Bali Slices - A Slice of Art Culture Lifestyle and Humanity

KEDONGANAN JIMBARAN BEACH A BEST LOVED CULINARY TOURISM VILLAGE

2011-11-02T20:21:00.000-07:00

KEDONGANAN JIMBARAN BEACH - A BEST LOVED CULINARY TOURISM VILLAGE

Kedonganan Customary Village known as a famous as culinary tourism village. There are about 24 cafe's offering luscious seafood delecacies that can be encounter along the shoreline of Kedonganan.
I Ketut Madra, the head of the village Credit Agency (LPD) of Kedonganan Customary Village said that the existence of Kedonganan Beach as a fishery center in Badung is considered by citizens as an oppprtunity develope the culinary business. from this envolved a cafe or grilled seafood stalls that specially provided various kinds of menu along the Kedonganan Beach.

Starting in 2007, the Kedonganan Customary Village supported by Badung Regency arranged the area of Kedoangan Beach. The presence of cafe was then set up properly so the could maximize the potential of local residents. Having passed through a long process, it could be esthablished 24 units of cafe where the physical construction was financed by LPD of Kedonganan Customary Village anounting to IDR 500 million for working capital and inventory. overall the capital invested for the cafe business approximately reached IDR 12 billion.

He said the management of the 24 cafe's was handed over to six customary hamlets existing at Kedonganan Village. Each hamlet was given the right to manage four units of cafe. its was strategy to improve the welfare of Kedonganan society through join effort by utilizing the village territory located on the coast.

furheremore, he said that since then known the Kedonganan Beach was well known as a culinary tourism village. The menus on offer comprosed the grilled fish, lobster, shrimp, mussels, crab,squid, and supporting menus such as chilli-style menus of Kedonganan, water spinach with plecing sauce and some others. Flavor and aroma on offer had its own characteristics that could not be found elsewhere. Sourch : Bali Travel News Oct-Nov 2011

TRADITIONAL MARKET BADUNG

2011-11-01T07:53:00.000-07:00

TRADITIONAL MARKET BADUNG

Traditional Market located at the main road, Gajah Mada Street, is the center of the town's economics. This area become shoping centre of Bali. This market can not be changed from the existing market across badung river's. called Kumbasari market because the local society will feel that their shoping experience would be incomplete without going there to the Kubasari Market, especialy for the balinese who want to buy their ceremonial item.

Kumbasari market sells costume and clothing items at prices relatively cheaper than clothing item sold at the shops in Gajah Mada street which are mosltly owned by citizens of chinese clan. Kumbasari Market was previously caled Peken Payuk (pot market); it sold such as gerabah (jar like pot), cobek (clay plates), paso (clay bucket), camtan (clay water jug), jeding (clay barrel), penyuntukan (mixer from clay), kekeb (rice cover) and others. All of these items are used as kitchenware and for ceremony. Since the market most popular as a place to sell payuk/pot, hence Kumbasari Market in the past was referred to Peken Payuk or Pot Market. The location of Denpasar Market is encircled by shops along the street of Gajah Mada, on the righ side there is Sulawesi street which is famous for textiles.

Denpasar Traditional Market is progressively strenghening the identity of Denpasar's economic center which is open 24 hours abd is never silent or empty of visitor. At traditional Market, you will find transaction taking place between buyers and merchants with multi fariouse merchandise to satisfy life's daily needs such as kitchen supplies, appliances requiried for Hindu ritual, fruite and traditional clothes. In this market, you will see the local people, especially the women who carry extremely heavy item in a big basket balanced on their heads. sourch : Bali Travel News Oct-Nov 2011

GERMANY CELEBRATES FALL OF BERLIN WALL

2009-11-09T06:17:00.000-08:00

GERMANY CELEBRATE FALL OF BERLIN WALL

BERLIN – With prayers, music and pomp, Germany on Monday remembered the 20th anniversary of the day the Berlin Wall fell, sending East Germans flooding west and setting in motion events that soon led to the country's reunification.
Chancellor Angela Merkel — reunited Germany's first leader to grow up in the communist east — started the day with President Horst Koehler and other leaders at a prayer service at a former East Berlin church that was a rallying point for opposition activists in 1989.
"We remember the tears of joy, the faces of delight, the liberation," Lutheran Bishop Wolfgang Huber told the congregation at the Gethsemane Church.
East Germany's fortified border crumbled on the evening of Nov. 9, 1989, after 28 years holding in the country's citizens — a pivotal moment in the collapse of communism in Europe that followed a confused announcement by a senior official.
At the end of a plodding news conference, Politburo spokesman Guenter Schabowski offhandedly said East Germany was lifting restrictions on travel across its border with West Germany.
Pressed on when the regulation would take effect, he looked down at his notes and stammered: "As far as I know, this enters into force ... this is immediately, without delay."
Schakowsky has said he didn't know that the change wasn't supposed to be announced until the following morning.
East Berliners streamed toward border crossings. Facing huge crowds and lacking instructions, border guards opened the gates — and the wall was on its way into history.
Merkel said she was among the East Germans who, hearing Schakowsky’s words, thought "something might happen on the evening of Nov. 9." Like many others, she made her way across.
"We were speechless and happy," the 55-year-old recalled in an interview with ARD television.
Music from Bon Jovi and Beethoven was to recall the joy of the border's opening, which led to German reunification less than a year later and the swift demolition of most of the wall — which snaked around West Berlin, a capitalist enclave deep inside East Germany, for 96 miles (155 kilometers).
Memorials also were planned to the 136 people killed trying to cross the border. Candles were lit and 1,000 towering plastic foam dominoes placed along the wall's route to be tipped over.
Also expected in Berlin for the ceremonies were the leaders of all 27 European Union countries and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev.
By the Brandenburg Gate, the symbol of Germany's division and then of its reunification, which for nearly three decades stood just behind the wall in no man's land, Dieter Mohnka, 74, and his wife Helga, 71, originally from East Berlin, shared a bowl of French fries, and recalled the night the wall was opened.
"We were shocked when we heard that announced, simply astounded," said Helga. "The next morning we went straight to visit my aunt in the West."
Dieter, who taught high school at the time, said he had long been fascinated with West Germany.
"I was born in East Germany, I went to school in East Germany. I was supposed to teach the kids about the wonderfulness of the East, when I was secretly watching TV from the West," he said.
Later Monday, music and fireworks will hark back to the night of Nov. 9, 1989, when people danced atop the Berlin Wall in front of the gate. On that cold night, years of separation and anxiety melted into the unbelievable reality of freedom.
East Germans came in droves, many driving their sputtering Trabant cars. Hundreds of thousands crossed over the following days, as West Berlin stores stayed open late and banks gave out 100 western marks in "welcome money," then worth about $50, to each East German visitor.
By Nov. 12, more than 3 million of East Germany's 16.6 million people had visited the west, while tourists chiseled off chunks of the war to keep as souvenirs.
"That was the day of all days," said Walter Momper, the mayor of West Berlin at the time, who attended a candle lightening ceremony at the wall memorial at Bernauer Strasse.
"I'm happy again every time I remember that we all got to this unification in such a peaceful way," he said.
Hundreds of visitors from around the world lit candles and put them in sand boxes in front of the Bernauer Strasse wall memorial, next to one of the few remaining stretches of the Berlin Wall.
Earlier, a brass orchestra played and many school children placed red and yellow roses at the memorial.
Annika Fischer, a school teacher, showed her class of 10-year-old students a mark on the pavement, where the wall once stood.
"This is where the wall was, and we are now walking from the west into the east," she said, crossing the brick line. "I could not do that 20 years ago." sourch: http://www.yahoonews.com/ by : KIRSTEN GRIESHABER

NUSA DUA FIESTA 2009 - A GREEN TOURISM CELEBRATION

2009-10-09T01:20:00.000-07:00

NUSA DUA FIESTA 2009 - A GREEN TOURISM CELEBRATION

This year, from the 17th to the 21st October, Nusa Dua celebrates the 13th edition of its famous Art Festival, organized by BTDC (Bali Tourism Development Corporation), supported by all the hotels in Nusa Dua area. During 5 days, the visitors will enjoy some performances of Art, Culture, Sport and Exhibition and participate to Fun Games. The specific theme, “Green Tourism”, recalls us the importance of the protection and the preservation of the overall environment to keep the best impact ever to continue to make of Bali a pleasant and clean Tourism Destination. Every year, this event welcomes thousand visitors from all around the world on the beautiful peninsula in Nusa Dua. This event is one of the most important in Bali, gathering together numerous artists from each provinces of Indonesia.
Place: Nusa Dua, 15min. driving from Ngurah Rai International Airport
Date: 17 – 21 October 2009

sourc: http://www.balinusaduaresort.com/

SANUR VILLAGE FESTIVAL 2009

2009-08-02T09:23:00.000-07:00

THE FOURTH INSATALLMENT OF SANUR VILLAGE FESTIVAL 2009
(12-16 AUGUST 2009)

Initiated by community of Sanur through the Sanur Development Foundation, at first Sanur Village Festival is held to revive tourism sector and to attract more tourists to visit this area and the island of Bali . Famous for its tranquility Sanur is the first tourist destination in Bali and the only resort type tourist object owned by the Denpasar municipality.

Since the first celebration of the Sanur Village Festival, this event has been listed at Bali 's event calendar as one of the annual tourist attractions. The fourth Sanur Village Festival is set for the 12 to 16 of August 2009 at the same venue with full of fun activities in five days festivity. This year theme is “Marine Life” in line with the extension of our national program Visit Indonesia Year 2009. Cultural activities will still dominate this festival such as traditional performances, parade, music, collaboration show, water sports and food festival as our main attraction, also not to forget our green program under water festival with its coral reef plantation. We invite everyone to participate and enjoy an unforgettable experience in the serene beauty of Sanur.

sourch : http://www.gotosanur.com/

INTERNATIONAL BALI 10K - 2009

2009-07-11T09:22:00.000-07:00

INTERNATIONAL BALI 10K - 2009

INTERNATIONAL BALI 10K is a program of Bali Provincial Government, organized by Bali Government Tourism Office in cooperation with Ministry Cultural and tourism of Indonesia , City/Regency Government, PB PASI, PASI Provincial Office with Matahari Convex as its Official Event Organizer.

INTERNATIONAL BALI 10K will be held on:
Day : Sunday
Date : 09 th August 2009
Time : 06.00 a.m. Central Indonesia Time
(Waktu Indonesia Tengah/WITA)
Start and finish point are located at Monumen Perjuangan Rakyat Bali, Renon, Denpasar.

RACE MILESTONES & REGULATIONS

INTERNATIONAL BALI 10K participants are divided into 4 (four) categories:

International Male and Female Elite Top Athletes' category
National Male and Female Top Athletes' category
General Public category (college students, employees, Indonesian Armed Forces, and the Indonesian Police)
High school students' category

The minimum age of a participant at the time of race is 15 years (proven with copy of Birth Certificate or Student's Identification card) Drinking posts are available at KM 5, with Water Shower posts available at KM 7. The Organizing Committee provides medical facilities during the race, all the way from Start to Finish. The traveling time is visible for every participant based on the mobile time recording device mounted on cars/vehicles facing the runners.
Winners of respective categories will receive a cash prize according to the prizes list.
All participants (top international and national athletes are exemptions) are recommended to wear a T-shirt provided by the Organizing Committee at the time of registration. Registrations require all registrars to complete in full all required details on the Registration form. Participants are also required to wear their individual chest number upon entering the race grounds.

INTERNATIONAL BALI 10K participants with no exemptions are required to re-register at the Secretariat post upon arrival to the race track area. Final registration at this point are significant, so as to mark the participant's presence at the Start point. Failure to re-register may result in disqualification of the race upon reaching Finish point.
The Organizing Committee will also provide door prizes. Distributions of door prizes are attendance-based where participants' chest number is recorded on portion of card prize draw - this only for participants who finished and completed the race, and have reached the Finish point.
Information and registration are available on website http://www.bali10k.com/

VIDEO SHOWS VIGOROUS JACKSON BEFORE DEATH

2009-07-02T18:29:00.002-07:00

VIDEO SHOWS VIGOROUSE JACKSON BEFORE DEATH

LOS ANGELES (AFP) – A video released Thursday showed Michael Jackson vigorously practicing a song-and-dance routine days before his death, supporting accounts he had been in good health.In footage obtained by AFP, the pop legend performed at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on June 23, two days before he died, as he prepared for a 50-date set in London starting in July.Jackson, while thin, is seen dancing with energy in a tightly choreographed sequence with a group of performers. Jackson sings on a headset and at one point pushes back his jacket to reveal his red shirt underneath.In the footage, Jackson switches sharply in styles in a medley of some of his hits. The video starts with Jackson dancing wildly in front of a rock 'n' roll guitarist before a pause for dramatic effect.

Jackson then shifts to a snippet of "Billie Jean," one of his greatest hits, before singing, "They Don't Care About Us," one of his most controversial tracks in which he brought in a hip-hop influence.The set ends with a sample of a car horn. The stage then fades to black as an outside voice instructs, "Hold for applause."Associates of Jackson have described the 50-year-old pop star as being in good form, including at another rehearsal just hours before his death.

Jackson collapsed and died on June 25 at his rented Los Angeles mansion. Speculation has focused on whether Jackson was taking painkillers or other medication.
Jackson's voice coach Dorian Holley said Jackson was in an upbeat mood in the days before his death, joking around with his wardrobe and makeup staff.

"My friends call and ask, 'Was Michael sick? Was he weak? Was he ill?' It's the absolute opposite of that," Holley told CNN."He was very energetic, he was happy. He was even more playful than he normally was at rehearsal," he said.
Holley said Jackson, 50, did not show his age.

"I'm sure that he was in pain after some rehearsals. But I got to tell you something -- the guys and girls dancing with him were all in their 20s," he said.
"When Michael was on stage with them, there was only one person that you could watch and that was Michael Jackson," he said.A similar account came from Kevin Mazur, who was attending the rehearsal sessions as a photographer.

"He was like an expectant father pacing up and down the stage," Mazur told Britain's Sun tabloid."He was just so focused. Between songs, he burst into laughter and joked around with his dancers and the director. I have never seen him so happy," Mazur said.
Jackson had planned a series of concerts at London's O2 Arena starting on July 13, part of a comeback for the King of Pop whose personal and financial life had sharply deteriorated in the past decade.

Concert promoters AEG Live, who released the video, are offering full ticket refunds for the concerts. British media reports said about 50 million pounds (59 million euros, 83 million dollars) has been spent on 750,000 tickets. sourch : www.yahoo.com/news (thu, jul 2, 2009).

31st BALI ARTS FESTIVAL 2009

2009-06-13T10:55:00.000-07:00

31st BALI ARTS FESTIVAL 13 JUNE - 11 JULY 2009

The History of the Bali Arts Festival

When tourism took off after 1965, the Balinese insisted that it followed cultural guidelines: if tourism was to be accepted, it was to be a cultural tourism, or "pariwisata budaya".
As the Balinese put it: "Tourism should be for Bali instead of Bali for tourism." In time, this idea become national policy, as part of a larger revping of regional cultures for national purposes. The policy owes much to the former Director General of Culture (1968-1978) and Governor of Bali (1978-1988), Ida Bagus Mantra, an Indian-educed Balinese. It led, on the one side, to the creation of enclave resorts such as Nusa Dua to limit the direct impact of tourism, and on the other, to a long haul cultural policy aimed at nurturing and preserving the traditional agrarian culture while adapting it to the demands of modernity, and in particular of "cultural tourism".
At the village level, local music groups, dances and other cultural events were inventoried, then supported by a series of contests at the district and regency level. The ensuing competition energized the cultural life of villages, whose "young blood" was already being drained to the city by the process of economic change and urbanization.

Schools of dance and art were created, in particular the Kokar conservatory and the STSI School of Dance and Music. Beside research, these schools replaced the traditional master/disciple relationship by modern methods of teaching; standardized the dance movements, produced new types of Balinese dances for tourism and modern village entertainment. Most important, it enabled former students to return to the villages as teachers, where they diffused, beside the creed of cultural resilience and renewal, new dances and standardized versions of old ones.
Many of the performances are held at the amphitheater which can hold up to 6,000 spectators, in a temple-like stage.

Each year, the Bali Arts Festival, beside the fed classical dances of the island, such as the legong, gambuh, kecak, barong, baris, mask dances and the like, is based on the theme around which new "dance choreography" is produced and old village dances and activities revived. Over the years, the whole range of classical Balinese stories - Ramayana, Mahabharata, Sutasoma, Panji - have thus been turned into "colossal" Sendratari Ballets.

The main challenge to the Arts Festival is obviously economic in nature. As village life is increasingly feeling the strains of monetary considerations, dancers, musicians and others cannot be expected to continue participating simply for the sake and the pleasure of it. As costs soar, new sources of financing have to be found. The obvious answer is the private sector and in particular the tourism industry. The greater task then is to convince the hotels, travel agencies and tourist guides to be more participatory in the Arts Festival rather than to their own sponsored events.

Considering the pride the Balinese have in their culture, and the adaptability and dynism they have always demonstrated, this little hurdle can be overcome. Trust the Balinese. They will eventually succeed to transform their tradition into a modern, Balinese culture of their own.

LADY PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN

2009-06-11T07:48:00.000-07:00

BALI SoDA (Bali School of Dramatic Art) AND ASTON DENPASAR HOTEL AND CONVENTION CENTER

PRESENT

LADY PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN on 12-14 JUNE 2009

Bali School of Dramatic Art is an accredited higher learning institute for performance art. esthablished in 2007 it has quickly grown to be known as a school for excellent in drama, musical theatre and classical ballet. Bali SoDA is the sole provider and representative of LAMDA (The London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art)

The london Academy of Music & Dramatic Art is one of the oldest drama institute in the world. LAMDA guides Bali SoDA students making sure they are given the best education in performance art under the guidance. Student the age of 5 years old are assessedeach year by LAMDA examiners and qualification gain at Bali SoDA serve them trhoughtout their lives.

LAMDA courses at Bali SoDA from pat of the QCA ( Qualification Curriculum Admissions) and young students from the age of 1 years old qualify to gain UCAS (University College, Adminissions Service). UCAS points are essential to gainning entrance into universities and colleges. Acredited performance education at an international standard is only available at Bali SoDA. Our drama faculty are actors, director, and stage managers, from top dramaacademies in the UK, South Africa, Canada and U.S.A.

Bali SoDA and Aston Denpasar Hotel and Convention center present the LADY PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN on 12-14 June 2009. Part of the ticket sale will donated to UNICEF program for children. For more detail please contact Aston Denpasar Hotel and Convention Center at 62 361 411 999 E: salesmanager2@astondenpasar.com or prmanager@astondenpasar.com and BALI SoDa at 62 361 434 701, E : info@balisoda.com

Please don't miss it..........

