dan memicu pemanasan global yang membahayakan umat manusia dan kehidupannya. Salah satu ilmuwan abad ini Fritjop Capra dalam penelitiannya bahwa ilmu pengetahuan telah terjebak dalam jalur yang salah dengan menempatkan ilmu fisika sebagai panutan. Menurutnya, dunia sains sudah waktunya mengganti kiblat dari ilmu fisika—ilmu benda-benda mati—menuju ilmu biologi—ilmu tentang benda-benda hidup. Karena secara hirarkis mahluk hidup memiliki kompleksitas lebih tinggi ketimbang benda-benda mati.

Bahaya dari global warning penulis pernah menyampaikannya dalam tulisan yang berjudul Hancurnya Bumi:Ujung dari Global warning. Namun, bahaya kini sudah tidak dipedulikan manusia. Oleh, karena itu manusia merupakan pencipta sistim dan menciptakan bentuk-bentuk baru demi keuntungan ekonomi domain tanpa harus memikirkan bahaya. Pada akhirnya sistim pasarlah yang berbicara. Yang lemah bakal ditindas secara ekonomi. Dalam teori Chaos bahwa pasar merupakan sistim yang hidup dan terus bergerak. Teori usang Adam Smith pun ditinggalkan dengan mengemukakan bahwa dipasarlah proses demokrasi sepenuhnya berjalan dan hak asasi terjunjung.

Terbukti, mereka negara-negara besar (AS, Inggris, Australia, Israel) ribut perang ingin menguasai sumber daya alam di negara-negara lemah dan harus membunuh ribuan juta manusia. Indonesia satu-satunya negara yang taken for granted terhadap invansi mereka meski harus menjual sumber daya alam dan binatang langkanya termasuk manusianya yang berada diambang kemiskinan. Data World Bank tahun 2006 mengemukakan angka kemiskinan di Indonesia mencapai 37-39 juta jiwa dan jumlah pengangguran 10-12 juta jiwa diantara 100 juta angkatan kerja jiwa.

Ekspoitasi alam terus berlanjut meskipun peraturan lingkungan hidup terbaru muncul dalam masyarakat Internasional, produk ramah lingkungan, dan banyaknya perjuangan organisasi pencinta lingkungan dunia, namun deforestasi hutan, kepunahan satwa liar dalam jutaan tahun tak pernah berhenti. Pada Juli 2000, para Ilmuwan yang mencapai kutub Utara diatas kapal pemecah es Rusia Yamal berhadapan dengan suatu pemandangan yang aneh dan mengerikan suatu permukaan air terbuka luas, selebar satu mil, sebagai pengganti es tebal berabad-abad menutupi Samudra Artik (New York Times, (19/08), Tahun 2000). Terbukti, apakah bisa sains dan sistim ekonomi kapitalis globalisasi mempunyai solusi untuk mengatur iklim global terkendali lagi, membuat terumbu karang terbaru, membikin ozone buatan yang bisa melindungi kehidupan mendatang dari pemanasan global.

Adanya bencana artificial manusia bukan murni alam merupakan bukti dari pemanasan global yang dibuat manusia abad ini. Para Ilmuwan yang bertanggungjawab atas riset mereka tidak hanya secara intelektual namun juga secara moral. Sains juga menciptakan produk-produk baru seperti apa yang diungkapkan Jean Baudrillad bahwa di bagian lain dari Samudera Atlantik, kodok-kodok dan tikus tanpa kepala sedang dikloning di laboratorium-laboratorium pribadi, yang dilakukan sebagai persiapan untuk pengkloningan tubuh-tubuh manusia tanpa kepala yang nantinya akan dipergunakan sebagau sumber-sumber donasi organ tubuh.

Belum lagi, akibat dari sains melahirkan spesies baru yakni terjadi pada kasus Henrietta Lacks, sel-sel tumor yang diambil sebagai sampel dari tubuhnya yang kemudian dikembangbiakan di sebuah laboratorium akan terus berlanjut berkembang biak tanpa batas. Bahkan, sel-sel tersebut membentuk spesemen luar biasa dan mematikan sehingga menyebar ke seluruh dunia dan bahkan bisa hidup di luar angkasa, yaitu di permukaan Satelit AS Discoverer 17. Secara tidak sadar, kita dibunuh oleh perbuatan kita sendiri sebagai manusia. Manusia itu memang tidak pilih-pilih kasih; dia sendiri dengan senang hati akan bersedia menjadi kelinci percobaan seperti halnya makhluk-makhluk yang lain, baik yang hidup maupun yang mati.

