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Friday, August 22, 2008

The Dynamism of Bali's Arts


The richness of Bali's Arts today can be thought of as the crystallisation of serveral cultural phenomena. Let's again look at dance as an example. Before Hinduism came to Bali, there already existed here various dance forms designed to defer evil, for example the dance known as Sanghyang, which is still performed to this day in some villages and mountain areas. The influence of Java was clearly felt after the fall of the Majapahit Kingdom in Java. At the beginning of the 15th century, many of the Majapahit left Java and began to delovp their arts in Bali. It has been noted in fact that the period of the Balinese Kingdom - between the 16th and 19th centuries is considered the golden age of Bali s art. Gambuh theatre, which is considered the well spring of the performed arts of music and dance was creation of the ruling classes of that epoch. Music, and particularly Balinese gamelan likewise developed around the same time under the influence of the Hindu-Majapahit.

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Event today fine art is enjoying a wealth of influence from abroad. Specific styles are named patra Mesir -Egyptian ornament, or elements of Chinese-patra China or Dutch art-patra Olanda, imported into Balinese carvings.

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Colonialism-in the Dutch and Japanese perioddidn't affect the existence of the arts in Bali, at least as far as music and dance are concerned. Infact is can be said to have made a positive contribution to the performing arts. Gong Kebyar, for example, which became famous around the turn of the century thanks to pioneer I Gusti Nyoman Panji Gede in the north of Bali, is noted as having been influenced by western culture via Holland. During the 1930 s, Walter Spies, a German painter who lived in Bali focussed his attention on dance and gamelan, so much so that the Kecak dance is performed today in a form enriched by contact with Spies. And in 1931 the Dutch goverment sent an arts mission to Paris, France, an event which took Europe by storm.

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Balinese Profil

Balinese Profile


I Nyoman Tjokot (Balinese Maestro)
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"His creations are quite exotic to look at, traditional but without academic influence. His works have a frighteningly macabre feel, his animal carvings eerie,
his figurative sculptures showing strange and frightening forms, as well as beasts whose features are indistinct" The detritus logs and roots commonly found along the river's edge have a unique artistic potential. Click Details


I Gusti Nyoman Lempad (Balinese Maestro)
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Home of the painter "I Gusti Nyoman Lempad" - reads the name board outside the former home of this legendary Balinese artist, which is not difficult to find amidst the many art shops mushrooming along Ubud s main high street. You only have to walk about 500m to the east of Puri Ubud and you will see the sign. Otherwise, any body you ask is sure to know the whereabouts of the home of this most famous public figure. Click details


Ida Pedanda Made Sidemen (Balinese Maestro)
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"Got no land? So, let's sew within our own selves instead". On the 10th of September 1984 Dewi Sasih was clearly seen in the sky. Dewi Sasih (or, the moon, as it was full at that night) was shining, appearing, it seemed, as a wit ness to the passing of a multi-talented priest, Ida Pedanda Made Sidemen, who was to meet his maker, concluding his long devotion in the earth at the grand old age of 126! Click details


NI KETUT RENENG (Balinese Maestro)
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"I feel God sitting in the forefront of my mind. From then I don't feel anything. I just move. My body becomes light as a feather. I feel extremely beaudm and the audience are enchanted." A simple 2 x 3 metre cell in Hayam Wuruk street, Denpasar, remained the . A faithful home of Ni Ketut Reneng during the days leading up to her ...Click Details


I Ketut Mario (Balinese Maestro)
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The improvisational dance that came out of his response to the music that day later became known as Kebyar Duduk, or, if danced with trompong, Kebyar Trompong.These creations soon stirred a revolution in Balinese dance ...The foreign tongue refers to him as Mario, and yet the naine of this artist, who was born in 1897, was actually I Ketut Marya. Passing away on March 22, 1968, this dancer had a somewhat slight build, but he made a big name for himself, and for Bali and Indonesia too. Click Details

Bali Galungan Holiday

Galungan holiday" celebration as to commemorate the victory of "Dharma" (virtue) upon "Adharma" (evil) based on the mythology of "Mayadenawa" (a demon king) who was involved i a war against God Indra's troops. On this day, a tall bamboo pole decorated with young cocounut leaves, flower, fruit and rice-paddy symbolizing prosperity is stuck on every house entrance to make a marvelous view along the village roads, Throughout Bali.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Bali Indonesia Handicrafts Directory

You've come to the right place for quality Bali and Indonesia Handicrafts, wholesale craft supplier. This website is a well-established Manufacturer, Wholesaler and Exporter of quality Bali and Indonesian craft products. Products range includes all the classic Balinese products like wind chimes, photo albums, stoneware, miniature surfboards, incense, hand crafted terracotta ceramic, carving, wooden statue, candle and incense holders, sarongs, fashion accessories as well as many more handcrafted gift and home ware items from not only Bali but the entire archipelago of Indonesia.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Bali Travel & Culture

By Scott Vogel
The Washington Post

It was a long time before I felt comfortable asking the Danes why they are the happiest people on Earth, and by then I had already sullied the country’s largest park with a sign that read, “WHY ARE THE DANES THE WORLD’S HAPPIEST PEOPLE? AMERICAN NEWSPAPER WANTS TO KNOW.”

It was all very melodramatic and, as such, distinctly un-Scandinavian, but I had only a few days for a pursuit of their happiness and needed to make every moment count. My tip-off came courtesy the University of Michigan’s World Values Survey, which in June proclaimed Denmark to be the happiest nation among 97 surveyed, a conclusion arrived at by asking souls all around the world whether they were very happy, rather happy, not very happy or not at all happy.

A high percentage of Danes put themselves in the first category. This needed to be investigated, but then I got there and found that happiness was a difficult subject to broach, mostly because of what it seemed to imply.

“Is it that the people of the United States are not happy?” said the first person I asked, a woman selling sausages from a cart on the Radhuspladsen, Copenhagen’s expansive central square.