NYEPI - SILENCE DAY IS HINDU NEW YEAR IN BALI ISLAND

2009-03-26T16:40:00.000-07:00

A DAY OF SILENCE - NYEPI 2009

Nyepi is the Hindu New Year in the Bali Island of Indonesia. The New Year is observed as ‘a day of silence’ as Nyepi symbolically represents the state of the universe before creation. Bali Hindu New Year is based on lunar calendar. In 2009, the date of Nyepi is March 26.
Nyepi is marked by numerous rituals and pujas and is spread over four days. The important rituals begin two days before Nyepi. The rituals and celebrations end the day after Nyepi.
The most important ritual associated with Nyepi is the bathing of village deities in the sea. This is followed by a purification ritual of burning the evil. Then it is Nyepi, a day of silence and the last day is dedicated to prayers and meeting of relatives and friends.
The Bali Hindu Calendar is based on the Saka calendar – the one followed by the Indian government and by some Hindu communities in India. (http://www.hinduworld.com/)

VALENTINE DAY THE APPRECIATION OF LOVE

2009-02-13T07:46:00.000-08:00

VALENTINE DAY THE APPRECIATIONs OF LOVE......

Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day is an occasion celebrated on February 14 by many people throughout the world. In the West, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery. The holiday is named after two among the numerous Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.

The day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of "valentines." Modern Valentine symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards.[1] The sending of Valentines was a fashion in nineteenth-century Great Britain, and, in 1847, Esther Howland developed a successful business in her Worcester, Massachusetts home with hand-made Valentine cards based on British models. The popularity of Valentine cards in 19th-century America was a harbinger of the future commercialization of holidays in the United States.[2]

The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year, behind Christmas. The association estimates that, in the US, men spend in average twice as much money as women.[3]. http://www.en.wikipedia.com/

ANCIENT - SYRIAC BIBLE FOUND IN CYPRUS

2009-02-07T07:49:00.000-08:00

"ANCIENT" SYRIAC BIBLE FOUND IN CYPRUS

NICOSIA (Reuters Life!) – Authorities in northern Cyprus believe they have found an ancient version of the Bible written in Syriac, a dialect of the native language of Jesus.
The manuscript was found in a police raid on suspected antiquity smugglers. Turkish Cypriot police testified in a court hearing they believe the manuscript could be about 2,000 years old.
The manuscript carries excerpts of the Bible written in gold lettering on vellum and loosely strung together, photos provided to Reuters showed. One page carries a drawing of a tree, and another eight lines of Syriac script.

Experts were however divided over the provenance of the manuscript, and whether it was an original, which would render it priceless, or a fake.
Experts said the use of gold lettering on the manuscript was likely to date it later than 2,000 years.

"I'd suspect that it is most likely to be less than 1,000 years old," leading expert Peter Williams, Warden of Tyndale House, University of Cambridge told Reuters.
Turkish Cypriot authorities seized the relic last week and nine individuals are in custody pending further investigations. More individuals are being sought in connection with the find, they said.
Further investigations turned up a prayer statue and a stone carving of Jesus believed to be from a church in the Turkish held north, as well as dynamite.
The police have charged the detainees with smuggling antiquities, illegal excavations and the possession of explosives.

Syriac is a dialect of Aramaic - the native language of Jesus - once spoken across much of the Middle East and Central Asia. It is used wherever there are Syrian Christians and still survives in the Syrian Orthodox Church in India.
Aramaic is still used in religious rituals of Maronite Christians in Cyprus.
"One very likely source (of the manuscript) could be the Tur-Abdin area of Turkey, where there is still a Syriac speaking community," Charlotte Roueche, Professor of Late Antique and Byzantine Studies at King's College London told Reuters.
Stories regarding the antiquity of manuscripts is commonplace. One case would be the Yonan Codex, carbon dated to the 12th century which people tried to pass off as earlier.
After further scrutiny of photographs of the book, manuscripts specialist at the University of Cambridge library and Fellow of Wolfson College JF Coakley suggested that the book could have been written a good deal later.

"The Syriac writing seems to be in the East Syriac script with vowel points, and you do not find such manuscripts before about the 15th century.
"On the basis of the one photo...if I'm not mistaken some words at least seem to be in modern Syriac, a language that was not written down until the mid-19th century," he told Reuters.
(Editing by Michele Kambas and Paul Casciato). http://www.yahoo.com/

THERE'S KIND OH HUSH ALL OVER THE ISLE

2009-01-31T07:56:00.000-08:00

THERE'S A KIND OF HUSH , ALL OVER THE ISLE

(Bali Government Issues Guidelines for 'Nyepi' - the Official Day of Silence March 26, 2009)

The Bali Government Tourist Office has issued a set of guidelines for local residents and visitor that must be observed on Nyepi - the absolute day of silence that will mark the dawn of a new year on the Bali-Hindu calendar. On Wednesday evening, March 25, 2009, streets across the island will be clogged by revellers out in force to watch teams of young men from local banjars parade large Papier-mâché floats through the streets. Police will maintain a high profile presence in order to contain any excesses by parade participants and spectators who are often "well-oiled" with rice wine.The Silence FallsSomewhat worse for wear, the celebrants will eventually find their way back to the village homes before 6 a.m. on Thursday morning, March 26, 2009, when local rules dictate that island residents must enter into a 24-hour period of silent reflection during which:• No lights may be lit. • No work may be performed.• No amusements enjoyed. • Silence must be maintained.• People must not venture outside the sealed and silent quarters.

The silence remains in absolute effect for 24-hours until 6 a.m. on Friday morning, March 27, 2009.Tourism to Come to a StandstillTourist visitors and non-Balinese residents of the island are expected to heed local tradition which brings the entire island to a ghost-town-like standstill. • Hotel service staff will be compelled to stay at their place of employment during the 24 hour period as travel between home and job will not be possible. • All roads across the island will fall silent and be available for use only by emergency vehicles. • Hotel guests must stay on their hotel grounds throughout the 24 hour period during which they will be able to enjoy most hotel facilities and services. Guest rooms windows will have their curtains drawn and outside lighting at hotels will be dimmed or extinguished during the Nyepi period. • Bali's Ngurah Rai Airport will be closed with no flight operations allowed during the 24 hour period. Technical and emergency landings will be permitted, including medical evacuation flights, but crew landing at the airport between 6 a.m. on March 26 until 6 a.m. the following morning will not be allowed to leave the airport terminal. • All Bali sea ports will be closed during the 24 hour Nyepi period. • The once monthly tsunami alarm testing that occurs at 10 a.m. on the 26th of each month will not take place on March 26th. Related ActivitiesA one of its kind activity, many visitors actually flock to Bali to enjoy the unique experience of seeing an island of 3 million inhabitants go absolutely silent for 24 hours.

If you're planning a visit during this period, here's some related activities you won't want to miss:

Tuesday, March 24, 2009Meklyis or Melasti. Processions of Balinese Hindus across the island bearing effigies from their temples to the ocean for purification ceremonies on Kuta and Sanur beach.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009Tawur Agung Kesanga Ceremony. Sacrificial rites are held starting from 12 noon to appease spirits of the underworld followed by ogoh-ogoh parades in the evening of large Papier-mâché effigies resembling evil spirits through local streets
Thursday, March 26, 2009Nyepi the celebration of the Icaka New Year 1931. The Day of absolute silence.

Friday, March 27, 2009Med-Medan - a traditional celebration held in Banjar Kaja, Sesetan, South Denpasar that sees young unmarried men and women gather in a local square to douse each other with water and exchange furtive kisses. Thought to bring good luck, the fun starts at around 3 p.m. http://www.balidiscovery.com/

HARD ROCK HOTEL TEAMS UP TO FIGHT BREAST CANCER

2009-01-31T07:21:00.000-08:00

HARD ROCK HOTEL TEAM UP TO FIGHT BREAST CANCER

Rp.12 Million Donated to Indonesian Cancer Foundation as Part of Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign. Last October the Hard Rock Hotel Bali held their "Pinktober" annual fund raising event which saw pink cancer awareness wristbands and pink cocktails sold at the Centerstage Bar - all in aid of helping women afflicted with breast cancer.On January 23, 2009. a check for Rp. 12 million (US$1,075.00) was handed by the Hotel's General Manager to the Indonesian Cancer Foundation.Breast Cancer Awareness Month was founded in 1985 and has now become an annual event every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention and cure. Shown on balidiscovery.com is (left to right): Dr. Ketut Mulyadi , Vice Chairman - Yayasan Kanker Indonesia Bali Chapter, and Darryl Marsden, General Manager Hard Rock Hotel Bali, presenting a check to the foundation. http://www.balidiscovery.com/

BALI TRADE FAIR 2009

2009-01-31T06:52:00.000-08:00

BALI TRADE FAIR 2009
(Wide Range of Local Products on Offer During Bali's Annual Trade Fair)

Running from January 23 until February 15, 2009, Bali Trade Fare 2009 on Jalan Hayam Wuruk in downtown Denpasar is an opportunity for local companies to promote new products to local consumers and island visitors.Household appliances, vehicles, and a whole range of items intended to enhance the quality of daily life of Balinese consumers will be on display and offered at special prices for the duration of the exhibition.Daily musical live entertainment and door prizes that include new Honda motorcycles will are also be presented each day as a further inducement for the public to attend.The Fair is open each day until February 15, 2009 from afternoon until evening. http://www.balidiscovery.com/

ASTON INTERNATIONAL WEEK AND FAIR 2009

2009-01-30T22:37:00.000-08:00

ASTON INTERNATIONAL HOLDS ASTON FAIR
AND ASTON WEEK IN JAKARTA.

This week, from January 19th - 24th, 2009, Aston International held its first Aston Fair for 2009. Building on the ongoing success of the Aston Fair program, the first Aston Fair of the year was held in Jakarta. This year the program has grown and the Aston Fair is now part of Aston Week. The new Aston Week program sees all the General Managers, Public Relations Managers and Directors of Sales & Marketing from the individual properties within the Aston group, join together with the team from Corporate Office in a series of events, presentations, promotional visits, training and of course the Aston Fair event. This year also saw MG Holidays host a table top event on the last business day of Aston Week.

During Aston Week the combined sales and marketing managers and their teams visited over 75 of their corporate clients in Jakarta; while the Public Relations Managers met with key players in the local and international media. Incorporated in Aston Week was also the Aston International National Sales & Conference. During the conference a number of international and local keynote speakers gave presentations to the group, they are: Ms. Sarah Reiter, a brand expertise from Australia, Mr. Riyadi Soeparno, the Deputy Editor from The Jakarta Post, Mr. Yusron Kamal from the Indonesian Ministry of Finance Department, Ms. Michelle Lee, Managing Director from Garuda Orient Holidays, Korea and Mr. Dian Ediono, GM National Satriavi Leisure Management. Aston International Vice President of Sales & Marketing Mr. Norbert Vas said "As the group continues to grow so rapidly it is important that we offer our staff the opportunity to participate in seminars and conferences of international standards. By bringing in well respected local and international speakers we are broadening their horizons and their knowledge base; which will ultimately result in an even more impressive guest experience."

The Aston Fair event took place at Euphoria Wine & Dine in Mega Kuningan. The event commenced with a press conference followed by a table top session where guests and the media got the opportunity to meet with the teams from the individual properties within the Aston International group. This was followed by dance performances, live music, three fashion shows and dinner. Aston International CEO and President Director Mr. Charles Brookfield said "What a fantastic start to 2009. Aston International is set to expand further in 2009 with numerous properties set to open and many more under construction. The Aston Fair concept, a concept that is unique to Aston International, has once again proven a huge success with our corporate clients, travel partners, the local and international media, our staff and our guests. The event continues to grow in size each time we hold it and combining it with Aston Week has proven to be very positive move."

About Aston International
Originally from Hawaii, Aston entered the Indonesian market in late nineties and has an underlying portfolio consisting of 40 properties including Hotels, resorts, serviced Apartments and Boutique Villa Resorts and Suites, of which 15 are operational and 25 under development due to open between now and 2010.
Aston properties currently operate under the 5 star Grand Aston and 4 star Aston brands; but the company is also in process of introducing specific brands for Life Style Hotels (Royal Alana and Alana), Luxury Villas (Royal Kamuela and Kamuela) and 3 and 2 star hotels (Quest Hotels and favehotel). The first 3 star Quest Hotel are under construction in the Indonesian Cities of Palembang and Semarang. With a proven track record of success, Aston has a very definitive vision of the future- to be universally recognized as the preferred hospitality management company in the Asia Pacific. www.astoninternational.com

OBAMA INAUGURATION COMING TOGETHER

2009-01-20T12:07:00.000-08:00

OBAMA INAUGURATION COMING TOGETHER

Inauguration Day has dawned for President-elect Barack Obama, with hundreds of thousands of onlookers filling the National Mall for the noon swearing-in of the 44th president.
Obama and wife Michelle stopped for a church service and then coffee at the White House with outgoing President George W. Bush before traveling to the Capitol for the oath of office.
Barack Hussein Obama, born of a mother from Kansas and father from Kenya who had their only son in Hawaii, is unique in American history. The first African-American president of a nation once riven by slavery and racially segregated by law for decades afterward, he will take the oath of office on Abraham Lincoln's Bible before an audience spanning the two-mile length of the National Mall, from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial.
At 47, Obama will not be the nation's youngest chief executive - Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, John Fitzgerald Kennedy and William Jefferson Clinton were younger at their inaugurations. But Obama has united young and old with his call for "a new declaration of independence'' from divisiveness.
Obama, who campaigned for the presidency with a sweeping promise of "change we can believe in,'' enters office at one of the most challenging junctures in modern American history: In the midst of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression and with the nation at war on two fronts.
The new president will ask the Congress to approve, within his first month in office, a nearly $1-trillion economic stimulus that promises more than 3 million new jobs in the next few years. At the same time, it will compound an annual national debt which already surpasses $1 trillion before he enters office.
"He is going to be counting on the American people to come together," retired Army Gen. Colin Powell, who served as secretary of state for the Republican President Bush and supported Obama's election, said in an appearance today on NBC News. "We all have to do something to help the country move forward under the leadership of this new president."
The Obamas this morning left the government guest house across the street from the White House where they have stayed for several days for a service at St. John's Church, the Episcopal sanctuary one block north of the White House where Bush has worshipped during his two terms in office.
Bush was hosting the Obamas for coffee in the Blue Room of the White House before the couple headed to the Capitol for the noon swearing-in-ceremony and Obama's inaugural address. Afterward, Obama, Vice President-elect Joe Biden and others would dine on seafood stew, pheasant and duck in Statuary Hall of the Capitol before joining the inaugural parade that will travel along Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House.
Obama will enter office with a pledge for an "orderly'' and "responsible'' withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq after nearly six years of war that has claimed more than 4,000 American lives. At the same time, he has agreed to an escalation of U.S. military force in Afghanistan, which he and his advisors consider "the real front in the war against terrorism.''
A Harvard-bred attorney and former constitutional law professor and community organizer from Chicago who served less than one term in the Senate, the former Illinois state lawmaker will assume office as the culmination of a dream which he himself has billed as "audacious:'' A candidate with a "funny name'' who was unknown to much of the nation just five years ago.
"Today is about victory,'' House Majority Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina said today. "This is a victory for democracy, for all Americans who see their hopes and dreams in Barack Obama, who now feel that they have a voice, and a person with the vision to sail this ship through the rough waters all of us are experiencing.''
Obama shed his anonymity with the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in the summer of 2004.
"I stand here knowing that my story is part of the larger American story, that I owe a debt to all of those who came before me, and that in no other country on Earth is my story even possible,'' Obama said at the Democratic convention in Boston.
"Tonight, we gather to affirm the greatness of our nation not because of the height of our skyscrapers, or the power of our military, or the size of our economy,'' Obama said then. "Our pride is based on a very simple premise, summed up in a declaration made over two hundred years ago: "'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'''
The upstart Democrat who captured the imagination of many of his party's leaders even as he was just beginning his own stint in the Senate remained a long-shot for the nation's highest office when he announced his candidacy in front of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Ill., on Feb. 10, 2007.
"I recognize there is a certain presumptuousness - a certain audacity - to this announcement,'' Obama told a crowd filling the square on a frigid winter day. "I know I haven't spent a lot of time learning the ways of Washington. But I've been there long enough to know that the ways of Washington must change. ''
He entered a contest for the Democratic Party's nomination, one of many in a crowded field of candidates. At the time, much of the party's conventional wisdom pointed toward the nomination of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, a former first lady.
Yet, starting with an upset in the opening party caucuses of Iowa in January 2008, where the Obama campaign team displayed an organizational prowess backed by formidable fundraising, the candidate turned the tables on not only the party's front-runner but also the rest of the pack. In the end, with a long-fought battle for delegates needed for nomination, Obama outran Clinton in June.
"Four years ago,'' Obama told some 80,000 people filling a football stadium in Denver on Aug. 28 for the acceptance of his party's nomination, "I stood before you and told you my story, of the brief union between a young man from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas who weren't well-off or well-known, but shared a belief that in America their son could achieve whatever he put his mind to...
"We meet at one of those defining moments, a moment when our nation is at war, our economy is in turmoil, and the American promise has been threatened once more,'' he said. "Tonight, more Americans are out of work and more are working harder for less. More of you have lost your homes and even more are watching your home values plummet. More of you have cars you can't afford to drive, credit cards, bills you can't afford to pay, and tuition that's beyond your reach.
"These challenges are not all of government's making,'' the Democratic nominee said. "But the failure to respond is a direct result of a broken politics in Washington and the failed policies of George W. Bush.''
In Republican Sen. John McCain, the GOP's early-settled presidential nominee, Obama faced a much older, more seasoned senator with a military hero's story to boot. McCain, who had spent nearly 25 years in Congress from Arizona, also had served more than two decades in the Navy - including five and a half as a prisoner of war in Vietnam after his bomber was shot down over Hanoi. The Naval Academy graduate also had sought his party's presidential nomination before, in 2000, losing to George W. Bush, and this time had returned to fight the campaign of his life.
At first, the war in Iraq stood as a defining difference between the Democrats and Republicans. McCain had entered the contest as an unbowed supporter of the American military mission in Iraq - particularly the "surge'' of forces which President Bush ordered. Obama, who had spoken out against the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 before he was a senator, campaigned with a pledge to bring troops home within 16 months after election.
Yet, as the campaign progress, the protracted war, unpopular among most Americans, was eclipsed by economic calamity.
And by the fall of 2008, amid signs of deepening trouble among the nation's financial institutions, the economy consumed the campaign. McCain, who had allowed early on that economic issues were not his strong suit, also had maintained, along with Bush, that "the fundamentals of the economy are strong.''
As the election neared, polls found that Americans found Obama better-suited than McCain to confront the economic crisis. And by Election Day on Nov. 4, Obama had not only waged the best-financed campaign in American history, raising close to $1 billion for the effort, but also amassed support in enough states - including states that had long voted Republican, such as Virginia and Indiana - to win an Electoral College landslide.
"It's been a long time coming,,'' Obama told tens of thousands filling Chicago's Grant Park on election, night, "but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America....
"The road ahead will be long,'' the president-elect said that night. "Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America -- I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you -- we as a people will get there.
"There will be setbacks and false starts,'' he said. "There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president, and we know that government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for 221 years -- block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.''
Today, outside the Capitol, Obama will deliver a historic inaugural address to 240,000 attending the ceremony with tickets obtained from their congressional offices and provide by the Presidential Inaugural Committee. Then inside, Obama will join congressional leaders for lunch in Statuary Hall.
With wine from California, home state of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who chairs the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, they will feast on seafood stew, pheasant and duck served with sour cherry chutney and molasses sweet potatoes, apple cinnamon sponge cake and sweet cream glace.
Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden will accept flags flown over the Capitol during the ceremony, crystal bowls inscribed with their names and the date of inauguration and crystal vases etched with a depiction of a Capitol erected with slave labor. Sourch : The Swamp Tribunes Washington Bureau

