Travels with Tricia

Category: Indonesia

  • A Balinese macaque (monkey) sits on a column looking out at the ocean at the Uluwatu Temple.

    Photo du Jour: Into the Wild Blue Yonder – Ulu Watu Temple, Bali

    Perched on a column near Bali’s sacred 11th-century Ulu Watu Temple, a wild Balinese Macaque gazes out over the Indian Ocean. This critter’s serene stance could be misleading, however, given the mischievous nature of many of these monkeys on Uluwatu’s scenic grounds.

  • A Stroll Through Balinese Markets

    Balinese markets are a feast for the eyes. In Ubud’s bazaar and food and produce markets, there are stacks of colorful rattan offering boxes, wooden masks with intimidating gazes, small cases comprised of beads in swirling patterns, delicate batik silk scarves, walls of oil-adorned canvases, and overflowing mounds of tropical fruits. The markets are a shopper’s…

  • In Ubud, Bali, three women carrying baskets of soils on their heads.

    Photo du Jour: A Balinese Balancing Act in Ubud

    With baskets of soil balanced on their heads, three Balinese women ascend the stairs of a performance theater in Ubud, Bali. The graceful stance of the laborers is reminiscent of the dancers who perform there regularly in the evenings.

  • A red Hibiscus flower is placed in the hands of a statue in Ubud, Bali.

    Photo du Jour: A Red Hibiscus in Buddha’s Hand – Ubud, Bali

    At our home away from home in Bali, Indonesia, this Buddha statue greeted us daily with a splendid flower in hand. The flowers — quite often hibiscuses or frangipanis — had been carefully selected and placed by the homestay’s hostess, Ayu. Like the practice of making canang sari, Ayu’s ritual is another example of the…

  • Motorcycles and cars drive past Udud's Royal Palace at night.

    Photo du Jour: Ubud, Bali’s Royal Residence By Night

    Cars and motorbikes motor past Ubud’s Palace at night. Only their light trails are visible.

  • Spectators watch the kecak fire dance at Bali's Uluwatu Temple.

    An Evening Ablaze: Attending the Kecak Fire Dance at Bali’s Uluwatu Temple

    The setting for the Balinese Kecak Fire Dance was dramatic. First, we passed a swarm of mischievous macaque monkeys that spiriting away visitors’ sunglasses, water bottles, and sandals before our very eyes. We’d read warnings about these cheeky monkeys prior to arriving at the Uluwatu Temple, and the guidebooks advised visitors to stow away any removable…