Life in Bali

Early on our first morning in Bali, we looked out our window and saw this:

When she quietly stepped away, we saw that she'd left tiny baskets filled with pretty flowers and rice:

As we traveled throughout Bali, we saw the baskets everywhere - from on the sidewalks to in streets to on the dashes of a cars. These baskets, called 'canang sari', are part of the Balinese Hindu ritual of giving thanks to their gods three times a day. The offerings are believed to create harmony with the spirits and bring health and prosperity to families. In the week we were there, we never saw anyone rush through daily offering process. Rather, they seemed thoughtful, focus, and at peace.

It was hard to not step on these lovely little offerings in crowded places. I have to admit that I am guilty of accidentally smashing a couple of canang sari - and felt terrible about it. Fortunately, no one got upset about my clumsiness. Our little cat-friend Weaver, however, made no attempt to be respectful; he ate the rice out of all of the baskets in the villa without a bit of remorse:

Naughty kitten!

More formal, community ceremonies to please the spirits seemed to occur daily. In fact, by the time we left, we knew there was no point in asking our guides why a crowd was gathering - we knew the answer would be "a Hindu ceremony".

One day we got caught up in one major ceremony/parade (seems that we have a knack for "running into" parades wherever we go). For this one, the remains of a member of one of the local royal families was being moved from one temple to another. It was unlike any funeral ceremony we'd ever seen, including...

People riding elephants:

A large platform with a dragon (people on this "float" used long sticks to lift the utility lines so it could pass under):

Kids dressed as royalty, carried on sedan chairs:

Various dance and music groups in traditional dress. Here are some waiting for the parade to start:

And huge crowds in the street, on rooftops, and following on motorcycles and bikes (chaos!):

Fortunately, the "polisi" were on hand for some crowd control and to direct traffic:

Clearly, life in Bali revolves around faith - one much different than our own. However, observing their rituals and ceremonies was fascinating; getting to know the Balinese people was a life enriching experience. We loved it.

Next up, the beautiful landscape of Bali...