Manusia dengan penuh semangat bermain-main dengan masa depannya sendiri sebagai sebuah spesies persis sebagaimana dia bermain-main dengan masa depan dari semua makhluk yang lain. Dalam upaya pencariannya yang membuta untuk mendapatkan pengetahuan yang lebih besar lagi, manusia telah memprogram kehancurannya sendiri dengan keganasan yang sama kejamnya dengan caranya menghancurkan segala hal yang lain. Anda hampir-hampir tak bisa menuduh manusia itu sebagai bersifat egosentris. Manusia mengorbankan dirinya seperti juga mengorbankan segenap spesies lainnya dalam sebuah takdir yang asing dan bersifat coba-coba.

Percobaannya yang mengeluarkan Budget (anggaran nasional) banyak menelurkan bencana – bencana efek pengaruh global warning. Lantas, ujungnya bisa saja jaman es abad lalu kembali lagi yang menghancurkan kehidupan dinosaurus. Bukan berarti penulis pesimis, dan ini bisa saja mungkin terjadi bahwa dunia peradaban modern berjalan mundur bukan maju seperti perhitungan peledakan bom menuju titik awal yakni 0 artinya, menuju kehancuran. Selain itu, Penyakit era globalisasi pun semakin kompleks, mulai dari penyakit jiwa ( Schizoprhenia), AIDS, SARS belum lagi kanker kulit akibat dari radiasi matahari tidak bisa disembuhkan oleh para ahli-ahli di bidangnya tersebut.

Global warning merupakan pintu akhir dari segala batas menuju kepunahan spesies manusia dan organisme lainnya. Oleh karena itu, meski dunia terlambat menanggapinya, bencana-bencana tidak bisa dicegah dengan alat secanggih apapun yang siap menghancurkan ekosistim kehidupan bumi. Meskipun, bakal ada revolusi secara radikal, namun penulis tanpa harus menjadi pesimis memprediksi bahwa ini adalah proses involusi manusia dan mahluk hidup lainnya, seperti ilmu gravitasi yang ditemukan Ensteins bahwa benda jatuh kebawah, namun dewasa ini benda kembali pada asalnya, bukan lagi jatuh ke bawah.

BALI SIGHTSEING TOUR'S

with Bali Holidays Wedding

Bali...., a wonderful and enchanting jewel of island in Indonesia, doest not needs introduction..... artists and tourists have been visiting the island since 1920's. They heard of the fabulous attractions of the island by world of mouth and they come looking for beauty and peace of mind, enjoying its virgin palm-fingered beaches, green paddies and towering mountains.


VOLCANOES & HANDICRAFTS WITH CULTURAL SHOW

Dances are the major part of Balinese culture and the Barong and Kris dance which is performed every morning at Batubulan Village, is one of the best known and loved. The story is about the eternal fight between good and evil: the evil Rangda (a mythological monster) battling with the good Barong (a mythological lion). After the show, continue to Bedulu to see the elephant cave and the real highlight of the day "Kintamani", perched dramatically on top of the crater rim of Mount Batur Volcano, where you will have breathtaking views of the crater, lake, lava flows, and volcanic peaks. Enroute pass through many of Bali's famous handicraft villages such as Mas for woodcarving, beautiful Ubud for paintings, Celuk for intricate gold and silverware, or perhaps a batik factory for some lovely locally made fabric. Your return journey will take you off the beaten track past beautiful countryside, temples and terraced rice field. Highly recommended.

Bali Holidays

Bali Holidays Wedding the assurance that your Wedding Day will be the one you have always dreamed of. A wedding has always been a sacred ritual and in Bali where magic and mysteries mix in harmony, the occasion would be just perfect. We offer you various themes for your wedding party, from a small modest celebration to a huge richly ornamented party, from an ordinary indoor setting to an amazing outdoor extravaganza. We will assure you that this lifetimes moment be your best moment.