I gave her my best whatever-gave-you-that-idea face, which she immediately saw through. Then I sighed.

“We’re sixteenth.”

Sixteenth happiest, that is. The sausage lady smiled vacantly, the same smile she’d given me earlier when I’d asked for a knakker, one of those glorious sausages that snap when you bite into them.

“I think we are happiest because of the Carlsberg,” she finally said.

At first I thought the sausage lady was being flip, just trying to take the edge off her conversation with the American, whose countrymen are known for their competitiveness and penchant for concealed weapons. Then it occurred to me that she might be serious. After all, Carlsberg is a Danish beer even more ubiquitous than the sausages, and thus could double as a handy metaphor for the country itself: simple, unremarkable, blond. Furthermore, a few pints into it, simplicity does indeed seem a virtue, unremarkable things become their opposite and, well, blonds do appear to have more fun. But then the buzz lifts, the dazzle evaporates and with it any real chance you’ll ever be as happy as the Danes.

* * * * *

The Moorish architecture and minarets have been restored to former glory and there’s now a loop coaster that you might see in any amusement park in the world. Copenhagen’s celebrated Tivoli Gardens, which dates to 1843, still impresses with its odd combination of string quartets and thrill rides, and the 120,000 light bulbs still don’t come into their own until sundown, which, this being Copenhagen in summer, doesn’t happen until 10.

“I came from a working-class family in Essex,” said Paul Cunningham. He was sitting on a stairway behind the Tivoli restaurant that bears his name — the Paul. His airy, glass-walled eatery (it’s haute cuisine in a conservatory) is one of 11 Copenhagen restaurants in possession of a Michelin star, and so Cunningham is by definition a “hot chef,” a British transplant who is helping lead a resurgence in Danish cooking.

“The only time my family ever sat together was for a Sunday meal. In Denmark, it’s every day,” he told me. I listened as Cunningham gave me the social democracy elevator pitch, nodded as he spoke of “this secure society” and how “everything is built for the middle class, not the upper class” and “the health system is great” and “90 percent of the places serve non-chain coffee,” all of which no doubt make their contributions to Danish well-being. But it was the image of the families sitting together every day that stuck with me, families where everyone knows each other’s stories and kids fall easily into their parents’ arms at midnight in the Tivoli.

And then there were the brief glimpses of joy I caught each time a fireworks shell burst or a fountain danced to life. It is probably unwise to judge a country’s happiness by the faces of its children as lit by fireworks, but the quiet awe of Danish children at such moments was priceless.

On the other side of the park stands Restaurant Herman, which is new and does not yet have a Michelin star but is nevertheless the province of another hot chef, Thomas Herman. He is young, Danish and fiercely committed to keeping the country’s dinner table interesting. This he does by taking Denmark’s many comfort foods and moving them out of their comfort zones, which can be something of a dangerous game. Strawberries are still served with cream, for instance, but now the cream is infused with foie gras.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

get bizarre in Bali

Things are starting to get bizarre in Bali. On Saturday night, the environmental groups threw their much anticipated beach bash (which lived up to its billing). When I arrived the US chief negotiator present at the talks for the first week, Dr Harlan Watson was shuffling on the outskirts of the dance floor, Yvo de Boer, the UN climate chief, was busting the moves on the dance floor, and people were swimming out into the ocean with one hand in the water and one hand above holding their beverage. But Minister John Baird took the cake.

I wasn’t privy to the conversation, but the body language was peculiar to put it mildly. The Minister was yelling in the face of a David Suzuki climate campaigner, poking him in the chest in what looked to be quite an assertive way. Fortunately no fist-a-cuffs broke out.

On Sunday, Trade Ministers wrapped up their first ever meeting. The following countries sent their Minister to the talks: Indonesia, Australia, Brazil, Finland, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerand, and the US. Japan, who has been Canada’s soul mate in Bali on the topic of competitiveness concerns to do with tackling climate change, sent a 12-member delegation including its Vice-Minister. Canada was one of only two countries to have a one-man delegation (Argentina was the other) led by John T. Holmes, our Ambassador to Indonesia, who is meant to be a really nice guy, but probably not the best person to be discussing the scope for redefining the multilateral trading system to take climate change into account.

While the Canadian government was missing in action at the meeting, Winnipeg-based International Institute for Sustainable Development’s four-strong delegation led by David Runnalls set the tone, presenting the Ministers with an IISD opening report marking the emergence of climate change as the trade issue of our time.

Bright Spot: Everyone from the US who is not part of the US official delegation is tripping over themselves to explain how there are two America’s and Bush’s climate skeptic America is the old one, soon to give way to a new President, and a current majority of States and Senators to take bold action on climate change. What about Canada? Good authority has it that Quebec (not one to let regionalism get in the way of progress J) may soon join the California Governator’s Western Regional Climate Change Action Initiative (WRCAI), aimed at having an emissiona trading market up and running by August 2008. Manitoba is already on board. Premier McGuinty met with Governator when he visited Toronto. If Ontario jumps on board as well, that will cover off the majority of Canada’s population. Ontario Environment Minister John Garretson is in Bali this week—maybe it will be a topic of discussion.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Hostels"Kuta Beach"

There is good news and bad news here. The bad news is that there really aren’t any traditional hostels anywhere on the island of Bali, at least the kind with dorm beds and common facilities. The good news is that the reason there are no hostels in Bali is that hotels and guesthouses all over the island start at prices so low that there is really no demand for that sort of low budget communal living.

Low budget beds in Bali

They can go by different names, but generally speaking the lower end of the accommodation scene in Bali consists of guesthouses and small hotels. These places can call themselves inns, cottages, bungalows or a few other things as well, but more good news is that you generally get what you pay for in Bali. If one place charges twice as much as the place next door, chances are it’s twice as nice as well.