MEET IN INDONESIA IN 2009

2008-12-07T08:05:00.000-08:00

MEET IN INDONESIA IN 2009
(Government to Promote Meeting and Conference Tourism to 10 Domestic Destinations in 2009)

Bisnis.com quotes the Chairman of the Indonesia Conference and Convention Association (INCCA), Iqbal Allan Abdullah as saying that Visit Indonesia Year 2009 will focus on promoting the convention sector.Reflecting the Department of Culture and Tourism's decision to continue the current "Visit Indonesia Year" promotion into 2009, Iqbal told the press that "next year we will continue the Visit Indonesia Year 2009 by concentrating on conference tourism together with the party of democracy surrounding the presidential elections."The INCCA Chairman said the tourism industry supports the continuance of Visit Indonesia Year into 2009, especially in light of data from the Bureau of Statistics (BPS) that indicate 41% of tourism revenues come from conference-related travel. Reflecting this reality, INCCA in cooperation with the government have provided training to 2,000 meeting, incentive and convention workers in 10 conference destinations nation-wide.The ten cities designated to benefit from conference promotion are Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Bali, Surabaya, Manado, Makassar, Batam, Medan and Bukittinggi. http://www.balidiscovery.com/

TANAH LOT TAMPLE

2008-12-07T07:23:00.000-08:00

TANAH LOT TEMPLE

Tanah Lot Temple is located in coastal side of Beraban countryside, Kediri sub district and Tabanan Regency. It is situated in 30Km in west side of Denpasar town and about 11 Km in south side of Tabanan town. The temple is built on the rock with 3 acre size and reachable in a few minute by walk, because it is just 20 meters from the coastal lip. This temple is very famous among tourist destinations in Bali with spectacular view of sunset. At some nooks of coral reef around Tanah Lot Temple there are holy tame snake in black and white color where according to the local society believe that it as a deity property and as the guard of the temple from the bad influence.

The word of Tanah Lot is consisted of two words that are Tanah word interpreted as a reef looking like gili or isle. Lot or Lod word has meaning the sea. So Tanah Lot is meaning the small island floating on the sea. The location is now called as Tanah Lot has been used at a Megalithic period as a place that looked into holy, proven from the existence of menhir. Pursuant to environmental condition, hence the structure of Tanah Lot temple is built at irregular reef plain of its angle which is only consisted of one plain yard as Jeroan.
The function of this temple can be realized from the function of the main temple building which is located in the temple main area. In this place, there is a main temple to worship the god in form of Dewa Baruna or Bhatara Segara, the sea power. The media of worship to this god is the temple building with 5 storied meanwhile the 3 storied temple building in north part of this area is purposing to worship to Dang Hyang Nirartha.

In order to know the status of Tanah Lot Temple can be realized from the temple history, function and also incoming devotee existence pray when temple ceremony is held.
As a favorite tourism destination in Bali, Tanah Lot owns a magnificent view in particular at the sunset time where the sun slows down to the earth stomach. Every visitor who is paying a visit to this place will be marveled to see the beauty panorama of Tanah Lot. Beside of this temple, there are other temples which can be seen on your visit to Tanah Lot like Batu Bolong Temple, Batumejan Temple and Enjung Galuh Temple.

TUMPEK WAYANG CEREMONY

2008-12-07T00:09:00.000-08:00

TUMPEK WAYANG CEREMONY

Religious Ceremonial for the puppet.
On 13, December 2008. Balinese people will celebrated The Tumpek Wayang traditional ceremonial. On this day the ceremony was held which is connection with the arts, especially the puppet, offering forward to Bhatara Iswara apply to the arts is sustainable, fun, and be lucky. And for children who was born in this wuku tumpek wayang he must obtain a special ceremony and receive holy water from a puppet which is popular with the ceremony Sapuh Leger.
The Tumpek Wayang day which also known as Tumpek Ringgit where this day are commonly came one time in every six moon and according to the Balinese calendar which base on the wuku like sinta, landep, ukir, kulantir and other until watugunung. This ceremonial are presented at wuku tumpek wayang precisely at Saniscara Kliwon Tumpek Wayang.

The Sapuh Leger for the soon who born at Tumpek wayang day.
Tumpek Ringgit or Tumpek Wayang are the sacral day for the Balinese people, because this day there are ceremonial for the puppet which connection with the art. There are a stories which related to the Tumpek Wayang which base on the Lontar here mentioned that the Deva Siva having sex intercourse with his wife Devi Uma in unfair place and time, so because this unfair sex relation so born the Batara kala and from his father siva his geve a permition to eat a kind which born on Tumpek wayang. One day in tumpek wayang devi Uma born a kind namely panca kumara so directly when panca kumara born Batara kala try tu rush to catching and eat him and after all day run try to catching panca kumara and finally there are Puppet show and Batara kala is stop and enjoyable to watch the entertainment he forgot to eat panca kumara there he give segan and some upacara so he would not eat panca kumara again. For the soon who born in this day that it must get the wayang interaiment and some upakara which know as Sapuh Leger.
At At 13 Desember 2008. There are will celebrated the tumpek wayang and there are many people will presented the wayang show which related to the ceremonies of The sapuh leger ceremonies. The wayang show will presented at some palaces where people free to enjoyable to watch the show . In edition now The wayang show is not presented at commonly places and at tumpek wayang, in the development The wayang show are goes to the hotel and villa to entertaing the guest.

INDIAN PRESIDENT ON BALI VISIT

2008-11-29T20:15:00.000-08:00

INDIAN PRESIDENT ON BALI VISIT

(5 Day Indian State Visit to Indonesia Starts in Bali)

(11/29/2008) Indian Presdient Pratibha Devisingh Patil landed with her group on a chartered jet in Bali on Friday, November 28, 2008, commencing an official state visit to Indonesia.According to Kompas, a chartered Air India flight landed at 7:05 p.m. on Friday evening. The Indian President, clad in a traditonal orange "sari" and leading a group of 60 were formally welcomed at Bali's airport by Bali’s Chief of Police Inspector General T. Ashikin Husein, Bal's Governor Made Mangku Pastika and the Head of the Udayana military command Major-General Hotmangaradja Pandjaitan.The Indian visitors immediately boarded vehicles for the short trip to their hotel located in nearby Jimbaran Bay.The Indian delegation toured eastern Bali where they viewed the Taman Ayu Temple at Mengwi and the majestic rice terraces at Jatiluweh accompanied by the regent of Badung, Anak Agung Gede Agung. On Saturday evening Governor Pastika hosted the group to dinner before their departure on Sunday for Jakarta.The official visit by the Indian delegation will last until 3 December during which steps will be undertaken to foster closer relations between Indonesia and India in the areas of politics, economics, trade, investment and tourism. Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Indian President Pratibha Devisingh Patil are scheduled to witness the signing of memorandums of understanding between the two countries in the areas of youth and sports, gas and oil, agriculture and educational exchanges. sourch: www.balidiscovery.com

OBAMA TO NOMINATE CLINTON SECRETARY OF STATE

2008-11-29T20:02:00.000-08:00

OBAMA TO NOMINATE CLINTON SECRETARY OF STATE

Democratic officials say President-elect Barack Obama will nominate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton to be his secretary of state on Monday.
Obama plans to announce the New York senator as part of his national security team at a press conference in Chicago, the officials said Saturday. They requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly for the transition team.
To clear the way for his wife's nomination, former President Bill Clinton has agreed to disclose the names of every contributor to his foundation. He'll also refuse contributions from foreign governments to the Clinton Global Initiative, his annual charitable conference, and will cease holding C-G-I meetings overseas. www.yahoo.com

INDIAN FORCES KILL LAST GUNMEN IN MUMBAI

2008-11-29T05:10:00.000-08:00

INDIAN FORCES KILL LAST GUNMEN IN MUMBAI

AP – Indian police officers run to a new position around the landmark Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai, India, Saturday, …
MUMBAI, India – A 60-hour terror rampage that killed at least 195 people across India's financial capital ended Saturday when commandos killed the last three gunmen inside a luxury hotel while it was engulfed in flames.
Authorities searched for any remaining captives hiding in their rooms and began to shift their focus to who was behind the attacks, which killed 18 foreigners including six Americans.
A previously unknown Muslim group with a name suggesting origins inside India claimed responsibility for the attack, but Indian officials said the sole surviving gunman was from Pakistan and pointed a finger of blame at their neighbor and rival.
Islamabad denied involvement and promised to help in the investigation. A team of FBI agents also was on its way to India to lend assistance.
Some 295 people also were wounded in the violence that started when heavily armed assailants attacked 10 sites across Mumbai on Wednesday night. At least 20 soldiers and police were among the dead.
Orange flames and black smoke engulfed the landmark 565-room Taj Mahal hotel after dawn Saturday as Indian forces ended the siege there in a hail of gunfire, just hours after elite commandos stormed a Jewish center and found at least eight hostages dead.
"There were three terrorists, we have killed them," said J.K. Dutt, director general of India's elite National Security Guard commando unit.
Later, adoring crowds surrounded six buses carrying weary, unshaven commandos, shaking their hands and giving them flowers. The commandos, dressed in black fatigues, said they had been ordered not to talk about the operation, but said they had not slept since the ordeal began. One sat sipping a bottle of water and holding a pink rose.
With the end of one of the most brazen terror attacks in India's history, attention turned from the military operation to questions of who was behind the attack and the heavy toll on human life.
The bodies of New York Rabbi Gavriel Noach Holtzberg and his wife, Rivkah, were found at the Jewish center. Their son, Moshe, who turned 2 on Saturday, was scooped up by an employee Thursday as she fled the building. Two Israelis and another American were also killed in the house, said Rabbi Zalman Schmotkin, a spokesman for the Chabad Lubavitch movement, which ran the center.
In Jerusalem, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said eight bodies had been discovered in the Jewish center and that officials were investigating the possibility of there being a ninth.
Among the foreigners killed in the attacks were six Americans, according to the U.S. Embassy. The dead also included Germans, Canadians, Israelis and nationals from Britain, Italy, Japan, China, Thailand, Australia and Singapore.
By Saturday morning the death toll was at 195, the deadliest attack in India since 1993 serial bombings in Mumbai killed 257 people. But officials said the toll from the three days of carnage was likely to rise as more bodies were brought out of the hotels.
"There is a limit a city can take. This is a very, very different kind of fear. It will be some time before things get back to normal," said Ayesha Dar, a 33-year-old homemaker.
Indians began cremating their dead, many of them security force members killed fighting the gunmen. In the southern city of Bangalore, black clad commandos formed an honor guard for the flag-draped coffin of Maj. Sandeep Unnikrishnan, who was killed in the fighting at the Taj Mahal hotel.
"He gave up his own life to save the others," Dutt said from Mumbai.
A group called Deccan Mujahideen, which alludes to a region in southern India traditionally ruled by Muslim kings, claimed responsibility for the attack, but Indian officials pointed the finger at neighboring Pakistan.
On Saturday, officials said they believed that just 10 gunmen had taken part in the attack. "Nine were killed and one was captured," Maharshta state Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh told reporters. "We are interrogating him."
Deshmukh's deputy, R.R. Patil, identified the gunman as a Pakistani national, Mohammad Ajmal Qasam.
The gunmen had sophisticated equipment and used "GPS, mobile and satellite phones to communicate," Patil said. "They were constantly in touch with a foreign country," he said, refusing to give further details.
On Friday, India's foreign minister, Pranab Mukherjee, told reporters that evidence indicated "some elements in Pakistan are responsible for the Mumbai terror attacks."
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani insisted his country was not involved. His government was sending an intelligence official to assist in the probe.
Deshmukh said the attackers arrived by sea.
On Saturday the Indian navy said it was investigating whether a trawler found drifting off the coast of Mumbai, with a bound corpse on board, was used in the attack.
Navy spokesman Capt. Manohar Nambiar said the trawler, named Kuber, had been found Thursday and was brought to Mumbai. Officials said they believe the boat had sailed from a port in the neighboring state of Gujarat.
Indian security officers believe many of the gunmen may have reached the city using a black and yellow rubber dinghy found near the site of the attacks.
In the U.S., President-elect Barack Obama said he was closely monitoring the situation. "These terrorists who targeted innocent civilians will not defeat India's great democracy, nor shake the will of a global coalition to defeat them," he said in a statement.
On Friday, commandos killed the last two gunmen inside the luxury Oberoi hotel, where 24 bodies had been found, authorities said.
But in the most dramatic of the counterstrikes Friday, masked Indian commandos rappelled from a helicopter to the rooftop of the Chabad Lubavitch Jewish center.
For nearly 12 hours, explosions and gunfire erupted from the five-story building as the commandos fought their way downward, while thousands of people gathered behind barricades in the streets to watch. At one point, Indian forces fired a rocket at the building.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak told Israel's Channel 1 TV that some of the victims found at the center had been bound.
The attackers were well-prepared, carrying large bags of almonds to keep up their energy during a long siege. One backpack found contained 400 rounds of ammunition.
India has been shaken repeatedly by terror attacks blamed on Muslim militants in recent years, but most were bombings striking crowded places: markets, street corners, parks. Mumbai — one of the most highly populated cities in the world with some 18 million people — was hit by a series of bombings in July 2006 that killed 187 people.
The latest attacks began Wednesday at about 9:20 p.m. with shooters spraying gunfire across the Chhatrapati Shivaji railroad station. For the next two hours, there was an attack roughly every 15 minutes — the Jewish center, a tourist restaurant, one hotel, then another, and two attacks on hospitals.
___
Associated Press writers Ravi Nessman, Erika Kinetz and Anita Chang contributed to this report from Mumbai, and Foster Klug and Lara Jakes Jordan contributed from Washington. http://www.yahoo.com/

INDIANA WOMAN DIES AT 115 AS WORLD'S OLDEST PERSON

2008-11-28T17:43:00.000-08:00

INDIANA WOMAN DIES AT 115 AS WORLD'S OLDEST PERSON

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. – Edna Parker, who became the world's oldest person more than a year ago, has died at age 115.
UCLA gerontologist Dr. Stephen Coles said Parker's great-nephew notified him that Parker died Wednesday at a nursing home in Shelbyville. She was 115 years, 220 days old, said Robert Young, a senior consultant for gerontology for Guinness World Records.
Parker was born April 20, 1893, in central Indiana's Morgan County and had been recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest person since the 2007 death in Japan of Yone Minagawa, who was four months her senior.
Coles maintains a list of the world's oldest people and said Parker was the 14th oldest validated supercentenarian in history. Maria de Jesus of Portugal, who was born Sept. 10, 1893, is now the world's oldest living person, according to the Gerontology Research Group.
Parker had been a widow since her husband, Earl Parker, died in 1939 of a heart attack. She lived alone in their farmhouse until age 100, when she moved into a son's home and later to the Shelbyville nursing home.
Although she never drank alcohol or tried tobacco and led an active life, Parker didn't offer tips for living a long life. Her only advice to those who gathered to celebrate when she became the oldest person was "more education."
Parker outlived her two sons, Clifford and Earl Jr. She also had five grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandchildren.
Don Parker, 60, said his grandmother had a small frame and a mild temperament. She walked a lot and kept busy even after moving into the nursing home, he said.
"She kept active," he said Thursday. "We used to go up there, and she would be pushing other patients in their wheelchairs."
Gov. Mitch Daniels celebrated with Parker on her 114th birthday.
"It was a delight to know Edna, who must have been a remarkable lady at any age," Daniels said.
Parker taught in a two-room school in Shelby County for several years after graduating from Franklin College in 1911. She wed her childhood sweetheart and neighbor in 1913.
But as was the tradition of that era, her teaching career ended with her marriage. Parker traded the schoolhouse for life as a farmer's wife, preparing meals for as many as a dozen men who worked on her husband's farm.
Parker noted with pride last year that she and her husband were one of the first owners of an automobile in their rural area.
Coincidentally, Parker lived in the same nursing home as 7-foot-7 Sandy Allen, whom Guinness recognized as the world's tallest woman until her death in August. sourch: http://www.yahoo.com/

MADE'S WARUNG

2008-11-23T01:07:00.001-08:00

MADE'S WARUNG

Cuisine : Indonesian
Opening Hours : Daily 8am-midnight
Location : Jalan Raya Seminyak, Seminyak & Jl Pantai Kuta, Br. Pande Mas, Kuta

Frommer's Review:
This is a longtime Bali favorite, and for good reason. The original location is an open-air place at street side in Kuta, but the new space in Seminyak is a big improvement -- it's protected from the road and bustling with people, not beeping motorbikes. If it's busy, and it often is, don't be surprised if you end up sharing a table. Gado gado, satay, and curries are all recommended, and the price is right. Fun surprises on the menu include a bagel with smoked marlin, tofu burgers, and Caesar salad. Don't pass up the daily specials, particularly the fresh fish. Beverage choices range from iced coffee and juices to some very potent booze concoctions (be warned). http://www.warungmade.com/

TENKU JAPANESE & RENASCIMENTO AT THE PATRA BALI RESORT AND VILLAS

2008-11-23T00:49:00.000-08:00

TENKU JAPANESE & RENASCIMENTO ITALIAN RESTAURANT

The Ten Ku Japanese Restaurant, with its original layout and interior, features a Sushi counter, Teppanyaki counter, Robatayaki counter and a private room with oceans views, Japanese Tatami mats and large dining table.

