Since I landed in Bali, a postcard-like picture constantly comes back to the point of haunting my curiosity. A curiosity that changed into an obsessional desire which would be defined as following: it it would appear to be a chaotic piling up of several perfectly-proportioned volcanoes set down an imposing caldeira. The ground of this caldeira would be covered by a sea of sand and fumaroles would rend its airs. To round off the dream, an ocean of clouds would encircle this cauldron the rising sun would stroke with its benevolent rays. I lived this dream.
The caldeira is called Tengger and the volcanic protagonists, Bromo, Batok, Kursi and Semeru. The nature within its complete and utter splendour. Departure from the village of Semero Lewang, we get up at 4 o'clock and walk down the caldeira. We tread on the sea of sand in the misty night up to the base of the Bromo. 253 steps complete this short stroll and hurl us onto the ridge of the crater. The dawn clears up the dark haze and the first shapes loom. We have left the Earth for an express journey to the moon. We walk around the crater which continually ejects its noxious fumes. In the distance, the Semeru splutters at regular intervals. A cotton-wool-like cloud which leaks from the tormented bowels of the Earth. Our loop ends in front of the staircase. Unique human-print appearance in a land that is not dedicated to him.
After experiencing the volcanic activity from inside, it's this postcard-like panorama described and admired so many times we want to reach. A very goal as soon as we wake up it summarizes with this short sentence: « be at the sunrise from the Penanjakan ». From the top of this hill, the nature gives us a good surprise modeling a new form of magic. Visual perfection which overshadows all the other senses. For a few hours, our eyes soak in everything. Attempting to describe something indescribable. Engraving something impalpable. The mounts of the last day didn't move, just the view angle changed. And what we lived? A sensory blaze of glory.
Keyword - sunset and sunrise -
Sunday 31 August 2008
the smokes of mounts Bromo and Semeru
By dorian on Sunday 31 August 2008, 09:24 - RTW2-Indonesia
Saturday 16 August 2008
Rice fields, temples and coconut palms
By dorian on Saturday 16 August 2008, 19:48 - RTW2-Indonesia
We leave our gilded life at the seaside to look at a traditional Balinese performance «the Barong's dance ». A show that depicts the struggle between good and evil, Barong against Rangda. A jumble of sequined costumes, mythical monsters and persuasive actors surrounded by ancestral believes ; all of that spellbound by a light music. At the end of the day, we get to the built-on-the-cliff Tanah Lot temple. A sunset we usually see on the postcards of the souvenir shops. The sky wraps up with glowing hues and the temple stands out like shadow puppet. The cameras patter while the night closes the sight. On the way back, a large bat rests beside a souvenir stall when another tourist comes to observe the weird animal. Our eyes meet ; deep, light-coloured eyes that look familiar to me. My attention suddenly and exclusively focuses on this unknown person. Shaven head, American accent, surfer-looking. I get it. My mind becomes clearer. Less than one meter away, only separated by a strange animal and completely relaxed, he's Kelly Slater, the living legend of the modern surfing and 8-time world champion. My friend Jo will go to shake his hand and await confirmation. The surfing world cup took place in Bali, 15 days before, hence his presence. 2 days after starting the surfing, we meet the greatest star of this sport. Unforgettable! The destiny perhaps...
full of feelings, we head for Ubud, in the center of Bali. We're going to track down the bats in case of the surfing legend appears again.
Beside its paradisiac beaches, Bali is the home of a luxuriant vegetation. The laid back town of Ubud is a good land base to go and meet it. Scattered banana trees stand out in the paddy fields where an ingenious irrigation system keeps each plot of land under a shimmering sheet of water. Coconut palms border the path and give an exotic shade to the scenery.
In the middle of the village, we visit the monkeys of the eponymous forest. Sometimes playful, sometimes mischievous, sometimes aggressive, they mark out their territory in this forest. As soon as we get in, it's swarming with these small beings as agile standing as on all four. They come to pick up a banana in the hand of a tourist before climbing a tree to shelter the meagre amassed haul.
The activities and sites to see are numerous around Ubud, we link a set of temples and religious buildings. Abandoned or still heavily pious, all these places are first-hand account of Balinese architecture, style and way of life. A peculiar Indonesian island since on top of being the most touristy, it's the only one predominantly Hindu.
We pass from a temple to another whose tortuous name have been crossing-out in my memory by too much visual, resounding and spiritual information my senses received. The architecture of those buildings will nevertheless remain engraved in our minds and memory cards as a souvenir or a happy route in the middle of Bali.
Our round of the temples ends upon a mythical mountain, venerated by the Balinese, the mount Batur. Because the religious aura and fervour don't die when the gates of the temples close.
Tuesday 12 August 2008
Discovering the surf at Bali
By dorian on Tuesday 12 August 2008, 18:19 - RTW2-Indonesia
Several hours of flight, quite a long time of waiting, 2 different airlines, I set foot in Denpasar, the lively capital city of Bali. The 4-letter enumeration of this bit of land announces some idyllic holidays on a heavenly island for a lot of people. My family picks me up at the airport with a large smile. Quite 2 months we haven't seen at each other. Everything seems to go by so fast. We negotiate a bemo (local van) to rush to the Legian district. The Legian and Kuta area gathers a great number of tourists and all the relating economy. Succession of hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, craft and surf shops. The urge is too tempting. Several years Jo and I have dreamt of breaking waves, tubes and gliding. Being at one with the ocean. Alone with his board to stroke the element. More than a sport, the surf enthusiasts consider it to be a way of life. Perhaps it will be ours in a few hours after our introductory session. On the beach, every 50 meters, stalls offer boards for rent. Longboard, mini-malibu or thruster, we quickly learn the terms. We book a 2-hour lesson. Private coaching on the beach, our instructor breaks down the moves to stand up. Then, the board wedged under the armpit, we cheerfully walk towards the waves. A set of advice later, a special pleasure-tinted feeling overwhelms me. I keep standing on the board! The road is still hazardous before turning in the giant waves but the joy is definitely here, as an obvious fact.
But the learning will be still long, very long... Because before being on the front cover of the surf magazines, We entered for the greatest fall competition.
Armelle and Magali join us and the entire team is gathered for a 15-day Balinese adventure. Loving reunion.
To extend the soft and gilded Kuta life, We go to visit the south of the island. Balangan, Dreamland or Padang-Padang, a coconut-trees-fringed or cliff-flanked paradise. Something in common goes through these light-sanded strips watered by shapely breaker. While we look at the surfers and body-boarders who compete for a wave, a leitmotiv constantly comes back. Dumbstruck, our look doesn't come off these heavenly expanses any more ; last shangri-la for the people stressed by the urban hubbub.
Our eyes decipher the waves in the distance. Only a board is missing...
At the end of the day, we visit the Uluwatu temple. Sanctuary of more-or-less-aggressive monkeys which have the unfortunate tendency of grabbing everything that juts out from the pockets. The sun goes down on the horizon, our eyes leap from the ocean to the reddening sky. The twilight sweeps away the last rays of this wonderful day.
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