Guesthouses – These can range from perhaps 4 small rooms all the way up to 50 rooms or so, but they tend to be very basic. They’ll usually have an en-suite bathroom, but expect something close to campground-style facilities rather than what you normally see in hotels in the US and Europe. Beds tend to be hard and furniture is minimal, and usually you’ll have a ceiling fan as your only method for combating the muggy nights during the rainy season. Prices start around US$5 per room, and most tourist cities in Bali have quite a few guesthouses with prices under US$10 per night. Very few of these places are available to be booked on the internet, unfortunately. There are some very luxurious places that call themselves “guesthouses” so price is probably a better indicator of quality than just the name alone.

Hotels – In Bali there are a couple dozen large international hotels and most of them are strung together in the Nusa Dua resort area in the south, but throughout the island there are also small, locally-owned hotels. Some only have a few rooms and others are much larger, but they tend to be a bit more luxurious than the aforementioned guesthouses. For only a bit more money you might be getting a refrigerator in the room and a comfortable bed and nice bathroom as well. Air conditioning is available in some rooms at some places, and usually for a higher price. Depending on the person and the time of year, A/C might be your only hope of getting to sleep or a complete waste of money. Many hotels are available online, and prices can start as low as US$15 per night for quite a nice place, so this is a good place for a bit of a splurge for many people.

Kuta Beach

The center of this famous tourist area is filled with guesthouses and hotels. You can usually get a place by just walking up with your bag in hand, but during peak season and special events it can get quite crowded. There isn’t much chance of having to sleep on the sidewalk (or the beach), but you might have to hoof it around the area for an hour or two and then settle for a place that was way down your list.

If you feel like taking a chance with your room you might still consider booking your first night ahead of time. This means you’ll be able to go straight there and put your bags away, and then you’ll have nearly 24 hours to find a cheaper place you like if you are still motivated. The cheap guesthouse rooms are a bargain in some ways, but they aren’t very comfortable, and often not very clean either.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Bali Souvenir, Bali Painting, Bali Wood Carving, Bali Nameplate, Bali Stone Carving, Bali Sculpture, Bali Furniture, Bali Accessories, Bali Custom T-S

Bali Souvenir, Bali Painting, Bali Wood Carving, Bali Nameplate, Bali Stone Carving, Bali Sculpture, Bali Furniture, Bali Accessories, Bali Custom T-Shirt, Bali Textile, From Bali Handicraft Home Industry Community
Wholesale & Retail Bali T-Shirt with Lowest Price
Custom t-shirts

Specific Balinese Souvenir

Special Bali Kids Accessories & Cloth from Ubud Bali Indonesia
Kids Accessories

BaliExist.com a Bali handicraft home industry community bring Bali handicrafts, Bali arts and Bali souvenirs closer to you. We reflects the beauty of art to each our handmade products, which meet with good quality. Various collection of handicrafts & souvenirs from the chic and simple one to glamour and extra vaganza collections are suported by creative Bali artists & craftsmen creation. We proudly offer for businessmen & the art admirer.

BaliExist.com is our online address. We are Bali Handicraft Home Industy Community. Sported by Pondok Frog and ABC (Art Business Centre). We are community of Bali painting, Bali woodcarving, Bali stone carving, Bali sculpture, Bali furniture, Bali textile, Bali accessories and Bali souvenir home industries based in Ubud Bali which is famous as Bali handicraft, Bali art and Bali culture center.

We are Bali handicrafts and artwork crafts home industry community and handicrafts supplier community. We help Bali artists, Bali craftsmen and craftswomen to supply their products from their each home industries in Bali with hard selected quality, design and competitive price to the buyers.

Proudly offer Bali painting, Bali woodcarving, Bali nameplate, Bali accessories, Bali textile, recycle paper product, rubbish art, exotic Bali product, exotic Bali piggy bank, paper waste money box, handmade paper statue, home decoration, exclusive coin box made of coconut shell and recycle paper, excellent & unique Bali handicraft products with new original design from Bali artists. Good quality for collection, because artistic and
quality is our first priorities.

Also offer you Bali t-shirt, cotton t-thirt, original Bali t-shirt, Bali handmade t-shirt, Bali tangtop and singlet in all size for men and women with colour full Bali design: Balinese girl, mosquito, mosquitokoil, Ubud map, sexy girl, naked dance, sunshine, yoga frog, long feet frog, long neck frog, frog and moon, kecak dance, legong dance, Bali talisman, for rent, not for sale, etc from Bali handicraft home industry.

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Coconut shell handicraft
Exclusive Bali coin box




Bali Nameplate With Unique Design
Bali Nameplate


Wooden Bali Mask Antique
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Welcome to Tupai Handycraft ...


We provides thousands item for souvenirs and handycrafts.
Distributors are welcome. Please take a look to our varieties items in our website.

Location :

Manufacture : Jl. Panglima Sudirman no 72, Jombang city, East Java
Warehouse and office : Kompleks mangga dua B-1 no. 8
Jl. Jagir wonokromo no. 100, Surabaya city, East Java
Showroom : Pasar Atum Baru Tahap I Lt III No BA29-30, Surabaya city, East Java

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Suidical Bali

Bali always welcome every body who wants to come to bali with friendly smile. Not only for torism, Bali is also famous for one of the biggest handicarft manufacture i the world. We mostly produced handmade handicraft with the basic mterials that we found on our surrounding island without destroying them as we are committed to heritage them with our children.

Along with this website we try to connect between artisant who normally live in the villages with buyers. We responsible for the quality of the product and in the side we can also arrange your shipment to destination. For all what you you purchase from us, we are sure we have already contributed some percentages to help artisants, their families and also their community.

All the products we sell, are selling in many countries because we are so concerned with quality, time and also price, so we are very positive to serve you better.

