S.E. Asia 2004

Island of Bali, Indonesia (August 2004)

Bali is so picturesque that you could be fooled into thinking it was a painted backdrop: rice paddies trip down hillsides like giant steps, volcanoes soar through the clouds, the forests are lush and tropical, and the beaches are lapped by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean (Lonely Planet).  The Balinese people are highly distinct from the rest of Indonesia, with their own language and script (which by the way is related to Sinhala, a native Sri Lankan language) and religion (Balinese Hindu).  Some random facts- no buildings can be taller than a coconut tree, in other words 2 stories.  The Japanese cleverly circumvented this by constructing a hotel off a cliff, creating an effective 7 story structure.  The capital of Bali is Denpasar, but nothing terribly worthwhile to see there.  ABOVE: Rice paddy fields along the way to Tanah Lot Temple; I've always head that rice fields are beautiful, but my gosh, little did I know.  I guess its just one of those things you have to see for yourself, the way the sunlight hits the blades, the irrigation channels and the way they move to the light breeze.

Volcano: View of one of the many volcanoes of Indonesia from 10,000 meters.  Notice the smoke.

Discovery Kartika Hotel: Pimpin 5 star accommodation right on the ocean.  Not only did we have this hotel, but a personal tour guide for our entire stay.  Julia's contacts rule.

The hotel and our private beack

Kecak Dance: The traditional Balinese style dancing with almost stereotypical body movements.  The dance tells the story of the Hindu epic Narayana, accompanied by a chorus of 150 bare chested men singing in a wondrous cacophony of "achak-achak" sounds.

Barong Dance:

Rice Paddyfields: Can't get enough of these, even though they were scattered all across Bali

Market: One of the many markets we visited and the joys of haggling.  With $1 US = 10,000 Indonesian Rupiah, let's just say we spent a chunk of our trip's money on shopping

Tradtional Balinese Temple:  This particular one is one of the oldest, dating back almost a thousand years.  No shorts were allowed, hence Matt & Casey in sarongs.  Though Hindu, Balinese temple architecture is significantly different from any other Hindu temple I've been too, with the biggest difference being that they are all open air, almost like sanctuaries.

Mount Batur & Mount Agung: Batur (1,117 meters), pictured in the center is one of the tallest volcanos Bali.  In its caldera lies Lake Batur, formed by an eruption nearly 30,000 years ago.  Mount Agung (3,142 meters), pictured to the far right is the tallest and has the most religious significance (considered to to be the center of Bali, with all temples pointing towards it), though it is covered in clouds most of the time.

Chillin at a restaurant overlooking the Bata

Lake Bratan: The 2nd argest freshwater lake in Bali, located at the base of Mount Bratan and Mount Catur.  This photo is shot from a restaurant where we had lunch.

Hillside Rice Paddyfiled: Terraced paddy fields along a hill

Tanah Lot Temple: Built on a giant rock in the sea, this 16th century temple is truly one of a kind.  Apparently poisonous snakes guard the entrance to the temple, which is only accessible by land during high tide.

Jalan Monkey Forest: Aww, isn't this so cute?

Bubba Gump Shrimp: Sound familar?  Well, that's probably cause this is straight from Forest Gump.  This chain of restaurants is opening worldwide, with Bali as no exception.  Had to entertain Julia by putting this picture up.

Balinese Night Sky: Nice shot Matt took from our room with 15 second exposure.  Granted Indonesia is in the southern hemisphere, so the stars look pretty different.

Sunset @ Kuta Beach: Beach near our hotel, such peaceful sunsets

I absolutely love this shot