Love Island Travel

Gambling, such as prostitution and corruption, is a secular vice part of the culture of Indonesia. Despite being criminalized in the 1970s, the game industry is flourishing, thanks to the protection against corrupt politicians, military officers and police who receive a share of profits.

Good Rp.1,000 purchase lottery tickets on the black market, Balinese bet with passion on cockfighting, magnates staking thousands of dollars on a rotation of the roulette wheel, the game calls for a wide range of Indonesian, but most are wise enough not to waste their money on illegal gambling.

Opponents of the game argue that this can cause financial ruin, divorce and moral decay. Proponents claim that the government could earn at least $ 1 billion a year to finance public infrastructure if the game was regulated and taxed. Neighboring Singapore should earn $ 6.4 billion from its two casinos this year, putting it on par with Las Vegas.

119. Kaarspellers: A photograph taken by John Demmeni showing the game in Central Java (circa 1911) - courtesy of Bartele Gallery

The first Java gaming forms predate the arrival of the Dutch, Islam and Chinese. Both animals or insects that could be put together to fight were fair game for paris. Cockfighting remains popular and is semi-legal in Bali, provided that it takes place in religious ceremonies, such as roosters are considered sacrifices whose blood will purify the earth. Part of the money wagered on these occasions is traditional village councils.

A Java bloodiest of paris performances involved between a buffalo against a tiger. Buffaloes are generally docile and Javanese tiger disappeared today tended to be shy of larger animals, so animals should be in the mood for fighting. This was achieved by the anointing of the buffalo flank with a paste of nettles and chili, while the tiger would be goaded with fire and boiling water. Buffaloes were generally victorious in these fights, which took place in bamboo pens, but any triumph tiger would then speared to death. In colonial times, this bias was said to be because the buffalo symbolizes the Javanese, while the tiger represents the Europeans.

Another early game centered on boat races and kite fighting, kite latter involving dropping a midair opponent. Also popular was betting on which the nut could crush the nut of an opponent. Another simple game was to bet on the number of seeds held in the hands of two or more people.

Chinese migrants, who first arrived there about 700 years, introduced new types of games, especially cards and game coins. The game was popular at weddings and public events, but with the rise of Islam in the 1500s, he was then banned by some sultans and rajas, although other leaders risked entire fortunes, palaces and women on gambling.

Under Dutch rule, various forms of gambling were allowed because they provided the colonial administration with considerable income. The term Dutch lottery was taxed at 21%, with 20% going to government and 1% to the poor. contract workers were often held under contract because of their addiction to gambling and opium. When the British took much of the Dutch East Indies from 1811 to 1816 over the game was banned by the new governor, Thomas Stamford Raffles, although it has to establish a lottery to fund a road on the north coast of Java . Some British residents of Batavia founded a horse racing club, which, though interrupted after a few years racing clubs inspired in large parts of Java. The re-legalized the Dutch game during their return to power in India, but they eventually ban cockfighting in 1926 after an investigation of the negative impacts of the game.

After Indonesia gained independence, the central government in 1957 allowed provincial governments to regulate the game

life in Bali - Cockfighter: a Cockfighter Bali by WG Hofker - courtesy of Bartele Gallery

their local sales, but many were reluctant to do because of criticism from Muslim leaders. It was not until 1967 that the game was legalized in Jakarta Governor Ali Sadikin by. The industry has been tightly controlled in order to ensure money flowed into municipal coffers and that people do not become poor game addicts. The licenses were awarded by tender to build three casinos: Petak Sembilan on 13 ^e floor of the Sarinah building Copacabana Hotel Horison in Ancol, and Recreation Center New International in the former Jakarta Theatre complex. game centers with slot machines have also been approved in several areas. Greyhound racing was introduced at Senayan Stadium. Horse racing began Pulo Mas, East Jakarta, with eight races are held every Sunday. The course has been funded with approximately $ 5 million from Australian investors who also sent on horses and jockeys for the first races. The horses were retained in quarantine for a week, so at the first meeting, several Australian jockeys had contracted a venereal disease and endured a painful day of racing.

