Bali Ha'i

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As we departed from Gili T on boat toward Bali, all I could think of was the song from South Pacific...Bali Ha'i. The mythical, mystical island with its tranquil, hazy image of the smoothly sloping volcano on the horizon. Our next adventure takes us high into the interior to the city of Ubud. Rich in ancient history, dotted with Hindu temples, surrounded by rainforest and terraced rice paddies. It is steeped in culture, the center of tradition, crafts, and dance.

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Photos

Ganesh - Hindu God
Ganesh is one of the best known and loved deities in the Hindu pantheon of gods. Ganesh is the remover of obstacles, the deity whom worshipers first acknowledge when they visit a temple.

Komaneka at Rasa Sayang
Our hotel in the heart of Ubud. The entrance gave you the feeling that you were stepping outside the city and walking into a tropical jungle.

Komaneka - lobby
Now I truly know what is meant by French Polynesian. The open air room with a mixture of teak and bamboo along with crystal chandeliers was simply exquisite.

Komaneka - restaurant
Grandma and Mary enjoying high noon tea.

Komaneka - pool
Zero edge pool overlooking the Wos River.

Komaneka - hallway
Even the hallways reflected our jungle, rainforest like setting

Room Upgrade
Even the best hotels (in the middle of a tropical jungle) have critter problems. Katie and Patrick were upgraded to the penthouse suite when they found some crawlers in their room.

Kecak- fire & trance dance
Went to the evening performance of the Kecak at the Dalem Ubud Temple. It was absolutely amazing.

Dalem Ubud Temple
Backdrop of the Kecak dance was the gate to the temple. It just added to the mystical aspect of the performance.

Kecak Dance - illuminated
The Kecak dance is performed only at night around a blazing bamboo torch.

Kecak Dance
What makes the Kecak special is that the accompanying music is provided by the human voice, the gamelan suara, a choir of a hundred men chanting

Kecak Dance
The dance tells the story of Prince Rama and his rescue of Princess Sita, who has been kidnapped by the evil King of Lanka

Fire Dance
At the end, a bonfire of coconut shells is made and a dancer becomes entranced and is able to dance on hot coals without feeling pain.

Fire Dance
Dancing over the hot coals