| Page 1 Bali | The Residence | Temples |
| I have devoted a separate page to the temples. (click the button above) But let me explain some of what we learned about the beliefs and religion in Bali. We found it fascinating. |
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All over the island you can find these small, bamboo woven trays with some food. They are on sidewalks, in front of gates, on walls and (we were told) inside the house on top of the stove. One morning we noticed this shopkeeper placing a tray with food on the sidewalk in front of her store. She was praying. We waited and watched quietly as she lit some incense and wafted the smoke with her hand. When finished, she told us a bit about what she had done. Offerings, called banten in Balinese, are ways to communicate with the gods and spirits. For the higher spirits the offerings are placed in high places, the higher the better. But offerings made to "butakala" are put on the ground, for that is where they live. The trays have food and things the butakala like and require. It is also common to pour a little rice wine (brem or arak) on the ground and place a stick of burning incense on the offering. Using her right hand she spread the smoke towards the gods with the believe that they would be good to her that day. We bought a small souvenir in her shop. |
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| Most temples are built on hills (high places) and we often saw women dressed in their finest silk dresses carrying baskets of food up the paths and steps leading to the top. These were their offerings to the high spirits. |
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| Women will carry all sorts of bundles on their head. One old woman carried part of a log that must have weighed fifty pounds or more. When I asked our driver if men could do the same, he replied, "Not in Bali, Sir." |
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After being spoiled for five days at Nusa Dua, we moved to Villa Tanjung Sorga. Four other friends joined us there so we could share the cost. The villa has four bedrooms, a pool and this "rice hut" that serves as another bedroom. We had a full-time staff including a houseboy, gardener, pool keeper and a cook. Despite all this we wished we could have stayed at the Residence the rest of our time in Bali. One day we asked Charlie, the fellow who by now was our regular chauffeur, to take four of us guys to a cockfight. At first he thought we were kidding, but then agreed. Cockfights are not legal in Bali; however, they get around this by having the event at some temples. The loosing cock would then be offered to the gods as another gift; so how can you argue with that? When we arrived, we had some stares because we were the only strangers there, but Charlie quickly took care of that somehow. We saw some roosters in their special cages and were curious about the rest. |
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| Not that I am in favor of this cruel happening, but we wanted to experience as much as we could. Charlie got us a good spot where we could see the initial betting while the two owners in the center held their birds close to antagonize them for the fight. The cocks have a special razor sharp knife, called taji, attached to one claw. Perhaps this is just as well, because the birds fight until death and this way each event is over in mere seconds. I told Charlie to bet ten dollars for me. If he won he could keep half. He bet twice, lost the first and won the second round. I was out ten and Charlie gained ten bucks. |
| Besides the wood carvings, we also picked up some souvenirs from vendors on the beach and in town. Never pay the asking price! Always dicker; even if you think it is cheap enough. Part of the fun is to get the price lower. Here I picked up a kite while Roger bought a couple blowguns that were made in Borneo. |
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| It was not until we arrived back home that we found out that in some of our US states blowguns are illegal not only to shoot but to even own. So, now what Roger? |