Bali Dance and Music

Benidorm Is Hot In Both Senses Of The Word

2009-09-19T05:17:00.000-07:00

The name of Benidorm is derived from the Spanish words for good sleep. I don't know why. There is so much to do here, there won't be time here for sleep.

Benidorm is on Spain's Costa Blanca, known for its white sands. Naturally, it is one of the hottest tourist spots around, both in terms of temperature and in terms of activity. People from all over the world come to experience all Benidorm has to offer.

Families with small children like Benidorm because of its theme park and its water park. However, those without children will find many other things to love about this area. For example, there are three beaches. Playa de Poniente is a more conventional beach with palm trees and plenty of white sands. The Playa de Levante is for the more adventurous: This secluded beach is topless. Playa de Levante is quite near lively spots that offer dance music all day and excellent food. In any case, you can enjoy sunbathing as late as 8:30 p.m.

If you prefer more activity, you will find plenty: You can swim, water-ski, kayak and surf in the Mediterranean Sea or simply walk along the beautiful coast and explore the many private coves.

While Benidorm is known for its lively activity, if your tastes run to more sedate activity, you will find many museums and cultural activities. Benidorm has traces of various peoples from as far back as the Phoenicians. You will be impressed that Benidorm has indeed withstood the test of time.

No matter where you go in Benidorm, you will find excellent opportunities to "people watch." Because of its diverse history, there are many cultures mixing here. You can meet people and sample foods from around the world right here.

However, Benidorm really does have good sleep: There are plenty of excellent hotels in the area, including many right on the beach. The best of these is the Bali, a two-year-old facility that has already received a four-star rating. You will truly rest in the lap of luxury if you stay here. There are many other less-expensive accommodations available as well, in Benidorm and in nearby Alicante and Altea.

Because Benidorm is so popular, don't wait until the last minute to begin planning your visit. This is especially true if you plan to visit in summer. This is the area's busiest season and while you will be able to find accommodations, you will find better selection and rates the earlier you begin the planning process. Many hotels, airlines and car rental companies offer discount packages, some of which include theme park and water park admissions. Be sure to study a variety of packages in order to find the one that best meets your needs.

Your visit to Benidorm will be a trip you won't soon forget.

by Guy Morris

Enjoy your holiday in Uluwatu by Uluwatu Bali Villas

2009-07-25T18:05:00.001-07:00

Uluwatu proper is a small village on the west coast, south of Jimbaran. This village has so many popular tourism object, beautiful surfing beaches such as Dreamland beach, Bingin beach and padang - padang beach (famous surfing beach in Bali). But the most popular is Uluwatu Temple. This spectacular temple located high on a cliff top at the edge of a plateau 250 feet above the waves of the Indian Ocean. You can see a spectacular ocean view, a beautiful sunset view, and also some Balinese dances such as Kecak dance.

What about the accommodation? To enjoying Uluwatu, you do not need to stay away from Uluwatu because there are so many luxury private villas near the Uluwatu tourism object above. Some villas in Uluwatu has a wonderful view, luxury interior & exterior, delicious foods & beverages, and the most important is a great services as well as standard 5 stars hotel but with more more privacy. You can imagine the excellent 5 stars hotel in your own home. It will be a perfect holiday, perfect honeymoon, and perfect vacation.

Below is some examples of villas in Uluwatu: The Istana Villa. Consist of 5 bedrooms, this villa overlooks white sand beaches and a blue lagoon abundant with fish and living coral, and offers a prime location from which to witness the island's stunning sunsets.

Villa Canang Sari. Is a unique private hilltop retreat with commanding panoramic views of the ocean and southern Bali. On clear days, you can see as far as the mountains, including the volcanoes Batukaru, Batur and Bali's highest and most sacred mountain, Gunung Agung. Villa Canang Sari consist of 2 bedrooms villa (Villa Jepun, Villa Merak, Villa Akasia) and 4 bedrooms villas (Villa Melati). But if you have a large group, you can rent whole villas (12 bedrooms) with maximum capacity 24 persons.

Villa Khayangan Estate. Located near the famous Uluwatu temple, and is immediately adjacent to the Bvlgari Hotel and Resort, overlooking Selonding Beach below. This villa consist of 3 bedrooms & 6 bedrooms villa. Each bedrooms has Air Conditioner and en-suite bathrooms.
by DWix

Melissa George - more Hot celebrities

2009-07-25T18:04:00.001-07:00

Melissa Suzanne George (born 6 August 1976) is an Australian Golden Globe-nominated actress who has worked in Australia and the United States in film and television.
Learm more about Melissa George and other hot celebrities: Gallery girls celebrities photos

Personal life George lives in Los Angeles with her husband Chilean film director, Claudio Dabed, who best known for his 2006 film Pretendiendo, and his daughter from a previous relationship, Martina (born 1995). She and Dabed met in Bali in 1998 and married on 22 September 2000. She became a naturalised American citizen in 2008. She now has dual Australian/US citizenship.

Early life George was born in Perth, Western Australia, the daughter of Pamela, a nurse, and Glenn George, a construction worker. The second of four children, George developed an interest in dancing and began studying jazz, tap, ballet, and modern dance at the age of seven. Her enthusiasm for dance eventually evolved into a passion for roller skating. George was an Australian national roller skating champion and won bronze medals in the National Championships in 1989 and 1990. She also won a silver medal at the Junior World Championship in 1991.

Career George started modeling in her early teens and in 1992 she was named Western Australia's Teenage Model of the Year. At the age of sixteen she was discovered by casting agent Liz Mullinar and got the role of Angel Parrish alongside Dieter Brummer on the popular Australian soap Home and Away. George left Perth and moved to Sydney to start her acting career. After three years on the show she decided to leave to try find other acting challenges. Melissa was featured nude in Australian Playboy and also in celebrity photo magazine Black + White shortly after leaving Home and Away.
by Bill Sturgent

Nusa Dua the luxury resort

2009-07-25T18:02:00.000-07:00

Nusa Dua and Tanjung Benoa are Bali's modern tourist luxury resorts - a government-run dreamland of coconut palms, white sand beaches and pristine waters located near the island's southernmost tip. Geologically, the area is quite different from the rest of Bali, and even from the rest of the Bukit peninsula upon which it rests.

Instead of rice fields or limestone cliffs, there is sandy soil reaching down to a long, sandy beach protected by a reef. Coconut trees are everywhere - Nusa Dua was once a huge coconut plantation. The climate here is also drier than the rest of Bali, freshened by a mild ocean breeze.

Genesis of a beach resort

nusaduaOnce upon a time, the Balinese giant and master builder Kebo Iwa decided that the Tanjung Benoa marshes should be transformed into rice fields, so he went to the Bukit and picked up two scoops of earth. While shouldering them along the coast, his pole broke, dropping the earth into the sea. Two islets appeared: the "Nusa Dua."

The marshes were never to become rice fields the bay remained a bay with a long cape, Tanjung Benoa, jutting into it. Nevertheless, Kebo Iwa, who created the area, is now engaged in a new venture - luxury hotel development.

Making Nusa Dua into a tourist paradise was a consciously implemented government policy, designed with the help of the World Bank. Two main concepts underlay the project: to develop an up-market tourist resort, beautiful, secure, easy of access, with the most modern facilities, while keeping the disruptive impact on the local environment as low as possible.

Bualu was chosen both for its scenic location as well as for its relative isolation from densely populated areas. By 1971, the master plan was ready Construction began in 1973. The first hotel, the Bualu Club, was completed in 1979, initially as a training ground for a Tourism and Hotel School (BPLP). Several luxury hotels with over 4,000 rooms have opened since then.

The early days

The project did have its teething pain. Tenants would not leave the land - Balinese custom distinguishes rights over land from rights over trees! And the trees have soul Fishermen would not leave the beach. And then there were all the temples.

These questions were all eventually settled - tenants got land, fishermen take tourists sailing for a fee, and the temple festivals continue.

The entrance to the complex consists of a tall candi bentar split gate. Facing it 200 meters away is a modern-style candi dwara pala pala fountain-gate surmounted by a monstrous kala head. The outer split gate separates while the inner gate unites. The cosmic complementarily of Bali and tourism in a nutshell.

The hotels are landmarks of the new Balinese architecture. The design committee specified that buildings be no higher than the coconut trees and that their layouts be based oil Balinese macro and microcosmic models. Thus, the Club Med has its head in a Padmasana shrine to the northeast and its genitals and bowels in the discotheque (naturally!), with the kitchen to the southwest.

Tanjung Benoa: revamped port

Tanjung Benoa PortFor centuries, the natural means of communication between this area and the rest of Bali was by boat from Tanjung Benoa, as this was easier than the overland route via Jimbaran. Tanjung Benoa, which appears isolated at the tip of the peninsula, was in fact a trading port for Badung and the eastern Bukit, with a world outlook extending right across the archipelago. Its population bears traces of this mercantile past. Chinese have lived here for centuries: a "Ratu Cina" shrine in the local temple of death bears witness to their long presence.

Although most families have moved to Denpasar, they still maintain a Klenteng temple here, where local fishermen now inquire about the secrets of the stars with a Chinese abbot. The village also has a Bugis quarter, with a small mosque.

Bualu village

Bualu TempleCompared to Tanjung Benoa, the village of Bualu, where Nusa Dua is situated, was a sleepy village subsisting on copra, fishing and coral collecting. There were two noble houses and no brahmans. As elsewhere in Bali, religion was ever-present.

The area had, and keeps, very special features. Its best-known ritual is an appeasement of the sea, to protect the land from any incursion by the fanged monster lurking beyond the waves - Jero Gede Mecaling harbinger of death and illness. People present him with offerings in his many shrines along the coast.

The region around Buala is also dotted with sea temples, some within the perimeters of the luxury hotels. And pengelem duck sacrifices to the sea are offered under the eyes of passing tourists.

Nusa Dua today

Nusa dua is located ten kilometres from the international airport, Nusa Dua is designed as an enclave of the most sumptuous and luxurious hotels in the world dedicated to big-spender tourists. It is an idyllic place for honeymooner and those who are bringing the entire family, the white sand and shallow water are ideal for children to play in the sea while lifeguards keep a watchful eye.The roads in the area are well maintained and 24/7 security staff guard two entrance gates with full security procedures for every incoming and outgoing guest. It is no wonder then that year round Nusa Dua is an official venue for international conferences, congresses, meetings and other executive corporate events and annual festivals, attended by important worldwide participants. Nusa Dua Beach Attractions

Museum PasifikaApart from the high-class facilities presented by the resorts, Nusa Dua doesn't have many things to offer as an attraction. However, there one place where you can escape from the resort's fancy highlife without the hassle of going out of the complex. It's Museum Pasifika - a wonderful place that houses some pieces of art collected from Asia and the Pacific island where you are welcome to visit every single day in a week from 10.00 to 18.00. Nusa Dua Beach Activities

Bali Golf CourseThe Nusa Dua Resorts and Hotels area offers a wide range complementary fun activities and facilities designed for all family members. Unfortunately, only few facilities are opened for public. Try golf at Bali Golf and Country Club presents 18 holes whereas a spectacular view of Indian Ocean serves as a background or driving a 700cc motorized ski while exploring the beautiful blue sea lapping against the sand stretching three kilometres from Nusa Dua to the coastal side of Tanjung Benoa. Experience an unforgettable ride from atop a camel's back at Geger Sawangan Beach could be a fun thing to do with entire family or just play tennis at the court where the International athletes swing their racquet every once in a year at Tennis International Commonwealth Tournament at Grand Hyatt Hotel. Nusa Dua Beach Restaurants

Nusa dua RestaurantNusa Dua is the home of most of the prestigious restaurants with luxurious price tags to fit. Therefore, if you are hoping to find first-class service, breathtaking ocean views, amazing interior settings, an exquisite taste of international cuisine prepared by renowned executive chefs and nightly live music performances, you'll never go wrong by entering the Nusa Dua Resorts Complex. Your finest culinary journey could start from L'ermitazh & Gypsy Jazz Club and Pica Tapas, both located in Bali Collection complex. L'ermitazh serves a cuisine rich in Russian flavours at mid-range prices while Pica Tapas offers great selection of Brazilian dishes together with salsa dance performance every night.

Next destination could be Kayuputi offers modern Asian cuisine and Seafood fare, Boneka and Gourmand Deli are also worth visiting for incredible breakfast and brunch, all of them are well situated in St. Regis Resort. Meanwhile Raja's an award winning royal Balinese food at Nusa Dua Beach Hotel can be your perfect final end! Nusa Dua Beach Nightlife

King Cole BarThere is not much in the way of nightlife in Nusa Dua especially if you are expecting to see a crowd and a wild night out as if you were in Kuta or Legian. All you can find is some prestigious bar and lounge situated in the luxurious resorts and hotels where a dress code is sometimes applied like King Cole Bar at St.

Regis Bali Resort, O Loo Loos Fun Pub and Salsa Bar at Nikko Bali Hotel, Pesona Lounge at Grand Hyatt or Cascade and Sand Bar at The Laguna Resort. All features nightly live performance with amazing different ambience, great choice of champagnes, fine imported wines, martinis, exotic cocktails and other concoctions. But it mostly closed after 2.00 in the morning. Nusa Dua Beach Shopping

Bali CollectionNusa Dua offers you the most comprehensive international shopping complex - The Bali Collection. It's an outdoor mall that attempts to be the most up-market all-in-one shopper's haven right in the midst of the luxurious resort compound where you don't have to bother with risky bargaining.

Bali Collection presents a hotchpotch of the world's trendy brand names displayed in SOGO as well famous local brands, art and craft shops and jewellery stores. Alternatively, facing the main entrance gate on Jalan By Pass Ngurah Rai and the back entrance gate on Jalan Pantai Mengiat, you can venture out to some art shops managed by local people where your best haggling skills are necessary.

by Joseph

Asian Travels - 7 Top Places To Visit In Asia

2009-07-25T18:01:00.001-07:00

Asia is a wonderful continent and has some of the most beautiful places to visit in the world. This continent is rich in its various cultures and has a history behind everything. A holiday or vacation to this continent is sure to refresh you and give you an insight to some of the most beautiful sites and breathe taking views you have seen. Here are some of the top places you must visit in Asia.

1. Indonesia - Bali Bali is a small magnificent island which houses the Batubulan Village that are famous for its stone sculptures. The culture it portrays is rich and the Barong dance is a specialty. Do not forget to see the works of the goldsmiths and various handicrafts.

2. Bangkok This place is famous for its Buddha statues and the reclining Buddha Temple. A must visit is the Erawan Shrine and the Snake Farm located near the shrine. Modern tours include a Safari and Bangkok's Pattaya and Coral Island.

3. India It is a country rich in culture and lots to offer. Among the most popular tours would be a boat ride on the Ganges River, The Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Himalayas, and different monuments, temples and churches located all over India. India is also known for its diversified food and the different festivals that are celebrated in this country. This country will keep you spell bound with all it has to offer to you. Do not miss out on this one.

4. Kathmandu The Kathmandu Durbar Square is a popular spot to learn about the culture of this place and the people. The places to visit include Buddhanikantha temple and the Pashupatinath Temple. The weather in this place is beautiful almost all through the year.

5. China This is one of the biggest countries in Asia and requires ample time to tour the entire country. But some of the most popular tourist spots include Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City as well as the Temple of Heaven. The Yangtze River Cruise is one of the favourite spots of tourists and also the local citizens as well, where one can share a close relationship with nature. The modern buildings and sky scrapers are a magnificent site.