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Supermarkets & Makro Store in Bali


Matahari's : Always stock up here : Check into your hotel , empty the minibar/fridge and set sail for the supermarket. Good range of beverages, alcohol / fruit / soft drinks. (including spirits, cocktails and mixers ) Great range of Toiletries, food for all types of meals and snacks ... It's also fun looking at all the different items that you can't get at home and you will be surprised by the amount you "wished" you could get at home. [ Kuta : at the end of Kuta Square ] or ask at your hotel for the closest one. Pic's Of Matahari's Kuta Sq
The Makro Store situated on the Denpasar bypass Rd to Sanur. At Makro you will be able to stock up on many many everyday items available in "Bulk" Great if you have a large family or there are a few of you. Makro stocks everything from electronic equipment, fridges, Microwave ovens to noodles, beer, soft drinks, water, fruit and vegetables. They also have a great range of Lollies ( Sweets ) for the children, pens pencils etc.
You have to pay 1,000Rp entrance fee p.p. ( in 2001, may be a little more now. ) They will not permit any bags or camera's into the store. There is a taxi rank outside the store in the car park. Situated app 10 mins from Kuta and 15 mins from Sanur it's well worth a visit..... ( Check they take your credit card before entering or have at least 500,000rp in cash on you. hehe )
Bringing back Food : geckobttn9.gif - 1456 Bytes
I have brought back many items from Bali including sauces, spices and tinned fruit juices unavailable in Australia ( like soursop ) for cocktails. Generally anything that is in an unopened air tight container are fine to bring back to Australia. ( Not Tupperwear ) Declare all food items anyway to be on the safe side.
geckobttn2.gif - 1427 Bytes Department Stores :
Larger stores in Denpasar.However the one above, Matahari's in Kuta square has a great range. Great place to get a good Idea of the local prices for goods. They also have an honest money exchange counter with good rates. [ Well worth a visit.] You can purchase a dress / trousers from the racks , at very good prices , and have them altered for free while you wait. Ladies will love the prices of the cosmetics, under ½ price , and they are the real thing [ Revlon , Clinique and most of the famous brands. ]
geckobttn11.gif - 1436 Bytes TimeZone Game's arcade :
If you have kids this could be a good answer to some free shopping time. Both TimeZone game's arcades are located at the Matahari department stores. Kuta store ( Kuta Square ) on the top floor ( 4Th floor ) and in Legian its on the ground floor.( Matahari store JL Legian ) They are very cheap @ under 20c Australian a Token. OR 1,000Rp ea. Great chance to leave the teenagers with 20-30,000 Rp ( $6-$7AUS ) while you shop in the department stores and they will have 20-30 games , which should give you over an hour's shopping. ( The same games in Australia are $1AUS ea go. )
International drivers licence : oldcar.gif - 2018 Bytes
If you intend to hire a CAR in Bali , this is a must.
Always carry your insurance and registration papers with you for the hired car when driving.
Travellers cheques : geckobttn4.gif - 1418 Bytes
Handy if you are taking a large sum of money and it is insured when you purchase this style of currency.
Downside : Not as good an exchange rate.
geckobttn5.gif - 1428 Bytes Credit cards:
Visa , Amex , Bankcard are all accepted credit cards and can be used in 90% of the stores and Hotels.
( Some hotels may ask for a 3% surcharge for using a credit card but you can generally argue this or retrieve it from your credit card company.) Great if you need to have some "stand by" cash in case you find that bargain of a life time or wish to make a large purchase and would rather keep your cash for day to day purchases OR for peace of mind. If you do lose your cash or travellers cheques you have something to fall back on. ( I generally split my spending money into my VISA card and cash. )
geckobttn10.gif - 1443 Bytes Cash :
Larger notes attract a better exchange rate AUS , CAD , Pounds Sterling and US notes in 50 and 100 denominations and are easily exchanged anywhere. Your hotel should have a safety deposit box available free of charge for security. USE IT !!! ( I generally split my sending money into my VISA card and cash. )
ATM's : geckobttn1.gif - 1487 Bytes
Although there are more and more ATM's ( Automatic teller machine's ) around in the Kuta area and a few less in Sanur ,there is a transaction limit of 400,000 Rp ( App US$40 ) So you may have to insert your card a few times to get the amount you need, also every transaction will be met with a bank fee when you get home. There are 3 ATM's at the airport in the international arrivals area where you pickup your suit cases. A small problem in Bali is that ATM's aren't always reliable as they go offline often and if they do this during a transaction , your account maybe debited and you may not get the cash.
Money Exchangers WARNING : gecko
Don't rely on their calculators. Ask what size notes they have and if they only have 5,000Rp or 10,000Rp notes there is a very good chance they are going to try and rip you off. ( Look for 50,000Rp or at least 20,000Rp notes.) The less notes you recieve, the less you have to count and the less chance of being ripped off. Try and always change an amount that will give you a round and easy figure to work out in your head.
EG: $100AUS @ 5200Rp to the Aus$ = 520,000 Rp
gecko
10 x 50,000 notes + 2 x 10,000 notes
OR 104 x 5,000 notes
( thats 12 notes to count OR 104 whats easier ? )
Look for the guys that charge NO commision and ask again when you are in the shop if there is a commision. Be wary of any money changer offering a surprisingly high exchange rate. Take them on if you wish but be the last to count OR touch your money , as soon as you are handed the cash for the last time and before you walk out the shop...count it again!!! Understand before you start exchanging money with money changers , exactly how much you will recieve back.