Surrounded by stunning tropical scenery and the beautiful friendly nature of the Balinese will add to the wonderful memories of your day. We offer a ceremony to suit every couple request from a full legal wedding, renewal of marriage vows or a commitment ceremony. Our service includes advice and lodgement of all legal documents, booking and liaison with Religious and Government officials and payment for their services, booking of venue and arrangement of any extras you require to complete your wedding day.

Whether your wedding dreams call for a simple, romantic ceremony on the beach or an elaborate event in the most remote area of Bali Bali Holidays Wedding is here to assist you. Our wedding specialists have years of experience arranging, planning and organizing weddings in Bali.

We've tried to provide all the necessary information, you'll need to understand, plan and budget your wedding or renewal of your wedding vows. Should we have missed something we welcome your comments, we will arrange your dream wedding or honeymoon in Bali.

In the same time we can arrange your tour program in Bali and beyond Bali like lombok tour and accommodation, jogja package, toraja tour package, komodo tour package and orang utan tour package in Bornoe island.

With the highly reduced flight travel time as well as air travel fares, adventure travel is something almost everyone is willing to try a hand at. Although the credit does go to the extensive travel lodge advertising left and right, emphasizing upon bus travel as well as travel by train, still, the bulk belongs to discount airfare travel.

Bali Airport Info

Ngurah Rai Denpasar, Bali airport
| click to see bali airport pictures |



Airport Location

The international airport of Bali, Ngurah Rai, is located at the south coast of Bali in Tuban close to Kuta Beach and Legian, at a distance of 13 km from the city of Denpasar.

The airport of Bali has a domestic and an international terminal.

Geography

The geographic location of Bali airport is at 08.44.51 S - 115.10.09 1. It's elevation is 4,3 M / 14 Feet and it comprises a total area of 265.60 Ha.
Bali airport info

At both of the terminals information desks are located.
Luggage

A left luggage counter is to be found next to the international departures terminal entrance.
Changing money

There are banks and money change offices, but you would get a more favourable rate at the banks in the towns, so just change as much as you need.
Shopping

A variety of shops serve the airport, including the duty free Plaza Bali at international departures. With world class outlets such as Hermes, Burberry's and Fendi.
Eating / Drinking

Restaurants and cafes from McDonalds to coffee shops to smart Balinese dining are open from 6am till the last flight in both terminals.
Airport Tax

Payable at departure:
Rp. 100,000 on international flights
Rp. 9 - 20,000 on domestic flights.
Business Facilities

Citibank offers executive lounges in both terminals and there is another one on the third floor with internet access and showers. Secretarial services and catering can be hired.
Disabled Facilities

Wheelchairs, lifts and general assistance are readily available.
Available Transport

Taxi, Car Rental, City Transportation

International Departures

Other Information

* Airport classification
Class 1
.
* Airport ICAO/IATA Code
WADD / DPS.
.
* Runway
Name: R-09 - 27.
Surface: asphalt / concrete.
Magnetic angle: 088-26.
Dimension: 3000m x 45m.
.
* Apron
Wide : 126.730 m 2 + 30.000 m 2 (inv. 1996)
Strengths : PCN 69 RCXT
Surface : Concrete cement
Capacity : type B- 747/ MD-11=6 ; Max. a/c B-747.400
type DC-10 =4
type DC-9 =21
.
* Street and Parking:
STREET : 134.110 m2
PARKING : 38.358 m2.
.
* Terminals:
Domestic Arrival and Departure Wide : 9.039 m2
International Arrival and Departure Wide : 28.630 m2
.
* Security facilities:
X-Ray, Walk Trough, Explosive Detector, Handy Metal Detector, PAS, PABX, Fire Alarm, CCTV, Perimeter System, Door Control, FIDS.



Contact information

Bandar Udara Ngurah Rai
Jl. Raya I Gusti Ngurah Rai
DENPASAR
80361 BALI
Phone: +62 (0)361 751011
Fax: +62 (0)361 751032
E-mail: dps@angkasapura1.co.id

Bali Culture And Nature

This part I’m going to post some photos of the nature and culture of Bali, how it’s rich culture influences the way they design the buildings, landmarks and so on. Also, there will be photos on the nature of the Bali land.



Paddy field…



Outside a gold and silver smith shop in Celuk village (famous for its gold and silverworks of jewelry made using age-old techniques)



Bali’s Reptile Park and Bird Park.





