|
|
|
| |
BALI
AND AROUND - INDONESIA
|
Sept 20-October
13/06 |
Bali has an area of 5650 sq. kms.
consisting of a string of mountains, plains of rice fields and tropical
bamboo forests. About 95% of Bali's million people practice a form
of Hinduism, blended with BuddhisBali has an area of 5650 sq. kms.
consisting of a string of mountains, plains of rice fields and tropical
bamboo forests. About 95% of Bali's million people practice a form
of Hinduism, blended with Buddhism, animism and ancestor worship.
Most Balinese people are rice farmers. Other important crops include
coconut, vanilla, cloves, coffee, maize and a variety of fruits.
The Bali bombing has been devastating
to the Balinese, whose economy also depends greatly on tourism.
We talked to many locals whose lives have been changed significantly,
mainly with retail businesses who had to return to the rice fields.
It cost the government millions of dollars for the cleanup and we
heard accounts of numerous people here who could not afford proper
medical care from injuries received in the bombings. I read a Bali
newspaper that revealed the alarming statistics that there is 5
hangings a week in Bali, a result of the economic strife. The people
of Bali are wonderful, friendly, gentle, giving people and certainly
did not deserve for that to happen to them, and through no fault
of their own.
|
| September 20 - We arrived at the entrance to the
anchorage at Serangan Island where SeaBali had set
up headquarters. We anchored amidst the other Rally boats who had
all arrived long before us. Ashore we took care of formalities,
checking in, sending away our passports for Visa renewal, signing
up for tours, etc. |
 |
That evening we were invited for Dinner
and a party on Siloloma, a 100 foot replica of a traditional
Indonesian fishing boat. The crew provided personal transport from
the yachts to Siloloma. |
 |
The boat is used for corporate charter
and has 5 star accommodations with immaculate cabins decorated to
the nines. We were presented with a lavish spread of Balinese foods
that included an endless assortment of dishes. Two bands played,
one a traditional Hindu group, and also a modern rock band. We danced
and had a marvellous time. |
 |
Bali
Marina
September 21
We left early with
GWTW to move our boats to Bali Marina, in
Benoa Harbour, where we met up with Stardust.
The marina was pretty basic but provided a dock that made doing
boat repairs easier and accommodated our plan to travel around
Bali a bit.
|
 |
 |
|
Ascension at the marina
dock
|
The Marina had a restaurant which
was a great meeting place over drinks and dinner.
|
 |
The dock was often busy with line
ups of tourists waiting to board the various day and dinner
cruise boats. |
 |
Daily offerings also replenished
everywhere, including the Marina. |
|
 Tabanan Regency, Bali
Once settled
in at the dock we caught a taxi back to the anchorage in time
to board a bus for a full day free excursion put on by SeaBali.
Our journey took us through farmlands of rice fields and to
several temples including one boasting the very best sunsets....more
|
|
September
22
Kuta is the center of mainstream tourism in Bali and
the area where the two 2002 bombings caused such long term damage
to the tourist industry of Indonesia.
We joined
Stardust for lunch at a modern restaurant on the Kuta
commercial strip, and then Gord and I wandered the colorful streets,
alleys and lanes, bargaining with the challenging venders over shirts,
shorts and souvenirs.
We managed to
return to the marina with many items of much needed replacement
clothing for us both and we still had some money left over!
|
 |
Everywhere you
had to be careful not to step on the small offerings placed each
day on the sidewalks, roads, doorways, and in the shops to placate
bad spirits and pay homage to the good ones. The offerings included
food, rice, flowers and other offerings in decorated baskets with
burning incense.
|
|
Enormous elaborately carved statues
are everywhere, always in the center of the many traffic circles
around the island. They are monuments to respect the Bali ancestors
who had lost their lives during the struggling time against the
Dutch colonialists |
 |
|
Every doorway has a statue
guarding it, usually draped with the traditional black and white
checkered sarong. This is again the good vs evil so that only
the good spirits may enter. |
 |
 |
No opportunity is missed to worship
God in unending series of ceremonies extending from birth to death,
and far beyond. Festivals are important features in Balinese life.
We saw numerous parades of people celebration Cremations or delivering
ashes to the ocean.
|
 |
 |
Most of these ceremonies occur on fixed dates, some are
anniversary celebrations of temples and others seem a little far
fetched, like the day set aside to celebrate vehicles, motor bikes,
bemos and even boats.