Sadikin established two lottery systems, which were also introduced in other provinces and apparently used to raise funds for sporting events. Within a decade, the Jakarta development budget has increased tenfold, allowing the governor to build schools, health clinics, roads and markets. mounting criticism from Muslim leaders urged the government in 1973 to issue a ministerial decree prohibiting public gaming practices. In 1974, a more severe law was issued, revoked all gambling license, but Jakarta casinos continued to operate, being technically open to foreigners. After Sadikin fell out of favor with President Suharto, in 1981 the government issued a regulation prohibiting all forms of gambling in the country.

The legal game reappeared in December 1985 with a football pool called Porkas, set up to raise funds for sports development. In response to protests from Muslims Porkas was renamed twice in efforts to sound more respectable, but he was fired in 1989 amid concerns that the villagers were wasting their savings. The lottery was later reincarnated as the Social Fund Donation Price (SDSB), which was banned in 1993 following an increase in the number of Muslims in the national parliament.

The game bans did not specify an end to the Pulo Mas racetrack. The Sports Association of Indonesian horses continues to organize days of racing, one of the most recent being the Jakarta-Kapolri Cup Derby, held in association with the National Police. As for casino operators, many of them simply basement, forming what became known as the untouchable network Nine Dragons, which now has a new generation of leaders, operating approximately 44 gambling sites in Jakarta alone. Several other major cities have clandestine gaming centers, some with large casinos, others simply with rows of slot machines, known locally as "Mickey Mouse" machine because many have the Disney icon or other cartoon characters such as Bugs Bunny.

a side effect of the closure of three licensed casinos Jakarta was the opening of an Australian island casino Christmas at the end of 1993. Funded mainly by Indonesians and Australians, the casino was only one hour flight Jakarta on Merpati Airlines the Suharto family. After a good start, the casino was hit by the Asian financial crisis of 1997-98, his license was suspended by the Australian government and has never reopened.

Many proposals of control, legalized gambling have failed over the last decade, ostensibly because of the opposition Islamic groups, although there may be a reluctance from those who currently control and to protect the industry lost one of their profits. Sources say that tributes were also paid to youth and civic organizations to ensure they never complain.

Under the law, players face a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment or a fine of up to Rp.25 million. Law enforcers tend to ignore the big fish and instead prey on smaller offenders. The former president Gus Dur in 00 ordered the arrest of the most famous kingpin game, but the country's police and prosecutors refused to act, saying there was insufficient evidence. Police in 09 showed their courage by stopping 10 shoeshine boys, aged between 8 and 15, to place Rp.1,000 paris in a coin-toss game in a parking lot at the Soekarno-Hatta airport. The children were sent to court and convicted. In Aceh, which has a long tradition of horse racing, people took the game for small amounts of money are regularly arrested and flogged in public. Not far away, on the resort island of Batam, which has long catered to Singaporeans seeking sex and gambling, proposals to legalize casinos and play areas were rejected. On the other side of the archipelago, Papua, police this year shot a seller of illegal lottery tickets allegedly because he did not share its profits.

In 2010, a vegetable seller in Jakarta, imprisoned for Rp .58,000 paris in a card game, joined forces with a Chinese man to file an unsuccessful judicial review against the law 1974 banning the game. They argued that state law should not be used to apply the Islamic prohibition of the game, adding that Paris was part of their culture and that non-Muslims should not be victimized.

Some of the most obvious forms of gambling today include arisan - a renewable private lottery, where everybody eventually wins, and late-night motorcycle drag racing, in which young people use relatively empty streets as racetracks for their memory, moth-like life. The golf courses are another common place for gambling. Websites offering the game draw for many bettors. Also popular is the game of football, with many local bookmakers to make paris on national and international games. The government plans to classify the game on sport as a form of corruption, which would mean stiffer penalties for offenders. For the poor who dream of buying a motorcycle or a house by winning a lottery on the black market, the game could become more risky; while the highest rollers and their hosts have little to fear with the remaining deck stacked in their favor.