The Renascimento Italian & Kebab Restaurant offers the freshest ingredients in a salad bar located in the middle of the restaurant, a wood-fired pizza oven and kebab grill with everything prepared in an open kitchen that will add a distinctive experience to your dining

http://www.patrabali.com/

GOLDEN LOTUS THE CHINESE RESTAURANT

2008-11-23T00:32:00.000-08:00

GOLDEN LOTUS RESTAURANT AT BALI DYNASTY RESORT

Considered by many as the Best Chinese Restaurant in Bali. Enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine prepared by our Chefs.
SPECIALITIES INCLUDE:Hongkong Dim Sum (Lunch Only)Peking Duck Baked Pork Ribs Shanghai Chicken Superior Shark Fin Soup Steam boat and Family Set Menu Sizzling Platters
OPENING HOURS:Open 7 Days a Week Lunch - 11.30am till 2.30pmDinner - 6.00pm till 10.00pm
Every Sunday you can enjoy "all you can eat" Dim Sum Buffet starts from 10.00am
SPECIAL OFFER:Each Sunday treat yourself to a spectacular Dim Sum Buffet. The buffet starts 10.00am. Dim Sum Buffet pricing for Adults is from Rp80,000 nett including Chinese Tea and for Children under 12 years it is Half price including a softdrink.A La Carte Dim Sum is available every day during lunch. http://www.balidynasty.com/

WORLD JUNIOR WUSHU TOURNAMENT - BALI

2008-11-21T07:08:00.000-08:00

BALI TO HOST WORLD JUNIOR WUSHU TOURNAMENT

Athletes from 54 countries are expected in Bali from December 7-14, 2008, to participate in a world junior wushu event.Wushu is a full-contact sport based on traditional Chinese martial arts. Established as a distinct sport in the People's Republic of China in 1949, the first world championships were held in 1991. Practiced in two distinct disciplines of taolu and sanshou, the former is comprised of gymnastic exercises employing aerial kicks while the latter is the full contact combat version of the sport.The Bali junior championships will offer medals in 22 separate events and act as a prelude to further competition at the Southeast Asia Games in Laos in 2009 and the Asian Games in Guangzhou in 2010.Indonesia will field 8 sanshou and 11 taulo participants in the Bali tournament.

A BALI CONCERT FOR PEACE 2008

2008-11-21T06:58:00.000-08:00

A BALI CONCERT FOR PEACE

(December 4, 2008)

Featuring the classical opera works, Broadway, Yuletide standards and Indonesian songs - a group of 5 Bali-based singers, a children's choir and renowned mezzo-soprano Sarah Sweeting will appear on stage performing solos, duets, ensembles and choral works in what promises to be a memorable musical evening.Sarah SweetingBorn in England, Sarah Sweeting studied at the London College of Music where she won the Director's Prize for Opera. She has performed as a soloist at Westminster Central Hall and on the BBC, London's West End theatres, Crystal Clear Opera, Lyric Opera Dublin, Opera Interludes, First Act Opera. London City Opera, Opera Kernow and the Holders International Musical Festival.Sweeting has performed the title role in Carmen at the London Opera Festival. This was followed by performances at The Royal Opera, Covent Garden, and the Linbury Theatre. She then joined the Carl Rosa Opera Company.Resident in Sydney since 2006, Sarah Sweeting has performed the roles of Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus for both Opera Queensland and Co*Opera, for whom she also sang Suzuki in Madama Butterfly.Ms. Sweeting will be making her special guest appearance in Bali in a program of music featuring five accomplished local singers:● Ida Ayu Sri Aryani Rosantiwati - "Yani"● Ni Putu "Laksmi" Dewi● Hartanto Widagdo - "Tanto"● "Dana" Septian ● Wijaya Kurniawan - "Jaya" for booking at http://www.balidiscovery.com/

BALINESE DRINKS

2008-11-21T06:40:00.000-08:00

BALINESE DRINKS

TUAK

Tuak is made by cutting the undeveloped flower of either the coconut or the sugar palm tree. You then collect the sugary liquid that exudes into a bamboo container and ferment it. Fermented palm tree juice is drunk all over tropical Asia, Africa and America. It is the "toddy" of English colonialists and is drunk in the innumerable small warungs all over the island. It has about the same alcoholic content as beer.

BREM

Brem, pronounced "brum", is rice wine. It can be bought commercially, but ours is home made. Like arak, it is used in almost all ceremonies. It is a pleasant drink and can be drunk neat, over ice or mixed with arak. It is sweet and is made from glutinous rice or sticky rice (as it is also called). The rice is cooked for hours. Yeast is added. It is then allowed to ferment for three days, whereupon the brem drains into a pan. There are commercial factories, but the taste is not so good. It is not exported.

ARAK BALI

Arak is distilled tuak. It has a much higher alcoholic content and is colourless. It has a very sharp, biting taste. Since there is no fermentation, it can be bottled and sold. As the taste is unpleasant, the Balinese mix it with spices. It can also be added to coffee or mixed with brem. Arak is used as an offering in religious ceremonies. Having no sugar content, arak will keep indefinitely, unlike tuak. It cannot be a coincidence that the Mongols made distilled liquor called airak.

BALINESE WINE

In the last few years, local wines have been produced, using Australian grapes. There is red, white and rosé, grown and bottled by two companies, Hatten and Wine of the Gods.

ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAY WITH BOUNTY CRUISES

2008-11-15T06:59:00.000-08:00

ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAY WITH BOUNTY CRUISES

Cruise in comfort aboard Bali Bounty Cruises 400 passenger catamaran. With a cruising speed of up to 30 knots, you may sit back, relax and enjoy full staff service while reading the daily newspaper or viewing our onboard video entertainment. We sail from Bali every day. Bounty Cruises is equipped with state of the art computerized stabilizer and meets with International Safety Standards. Complete with an executive standard of service, the Bounty Catamaran is three decks of pure luxury.

DAY CRUISE - LEMBONGAN ISLAND Join cruise for a full day of water activities - above and below the sea - on our 48 meter pontoon located in the beautiful, crystal clear waters of Shanghiang Bay on Nusa Lembongan Island. The most fun you can have in one day.

DINNER CRUISE - SUNSET CRUISE Once the sun goes down, step aboard for a night of romantic floating fun. Enjoy our program of live entertainment with your appetizing International Buffet Dinner served on the main deck. Dance the night away with our onboard

DJ.LUXURY YACHT - THE PERFORMERS Bali offers some of the world’s best diving spots and what better way than to head out on your own private yacht, where we will place you right in the thick of action – on time and right where you should be.

CATAMARAN CRUISE - SEASATION The most seasational day in Bali! Sail away with Seasation and have the most sensational day in Lembongan Islands. Set sail aboard our very spacious catamaran and enjoy an island experience second to none. Taking you scuba diving for the first time is Seasation's speciality. And introductory scuba dive requires absoulutely no experience. Our experienced scuba instructors will give you an underwater experience you will never forget. On your introductory dive you will get down and up close and personal with some of the most colorful marine life including spectacular coral and many species of fish. http://www.balibountycruises.com/

2008-11-15T06:26:00.000-08:00

A TJAMPUHAN SPA AT PITA MAHA RESORT & SPA

Immerse yourself and relax in style with a healing session at the Pita Maha Private Villa Spa, set deep in the lust valley of Ubud's River Oos. The centrepiece of the resort, the lavish-appointed Private Villa Spa offers a new completeness in health treatments, the total relaxation of body and mind in the most exquisite surroundings.
Tucked away in the most secluded corner of the Pita Maha Resort and Spa, this luxury villa has every facility for the ultimate spa break in total privacy. Sauna and steam room open onto hot or cold whirlpool baths, an eight- metre private pool, and a spring water plunge pool overflowing with fragrant tropical flowers.
An enchanting split-level design offers massage, aromatherapy and herbal treatments in a private relaxation room between spa and villa while out door dinning and leisure pavilions complete the perfect healing hideaway. Open daily from 09.00 am to 09.00 pmThe Private Villa Spa is available for two-hour season for couples or small groups of four persons.

KAMANDALU SPA AT KAMANDALU RESORT AND SPA

2008-11-15T05:37:00.000-08:00

KAMANDALU SPA AT KAMANDALU RESORT AND SPA

One of Bali most idyllic resort takes its name from a sacred gourd depicted in the ancient Mahabharata epic. This vessel contained the Tirtha Amertha, holy water capable of giving everlasting life.Surrounded by springs from which water is still drawn for religious ceremonies, today's Kamandalu offers much the same soul-restoring reward by providing its guests with relaxation that is both energizing and blissfully languorous. Kamandalu Resort and Spa is situated amidst lush green rice terraces close to Ubud, Bali's most celebrated artists' village and convenient to all the island's myriad attractions. Yet Kamandalu's hillside setting above the rushing Petanu River provides a blissful sense of seclusion and peace

MASSAGE Choice of:

Indonesia Massage (50 minutes): Our most popular massage. This deep therapeutic

massage uses full palm pressure and firm strokes to create a feeling of well being.

Lomi-Lomi Massage (50 minutes): From the Hawaiian Island, this massage uses rhytmic grace, flowing movement and aromatherapy oils for nurturing and gentle massage.

Scandinavian Massage (50 minutes): A relaxing full body massage, using aromatherapy oils to soothe sore muscles and increase blood circulation.
Reflexology (50 minutes): Reflex points on the feet and hands are stimulated to induce relaxation throughout the body.

Stress Relief Massage: A powerfull 25 minutes massagefocusing on tight muscles of the back and neck

BODY SCRUB Choice of:

Balinese Sea Salt (30 minutes): A luxurious and invigorating treatment to cleanse and soften the skin

Coconut & Sesame Infusion (30 minutes): Fresh coconut flakes and ground sesame moisturize your skin with soft natural oils while gently removingold surfaceskin cells

BODY WRAP Choice of:

Heavenly Body Wrap (75 minutes): An invigorating body massage followed by Bakinese sea salt srub to remove dead skin and mud wrapping to stimulate the growth of new cells, leaving the skin smooth and fresh

Balinese Boreh Wrap (75 minutes): Indnesian massage version followed by coconut and sesame infusion to moisturize your skin, completed by Balinese specialty herbs wrapping to improve blood circulation and create smooth supple skin.

Indonesia Honey Wrap (75 minutes): A relaxing massage followed by papaya scrub to refresh the skin. Completed by honey wrapping to soften and keep skin's flexibility and prevent dryness.

Natural Herbal Wrap (75 minutes): A deep therapeutic tissue massage followed by Javanese Lulur to polish the skin and completed by natural herbs wrapping to soften skin

FACIAL AND SKIN CARE:

Celebes Honey Facial (50 minutes): The principle ingredients of this facial are honey, lime and cucumber which have an old age reputatin as skin healers, softeners, and moisturizer

Natural Indonesian Facial (50 minutes): A facial treatment which deeply cleanse the skin, using natural indonesian products. This facial promotes a glowing complexin.

Balinese Avocado Facial (50 minutes): A cleansing and toning treatment for the face. Freshly prepared avocado is massaged into the skin. A very natural alternative for dehydrated skins.

NAIL CARE :

Manicure & Pedicure (50 minutes): A treat for the hands and feet to cleanse, shape, and beautify nails, including a simple massage.

HAIR CARE :

Men's Hair Cut, Shampoo & Blow Dry
Ladies Cut & Blow DryMoisturizing Cream Bath

SPA PACKAGE:

Pampering of Kamandalu (2,5 hours)
Indonesian Massage Japanese Lulur Milk Rub Flower Bath Traditional Jamu Nectar Celebes Honey Facial

Herbal Rejuvenation (2,5 hours)
Aromatherapy FootbathStress Relief Massage Natural Herbal Wrap Herbal Bath Traditional Jamu Nectar

The Spa Essence (3 hours)
Aromatherapy FootbathScandinavian MassageBalinese Sea SaltFlower BathTraditional Jamu NectarNatural Indonesian Facial

Special Treatment (2.5 hours)
Indonesian MassageJavanese LulurMilk RubFlower BathTraditional Jamu NectarCelebes Honey Facial

The Spa Specialty - Javanese Lulur (105 min)
Indonesian MassageJavanese LulurMilk RubFlower BathTraditional Jamu Nectar
Royal Kamandalu (6.5 hours)
Indonesian MassageJavanese LulurMilk RubFlower BathTraditional Jamu Nectar

Tropical Essence (4 hours)
Aromatherapy FoothbathSauna & JacuzziLomi-Lomi Massage ReflexologyCoconut & Sesame Product Manicure & Padicure Yin & Yang Nectar
http://www.balihealtandspa.com/

JATILUWIH RICE TERRACE

2008-11-13T00:39:00.000-08:00

JATILUWIH RICE TERRACE

Jatiluwih is a favorite tourist destination in Bali famous with the beautiful rice terrace unfolding from the foot of mountain until the coastal side. It is one of places to visit in Bali with the beautiful view as according to its name from Jati and luwih, where Jati mean really and Luwih meaning especial, good, and beautiful or the equivalent. The local paddies are planted in this place look typically of the high relative size plant if it is compared with other pre-eminent paddy planted by most farmers in Bali . Despitefully, Jatiluwih also famous with its organic agriculture system due to the location is located in the in the plateau of Watukaru Mount which is suitable for the agriculture development.

Jatiluwih is surrounded by cool atmosphere because it is located in the height of 700 meters above sea level. Besides its nature potency, Jatiluwih is also saving the cultural potency, especially history of the Petali Temple existence that is related to the power of Ida Dalem Waturenggong King in Keraton Gelgel (1460 - 1552). The distance from Denpasar to Jatiluwih is about 48 km and it is situated in upstate of Tabanan town (28 Km). The road to this place has been progressively improved so that motor vehicle can enter from east side through Pacung Village and go to Jatiluwih and also from the west side from Watukaru Temple pass to Jatiluwih. Jatiluwih is many visited by tourist from local and foreign countries who want to enjoy the cold atmosphere and beautiful panorama of rice terrace. Jatiluwih as a nature tourist destination in Bali which has been recognized since Dutch colonial build the Security Headquarter and until now the local residents conceives with the Dutch Tangs. Indonesian government has assigned the Jatiluwih to be a Tourist Destination Village because of this potency.

Other Unique Jatiluwih also keep the unique religious ceremony attraction which is famous know as Patirtaan in Petali Temple on Wednesday Kliwon Ugu (Based on Balinese Calendar). The local residents believe that Petali Temple is a worship center of The Hyang Widhi Wasa (the God) as agriculture power. Beside of Petali Temple , there is also Pucak Rsi Temple is located in this area. As a tourist object, Jatiluwih provides the public facilities like parking area, toilet, resting bale and Wantilan for tourist who is enjoying the beautiful panorama. Some restaurants have been built to serve the food and beverage.

SUKAWATI ART MARKET

2008-11-13T00:24:00.000-08:00

SUKAWATI ART MARKET

Spending a nice holiday on the island of Paradise is full ofendless experience. This tiny island has so many treasures andchallenging adventure to explore. See the unique rice terracesin Tegalalang or Jatiluwih with its serenity and beauty on therice fields. Or follow and inhale fresh air along the rapid onthe river with a wide choice of different rapid. Anotheractivity you will enjoy is an original "shopping adventure"to hunt souvenirs and the like in the art mareket.

One of art markets that are already popular among visitors isSukawati art market. Sukawati road-facing market located inthe Gianyar Regency has a strategic position as it is passedthrough during the tour to some destinations to the east.Sukawati art market is close to the village of Celuk, thecenter of gold & silversmiths. You can drop in after watchingbarong and kris dance performance in the morning. It can beaccessed through bemo transport, tour bus or taxi.
It is just like a myriad of art shops that offers wide rangeof products. Simply one stop-shopping. Many items sold in Kutaor other areas originate from here and are considerablycheaper if bought here. One outlet may provide more than oneitem, like garments, souvenirs, paintings (unframed),basketry, colorful kites and so on.

Buying giveaways to commemorate the holiday has to be a must.So take advantage the holiday time to find out somethingmemorable on the art market of Sukawati. This market is veryunique as it is already open in the early morning and visitedby both domestic and foreign visitors. It is very close toother destinations in the Gianyar Regency.

A good place to explore the shopping experience in a naturalway, get in touch with common people and see how the locals goabout the art of negotiation. Yes, shopping is also an art ofexperience. On the one hand, you may enjoy many kinds of artproducts all in one spot. It reflects the diversity of localart and crafts and the creativity of its people.
You will get a new experience in the 'art of buying'. You mustbargain the price eventhough the vendor offers you a "morningprice." Meaning especially low, to start off the trading daywith a few sales already and make the day a successful one.

It does not mean you have to accept it as it is, it'snot a fixed price. If you are good at bargaining you will getthe best price you can afford and the vendor keeps "smilingand thanking you". If they don't smile anymore, you know hiscost is higher than your offer. Good at bargaining is a bitmore than insisting on a price. You need to provide a logicalreason why your offer is so low and still should be accepted.

DENPASAR THE CULTURAL CITY

2008-11-08T22:44:00.000-08:00

DENPASAR THE CULTURAL CITY

Denpasar rose to Prominence during the last century, at a time when access to the sea and trade in opium, weapons and early manufactured products had become more important than control over the inland regions. Denpasar occupied the center of the southern rice-growing plain, with direct access to Sanur and Benoa seaports in the east, Kuta in the west. At the end of the last century, and with the aid of Tabanan, the Denpasar princes defeated the kingdom of Mengwi to become the most powerful rulers in Bali. But soon after, Denpasar became put itself on the map with the "Puputan" fight to the death against the Dutch in 1906-when thousands of Balinese warriors dressed in the finest regalia, armed only with traditional weapons like kris (short daggers) and spears, attacked the Dutch

riflemen. Most of the nobles were massacred, and this tragedy is commemorated at Puputan Square, Badung, where the slaughter took place. Despair the war and subsequent defeat; the strategic position of Denpasar ensured its rapid growth. With the construction roads, Benoa Harbour and an airport further south, the Dutch made it the hub of their southern communications network, the most populated part of the island. From just 15,000 inhabitants sixty years ago, the city population has expanded dramatically to 400,000 plus another 100,000 residents of Kuta and Nusa Dua. Following the expansion of Ngurah Rai Airport, Denpasar became the Balinese capital in 1958. Perhaps the most interesting feature of Denpasar is the way to combines tradition with modernity. The old Provincial kingdoms and villages of the densely populated rice plain also perforate the urban landscape.