On this day, all the passing vehicles were decorated and a ceremony
to "Bless the Boats" was carried out at the marina. |
 |
 |
|
Galungan is the most
important holiday symbolizing the victory of virtue (dharma) over
evil (adharma). We saw numerous tall bamboo poles, placed on the
right side of the entrances to houses, each decorated with woven
coconut leaves, fruit, cakes, flowers and other gifts of nature.
Another important day is the Hindu
Balinese "Saka New Year," a day of total silence through
the island...no physical activity is allowed, no traffic on the
roads, no fire may be lit, no amusements, no work. The Muslim
people respect this day in support of the Hindu beliefs.
|
|
Bangli Tour
|
Sept 23
We took advantage
of another free excursion put on by SeaBali that focused
on the Bagli Recency, the leading producer of horticultural
goods such as oranges, coffee beans and beef. Our tour included
the holy spring water temple of Tampak Siring Dan, Mount
and Lake Batur, a
Barong Dance, Handicraft
Demonstrations,
a visit to
the homes in Penglipuran Village, and a trip to Kehen
Temple. ...more
|
|
Klunklung
Tour
|
Sept 26
After a taxi
ride from the marina to Serangan Island, we boarded one of
the four buses and headed out of town behind our police escort bound
for the regency of Klungklung. Klungklung is considered to
be the icon in spiritualism with an abundance of local artisans
who produce quality handicrafts.....more
|
| AA whole community was devoted to wood carving with various
roadside galleries lining the street. One interesting shop was chock
full of rocking horses, various sizes and colors. There were even
some rocking zebras. The price started at 1,000,000 rupiah (about
$125.00). Many were in the process of being made and a row of little
horses waiting to be painted looked like a cavalcade for a parade! |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We visited unique furniture shops
of exquisite hand made teak items
|
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
We left Ubud and entered
the lush rolling hills covered with terraced rice paddies
|
At the top of the
mountainous countryside we had a buffet lunch overlooking the splendor,
every shade of green imaginable
|
|
Rice is the staple
for the Indonesian diet and many varieties are grown. In most
areas the rice patties require careful water management and often
the crops can only be grown in the wet season. The rice takes
3 months to mature so there are usually several crops planted
each year. Cows still work the paddies as it is too difficult
to get machinery into the muddy fields.
The Water Palace
consisted of beautiful gardens full of lotus ponds, statues,
water spouts depicting animals, monuments and flowers.
|
 |
 |
The fields are patterned with
little shelters for the cows that work the fields. The cows
are sacred and very well cared for. Pictured right are "haystacks"
of corn husks left in the trees to dry. The hay is added to
salt water to make it palatable for the cow. |
|
Lovina Beach, on the north
Bali coast with black beaches and a small friendly environment,
was another tourist destination . But again, as a result of the
bombing, there were empty hotels and very few visitors.
We arrived at our hotel, pleasantly
surprised at our accommodation which was $25/night. Although not
quite 5 star, it was charming, clean and the food was excellent.
|
 |
 |
 |
|
The gardens around the hotel and
pool were very beautiful |
|
The following morning, after walking
down the beach and through the streets of Lovina, we headed west toward
the Bali Barat National Park. Monkeys hung out along
the road, Agus slowed right down to 15 km/hr because monkeys
(and cats) are sacred and to hit one would bring very bad luck to
the family! We stopped briefly as I had some peanuts. But the peanuts
were really salty and we had to laugh as the monkey took the first
peanut out of his mouth and rubbed it between his fingers to remove
the salt. He cleaned each subsequent peanut so it was fit for his
palate.
|
 |
| The north western part of Bali is very arid during the dry
season which it was when we were traveling through. The land was parched
and nothing grew. The threat of fires was huge and there was no water
to put out fires. However, when the rain comes, there is a major flooding
problem as rivers overflow their banks. |
|
Another procession, we were told, was
a parade carrying the body in an elaborately decorated casket to the
cemetery. It costs much money for a cremation and not all families
can afford one. The belief is that the deceased will not have a good
next life and the family will suffer if the proper cremation ritual
is not performed so often the cremations are carried out later on,
after the family has raised enough money, sometimes jointly with other
departed persons. |
 |
 |
|
We drove along the western coastline
of Bali, the surf pounding on the rocky shoreline. Our lunch stop
was high above the cliffs, with a view of the rice patties and the
huge frothing chaotic breakers below. |
 |
Agus told us many
stories and details about the corruption of the Government
in Bali, the Police force on the take, and Government appropriating
funds from the citizens. It did seem that the most lavish buildings
were those decorating the wealthy government grounds. (right)
|
 |
|
Our travels took us past all sorts
of depictive architecture symbolic of Bali. To the left is an
multifarious archway carved form cement. Ornate monuments and
statues stood on the government grounds near Negara.