Be wary of changers ending with 90RP they will quickly swap a 50,000 for a 5,000.
EG $100AUS @ 5490 = 549,000
They will give you 10x 50,000 OR 500,000 Rp in one form or another and say because its 49 at the end , do you have a 1,000Rp note and we will give you a 5,000Rp back. If you are confused by all the 000's you may quickly say okay..and you just lost 45,000Rp

geckobttn9.gif - 1456 Bytes Buying Furniture :
The moisture content ( humidity ) in the air in Bali is very high so unless you come from a tropical area with a high moisture content , be careful not to purchase things with large wood panels. This is because once you get it home it will start to dry out and large splits may start to appear due to the lack of moisture. If you can, buy teak but make sure it is teak and not treated pine OR buy kiln dried timber to avoid the cracking. ( this maybe hard as they will claim everything is kiln dried ) Unless you pay a large price for quality don't buy a dining table as they tend to fall apart at home.
Warning: If you plan to order things to be made. Don't pay for it until you have seen it packed in the container and definitely be there for the packing and closing of the container.
Duty Free : geckobttn6.gif - 1422 Bytes
There isn't much at the airport in Denpasar and what there is is the same price as you would pay at an Australian airport prior to departure. So if you would like to have that bottle of scotch, rum or whatever in your room, I suggest you get it before you leave Australia. If you like wine,bring it with you as wine is VERY expensive in Bali. Perfume/Aftershave , although it is available in Bali , the perfume on the streets is a copy and at times bad copies. Any electronic gear. There isnt a great range available in Bali and what is available is either the same price or a little under. [ Its best to spend the extra $10 and have the warranty in Australia.] If you smoke , get them in Australia as well , although there are now export cartons of Winfield blue and B & H available in Bali for around $12 a carton, they arent quite the same flavour.
Travel insurance : geckobttn4.gif - 1418 Bytes
A must . From as little as $70 AUS per person , you can cover yourself for 8 days travel ( Whole Family cover is available ) If you are from Australia and travel frequently , ask about Executive travel insurance. This will cost around two times more than a fortnight's family insurance - however it will cover you AND your family for a full 12 months. [ Including internal travel. IE : those easter or christmas holidays interstate.]
geckobttn11.gif - 1436 Bytes First Aid Kit / Bali Belly :
A kit similar to what you may have in the car. Something small that may contain "immodium" anti diarrhoea tablets , "charcoal" tablets taken if Bali Belly is suffered, "dettol" ( antiseptic ) for cleaning any cuts and abrasions, panadol, anti fungal powder, insect repellant , some burn cream ( for relief from sunburn ) and some bandaids. There are chemists in Bali , however not all drugs are available. *** If you can, take a bottle of Raspberry Juice Cordial usually found in the "Cascade Brand" in Oz.( Not Raspberry Flavour ) For some reason this has been proven to help prevent and cure stomach problems. "Bali Belly" It worked for us.
Your Doctor : geckobttn10.gif - 1443 Bytes
If you are in any way worried about what you may catch in Bali , a trip to your local GP will help with any prescribed drugs you may wish to take and he will be able to help with any recommended Innoculations that maybe required by your country. ( Malaria, Typhoid, Hepatitis A & B are recommended if you are going to visit remote areas of Bali. )

LAST RESORTS : Foreign Consulates in Bali
Netherlands, Jl. Imam Bonjol 599, Denpasar (tel. 0361-751904 or 751497, fax 752777)
France, Jl. Raya Sesetan 46 D, Banjar Pesanggaran, Denpasar (tel. 0361-233555)
Japan, Jl. Moh. Yamin 9, Renon, Denpasar (tel. 0361-231308 or 234808)
Germany, Jl. Pantai Karang 17, Sanur (tel. 0361-288535); Italy, Jl. Padang Galak, Sanur (tel. 0361-288996 or 288896)
Switzerland/Austria, c/o Swiss Restaurant, Jl. Pura Bagus Taruna, Legian (tel. 0361-751735)
Sweden/Finland, Segara Village Hotel, Sanur (tel. 0361-288407 or 288408)
U.S.A., Jl. Sanur Ayu 5, Sanur (tel. 0361-288478
Norway Denmark, Jl. Jayagiri, Gang VIII/10, Denpasar (tel. 0361-235098 or 233053)
Australia, Jl. Prof. Moh. Yamin Kav. 51, P.O. Box 243, Renon, Denpasar (tel. 0361-235092 or 235093, fax 231990).

Friday, August 8, 2008

Balinese Horoscope


For Balinese people the days and the minutes can be lucky or unlucky according to their own unique correspond to a simple characteristic such as Monday – ‘moon’day, Sunday -‘sun’day, and Saturday – ‘saturn’ day.
In the Balinese calendar system, the days have many more names and therefore more characteristics which determine their over-all quality. For example Friday August 10, 2007, becomes in the Balinese calendar ‘Jumat Wage, Wuku Krulu’, and so 10 August 2007 will be different from the same date in 2006. Even if two persons were born on the same day, let say between 23 November and 20 December, if they were born in different years they will have the same zodiac sign but not the same characteristic as the result of the different days of the Balinese Horoscope.
Two children who were born on the same date but in different years will have different Balinese birthdays. Those who were born on 18 December, 1998 will have a different birthday, therefore to those born on 18 December, 1999.
In general, both will inherit the characteristics of Sagittarius. A more detailed description of their characteristics can be found, however, in the Balinese horoscope. Bali Travel News is willing to answer any questions from readers interested in learning more about the Balinese system. Just send your date of birth to our Balinese Horoscope Consultant. He will help you to find out about your Balinese birthday and your personal characteristic according to Balinese horoscope. Please write to Bali Travel News, Jalan Kepundung 67A Denpasar, Fax: 62.361 249486 or email: batrav@indo.net.id.