These blending of styles sometimes results in a stunning cohabitation of architectural genres. Hidden behind the harsh rows of Chinese shops along Jalan Gajah Mada, the old city center, are traditional compounds with much of their original architecture preserved, kori gates and temples giving this city a historical look rarely found in other Indonesian cities. But with no heritage conservation policy at present, there is a strong possibility that much of the ancient

architecture may soon find itself replaced by contemporary concrete structures. A consequence of the city's rapid growth has been its sprawling nature. Since the road networks are not concentrated at the original urban center, urbanization tends jets 20 km away, leaving large expanses of rice-growing areas untouched in the middle of the city.

Scarcity of land has also created some architectural anomalies, city residents, no longer with enough room to build the complete set of buildings found in a traditional Balinese compound, have to make do with Balinese decorative roofs or carved panels illustrating the epic myths of Ramayana and Mahabharata. The result is unusual, but has a charm of its

own. Bali merges with Indonesia in Denpasar. The capital hosts all government administration offices as well as most universities and higher learning institutions, home to about 25,000 students. Take local economy is geared to the needs of the nearby resorts of Sanur, Kuta and Nusa Dua, to where many residents of commute daily. The dynamism of the local economy has brought comers from all over the country to Denpasar investors, managers, and even laborers. In Denpasar, ethnic homogeneity is a thing of the past.

Denpasar is where the Balinese scholars translate Indian holy books, new prayers are thought, and Hinduism reinterpreted. It is also home to a new cosmopolitan class of Western-oriented Balinese yuppies. The contradictions are immense there. Denpasar is not an easy place to visit. To see the old city, take a drive around the old villages of Kedaton, Sumerta, Tonja and especially Kesiman, whose brick-style shrines and gates are the simplest yet most beautiful in Bali. The Moaspait temple on the road to Tabanan dates back to the 14th century, another marvel of brick architecture. Other beautiful monuments include the temple and palace of Kesiman, Panambangan temple (near Pemecutan palace), and Satria temple, its nearby bird market. Pemecutan, Kesiman and Badung (now the name

of the nearby regency) were the three "united kingdoms" on the territory of Denpasar. Representing the modern tradition is Pura Jagadnatha, located in the heart of city. It was built in the 70's to be the "territorial temple" of Denpasar, an open monument to modern Balinese Hinduism.

Its main Padmasana shrine, or seat of the "Supreme Siwa", embodies the new importance given to the concept of the One God in Balinese religion. Located right next to Jagadnatha temple, a visit to the Bali Museum is a must. It has the finest collections of Balinese antiquities. Of particular interest is the stylistic simplicity of the i

tems in its 30's collection. The overly decorative Baroque style of Balinese art is clearly a recent historical import. Denpasar is also where Bali displays its modern image. The Taman Budaya, the Arts Center to the east of the city, is a complex dedicated to the preservation of Balinese culture.

ANIMAL WALFARE - TUMPEK KANDANG

2008-11-08T22:13:00.000-08:00

ANIMAL WALFARE - TUMPEK KANDANG BALINESE CEREMONY.

Tumpek Kandang, also called Tumpek Andang, falls on Saturday of Uye, the 22nd week of the pawukon cycle. The name Tumpek Kandang is derived from two words, “Tumpek” that means Saturday that coincide with Kliwon (name of a day based on Pancawara*) and “Kandang” refers to Balinese word for pen, symbolizing the domesticated animals that Balinese Hindu highly honor. They include cows, pigs, chickens, ducks, dogs and birds.Tumpek Kandang is dedicated to Sang Hyang Rare Angon, the god of all cattle and livestock. On this day Balinese show their appreciation and thankfulness to all domesticated animals that help them in everyday life.On this holiday day, domesticated animals in Bali receive a great attention; the cows are washed in the river and dressed-up like human beings, with special cone-shaped spiral of coconut leaf placed on their horns. The pigs are decorated, with their bellies wrapped with a white or yellow cloth. The domesticated animals are fed with the best food.A special offering is made for Sang Hyang Rare Angon, the god of all cattle and livestock, prayer is offered to the God for the welfare of the domesticated these animals. Holy water and rice are sprinkled to the head of these animals at the end of the ceremony.This ritual certainly not an animal worship ritual, The Balinese consider the animal as a friend of life and fellow brother created by God as a living creature. Human life is much assisted by animals, especially in satisfying the needs of food, the labor force, religious ceremony and economy. For the sake of preservation and prosperity of such animals, the Balinese plead for God as the Greatest Source.Tumpek Kandang has more meaning on the showing of evidence that Balinese is a community that is aware of animal welfare. This means, there is an awareness of owing “merits” to the animals, since such creatures are the preserver of the equilibrium of the ecosystem. Without animals on earth, the life cycle does not work, and even interrupts.Tumpek Kandang, sometimes called Tumpek Andang, falls five weeks later on Saturday of Uye, the 22d week of the Pawukon cycle. The name comes from kandang, the Balinese word for the household animal pen, because this is the day to honour domestic animals, especially cows and pigs, which are highly valued by the Balinese.The cows are washed, kambens are thrown over their backs and special cone-shaped spirals of coconut leaf are placed on their horns. The pigs are usually just decorated by wrapping a white cloth about their bellies. The animals are given special foods, prayers are offered, and they are sprinkled with rice and holy water.

FORTUIN CAFE AT JIMBARAN BAY

2008-11-08T21:51:00.000-08:00

SEAFOOD DINNER AT FORTUIN CAFE

Bali is one of the world’s heritages, well known for its unique art and culture. Now Jimbaran Bay Kedonganan Beach, southern part of Bali, with its white sandy beach, wonderful sunset and tasteful seafood enhance the uniqueness of Bali.Its easy access to and from the high way, highlighted by its superb sunset cocktail and seafood dinner, Jimbaran Bay Kedonganan Beach becomes a must while in Bali.FORTUIN Cafe , operating since 2001, is located at the Jimbaran Bay Kedonganan Beach. A 4 months renovation program was alreadycompleted, and now it has new look, design, and interior. Most important is that the service is up to the international standard and yet with Bali hospitality and local nuance.FORTUIN Cafe also serve Special or Romantic Sunset Dinner Party for Birth Day,Company Gathering, Other Occasions and Wedding reception

Ride the local outrigger, toast to the sunset and then enjoy your tasteful seafood dinner, grilled, fried, steamed or at your choice at FORTUIN Cafe, The Chosen, at Jimbaran Bay / Kedonganan Beach.

Its becomes an unforgettable time in Bali.Name : FORTUIN CAFEAddress : Jl. Pantai Kedonganan/Jimbaran Bay, Kuta-BaliTel : +62 361 7444412 , 7893583Fax : +62 361 705399Email : sales@fortuincafe.com Website : http://www.fortuincafe.com/

BALAWAN PERFOMANCE IN ACIIA CONFERENCE 2008 BALI

2008-11-04T19:16:00.000-08:00

BALAWAN PERFORMANCE IN ACIIA CONFERENCE WELCOME DINNER PARTY 2008 BALI

The 2008 Asian Conference on Internal Auditing with the theme “Evaluating and Improving the Effectiveness on Risk Management, Control and Governance Process"held at Aston Denpasar Hotel & Convention Center, Bali, on 3-4 November 2008. On the welcome dinner Party 03 November 2008, Balawan guitarist from Bali give the best perfomance to all meeting participant.

Here with the Balawan profile: Wayan Balawan was born in Bali - Indonesia September 1973, He Grew up amongst Balinese gamelan music. At age of 8 he began to play guitar and start his first band in the age of 14. He can plays rock guitar virtuoso style like Yngwie Malmsteen since he was 10 years old.In 1993 he went to Sydney and got a scholarship to study jazz at the Australian Institute Of Music for two years. He went back to Bali in 1997 and form Batuan Ethnic Fusion (A mix of Balinese Gamelan and Jazz) and released one album in 1999.He is versatile guitarist that play many styles of music, and a great solo performer. He has developed the ability to play a special and difficult form of tapping which involves chord and bass work with the left hand and tapped melody with the right hand, which resembles piano playing.Balawan is now considered as one of famous favourite jazz guitarist in Indonesia and acclaimed by Rolling Stone Indonesia magazine as 1 of 36 Indonesian Guitar Heroes.

FUN IN WETERBOM PARK BALI

2008-10-30T10:15:00.000-07:00

FUN IN WATERBOM PARK BALI

General Information

Set amongst 3.8 hectares of beautiful tropical gardens, you can feel strong Balinese atmosphere. It is unique combination of traditional elements with sophisticated technology used in the operation side of the park, like the advanced salt chlorinating technique that is soft in skin and earth.

Attractions

Waterbom Bali is home to 15 world class water slides from the fastest Smashdown a 25m, 4 sec, 70km/h ride-to the slowest and relaxing Lazy River. In between, there are also Raft River, Macaroni Tube and Race Track. Nothing can beat Boogie Ride and Jungle Ride for head to head race or getting dizzy in tandem ride. For children under 12 go to Bombastic Aquatic Playground and Kiddy Park to keep up the little one busy for hours with interactive features suah as splash pool, two waterslides, crawling tunnels and cargo nets, a swinging foot brigde, waterfalls and water cannons.

Facilities :

Other facilities including international food court, Pump House Cafe, Wet Cafe & Bar, land and water sport, gazebo, merchandise shop, digital photography service, climbing wall, Eurobungy Trampoline, Soul Asylum Reflexiology and The Dome.

Group Bookings,

Functions and Other EventsWaterbom is able to provide one-stop service for your next event:Waterbom's event team will personally tailor an event that meets all your requirements. Available for groups from 15 to 2,000 people, Private reserved area, Catering, games, theme parties and group photos. The park is available for exclusive rentals, Several venues to choose from Spacious parking facilities .Available for team building, company outings, wedding and other functions. http://www.waterbom.com/

BALI SAFARI AND MARINE PARK

2008-10-30T09:25:00.000-07:00

BALI SAFARI AND MARINE PARK

Holiday adventures should be fun, which “Bali Safari and Marine Park” provides in full measure, as well as it’s more profound and enduring mission of conservation.Taman Safari Indonesia is an institution oriented to building tourist attractions that are attractive to visitors, environmentally friendly and that help spread the conservation message. They are the Government appointed Indonesian Centre for the Reproduction of Endangered Wildlife and operate the Sumatran Tiger Rescue Team that relocates them when they come into conflict with humans.
By visiting Bali Safari and Marine Park, or their huge complexesnear Jakarta and Surabaya, visitors contribute to the conservation work asa percentage of the profit goes to helping Taman Safari Indonesia continue its work in rescuing Indonesia’s endangered wild elephants, orangutans, tigers, and unique birds like the Bali myna. http://www.balisafarimarinepark.com/

KERTHA GOSA

2008-10-30T09:01:00.000-07:00

KERTHA GOSA TAMAN GILI

Kertha Gosa is a tourism place which is a lot of visited by tourists in Bali located in Klungkung Town , east part of Bali. The building existence in the middle of lotus pond which is looking like adrift and own the high history value to Klungkung empire, where this building more knowledgeable by the name of Taman Gili. It is used for the meeting hall for all kings in the era of Klungkung Empire. The building with the Balinese style is precisely standing up in the middle of lotus pond and the building itself is designed open air and sustained with the graven wood prop of Bali. The ceiling of this Taman Gili Building is full decorated by the dressy puppets painting of Kamasan style narrating the human life in this earth and eternity. This building is also as eyewitness of Klungkung empire life, until governmentally resistance of Dutch colonial.

This place also owns Taman Gili, a building floating or sees like floating because it is intentionally founded in the middle of a fish pond. The decorative painting at the roof of Kertha Gosa building is painted with the story motif. The painting is started from Panil at eastside with the plot rotate according to Pradaksina direction and finish at Panil north side. Kertha Gosa is founded in 18 century with unique building like the plafond come from asbestos which is dotted with the famous style of Kamasan painting in the year 1930. During Dutch colonization (1908-1942), Kertha Gosa remains to be wearied as a justice place for lawbreaker, especially criminal. Along with colonial governance, the punish system in Indonesia has changed from system of death duties Majapahit (traditional) become the continental punish system which is brought by Dutch. The evacuation system is non aim to as retaliation, but improve the perpetrator so that acceptable to its society. The painting decorating on the conference hall's plafond is aim to awake all trespassers in order not to repeat the badness. Other building is called Bale Kambang and this building looked to be impressing float on the fishpond water. There is a museum which is called Semarajaya located on the right external of Kori Agung yard. This Museum is set in a building which is ex- Dutch High School and its physical form is solidarity from Dutch style era architecture with the Balinese traditional architecture. In this museum we can see the ancient object, history object inclusive photos of documentation from Klungkung King Family and clan.

1st ASIAN BEACH GAMES CLOSING CEREMONY

2008-10-28T10:12:00.000-07:00

CLOSING CEREMONY CELEBRATION MARK END TO HISTORIC GAMES

SANUR, Bali, Indonesia – The 1st Asian Beach Games conclude in Bali, Indonesia, on Sunday, 26 October 2008, with a closing celebration meant to “Inspire the World” one last time. The Closing Ceremony will be held at the Garuda Wisnu Kencana, a monumental cultural park in Nusa Dua, beginning at 20:00 pm.Highlights of the Ceremony include a collborative presentation of Indonesian traditional dances and songs from the five major islands and Bali performed in contemporary traditional style by 150 dancers and musicians. Entertainers from Oman, the host of the next Asian Beach Games, will also peform in the Ceremony.Indonesian Vice President Muhammad Yusuf Kalla, one of several distinguished guests expected to attend, will address the audience on the success of the historic Games. Also scheduled to speak are Aburizal Bakrie, chairman of the Bali Asian Beach Games Organizing Committee (BABGOC), and H.H. Sheikh Ahmad Fahad Al-Sabah, president of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).After the handover of the Asian Beach Games’ torch from Indonesia to Oman, which welcomes the Games to Muscat in 2010, the unforgettable nine days of beachside competition in Bali will officially come to an end with the extinguishing of the flame. http://www.bali2008.com/

FAREWELL BALI 1ST ASIAN BEACH GAMES 2008

2008-10-28T09:49:00.000-07:00

FARWELL BALI WELCOME MUSCAT

DENPASAR (10/27/08) - Asia and the globe have witnessed another history in the world of sports. Asian Beach Games 2008, the first of its kind, was successfully held in Bali, one of the greatest places on earth. The games was closed last night with another spectacular display of Bali with its one of a kind and harmonious beauty, culture and nature.

The athletes and officials have completed their tasks of performing at their very best to victory. The volunteers have returned, hopefully with big smile on their faces as they are another essential part of this Asian history and the world's heritage in sports. The spectators have also done cheering for their favorite teams. The journalists have performed all their duties of sounding the event all accross the country and beyond. Bali has returned to its previous days, full of new beginnings and expectations to explore.

Two years from now, we will witness another Asian Beach Games. We will witness all the spirit and battle to be the best by defeating the best. We will witness all the joy, festive, cheers, struggle, laughter, even tears as Asia gathers once more in tight yet friendly competitions. We will witness Asian Beach Games II Muscat, Oman.
The Bali Asian Beach Games 2008 has ended, but hopefully, the memory stays here to always inspire the world. (bali2008.com)

BABGOC RECEIVED OCA AWARD - 1ST ASIAN BEACH GAMES BALI 2008

2008-10-27T02:46:00.000-07:00

BABGOC RECEIVED OCA AWARD - 1ST ASIAN BEACH GAMES BALI 2008

SANUR (10/22/08) - The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) presented the Award of Merit to Rita Subowo, BABGOC Director General, and Aburizal Bakrie, BABGOC Chairman, during the 27th OCA General Assembly at the Westin Resort in Nusa Dua, Bali Tuesday, 21 October 2008.The award is for Indonesia's great achievement in organizing the 1st Asian Beach Games. OCA especially praised the highly entertaining and energetic opening ceremony on 18 October. Indonesia's success, according to Rita, is expected to inspire the world to host the next games; Muscat (Oman) 2010, then Hayang City (China) 2012, Boracay (Philipines) 2014 and Phuket (Thailand) 2016.In honor of the achievement, the executive board meeting of OCA decided that the flame for the games torch will always be taken from Mrapen, Central Java. The torch will then be relayed from Java to Bali and then to the host country. “The forum agreed and the decision was made during the General Assembly,” Rita said.Also scheduled on the agenda are presentations by delegations from the four candidate cities to host the 2016 Olympics and Paralympic Games: Chicago, Madrid, Rio, Tokyo. Followed by the presentation of the London Organizing Committee of Olympic Games and Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games.Officials at the meeting included OCA President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, IOC President Jacques Rogge, IOC members around the world and representatives from sports federations of the 45 countries of the OCA. (http://www.bali2008.com/)

AUSTRALIAN INSTRUCTORS TRAINS RESCUE GUARD OF KUTA BEACH

2008-10-26T21:15:00.000-07:00

AUSTRALIAN INSTRUCTORS TRAIN RESCUE GUARDS OF KUTA BEACH
(October 9th, 2008)

Beach rescue force of Badung Regency invites five Australian instructors to improve skill of beach rescue guards of Kuta Beach. “Three professional instructors from Surf Life Surfing have arrived and another two is expected to come a bit later to share their skill and experience in beach safety”, said the coordinator of beach rescue force of Badung Regency, I Made Suparka.

He further told that the three trainers which have already arrived are David Rosu, Loyle, and Monica. Training will take two weeks starting on October 15th. 82 beach rescue guards from larger and smaller hotels along Kuta beach and from other Indonesian provinces will participate in the training. Suparka also explained that instructors from Surf Life Surfing of Australia have conducted continuous training both upon invitation as well as on their holiday in Bali. In addition to training, Australian beach rescue force has also given assistance in supporting equipment for rescue operation to those swept away by tidal wave of Kuta beach. In addition to Australian instructors, a number of related instructors from Bali will also give away their skill and experience, which is very important for regeneration. Similar training attended by 110 participants has also been conducted last year, which in addition to those stationed in Badung and Denpasar areas, also those from other Indonesian provinces.

After attending the training participants are expected to be able to give better rescue operation to those having accident on the beach where they are stationed. Clustered into small groups the training will cover both theoretical backgroud as well as hands on practical sessions.Many of beach rescue guards are volunteers who have their own permanent job and come to join the force in their spare time especially during holidays when more tourists are spending their time on the beach. “There are many volunteers help beach rescue force especially on long holidays including when Bali was flooded with domestic tourists during the last Lebaran holiday”, said Suparka. source : http://www.villarentalbali.com/

INDONESIAN WOMEN'S DRAGON BOAT WON IN 1ST ASIAN BEACH GAMES

2008-10-22T08:53:00.001-07:00

INDONESIAN WOMEN'S DRAGON BOAT TEAM WON GOLD - 1ST ASIAN BEACH GAMES BALI 2008

WEST SUWUNG (10/22/08) - On the final competition, Indonesian women’s dragon boat team won gold medal in 500 meter class. The 21-member team of Sarce Aronggaer and team raced in round 4. They finished first in 2 minutes 24.55 seconds.
Silver medal went to China with time record of 2 minutes 28.13 seconds and Bronze won by Thailand (2:32,60).With that result, Indonesia has earned three gold medals and one silver medal in dragon boating. Indonesian dragon-boat team coach, Muhammad Suryadi, said that the women’s team victory in 500 meter class had been predicted before.