|
 |
|
 |
|
We ended our tour with a trip
to Senur, where we walked the streets, shopped, found
an internet and ate pizza for supper. We returned to the boat
and joined Gone with the Wind and Stardust
for a nightcap.
|
|
Oct 4
I made a trip to
Sanur to finish uploading my web pages and pick up groceries
for provisions to Singapore. In the tourist center of Sanur, as at
Kuta beach there are dozens of women wandering the beach offering
manicures, pedicures, massages, braids, clothes, whatever. There is
an endless string of shops selling clothing and souvenirs. Internet
was painfully slow and, to add injury to insult, the server went down
all over town.
Oct 5
After bidding farewell
to GWTW the morning before as they set sail to assist
Stardust, 2 days away, with their faulty engine, we
finally were ready to catch up. But as we turned on our instruments
it became evident that the auto pilot was not working. So the entire
day was spent trying to locate the source of the problem.
Oct 6
We finally admitted
defeat to fixing the autopilot, reckoning it was the course computer
that had packed it in. After locating a dealer in Singapore, and numerous
emails later, we set out to transfer money for a new system (they
didn’t take credit card payments) and complete necessary paperwork.
But this proved to be a long drawn out operation.
Since there is
normally a 30% duty charged on boat parts brought into Indonesia,
we paid a visit to Customs to clear into Bali, which gave us the paperwork
that might help us negotiate the charges.
Then we walked
to a bank that offered Western Union services but we could not pay
(in rupiah) using cash from our Credit card. ATM’s have a 1,500,000
limit on withdrawals and we needed 19,000,000!! So we took a
taxi into Kuta to another bank. After waiting in a long line-up we
were informed the bank did not accept Mastercard (only Visa), so off
we went to another bank. We again took a number and after another
lengthy wait, with the taxi meter running, we were informed
that the most we could withdraw on our credit card was 10,000,000
per day. So we withdrew our limit and set off to find another bank.
7 banks later, we finally were ready with enough cash to take to Western
Union. With some difficulty we found a Western Union in the area,
but the man who could do the transactions was at lunch. Again, off
we went on another search.
Finally, after
an enormous amount flashing on the taxi meter, we completed our money
transfer 10 banks and 6 hours later! We returned to the marina exhausted
and ready for the breakfast we had missed.
Oct 7
We were informed
that after everything we had gone through the day before, our contact
in Singapore had given us the wrong name. He signed his emails and
went by the name of Thomas Beck but his real name and identification
was Beck Song Chung so he couldn't collect the money we sent. Of course
it was Saturday and all the Western Union offices were closed. We
would have to wait until Monday to try and rectify the problem. We
were now the only ones left in Bali from the rally and our Visa was
running out fast.
Mid morn, Liam and
Annie showed up at the marina with Bob. Gone with the Wind
had sailed 2 days to rescue Bob on Stardust,
sail him back to Bali, rent a car to drive back to Dempassar
so Bob could get his muffler welded. It is truly commendable how fellow
yachties will step forth to help out. It's a wonderful feeling to
know you have such true friends out here!
We accompanied the
group to town, stopping at Kuta to be sure Western Union was
in fact closed. Bob picked up his muffler good as new and before long
we said goodbye to our friends once again. They promised that they
would wait for us and we could at least travel together from Borneo
to Singapore (the most dangerous waters in Indonesia).
Oct 10
We finally got the
money sorted and the part had arrived at the airport. We had already
made several trips to customs and were told that the part would be
duty free as long as we checked into Bali and had the necessary paper
work accompany the package, which we did.
However, after numerous
phone calls to DHL and another trip to customs, the shipper insisted
that we pay duty before the parcel was released. In desperation we
finally went to the airport and ended up camping in the DHL office
for a number of hours, talking to every manager and official we could.
Another trip to customs finally reinforced that duty was not
payable. However, it seemed that we would now need to hire an agent
to reverse the paperwork. And, no surprise, the fee would be the same
as the duty they wanted to charge - $450,000 rupiah, but it would
take several more days to process.
So we relented,
paid the duty and left with our new auto-helm, none the wiser for
trying to get around paying the duty on a part that was leaving the
country within the next few days.
|
 |
October 11
The next couple of days were spent installing
the auto-helm, which of course did not fit in our boat! Gord had to
build a shelf and a bracket but finally made it all work.
We were finally ready to leave and catch
up with our friends./font>/span>
We untied the dock lines at 5:30 am and
waved farewell to Bali.
|
|