6. Japan Tokyo is the most popular city of Japan and is very exciting. Some of its traditional cultures can still be found in the mountain villages of this country. The other popular tourist destinations are the temples, churches and shrines which are situated in the different parts of the country.

7. Turkey This is one of the most beautiful countries and its culture will captivate you. There are many museums that you can visit like the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. Some of its other most famous sites are its archaeological sites like Pamukkale's Hierapolis as well as famous mosques like the Blue Mosque. The Turkish chai is a popularity and a must have. The traditional outfit is a wonder and the people are very friendly.
by Pinky Mcbanon

Bali sets to beat 2 Million Visitors in 2009

2009-07-25T17:59:00.000-07:00

On a cumulative basis for January-May, total arrivals hit 827,044, up 9.35% from the same period in the previous year.

If Bali can keep up the current 9.35% growth rate through the end of 2009, this will transform into 2.15 million visitors and the first time ever that Bali's arrivals break through the 2 million mark.

Japan and Australia are continuing to be the two main source markets for Bali tourism, representing on a combined basis a 32.54% market share of all arrivals.

2009 has seen the historical displacement of Japan from the number one ranking, a position now held by Australia.

In years past, Taiwan and South Korea rounded out the top-four source markets for Bali.

However, changing financial fortunes and the advent of new low-cost air services have seen the number three and four positions taken over by the People's Republic of China and Malaysia, respectively.

Within the European market, the strongest performances are being turned in, in order of importance, by France, the United Kingdom, Russia and Germany

Bali is a land that seems to have a magnet at its very heart. It is a feeling that is difficult to understand unless experienced but once visited you are surely compelled to come back and you may even want to stay forever, such is its pull. Maybe its Bali's beauty, maybe the friendly people, or maybe even the influence from spirits that certainly abide in this place.

Bali goes under many names. Some call it the 'island of the gods', others Shangri-La. The 'last paradise', the 'dawning of the world' and the 'centre of the universe' are yet more names for this truly beautiful tropical island inhabited by a remarkably artistic people who have created a dynamic society with unique arts and ceremonies.

Bali is small, 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.

Daily life on Bali is culturally linked to satisfying and appeasing the gods, spirits and demons in the midst of breathtaking panoramas of cultivated rice terraces, impressive volcanoes and pristine beaches. Bali's main volcano, Gunung Agung, is still active and sometimes explosive and is considered sacred among local people as it is believed to be the centre of the universe.

Lying just 8o south of the Equator, Bali can boast a tropical climate with just two seasons a year and an average temperature of around 28o Celsius. It has a whole range of different environments and activities for the tourist, many of which are covered in these homepages.

Economically and culturally, Bali is one of the most important islands of Indonesia. Rice is grown on irrigated, terraced hillsides; other crops include sugar cane, coffee, copra, tobacco, fruits and vegetables. Cattle and hogs are also raised. The Balinese are skilled artisans, particularly in woodcarving and in fashioning objects of tortoiseshell and of gold, silver and other metals. The Balinese are noted for their traditional dance, the distinctive music of the gamelan and for their skills in weaving cloth of gold and silver threads, Songket, as well as for embroidering silk and cotton clothing.
by Bali promotion

Various Avatars of Vishnu

2009-04-17T22:09:00.000-07:00

Bali, the demon king was a good ruler and everyone loved him but his ego came in between and he thought that he was the lord of the three worlds. To destroy this ego of Bali Vishnu approached him as Vamana, the dwarf and asked him to give three paces of land. Shukra, his guru was somewhat suspicious but Bali did not listen to him. Shukra in order to save Bali reduced himself, entered the water pot and blocked its snout. Vishnu however, made him leap out of the Kamandalu.

Bali poured the water and Vamana was liable to have as much land as he wanted. In a blink Vamana turned into a giant Urugaya, his legs stretched beyond the abyss and his head rose above the clouds. The next step he claimed the stars and the planets. Since Vamana had the entire universe he asked where he was supposed to place his next step. Bali bowed his head and requested Vamana to place his third step on his head. The ego was crushed and he was transformed into a divine demon.

Parashurama, the vengeful priest

Parasurama, in the form of Rama, armed with the axe, Vishnu destroyed the warrior caste (kshatriyas), for the good of the priestly caste. King Kaartaveerya-arjuna and his army visited Jamadagni, who fed his guest and the whole army with his divine cow; the king demanded the cow and Jamadagni refused because he needed the cow for his religious ceremonies. King Kaartaveerya-arjuna sent his soldiers to take he cow and Parashurama killed the entire army and the king with his axe. In return, the princes beheaded Jamadagni. In revenge, Parasurama killed the entire clan of Kaartaveerya-arjuna, thus conquering the entire earth, which he gave to Kasyapa.

According to the legend it is said that Parashurama also went to visit Shiva once but Ganesha blocked the way. Parashurama threw the axe at him and Ganesha, knowing Shiva had given it to him, allowed it cut off one of his tusks.

Rama, The dutiful Prince

Rama is the most loved avatar of Vishnu. He is a dutiful son as well as a great ruler. The heroic deeds of Rama are written in an epic, Ramayana. He is worshipped along with his devotee; Hanuman.Rama was the prince of Ayodhya who was banished to a forest for fourteen years by his mother. While they were on exile, Ravana, the king of Rakshas abducted Sita his wife. With the help of Hanuman and the army of monkeys Rama saved Sita who was a very devoted wife, Rama is said to be the symbol of dharma. Though Rama knew that Sita was as pure as Ganga but since he was a dutiful king he abandoned her in the forest. Rama performed his duties as a king with a golden image of Sita by his side. Faith brought the together once more and Rama also able to meet his two sons who were very strong and had also defeated the great army of Ayodhya.The subjects once more wanted her to prove her purity. Tired of proving herself time and again she returned when she came from. Though the people got their proof, Rama lost his wife so he left for Vaikuntha appointing his two sons as his successors.

Krishna, the righteous cowherd

Krishna is said to be the most perfect avatar of Vishnu. He is supposed to be very strong, clever and humble. He is the god who fought for honor. Kamsa, his half uncle tried to kill him because he was afraid that Devaki's son would kill him. In order to save him he killed all the six siblings of Dewaki and Vasudev.He killed his uncle and freed his parents. In his yester-years--he used to break butter pot for ghee, steal clothes of Gopis and play pranks. Among the gopis, Radha was his dearest companion, the inspiration for his music. Krishna was also the guardian of his village. Along with his brother Balaram he destroyed-Agha, the Python; Arista, the bull; Baga, the stroke; Keshi, the horse; Vatsa, the heifer; Vyoma, the goat.

The Pandavas were the paternal cousins of Krishna.Yudhishtira possessed nobility, Bhima strength, Arjuna skill, Nakula charm and Sahadeva wisdom. Draupadi married the pandavas and became their wife. The pandavas chose Krishna rather than the huge army and Krishna in turn became the charioteer (sarathy) of Arjuna.The War was won by the pandavas and during this war we also see the true form of Vishnu-Vishvarupa.The words advised to Arjuna became the song of divine and this can be found in Bhagavad-Gita Gita.The death of Krishna was also the end of the Satya yuga and the beginning of the Kali yuga.

Buddha, the compassionate sage

Buddha who found the answer to human suffering is said to be the incarnation of Vishnu. Born to a royal family, the Sakya clan Gautama could have opted for all the good things in life but he was more inclined towards the human suffering. He left his kingdom, his crown, his wife and his son and started to lead a simple life. He tried to find the answer to his question through various means. One day when he was sitting under a pipal tree he found the answer to his question-Desire was the root of all pain. The only way to free oneself from desire is to alter one's attitude and seek answers within oneself. He became the enlightened one and came to be known as Buddha.

Kalki, the messiah

Kalki is said to be the tenth avatar of Vishnu who will come to end the current Kali Yuga (The Age of Darkness and gloom). Kalki is a metaphor for eternity or time. He is said to be the destroyer of confusion, darkness, foulness and ignorance. "Kal ki" in Hindi means "tomorrow's avatar". In the Buddhist Kalachakra tradition, the Kalki (or Kulika) is the ruler of the legendary Kingdom of Shambhala, where the whole of society is enlightened and the Kalachakra tantra is held and widely practiced. Kalki is supposed to be the last avatar of Vishnu and will come to the earth at the end of the current era. He will descend from heaven on a white horse, brandishing a flaming sword with which he will destroy the wicked people of the current world and renew creation and bring dharma once more back to this world. by Cyber Astro

The Best 2 Music Download Companies Online

2009-04-17T22:06:00.000-07:00

The Top Music Download Sites Reviewed There are a lot of music download sites that really rip people off. I'm not going to mention their names but most of your monthly subscription companies are a rip off. If after a year you quite paying your subscription fees, they lock all of your music files. All the time spent downloading music and transferring it to your mp3 player is lost too. The only way to get your songs back is to sign back up and pay every month to the tyrannical subscription services.

After Getting Fed Up With All These Rip Off Services I Started Buying Different Services And Decided To Share Some Of My Findings TO HELP YOU SAVE TIME AND MONEY!

The criteria I used to determine the ratings of each service is simple:

1. Examined Price - in relation to comparable services, registration options, per track download pricing, membership fee pricing, ease of purchase, fast downloads, can you search by title, artist, genre. How Easy Was It To Download Music? etc.

2. Customer Service & Support - Does the site offer in depth, easy to use customer service tools, how long does it take to get an answer that solve your issue, can you communicate with a help center or customer support expert, If you are dissatisfied with your service for any reason can you get a refund? etc

3. Thoroughly Searched Selection - How many songs were available for music download. Can you burn music to Cd's, can you transfer music files to mp3 player easily, will the service work with every media player, can the music you download stream on the PC, do the services also offer other info for free such as, lyrics, movies or games? etc.

My First Choice 5 Star Rating

You'll be happy to know that this website is the one that I currently use the most. They guarantee to have spy ware free music downloads. As of now my spyware detection software hasn't found any file I download to have spy ware. I'm happy to know that their download service is safe for my computer. Several companies online are verifying this as fact too. They are Currently As Of March 2009 The Largest File Sharing Network. With every style From Rap, Country, Techno, To Rock, Jazz, And Bali. I was able to burn Cd's and transfer music to my MP3 Player. The best thing is that I'll never pay a per track fee ever again and after I paid my one time membership fee of $34.95 I had instant unlimited access to millions of music files. Free - Music Downloads, 12 Billion Songs and Music, Download Unlimited Songs for Free! My First Choice

My Second Music Download Choice

This technologically advanced music download site and has some great new features and benefits. MP3 Suite is the only Content Managed file sharing network. MP3 Suite connects you to the world's largest file sharing network. New technology that connects you to millions of legal files. Instantly fill your iPod or computer or burn your music to CD. Why pay thousands when you can download unlimited music for FREE! MP3 Suite had superior customer support compared to every other music download service. It was so easy and simple to start downloading music when I first signed up the other day that I kinda wished I would have made this my number one service. There are a few things that kept MP3 Suite from being number one but it wasn't much. The absolute best thing About MP3 Suite is that they guarantee that all your downloads will be 100% legal. Visit Their Website And Start Enjoying Unlimited Music Downloads Instantly. Visit MP3 Suite. by Music Man

Bali Nightlife

2009-04-17T22:00:00.000-07:00

Apart from sunbathing, surfing or treking, there are not a lot of entertainment here. Waterbom, on Jalan Kartika Plaza in Kuta is a cool amusement park, although very expensive for Bali, with half a dozen of pools, good waterslides, and a nice tropical garden (entry ticket: $17/adult; $9/child). Also, just before Ubud on the road coming from Kuta, Bali Bird Park (entry ticket: $8/adult; $4/child), presents an amazing collection of exotic birds, coming from all over Asia and Australia, in a beautiful forest with hidden aviaries. At night, things are different. A two-week holiday in Bali is too short to try all the places there… Anyway, things begin to happen around midnight. You can choose to head for Paddy's, on Jalan Raya - Kuta, a big club with two dance floors, usually packed by twenty-somethings.

But serious party-goers will prefer to walk through Jalan Dyana Pura in Seminyak, THE street for night bars in Bali. There is a new bar opened nearly every month there, but the most famous are still the Q-Bar (very gay, big, and good house/techno music), the Santa-Fé (rock and reggae, with live bands, open 24h), the Café Del Mar (cozy and Mediterranean, with live DJs playing progressive and trance) or the trendy Spy Bar (trendy, really). Most bars - and Paddy's - will close around 2 o'clock in the morning, which is roughly when the night begins to start.

Most people will rush to Club 66, on Jalan Double Six - Seminyak, for techno and trance music till dawn, unless there is a trance party elsewhere on the beach or at Euro Club, also on Jalan Double Six. After Club 66, which generally closes at 5, the choice is more limited. The Scandal, on Jalan Dyana Pura, will allow you to finish the endurance race. It opens at 4:30 and will close at 8 in the morning. Don't forget your sunglasses. by Celestine

Things to See and Do in Bali

2009-02-15T05:22:00.000-08:00

1) Beach & Surf
Bali has a number of pristine white sand beaches and secluded coves, the most famous beaches being in Nusa Dua where long stretches of soft white sand will soothe and comfort the soles of your feet. Many hotels have their own private stretch of beach with a Beach club or restaurant. With beaches, come waves and with waves come surfers from all over the world. Kuta and Uluwatu are well known for their surf which makes Bali one of the most popular surf destinations in the world. All the coastal towns from Canggu, Seminyak and Legian to Kuta share the same long stretch of beach. In Kuta it would be more crowded with many street hawkers but if you go to other areas, you will have more peace and quiet if this is what you are looking for.

2) Padi fields
The beautiful terraced green padi fields are another must see for a visitor to the island of Bali. Most tourists will automatically head to Ubud in Gianyar Regency, about a 45 minute drive from Bali International Airport to stay in a hotel and villa overlooking the padi fields. But if you do find yourself in this area, the best padi field scenery is at Jatih Luwih and Tegallalang, not too far from Ubud. This is best seen on a half day or full day tour which will most likely take you to other scenic sites along the way.

3) Galleries and Museums
Bali has a large concentration of art galleries and museums. Beautiful paintings can be found in Ubud, home to many of Bali's aspiring artists. The peaceful scenery and tranquility of the area must be an inspiration for these artists who produce remarkably detailed paintings and whose works are displayed in the numerous art galleries and museums found in Ubud village. Some of the more well known galleries are The Agung Rai Museum of Art, Neka Museum, Antonio Blanco Renaissance Museum, Komaneka Gallery and Seniwati Gallery of Art by Women just to name a few.

4) Dance and Music
Dance and music play a very important part of the life of a Balinese. Every ceremony and festival is almost always accompanied by traditional dance and the soothing sounds of the Gamelan. You will find many locations in and near Ubud where you can watch these dance performances. Dancers wear glittery and colourful costumes, executing to perfection elaborate hand movements and facial expressions to convey stories of the Ramayana. You can watch the elegant Legong Dance and listen to the Gamelan orchestra playing at the Ubud Palace in central Ubud, or see other entertaining performances such as the Warrior Dance and Kecak Dance at other locations within the town. Wayang Kulit, or Shadow Play performances are also a common evening entertainment for the local Balinese and tourists alike.