"Our women’s team targeted to win gold in 1.000 meter and 500 meter class. While in 250 meter class the chance is fifty-fifty," he said. According to Suryadi, Indonesian dragon boat women’s team is cored by Canoe and Kayak gold medalists in SEA Games and The National Games.
"Our women’s team is strong and experienced. So, there is no problem when they are in a team," he said. Meanwhile, former Navy Chief of Staff Ahmad Sutjipto stated that the success of Indonesian boat team made him proud. He indicated that both men's and women's dragon boat teams would be nurtured even more.

"They would be in continuous trainings for the next Asian Games 2010 in Guangzhou, China," he said. Sutjipto is optimistic that with hard trainings they would be able to win more gold medals in the next Asian Games. (http://www.bali2008.com/)

PRINCIPLE CONCEPT OF BALINESE ARCHITECTURE

2008-10-19T08:51:00.000-07:00

ASTA KOSALA-KOSALI IS THE BASICALLY PRINCIPLE CONCEPT FOR BALINESE ARCHITECTURE.

The Balinese people believe that all their daily life active is connecting to the Yadnya and all the religious ceremonial which is implementation their sacrifice or Bakthi to the god Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa (the balinese Hindu god), they belive if they don’t do the ceremonial so they will take the karma pahala. Karma phala is result that what we have done in the pass goodness and badness, basically the Hindu concept is commences to its follower to make good behavior respect, help and loving each other, (well I thing all the religious in the world has good purpose) which base on Trikaya Parisuda which consist of manacika good thinking, wacika good speaking, kayika good behavior this all concept are implementation in symbol in daily Balinese activity.

Asta Kosala-Kosali is basically principle role for Balinese people to build house, commonly before build the there are some ritual that done in the land where the house will build it this ritual called ngeruak dan continue to mecaru the ritual clean the area from negative element. Asta Kosala-Kosali basically is a symbol from the god which the building facing each in parallelogram (Catur Loka Pahala/ Asta Dala) which implementation from the symbol Lingga-Yoni, Purusa-Perdana, Yin-Yan, positif-negatif male dan female. The construction of the Asta Kosala-Kosali house basically connected to the relationship to Bhuana Alit and Buana Agung which followed the instruction to the Hindu philosophies.

The Balinese architecture which base on the The Asta Kosala-Kosali is consists of some building in one area. The Madya Mandala consist of Bale dangin this building are located on the east side facing with Bale Dauh which the position are located in the west side and in the nourth side is Bale Sekutus Bandung or Bale Gedong facing to the Bale Delod or Bale merainan. The merajan or the Utamaning Mandala (the pure place for prying for the ancestors) is located on north east of all the building and the kitchen located in northwest adjacent with the Kelumpu (rice barn) and the entrance located in northwest facing to the north side. According to the Asta Kosala-Kosali the concept of traditional Balinese house divede into three part Tri Mandala which consist of utama mandala (place for building tample) Madya Mandala (place fro build home stay) and Nista Mandala place for garden or pet) commonly in Bali thre are one house own bay one family which consist of a father, a mother and some daughter, soon with some grandchildren.

Source: http://www.pambali.com/

WEDDING IN BALI

2008-10-19T08:23:00.000-07:00

HAVE YOU WEDDING IN BALI??

Perhaps not one of the first destinations you would think of for your wedding, but one that is well worth considering once you see all it has to offer, is Bali.This is an island that is a mix of magic and mystery, the perfect location for such a special and momentous occasion.

Surrounded by stunning tropical scenery and a beautiful friendly nature, whether you are looking to have a simple wedding celebration or one that is much larger and more elaborate, you can have it just the way you want here.There are plenty of luxury hotel wedding venues to choose from, including the St. Regis Bali Wedding Chapel, Tirta Uluwatu Chapel, Maya Ubud Resort, Nusa Dua Beach Hotel and The Ritz Carlton, just to name a few.

There are so many different breathtaking spots that you could choose to have your event at, and so many fun and wonderful activities to take part in over the course of your stay.
Watersports are very popular in Bali, the most challenging of Bali's famous surfing sports located near Ulu Watu and along Bali's West coast North of Canggu.

From spa and beauty treatments, game fishing, and scuba diving, to day and dinner cruises, submarine safaris, and golf...really, what more could you ask for?
You can have the wedding of a lifetime, the wedding you always dreamed of, in Bali. Whether you are just getting married or want to renew your vows, this is a destination that you will not regret choosing to celebrate in.

BALINESE FULL MOON DAY

2008-10-19T07:26:00.000-07:00

BALINESE SPECIAL FULL MOON DAY

This month full moon will be special in bali, because this full moon called purnama kapat is a special day, the purnama kapat (full moon at sasih kapat) is the day when rainy season is begin, and for human this sasih kapat is the best month for married.
This moth full moon was at 14 october 2008, the best time to visit besakih temple, batur temple at kintamani and anothers temples arround Bali, there will be a caremony called piodalan and
at this time there will be many balinese come there to pray.

WEST BALI NATIONAL PARK THE GREEN HERITAGES OF WOLRD

2008-10-19T06:51:00.000-07:00

WEST BALI NATIONAL PARK - THE GREEN HERITAGES OF WORLD

The area of Taman Nasional Bali Barat (West Bali National Park) situated at the Edge of north Bali Island is the stretch of green ground along the 150 km road that link Gilimanuk and Denpasar or Gilimanuk and Singaraja. It is located between district of Gerokgak in Buleleng regency and district of Melaya in Jembrana regency. It is reachable from Gilimanuk as the main entrance to West Bali, and from Denpasar. This 77,000-hectare park was established in 1941.Lush forests still grow on Bali's southern and western slopes. West Bali National Park (covers 50,000 hectare on the western tip of the island. It also includes another 7,000 hectares of coral reef and coastal water. Considering in the small size of the island as a whole, the National

Park is a major commitment towards attempting to preserve the wildlife found on Bali. The forest in this area has been determined as " Nature Park" - later on known as Taman Perlindungan Alam Bali - based on the decision of " Raja-Raja di Bali" (Kings in Bali) dated 13th August 1917 noE-1/4/5. This regulation is intended to preserve the flora and fauna in this area.

BALINESE CALASSICAL PAINTINGS

2008-10-19T06:28:00.000-07:00

PAINTINGS IS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUSE BALINESE ART FORM

Before foreign painters came to Bali in the 1920 and 1930s, paintings were rigidly one dimensional, but western influence brought a flowering of representational art, often of typical village scenes, flowers or animal.

Examples of both classical mostly calendars and of the Penestanan and Pengosekan representational style are found in many shops that offer painting. There are many art studios around Ubud and in the villages of Batuan, Bedulu, Kamasan and Kerambitan, there is such an explosion of interest in Balinese art that visitors may find it difficult to find work of true quality.

If you are just looking something charming to remind you of your visit to Bali, you’ll find it in one of the hundred of tourist shops which sell paintings. However if you want to find work of real talent, then the up market galleries found in Ubud and in the shopping malls attached to 5 star hotels would be a good place to start.

Galleries include the Tama Gallery, the Komaneka Gallery on Jalan Monkey Forest in central Ubud, and Agung Rai Gallery in Ubud suburb of Peliatan.

THE POWER OF BALINESE CLASSICAL DANCES

2008-10-19T06:04:00.000-07:00

THE POWER OF BALINESE CLASSICAL DANCES

LEGONG DANCE

A beautiful and graceful dance by very young girl. Its involves two girl dancing in mirror image of each other. Costume are very rich, and the dance contains very subtle eye, hand foot movement. The Legong is often performed in restaurant and hotels. But the most famous performances are those by The Peliatan group of Ubud Bali.

TOPENG (MASK) DANCE

The Mask Dance. The most common form is Topeng Tua (Old Mask), where solo performer dons the mask of very old man, and through his physical movement portrays the thoughts, emotions and feeling of the character.

In order variants, a troupe may portray a number of different characters. Because of the technical demands of the dance the performers can not use facial expression to convey wide variety of meanings and must use their bodies, the Topeng Dances are not commonly held for tourist, but are performed as part of other cultural events such as the Bali Arts Festival and other special occasions.

BARONG AND RANGDA DANCE

This dance still held in the streets of traditional Balinese communities as well as in tourist venues where it may be known as the Kris Dance. Essentially it is a tale of good triumphing over evil. The Barong, which is a humorous and mischievous kind of lion, does battle with the wicked witch Rangda.

The most visual arresting part of the dance is when the Barongs supporters, a group of young men wielding traditional Balinese daggers, fall into trance and stab themselves without apparent injury. In traditional performances of the Barong, the trances are deep and real, and at the end, a priest bring the dancers out of their trance with holy water.

PRESIDENT ASKS FOR GUARANTEED SECURITY DURING 1ST ASIAN BEACH GAMES - BALI

2008-10-09T09:34:00.000-07:00

President asks for guaranteed security during 1st Asian Beach Games - Bali

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has asked for guaranteed security during the Asian Beach Games taking place in Bali from October 18 to 26. The remark was made by People`s Welfare Coordinating Minister Aburizal Bakrie in a coordination meeting on the Asian Beach Games in Sanur, Bali, on Tuesday. "The president called for guaranteed security during the Asian Beach Games, as even the slightest disturbance would disrupt Indonesia`s image and reputation," Aburizal said.He also said security should not only be maintained in the venues, but the whole Bali as well."Not only the safety of the participants and spectators, but security of entire Bali too," he stressed.

Therefore, Bali police will deploy around 1969 of its personnel with the support of their Jakarta counterparts. The police will cover four areas, namely Kuta beach, Sanur, Seranan and Benoa peninsula. Bali police planned to deploy 139 personnel in Sanur, 180 in Benoa peninsula, 116 in Kuta and 72 in Serangan. Police will also maintain security at 35 hotels where the athletes and their officials are staying. sourch : antara news 08 oct 08 http://www.antaranews.co.id/

ASIAN BEACH GAMES - TAX FREE

2008-10-09T09:17:00.000-07:00

TAX FREE FOR 1st ASIAN BEACH GAMES ADVERTISMENTS(Bali 16-28 Oct 2008)

Badung Regent Deputy, Sudikerta, who is also in the organizing committee of Bali Asian Beach Games expects the parties gaining benefits from the event such as hotels and tourism business to provide support to the Games.

The local authorities has also provide free tax service for any advertisement related to Asian Beach Games. "Asian Beach Games will promote Indonesia as Indonesia promotes Asian Beach Games. In the end, Bali will be the in the spot light, enhancing the tourism and economy for the locals," Sudikerta said.

Asian Beach Games will compete 19 sports disciplines and all the venues will be spread along Bali. Nine venues will be in Denpasar and other ten will be in Badung. Some of the venues are in famous tourism spots in Bali like Sanur beach, Mertasari beach, Serangan island, and Jimbaran.

source : http://www.bali2008.com/

ASIAN BEACH GAMES - TICKETS AND PRICING

2008-10-09T08:17:00.001-07:00

KNOW YOUR 1st ASIAN BEACH GAMES (ABG) TICKETS AND PRICING ???

(Bali 16-28 Oct 2008)

As the Asian Beach Games closes, the information on tickets and pricing is essential. Here is some information for you about the tickets and pricing on Asian Beach Games. There are two types of tickets that you can purchase.

The first is the DAY PASS. With this ticket, you can gain access to all sports on 1 day without access to The Opening & Closing Ceremony. You can have this ticket for Rp 20,000,- per ticket.
The second is GAMES PASS. This ticket allows you to gain access to all sports over 9 day period, still without the access to The Opening and Closing Ceremony with only Rp 50,000,- per ticket.

The admission on the tickets is on first-come first-serve basis. For those with children, they can bring their 2 – 12 year olds for half the ticket price. Source from : http://www.bali2008.com/

ASIAN BEACH GAMES 2008 - VENUE

2008-10-09T08:17:00.000-07:00

1st ASIAN BEACH GAMES 2008 - SPORT VENUE

(Bali 16-28 Oct 2008)

Kuta Beach Cluster (CKB)
Body Building

Dragon Boat

RacingSurfing

Nusa Dua - Benoa Cluster (CNB)
Water Polo

Beach Kabaddi

Beach Basketball

Beach Wrestling

Beach Pencak Silat

Jetski Sport

Paragliding

Woodball

Sanur Beach Cluster (CSB)
Beach Volleyball

Beach Sepaktakraw

Beach Handball

Beach Soccer

Marathon Swimming

Triathlon

Serangan Island Cluster (CSI)
Sailing

Windsurfing

http://www.bali2008.com/

ASTON DENPASAR HOTEL & CONVENTION CENTER -THE LEADING CITY HOTEL WITH THE STARS

2008-10-02T03:57:00.000-07:00

ASTON DENPASAR HOTEL & CONVENTION CENTER - THE LEADING CITY HOTEL WITH THE STARS......

ASTON Denpasar Hotel and Convention Center is a delightful hotel and convention centre offering some of the very best meeting facilities in Bali along with the ease and comfort of studio,one and two bedroom apartments for the price of a hotel room. Ideally located in the very heart of thriving Denpasar just 30 minutes drive from the International airport and close to the islands main business area and central government offices. The Aston Denpasar offers easy access to all thmain attractions in South Bali and surrounding areas.

Bagus, Ulfa & Yudi//////////////Mr. Aris & Dewi Persik

Wawan & Saiful Jamil//////////// FO Team & Rendy

Alison, Ulfa & Jay /////////////FO Team & "Cinta Laura"

1ST ASIAN BEACH GAMES - BALI 2008

2008-10-02T02:37:00.000-07:00

THE 1 st ASIAN BEACH GAMES 18-26 OCTOBER 2008

(Government’s Full Supports on ABG)

The government will support Asian Beach Games by providing full funding to cover the rest of the cost needed for completion. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had instructed the local government to give full support to this historical event in Indonesia as said by The Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare, Aburizal Bakrie during an interview in Jakarta. The Asian Beach Games is the first ever of its kind and will be the second largest after Asian Games IV in 1962 in Jakarta. The cost to organize Asian Beach Games 2008 reaches Rp2OO billion and the president will inspect directly al the preparation in Bali on October 10th or 11th. Aburizal further adedd that the president has instructed related ministries and regencies in Bali to provide the support needed for the Games, including the security and services for all head of states coming to Bali during the event. More detail please visit : http://www.bali2008.com/

NUSA DUA FIESTA 2008 - UP NEXT.....

2008-09-20T09:22:00.000-07:00

Fiesta 2008 lifestyle
Come and Enjoy ...The Nusa Dua Life style ...

(10-14 October 2008)

ORIGINALLY called the Nusa Dua Festival; this event was first established in 1993. The Nusa Dua Fiesta 2008 will mark the 12th annual Festival of Nusa Dua.
For two consecutive years (1994 – 1995) there was no Festival held in Nusa Dua. But in 1996, under the guidance of Mr. Anak Agung Gede Rai – the following President Director of BTDC, the annual Nusa Dua Festival was restarted again. This Annual Events keep continues and has been improved to date under the leadership of Mr. I Made Mandra, the current President Director of BTDC, Nusa Dua.

In consequence of various disasters, BTDC as Civil Organization spotlight in Tourism Industry representing best alternative to return the Image of Bali (Recovery Bali) as well to promote the Indonesia Culture in general and Bali to the world.

In 2007, BTDC has taken the initiative to revamp the image of the Nusa Dua Festival and re-brand it under the name of ‘Nusa Dua Fiesta 2007’, which essentially is a reflection of the lifestyle of this charming. The new name of Nusa Dua Fiesta has brought the innovative and colourful yet exclusive event.

Nusa Dua Fiesta Mission OUR mission is to build a strong foundation by creating a highly organized and entertaining celebration program gathering the Nusa Dua Community together as a whole to promote and establish itself as Bali’s primary luxury destination and promoting Indonesia in General. all program and detail at : http://www.fiesta.balinusaduaresort.com/

BALI SURFING HOLIDAY

2008-09-20T08:10:00.000-07:00

BEST SURFING BEACH IN BALI

Bali surfing is an exciting adventure to break the high wave of the Indian Ocean. Bali provides many places for the surfers to challenge and experience the sea world and having fun during your vacation. With the easy access road to the surfing point, it will make your interest to experience this great adventure. the Indian Ocean own specific characteristic wave that makes Bali well known as good place for surfing holiday by all surfers in all over the world. Firstly, Kuta Beach is the pioneer of Beach that many surfers have experienced the wave of this famous beach in Bali . Kuta also provides Surfing Course where you may learn how to surf with the complete facilities and professional instructor.

Kuta Beach
Kuta Beach is a barometer of Bali Tourism has a beautiful panorama a long the beach and own the specific characteristic wave of Indian Ocean that is good for all surfer from the beginner until the professional. A long the Kuta Beach, the white sandy unfolding the coastal area from the north to the south and it own the magnificent view of sunset that make Kuta Beach is famous in all over the world. More about Kuta Beach.

Padang - Padang Beach
Padang - Padang Beach is located 25 km southern part of Denpasar Town or 25 minutes drives from Bali 's International Airport . It has a beautiful beach with white sand along the coastal. The surfing point at Padang – Padang Beach is located under ground in the steeply sloping hillside apposite to the Indian Ocean and has a big wave that good for surfing. It place is growth to be a surfer destination and this place become famous from year to year. More about Padang – Padang Beach.

Balangan Beach
Balangan Beach is located in Balangan Village Bukit Unggasan, Jimbaran Bali. It has a beautiful view of beach and a big wave good for surfing. It is quite easy to reach the Balangan Beach where this beach has been known by all people and famous among the surfers. Step down from the top hill to get the beach and you will start your great water adventure from here. Please visit more about Balangan Beach .

The Dream Land
The Dream Land is the name of area where previously is designed as an elite resident. It own a beautiful panorama and beach with he high wave and make this place is favorite for the surfers. It is located around 20 km from the Denpasar Town or around 20 minutes from the Bali 's International Airport . The sunset panorama is also dominating this beach and now many people have come for resting. Please visit more about Balangan Beach .

Uluwatu Beach
Uluwatu is well known as a tourism destination because of it temple, Uluwatu it self also has a beautiful beach with the high wave and good for the surfer. Many surfers have experienced in this beach and all of them amazing with the wave. Step down from the top of hill to get the beach is a unique experience for the surfer. It is located in the Pecatu Village , Kuta Bali or 35 minute from Bali 's International Airport or only 5-minute form the Uluwatu Temple . Please visit more about Uluwatu Beach.

