Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and Christians live mostly peacefully on the island, a rarity in Indonesia, but the majority of the population is Hindu. Many of them lay out offerings such as this one daily, at temples, at the base of statues, or simply on the street in front of their businesses or homes.
Fruit sellers and other vendors crowd the main tourist beaches. I'll never figure out why so much of the world's population carries heavy burdens on their heads. But it's the thing to do in Indonesia.
Never quite figured out the story with this beach - Dreamland. I think all the buildings were cleared out to make way for a new development, but some people said it was the wreckage of a storm. Either way, it was an eerie place.
a Kecak fire dance, performed by a chorus of about 100 men - teens to grandfathers - mostly doing vocal percussion, and a handful of costumed dancers, male and female, acting out an ancient storyline
The Komodo dragon is a rare and fierce creature - known to attack humans and sometimes kill them. Red-colored clothing and women who are menstruating are prohibited from many tours to see the dragons because these things agitate the reptiles. This one was in a reptile zoo and spat a good 15 feet at another woman behind the glass.
Statues of gods and mythical figures litter the island, and they're quickly covered in velvety growth in the tropical climate. The Balinese good-natured sense of humor is visible in many of the carvings.
unloading a ship at the Gili Islands
A Balinese playdate.
Motorized transportation is forbidden on the tiny Gili Islands between Bali and Lombok.
Offerings are piled on every flat surface of the temple in Ubud's marketplace.
Security is everywhere since the bombings of 2002 and 2005.
The three amigas on Christmas, after slogging miles (I swear it was!) (mostly) umbrellaless in the rain and floods. We managed to repeat the experience on New Years Eve, believe it or not. (photo purloined from hannah - thanks, yana!)
our resident artist, sculpting ...
... and shaping ...
... and putting the finishing touches on ... the thing ... (thanks f or the photo, hannah - it's cool!)
... and the wave that washed it away ...
... and the mad dash for the shoe the wave tried to eat with the sandcastle.
and the artist, once again at work, creating a sand Pollack ...
... and surveying her masterpiece.
Hannah and me ready for our first dive ... in the pool. Following photos are courtesy of Hannah
Who is that scuba babe?
Hannah and a turtle
Hannah in all her scuba finery
c'est moi
