Archive for September 14th, 2006
Lawn bowls is a sport we often associate with white haired couples, and summer afternoons. Its the other end of the spectrum to 10 pin bowling, all noise and whollop. There is one place in Bali where you can play lawn bowls. The Jakarta Post talks about an Australian couple who encourage others to play.
Bali’s only grass court a field of dreams for Australian coupleBruce Emond, The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali
Belinda and John Same expected to be watching the grass grow in a lazy retirement.
They are doing that, sort of, as the directors of the Bali International Lawn Bowls Club in Nusa Dua. The Australians tend to the only public grass-court in Bali, and one of the very few in the country, every day of the week.
The club, which opened in July 2001, only offered lawn bowls at the beginning. But a lack of awareness of that sport, and the impact from the first Bali bombings only three months after they opened, led to the apportioning of some of the land for the tennis court.
The court — there are actually two, with one in use at a time, and the other “rested” to recover from use — attract expatriates, some locals and the curious from all over the world wishing to play on a surface that has all but disappeared in tennis’ shift to synthetic hard courts in the past 30 years.
Until the mid-1970s, the Australian and U.S. Opens were still played on grass, as well as a host of tournaments in Australia and Europe. But the difficulties of maintenance led to the widespread introduction of other surfaces in the 1970s. Today, apart from Wimbledon, there are only a handful of tournaments in England, the Netherlands, Germany and the U.S. played on the surface.
Way back when there was even a national grass-court championship in Indonesia, played on courts in Surabaya (the only other public grass courts in the country are in the East Java capital).
“It was like playing in a cow pasture, the ball would land and shoot out in another direction or not bounce at all,” Lita Liem Sugiarto, who won the national event in the early 1960s and went on to play at Wimbledon, told The Jakarta Post last year.
Belinda acknowledges that it’s tough to keep the turf in top shape, especially in a tropical climate. The center of the baseline, and patches around the service box, need particular attention due to wear and tear.
“It’s a seven day a week job, the mowing, fertilizing and watering. It’s high maintenance,” said the lifelong player.
The higher cost of maintenance compared to all-weather surfaces translates into a Rp 70,000 (US$7.70) fee per person to use the court, although there are reduced rates for club members.
Club coach Wayan Widiana, who has also played on synthetic grass, said natural grass courts were an excellent surface for beginners to develop the fundamentals of the game.
“You have to learn to bend your knees to pick up the ball, and also move to the ball, because it doesn’t come to you like on a hard court.”
It’s also an all-forgiving surface, especially easy on the knees and ankles of older or overweight players. And hacks wishing to do their version of the Boris Becker diving volley can do so with abandon.
The club’s focus is still on lawn bowls, which despite the prevailing stereotype, is not a genteel pastime for creaky-boned geriatrics.
“In Australia, we have children as young as 10 playing lawn bowls,” Belinda said, adding that many members of the 15-person club workforce were accomplished players.
“You really feel it in the knees when you have played 21-ends lawn bowls. It’s an easy game to pick up, a hard one to master.”
The Sames plan to stay in Bali, a place they fell in love with when they first stepped off a plane for a holiday 20 years ago.
“We just want people to come out here and try out the court for themselves, to feel how it is to play on grass,” Belinda said.
source : www.baliblog.com
September 14th, 2006
A court in Denpasar has sentenced a collaborator in the 2005 Bali Bombings, to 15 years in jail. Three other terrorists have already been sentenced to between 8 and 18 years in the triple suicide blasts, which killed 20 people and injured more than 100 others.
Anif Solcahnudin was accused of taking part in the planning of the attacks. Solcahnudin, 24, told an earlier session of his trial that he offered to be one of the suicide bombers, but was turned down. Imagine applying to be a suicide bomber, and being rejected! You’re already suicidal and then you get told you’re not good enough for that.
The blasts were the latest in yearly attacks against Western targets in Indonesia since 2002, when militants blew up two nightclubs on Bali, killing 202 people, most of them foreign tourists. Indonesian police blame fugitive Malaysian Noordin Mohammad Top for masterminding all the attacks.
The judge said Solchanudin was “proven without doubt to have participated in acts of terrorism”.
Indonesia is going after these guys, and getting them off the street is better than nothing.
source : www.baliblog.com
September 14th, 2006
The Bali mountain village of Jatiluwih, has become a World Heritage Site. World Heritage Sites are specific places (such as a forest, mountain range, lake, desert, building, complex, or city) of outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common heritage of humankind.
Located 20 kms from Tabanan, is the shadow of Gunung Batukaru, Jatiluwih features some of the most perfect rice terraces in Bali. The village of Jatiluwih is 1,500 meters above sealevel and affords magnificent views, over the rice fields and hills stretching to the coast.
Jatiluwih is close to the Eco Lodge, where my friends from Australia live. Even in the hot humid wet season, you need a sweater in the evening. In Jatiluwih, most people are involved in rice cultivation, and the village life, playing the gamelan and going to ceremonies is still the central part of daily life. A friend of mine will be doing cultural music tours in the highlands, including trips to neighboring villages and meeting with some of the skilled musicians who live there. Would be great to go if only for the scenery and the chance to visit people in a truly untouristed area.
Apparently Jatiluwih produces some of the finest rice in Indonesia, still using the old methods and old Bali rice. Suharto introduced strains that are more productive, but have less charachter and quaility. Jatiluwih produces 1,500 tonnes per year out of 300 hectares of rice field.
The Batukaru area which includes Jatiluwih is great for a slow mountain cruise on motorbike or car. Time from Kuta, 90 minutes.
source : www.baliblog.com
September 14th, 2006
Sometimes I feel like riding among rice fields and the fastest way for me to do that, apart from the few remaining fields on Jl. Oberoi, is to head to Umalas and pull off the road to the left. Another option is to cruise through Umalas, hang a left at the main road in ther direction of Canggu. Today I did just that, but after Pantai Berawa, I swung off the road to the right towards Dalung. Dalung is one of the places Indonesians who work in the Kuta area, but are struggling for money live. There are cheap rooms in Dalung and you can be in Kuta pretty quick, ideal for working people.
Dalung still has rice fields amd small temples. Checking out Pura Dalem Gede, in Desa Adat Dalung, I saw the kulkul belltower in the SW corner of the temple. Its usually the SE corner, which goes to show there are always exceptions to the rule when it comes to temple layout. The temple was deserted but over the parking lot wall I snapped a very surprised cow.
source : www.baliblog.com
September 14th, 2006
Once in a while I discover a new warung. Sometimes it seems new and woderful to me, just because I haven’t been there before, sometimes its actually has something to offer. Warung Kolega on Jl. Petitenget in Kerobokan is a small local warung serving Javanese style food. You line up, get a plate with nasi putih (white rice), and choose items from a selection of dishes, which include a variety of fish, chicken, beef, tempe and vegetable choices.
At lunch time this place is packed with expats and Indonesians, a sign that Warung Kolega is good and cheap. Today I went over at 2pm and was the only customer. I chose grilled chicken in shredded coconut, grilled tuna in a sambal sauce, green beans mixed with red and green chili’s, and other Indonesian vegetables. A dollop of hot sambal made sure it was chili heaven for me. Cost 13,000rp.
The 3 staff at Warung Kolega, all from Java, trotted over and demanded to have their photo taken, after spoting me photographing the food. They’re not shy and I’m sure would chat for a hour if you wanted them too.
Warung Kolega is open 8am-8pm, closed sunday
Warung Kolega
Jl. Petitenget #98A
Kerobokan
Bali
(0361) 732480
source : www.baliblog.com
September 14th, 2006