We were very fortunate to be in Ubud for a royal cremation. There have been one or two of these big events in the last couple of years, but this was the first we had seen. In Bali cremation ceremonies are a big deal, and an even bigger deal when it is someone in a high caste …
Category Archives: Experiences
Bali Halloween no Substitute for the Real Thing
A whole lotta pumpkins If you know about the good and bad spirits of the Balinese culture and religion and the demonic statues they create leading up to Nyepi, it is surprising that the Balinese don’t embrace Halloween. We arrived back from a couple of weeks in North America, after seeing pumpkins and Halloween paraphernalia everywhere, …
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Let’s Go Fly a Kite
At this time of year strong and consistent winds blow from east to west across Bali, meaning that it is the season for kite flying. Where ever you go, look up and you will see kites flying high in the sky. The local store sells decent kites for a few dollars, and we have taken the kids …
Our Balinese Girl
Stunning Olive all dressed up Last term at Pelangi School in Ubud, Olive joined the Balinese dance classes, which culminated in a performance at the school graduation ceremony yesterday. The girls had to arrive quite early before school to get dressed up which included bright make-up, hair extensions with flowers and the outfit. The costumes are so colourful …
All Dressed Up for a Temple Ceremony
Kadek, one of the staff at the T-House, invited us to join the local villagers for a ceremony last weekend. It was a ceremony for Kalangan, which is the final day of Galungan, a Balinese holiday celebrating the victory of dharma over adharma, and the time when the ancestral spirits visit the Earth. The day before our …
All Quiet for Nyepi
Selamat Hari Raya Nyepi Tahun Baru Suci 1936 Saka(Happy Nyepi Day, Holy Saka New Year 1936) Most of you probably didn’t know that the Balinese follow several different calendars, and for one of these their new year started on March 31 this year. This calendar is based on the phases of the moon and is approximately …
Ogoh Ogoh Parade
The day before Nyepi (the day of silence), the Balinese celebrate their New Year. Each village (Banjar) have been building Ogoh-Ogoh for the last couple of months. See our previous post showing the Ogoh-Ogoh statues from the villages around here. These Ogoh-Ogohs are carried through the streets for the Ngrupuk parade, culminating in the ritual burning of them …
Ooh the Ogoh Ogoh
One of the great things about the Nyepi celebrations in Bali is the Ogoh Ogoh statues that are built in every village. A parade of these creatures takes place on the eve of Nyepi day, which is tonight! We took a drive around town yesterday, where last-minute preparations of the statues were busily being done. …
A Bali Wedding of Sorts
Living in Bali presents many opportunities that you would not get if you were just here for a short stay, like after just a few weeks at the school, Olive (and the rest of the family) was invited to attend the wedding celebration of her teacher Ibu Indah and Steven. The ceremony was held at …
Travelling Through Trichy
I am now in a town called Tiruchirappalli, or Trichy as the locals and myself call it (it is a lot easier to pronounce!). It is another temple city, with one temple set upon a huge rock in the centre of town. From here I go to Madurai and continue to the west coast, then …