Indonesia – Travels With Tricia

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

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

Perched on a column near Bali’s sacred 11th-century Uluwatu 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 the 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’sContinue reading “A Stroll Through Balinese Markets”

Photo du Jour: A Balinese Balancing Act in Ubud

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

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.

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

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

Just living is not enough… one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.-Hans Christian Anderson 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’sContinue reading “Photo du Jour: A Red Hibiscus in Buddha’s Hand – Ubud, Bali”

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

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

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

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

Spectators watch 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 macaques 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 accessoriesContinue reading “An Evening Ablaze: Attending the Kecak Fire Dance at Bali’s Uluwatu Temple”

Photo du Jour: Threshing Rice in Bali

Women carry a basket of rice in Bali, as they prepare to thresh it.

A Lesson in Making Balinese Canang Sari

A woman holds Balinese 'canang sari' in her hand. These flowery spiritual offerings are placed in sacred places on the island of Bali.

On a quiet and serene morning in Ubud, I was invited to learn how to make beautiful Balinese canang sari. These floral spiritual offerings adorn Bali’s temples, streets, home entrances, and any place that the Balinese people believe to be sacred. You might even spot some on trees and statues. The setting for my lesson was the rice paddy-encircled homeContinue reading “A Lesson in Making Balinese Canang Sari”