Nusa Dua Beach
Nusa Dua area is well known as a resort area where many big hotels and high class has been built in this area. Nusa Dua own very beautiful beach a long with the white sandy and soft wave in edge of beach. However, Nusa Dua also owns a good wave for surfing adventure. As a resort area, Nusa Dua has very good access road so is very easy to locate this place. Located beside of Grand Hyatt Resort or behind of amphitheatre of Nusa Dua. Please visit more about Nusa Dua Beach .

Serangan Beach
Serangan Beach is located 5 km southern part of Denpasar Town and the beach it self is located at Serangan Island that has been exploited and designed as a resort area. however the projects are delayed whereas. Serangan owns a beautiful beach and the good high wave. It was many surfers have experienced this place, which makes them enjoy surfing. Warung or small cafes to serve the seafood are also available in this area. Please visit more about Serangan Beach .

Canggu Beach
Canggu Beach is located 10 km western part of Denpasar Town and own beautiful beach with the black sand along the beach. The big wave are easy to be found in this place and many surfer from local and foreign are love this place to experience this water adventure. It is located in Canggu Village, Kerobokan, Denpasar Bali and very easy to locate and accessed by motorcycle. Restaurant and warung (cafe) are available in this place make the visitor more enjoyable to stay in this beach. Please visit more about Canggu Beach .

Medewi Beach
Medewi Beach is one of the surfing beaches in the west of Bali that is famous with the beach and good wave for surfing. Hotel and restaurant are also available in this place to serve every visitor who wishes to enjoy the beauty of Medewi Beach . It is located in Jembrana Regency about 70 km western part of Denpasar Town or about 2,5 hours by car. Please visit more about Medewi Beach .

BALI BEACH AND UNDER THE SEA

2008-09-13T21:18:00.000-07:00

BALI BEACH AND UNDER THE SEA

Amed and Tulamben
Approximately 1.5 hour from Badung north of Padang Bay. There is most popular diving site or snorkeling in Bali. A shipwreck and a drop-off accessible from the beach offer easy access to colorful under water world. The magnificent coral viewing , also notorious for shark, rays and a wide variety of beautiful fish life. Diving courses are also available.

Nyang Nyang - Labuhan Sait Bali
Located a few kilometers north of the ancient temple of Uluwatu, facing the vast Indian Ocean. From the parking area, one must descend down stairs and pass through long narrow gap of cliff before reaching the wide beach area. The sea water here is crystal clear and the large waves make it one of the best places for surfing in all of Bali, as surfing lovers throughout the world have already discovered.

Suluban Beach Bali
Located a few kilometers north of the ancient temple of Uluwatu, facing the vast Indian Ocean. From the parking area, one must descend down stairs and pass through long narrow gap of cliff before reaching the wide beach area. The sea water here is crystal clear and the large waves make it one of the best places for surfing in all of Bali, as surfing lovers throughout the world have already discovered

Nusa Lembongan Bali
This small island is one of the most a popular destinations for day trippers from Bali. The trips can takes about one and two hours from the Badung strait, depending on whether you sail or motor boat. One of the main attractions of the island is diving and snorkeling, with amazing corals, and tropical colorful fishes, crystal clear water and white sandy beaches. Lembongan’s large neighboring island, Nusa Penida has a somewhat more ominous reputation and less popular.

Geger Beach Bali
It only takes 5 minutes to go there from the Bali golf – Nusa Dua. Many tourist often call it as “a hidden Paradise”. It’s not only because of the ebach have clear water it is worthy to be the place for swimming as well as surfing.

Padang-Padang - Bingin Bali
Located a few kilometers north of the ancient temple of Uluwatu, facing the vast Indian Ocean. From the parking area, one must descend down stairs and pass through long narrow gap of cliff before reaching the wide beach area. The sea water here is crystal clear and the large waves make it one of the best places for surfing in all of Bali, as surfing lovers throughout the world

have already discovered.

Medewi Beach Beach
Located about 72 kilometers west of denpasar, the area was a forest with “ketket”, or thorny trees. The thorny forest means “Alas Meduwi” in Balinese. Because of this. People agreed to call it “Meduwi”, then changed into the current name of Medewi. The beach is flat, stony, and has long rolling waves, so it is very suitable for surfing and sunset watching.

BALI'S PLACE OF INTEREST

2008-09-13T20:24:00.000-07:00

BEAUTIFUL PLACE OF THE MONTH.......

TRUNYAN VILLAGE -BANGLI REGENCY
Owes it origins to pre-Hindu times (BaliAga), and still maintains many of its ancient customs. According to legend, the village was founded on the spot where an ancient tree, which smelled of incense, stood. The old Temple, Pura Pancering Jagat, still stands under a massive banyan tree.

RIVER AYUNG RAFTING - GIANYAR REGENCY
The River Ayung is the longest and largest river in Bali, and along this river, white water rafting was first introduced in Bali. To experience rafting on the river Ayung’s west side is amazing, for besides the enjoyment of challenging rapids, the panorama of this beautiful, intact nature area is highlighted by the appearance of wild animals along the rafting route such as big bats, black monkeys, magpies, and more.

MEKEPUNG (BUFFALO RACES) - JEMBRANA REGENCY
The Mekepung was originally held as part of the harvest festivities. The carts and buffaloes were, until quite recently, still used for transportation. The Mekepung consists of a race between two carts pulled by water buffaloes. The colorful decorated animal race on a two-kilometer course.

BALI BIRD PARK - GIANYAR REGENCY
The Taman Burung Bird Park situated in Batubulan, is home to more than a thousand birds (250 exotic bird species) from indonesia and all over the world. It is set in two hectares magnificent gardens filled with the tropical plants, water features and spectacular Rain forest in aviary. Also see the famous Komodo Dragon. Has restaurant for visitors to interact with nature by having breakfast, lunch, or afternoon tea with bird.

DELUANG SARI TURTLE FARM - BADUNG REGENCY
This farm’s is to promote the survival of the green turtles, which are an endangered species. The farm is located next to Tanjung Benoa, near Nusa Dua and Jimbaran Bay. The shy turtles are kept in bamboo fences, so that they are safe from poachers. People are now encouraged not to kill the turtles for food, in order to ensure the survival of these creatures.

KUTA KARNIVAL ANNOUNCES PROGRAM

2008-09-07T01:39:00.000-07:00

Kuta Karnival Announces Program
Kuta Karnival – 9 Days of Fun on the Beach October 18-26, 2008.

(8/16/2008) Graha Wicaksana, the head of Community Development for Kuta, Bali's most famous beach area, has confirmed that the Kuta Karnival returns for nine days from October 18-26, 2008.Initially organized as a response to the Bali terrorist attack of October 2002, the event has now become a regular fixture on Bali's busy calendar of yearly events.

This year’s event has been given the motto of "A Celebration of Life" reflecting the nine days of traditional art performances, sunset dances on the beach, sports activities, and an entire bazaar of culinary kiosks located in tents up and down the beach.Following the first Kuta Karnival held in 2003, this will represent the sixth year for the festivities which now garners national and international press coverage.

The 2008 Karnival will also feature Balinese dance competitions, environmental conservation exhibits, a fun cycle show, seminars and a mass street parade. Based on past years, the Kuta Karnival is expected to draw more than 90,000 people.Some of the highlights of this year’s Kuta Karnival:

● Opening Ceremony - Held on the first day of the event, this day will be marked by a traditional Sekar Jagat dance and "Bali Paddle for Peace" in which 1,000 surfers will take to the ocean to spread flower pedals on the waves. 500 turtles will also be released back into the local seas.

● Food Festival - Tentatively set for day 8 and 9 of the Kuta Karnival more than 60 of Bali's best restaurants will set up kiosks along Kuta Beach. A children's play area will be in operation and live entertainment will be on offer from a central stage during these two days when more than 30,000 visitors are expected to attend.

● Tebs Shocking Games - Tebs will be offering samples of their beverages and a number of adventure activities including rope climbing and rope games offered under the careful supervision of the professionals from Tree Top Bedugul.

● Beach Volley Ball Competitions - Volley Ball competitions between both local and international teams at the competition arena on each day of the Kuta Karnival.

● Beach Soccer - Held on "Surf Family Day" informal soccer matches for all those who wish to take part.

● Sand Creations - School children will have the opportunity to compete for prizes as they display their ability to build sand-based sculptures.

● Life Guard Demonstrations - See life-saving techniques demonstrated by the Kuta Life Saving Association.

● Surfing and Body Building - Competitions to be held at “Halfway Point” on Kuta Beach.

● Skate Ramp - Bali's landmark skate arena located on the beach will allow everyone a chance to try their skill at skateboarding. Day 3 will be dedicated to a final skate boarding competition.

● Tug-of-War- See companies, clubs and community groups compete.

● Traditional Dance and Music - Scheduled for every afternoon of the Karnival - a different traditional Balinese dance each day.

● Surfer Girl Balinese Dance Competition - Traditional dance competition for children.

● Traditional Kite Flying - Scheduled for day 2, some 3,200 kites are targeted to participate. at the Bali Garden Hotel.

● Arts Attractions - Alumni from Bali's Indonesian Arts Institute (ISI) will perform during the Karnival.

● Bali Islamic Festival - Islamic-themed activities will be on offer at the Discovery Shopping Mall.

● Beach Stalls - Local merchants and organization offering knowledge and goods from their bazaar stalls stretched along the beach.

● Suzuki Music Festival - scheduled for each day of the Karnival, see new products and national bands perform.

● IndieFez XL - Sponsored by XL on the music stage, Day 5.

● Cardinal Awards - A competition between local bands and models. Winners will compete in Bandung, West Java in a national competition later in the year.

● Karnival Parade - Set for the last day of the Karnival in the parade will include decorated floats, roller skaters, cyclists, big bikes, antique cars, gamelan orchestras, and horse-drawn carts.

● Jalan Santai - A fun walks by more than 2,000 people through Kuta Beach.

For more information contact Mr. Graha Wicaksana at telephone ++62-(0)815575222. http://www.kutakarnival.com/ or http://www.gokuta.com/

BALI NIGHT'S 'LIFE

2008-09-03T09:12:00.000-07:00

BALI NIGHT’S LIFE

Bali’s nightlife is becoming more and more famous and will no doubt catch up with Bali’s surfing, diving, cultural and all-round holiday reputation very soon. Bali remains an island where the night life is improving from an already high level although you don’t have to travel far from the designated areas to get away and experience the real Bali. Bali’s nightlife in no way damages the culture and landscapes of the rest of the beautiful island and provides tourists with an excellent evening to end the perfect tropical day.

Firstly it is probably natural to begin talking about Kuta, the heart of Bali for all the party goers that come to Bali. The main Kuta area is split into to main halves that are separated by the infamous Jalan Legian (Legian street). On the beach side of Jalan Legian there are many budget accommodation areas and many small bars and restaurants each offering either a specialized menu such as Italian, Mexican, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Western or of course Indonesian cuisine as well as a selection of other dishes. The bars around this are a small and ideal for cheap drinks in the day and the beginning of the evening with lively atmosphere where surf videos are often screened or live bands and free pool add to the amusements of the guests. A short walk onto Jalan Legian will bring you up to the main super clubs, here you have a selection of big cheese, hip hop and RnB, house and trance and reggae to name a few. The atmosphere on these streets is jolly and fun often with entertainment such as professional dancers and other performances; furthermore the clubs finish at around 3 to 4 o’clock.

But the night need not end here as a short taxi ride up the main street will bring you to double six beach where there are a number of clubs that will remain open until the tropical sun rises into the next morning. There is the double six club that boasts a hard trance all night party scene, a large pool and a bungee tower located right on the beach as well as a more classic and golden oldies orientated club that is more relaxed although still lively. Double six is also host to many cafes and bars that look straight onto the beach and serve good food and offer excellent chilled out drinking.

Further up again from Legian there is the more sophisticated and refined area of Seminyak where the bars and clubs are smaller and offer a delicate and elegant nightlife including salsa and world music in the bars and also where a few more concepts are being played with in a vibrant street away from the young larger louts. For even classier nightlife there are the many bars and clubs in and around Nusa Dua and Sanur that offer refined luxury and a more intimate atmosphere. A number of Beach clubs similar to that of the double six club are also beginning to immerge but not yet spreading outside of the already touristy areas.

Source : from another Site

INAUGURATED AS NEW BALI GOVERNOR

2008-09-01T09:11:00.000-07:00

Pastika & Puspayoga Inaugurated as New Bali Governor & Vice Govenor

Made Mangku Pastika and Anak Agung Ngurah Puspayoga have officially become Bali's new governor and vice governor to lead the island province for the next five years. The pair were installed Thursday by Home Minister Mardiyanto in a special plenary of the Bali Legislative Council in Denpasar.

"You have been chosen in the first direct election ever conducted in the province. Therefore, you have the legitimacy to run the upcoming administration more effectively," Mardiyanto said in his inauguration speech. "And in doing your duties, keep one thing in mind that from now on, the two of you no longer belong to a particular political party but to all Balinese. So you must act on behalf of all the Balinese."

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) supported the pair who replaced Dewa Made Beratha and IGN Kesuma Kelakan who was in office since 2003. Mardiyanto said that central government expected that newly appointed leaders would apply transparency and accountability in running the administration, as this would illustrate the government's seriousness in promoting clean and effective local governance.

As many as 600 guests, ranging from local councilors to local and national figures, were present at the ceremony including Bali council Speaker Ida Bagus Putu Waisnawa, Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo, Bali Police Chief Insp. Gen. Teuku Ashikin Husein and Udayana Military Commander Maj. Gen. Hotmangaradja Pandjaitan.

Pastika was a three star police general before being nominated as a Bali gubernatorial candidate earlier this year. His last police position was executive director of the National Anti Narcotics Agency. Another landmark in his carreer was to lead the investigation team into the 2002 Bali bombing which killed 202 tourists, mostly foreigners, including 88 Australians.

(Source: The Jakarta Post 29 Aug 08)

COMMONWEALTH BANK TENNIS CLASSIC 2008

2008-09-01T08:23:00.000-07:00

Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic 2008

Nusa Dua Bali 07-14 September 2008

The Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic will once again feature a rich collection of tennis talent, with many exciting new names joining the familiar faces that make the premier tennis event of South-East Asia an essential stop on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour.

With prize money of US$600,000 plus other bonuses, Bali will showcase upcoming players set for stardom in the world of Women's tennis. We see this opportunity as a great promotion for Bali as all the international events, 30 in total around the world, will have leader boards carrying the title Road to Bali.

The tournament, to be held at the Grand Hyatt Resort, Nusa Dua Bali between 7th and 14th September, includes many of the pacesetters of 2008. As well as many players who have earned titles this year, there are several who have claimed stunning upsets at the highest level, including headline-grabbing victories at the Grand Slams held in Melbourne, Paris and London.

Who reached their first Grand Slam semi-final? Who qualified for the Last Eight Club at Wimbledon by reaching the quarter-finals at her 12th attempt? Who upset superstar Venus Williams at the French Open? Who became the first Chinese player ever to reach the semi-final of a Grand Slam? Who became the first player ever to beat world number one Justine Henin in Dubai? Which player earned doubles victories over two Grand Slam doubles champions this year? Who beat former champion Maria Sharapova at Wimbledon because she didn't like her dress?

The answers are Daniela Hantuchova, Tamarine Tanasugarn, Flavia Pennetta, Zheng Jie, Francesca Schiavone, Peng Shuai and Alla Kudryavtseva. And all are expected to take part in the Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic 2008.

More detail please visit: http://www.bali-wtatour.com/

ASTON DENPASAR HOTEL JOINED SPONSORSHIP BIMC HOSPITAL CELEBRATING

2008-08-24T21:22:00.000-07:00

BIMC Hospital Celebrating 10 Years of Service
(written by BIMC-Doctor at Friday, August 01, 2008)

BIMC Hospital recently celebrated their 10 Years of Service. A range of activities took place to mark this celebration.

During the months of April and May 2008, BIMC Hospital conducted First Aid Training, Basic Life Support, specifically for the media and journalists. With an emphasis on Basic Life Support, the 4 hour training session also had some practical tips on what to do in an emergency situation relating to their profession.

Participants learned techniques on how to open the airway, check breathing, giving rescue breaths and performing chest compression.

This First Aid Training is conducted by BIMC Hospital’s MEDT team (Medical Education Development Team) which is headed by Dr. Indra Wijaya.Continuing the celebration of 10 Years of Service, on 18 July 2008, BIMC Hospital donated official T-Shirts to all the Balawista Lifeguards in the Badung Regency. It is BIMC Hospital’s mission to give continual support and participate in the improvement of tourism in Bali, including Lifeguards, as a vital part of the tourism industry.

This is a part of BIMC Hospital’s larger plan to give ongoing support to Balawista Badung.Finally, 27 July 2008 was the BIMC staff party celebration. The party included Balinese dance performance by staff, a live band, 10 Years’ Service Awards and the Employee of the Year Award.

Sponsors for the staff party event included: Sanbe, Bali Hai Cruises, Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel, AJ Hackett, The Ritz Carlton, Waterbom Bali, Peneeda View Beach Hotel, The Laguna, Melia Bali, Sobek Rafting, Bali Advertiser, Aston Denpasar, Papa’s Café, Bounty Cruises, Bali Garden Beach Resort, Inna Grand Bali Beach, Hard Rock Hotel Bali, Nusa Dua Beach Resort, PT. Ethica, Sanur Paradise Plaza Hotel, Rip Curl School of Surf, Bali Dynasty Resort, Galang Production, Telkomsel, Natural Spa, L’Ultimo Paradiso and The Jakarta Post.

ASTON DENPASAR HOTEL & CONVENTION CENTER "THE LEADING CITY HOTEL IN DENPASAR"

2008-08-23T23:39:00.000-07:00

ASTON DENPASAR HOTEL AND CONVENTION CENTER
4 STAR HOTEL IN DENPASAR

ASTON Denpasar Hotel and Convention Center is a delightful hotel and convention centre offering some of the very best meeting facilities in Bali along with the ease and comfort of studio,one and two bedroom apartments for the price of a hotel room.Ideally located in the very heart of thriving Denpasar just 30 minutes drive from the International airport and close to the islands main business area and central government offices. The Aston Denpasar offers easy access to all the main attractions in South Bali and surrounding areas. more detail please contact below:

Aston Denpasar Hotel & Convention Center
Jl. Gatot Subroto Barat No. 283
Denpasar 80231
Bali – Indonesia
t. : +62 361 411 999
f. : +62 361 422 999
e. : reservations@astondenpasar.com or salesmanager2@astondenpasar.com
w. : http://www.astondenpasar.com

HUNTING ART AND CRAFT??