Your birth-date
While we wait for readers’ letters we return in this edition to the characteristic and fortunes of LEO (21 July – 21 August). We accept of course that not all people born under the sign of the lion possess identical personality traits. This is due to the fact that many are born on different days.
According to the Balinese Horoscope, people born on January 1 1999, are born on a day called ‘Jumat Umanis, Wuku Merakih’ (Friday), whereas those born on January 1, 2000 will be born on a day called ‘Sabtu Umanis, Wuku Sungsang’ (Saturday). These two days will be determinate of different personality traits even though both are born under the sign of Capricorn.
Being born on Jumat Umanis (1/1, 1999) means the influence of many stars will combine to produce dominant traits such as honesty, proper conduct and direct speaking. There will also be a willingness to help others. Anybody born on this day will be a sucker for bargains, and tend to get mixed up in other people’s business. Meanwhile somebody born on Sabtu Umanis (January 1, 2000) will be influenced by the constellation known in Bali as Bagong (a pot-bellied character from the wayang puppet theatre), and by the moon. He or she will be careful in all things, and diplomatic, too, particularly in written transactions.
Now let’s look at the other horoscope entries concurrent with this issue of ‘Bali Travel News”. And once again, if there is anybody out there who wants information about their own birth date according to the Balinese Horoscope, please write to Bali Travel News e-mail: batrav@indo.net.id, fax: 62.361 249486.

Jumat Wage (10 August, 2007)
This day is highly influenced by the stars. Magelut (hugging) is the symbol of this day. Priestly characteristics are dominant, suggesting a quiet intelligence and honesty. Often made the black sheep of the family, he becomes fiercely individualistic and this can cause problems. A partner born on Sunday Wage, Tuesday Pon or Friday Umanis, will be the most suitable for him.

Saturday Kliwon (11 August, 2007)
This day is influenced by the bumi (the earth). The person born on this day has a careful personality, is diplomatic when speaking and full of admiration for many worthy things. He rarely takes risks and this can bring about a state of apathy and resignation when faced with difficulties of any kind, however trite. His suitable partner is someone born on
Wednesday Pon, Thursday Umanis or Friday Umanis.

Sunday Umanis (12 August, 2007)
This day is influenced by Kala Sungsang. Someone born on this day has a reserved personality, is intelligent, and is interested in mysticism. His ambitions are rarely fulfilled. However, fame can still be achieved through creative arts and achievements, written or otherwise. He is quick to forgive, ready to take on almost any kind of work, but can be pretentious. His ideal partner is someone born on Sunday Wage, Tuesday Pon or Friday Umanis.

Monday Paing (13 August, 2007)
Someone born on this day is influenced by the star Bintang Kukus (the comet). He speaks very fast but is soft at heart. He is honest and diligent, highly ambitious, and yet frugal. He is sensitive and always keeps his promise. His suitable marriage partner is someone born on Wednesday Kliwon, Thursday Paing or Saturday Paing.

Tuesday Pon (14 August, 2007)
This day is influenced by Asu (the dog). He is charismatic, quiet, and stubborn. Although he is intelligent, he tends to be irrational sometimes. He is careful and even suspicious, but will do any task that is set for him. His ideal marriage partner is someone born on Sunday Wage, Tuesday Pon or Friday Umanis.

Wednesday Wage (15 August, 2007)
The sign of this day is Kartika (lit. ‘star’). He is noble, charismatic, and highly sociable. He always behaves fairly. He is careful in spending his money and is often considered stingy by others, yet this is not necessarily so. He is inclined towards harsh and awkward talk. His ideal partner is someone born on Thursday Umanis or Friday Umanis. (BTN/doc)

Living Room Destination at Eastern Indonesia


Makassar City, known as Maritime City, retains abundant natural and cultural potentials. Similarly, this city serves as the hub of trading activities in East Indonesia Region.
Observing such potential, slow but sure, Makassar would become the leading tourism destination of South Celebes. “And today Makassar needs to diversify its tourism products in order that tourists would not feel saturated with those very same things,” stated Anggiat Sinaga, Chairman of Indonesia Hotel and Restaurant Association (IHRA) of Makassar City at Clarion Hotel Makassar recently.
Anggiat revealed that Makassar is now preparing itself as a ‘living room’ destination along with brand image Great Expectation. “One of them is by designing the seafood as culinary tourism,” said Anggiat who is now chairing three 4-star hotels in Makassar City namely Clarion, Quality and Grand Palace.
He further explained that product diversification of Makassar would flourish if it is thoroughly supported by local government. “Industry is ready. The problem now lies in whether the government would entrust the industry to promote tourism because industry in fact, is more familiar with the tourism market,” he stated firmly.
Sumatera-born Anggiat appealed that in short-term the government of Makassar City, together with tourism businessmen, performs a promotion to Bali Island because Bali has become the hub of tourism in Indonesia. “If this promotion is consistently executed every year, I’m sure that tourism of Makassar would develop rapidly and become renowned,” he revealed while explaining that this matter was once discussed in the forum of Tourism Development and Promotion Board (BP3) of Makassar. Unfortunately the institution inaugurated by tourism businesspeople had no power because it was not supported by promotional fund.
“On the other hand, the Office of Cultural and Tourism Service would like to go in its own way whereas all personnel of BP3 consist of experts at tourism. Indeed, we intend to help but such institution intends to make their own way, so we could do nothing,” he revealed disappointingly. Best regards from Makassar!! (image/poll)

Bali events

Apart from the usual western calendar, the Balinese also use two local calendars, the Hindu saka and the wuku . The wuku calendar, which is used to determine festival dates, uses 10 different types of weeks between one and 10 days long, all running simultaneously! The intersection of the various weeks determines auspicious days. It's impossible to work it out yourself: when you arrive in Bali, go to a tourist office and ask which festivals and celebrations are coming up. Try to get to at least one.

The Galungan Festival , Bali's major feast, is held throughout the island and is an annual event in the wuku year. During this 10-day period all the gods come down to earth for the festivities and barongs (mythical lion-dog creatures) prance from temple to temple and village to village. The last and most important day of the festival is Kuningan .
is the major festival of the saka year - it's the last day of the year, and usually falls towards the end of March or the beginning of April. The day before is set aside as a day of purification across the island. The night before, evil spirits are noisily chased away with cymbals, gongs, drums and flaming torches. On Nyepi itself, everyone stays quietly at home, making no noise, using no lights and doing no cooking. The idea is that when evil spirits descend, they are fooled into thinking that Bali is uninhabited and leave the island in peace for another year.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Bali Shopping Style

Crafting Excellence from Clay
What began in 1976 as an experimental industry that made functional tableware for one hotel, has now grown into a developed industry producing high standard elegant pieces.