The entrance fee into the bird park was about USD 20. We decided to skip this and head elsewhere…but before we left, this beautiful parrot was just outside nearby the ticketing counter, waiting for people to admire it.





Reached Mas village where wood carving or wooden sculpture is famous for. Mas is famous as a village of wood-carvers, where many of Bali’s old masters still lives.

Brought into one of the "tourist" shop again and watched some wood carver working. Here it is known that carvers produce highly stylist and elongated figures, leaving the wood in its natural state rather than painting it as it was the traditional practice. We then moved on into their shop (for them hoping that we will spend spend spend)







Rumah Sakit in Mas…it’s a hospital. Looks more like a museum to me.



Then on to another nearby town, Ubud, where painting is famous for. Ubud is derived from the Balinese word ‘ubad’ which means medicine (’obat’ in standard Indonesian) as the town supplied medicinal herbs in ancient times.



We then head up the mountain in Kintamani to view an active volcano and a lake, known as Mount Batur & Lake Batur.

Unfortunately it was a cloudy day, with rain in the early part of the morning…so this is only what we can see (from the restaurant). The tour guide didn’t even bring us further up for a better view…since it’s so cloudy and misty.



If you want to view how it really looks like (without the mist), click here and here.

We had lunch at one of the restaurant up there. Buffet lunch. Almost every meal we had in Bali was buffet style.













Add it all up…



All these Bali folks were trying to sell souvenir items to us once we exit the restaurant…we quickly ran and go into our van. The weather there is very cooling…something like Genting because it’s at high up altitute.



We then headed on down the mountain and stop by Temen Village to have a taste of Bali’s famous coffee, Bali Coffee Luwak.

And what’s Luwak?? It’s a type of animal (cat-like) which likes to feast on high-graded coffee beans. This is how the manufacturer determines which beans are of high standard…by collecting those beans on trees that the Luwak eats, which means it’s fragrant and have a strong taste.

How the beans are roasted…the man below is just doing it for demonstration purposes.



The coffee here are free…for tasting. One group, four cups of different coffee to try. Clockwise from top right:Hot Cocoa, Ginger Tea, Bali Coffee, Ginseng Coffee.



A kayu manis (erm..forgot what it is called in English cinnamon stick) is provided for you to stir your coffee. It will give an added fragrant taste to the coffee.



"Come and feel the nature" is its tagline and yes..it does feel very relaxing to be able to sip a cuppa overlooking the nature



But of course, it’s a tourist spot, so don’t imagine it to be very quiet and peaceful.

A shop selling its product is located nearby. The most expensive coffee is of course the Bali Coffee Luwak. Made by collecting the waste of luwak which ate the coffee bean, and processed into coffee powder. How does it taste? I have no idea. This coffee was not given for free try. It is sold for Rp. 30,000 a cup though. But I wonder if I dare to try it even if I had the chance to. Here’s how it looks..



Next destination was Tampak Siring, a place where the Pura Tirta Empul temple is built around a sacred spring. This holy spring water temple has a bathing place valued by the locals because of the spring water’s curative powers.



The view around the temple…







Magnificent stone sculptures





The sacred holy water surrounded by walls



And flows out through these outlets for people to bathe. The pool is not deep, just up till about waist height.





The colourful offerings seen on top of the outlet are a norm for Balinese. They do this small offering daily, when they open their shop for business, before they start work (as in the case of our tour guide driver), before prayers and so on.





A local lady praying and do offering before going into the pool to "cleanse" herself.



A statue outside the temple.



I like this photo where I managed to capture the moon which is getting visible as night arrives and also a bird flying nearby the statue.



Finally we head on to have dinner. But while on the way to the restaurant, the tour guide stop at a rice terrace.



This beautiful terrace rice field in Tegallalang is very famous in Bali and most tourist will be dropped here for a short photo-taking.

We then arrived at a restaurant to have dinner. What’s on the menu? Crispy Duck!!!



Set meal for each of us. The main dish is of course the crispy duck. It’s really yummy but not very healthy for those health-conscious as it is deep-fried. Accompanying side dishes are soup, vegetable, crackers - something like papadum and 2 sticks of local satay (hidden below the crispy duck), rice and fruits.



While on the way back to the hotel…a big statue stands grandly on a roundabout. It has a long historical story of how this statue come about but I’m not gonna bore you with that here :P

The van was moving hence I couldn’t get a good photo of it.