5) Yoga and Spa Treamtents
With the luxurious and romantic resorts come the ultra indulgent and sensuous spa treatments at the growing number of world class spa facilities and health resorts appearing all over Bali. Using natural herbs and indigenous products, the amazing variety of spa treatments available in Bali is enough to get you hooked and wanting more. Spa treatments are ideal for relaxation and what every person who needs a break from this fast paced world of work, family and stress will surely appreciate. A variety of massages using Aryuvedic, Shiatsu and hot stone techniques are on the menu for you to choose from. Traditional treatments such as Boreh and Lulur are common. Facials, foot massages, healthy meals and private spa facilities are also available at some hotels and salons. Holistic resorts offer yoga programs and have resident teachers who will guide you to peace of mind and nirvana.

6) Festivals and Ceremonies
Religion plays a central role in the life of every Balinese. The island has hundreds of temples, for which each and every one has a temple anniversary, called Odalan. On this day, the villagers visit the temple for prayers and socializing. It can be considered a community event to bring the villagers together. With the Balinese Hindu religion comes many daily practices such as placing offerings of trays of flowers called Canang Sari in temples, shrines and symbolic locations to ward off evil and to please the Gods. The Balinese new year, Nyepi Day is a time which many tourists like to visit Bali to witness the noisy and colourful Ogoh-Ogoh procession or simply see them being built during the days before Nyepi. Galungan is another major festival for the Balinese which at the end of 10 days is marked by Kuningan Day. This festival occurs every six months so you will have the opportunity to see it in another half year if you miss the first round. During this time you will see the Barong Dance procession which goes through the village performing in front of shops and houses as an act of purification. Cremations are another village affair where the entire family and friends of the deceased are involved. The body is carried from the home grounds through the village to the cremation site where it is place in a towering sarcophagus and burnt to the ground.

7) Sea Sports
Bali has some of the most colourful and interesting sea life you will ever see. Well known dive sites are located in Amed and Tulamben where there are ship wrecks, in Menjangan Island in the North West, and Pandang Bai and Lembongan Island in the East to name a few. Nusa Dua and Sanur are ideal for snorkeling but there are many other areas as well.

8) Fly like a bird or Travel to higher altitudes
Paragliding is a sport not many are familiar with but with the beautiful coastal scenery, this sport is becoming more and more popular. If flying free like a bird is not your cup of tea, another option is a helicopter tour or book a heli transfer to your hotel for a view from the sky along the way. The cost of heli tours are not for the average tourist but if you want to try something different, viewing Bali from this perspective is very exciting and you will get to see places that not even the locals have the opportunity to see such as the very top of Mt Agung, coastal scenery that is difficult to reach and much more.

Indonesia has hundreds of volcanoes and Bali has some of its own famous ones as well. Kintamani town is where you will see the 2800m high Mount Batur, a popular tourist destination in Bali. The volcano has a large caldera lake and it is possible to go on a sunrise hike to the top of Mount Batur if you can wake up early enough! Mount Agung, the location of Bali's largest and most sacred temple, Puri Besakih, is Bali's highest and most sacred mountain at 3142m high. Pura Besakih, the Mother Temple is where Bali's most important ceremonies are held and worth visiting if you have the opportunity to go on an East Bali tour especially in April when the temple has its anniversary.

9) Land Adventure Activities
Apart from the southern tourist towns, Bali is an island still very much in its natural state compared to other tourist destinations. You will soon realise that there are many locations that provide the ideal terrain for exciting adventure activities. The rivers, mountains and jungles are all places where you can experience Bali away from the tourist crowds. White water rafting down the scenic Ayung River or down the heart stopping Telaga River rapids is one of the more popular activities for tourists who come to Bali. Mountain cycling through the padi fields and villages from Kintamani is another leisurely activity for families and individuals alike. How about an Elephant Safari? Bali is home to the world famous Taro Elephant Park, complete with accommodation, activities and fun for all ages. You can ride an elephant through the jungle, marvel at their intelligence and let them make you laugh when you visit the Taro Elephant safari park in Bali. Quad/buggy driving and even canyon tubing where you sit in a tube and coast down a river through the jungle is something new in Bali. Horse riding and camel riding are other fun activities you can enjoy. A new attraction, the Bali Safari and Marine Park is a unique blend of wildlife conservation and culture. Packages which include lunch at the park can be purchased.

10) Shop till you drop
And of course there is shopping and more shopping to do. You have Kuta Center, Galeria Nusa Dua, Matahari in Legian and Ubud Market where you will find bargains of all sorts. The Balinese are well known for their creative and artistic skills evident in the numerous arts and crafts found throughout the island. Many craft factories are found in Tegallalang and the surrounding area. In Celuk, you will find skilled silversmiths who sell their creations in eclectic shops in Ubud. Sukawati art market is where you will find many of the fabrics used in Balinese clothing as well as hand made crafts such as woven baskets at bargain prices. Crafts and statues are made from natural products found on Bali such as coconut wood, bamboo and volcanic sand stone. Masks and puppets make interesting gift items. You will also find many earthy coloured home decor items such as table runners, lamp shades and wall decorations to give your home a touch of Bali style. Furniture items are often available at attractive prices compared to if you were to purchase them from outside of Bali.

So there you are, a list of many things you can do in Bali. Relax, get fit, have fun, gain new experiences and most of all, have a memorable holiday. And if you count them up, you've got a lot more than 10 things to do there. This is by no means an exhaustive list but more than enough for a 3 to 7 day trip to this wonderful and magical island of the Gods. by Trias Bali Travel

Costa Blanca's Best Attraction, Benidorm

2009-01-27T05:28:00.000-08:00

The famous tourist spot in Costa Blanca is the popular Benidorm.

Benidorm is located on the eastern coast of Spain. A great travel destination where you can go.It is on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and is enclosed by the mountains Sierra Helada on the east, Aitana on the north, and Tussal de Cala on the west, protecting it on three sides from weather, with Benidorm's fourth side covered by two very curved bays that keep the sea still and make it ideal for sunbathers and swimmers to stay in a warm, safe environment for most of a year.

Benidorm is rated as Spain's top holiday destination, due mainly to its year round temperatures, which average between 12 degrees in winter and 28 degrees in summer, and its three Blue Flag natural golden beaches,Situated off the N-332 approx 40 minutes from Alicante airport.

There are many water activities for those who love an adrenaline rush such as jet skiing, kayaks, and water skiing. You should try the cable ski off of the Ricon de' L'oix, its at the northern end of Beach Levante.I enjoy going parascending as it's the most fun a person can have other than taking a dip andgoing scuba diving. (three actual professional/amateur clubs) you can have fun as as they offer everything from soccer, boxing, wresting, football and karate. There are a number of such places if you simply open your phone book. As well as snorkeling. You can also hire boats and take fishing or scuba diving trips to Peacock Island and swim with amazing marine life.

Aqualandia is perfect for those who like freshwater, with its waterfalls, zigzags, rapids, cascades, lakes, kamikaze rides, black hole wave swimming pool, and for those who prefer simpler facilities there is an Olympic swimming pool in the Foietes sports complex and the Lope de Vega swimming school.

Including several bowling alleys, bowls clubs, billiard clubs, go-karts, horse riding, tennis, golf, paintball, trekking, quad biking and adventure expeditions,for those without webbed feet, there is Foietes sports complex, with athletics of various diversities on offer.

There are many fun things for the entire family at one of the three beaches Bendiorm offers so you can find the ideal holiday hotspot that meets your needs. North of the city is the place called Levante. (dawn) Nestled below the Old Town is Mal Pas cove and to the south is Poniente,beach. (dusk) So you can sunbathe from sunrise to sunset on these golden beaches,beach.

Beach Levante. Where it is ideal for the snorkelling beginner, as there are some smooth rocks on the seabed, a home for many fish, without the swimmer getting out of his/her depth,this is generally the most populated beach area.

If your feeling in need of exercise, order a pint instead of a half, and watch the muscles in your arm work out,on this beach it is only a short walk from the waters edge to a nearby bar, cafe or restaurant, where.

Cove Mal Pas. There is a small bay near the marina where you can take in the sun with the natural wind-break of the Old Town cliffs behind you and calm water breaking on the golden sands in front of you. With shallow placid seas this is a perfect spot to try snorkeling for the first time.

The beach at Poniente. Benidorm is the best private beach in town but it is known for the long walk for food and drink so it is wise to pack a picnic when visiting.

Unlike many other holiday vacation spots in Spain, Benidorm does not shut down in the winter because of its higher temperatures and entertainment. 800 and 1300 bars with between. It depends on the write up you read.Why so many Hen and Stag parties are staged here,it's easy to see.

3 course meal, drinks and dancing for 40 euros,there is also an extensive and varied entertainment schedule on offer, with places like Benidorm Palace, which has their extravaganza evenings with full show.

The Casino Mediterraneano and its Buffet dinner can be found in Villajoyosa. 3 courseFor the cost of 24 euros, you can avail wine and free watching of shows, and the addition of fluttering at tables or on the bandits is you want it.

There is a multitude of differing entertainment venues including the many bars that provide karaoke, singers, comedians, etc, Molino Benidorm that is mostly a drag show with drinks, music clubs such as Cafe Benidorm, Hippodrome, Loch Ness, Champions, and more that feature disco, R&B, and House music.

Benidorm is probably the "Mecca de Espana", with its main Spanish rival possibly being Ibiza and described by some as a Spanish Blackpool but with a different culture, more sun and better beaches,For the party animal.

Benidorm prides itself it offering a year around holiday experience with entertainment for families, couples and singles.

Fun for the whole family. They are bountiful activities awaiting at Benidorm for families with little ones who like to play, some areas include: Terra Mitica, Terra Natura, Mundomar, Aqualandia and Desafio Medieval, (shows demonstrating the medieval times, with knights and many more, including dinner) all of which is available online for more in depth information.

Rental Automobile. It is very easy to explore all the shops, villages, and small towns near Benidorm. All major car rental agencies are easily accessed along Avenida del Mediterraneo, just off Levante beach, including Hertz, Avis, Europa and Centauro (so look around for the best available price).

EXCURSIONS Almost all of the hotels organizes some packages which you can avail, but alternatives can be avail like sightseeing trips to places like markets at Altea, the 7 Spanish village, Guadelest, Botanical Gardens or the winery in Jalon where you can taste the merchandise.

The Round Town news Tourist information office opposite the hotel Melia in the Rincon side of Benidorm can give you tickets for the free excursions. For those of you that want to get into the spirit of the holiday festivities, Round Town office can assist you with you holiday queries. Even Spanish phrases!

HOTELS There are 145 hotels, a total of 38,00 beds and numerous apartments. this is the third highest in Europe, behind London and Paris. For those who don't have acrophobia, Hotel Gran Bali is the place for you - the tallest know build in Spain, standing 51 floors high.

Tradition. When the lord of the Baronia de Polop awarded it a town charter to establish its own identity within Spain,Benidorm was officially born in 1325. If you have ever been to a different country, you will the people in the streets are always nice and they will stop and talk to you about their city and their country. And then they will try and tell you the sites you should go and visit before you leave. Spain is such a wonderful place to visit. It is a widely visited hot spot. There is so much to see there. And when you go, you should make sure you talk a camera with a lot of film and a lot of batteries. Because you will need them.

Do you ever just want to go to your old neighborhood and just look where you grew upWhy?
If so then why not just do it and take a nice walk through the old streets. And enjoy what you see. The cobblestone lanes and plazas are lined with interesting structures including James church which was constructed in the 1700's. Along two designated routes through the Old Town, which is much more civilised than the usual pub crawl,you can also take all this in doing a "Tapas and Vino" crawl.

Different events falls in different day and places, like the 3 Kings, Fallas, Semana Santa and more than these to see through. (musical acts and entertainment) Why? There are lots of celebration to see and worth waiting forth. Like Christmas, New Years Eve, and a lot more fireworks display.

Dining. The things that your looking to is very much available in these places specially the Benidorm. So go on a cuisine cruise, and go back on the diet when you get home,there are too many to list, without upsetting the rest.

Buying things in mall and boutiques. This is surely the place where you can shop until your heart is content, from bargain clothes store to higher priced stores, give the Plaza del Mar shopping centre in Fenstrat a try. You will want to be sure to pick up bargains in leather goods such as coats and jackets as well as luxury items like alcohol and cigarettes.

In my final thoughts, I leave you with the idea that Benidorm is a city of diversity, with something for everyone, where you can immerse yourself in the culture or have a holiday filled with fun activities. However, to so Benidorm justice, you have to go there and see it for yourself. by Rickie Chandler

Hot Destinations for Escaping the Winter Chill

2009-01-27T05:27:00.000-08:00

Are you looking to escape the cold winter weather? Taking a vacation might be the perfect way to do just that. Instead of choosing a destination for skiing or a location near your home, check out these hot vacation spots that should get your mind off the snow and ice back home:

Hawaii
If you want to stay in the United States, Hawaii is an excellent option to consider and many travel packages are available. Hawaii has beautiful warm weather throughout the entire year and you do not need a passport to get there. Some of the most popular destinations within Hawaii include Maui, Oahu, The Big Island, Haleakala, and Waikiki Beach. All of these can be great for everything from a family vacation to a romantic honeymoon or a party-filled spring break trip with your friends. While there, you can explore the volcanoes, enjoy the pristine beaches, and attend late-night luaus.

Bali
For a fun cultural experience in a warm climate, consider a vacation to Bali, an Indonesian island located between Java and Lombok. Bali is famous for its art, music and dance, many of which tie into the Hindu religious epics. For a unique experience, visit Bali during the Hindu New Year in the spring. They celebrate with a day of silence, where you are encouraged to stay in your hotel. The day before has many activities available such as parades all over the island. These include spectacular, brightly colored sculptures that are burned to drive away evil spirits.

The Bahamas
The islands of the Bahamas are technically not in the Caribbean, but they are not far from Florida and still have that tropical Caribbean feel. There are over 700 islands in this chain, which you can explore via boat tours. This island nation was once a part of Great Britain, and you can still see and feel the British influence there today.

St. Lucia
One of the most natural scenic locations in the Caribbean is St. Lucia. This island is known for its rainforest, complete with a zip line through the canopy and a volcano that is also a road. During July, you can attend Carnival, complete with parades, costumes, and parties. At one time, the waters around St Lucia were filled with pirates, and there are still sunken ships to explore while diving, coves with pirate themes, and historic shipping locations that you can visit to learn more about pirates in this area.

Bermuda
Like the Bahamas, Bermuda is technically not a part of the Caribbean Islands, but it is often lumped in with them because it has similarly warm, sunny weather. Located off the coast of the Carolinas, this site is a bit colder in the winter, but because of that, it is also a more affordable in the off-season. Bermuda is known for its scuba diving and snorkeling, and while there, pick up a Heritage Passport, which gives you access to all of the island chain's cultural sites.

Mexico
Cancun and Cabo are just two of the popular vacation destinations in Mexico. Most people equate Mexico with Tijuana and other sites around the border, but locations on the Yucatan Peninsula are actually high-class resort areas with Caribbean weather. In Mexico, you can also explore Mayan ruins, and if you travel farther inland, away from the Caribbean coast or golf, you can find other cultural sites to visit as well.

Tahiti
Located in the South Pacific Ocean, Tahiti is an often-overlooked vacation destination. This French Polynesian island chain has beautiful black sand beaches, and while there, you can visit a number of different islands, including Bora Bora, Moorea, and Taha'a. While staying in Tahiti, you can choose an over-water bungalow room instead of a traditional hotel room for a unique experience. Other popular things to do while in Tahiti include snorkeling, shark feeding, touring a pearl farm, and spending the day at one of Tahiti's world-renowned spas.