Cili bowls
Japanese square plates
Merchandise

Traditionally pottery, or ceramics, on Bali was low fired; meaning fired with a wood burning stove at low temperatures and although the pottery produced was useful to the Balinese (large terracotta jars were made to store water and flat plates were used for food), there was no longevity to these items, which were fragile and cracked easily. The other disadvantage to the modern user was that the pottery was unable to be thoroughly washed, and while there was a traditional ceramic industry in Bali, most notably in the village of Kapal between Canggu and Tanah Lot, there was not the commercial viability that traditional crafts such as carving and silver jewelry could offer to the burgeoning market of westerners looking to export handicrafts.

When Brent Hesslyn entered the picture some thirty years ago, Balinese potters were creating functional designs using this ancient firing method. Brent then introduced the first high firing kilns into Bali that back then were powered by diesel (but now use LPG gas), and thus began a journey that has taken Jenggala Ceramics into the 21st Century as the finest producers of ceramics and glass on the island. What began in 1976 as an experimental industry in Sanur that made functional tableware for one hotel, has now grown into a developed industry employing over 270 people, producing high standard, high quality and elegant pieces for hotels, restaurants and private homes.

According to John Adsit, who has been with Jenggala for eleven years, the key to the success of Jenggala has been the combination of Balinese artistic flair and talent with the modern technology now available. Using internally developed glazes the production team can now make beautiful and functional pieces that are durable and exquisitely designed. A walk around the vast showroom at Jimbaran will have you re-designing your home just to showcase some of these marvelous items.

Amongst the most popular is the "Frangipani", a seriously textural range with overlapping petals of frangipani that appear to curl and furl at will. This range is accompanied by two other very Balinese motifs, the "Banana Leaf" and the "Lotus Flower". Glazed to look almost liquid, the relief surfaces of these three designs shimmer as the light shines on them, and in any setting would recall the beauty of Bali in a moment.

"Jenggala has also recently entered glass production, and with their ever-expanding skills, the artisans of Jenggala are unlikely to stop there"

There is a seemingly unending choice of styles, and to contrast the Frangipani range a very subtle glaze covers the "Java" range of coffee services. From pots to cups, and saucers to serving bowls, the Java range has a contemporary style and muted elegance. There are also some quirky items like the Bird of Paradise red teapot, which Jenggala calls Beautiful Orange, just one of their two hundred or so glaze finishes.

It is crafted in the shape of an elephant with a cross-legged rider and just cried out for a place in my house! There’s something for everyone here, even for the kids.

Jenggala has two specific activities for children, though adults are most welcome to participate as well. These are plate painting and pot making. Each craft is easily adaptable to age and can provide you with a real treasure. The items for painting, ranging from plates to mugs and vases, come with six colors to choose from and 19 different choices of glazing. The pots can be made from scratch with six kilos of clay as your starting point. Instruction, colors and firing are included in the cost.

Upon completion of your family heirloom, the ceramic masterpiece will be ready after a few days so this is a good activity to start the holidays with, or if you wish, the final product can be shipped to your home, where you no doubt will be busily reorganizing the dining area to create the perfect space for your especially ordered Jenggala dinner service with complementing coffee set and vases.

Jenggala has also recently entered glass production, and with their ever-expanding skills the artisans of Jenggala are unlikely to stop there.

Their show room is a testament to the value of investing in talent and creativity. With a lovely cafĂ© offering delicious food served on elegant plates, and an art gallery of mixed media works from Indonesian and international artists on display, visitors are surrounded by an uplifting and inspiring environment that just begs to be admired. Jenggala also has retail outlets at Made’s Warung in Seminyak and Toko East in Ubud.
Pottery courses are run from the showroom and can be undertaken over two weeks or up to six months for the seriously inspired. Jenggala’s main showroom is in Jimbaran, south on the Nusa Dua – Airport road, well signposted at the traffic lights and has spacious and secure parking.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Handicraft In Dreamland bali

Dreamland Access
same bay like bingin and impossibles.Drive the Uluwatu street (Jalan Uluwatu), direction Uluwatu and 3 Km before Uluwatu Beach you'll have a big entrance, with no guards, on your right, to what was suposed to be a big private condominium made by the sun of former Indonesian President Suharto (he was arrested).You enter there and drive in direction of the sea, in the middle of the road you'll have to pay some guys to let you in (not much) and then just follow the road signs

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

The Bali Island

BALI

Bali Island, the perfect holiday destination for all ages offers something for everyone. Bali offers not just various customs but also various "adrenalin pump" parks. Many exciting amusements are available in Bali, with something new opening all the time. The number of offshore and inland attraction are on the rise because many tourists want them. This tropical paradise has a unique blend of modern tourist facilities combined with wonderful shopping and a rich past and heritage. After white water rafting that has gained popularity in Bali, comes offshore rafting or ocean rafting. The more adventurous sort of amusement has now become an alternative sport for tourists. Meanwhile white water rafting is still a popular activity with trips on Ayung, Telaga Waja, Unda Rivers, etc. The tourists can refresh their mind by watching beautiful scenery along the route. Those are not enough, some of the best surfing beaches in the world can be found on the western side of the island whilst conversely the eastern side is a wonderful haven for families, with beautiful white sand beaches and gentle seas.


Bali is small island, just 140 Km by 80 Km and lies between Java, the most highly populated and influential of all the islands, and Lombok, one of the quieter and moderately slower paced islands. Like many islands, Bali has developed a world of its own. It not only captures what is special about Indonesia but also has a uniqueness of its own.