This ends the second day in this full-day trip. More beautiful places and nicer photos next…. :)

to be continued….

Hard Rock Bali Hotels

Hard Rock Hotel Bali Information
Hotel Information

With Hard Rocksignature of limitless energy, unparalleled creativity and quality service, Hard Rock Hotel Bali is a place where guests can rekindle the atmosphere of the past 40 years of rock and roll culture. Situated at the heart of Bali famous shopping and entertainment district, Kuta, Hard Rock Hotel lies ten minutes away from Bali Airport. Offering more than just comfortable accommodation, the hotel also blends tropical majesty with today modern luxury. The hotel offers 418 tribute rooms and luxury suites that are well equipped with modern amenities.

Muslim village, Balinese culture

Night descended slowly on Pegayaman, a village nestled in a hilly region in the southern part of Buleleng. The quiet ambience was gradually filled with the noise of people getting ready to break their fast.

Groups of children walked along the village’s dusty main road. In their hands were plastic bags filled with cakes and fruits. They chatted animatedly as they delivered the plastic bags to the homes of their relatives and neighbors.

The children were carrying out ngejot; the Balinese-Hindu tradition of sending food-parcel gifts to relatives and neighbors, which is practiced in this predominantly Muslim village.

Ngejot illustrates the close relationship enjoyed by the village’s population of around 5,000 people and underlines their willingness to share.

Food gifts usually include traditional cakes, such as jaja uli and dodol, and fresh fruits.

Ngejot is carried out faithfully by members of the village during the fasting month of Ramadan and other Muslim celebrations.

The tradition signifies the close cultural affinity between members of the Muslim village and their surrounding, pre-dominantly Balinese-Hindu environment.

Ngejot is customary in major Balinese-Hindu rituals and temple festivals, during which people send gifts of food, usually lawar (shredded vegetables with minced meat) and satay, to their neighbors, relatives and traditional leaders.

The perbekel (head) of Pegayaman village, Ketut Asghor Ali, said the tradition demonstrated that the people of Pegayaman practiced many of the cultural traditions that belonged to Balinese-Hindus.

“As long as that tradition does not violate the basic tenets of (our) religion, then I think it’s OK. After all, ngejot is all about extending good will and sharing, which are social values promoted by every religion,” Ketut said.

Several Muslim villages in Bali practice the ngejot tradition. In the village of Kepaon in Denpasar, for instance, Muslims send the food gifts to their Hindu neighbors during Ramadan. The Balinese-Hindus in the village make a similar gesture during their Galungan and Kuningan festivals.

Muslim villages in Bali were built during the island’s feudal, pre-independence period, which explains their adaption to the surrounding Hindu communities compared to that of Javanese and Lombok migrant communities that have relocated to Bali in the last three decades.

These “old” Muslim villages included Kepaon and Serangan in Denpasar, Loloan in Jembrana, Lebah in Klungkung and Saren in Karangasem. Each village shows a different degree of acculturation with its cultural host.

Pegayaman is arguably the Muslim village with the highest degree of cultural acculturation, and ngejot is a small part of the whole picture.

The people of Pegayaman have also incorporated elements of Hindu festivals into their Muslim festivities: Prior to any major Muslim festival, residents of Pegayaman carry out several preparatory stages, including penyajaan (the making of cakes), penapean (the making of fermented cassava) and penampahan (the slaughter of animal). These stages mirror the ones undertaken prior to the Galungan and Kuningan celebrations.

The only difference is the type of animal slaughtered: Hindus sacrifice pigs while Muslims sacrifice cows.

During Muludan, a celebration of Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, the people of Pegayaman hold a colorful street parade, which includes the Balinese Ogoh-Ogoh, a papier mache giant doll carried by Balinese Hindu in a street procession to celebrate the Hindu new year.

The parade also features Sokok Basa and Sokok Taluh. The former is a multi-colored decoration while the latter is a dish made from chicken eggs. Both are similar to that used in the Balinese Hindus’ Gebogan.

A troupe chants sacred verses during the parade using the Balinese-Hindu chanting melody known as kidung. Moreover, Hadrah musicians join the parade dressed in traditional Balinese attire.

However, acculturation goes beyond the religious rituals: The Pegayaman farmers manage their rice fields and clove and coffee plantations through subak, the Balinese traditional irrigation organization.