Buenos Aires
If you love the nightlife, the warm weather of Buenos Aires might be perfect for you. This tourist destination is the capital of Argentina. Here, you can see a tango show, shop at the Antique Fairs in Dorrego Square, or go to one of the many music festivals that takes place throughout the year. Of course, for the most fun tourist experience in this location, visit Buenos Aires during Carnival.

If you do not want to leave the United States, visiting one of the southern states is a great option (beside Hawaii) that you can choose for a warm and sunny vacation. Some of the most popular destinations include Orlando, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. If you have the winter blues, plan a trip to a sunny location and leave the ice, snow, and cold weather behind. by Stephanie Larkin

Benidorm Life

2009-01-27T05:25:00.000-08:00

Benidorm is located on the eastern coast of Spain. Costa BlancaIt is on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and is enclosed by the mountains Sierra Helada on the east, Aitana on the north, and Tussal de Cala on the west, protecting it on three sides from weather, with Benidorm's fourth side covered by two very curved bays that keep the sea still and make it ideal for sunbathers and swimmers to stay in a warm, safe environment for most of a year.

Benidorm, about 40 minutes from the airport in Alicante and off the N-332 highway, is Spain's top holiday destination large because of the weather (summer average of 28 degrees Celsius and 12 in winter) and its three top rated beaches.

There are lots of things to do here for anyone who likes to keep active on their vacation, including waterskiing, kayaking and jetskis. At the northern tail of Levante beach you will discover a cable ski off the Rincon de L'oix, you can't miss it!scuba diving, parascending. three actual professional/amateur clubs As well as snorkeling. You can also hire boats and take fishing or scuba diving trips to Peacock Island and swim with amazing marine life.

For those whose enjoy an aquatic lifestyle, Aqualandia features waterfalls, zigzags, cascades, kamikaze rides, rapids, lakes, black hole wave swimming pool, while also accomodating those who seek a classic setting with an Olympic-sized swimming pool in the Foietes sports complex with the option of attending the swimming school at Lope de Vega.

Foietes Sports Complex is a great place with non-water based events such as bowling, bowls clubs, billiard clubs, horse riding, golf, quad biking, go-kart racing, tennis, paintball, adventure expeditions, trekking and much more for those who like a particular sport or those who like trying many athletic activities.

There are many fun things for the entire family at one of the three beaches Bendiorm offers so you can find the ideal holiday hotspot that meets your needs. North of the city is the place called Levante. sunrise The beach that nestled below the Old Town is Mal Pas cove, to the south is Poninte. sunset Seashore is the best place to sunbath on any time of the day.

What will cool you down in the summerWhy? Levante Beach offers a wide range of fun for the entire family during the hot summer months as well as year round like sailing and building sandcastles. This, being the beach area with the most population for the most part, is ideal a beginning snorkeler, as there is a home for a good amount of fish among the smooth rocks of the seabed, plus the swimmer does not have go to too low of depths.

Order a pint and stay awhile when visiting this beach, as you will have the convenience of a bar, cafe and restaurant nearby.

Cove Mal Pas. One ideal spot for sun lovers is a quaint bay next to the marina. The natural wind from the Old Town cliffs and the peaceful water that softly laps onto the sands is beautiful. With shallow placid seas this is a perfect spot to try snorkeling for the first time.

What will cool you down in the summerWhy? Poniente Beach offers a wide range of fun for the entire family during the hot summer months as well as year round like sailing and building sandcastles. This is the longest, least crowded and arguably the best of the beaches in Benidorm though you may want to take along a picnic as it is a slightly longer walk to places to eat and drink.

Unlike many other holiday vacation spots in Spain, Benidorm does not shut down in the winter because of its higher temperatures and entertainment. There are between 800 and 1300 bars It depends on the write up you read.Why so many Hen and Stag parties are staged here,it's easy to see.

There are alternative entertainment schedule offers, with venues like Benidorm Palace, with there famous evening shows with 3 meals, drinks and dancing where you can avail it for only 40 euros.

The Casino Mediterraneano in Villajoyosa has a buffet dinner. (Three course meal)For the cost of 24 euros, you can avail wine and free watching of shows, and the addition of fluttering at tables or on the bandits is you want it.

There is a multitude of differing entertainment venues including the many bars that provide karaoke, singers, comedians, etc, Molino Benidorm that is mostly a drag show with drinks, music clubs such as Cafe Benidorm, Hippodrome, Loch Ness, Champions, and more that feature disco, R&B, and House music.

Benidorm is a great place for those who enjoy parties--perhaps it's major rival would be Ibiza, which is described as a Spanish Blackpool by a few people, but having a different culture, better beaches, and more sun.

For with its all year round diverse entertainment for singles, couples or families, young and old alike, this is truly a holiday experience not to be missed,this is not all that Benidorm has to offer.

Family Fun They are bountiful activities awaiting at Benidorm for families with little ones who like to play, some areas include: Terra Mitica, Terra Natura, Mundomar, Aqualandia and Desafio Medieval, medieval show, with knights jousting etc, plus dinner you can get more detailed information on the internet.

Rental Automobile. Just off Levante beach, such as Hertz, Avis, Europa and Centauro, so shop around for the best deal,this is a very good idea, to enable you to explore the beautiful villages and towns outside of Benidorm, and with all the major car hire companies along Avenida del Mediterraneo.

Trips. Taking you to the markets at Altea, through 7 Spanish villages, Guadelest, Botanical Gardens or the wine making valley of Jalon,Most hotels organise some sort of excursion package which you can take, but there are also five free sightseeing trips on offer. (where one can eat the local delicacies).

The Round Town news Tourist information office opposite the hotel Melia in the Rincon side of Benidorm can give you tickets for the free excursions. For those of you that want to get into the spirit of the holiday festivities, Round Town office can assist you with you holiday queries. Even Spanish phrases!

HOTELS Buildings that were available for rents overnight or more are still a lot, in terms of numbers. this is the third highest in Europe, behind London and Paris. For those who don't have acrophobia, Hotel Gran Bali is the place for you - the tallest know build in Spain, standing 51 floors high.

Our past events To make a name for itself in Spain, Benidorm was officially announced by lord of the Baronia de Polop in 1325 as town charter. If you have ever been to a different country, you will the people in the streets are always nice and they will stop and talk to you about their city and their country. And then they will try and tell you the sites you should go and visit before you leave. Spain is such a wonderful place to visit. It is a widely visited hot spot. There is so much to see there. And when you go, you should make sure you talk a camera with a lot of film and a lot of batteries. Because you will need them.

Do you ever just want to go to your old neighborhood and just look where you grew upWhy?
If so then why not just do it and take a nice walk through the old streets. And enjoy what you see. The cobblestone lanes and plazas are lined with interesting structures including James church which was constructed in the 1700's. Same as well, you can be doing exact event in this place to the Old Town.

Different events falls in different day and places, like the 3 Kings, Fallas, Semana Santa and more than these to see through. musicians and shows Why? Plus many other smaller fiestas, to many to list, get the full itinerary from the tourist office or Round Town News.

1st-31st August Fiestas Barrio L, Malsa - 11-28th-30th Sept Moors and Christians - 4th-7th Oct Spectacular free show plus fireworks - New Years Eve

Dining. Any European or Indian cuisine that you crave can be found in Benidorm. So go on a cuisine cruise, and go back on the diet when you get home,there are too many to list, without upsetting the rest.

Buying things in mall and boutiques. This is surely the place where you can shop until your heart is content, from bargain clothes store to higher priced stores, give the Plaza del Mar shopping centre in Fenstrat a try. You will want to be sure to pick up bargains in leather goods such as coats and jackets as well as luxury items like alcohol and cigarettes.

Where you can have a fun-packed holiday or a quiet and relaxed cultural holiday, with something for everyone, but to do Benidorm full justice, you will just have to come and see it for yourselves,in conclusion, Benidorm is a diverse city. by Quentin Meyer

Kuta where everything seems possible

2008-12-25T21:43:00.000-08:00

If you have ever heard about Bali, then you must have heard about Kuta too. It seems like these two things are intertwined despite many Bali lovers disagreeing entirely on this, including me.

Nevertheless from all the places in Bali, this little town has the highest number of visitors all year round. Everyday hundreds of shops, restaurants, hotels and hostels prepare themselves to receive all types of tourists ranging from the severely budget ones to the ones who have more to spend.

Sadly like whole Bali, this tourist hot-spot had to cope with the impacts of the disastrous Bali bombing in 2002. During the period afterward the high tourists numbers plunged and what was once a busy hive of tourists had suddenly turned into very quiet little town where hotels and restaurants remained empty for many years...

Fortunately, like in the 1970 when Kuta was still a poor fishing village, tourists started to discover it again. And their numbers have just been growing since then resulting into most Balinese being back in business again...

So what is it about this place that always seems to attract different kinds of visitors from all over the world?

I guess it has to do with the fact that anything is possible here. Physically you are in Bali but when you are in this crazy village it is as if you are visiting a popular Australian surfer's hot-spot. The bars and shopping streets are all focused on this type of crowd which has resulted in places with many flashy neon-lights offering Western brands and Asian night-life entertainment.

The unique Bali culture that has created this beautiful island is nowhere to be found. Local people do still prepare their daily ceremonies and sometimes you will see people conducting worships in the middle of a traffic junction. But other than that, it is one Western influenced hub…

I might not sound very positive about this famous place, but don't get me wrong. This crazy village and I are in a kind of love and hate relationship. Every time I visit Bali I always seem to end up there one way or the other because even though it has things that do not attract me at all, it has many qualities as well.

Take for instance the terrific Kuta beach where you can not only swim, but also have your first surfing lesson. Be careful though, once you stand on the board it can become addicting. And at the end of the day you will be rewarded with an amazing sunset that changes everyday. You will not get enough of it...

Another positive thing is the huge choice of terrific restaurants. While many restaurants in the surrounding area are quite popular as well, the restaurants in Kuta seem to have more character and charm plus good food.

No matter if you are there to wine and dine or just to have a delicious bite at a local restaurant, the atmosphere is always relaxed just as the staff and crowd that come there to enjoy their lunch or dinner.

After dinner there are enough choices of bars and clubs that open till early in the morning. These hang-outs also range from the good old bars where beer is your best friend to trendy clubs where the Dj accompanies you with great dance music right at the beach front.

So as you can see, it is not surprising that there are so many kinds of tourists visiting this crazy town. There is enough choice for anyone to have an unforgettable time... by Matt Verbaan

Tourist places around Jagannath Puri

2008-12-25T21:40:00.000-08:00

JagannathPuri is the center of attraction for both devotees as well as tourists, situated on the sea coast of Orissa, which is also known as Shri Kshetra of Purushotham. This ancient temple was built by king Anangabhima deva. This great pilgrim center draws innumerable crowds not only from India but also from other parts of the globe throughout the year. It is a matter of joy for the pilgrims to take holy dip in the sea and bath with the holy waters of Markandeya, Indradyumna, Swethaganga sarovars. The height of the temple is about 215ft. Lord Shri Chaitanya Maha Prabhu had stayed here during his last years. Jagannath Puri is famous for so many temples and mutts amongst Shri Shankaracharya mutt, Shri Lokanath mutt and Emar mutt. Besides having road links Jagananth Puri is also connected by rail from Khurda road, which is about 40km away.

The Orissa Tourism Development Corporation has provided Luxury coaches for the travelers which take them to day long trip to Konark, Dhauligiri, Temples of Bhubaneshwar, Saksi Gopal temple, Khandagiri-Udayagiri, and Nandankanan Zoo.

Places of Tourist interest in and around Jagannath Puri:
Temples and Tourist places in Jagannath Puri:
1. Shankaracharya math. 2. Salambaig samadhi. 3. Eamar math. 4. Gambhira math. 5. Sidhabakul math. 6. Kabir math. 7. Radhavallabh- math. 8. Radhakanth math. 9. Punjabi math 10. Neelachaker ashram. 11. Gobhardhan math. 12. Jagannath-vallabh math. 13. Balbhader chatha- math. 14. Badaodia math. 15. Sonargowragam math. 16. Badachatha math. 17. Sidhibekul math. 18. Salbaig math. 19. Omamkar sitaramdas math. 20. Mangu math. 21. Purushotham math. 22. Nandhini math. 23. Dusavatar math. 24. Haridasthakur's Samadhi. 25. Ramdas math. 26. Jevya Babaji- math. 27. Mahiprakash math. 28. Uttarparshva math. 29. Jeer swamy- math-bali sahi. 30. Thota gopinath-bali 31. Triveni math-bali- sahi. 32. Shankaracharya math-swarg dwar. 33. Balramcroat math-bali- sahi.; 34. Gandharva bsp;math-police line road. 35. Gowdeya math-grand road. 36. Rabesha math-near doodhwala dharmasala. 37. Samadhi math-swargdwar. 38. Sarojani math-swargdwar on the banks of the sea. 39. Ramakrishna math-chakra 40. Lord Jagannath 41. Balagandhi. 42. Gundicha Temple. 43. Narasimha Temple. 44. Indradyumna Tank. 45. Paramananda- Puri's Well. 46. Sarvabhauma Battachary's Math. 47. Kashi Mishra's Math. 48. Bhaktivinode's Bhajan Kutir&ISKCON. 49. Chakra Tirtha-Temple.
Tourist places around Jagannath Puri:

Bhubaneshwar: The capital city of Orissa is one of the very few planned cities in India which lies in the Eastern part of the country. The graceful towers of the ancient temples, with wonderful architecture, fine stone carving attracts the millions of tourists throughout the year from all over the globe.

State Museum: It is situated in a modern building in Lewis road which has archeological collection, tribal arts and many other collections. In the ground floor the pieces of religious scriptures of the 12th century Buddhist statues in exhibition on the stone and copper plate. The upstairs features ethnographies of Orissan societies, jewellery, musical instruments weapons tools and traditional costumes . The most important point of the musuem is its collection of illuminated palm leaf manuscripts and antiques.

Ravindra Mandap: Situated in the secretariat road where regular music, dance & drama events go on.

Museum of Man: It is situated near Baramunda Bus stand, which speaks of tribal art and culture representing about sixty five different tribal groups of Orissa.

Birapratapur and Ganga Narayanpur: These places are situated about 10-13 kms distance from Puri _Bhubaneswar road. They look very beautiful in the groves of coconut trees, paddy field, lakes & rivers and several other small temples too.

Konark: The famous Konark Sun temple is situated about 40 kms Northerly direction to Puri which is world famous for its magnificent architecture. he temple has lost its once glory due to the negligence .But then, in the beginning of the 19th century there was a lot of renovation work done to regain its past glory. There are seven horses and twenty four carved wheels which shows that this has been carved to depict the Sun God .There are so many sculptures drawn from Kamasutra. In this regard even the 16th century poet Abdul Faizal admitted very high of the temple and the sculptors.

Chilka Lake: This is the largest lagoon of the Asia which is about 1100 sq.kms of brackish waters of Bay of Bengal which is also famous for migrated birds such as flamingoes, pelicans, Ospreys, Ruffs and Avocets from Siberia and Persia.

