Bali Miscellany

Lifesaving cold coconut. If I had to pick a single thing which I loved in Bali, nay, in all Asia, it would be this. Yes, even over cool Buddha.

Ducks are among our neighbors in Ubud

This is a 1/25 portion of one of the highly detailed paintings in the Deka Museum in Ubud. I believe it shows a political bus moving through a Bali town. This and other paintings like it deserved close examination. If only the museums were not so hot and airless.

A Woman Who Lost Her Head

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The 13-year-old son of our preferred driver is a champion dancer since he was 3, specializing in a traditional warrior dance. We saw him win his 41st straight youth competition.

Here he is afterwards with his proud father.

This is a 20 foot tall platform being prepared for a cremation ceremony. The body will rest on it at the temple before being taken elsewhere to be cremated.

Another temple sign

This boat reminded me of the insect which walks on water

It's called a water strider

Rambutan on the back of a motorcycle - with view of driver in mirror. Fruits will be dealt with more thoroughly in a future post.

A perfect symbol for the decline of Bali. First, under economic pressure, the island tries to shift its rice-growing agriculture to coffee. Then, a coffee representative of International Capitalism comes to foreclose that line of development. Incidentally, from what I've tasted of the local coffee, it isn't that good. I would recommend trying to create an upscale market for Bali rice. Call it Bali Temple Rice and give it an expensive legend. Maybe get the priests involved to give it a certification like Kosher.