Tag Archives: Bali

Setia Darma House of Masks and Puppets

The Setia Darma House of Masks and Puppets was founded by an Indonesian businessman and collector to preserve and share the culture and tradition. When I found this site online, I assumed the collection was small and housed in one or two buildings. I discovered that it includes approximately 1300 masks and 5700 puppets. There […]

Three Temples in Bali

Bali is unique in Indonesia, with a Hindu population of 86.9%. One of the great pleasures of visiting Bali is touring the temples. Temples represent an important part of daily religious, social and cultural life and are meticulously maintained. On this trip, I visited three in the Ubud area, illustrated in the following photographs.1-3 Pura […]

Galungan and Kuningan Celebrations, Bali 2018

I was pleased to return to Bali again in June/July, especially as my trip coincided with Galungan. Galungan marks the beginning of the one of the most important recurring religious festivals in Bali. It celebrates the victory of dharma over adharma. It is a time when spirits of relatives who have died and been cremated return to Earth […]

My Favourite Travel Photos of 2016

My partner works in international development, which means I am fortunate to be able to join her from time to time in exotic locations and indulge my passion for photography. In 2016 I have visited Morocco, Bali (twice) and Timor Leste. With some difficulty, I have chosen my ten favourite photographs from these trips. I […]

Balinese Gamelan Ensemble Rehearsal

While walking in Seminyak, Bali, one evening I heard the strains of a gamelan ensemble. I quickly located them, practising in their temple and stood close to the stage to watch them for a half an hour or so. When they took a break, their leader came over to me and explained that they were preparing […]

Colourful Preparations for a Balinese Temple Celebration

Earlier this year, I took an early morning walk around the back streets of Seminyak in Bali, when I came across a temple I had passed and photographed several times before. Although well before nine a.m., there were several people busy decorating the building and laying tables inside. Unfortunately, I did not have a sarong […]

Jimbaran Fishing Village, Bali

If you ever have the pleasure of visiting Bali and enjoy eating fresh fish, Jimbaran, just a few miles south of the airport, is the place to visit. Enjoying an exquisite, leisurely meal at one of several restaurants, ideally at a table laid out on the beach, is not the only pleasure. The colourful fishing […]

Cremation Ceremony for a Balinese Prince

I arrived in Ubud, Bali, on Sunday 8th May having learnt that a public cremation procession and ceremony was taking place for a royal prince, Cokorda Putra Widura, who had recently died young from an asthma attack. Preparations had been under way for several days; the procession was scheduled to depart from the Royal Palace […]