Parasumareswara Mandir: This was built around 650 A.D. which is one of the most beautiful temples of Bhubaneswar. In this there are Lord Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha, a saint and also a Shiva Linga. There is a famous big Banyan tree nearby.

Raja Rani Mandir: The guardians of the eight directions deities protecting the main shrine. Indra, Kubera , Varuna, Yama and others (dikpalakas) are seen in this temple. This temple gives almost an unfinished look.

Muktheswara Temple: This is a 10th century temple considered to be one of the beautiful and famous for architecture of Orissa . There are some ghats around the tank for the visitors to stay aroud and enjoy. The deities of Ganesh and his brother Kartikeya are also seen.

Lingaraj Mandir: This temple is considered to have been built about 100 years before Lord JagannathTemple. The deity Tribhubaneswara is very famous. Here the Linga is considered to be Swayambhu i.e. self manifested. This is also known as Hari-Hara kshetra which is considered to be half Shiva and half Vishnu.

Brahmeswara Mandir: This temple is considered to be of 11th century in which there is a deity. There is a deity of goddess Lakshmi and the guardians of the eight directions- dikpalakas. There is a gigantic Nandi too, which captures the visitors very much.

Bindu Sagar: As per the scriptures this small artificial lake has a great religious importance. It is believed that the holy waters of all the sacred rivers along with nectar, wine are present within the lake. During the Car Festivals of Bhubaneswar, the Lingaraj deity is taken for ceremonial bath. The enchanting scenery of the rising and setting of the Sun cannot be missed either by the visitor or by the local populace.

Vaital Deul Mandir: This temple bears a total difference to its contemporaries in Bhubaneswar which is said to have been built about 800 AD. The Buddhist influence in its style of construction can be seen in this temple. In this there is goddess Durga in her most terrifying form "Chamundi" with skull garland accompanied by jackal and owl stands upon a corpse. The most horrible tantric art of this age is well depicted in this temple. by dgladha

Bali wood carving, Mask Carving

2008-12-25T21:37:00.000-08:00

For Centuries wood carvings in Bali was done for architectural purpose as ornamentation of temples, palaces and houses of high caste.Art sculpture also made for religious purpose; statues of gods, mythological animals and demons. Mostly Bali wood carvings were painted in a variety of colors, very few carvings unpainted in their natural state.The Balinese world is filled with magical power. Objects that we as westerners would normally consider to be devoid of the ability to exert influence on other objects or people to them may possess a mystical force.

Masks that are used in religious ceremonies have great concentrations of power and, therefore, must be treated very carefully. Masks used in traditional dance and drama performances, even if not sacred, also must not be handled casually.Masks are used in dance, as part of many rituals and performances. Dance is an expression of one's devotion to the gods as well as a way to instill and pass on values through the stories depicted and handed down to each new generation of Balinese.

The topeng, mask dancer, who performs at temple festivals takes on the characteristics of each mask he puts on. He will become the old man, hobbled over with slow, restricted movements, or the fierce warrior or embody the royal demeanor of a king. The dancer associates each movement with the music.

Using simple woodcarving tools, the process begins with a block of wood (part of a tree with bark shaved off) cut to the height of the mask that's desired. From this simple beginning, if I present even a rough drawing, the carver proceeds seemingly without much premeditated thought, in a flow state. First he cuts out the basic shape, and later craves out the back. All is done with simple tools: mallet, chisel and knife. Within just a few hours the form of the face or character begins to emerge. Our masks are made of a soft wood, whereas some of the carvings we see are made of much harder woods, such as hibiscus Traditional mask makers use the wood of the punyan pule, a common tropical tree.

Many activities in Bali are done communally. One person may cut the blocks of wood, then another carves while others do the sanding. Painting a mask is a long process. It takes many coats to get the right feeling and look. As you can see, mask carving is a long process. It takes great creativity as well as dexterity, to form the masterpieces the artists produce. Some find their way around the world and have been made to use in great theater companies in Japan or Paris. Visitors have often brought their ideas into the mix. Some designs are purely Balinese in nature, while others have an "east meets west" quality.

if you want to know about wood carving in bali, please search in our website http://www.baliartwood.com by lenny

Taking on Water

2008-12-07T19:09:00.000-08:00

One would think that dancers know enough to drink plenty of fluids. Not so. According to Nancy Clark, director of nutrition services at SportsMedicine in Brookline, outside of Boston, "There are a lot of dancers who keep themselves dehydrated because they will then weigh ninety-nine pounds instead of one hundred two. I always quiz dancers about their fluid intake. Water is a major enhancer of performance. People who go around chronically dehydrated are always tired."

Too little fluid intake during heavy activity can cause everything from dance-hindering cramps to death.

Don't wait forest to guide you. By the time you feel thirsty, you're well beyond the point where you should have been rehydrating. Just quenching what you feel as thirst does not mean that you've replaced all fluid you need. Dancers at high altitudes and in dry climates should be specially wary. Climates can mask thirst, even though your body needs fluid. In the summer, be doubly vigilant about your intake.

Ideally you should drink a couple of hours before extensive activity so that the fluid will get into your system. Some dancers are able to drink again before a performance; some are not comfortable drinking prior to going onstage or drinking during a performance every fifteen or twenty minutes. The advantage of doing so is that the body would never lose more than 2 percent of weight (two pounds for a one-hundred-pound person) at one time. (It's an old wives' tale that drinking during activity will cause cramps; ice water, however, may cause cramps for some dancers.)

You can monitor your fluid level by checking your urine, says Clark. You should be urinating a significant volume every two to four hours and it should be light-colored, like lemonade, not dark like cider, which would indicate that the urine contains metabolic waste. Weigh yourself before and after heavy activity. For every one pound of weight loss, you should drink two cups of fluid.

Which fluids are best?

"Water is always appropriate," says Clark, "Zero calories, free, what the body wants, and convenient." She recommends taking a large bottle of water to class, rehearsal, and performance and drinking from it often. Dancers may require an extra boost of calcium. There's nothing better than milk or yogurt for that. Clark says that many dancers (who are not lactose intolerant) think that those fluids are fattening items and don't want to drink milk with a meal. They'd rather drink a diet soda. Clark insists that milk is a fundamental food. "Try drinking 1 or 2 percent milk," she says, "That small amount of fat should be in the diet. Nonfat milk will boost fluid and calcium levels."

Fruit juices provide an extra boost of vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates. Orange juice is the best with higher nutrients and lower calories. However, if weight is a legitimate issue, you might not want to make fruit juice your fluid of choice all the time.

Sports drinks are of questionable value. They're lower in calories than fruit juice, and higher in sodium, which may be needed if the dancer has perspired a great deal. Sports drinks are just sugar water without nutritional value. They are, however, a quick way to boost blood sugar after heavy exertion.

Unfortunately, many dancers choose to drink diet soda or coffee, both nutritionally useless and, in the case of coffee, with possible unwanted diuretic effects.

Clark checks to see why a dancer is a heavy diet soda or coffee drinker. "They may need fuel," she suggests. "So often the people who drink a great deal of coffee and diet soda aren't eating enough food, so that they're using fluids as a substitute because they are low on fuel." Water intoxication can become a form of eating disorder.

Other ways to replenish lost fluid include drinking herbal teas, lemonade, and regular soft drinks (not much different from sports drinks) and eating soups, fruits and vegetables with high water content, and smoothies (a fruit-and-milk combination drink, custom made of pureed fruit, ice, and yogurt or milk--see the boxed recipe). A smoothie can meet your diet needs--liquid, fiber, minerals, and vitamins. For a double dose of calcium, use milk or powdered milk, with instant pudding mix as a thickener. Add fruit. Mix in a blender until smooth. For the best nutritional mix, Clark recommends orange juice, yogurt, and banana.

Since the passage of the Safe Water Act, almost all tap water in the United States is drinkable. Some supermarkets carry as many as sixty different brands of bottled water. Basically, all bottled water falls into three categories: sparkling mineral water (carbonated water, often from an underground spring); seltzer (carbonated tap water); and club soda (carbonated tap water to which mineral salts have usually been added). Because of its sodium bicarbonate and sodium citrate content, club soda is a good drink to choose when your stomach feels queasy.

If you doubt the safety of local water while on tour, don't even brush your teeth with it, and avoid water-washed salads and fruits. by Jan Ellen Spiegel

Lincoln Center Festival's Hot Summer Dance

2008-12-07T19:07:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK CITY--From lounge chairs to plush velvet seats, Lincoln Center Festival 99 offers a variety of ways to see dance. French trapezists Les Arts Sauts will put spectators in reclining positions to comfortably watch their aerial show. An inflatable tent in Damrosch Park will be their theater, says festival director Nigel Redden, who saw the troupe perform in France. "You approach these rather strange doors that you thrust yourself through," he says. "They are, in effect, lips. Once inside, a seamless ballet of people on trapezes unfolds."

For theatergoers who prefer to sit upright, choreographers Jiri Kylian and Paul Lightfoot present revivals and U.S. premieres July 13 to 18 in the New York State Theater. Merce Cunningham's work will be presented July 21 to 25 [See article, page 54]. The three companies of Netherlands Dance Theater perform works by artistic director Kylian and by Lightfoot. Dancers range from NDT 2's 18- to 21-year-old emerging artists and NDT 1's internationally acclaimed performers to NDT 3's experienced artists, all of whom are over 40. All three companies are onstage during Kylian's Arcimboldo, which appears on a bill with Lightfoot's Skew Whiff. One of a Kind, Kylian's newest full-length ballet, makes its U.S. premiere July 13. This August, after 24 years with NDT, Kylian will step down from his post as artistic director, though he will remain as artistic adviser and house choreographer. [See February 1999, page 36.]

During the festival's tribute to composer Steve Reich, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker will perform her Fase [now titled Steve Reich: Four] with Michele Anne De Mey. Ea Sola, a French-Vietnamese artist, blends her European and Vietnamese heritage into "works that are absolutely contemporary," says Redden. Vietnamese dancers and musicians perform her voila voila July 7 to 10.

As if choreography by Cunningham were not spellbinding enough, Festival 99 closes with an all-star lineup performing the master's works: Mikhail Baryshnikov and members of the New York City Ballet will join the Merce Cunningham Dance Company in repertory that spans four decades.

"One piece that also involves choreography is The Peony Pavilion," adds Redden. The world premiere of the marathon Chinese opera (there are six episodes at three hours and fifteen minutes each) includes stylized Chinese dance. Redden's budget--in excess of $9 million--covers expenses for all 113 performances, including music, dance, theater, opera, and video events. by Kate Mattingly

DANCERS & MUSICIANS OF BALI

2008-12-07T19:04:00.000-08:00

In Bali I was often stirred by unfamiliar sounds: the tiny squeak of a cicak lizard stalking prey on the bedroom walls, the lament of distant roosters, water rushing in irrigation pipes, insects whirring, frogs burping, pigeons (feet ornamented with tiny brass bells) shaking metallic rain down from the sky. Under the direction of Anak Agung Gede Oka Dalem, the Dancers and Musicians of Bali brought this sonically charged atmosphere to the United States.

Before the facade of a Balinese Hindu temple, four maidens in yellow welcome us with flowers and smiles. These women, with S-curving bodies, trail their long black hair across invisible mandalas. Mesmerized by their seemingly boneless arms, I recall that the Balinese word for dancing is ngigel, which also means "to bend."

The players of the gamelan orchestra (bronze xylophones, pots, and gongs, bamboo flutes, and wooden drums) seem to be dancers in their own right, swelling in unison after great flourishes; the choreographed fury of their hammer wielding hands summons monsoons, insect swarms, and warbling birds.

Three months ago, I was in the village of Peliatan watching a similar performance of this very troupe. I stood outside in the rain and watched with the Balinese for free. Seated in New York City's Town Hall, I marveled at the sumptuous costumes, the breadth of the program, and the U.S. funding that must have gone into importing a troupe of this size (35 members). While remembering the current economic and political crises in Indonesia, I could find no sign of them in this program. Bali, with its unflagging tourist industry, has been less shaken than other parts of Indonesia. However, tourism in Bali has exacted a cultural toll by transforming the sacred dances into moneymaking shows.

In one, traditionally danced by a young boy showing the emotions of a warrior before battle, the Baris is a wide-eyed herky-jerky. Tonight's Baris of I Nyoman Sukerta has mellowed with age. His arms undulating with the suling flute, Sukerta narrows his eyes as if calculating a plan of attack. He smiles in momentary anticipation of victory as his spangled costume casts etoiles on the ceiling.

The last of the eight dances presented is Barong, the magic Calenarang drama that expresses the essence of Balinese Hinduism. This metaphysical battle between the witch Rangda and the beneficent Barong is traditionally performed inside the Temple of the Dead where the men enter into a trance, attack Rangda with daggers, then turn these daggers on themselves to attack the inner Rangda.

In general, the Dancers and Musicians of Bali show us one incarnation of Balinese dance: not sympathetic magic, instructive folktale, or temple ritual, but a beautiful commodity. by Julie Greenhill

K e c a k

2008-12-07T19:02:00.000-08:00

Kecak a form of Balinese music drama, originated in the 1930s and is performed primarily by men. Also known as the Ramayana Monkey Chant, the piece, performed by a circle of 100 or more performers wearing checked cloth around their waists, percussively chanting "cak" and throwing up their arms, depicts a battle from the Ramayana where the monkey-like Vanara helped Prince Rama fight the evil King Ravana. However, Kecak has roots in sanghyang, a trance-inducing exorcism dance.

Kecak was originally a trance ritual accompanied by male chorus. German painter and musician Walter Spies became deeply interested in the ritual while living in Bali in the 1930s and worked to recreate it into a drama, based on the Hindu Ramayana and including dance, intended to be presented to Western tourist audiences. This transformation is an example of what James Clifford describes as part of the "modern art-culture system" in which, "the West or the central power adopts, transforms, and consumes non-Western or peripheral cultural elements, while making 'art' which was once embedded in the culture as a while, into a separate entity." Spies worked with Wayan Limbak and Limbak popularized the dance by traveling throughout the world with Balinese performance groups. These travels have helped to make the Kecak famous throughout the world.

Performer, choreographer, and scholar I Wayan Dibia cites a contrasting theory that the Balinese where already developing the form when Spies arrived on the island. For example, well-known dancer I Limbak had incorporated Baris movements into the cak leader role during the 1920s. "Spies liked this innovation," and it suggested that Limbak, "devise a spectacle based on the Ramayana," accompanied by cak chorus rather than gamelan, as would have been usual.

Yoni & the Kulture Kids of Tomorrow

2008-12-07T18:57:00.000-08:00

You don't hear or read much about child prodigies in Bali. That's certainly not to say that there are none. At eight years of age Yoni is one of the best child dancers in Bali. She has been dancing Legong and many other difficult Balinese dances basically since she could walk.

I was spellbound the first time I saw her dance - her nimble energetic movements were precise and stylised, her mimic beaming with mature expression. At only six years of age she was already better than kids years older and her strength and confidence was like that of an adult.

When Balinese see a child like this, they believe she is incarnation of a talented ancestor - her talented is something taken for granted - encouraged - but never pushed. In fact Yoni pushes herself. Her mother told me that one day after watch a video clip of Peliatan style Legong she had already incorporated many of the moves in her own dance.

Yoni is from Sanur and, unlike Ubud these days, the area is not renown for its performing art forms dancers, in spite of the fact there are a handful of talented dancers but these are limited to a small number of families.

