KenKen Photoblog: Bali

Showing posts with label Bali. Show all posts

Temple Silhouettes

Temples and shrines make for pretty awesome sunset silhouettes. Bali life!

Despite being part of a country with the largest muslim population in the world, the primary religion in Bali is Hindu. Religion (and family) are a big part of people's lives in Bali... and this is extremely evident when exploring the country. Puras (temples) and shrines are everywhere... and with an estimated 20,000 puras, Bali is know as "the island of a thousand puras" or "island of the Gods". The temples feature intricate details/textures and are very beautiful. The first photo in this series is one of the many temples in Canggu.

Family is also a very important part of the culture. Unlike western cultures, where children leave the home when they come of age, families in Bali live together in compounds and stay together throughout life. Everything an individual earns goes to the family and is shared. It makes for a very interesting way of life.

The other photos (and video) in this series are from inside a family's compound. I was lucky enough to be invited inside to celebrate a ceremony with them. Ceremonies take place almost every week (which makes it difficult to do business in Bali since employees will be taking lots of time off)... I happened to be there during the midst of a ten day festival called Galungan. It was pretty awesome to share this experience with the family.
(The gamelan music in the video is pretty sick... has a great beat)

If you look closely, one kid learned how to use his middle finger (I promise that I did not teach him that).

Too cool

Yes, those are peppers in the pig's noise/mouth/head.

Magical Garden

When I was staying in Bali, this is what greeted me every time I returned to the villa. It was like I was walking into some type of magical garden. It almost doesn't seem real...

One More Wave

A lone paddle boarder heads out for one more wave before the sun goes down. I loved the colors of the sky and ocean this evening.

Footprints In the Sand...

There is an ancient Greek saying that "the sea can wash away all evils"... and a wide range of cultures have sacralized the sea, trusting in its power to wash away what is dangerous, dirty, and morally contaminating. The sea makes life on land possible by keeping it "pure." In this particular photo, footprints are in the process of slowly washing away with the incoming tide. Shortly after, all traces that a couple walked by will have vanished from sight... only the memory remains.

Bali Evenings

Every weekend the villagers from Canggu gather on the beach to enjoy the last moments of the day and watch the sunset together. There are street vendors (with AMAZING grilled corn), families, super competitive soccer games (if the tide is low enough), teenagers, lovers, pets, and just about anyone you can think of (including tourists like me). The hour before the sun goes down is the best time of day in Bali... the temperature cools down, the sand becomes tolerable to walk on, and the sunsets are worth the cost of a plane flight. I thought the first picture was a good representation of the crowd. The stone steps act as the stadium while the ocean and nature put on a show.

The other pictures in this set are of a fishing village further down the beach. The fisherman head out on the boats after dinner... and they stay out all night (or until they catch enough fish). If you're ever in Bali and wonder what all of those lights are in the middle of the ocean at night, it's these little boats. Also, if you wake up early enough in the morning, you can see all of the boats coming in. It's a pretty cool site... and if you help the boat drivers come in, you might score some super fresh seafood.

Bali Gold!

More "sunset porn" from Bali. Enjoy!

Want to go for a walk on the beach?

The pathway between two towns in Canggu... the sand acts as a natural "boardwalk" in Bali (much more convenient than trying to find a paved road).

Indonesian Dreamin' On Such a Winter Day

I'm not exactly sure why, but Bali will always have a special place in my heart. I've traveled to better and less crowded surf locations and have seen beaches that are just as or more beautiful. Perhaps it's because I've always visited Bali after experiencing a different extreme in the heavily industrialized Southern China (which skews my perception a bit)... perhaps it's because of all the interesting/friendly people I've met while traveling in the country... or perhaps it's because my expectations have always been wildly exceeded in terms of accommodations ($40/night for beachfront villa), food ($4 for giant tuna steak), and the graciousness of strangers. Regardless of the reasons, Bali is an awesome place. In my opinion, this photo is a pretty good representation of its awesomeness.