Handicraf Bali

Bali Handycraft

Balinese Design






Monday, August 4, 2008

Skate in Bali, Cool not Cold



For a tropical island like Bali, sport such as ice skate is something we only see on TV. But for Bali Galleria Mall, this is so much possible, they recently (a month ago I think) open a new skate run without any ice. How could this possible? from what I see, they use a new technology imported from Europe using instead of frozen ice, the place using wax as the platform.

For me, it’s cool, you don’t need to use winter clothes to try it, but off course it is not as fast when you slide on ice. So when you interested to try it, visit Bali Galleria Mall, just in the corner of Dewa Ruci Statue on bypass Ngurah Rai Road.

Near it, some small cafe and restaurant are available with affordable range of price. A book store on second floor, and soon Bali Galleria Mall will become larger with the building still under construction.

Friday, August 1, 2008

Get Bali Handicraft

We are bali handicraft designs and wholesale exporters of a wide range crafts from Indonesia. The source of Bali handicraft where you are able to find various type of handicraft such as Bali Wood carving, Air brush key chain, Wooden statue, Abstacts statue, Bali natural Book, Bali leaf album, Mosaic mirror, Wooden mask, Wooden flower, Lombok handicrafts, Bali bag, >Bali sandals, Bali Instrument, bali handicraft & lombok pottery, Bali Painting, The global market place for Indonesian handicrafts have continued to gain in popularity over the years. We are suppliers to large and small retailers, wholesalers and importers all over the world. Being based in Ubud, the cradle of art in Bali, we are bali handicraft in the center where new ideas and designs get born. We have also, of course, good connections to art centers in our neighbors islands, Lombok and Java. Every item we produce is quality controlled to make sure you get what you are promised. Please, take a look at our online catalogue, and if you have some questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Welcome to bali handicraft wholesale website, the source of Bali handicraft where you are able to find various type of handicraft such as Bali Wood carving, Air brush key chain, Wooden statue, Abstacts statue, Bali natural Book, Bali leaf album, Mosaic mirror, Wooden mask, Wooden flower, Lombok handicrafts, Bali bag, Bali sandals, Bali Instrument, bali handicraft & lombok pottery, Bali Painting, The global market place for Indonesian handicrafts have continued to gain in popularity over the years. They have earned a dominant place in the highly competitive international giftware and furnishings market place. Millions of dollars of handicrafts are now being exported all over the globe annually to gift shops, supermarkets, department stores, wholesalers, importers and distributors. Indonesian handicraft supplies quality Bali handicrafts to such entities and currently exports to at least forty countries all over the globe. More of bali products handicrafts We ship fast and honest. Our customers received only products they love. It's too often here in Indonesia, customer places his/her order, and what they receive in the container is a far cry from what they thought they were getting.This such a horror story will not happen to you if you do business with us. The best way to convinced you to place an order is to meet us personally. That's why we invite you to come to Bali. If you can't come to Bali only to meet us, why don't you put Bali as your next holiday destination. Bali is one of the best holiday/travel destination in the world. We have so much to offer here...If you come to Bali, we'll visit you at your hotel or if you have plenty of time we'll take you around. We hold that we are not the best, but we would try our best to give you best products, best service at best prices, this is our duty and have close business. We sincerely hope to have business cooperation and business dealing with the importers, wholesalers and distributors from all over the world and have close relationship with regular business works together. Bali handicrafts updated news: we update our bali products regularly. Below is our last update products • Bali cats, frog and duck animal, Bali candle, Ceramic Gifts (astray, oil burner, etc), Gecko, Bali dried flower, Bali Mask Welcome to Bali Handicraft - arts and crafts website Bali handicraft wholesale - Artsbali.com, provides many types of handicraft such as: natural leaves photo album, photo frame, address book, note book, wind chimes, drums in carving, full carving, painting, full painting, plain, airbrush and special alpine, abstract carving, Lombok handicrafts and many others. We invite you to come to Bali-the major tourist destination. We will give our best products and services. We are willing to cooperate with importers, wholesalers, and distributor from all around the world. The connection between Bali handicrafts, culture, arts and crafts Bali is a place where arts, culture, religion, and people blend together to form harmony. This unique blend serves as a root for the creation of what has developed and grown into a truly wonderful arts and crafts industry. Please visit Bali Handicraft's Blog that related with culture, arts and craft. Human resources and empowerment Bali handicraft industry has thrived and it now provides employment and business opportunities for quite literally thousands of people. In addition to providing a livelihood for those in the handicraft industry, it has given a big boost to the economy. To appreciate how the handicraft industry functions and provides a living for so many people, you have to go off into the hills, far off the beaten track. You will find Balinese communities who are working hard turning bits of wood, bamboo, metal, leaves, and clay into truly amazing and marketable products. The supply of Bali handicraft We use the Internet and direct promotion campaigns to keep the handicraft industry alive in Indonesia and provides many of the home industry manufacturers with a channel to sell their arts and craft wares. Many handicraft products that we supply are the creations of the highly skilled artisans. To this end, we look forward to continuing our drive to keep supporting the communities of Indonesia by helping them to bring their unique skills and crafts to the world market place. Come on in and see for yourself all the handicrafts that Indonesia has to offer. You'll be truly amazed! Arts Bali Updated News Bali handicraft exports Bali's export of various handicraft products in the first ten months of 2007 rose 8.6 percent to US$202.8 million from US186.7 million in the same period last year. Wooden handicraft goods and furniture still dominated the export with a value of U.. Bangli’s crafts product exported to European markets Bangli’s as part of the regencies in Bali, which has a lot of unique handicraft products such handicraft made of glass. During the time, local craftsmen exported the product to European markets. Silver crafts exports experience increase Bali’s jewelry made of gold and silver well-known in foreign countries, particularly Europe and USA. Bali’s craftsmen created the product with the unique design, a seller of silver accessories, Agustin said on Wednesday in Kuta. Find more updated news!