Good Legongs, more than anything else, are scarce. Aged six and a half, Yoni won the Oleg Tambulilingan prize for all of Bali and also competed fiercely in the Condong and Taruna Jaya dance-offs against 12 year-olds. This latter dance in fact is normally danced by young teenagers.

Her talent is not limited to female dances. In two short lessons, she had mastered the basics of the warrior dance known as Baris and then ambitiously performed the dance in public in the same week. Such a dance would probably take other kids months to learn.

One of Yoni's more unusual talents is her natural ear for gamelan music. Gamelan is traditionally played by men but more and more girls and women these days are learning. Without any formal training she worked out a song by herself on the gender wayang, the most difficult Balinese instrument which requires a two-handed contrary motion technique. She then started learning at the association run by my wife to preserve classical gamelan and dance called Mekar Bhuana. She can now play a number of pieces and is so sure of herself that she often tells the other kids "how to play it right". Dwarfed by the large gamelan instrument, she must use a stool to reach the keys. Yoni is fact so multi-talented that an Australian couple are writing a children's book about her.

There are probably many others like Yoni in Bali but perhaps their talents are not recognized or their parents are unsure how to direct them. The other thing is finance. Perhaps a child is keen to dance or play gamelan but can't afford the expensive gold-gilded costumes or bronze gamelan instrument.

Over the last year or so, there's been much talk in the Balinese papers about preserving "ajeg Bali" or Bali's own cultural identity. In practice however, the Balinese public are slowly turning away from their own culture. Modelling competitions and talent quests (for singing cheesy, commercialized pop music, of course!) are more popular draw-cards for Balinese school kids - a superficial world that is modern, glamourous and attractively global.

Like the papers say, the Balinese themselves have to take responsibility for preserving their own culture and recognising kids with talent for learning it to build the generations of tomorrow.
After all, who's going to preserve the Balinese arts if it's not the Balinese?

Balinese dance
Balinese dance simply thrives on the performing arts and Sanur is no exception. On the surface, Sanur may appear little more than a sleepy hotel resort, dotted with art-shops and restaurants. If you peep behind the scenes, however, you will find that this ancient fishing village is the home to a wonderful array of performing art forms, one of which is known as Pelegongan, commonly known as Legong dance. Pelegongan, however, also covers the instrumental repertoire which may include pieces from both the Legong and the Barong repertoire. Sadly, about halfway through the twentieth century this ancient tradition began to fade away, replaced with more modern music and dance forms, then popular with the younger generation. Mekar Bhuana feel that it is time for a revival before these art forms are lost in time forever.

Since 2002, they have been working together with local dancers to preserve rare forms of Balinese dance. They now specialize in classical Legong dance and are honoured to have some of the most talented dancers in Sanur and Denpasar as members of their association. Through ongoing practices and performances, they hope to preserve as many dances as possible from the extensive Legong repertoire. Their dancers are accompanied by our antique Pelegongan gamelan – something of a rarity in Bali these days. Their male dance forms include the mask dances such as Jauk Manis and Keras, as well as Sandaran (Telek & Jauk), Barong, Rarung and Rangda.

PERMORMING ARTS

2008-12-07T18:56:00.000-08:00

Religious ceremonies in Bali inevitably involve music and dancing as an offering designed to please the deities attending the ceremony. Needless to say, besides its sacral purpose, each performance is avidly enjoyed by the villagers. With the advent of tourism the performing arts have taken on a new role, and there has been somewhat of a revival as a result. Performing troupes and individual artists now have much more opportunity to be active, and are able to earn a living, albeit moderately remunerative, by performing at hotels and restaurants. Some villages have started up their own performing groups on a cooperative basis, and money is available for new instruments and dancing costumes. There is little glamour associated with the stage in Bali. Long hours of study are necessary for musicians and artistes to master the complex traditional music and theatre, transportation is very often an open truck, and performances go on till the early hours of the morning. However, all Balinese seem to have an in built appreciation of the arts, and the tradition seems to be thriving despite the arrival of commercialism. Once the prerogative of the Gods and royalty, now, through tourism, television and the interest and patronage of the government everyone has a chance to enjoy a wider repertoire of classic and modern performing arts than eve before.

Temple Entertainment
Only performances of a sacral nature are allowed in the inner sanctums of the temple. The most common is the Mendet dance, a simple welcome dance performed spontaneously by a group of women of all ages. Anyone may take part in this dance to greet the visiting spirits during temple festivals. Ordinary temple costumes are worn, and the dances bear a simple offering in their right hand, moving n stylized patterns to the music of the gong.

Another sacral dance performed on rare occasions is the Rejang, wherein group of women move gracefully around the inner courtyard of the temple in slow procession. Adorned with elaborate gold headdresses decorated with arcs of trembling flowers, the swaying line of women move in delicate, unrehearsed harmony. This dance can be seen at temple festivals in the Aga villages of Tenganan, Bungaya and Asak. Sanghyang trance dance may also be held in the inner temple. This dance form has the special purpose of enlisting the help of the Gods in protecting the village from pestilence and danger. Sanghyang means "possessed of spirit". A chorus of men sing a hypnotic chant that summons the spirits, till each dancer falls into a swoon of trance. There are a variety of Sanghyang dances, named according to the type of spirit they humour: Sanghyang Dedari, performed by young virgin girls, is a dance of angels, and in the Sanghyang Jarang a man takes on the movements of a horse, snorting and dancing over hot coals. A decade ago the sanghyang dances was very rare, but now it is performed in a somewhat abridged form for the general public. Regular evening performances are held in Bona, near Blahbatuh, jus half an hours's drive from Denpasar, and most travel agents include this in their tour schedules.

The mass warrior dance, Baris Gede, is often performed at temple ceremonies. Groups of men attired in military style headdresses and bearing spears, krisses and shields, form lines (baris) and enact a fearsome war dance in unison. The tempo build up into a mock battle, and sometimes eventuates in trance. This dance is generally unrehearsed, performed by men of the village as a guard of honor for the visiting deities. Pura Batur, in the Bangli regency, has four of five subtly different versions of the dance. The most amusing version is the Baris Tuan of Belanjong, Sanur, with its dances attired in a replica of Dutch colonial costumes. They dance and strut around the temple yard in arrogant postures before falling into a wild melee of trance

The sacred temple masks of Barong and Rangda are powerful protectors of the temple and village. The Barong is a gentle, clumsy creature with a leonine face, a great clacking jaw and a flowing white mane, that stretches nearly two meters long when animated by to male players, one in the head and one in the hind parts. The costume is richly ornamented with gilt mirrors and gold-painted leather, and reflects the light as the creature moves in its comical animal-like shambling gait. Rangda is bot opposite and complementary: an evil witch with straggly white hair, fangs, long drooping breast, a lolling tongue and dreadful fingernails. She brandishes a magic white cloth and instills fear in the hearts of all who watch, with her piercing high-pitched screams.

Once purely sacral, performances by the Barong and Rangda have now become popular fare. The village of Batubulan, just a few kilometers northeast of Denpasar, stages regular shows starring these two fantastic creatures in a condensed drama form based on a tale from the Mahabharata epic, mixed with elements of classical Legong and Topeng dances. Less frequent performances in a similar vein are to be found in Kuta and Singapadu. The story always climaxes in a battle between the two which drives the men attending into a craze of kris-stabbing.

A number of semi-sacral dances are performed in the middle courtyard of the temple, also as entertainment for visiting spirits during temple odalans. The Bambuh is one such performance, and ancient narrative performed in the most traditional dances have evolved.
Dating back at least 400 years, the sory of Gambuh is derived from a romantic epic poem known as Malat, the adventures of Prince Panji and his prospective bride, Candra form the base of the story, which is recited in ancient attendant-comedians for the benefit of the audience. The dance is accompanied by music from long bamboo flutes that five low, melodious tones, and the violin-like Rebab. The complete Gambuh story can last for up to six hours, so it is generally performed in episodes. There is an active Gambuh group in the village of Batuan that performs at local festivals and ceremonies.

Topeng mask dances are fairly common accompaniment to ceremony and ritual, but only two types of this dance are ever performed in the middle temple courtyard, Wayang Wong and Topeng Pajegan. The former, based upon the ancient Hindu epic of Ramayana, is a masked enactment of excerpts from the story of Rama's victory over the evil demon king, with the assistance of his loyal army of monkeys. Topeng Pajegan involves only a single dancer, who impersonates a series of characters by assuming different masks. He transforms himself from clown of prince, princess, old man, king and minister in rapid succession, his grand finale being the Topeng Sida Karya, a sacred mask imbued with powers t ensure that the Karya, or work (referring to the ceremony at which the performance is given), will be successfully completed.

For the appreciation of all
During temple ceremonies a stage is often set up in the outer courtyard of the temple or within the nearby banjar for the entertainment of the villagers and general public. Efforts are made to obtain the most popular artists and performances to ensure the occasion will be fully enjoyed.

Arja, aptly named the "opera of Bali", is common fare at temple festivals. In this form of dance drama the players sing and dance at the same time, and the major parts are all played by women, who sing in high-pitched voices with a nasal intonation. This solemn incantation is lightened by the clowning of the servants and couriers who keep the audiences informed with a hilarious narrative of low Balinese.

Another popular grand performance is the Ramayana Ballet, a modern interpretation of its s stately Javanese relative, jazzed up with a stirring gamelan accompaniment known as Gong Kebyar. Hanoman, the white monkey king, play a major role in a battle which provides both drama and amusements. Popular with tourists and local alike, the Ramayana is often performed as evening entertainment in the outdoor stages found in many of the island's larger hotels.

Legong Keraton is one of Bali's most beautiful classical dances. Its sophistication expresses the Balinese ideal of refined feminine beauty. Performance by two or three young girls wearing costumes shimmering with gold and crowned with exquisite headdresses adorned with frangipani blossoms, the dance is a masterpiece of intricate technique and dramatic power. Every movement hints of a depth of emotion and feeling as the tiny dancers glide about the stage, their fans twirling and fluttering as they making it almost impossible for the untrained observer to follow the thread of the story portrayed, a factor of little importance due to the sublime beauty of the overall performance. Much work has gone into the preservation, revival and development of certain Legong Keraton dances over the past decade, on both a village level and within the various dance academies, making a wide range of Legong dances now available to the public.

Masks play an important part in Balinese dance and drama. Perhaps the most popular mask performance is the Topeng Panca which starts off as simple mask dance to introduce the major characters, then develops into a fully fledged drama involving up to five or more dancers. There is a famous Topeng Panca group in the village of Canang sari, near the Sangeh Monkey forest. Less common are the ghost-like under tall branching gold headdresses with colorful pom-poms and tassels. Representing the forces of good, they are sometimes called Sandaran or Telek. And generally appear in a group of up to six dancers to act out a story prior to the clash of the Barong and Rangda in village performances. There are two similar styles of Jauk that can be performed by a solo male dancer, one of a refined and rather effeminate character, the other a puzzled, fierce demon, and these are sometimes included in concerts presenting a sampling of different kinds of Balinese dance.

Solo baris is a refined version of the old Baris Gede which evolved at the beginning of this century, and has since become accepted as the fundamental dance in the training of young male dancer students. The dance revels the emotions of a young warrior as he readies himself for the battlefield in tense excitement, plunging and feinting to avoid attack.

The virtuoso performance for sole male dancers is Kebyar Duduk, a dance which developed in the 1920’s as an innovative decoration to gamelan performance. Rival orchestras from Jagaraga and Bungkulan in North Bali created the original Kebyar, a choreographic development from Legon, which was then taken by the talented dancer Mario, who in 1925 performed the first kebyar duduk. Enamoured by the kebyar (lightning music), which is super-charged, dynamic and highly embellished, Mario created a dance that centered around the trompong kettledrum, portraying a young man on the threshold of adulthood, beset by a range of conflicting emotions. The dancer moves in close coordination to the music, his whirling sticks, flourishing gestures and sudden pauses in perfect harmony with the 35 odd other instruments.

Another of Mario’s creations was the Oleg Tamulilingan, a courtship dance for two that depicts two bumble-bees playing in the garden. This was choreographed for a tour of Europe and America in 1953, in an effort to expand the repertoire presentable to western audiences, as it was felt that language and cultural barriers rendered many of Bali’s dramatic dance genres unsuitable. The duet was a great success both with foreign audiences and in Bali, and has since obtained an established place in Bali’s treasure trove of dance forms.

A number of pantomimic dances appeared during early days of Indonesian independence, created out of political, nationalistic enthusiasm. Set to the fiery Gong Kebyar music, with movements that copy nature rather than following Bali’s traditional dance postures, the Tari Tani, “farmer’s dance” involves seven dancers who enact the sequence of planting, cultivating an harvesting rice. In a similar genre are the Tari Nelayan which describes the activities of fisherman, Tari Gembala Sapi, the “ploughmens’ dance” and Tari Tenun with its delicate rendering of women weaving.

Professional Joged dance troupes were once kept by royalty for the entertainment of guest of state. This flirtation dance starts with a solo in Legong style, which rapidly degenerates into an open invitation to a man in the audience. The dancer chooses a partner with a wave of her fan, an feigning reluctance he is pushed forward by his friends, and a sash is tied around his waist.

It is up to the man to create a flirtatious improvisation with the skilled Joged dancer. This improvisational dancing, known as ngibing, uses the classical movements of Modern Balinese dance, but places a much greater emphasis on the art of sensual body language. There are sexy, undulating wriggles, coy gestures with the fan, inviting smiles and suggestive winks. When the man becomes over enamoured of aggressive, the dancer skillfully dodges, side step and brushes away offending hand with a flick of her fan. Cheers and catcalls from the audience stir the male "suitor" into more and more daring attacks. The Joged may stop the duet at any moment with a swift movement of her fan.

Stories of pre-colonial days indicate that in former times liberties often continued after the performances, and often young boys dressed in women's costume know as gandrung played the female role. After national independence in 1945 Joged became less popular, somewhat due to a moralistic concern for public propriety.
However, in recent years, Joged dancing has regained popularity, both as entertainment for local people and as a tourist show. The latter is a somewhat stylized version wherein a number of female dancers appear together and decorously invite members of the audience, both men and women, to dance with them. These results in a comical sight as visitors completely unversed in Balinese dance try to mimic the delicate hand movements of their partners, moving with stiff bodies. However, the experience seems to be popular, and this opportunity to try the movements of a dance forms which to western eyes is usually greeted with enthusiasm.

The Kecak is one of the most popular shows amongst visitors to Bali. Performances start at dusk, with the lighting of flickering torches in a giant candelabra and the placing of offerings on the stage. Sudden shouts pierce the tranquility of the evening, and out of the darkness run a troupe of chanting men wearing black and white check sarongs, chest gleaming in the torchlight. They quickly arrange themselves in a series of concentric circles around the candelabra, where they sway and chant, one moment in unison, the next moment in syncopated counterpoint. A small group of dancers in full traditional costume perform an excerpt from the Ramayana in the midst of the waving sea of arms and bodies, dancing to the orchestrated voices. The "chak-chak-chak" of the chorus is adapted from the sanghyang chant, and the entire performance has an ethereal quality enhanced by the flickering of the torchligh. The first Kecak was created by dancers in Bedulu, Gianyar, who were commissioned by the well-known expatriate painter, Walter Spies. The first simple version was an immediate success, and now Bali boasts at least a dozen professional Kecak groups that perform regularly at the larger hotels and in special open stages built for the purpose in their banjar.

