In August/September I traveled to Bali in Indonesia to spend 3 weeks with my eldest daughter, Meredith, her husband Mark, and my granddaughter, Lakota. It was one of the best holidays I have ever had. I so enjoyed seeing Bali and meeting the sweet Balinese people, and especially spending every day with my daughter. Here are some photos from the trip:
My Daughter Meredith and Lakota and the beloved polar bear in the kitchen of our accommodation in Canggu Beach
Mark and Lakota and Buddha at Indiana Restaurant, Lembongan Island
Lorna and Lakota playing ukeleles by the pool
From our balcony in Canggu we saw rice paddies and at the back of one family compound, the family temple. The rice had just been harvested and these fields were either just planted or getting ready to be plant
The temple gamelan in Lembongan Island. They had had a ceremony the night before and we could hear the gamelan playing from a distance. It can sound very overwhelming close up but wonderful to hear floating on the evening air.
When the Balinese have a procession (which happens often), the gamelan is limited to the "walking" instruments. This and the next photo were taken at a cremation procession in Amed, Bali. The funerary coffers are very elaborate and very expensive, made by special artists whose skills are handed down through generations. A local Balinese man explained to us that your parents do so much for you in their lifetime that it is only right they are sent off to the next incarnation with all the correct ceremonies, no matter the cost.
Beautiful sunset over the bay at Lembongan Island, off the coast of Bali.
One of the best things was my birthday present from my daughter, a Balinese cooking class! It was amazing, everything from scratch. We were taught by two chefs from Satie Bali, a very good (but not expensive, strangely enough) restaurant on the beach at Canggu. These are some of the many fresh ingredients, then the chef making sambal oelek (I usually get it from a bottle - no more!),
- …and finally the most amazing crepes, made from rice flour, egg and coconut milk with pandan juice (makes the green color) and stuffed with fried grated fresh coconut flesh. To die for! Meredith and I ate every one before anyone else could try them!