Another example of the acculturation lies in the first names of the Pegayaman residents: They still use the Balinese names of Wayan, Made, Nyoman and Ketut, which indicate first born, second born, third born and fourth born, respectively.

The residents also use variations of those traditional first names, such as Nengah, Putu and Kadek, while their last names are mostly derived from Arabic and other popular foreign words.

For example, Muslim resident Nengah Panji Islam named his children Putu Ayu Maziyya, Made Eva Nadya and Nyoman Alvin Gautama.

“My little brother, who is married to a woman from Solo, Central Java, also insisted on giving his children Balinese first names,” he said.

Nengah said Pegayaman and its cultural acculturation had made Bali a more colorful island.

“The strong acculturation between Islamic, Balinese and Hindu cultures in Pegayaman have bestowed this island with a unique color, an enriching one,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ketut Asghor Ali said social and cultural values could be practiced by members of different faiths without impinging on the sanctity of each respective religion.

“The acculturation we have practiced here in Pegayaman sometimes makes me wonder why there are certain groups in Indonesia that insist on imposing Islamic law in this country,” Ketut said.

“Why should we impose our law on people of different faiths? Islam has multi-interpretative teachings. How can we ask (people of different faiths) to accept Islamic law while Islam itself is still divided into Shiite and Suni, which until now are still struggling to find a common ground,” he added.

Balinese Culture Info

Balinese practice their Hindu differently from those originated in India. Much of its astonishment, Hinduism blossom in this island for centuries and have surpassed the influx of Islam that flooded to its neighboring islands. Though Balinese Hinduism shares the same conceptual from those of India, the daily practice and tradition are very much different. Through-out the years, it adapts new methods, and still holds the traditional values that inherited by their grandparents.

Certain similarities are directly adopted from India such as the Weda, the Hindu bible, many epics are told for generations such as the famous Mahabharata and Ramayana epics, the gods and goddess names derived from india's origin, the Balinese writing that similar to indian characters and many other Hinduism concept. Nonetheless, Balinese Hinduism seem to developed its own tradition through the offerings (the so called banten in Bali), the establishment of castes system on the island and the temples that are similar but in many ways exquisite and are nowhere to be found but in Bali.

The articles above are collection of the best articles about Bali Hinduism, as an overview and possibly outline some distinctions from India's Hinduism.

Bali and its Culture

Culture

legong



The culture of Bali is unique. People say that the Balinese people have reached self-content. It is not an exaggeration that when a Balinese is asked what heaven is like, he would say, just like Bali, without the worries of mundane life. They want to live in Bali, to be cremated in Bali when they die, and to reincarnate in Bali.

It does not mean that the Balinese resist changes. Instead, they adapt it to their own system. This goes back far in history. Prior to the arrival of Hinduism in Bali and in other parts of Indonesia, people practice animism. When Hinduism arrives, the practice of Hinduism is adapted to local practices. The brand of Hinduism practiced in Bali is much different from that in India. Other aspects of life flow this way.

Traditional paintings, faithfully depicting religious and mythological symbolisms, met with Western and modern paintings, giving birth to contemporary paintings, free in its creative topics yet strongly and distinctively Balinese. Its dance, its music, and its wayang theaters , while have been continually enriched by contemporary and external artistry, are still laden with religious connotations, performed mostly to appease and to please the gods and the goddesses. Wood and stone carvings, gold and silver crafts parallel the development of paintings, gracefully evolving with external forces to enhance their characters. The batik of Bali owes its origin to Java, and inspired the development of ikat and double ikat.

Bali media culture

At MIT, students are trained to think critically about properties of all media and about the shared properties of different media, as well as the shared properties and functions of media more generally, both within one period of time and across generations.

MIT Comparative Media Studies offers both undergraduate degree opportunities, as well as a two-year course of study leading to an SM degree.

MIT Comparative Media Studies research and educational projects explore a wide variety of traditional media and their uses in education, entertainment, communication, politics, and commerce. Faculty are widely recognized for their leadership in developing both archival and instructional interactive projects, creating new models for thinking about, producing, and using digital media. Through several research and project initiatives we work closely with Microsoft, Initiative Media, LeapFrog Enterprises, American Theatre Wing, and the Royal Shakespeare Company.