One of Bali's oldest performing arts is the Wayang Kulit shadow puppet play. Originating in Java, the Wayang Kulit came to Bali around 9th century A.D. along with the Hindu influences of the Javanese kingdoms, and was actually a powerful tool in introducing the relief and philosophy which were adopted by the Balinese, through the media of the ancient Mahabharata and Ramayana epics. The puppeteer sits with his gender musicians behind a thin white screen with a flickering oil lantern just above and in front of him. At the start of the performance he bangs three times on a wooden box containing his puppets to wake them up, the he hands each character one by one to his assistant who stick their wooden supports in the soft banana trunk at the base of his screen.

The entire ensemble is a miniature stage representing the cosmos. The screen is the universe, the banana trunk the earth, the lamp the sun, the puppets represent the whole spectrum of humanity, and the dalang is the supernatural being who conducts the flickering dance of life. The dalang is impersonator, storyteller and philosopher all in one. He is leader of the Gender Wayang music ensemble, a master of ancient literature and the old Kawi language, an orator with a repertoire of ancient tales, a priest with spiritual powers that enable him to ward of evil spirits, purify and bless the community, and a teacher of moral truth. He must be able sit for up to six hours at a time untiring assuming the vices of innumerable characters, tirelessly creating an epic drama from ancient tales of love and war, tempered with humor. The protagonists flash across the screen, finely delineated shadows that can be identified by their shape, voice and dress. Throughout the entire performance he taps a wooden horn held in his toes on the wooden puppet box, providing a rhythm and tempo that leads the musicians and emphasizes the movements on the screen. The audience, seated in semicircular fashion on the ground in front of the screen, watch spellbound, responding with shrieks of laughter and catcalls to the humor of the clown characters, who interpret the story in low Balinese.

Modern trends
Once purely performed for sacred purposes as a temple offering, Balinese dance and theatre has undergone many changes in the last century. Jus as craftsmen have begun to make copies of sacred objects to fill a demand for souvenirs, so has the dance evolved new form that area condensed and simplified for tourist consumption and do not require the ceremonial ritual or performed. The new genre fulfils a need for longer than a hour, and has developed a niche of its own in Bali's immense artistic repertoire. Although the Balinese public will always prefer to see the classic versions, they appreciate the economic role played by the new theatre of the hotel and tourist resort international zone.

At the same time, Balinese religious, cultural and political leaders have striven to ensure that sacred dances retain their pure unabridged form and will not be performed in public places for commercial gain. Back in the temple, the genuine Wali performance is alive, a constant reinstating of devotion to God, and entirely accessible to those who wish to spend time to explore Bali's culture to a greater depth.

Bali arts festival
The Foundation for Development and Preservation of Bali Art, Yayasan Bina Budaya, in its concern of the preservation of Bali's precious cultural heritage, has created an annual Bali Arts Festival which has just completed its tenth season. Set at the Werdhi Buaya Arts Center in Jalan Nusa Indah, Denpasar, during the months of June and July, the six-weeklong festival is an absolute feast of Bali's performing arts. A grand opening ceremony involves a parade from the central Puputan Square, nothing less than spectacular. Dancers in full costume, youths in ceremonial wedding attire from every region, entire orchestras in full musical swing march all the way from the center of town to the Art Center in grand style.

Nightly performances are scheduled, by the top artists and troupes of musicians and dancers on the island. Each year the program is carefully planned to include a representative cross section of Bali's secular performing arts, ancient to modern, as well as guest performances from other parts of Indonesia.

Thousands of avid enthusiasts, both local and foreign, flock to the Art Center nightly. For many of the performers this is the culmination of months of rehearsals, and they give their utmost for the occasion. The Arts Festival not only acts as a catalyst for the performing arts, it also offers a rare opportunity for audiences to enjoy a wide range of performances from all over the island in a compressed space and time bringing about an increase in cultural awareness amongst the youth of Bali.
During the day there are also programs and competitions for traditional skills and crafts such as mask-making, flower-arrangement, the preparation of traditional foods, costume both ancient and modern, lontar manuscript reading… to name just a few. A large craft exhibition opens for the duration of the festival in the spacious halls at the Center. And there are generally photography and painting exhibitions, complementing the Arts Center's permanent exhibition of paintings and handicrafts. Programs are available several months in advance from the Badung Tourism Office and Travel Agents, and visitors interested in witnessing a large range of Bali's performing arts in a short period of time would be well advised to plan their visits around this event.

Musical Heritage
Compared by scholars to "moonlight" and "flowing water", the sounds of Bali's flamboyant gamelan music form a vivid emotive background for all kinds of ritual, dance and theatre. Its fiery tempo, resounding notes and subtle interlude, comparable to no other musical form, correspond in perfect harmony to the mood of each moment and occasion.

The Balinese word of orchestra is gamelan. "Gamel" is and old Javanese word for hammer, and most instruments in Bali are percussive.

Balinese Ingredients, Preparing Rice. etc

2008-12-07T18:51:00.000-08:00

Balinese food uses a number of ingredients already familiar to lovers of other Asian cuisine. These and other less familiar seasonings are described for easy identification, and a range of substitutes suggested. Names given in italics are Balinese or Indonesian...

Preparing Rice
Steamed or boiled rice, the staple food in Bali, is the centerpiece of every main meal. Leftover rice is often transformed and reappears as Nasi Goreng, fried with various savory ingredients. In addition, various types of rice are used in desserts and cakes, either while or ground into...

Cooking Methods
Balinese cooking methods are similar to those employed in any other Asian or Western kitchen, although there are differences that should be noted.Blanching is often used for vegetables, as well as for bones to make stock. To blanch vegetables, bring a large amount of water with 2 teaspoons of salt to every 4 cups of liquid to a rapid ...

Basic Equipment
Preparing Balinese food abroad does not require an excess of complex equipment, and with the increasing popularity of Asian cuisines around the world, basic ingredients are generally easy to obtain...

The Balinese Kitchen
Despite the complex blending of spices and fragrant foots that gives Balinese food its intriguingly different flavor, the typical Balinese kitchen is remarkably simple. The centerpiece of the kitchen-generally a spartan, functional room is the wood-fired stove topped by a blackened clay pot used to steam rice and leaf-wrapped food. In many modern...

Snacking as a Way of Life
Although they eat meals only twice a day, the Balinese are always snacking. Women rush from the family compound into the street the minute a passing food vendor twangs the metal chime on his puscart; men stop off at their local warung shop for a coffee on the way home from the paddy fields, while school children cannot resist crisp fried crackers...

Feasting the Ancestral Spirits
Galungan, one of the most important festivals in the Balinese calendar, is a time when the spirits of ancestors return to earth to live with the family. The spirits are said to descend five days before the festival begins and to return to heaven den days thereafter. Women begin preparing a month before the festival, weaving intricate decorations from coconut...

Lavish Gifts for the Gods
Food in Bali is literally deemed fit for the gods. Every day of the year, the spirits whose shrines occupy the forecourt of every Balinese family compound are presented with offerings of flowers, food, holy water and incense. The offerings server to honor the spirits and ensure that they safeguard the health and prosperity of the family. Even malicious spirits are pacified...

Daily Life in Bali
The rhythm of the day in a typical Balinese family compound is ruled by the rice harvest, governed by tradition and watched over by the gods. Several generations usually live together in the compound, which is laid out in accordance with esoteric Balinese principles and surrounded by a mud of brick wall. The holiest part of the land (that which faces the...

Rice, the Gift of Dewi Sri
Terraced rice fields climb the slopes of Bali's most holy mountai, Gunung Agung, like steps to heaven. When tender seedlings are first transplanted, they are slender spikes of green, mirrored in the silver waters of the irrigated fields. Within a couple of months, the fields become solid sheets of emerald, which turn slowly to rich gold as the grains ripen. Although irrigated rice...

Garden of the Gods
Bali's landscape is characterized by abundance: thousands of verdant rice fields, graceful coconut palms and a myriad of tropical fruit trees, coffee plantations and even vineyards make up the cultivated areas. On the slopes of the mountains, lush tangles of vines and creepers...

Food in Bali
The extravagant beauty of Bali and its vibrant culture first captured the imagination of the world in the 1930s when it was visited by a few adventurous Dutch colonists, artists and the international jet set (who in those days actually traveled by ship). Since the arrival of mass...

Brief History of Bali
The Balinese people, descendants of a prehistoric race who migrated through mainland Asia to the Indonesian archipelago, have been influenced by a series of rich and highly developed civilizations. Yet, to this day, they retain their own total individuality, having absorbed and adapted those parts of each dominating civilization, which suit their own spiritual...

The exorcism of evil
Ceremonies for the removal of pacification of evil spirits, Bhuta Yadnya, play an important part in the Balinese spectrum of ritual. A great island-wide exorcism takes place on the eve of the Balinese Saka (lunar) year, the new moon of the ninth month, known as Tilem Kesanga...

The Performing Arts
Religious ceremonies in Bali inevitably involve music and dancing as an offering designed to please the deities attending the ceremony. Needless to say, besides its sacral purpose, each performance is avidly enjoyed by the villagers. With the advent of tourism the performing arts have taken on a new role, and there has been somewhat of a revival as a result....

Subak Organization
Groups of farmers with a common water supply feeding their rice fields are members of the same cooperative 'subak'. During the dry season, which usually falls between April and September, the farmers rely on irrigation. The rugged landscape, with its steep hillsides and deep valleys, poses problems in water...

Cycles of Rice Cultivation
Traditions in the practice of rice farming vary subtly from one village to another, but the basic cycles of planting, cultivation and harvest, along with their constant element of prayer and offering, are very similar. At the very first hoeing of the fields, 'ngendang', or the "opening up", which takes place after approximately 25 days...

A Brief History of Sanoer
It is in Blanjong Temple in Sanur that one finds the oldest edict in Bali carved in stone and dated 914 AD. Built on the delta created by the soil and sand carried down to the Badung Straits by the mighty Ayung River, this edict proves that Sanur was an important trading post at a very early date. Famed as one of the few theocratic villages in Bali ruled by powerful Brahmana families, Sanur's reputation for magic and secret...

Reflections of the Universe
The philosophy which gives order to all things is a reflection of a divine order: the macrocosmos, or Bwana Agung, is reflected within the microcosmos, or Bwana Alit, and one can never be separated from the other. The universe is split into three levels; the dominion of the Gods, the dwelling place of mankind, and the underworld of evil spirits...

A Stratified Society
Balinese society is traditionally divided into different levels. The nobility of Bali consists of three upper castes. Brahmanas, the teachers and priests, bear the title of Ida Bagus for men and Ida Ayu for women. The Ksatriyas, known historically as the warrior class, are known as Dewa Agung or Cokorda, depending upon their individual family origins. The Wesya, the...

Reverence for The After-life
A most important area of Balinese ritual is that known as Pitra Yadnya, devoted to the veneration of the ancestors, which includes the all important funereal rites. Cremation for Balinese is the only means to ensure that the spirit may be released from its mortal remains so as to be reincarnated in another physical body. Reincarnation is a process...

Life-cycle Ceremonies
The life of a Balinese person is measured in a series of Manusa Yadnya, rituals, which commence before the baby is born and follow in stages up until marriage. These are generally held in the privacy of the family compound, but those who wish to witness this integral part of the Balinese culture should ask their travel agent, or the local Badung...

Exotic World Gifts

2008-12-06T06:51:00.000-08:00

Exotic World Gifts - Distributor of Handcrafted Gifts from around the World - Launches Website

Exotic World Gifts chooses Appeal Media Interactive Studios, LLC to create new online worldwide presence.

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) November 12, 2008 - Exotic World Gifts, Fair Trade supporter and distributor of unique, handcrafted gifts from all over the world, has announced the launch of its high end website, www.exoticworldgifts.com. The website, designed by San Diego Website Design and Internet Marketing Firm Appeal Media Interactive Studios, LLC, features travel videos, custom flash, music, online purchasing, and a diverse collection of exotic gifts. About Exotic World Gifts Exotic World Gifts uses a multifaceted approach to promote cultural diversity, provide unique and exotic gifts, and support artisans in locations all over the world, through "compassion shopping". With a mission to help others - including treasure-seekers as well as craftspersons worldwide - Exotic World Gifts has collaborated with Appeal Media to provide an array of one-of-a-kind gifts from Africa, Bali, Cambodia, Central America, India, South America, and India. All items, including eco-chic apparel, jewelry, fine art, accessories, home furnishings, and rare finds, reflect generations of craftsmanship. A portion of the profits directly benefits artisans and environmental, medical, and social issues in the countries they represent.

Exotic World Gifts has recently exploded onto the world scene with its elephant paintings - self-portraits made by rescued elephants in Thailand - as publicized worldwide on the company's U-tube video attracting over 3,718,241 hits. National Geographic and Animal Planet are to feature Exotic World Gifts and its collection of elephant paintings, which are available for purchase on Exotic World Gifts' website.

Tracy Ochoa, Appeal Media's co-owner, says, "Working on a project with such far-reaching effects for families and villages throughout the world has been a thrill for Appeal Media. Mark and Liz from Exotic World Gifts have taken a simple idea and turned it into a phenomenal success!"

About Appeal Media Interactive Studios, LLC Appeal Media is an award-winning website design and development firm, creates custom websites for a wide range of clients. With the goal of providing visually and emotionally-appealing websites, Appeal Media has attracted the attention of numerous media outlets, including FOX, NBC, and Entrepreneur Magazine. Appeal Media's Creative Director, Chez Ochoa, has also won multiple International Awards, including a Webby (the "Oscar of the Web").

For more information on www.exoticworldgifts.com, visit http://www.exoticworldgifts.com/contact.php. For more information on www.appealmedia.com, contact Tracy Ochoa or Victor Ochoa at 619-615-0707. by Exotic World Gifts

Bali Vertical Blinds

2008-12-06T06:46:00.000-08:00

Bali vertical blinds are an excellent buy as they are generally cheaper than similar brands. The quality of the product is also very good, which is what you want in a window covering. This company stands behind their product, which is the true sign of a quality company. These products are also quite easy to install, as anyone who has installed them can attest.

Many people do not like installing blinds; however, you may find that Bali vertical blinds are one of the easiest window coverings you will ever come across. They are also available in many different colors, this is a great feature as it allows the consumer to select the exact color they want in a window covering, giving them something to match the décor of the specific room.

Bali vertical blinds come with a limited lifetime guarantee. What this means is that as long as there was not any unnatural abuse to the blinds they would honor the guarantee. These blinds are some of the most durable on the market so you will likely not need to worry about having to return them.

To clean Bali vertical blinds all you need is windex or any window cleaner along with a damp cloth and they will clean up nicely. Another way to clean them is to use a vacuum with a long hose and brush. They also come with a choice of a light duty track or a heavy-duty track. The heavy-duty track is a little more expensive though. Besides vinyl and aluminum, you can also find them in a softer fabric style. They are not as easy to clean however as the PVC type. Nevertheless, they still look fantastic.

If you happen to have a ceiling fan in the same room as your Bali vertical blinds then the circulated air will cause your blinds to dance around in a cool pattern. They are available in a mini blind style besides the standard size as well. In addition, they are available in vertical and horizontal styles. You can also purchase them in custom sizes depending on the size of your windows. You need to take measurements of the size required and then either have them ordered or cut for you in the store.

