Pura Tanah Lot - religion runs deep

Pura Tanah Lot is a living evidence that religion runs deep. There are so many temples in Bali - many of which were built centuries ago. 85% of Bali's population believe in Hinduism. Religion can be seen in all facets of their daily lives, rangin from the way they start their mornings with offerings to the belief that gods aid in their rice production.

As for Pura Tanah Lot, it was founded by a high priest Danghyang Nirartha who fled from Java to Bali in the 16th century due to the rise of Islam. During his travels, he was attracted to a light emanating from a point on the west coast where he stopped and meditated. Locals became entranced with Nirartha and began studying with him.

However, a local leader became jealous and challenged the high priest. Not bothered, Norartha simply moved the place where he was meditating to the sea, thus giving its name - "Temple of the Land in the Sea". He tossed his sashes into the waves, which became transformed into venomous sea snakes; they supposedly dwell in caves located in the base of the temple. The sacred snakes are considered as living guardians of the temple and prevent evil forces from trying to enter.

The temple is one of seven sea temples around the Balinese coast and definitely the most commercialised one. It's also mentioned that each of the sea temples were established within eyesight of the next to form a chain along the south-western coast.

Today, whilst I learnt about the history of the temple, it must be said that people don't. The venue has become the subject of a zillion pixels and an cultural icon for photography during sunset. History was there for us, but are we just too blinded by other sights to embrace how history came about?

Learning Bahasa

I thought that since I will be traveling to Malaysia and Indonesia for short trips in the future, it is only useful for me to learn the Bahasa language. I'm assuming that there are little differences between Bahasa Melayu and Bahasa Indonesia. Here are the list of words that I have learnt during my short trip to Bali:

pantai = beach

danau = lake
warung = food stall

daging = meat

babi = pig

daging babi = pork

tisu = napkin

kacang = peanut

air minum = bottled water
lulur = body mask
dewi = goddess
gado-gado = steamed / salad vegetables tossed in peanut sauce

Tourist Activities at an Active Volcano

Mount Batur (Gunung Batur) is an active volcano located at the center of two concentric calderas north west of Mount Agung, Bali, Indonesia. A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption.  The south east side of the larger 10×13 km caldera contains a caldera lake. The inner 7.5-kilometer-wide caldera has been dated at about 23,670 and 28,500 years ago.

The South-East wall of the inner caldera lies beneath Lake Batur. Historical eruptions have been characterized by mild-to-moderate explosive activity sometimes accompanied by lava emission. Basaltic lava flows from both summit and flank vents have reached the caldera floor and the shores of Lake Batur in historical time. The caldera contains an active, 700-metre-tall stratovolcano rising above the surface of Lake Batur.

Sy and I had a scenic lunch - with a view that overlooks the volcano. Entry to the town is 4,000 Rp per person and was included in the tour package. So was the buffet lunch. There was no rush as we weren't part of a big tour group, and I must say it was a highlight of our holiday, as the scenery was iconic - with sharp contrasts of greens, blue and grey in the background.

The first historically documented eruption of Batur was in 1804, and it has been frequently active with at least 20 more eruptions since then. The tour guide did tell us that this is an active volcano and the most recent eruption was in 1997. But a look at all the tour brouchures reveals an trekking tour to the centre of the volcano to see the sunrise. The trek starts at about 4am.

What astonishes me was that an object that can cause massive destruction and deaths to oneself could be turned into a major tourist attraction. Maybe tourists can just lured by the spectacular views, whether upclose or afar. Maybe it is part of people's bucket list. Or maybe beautiful things in life are always filled with danger.

And if so, that could be the reason why some go to the extreme to experience those dangerous beautiful moments.

The Barong Dance - good vs evil

Sy and I watched the Barong Dance, which is one of two most popular dances in Bali. We were brought there as part of a full-day tour package we signed up. Thankfully, it was the 1st item on our itinerary, else I wouldn't have the energy to decipher the artistic elements within the dance.

The Barong Dance narrates the fight between good and evil. This dance is the classic example of Balinese way of acting out mythology, resulting in myth and history being blended into reality.

The story goes that Rangda (bad), the mother of Erlangga, the King of Bali in the tenth century, was condemned by Erlangga's father because she practiced black magic. After she became a widow, she summoned all the evil spirits in the jungle, the leaks and the demons, to come after Erlangga. A fight occurred, but she and her black magic troops were too strong that Erlangga had to ask for the help of Barong.

The Barong (good) is a strange but good, mischievous and fun-loving shaggy dog-lion. It came with Erlangga's soldiers, and fight ensued. Rangda casted a spell that made Erlangga soldiers all wanted to kill themselves, pointing their poisoned kris into their own stomachs and chests. Barong casted a spell that turned their body resistant to the sharp kris. Finally, the terrible Rangda retires and good has truimphed again. (However, note that Rangda seems too powerful to be defeated and has not been killed.)

In reality, there is always the GOOD and the EVIL. And both of them are constantly fighting for our attention. And it's nearly a clear cut case that the GOOD will truimph. Just a look at history and you find millions killed due to wars and thousands displaced due to corruption. Sometimes, it becomes unclear who the good and the evil are. With deceptive looks & mannerisms, the world seems a difficult place to live in.

Maybe the Barong Dance is a reminder that the world is just a stage - everyone is an actor. To enjoy the play, you just have to act better than the rest.

Bali - an island with ironies

Bali is one weird island.
It is so rich in culture and yet filled with Westerners.
It is bustling with tourists and yet you can find corners to rest and retire.

Rich in Culture

Stone carving is Bali's most durable art form, mainly because the average stone statue isn't a convenient souvenir. Stone carving appears in set places in temples, though I was amazed to find stretches of stone carvings on natural rocks along the river bank. Stone carvers tend to stick to the tried and trusted, such as bas-reliefs depicting scenes from the Ramayana.

Western Culture

Go to Kuta, Legian and Seminyak. Head into any restaurant or the beach, and you will be outnumbered by the number of Westerners there. It could be due to the burgeoning tourism trade, it could be due to the beautiful beaches, but whatever it is, many tourists are finding this stretch of the Bali beaches very attractive.

Bustling with the tourism trade

Bali experienced 2 bombings, the first in 2002 and the second in 2005. Many would have thought that Bali's tourism trade would be affected. However, Bali received 2.57 million tourists in 2010, an 8% increase year-on-year. Australia is Bali's #1 market. There are hundreds of sleeping options within Kuta and the 2 adjacent areas, Legian and Seminyak. I was caught up in a traffic jam in Kuta, but it's said to be common to have those intense and stressful jams. Thankfully, I was in a taxi - minus all the touts, dust and motorcycles.

Serene at Sanur

Sanur is often saddled with the moniker 'Snore' and while it's true that the relaxed pace locally can take some people a while to appreciate, it's also true that this has long been the locale for people who prefer things simple and unhurried. It's a very relaxed alternative to Kuta, with a fraction of the hassles. I stayed at Sanur for 3 nights - and experienced how peaceful it can be. It turns out to be those beach resorts where locals view life a tad slower and simpler, one can read a private time at a public beach and pubs are a rarity along the busiest stretch of Sanur.