Archive for May 15th, 2006
Bali Island with its width of 5,808 km2 is divided into 8 (eight) regencies and 1 (one) municipality. This island is inhabited by 3,2 millions people who are mostly farmers.
All area either regencies or municipality place Mount Agung as the orientation. Mount Agung is placed as kaja (north) and the direction to sea is considered as kelod (south). That’s why, south direction for people in Singaraja will be opposite with the people in the southern part of Bali (Badung).
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In Hindu perspective, north direction (mount) is a holy place while on the southern part is the insulted place. In the division of area, it is analogized the anatomy of the body: head, body and legs as utama (main), madya (medium) and nista (insult). Therefore, the holy place is located in north edge, in the middle as a place of residence and in the south as place of cemetery. Even, for sleeping, head is faced to north or east and legs are directed to south or west.
May 15th, 2006
The village in Bali is the most unique village. If we have enough time to visit villages located away of the city, we will find out the real Balinese village. As soon as we enter the traditional village of Bali, on the right and left hands we will see vast green rice fields. The birds are flying over while pathways cross the rice of farmers.
On top of the village, it will be found village temple and yard for villagers to mebakti ( pray) and worshipping every purnama (full moon), tilem (death moon) and kajeng kliwon. Once in six months, there is a ceremony where the villagers go out of their houses wearing traditional clothes, bring offerings and dedicate pujawali (ceremony).
On the end of the village, it is always being there a pura dalem (inside temple) and pura prajapati with the village’s grave on the next. In this grave, the dying villagers are burred and cremated in ceremonial ritual, Ngaben.
The most interesting thing is that in the middle of the village, there is a bale banjar, a wantilan (building), a place for the villagers to gather
together, have a discussion of any aspects of life, from piodalan (ceremony), cremation, agriculture, managing subak (traditional irrigation system) to selection of village leader. From this banjar the villagers take decision autonomously known as desa mawacara.
If we walk around and enter villagers’ houses, there are angkul-angkul (gate house) with the yard which is often cultivated with bunga jepun (frangipani) or sometimes nyuh gading (yellow coconut). The street splitting the village is very beautiful. There are many traditional villages having such kind of street in Bali, like Penglipuran Village, Tenganan Village and Sembiran Village or Sukawati Village.
May 15th, 2006
Indonesia knows it must re-tool its tourist industry, and shoot for regional tourism, as much as long distance market. One growing market is the Arab tourism sector. Indonesian minister of Culture and Tourism, Jero Wacik announced airport signs in Arabic, to help Arab visitors to the country. He also said that Arab families visiting Indonesia, would be able to hire maids (what’s the big deal? Just make sure you don’t leave the husband alone with her).
Arab tourists are finding Indonesia a more accommodating place, than the US or Europe, during this age of terrorism. The Arab travel sector could grow in the next few years. Although Garuda Indonesia has limited capacity to the Middle East, there are foreign carriers that can pick up the demand. I mentioned once before, that a friend of mine who works at the airport in Surabaya, told me when Saudi Airlines comes to pick up pilgrims for the Hajj, the plane arrives empty. The cleaning crew are always complaining about the number of used condoms on board. I guess ‘in-flight entertainment’ on Saudi Airlines reaches fever pitch, when they get into international air space.
Here in Bali we don’t get to many Arab visitors, although they would be very welcome if they came. They would find better hotels, restaurants, shopping, fun stuff here, than in Java. They would also find many masjids (mosques),even in Kintamani, East Bali and small coastal towns.
May 15th, 2006
The D8 (Developing 
confernce has begun in Nusa Dua, at the Westin resort. Indonesian President SBY opened the meeting with a welcoming speech, and assumed leadership of the conference. According to Antara News, security was tight, with vehicles being stopped 200 meters away from the hotel.
The D8 conference is designed to improve trade and co operation between Muslim nations in a similar state of development. The 8 nations are Indonesia, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Malaysia, Nigeria, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Iran’s nuclear power generation is an issue that has grabbed the headlines, and promises to get attention here.
May 15th, 2006
Weather in Seminyak now is gorgeous, just like a picture postcard. I just finished working out at Blue Ocean beach and people are out having a good time, the world seems a happy place right now.
Here is the 10 day weather forecast for Bali. We have almost no chance of rain, just sunny weather with a few scattered clouds.
Last night after visiting the Jaya Pub, I shot down to Kuta to check out the nightlife scene. Riding past MBarGo I saw it was very busy at 12.30am. Paddy’s was so-so, not really that happening, and the downstairs ‘nightclub’ area of Bounty was a waste of time. The Wave on Kuta Beach didn’t seem overloaded, but there were people there. Basically the nicest, most happening place is MBarGo on Jl. Legian. Oh, before I forget, good old Espresso Bar across from Paddy’s (live music) was doing a roaring trade.
May 15th, 2006
Jaya Pub lived up to its reputation last night, and I got to rendezvous with my friend Richard from Batukaru. Walking into Jaya Pub at 10pm, the rectangular bar that is situated in front of the stage, was half full of people. As soon as I entered, 2 different staff and a member of the band, invited me to sit at the bar. At Jaya Pub its almost a cult calling to sit at the bar.
I resisted and reclined in a lounge chair next to the bar. Recalling a memory of long ago in the Philippines, I think this was wise move. The memory was in a diving spot, that I stayed at. One night I had cruised down a street looking for a beer. Spotting an open-air bar I sat down. A 40 year old male singer in a tight black sequined jump suit looked over and said over the microphone”HELLO STRANGER, WELCOME JOIN US.” “WHERE YOU FROM FRIEND?” “WHAT’S YOUR NAME?” WANT TO GET UP HERE WITH ME AND SING A SONG?” I’m like ‘Oh God’ I just want a quiet beer, I’m not looking to be the entertainment.
Back to Jaya Pub. The building is a curious blend of wooden beams and bamboo. The clientele something out of a David Lynch movie. Odd things were happening all over, from the aging hippie gyrating in front of me, to the 30 year old Aussie couple, making their first ever attempt at dancing. Right behind all dressed in black, where several stocky Indonesians. Around the bar they hang bicycle horns, for excited patrons to honk at moments of uncontainable pleasure.
The centerpiece of the whole show was the Indonesian band, decked out in black and red. Two female singers, one very cute / average voice, the other semi cute / good voice. Young lead guitarist, who could jam out heavy metal licks, but got nervous on his big solo and blew it. Drummer - adequate, bass - average. The most annoying member of the band was the keyboard player. In an effort to present a ‘full sound’, many local bands (and local western pub bands overseas) use a keyboard. Unfortunately the effect often comes out sounding like ‘um bapa, um bapa’, rather like a kids birthday party. It totally takes away from anything special the band is doing as a whole.
Anyway the band started out singing a rocking version of a Santana tune, I was impressed. Their song selection went steadily downhill, with older rock hits from 25 years ago, as well as more modern pop songs. I said to Richard, ’song selection is a big problem for many of these bands’. He agreed, and said the keyboard player didn’t know what a volume control was, the instrument blasting out.
Drinking Bintangs, I noticed a small was 20,000rp, not the cheapest in town, but then again, where else can you spend 2 hours hours looking at lovely female singers? Chatting with one older Aussie expat, I asked him why he liked Jaya Pub. He told me “I like the atmosphere and I get treated very well in here.” So there you have it. If you are a regular at Jaya Pub, you will notice less of the weird stuff, and the cabaret show music will seem like a concert.
May 15th, 2006