Bali vertical blind slats are one inch wide. The horizontal slats are two inches wide. Most of their blinds come with a light blocking head rail but they do not have a valance. Some people will install a cloth valance over the top of the blind. You should be able to purchase this product at any window covering store, home center or home improvement location. by T. Houser

Beautiful Bali

2008-12-06T06:38:00.000-08:00

Beautiful Bali

Once celebrated as an island paradise edged with beaches and known for its vibrant culture, Bali's reputation was damaged by the 2002 and 2005 bombings in which many Western tourists lost their lives. Bali is still officially a danger area but this shouldn't deter you from visiting what is still a fantastic island. Indonesia's only Hindu state, Bali has long been a favourite for holidaymakers from around the world thanks to its relaxed atmosphere and friendly locals.

Most people start their Bali experience in Kuta, the island's main resort. Kuta's streets are packed with shops, restaurants and tourists - you'll either love it or you'll hate it. Nearby Legian is slightly calmer and more upmarket, while the suburb of Oberoi is home to a swathe of popular eateries and bars. Kuta beach is frequented by surfers and can get busy in high season. If you decide to stay in Kuta there are plenty of guest houses, hotels and hostels. Jimbaran Beach a little way down the coast is renowned for its beachfront seafood restaurants where you can enjoy freshly caught snapper and squid as the sun sets.

Bali's capital city Denpasar is unremarkable and not particularly lovely. The town of Ubud about an hour inland from Kuta is a better choice. Best known for its arts and crafts, Ubud is a great place to escape from the bustle of the more touristy coast. Visit the Neka Gallery or Agung Rai Gallery to experience Balinese art at its best, then take in a traditional dance show in the evening. The Ubud monkey forest is great fun. Buy a bunch of bananas to feed the macaques, but make sure you don't look them in the eye - cute as they may look, they can turn nasty if confronted! From Ubud you can hire bikes to trek through the paddy fields outside the town.

Indonesia's volcanic geography is most evident in the central north of Bali, where Mount Agung (the mother mountain) and Batur rise up from the jungle. If you don't mind an early start and a brisk hike, get up before dawn to climb Batur. The view from the summit at sunrise is stunning - you can even see over to Mount Rinjani on the neighbouring island of Lombok. More adventurous walkers can trek around the crater of the volcano. The climb is relatively easy but its best to hire a local guide who will take you up for a small fee.

The western side of the island is home to the Bali Barat National Park which has over 200 species of birds and plants. The small resort of Lovina is a great base for exploring this part of Bali. Deer Island has great scuba diving and snorkelling.

Balinese food is best enjoyed in one of the many 'warungs' - small local restaurants which serve traditional fare like nasi goreng, a rice and meat dish. Try the national brew batavia arrack, a milky liqueur made from sugar cane - definitely an acquired taste.

There are no direct cheap flights to Bali from the UK, but check out FlightComparison.co.uk for connecting flights to Singapore. by. Kristina

The chosen ones of God Indra in Tenganan, Bali...

2008-12-06T06:27:00.000-08:00

The original inhabitants of Bali are called the Bali Aga who inhabited Bali prior to the Majapahit arrival of artists, noblemen and priests from Java island. There are only a couple of villages left where they live and where they still practice their ceremonies, dance, music and religion.

The most accessible and also interesting one is the village of Tenganan on the road between Padang Bai and Amlapura. There are no hotels or guesthouses in the village so your best option is to sleep in Candidisa, which is only 3km down the road.

Don't be surprised to see lots of tourist shops at the parking lot though, the Bali Aga here have embraced tourism as means of additional income.

The village, which looks more like a museum is around 500m by 250m large and has a rectangular shape, something you can't find in any of the other villages on Bali. From the looks of the streets and the houses it's easy to conclude that it's a poor village but nothing is more true, it is said that they are the richest village in the whole of Bali.

Has tourism played such a role that they make enough to be called the richest village in the whole of Bali?

It's not because of tourism, that's just for show. The Bali Aga own more fertile land around the holy mountain of Gunung Agung than any other community on Bali and they rent it out so they can focus more on other things such as ceremonies and chit-chatting.

Their village has strict rules and regulations and because of it approximately only 300 live in the village. It used to be that those that didn't follow the rules had to leave the village. For instance the customary village law forbade anybody to marry outside the village, polygamy or to divorce.

99% of the population has blood type O and you can see in their faces that there's lots of inbred in the village.

Because of the strict rules many have left and there's a population growth of zero, which had led to a new interpretation of the rules. So now it's OK to marry somebody from outside the village. The one from outside the village has to undergo a fake cremation ceremony to return to the village as a new Tenganan inhabitant.

Tenganan is famous under the Balinese for their double-ikat cloths. Every house seems to have ikat demonstration ready for you to see. It takes the women months on end to produce one and some can take up to seven years for the traditional 'kamben geringsing'. These have patterns, which the villagers believe were designed by God Indra himself.

The Bali Aga believe they are the chosen ones by God Indra and mix their Hindu beliefs with their animistic spirit belief just like the rest of Bali.

Besides producing double ikat cloths they are really good in basket weaving and painting epics from the Ramayana on lontar leaves, which they sell as calendars. They also play an old-fashioned version of the gamelan instrument here, called the 'gamelan selunding' and girls dance an ancient dance called the 'Rejang'.

Another thing that is different from the rest of Bali is the burying of the death instead of cremation.

If you have the time to visit interesting Tenganan village, try to arrive early in the morning before all the tourist buses arrive. You have the whole village to yourself and enough time to ask the villagers all sorts of questions.

Enjoy your trip! by Matt Verbaan

Sacred Waterways of Bali, Indonesia

2008-12-06T05:45:00.000-08:00

Take a break from the cold steel of modern times to be nurtured by a more symbiotic relationship with nature, in one of the most spiritually artistic places on the planet. World-famous Bali is celebrated for the artistry of its people as well as for its cultural intensity, spectacularly sculpted scenery and well-developed infrastructure. It is arguably southeast Asia's most stylish destination, with some of the most understatedly opulent resorts in the world vying to outdo each other in the fine lines of their architecture and the often exquisite taste of their fittings and furnishings. These designer resorts usually perfectly complement their often stunningly beautiful settings, either baking on white sandy beaches, nestling on terraced hills or perching atop sea-cliffs.

5-star resorts the world over are often beautifully designed, but on Bali the 5-star vacation experience is different. Here it is not necessary to insulate yourself in luxury establishments in order to avoid the outside world, as is unfortunately necessary in the capital Jakarta. The beauty of Bali's rice terraces can not be adequately described in words or art and must, like those in the Philippines Banaue, be seen with the eyes. These landscapes, sculpted by human hands, sometimes feel too man-made to be real and almost like journeys inside a painting, in which a careful artist has skilfully enhanced the bounties bequeathed by nature to maximum effect and optimal proportion. The serried rice terraces compete for the eye's attention with burbling irrigation canals and with the jungle-shrouded rivers which sometimes form a convenient path-way for Balinese women to sway gracefully beneath improbably precarious loads perched on the top of their heads. In a society where art is regarded as so fundamental a part of a person's life that the local language does not have a word for it, the entertainment is also stylish. Balinese dance is justifiably world-famous for its subtle sign language and beautiful costumes, but not so well-known are the coming-of-age dances in which one teenage girl at a time dances surrounded by a circle of up to a hundred boys. After she taps a boy with her fan, he dances with her, but in a very different style to hers. Whilst she is attempting to maintain grace and elegance, his sole objective is to squeeze her bum. It sounds uncouth, but is just hilarious, as she vigorously defends herself, often by jabbing her fan, to painful effect, into the most sensitive parts of the boys' anatomies.

In a deeply religious Hindu society, everybody pays great attention to the ceremonies that mark life's major events, with funerals in particular being very grandiose events full of colour and excitement: a Balinese's last journey takes so long to organise that bodies must be temporarily buried while the myriad arrangements are made.

All Balinese bear one of only four given names, Made, Nyoman and Ketut. A family's first child is always christened Putu/Wayan, with the second known as Made, the third as Nyoman and the fourth as Ketut. From the fifth child on the naming cycle starts afresh, with any fifth child that makes an appearance known as Putu/Wayan.

The latest threat to the lovely rice-terraces, after the solution of the pest problems caused by the Asian Development Bank's 'Green Revolution' project, comes from an unlikely quarter: prosperity. Balinese farmers, especially young ones, are leaving the land in droves for better-paid and physically less demanding jobs as caddies and waiters. It is hoped that some of the huge numbers of tourist dollars flowing into Bali can be spent subsidising rice farming, in order to preserve this unique landscape and its aquatic traditions. The best time to see the rice paddies is during the hour before dawn, the hour the Balinese call "the silk time". But, even for the chance to experience heaven, that is a little too early for most visitors, who prefer the twilight hours.

The night was balmy and, after supper, the moon rose, yellow and huge. After a short walk along a tree-lined lane we came to a gap in the trees. Water chattered and laughed in the gullies all around us and, spread out before us, was a blue, moonlit valley. The terraced paddy fields hugging the contours of the hills were filled with still water, drained of colour by the night. Each patch of black water reflected it's own little moon. A breeze crinkled the satin-like surface and scattered the golden moon-beams. Then the breeze died, the gold reassembled and the moons settled back into their pools. Frogs croaked. Water gushed. Briefly we mourned the loss of all those moons until our eyes adjusted to the dark and the banks of the terraces came alive with more light. Sparkling sequins of white light flashed around as our minds reeled in the attempt to take in such beauty. Whether the moons or the fireflies were the most beautiful is impossible to say, as both art and words are inadequate to the task of framing such serenity. If heaven exists then maybe it looks a little like Bali.

Water is sacred in Bali. Everywhere you go, you hear it bubble and gurgle and giggle and splash. The ancient irrigation system consists of a network of gullies and channels, dykes and runnels that carry the precious fluid from the river and through the sinuous, rice-paddied, terraces. Water is so vital to rice, and so to life, that in Bali the temples control its flow. The priests are the experts in how the waterways work. They know where each channel runs and when each sluice needs opening, and it's their duty to ensure that every terrace gets filled and that every farmer gets an adequate flow.

Every day, in the late afternoon, all over Bali, you'll see villagers, in their sarongs, sauntering down to the rivers to bathe. The women gather in one place, dipping and laughing, shampooing their long black tresses. The men gather in another, splashing each other and playing with their children. "They want to give us taps," I heard one man exclaim, "they say it will make life easier. But we don't want water from taps. It contains chemicals. We have this beautiful river, how can anybody improve on this?"

Tirtaganga is a special place where, in bygone days, Balinese Kings built a great Water Palace. The kings are long gone, but there is enough grandeur left to enable you to imagine attendants in vivid sarongs laying gold cloth on gleaming stone steps to aggrandize the journey of the king and his courtiers to the three jade-coloured swimming pools. These days the steps are mossy and the spirit statuary is mottled with lichen. Instead of gilded princesses, rice farmers wallow and chat while their wives offer flower-filled palm-leaf baskets to the Gods.

It is unsurprising that Balinese love their island, but it might surprise some readers to know of the lengths to which these gentle people have in the past gone to defend it. In the 1840s the Dutch established a presence by playing various distrustful Balinese realms against each other, before mounting large-scale naval and ground assaults, first against the Sanur region and then against Denpasar. The Balinese were hopelessly outnumbered and outgunned, but rather than face the loss of their island, 4,000 of them marched to their deaths in a suicide attack on the invaders. Afterwards the Dutch governors were able to exercise little control over the island, and the religion and culture remained intact.

When Japan occupied Bali during World War II, a Balinese military officer, Gusti Ngurah Rai, formed a Balinese army of freedom fighters. When the Dutch returned to Bali to reinstate their pre-war colonial administration, they were opposed by the Balinese rebels. On 20 November 1946, the Battle of Marga was fought in Tabanan in central Bali. Colonel I Gusti Ngurah Rai, 29 years old, rallied his depleted and nearly beaten forces in east Bali at Marga Rana, where they made a suicide attack on the heavily armed Dutch. The Balinese battalion was entirely wiped out, breaking the last thread of Balinese military resistance.

The well-developed infrastructure for leisure activities, including golf, sailing, diving, dancing and partying, complements the island's idyllic landscape and turns Bali into, for many holiday-makers, the best destination in southeast Asia if not the world.

If dancing is your way of reviving your energy and spirits after an aeon behind a desk, then you will be pleased to hear that Bali has the clubs you need. Try the 15,000 watt Double Six, where DJs from across the world play eclectic and variable mixes that have only one thing in common: the ability to make you want to shake your bits till dawn. If you get bored of getting on down to the music then get on down in a more extreme way, courtesy of the club's bungee jump. KUDOS, the hippest place on the island, prides itself on a computerized colour mixer that synchronises the music with pre-arranged lighting sequences of the bar and interiors.

This article was first published in Adrenaline ezine

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by. simon ramsden

Kuta where everything seems possible

2008-12-06T01:14:00.000-08:00

If you have ever heard about Bali, then you must have heard about Kuta too. It seems like these two things are intertwined despite many Bali lovers disagreeing entirely on this, including me.

Nevertheless from all the places in Bali, this little town has the highest number of visitors all year round. Everyday hundreds of shops, restaurants, hotels and hostels prepare themselves to receive all types of tourists ranging from the severely budget ones to the ones who have more to spend.

Sadly like whole Bali, this tourist hot-spot had to cope with the impacts of the disastrous Bali bombing in 2002. During the period afterward the high tourists numbers plunged and what was once a busy hive of tourists had suddenly turned into very quiet little town where hotels and restaurants remained empty for many years...

Fortunately, like in the 1970 when Kuta was still a poor fishing village, tourists started to discover it again. And their numbers have just been growing since then resulting into most Balinese being back in business again...

So what is it about this place that always seems to attract different kinds of visitors from all over the world?

I guess it has to do with the fact that anything is possible here. Physically you are in Bali but when you are in this crazy village it is as if you are visiting a popular Australian surfer's hot-spot. The bars and shopping streets are all focused on this type of crowd which has resulted in places with many flashy neon-lights offering Western brands and Asian night-life entertainment.

The unique Bali culture that has created this beautiful island is nowhere to be found. Local people do still prepare their daily ceremonies and sometimes you will see people conducting worships in the middle of a traffic junction. But other than that, it is one Western influenced hub…

I might not sound very positive about this famous place, but don't get me wrong. This crazy village and I are in a kind of love and hate relationship. Every time I visit Bali I always seem to end up there one way or the other because even though it has things that do not attract me at all, it has many qualities as well.

Take for instance the terrific Kuta beach where you can not only swim, but also have your first surfing lesson. Be careful though, once you stand on the board it can become addicting. And at the end of the day you will be rewarded with an amazing sunset that changes everyday. You will not get enough of it...

Another positive thing is the huge choice of terrific restaurants. While many restaurants in the surrounding area are quite popular as well, the restaurants in Kuta seem to have more character and charm plus good food.

No matter if you are there to wine and dine or just to have a delicious bite at a local restaurant, the atmosphere is always relaxed just as the staff and crowd that come there to enjoy their lunch or dinner.

After dinner there are enough choices of bars and clubs that open till early in the morning. These hang-outs also range from the good old bars where beer is your best friend to trendy clubs where the Dj accompanies you with great dance music right at the beach front.

So as you can see, it is not surprising that there are so many kinds of tourists visiting this crazy town। There is enough choice for anyone to have an unforgettable time...by Matt Verbaan