2008-08-20T01:56:00.000-07:00

ARTS & CRAFTS IN BALI

Bali some times seems like a huge bazaar. the main tourist areas, Kuta, legian, Seminyak, Sanur, ubud are shopper's paradise. these are literally thousands of shops, stalls and streetside merchants.

Kuta, the main shopping areas are around Kuta square, the art market near the beginning of jalan kartika, jalan pantai, which runs the Bemo corner to the beach, jalan Singosari, jalan legian etc.

Sanur's, shops are centred on two main streets, Jalan Danau Tamblingan and Jalan danau Poso, Sindu art Market.

Denpasar is the capital city of Bali province main shopping for art and craft at Kumbasari Art Market, Jalan Gajah Mada Denpasar.

Ubud seems to offer things found nowhere else in Bali, so its worth a visit. Main shopping street are Jalan Monkey Forest, Jalan Hanoman and connecting lanes. The large art and craft market on the corner of Jalan Monkey Forest and the main road is one of the best on the island.

THE THOUSAND TEMPLES ISLAND OF BALI

2008-08-18T01:02:00.000-07:00

THE TEMPLES OF BALI

Besakih Temple The tallest mountain in Bali at 3,142 meters above sea level, the active volcano Gunung Agung is said to be the 'home' of the Balinese gods. Religiously, the Balinese Hindus orient themselves towards Gunung Agung as the center of their spiritual world. Gunung Agung, accordingly, is also home to the 'mother temple' of Bali, Besakih. In 1963, the volcano's last eruption killed more than a thousand people and destroyed several villages. Hiking trips to the summit are now popular with athletic tourists, who are rewarded with some of Bali's most spectacular views. Every Balinese Hindu must visit Besakih three times a year.

Goa Gajah Temple Literally means Elephant cave, and it is a "T" shaped cave. This was an ancient monastery of Hindu and Buddhist monks who used to meditate in the cave. It is believed that the cave was built in the early 11th century. Its face is elaborately carved, depicting a demon head splitting open the rock with its bare hand at the mouth of the cave.

Goa Lawah Temple About 43 kilometers east of Denpasar, Goa Lawah is one of the most sacred temples in Bali. Built in the 11th century, this temple occupies a natural cave that is inhabited by thousands upon thousands of chirping bats.

Pura Taman Ayun Temple Taman Ayun, means beautiful garden, located in the village of Mengwi, 18km west of Denpasar, is indeed one of Bali's most picturesque temples. The King of Mengwi, I Gusti Agung Anom, built is stately proportioned courtyards and large surrounding moat in the year 1634. Containing both the Royal family ancestral shrines and the strayed MERU shrines to the major deities, Taman Ayun became the main temple for the ancient Kingdom of Mengwi.

Tanah Lot Temple Carved out of the landscape by tides, wind and rain, the huge offshore sentinel rock of Tanah Lot supports a small picturesque sea temple which can be reached by a scramble over the wet rocks. These are reputed to be several large caves just below the water line, at the base of the rock, which shelter large sea snakes, who are the guardians of the temple.

INDONESIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY

2008-08-16T00:57:00.000-07:00

63rd INDONESIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY

(17 august 2008)

Indonesian Independence Day is soon to be upon us. On the 17th August office buildings are draped in red and white bunting, Shopping malls decorated in red and white and hold Independence Day sales and locals display large red and white flags outside their houses Banjars (local councils) also organize a clean up of the area or kerja bakti. Drains are swept, weeds are cut back, debris is burned and public areas are repainted.

Special activities for the neighborhood children are organized and requests are made for donations from homeowners to sponsor games and prizes for the children. Schools also hold contests to see which class can decorate their room in the most patriotic manner as well as holding games and races amongst classes. Locals are requested by the Banjar to fly the Indonesian flag for a set period of time before and after the big day.

But the most solemn ceremony of the day is the flag hoisting at the National Palace, televised live. Full of pomp and circumstance and conducted basically the same way each year, it is a spectacle of the greatest respect and honor for the flag and for the Republic.

Meanwhile local neighborhoods gear up for fun and games for the kids. Krupuk (shrimp chips) eating contests, games, races and lots of fun fill the day. The women are busy in cooking contests to see who can make the biggest krupuk or the most delicious nasi tumpeng (rice cone).As a visitor to Bali you are always welcome to join in the neighborhood activities and spend time getting to know the friendly locals!

BALI FASHION WEEK "fashion meet nature"

2008-08-05T03:42:00.000-07:00

Bali Fashion Week brings you "FASHION MEETS NATURE"
A Celebration of Life 24-30 August 2008

Bali is well known for its beautiful beaches, incredible vistas, glorious sunset, ideal location for high level conventions and summits but now also for its creative fashion event due to the continuous success of the Bali Fashion Week. BFW is a unique fashion event that fuses fashion, art, culture into a fun-filled and inspiring festival that is developing into a significant world fashion event.

The 7th edition of BFW opened on Nov 22, 2007 under the theme of "Fashion Meets Art". This four day annual event rolls fashion, art and culture into one creating "An Arena for Excellence". Besides the remarkable legacy of unique culture, friendly people and most incredible panorama, Bali is the concrete example of our efforts to blend a promotion of tourism, fashion trade and investment (TTI).With a wide support of the government and numerous private local and international enterprises and involvement of the fashion community of Indonesia, this action-packed four-day event included trade exhibition, seminars, open dialogue with designers, Going Green Handbag Design Competition, Fashion Model Award, one week of evening Fashion Shows, which build to a crescendo with the Mardi Gras, fashion carnival FashiONtheStreet - on the last evening.

The Trade exhibition will display garments, accessories, textiles, with handwork, embroidery, knit, crochet and beading treatment, as well as CAD/CAM systems for aiding apparel design and production. A series of seminars were conducted in parallel to the exhibition, the topics of which ranged from fashion & colour trends, design technology, marketing and business skills and environmental issues.The three evening fashion shows were held at an amphitheatre with the beach & sea as backdrop. Three cargo containers provided the stage setting with bold messages - "From Bali to Paris", "From Bali to New York", and "From Bali to the World" - plastered on the sides. Models sashayed no less than 25 collections by 24 designers down the catwalk from traditional to modern day casual wear, leisure wear, eveningwear, children's wear and futuristic cyber-wear.

The creative thinking atmosphere of Bali nurtured a new breed of fashion designers comprised of local Balinese and expatriates from four corners of the world who have decided to make Bali their home. Bali is home to a large expatriate community, many of them are involved in the fashion industry. Their collections showed free-thinking design expressions inspired by the resort lifestyle of Bali, and new-age electronic cyber characters. The collection designed by children for children was indeed a charmer on the catwalk. At the carnival, 20 groups, some on horse-drawn chariots, some in open top cars, and others on foot, each with their own themes paraded through town that took more than one hour and ended on the beautiful Kuta Beach, against the backdrop of the glorious Pacific sunset, bringing BFW to a grand finale. Environmental protection is an ongoing concern of the residents of this pristine island. Several carnival costumes were statements on protection of nature, stop air pollution, promote culture and enjoy nature. Some portrayed as people in bandages and face masks to filter the polluted air emitted from the sick earth.

The winning designs of the Going Green Handbag Design competition went to designs that used recycled computer chips, newspaper and waste paper.Bali is awarded the most favoured island in the world. The idyllic setting and dynamic blend of eastern and western cultures provided Bali an ideal platform for fusion, transforming and forward-looking fashion as well as designs that respond to tropical weather, leisure lifestyle connected by the rich culture.
Owing to this good mix of local and foreign cultures and an atmosphere that encourages creative thinking, Bali has become a breeding ground for fashion creativity. The cross cultural taste in women's fashion and the popularity of spa and resort lifestyle today supports Bali Fashion Week as an ideal place to congregate, express & present such fashion ideas by local and international designers. detail info at : http://www.balifashionweek.com/

THE 4TH ANNUAL SANUR AMATEUR OPEN GOLF TOURNAMENT 2008

2008-08-04T02:43:00.000-07:00

The 4th ANNUAL SANUR AMATEUR OPEN GOLF TOURNAMENT 2008

COMING SOON !! The 4th Annual Sanur Amateur Open Golf Tournament 2008 at Balibeach Golf Course Sanur. This event which conjunctions with Sanur Village Festival 2008 will be held on 8-9 August 2008.Special for this year, not only support Sanur Tourism promo but Sanur Amateur Open Golf Tournament also support Visit Indonesia Years 2008 program. Therefore, for attracting many peoples for joining this event, Bali Beach Golf Course will provide many kinds of lucky draw and giving Mazda 3 and Honda City for hole in one. “We hope with this event, Bali Tourism image will be recovered and expect Golf becomes another reason for Tourists visiting Sanur Area as one of Tourism Destination in Bali and we also introducing Bali Beach Golf Course as the only one city golfing in Bali. And, for three consecutive years Bali Beach Golf Course has grown and expand to becoming not only a golf course with exclusive number of members, but also as a venue that provide and help to organize several significant Tournaments such as this tournament,” said Made Suartana, Tournament Director of Sanur Amateur Open Golf Tournament. So, care for tee? Register Sanur Amateur Open Golf Tournament now at Bali Beach Golf Course Sanur, Phone +62 361 287733. http://www.balibeachgolfcourse.com/.This two days tournament provides us many kinds of lucky draw with tournament fee‘s only Rp. 750.000,- (guest), Rp. 700.000, - (EZ Golf card holder), Rp. 425.000, - (Bali Beach Golf Course member). Tournament fee includes goodie bag, green fee, coffee break, buffet dinner (during award presentation), lucky draw and hole in one. Prepare your self for this exciting tournament!!

SANUR VILLAGE FESTIVAL 2008

2008-08-01T21:13:00.000-07:00

SANUR VILLAGE " go green" FESTIVAL 2008

The 3rd Sanur Village Festival will commence August 6 to August 10,2008. Maintaining its focus within the locale of Segara Beach, Pantai Segara street Sanur Bali. mixture of events commences from the opening ceremony, introducing a talented Balinese Artist; Bona Alit to an event fit for everyone to participate, the mass yoga meditation program.

A bundle of cultural performances, food festival, water sports competitions, kite festival, jazz festival to even an international cartoon exhibition from Indonesia and Australia 's finest cartoonists are just some of the few activities set for this event.

These events have been scheduled to allow opportunities to discover the cultural aspects of Sanur as well as introducing the development of the area in embracing modern and global tourism. For more information on the Sanur Village Festival 2008 pleaase visit: http://www.gotosanur.com/

BALINESE HOLIDAYS UP NEXT ..............

2008-07-21T10:01:00.000-07:00

THE GALUNGAN DAY (August 20, 2008)

Bali's most important festival is the Galungan festival. It is a feast and festival whicis held throughout the whole island and occurs every 210 days on Budha Kliwon Dungulan. It is believed that during this ten day period all Balinese gods will descend to earth for the festivities. Barongs prance from temple to temple and village to village in celebration of Galungan with the gods. Galungan to the Balinese is the most important holiday period as it symbolizes the victory of Dharma, or virtue, upon Adharma, or all that is evil. The festivities are made extra special by the fitting of 'penjor' (brightly decorated very tall bamboo poles with woven young coconut leaves, cakes, fruits and flowers) on the right side of the entrance to every house which arch over roads looking like the top of a gothic cathedral.

THE KUNINGAN DAY (August 30, 2008)

This holiday takes place ten days after Galungan, bringing the Balinese New Year holiday period to a close. Ceremonies are held for ancestral spirits.

images sourch by: realrhelife.blogspot.com (penjor); salvida.com(gebogan); balibagus.com (pura)

THE INTERNATIONAL BALI 10K FOR UNITY

2008-07-21T08:36:00.000-07:00

BALI INTERNATIONAL 10K – THE INTERNATIONAL BALI 10K FOR UNITY

Bali International 10K will be held on August 10, 2008 at Denpasar Bali. This is ones of International events in Bali for this year to celebrate the 50th Bali Province Anniversary and the 63rd Indonesian Independence Day. Bali International 10K hosted by Government of Bali & Ministry of Tourism and Culture of Indonesia, etc. These events help Bali Province to succession the program Visit Indonesia Year 2008. Join and Visit the Bali International 10K – The International Bali 10K for Unity.

Bravo Sport…….

source by: http://www.bali10k.com/

UBUD CREMATION STOPS DAILY ACTIVITIES

2008-07-20T08:48:00.000-07:00

UBUD CREMATION STOPS DAILY ACTIVITIES

People daily routines In Ubud stopped recently during the cremation ceremony of Tjokorda Raka Dherana SH on Tuesday, 15 July 2008. He was the former regent of Gianyar during the period of 1983-1993. Thousands of people including tourists crowded the street to see the ceremony. Street activities totally stopped at 11.00 am and some roads were also closed especially for the procession. Overhead electricity and telephone lines had been disconnected since early morning to allow the tall cremation tower to pass. People gathered in the front yard of the palace and visitors looked on admiring the ceremonial materials and equipment. The "Petulangan", which is used to burn the corpse, was a 3-meter effigy of a black bull and the "Naga Banda", which is used to transport the body to the cemetery, was a 12-meter high tower with a story’s. An event such as this rarely happens on such a large cremation. It can only be used for priests, noblemen or people with a similar caste status called "brahmana". The incessant beating of wooden drums sounded the beginning of the ceremony with all the villagers dressed in white gathering around. The procession went mm the family palace to the cemetery with the effigy and cremation tower being carried by the local men. Village women and family members carried the hand-made offerings as part of the procession. The ceremony was complete at around 4.00 p.m with electricity, telephones and roads returning to normal.

ABOUT BALI

2008-07-20T06:57:00.001-07:00

BALI OVERVIEW

General Information

Bali has approximately 3,500,000 inhabitants of which probably 80% are Hindu Balinese. The remaining having come from neighboring islands of Java, Lombok, Madura in search of employment. Bali lies just 8.67° (965 km) south of the equator. As such the weather is tropical - consistently hot and sunny. Days are almost universally 12 hours long with sunrise is approximately 6:10 a.m.; sunset at 6:30 p.m. depending on the time of year. The daytime temperature averages between 27° C to 32° C (80° F to 90° F) in the southern lowlands (the main tourist venues). Humidity is quite high - a sticky 75% so often times it feels much hotter. Average temperature in the mountains is between 20° C to 25° C (70° F to 80° F). At night the mountains can get downright chilly - so bring a sweater if you plan to overnight there. Bali’s tropical monsoon climate has two distinct seasons; dry (May to September) and wet (October to April). Monsoon refers to the wind, not the rain. However even in the wet monsoon there’s a better than even chance that it will be sunny for a good part of the day. Weather wise May, June and July are generally considered the best.

A Short History

Bali was first settled by Chinese immigrants sometime around 2500 BC and after working on it for 2,000 years the complex irrigation system that is still the focal point of Balinese agriculture and way of life today was established. Things remained pretty much unchanged until the 11th century. Around 1010 AD a Balinese Prince named Airlangha took over East Java intending to unite it with Bali under his rule. Successful, he subsequently appointed his brother, Anak Wungsu, to rule Bali. As such there was a great deal of commerce between Bali and Java bringing with it an exchange of politics and arts. It was at this time the Bali adopted the Javanese language, Kawi that is still used today. Airlangha's death brought on several wars waged by Javanese Kings to continue the Javanese control of Bali. Finally in 1343 Bali succumbed to Javanese control when it was defeated by a General by the name of Gajah Mada from the Majapahit Empire, the last Hindu Javanese empire. When Islam began spreading south from Sumatra into Java in the 16th century, the Majapahit empire collapsed and a large number of aristocrats, priests, and artists fled to Bali. From then until the Dutch arrived in 1597 little changed except the culture continued to be refined - which is where we pick up the story.

The People of Bali

The Balinese were not able to develop and sustain their extremely complex agricultural economy for centuries on end without a very organized community structure. The basis of this community structure is the Subak and the Banjar. Everyone who owns a rice paddy must join the Subak in their village. The Subak controls who will plant rice and when (plantings are staggered so that pestilence is minimized). As well and more importantly the Subak ensures that all farmers receive their fair share of irrigation water since traditionally the head the Subak was the farmer whose field was at the bottom of the hill and water first had to pass through everybody else's field before it was allowed to irrigate his. The other important community structure, the Banjar, organizes all other aspects of Balinese life (i.e. marriages, cremations, community service, festivals and the like). When a man marries he is expected to join the village Banjar and must participate in community affairs. Meetings are held at a large open air building called the Bale Banjar.

Religion

Although the Balinese are Hindu and worship the Hindu trinity Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu, the Balinese religion is very different from the Indian variety. The Balinese do have a caste system but there are no untouchables. The caste system is most evident in the language which has three levels: a low level for commoners, a mid level to address strangers and a high level only used when addressing aristocracy. The Balinese are an unusual island people in that they have never been sea faring people. They believe that good spirits dwell in the mountains and that the seas are home to demons. Most villages have at least three main temples: one of which is the Pura Puseh or ‘temple of origin’, is dedicated to the village founders and which faces to Mt Agung - home to Pura Besakih the mother temple on Bali. Together with the other two village temples each house may several temples and as well as rice fields, markets etc. etc. etc. Now you can see why Bali is often referred to as the Island of the Gods. The Balinese are extremely devout and no day goes by without making offerings to the gods. These daily offerings - called Banten are a major part of Balinese life. You will see these offerings nearly everywhere in Bali. Made of flowers, cigarettes, cookies, rice and even sometimes money (the actual items used are not as important as the process of making and offering it to the spirits) these offerings are given to the good spirits in hopes of continued prosperity as well as to the evil spirits as an appeasement.

Simple Etiquette

The Balinese are inclusive by nature and take great pride in their heritage and therefore do not mind visitors observing ceremonies and traditional dances, just as long as you follow a few simple, basic points of etiquette. (After all, how would you like a group of foreign speaking tourists invading your wedding or funeral of a close relative to snap a few photos?). First, dress appropriately - smart casual is appropriate - swim wear is not appropriate. Two, be quiet and respectful. Cameras and camcorders are ok - but do be unobtrusive. Also do not step in front of anyone to snap a photo and do not sit higher than the local priest presiding over the ceremony. As well, Do Not touch or pat anyone (including children) on the head.When visiting temples be aware that you should wear long pants or a sarong with a selendang tied around the waist (men and women). Whilst you can take your own every major temple has selendangs to borrow for a small donation. It is extremely bad form (in fact it’s taboo) for women who are menstruating to enter a temple. Lastly a word about being stuck in traffic. If you do find yourself stuck in traffic for no apparent reason you may have come up on a Balinese procession on the way to temple. Be patient. No amount of honking the car's horn is going to speed things up and it's rude to try and pass.