Backtrack to Bali ~~

I woke up this morning, a bit late – I stayed up – a bit late ---and realized I didn’t have anything planned for this morning’s post!

What’s a girl to do but go back through the photo archive and pick up where I left off on the Bali Expedition.  I hope you don’t mind ---I realize that not everyone wants to see endless fields of rice paddies, but this trip has had such an effect on me.  And this is after all, my journal space and I have more to share!

We did spend quite a bit of time on a bus.  And for me, the time on the bus was one of the best parts of the trip.  We asked Mawa questions, he explained things.  We talked amongst ourselves and got to know our fellow travelers.  I really started to think of many as friends and am happy to still be in contact with them.

Time on the bus with a view gave me a window into the world of the Balinese and what it is like to live here.  Photos may have a blue cast – that’s normal from a window, but maybe you’ll feel like you are on the bus with me!

As we work our way up into the mountains this day it had been raining.  We only got a few drops, but I loved how the clouds hung on the mountains and the sky was reflected in the water of the paddies.

It’s a world away!

And I am captivated!

And just for fun…here I am working on hexies on the bus!  I had traded American dollars with rupiah with another traveler ---and was entertained by how much they MATCH the colors of my hexies!

Rupiah are a bit confusing.  Way too many zeros.  But what I have here in my lap is the equivalent of about $50.00 US.

We are on our way to enter a palace. This is a Sarong Day.

Even the statues comply!

Yes, I like catching action from behind!

Artwork enchants me.  The panels on the column as much as the statue with the sarong and parasol.  I have new found delight in black and white check!

I wish I knew the stories that go with the mythical characters.  This guy has a bow…..not sure where his arrows are!  But see how the tree is wrapped as well?

The grounds are beautiful!  Mawa explained to us that the ceramic tile roof dates back to the Dutch occupation of Bali starting in the 1500s.  Many Dutch influences are still seen today in Bali.

Gardens.

Palace doors.

When we hear the word “PALACE” we are thinking of Cinderella or Buckingham.  This wasn’t like that.  Balinese live in compounds --- where each living area is a separate building connected by a courtyard.  But the artwork in this door is incredible and extremely royal!

hand carved and painted wood.  Look at the detail and colors!

Inside the former King’s living quarters were decorations for the upcoming Garungan Day holiday!  These are made of palm leaves.

An altar in remembrance hangs above the bust of the former king, offerings adorning the table top as well as the shrine itself.

The sleeping quarters of the former king.

The palace roofline was really interesting!  See the black/white check insets and the black white “egg” shaped thing with the spire? And the influence of the Dutch in the clay roof tiles.

Artisan detail everywhere! I’m sure this carved stone panel has a story to tell, I wish I knew what it was!

A side shrine on the property.

Reflecting pool.

And here we all are!

I loved the detail in the wood railings behind me too – and that blue color – LOVE LOVE LOVE!

((And yes, it was a hot and unbelieveably humid day!))

Thanks for indulging my need to put all these photos into the blog and not just storing them on the computer ----

As for the rest of my day, I better get busy with it!

Happy Thursday, Everyone!