The English, bless our little buds of cotton, have always enjoyed a gallant loser. Years small cricket and football performance assured us that we can not be, for the moment, the first world power, we assume that we once were. But this is not a recent phenomenon. Oh no, we have long been able to lose the most heroic manner, and often futile, possible.

Let the spice race. This blind race between the Portuguese, the Dutch and the English to dominate the clove supplies, nutmeg and mace scented Moluccan islands in Europe. Where perplexed island looked with astonishment at these rustic old sea dogs who traveled halfway around the world just to drink in a stupor and fight each other.

The Moluccas are a chain of islands in the far east of Indonesia on the edge of the massive island of New Guinea and while they may be mere pinpricks on most cards today, in the 16th and 17th centuries that their products packed a hefty profit. After the Portuguese were the first to fiddle around a while, the Dutch aggression has set up shop and went Java navigate the eastern seas signing agreements with all the little potentates who listen and were soon able obtain a monopoly on return to the West consignments and these bourgeois Amsterdam good.

The English were involved hesitantly, testing the water as they still adopt today. Rail Link high-speed Channel Tunnel? Of course, these early explorers did in the islands after traveling for several months through the tough oceans arrived to find the Dutch with their feet well established, particularly on the Banda Islands and, in a gesture more a -European were most reluctant to share the spoils with the perfidious Albion. The story was the same on Great Banda Neira and therefore the English, never ones to slink off with their tails between their legs, go to Ai, a few miles away and yet to have an agreement with the Netherlands.

Ai residents greeted the English, although this is how contemporary accounts describe it, and they began to fortify the island in anticipation of a Dutch invasion of which they were sure would come. Indeed, the Dutch attacked, were rejected once attacked a second time and triumphed, lock them and English "piss and sh ** ting on their heads," leaving only a distant island called Run to be affected by the 'Hollanders.

Some of Ai survivors escaped and was run by the English determined to do everything in their power to keep one foot on the Spice Islands. In 1616, they sent an expedition to the island of Bantam and indigenous readily agreed to make the island to the English Crown forever. King James became King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland is also now by the mercy of God, King of Pooloway (Ai) and Pooloroone (Run). One of English noted that these islands would be more profitable than Scotland ever had. The English in return entreated to respect the local religion, not misbehave with women and do not breed pigs.

The man in charge rejoiced in the name of Nathaniel Courthope and at the height of his name, was an optimist gentleman by all accounts. He knew he was vulnerable to attack, but also knew the island was difficult to invade because of natural defenses. Still, he prepared some rudimentary and some strong defensive positions. The island was very defenseless to a naval blockade. It relied on the outside for all supplies, including drinking water, and the Dutch were forced to accept the legitimacy of English claims to the island was not so inclined to be good neighbors.

With little in the way of supplies reaching Run, some of the crew went to at least try to get some water, but the mission was doomed. The Dutch were attentive to their situation Run and waiting for such a moment. The ship was captured and ransacked the trapped men.

In the absence of aid coming to their door, Courthope sent one of his greatest crew in Bantam seeking supplies from there, but a change of direction had seen a pompous Preener take relay with little interest in the outer islands. Finally, in spring 1618, three ships heavily laden with supplies were sent and within an hour of racing were preparing to unload when a Dutch patrol came upon them. Courthope watched with dismay as the wind changed and Dutch approaches. The British were slow to move, then overwhelmed supplies. The fight with the Run residents looking in a state of helplessness was one result. The Dutch were delighted at their unexpected generosity while Courthope in the beautiful English tradition, sent a strongly worded letter to his employer.

In 1619, he had resigned himself to the fact that the aid was unlikely in his courageous fight to keep one of the islands under the English flag. He has no money, no natural resources and little in the way of spices. His crew decrease was firmly behind him that would have been comforting, but on this small rock surrounded by enemies and seas, he must have felt that the world was a very large place indeed.

But in October 1620 news came through that over Great Banda, there was an uprising and the natives there want to join Courthope and people Run to take the Dutch. The courageous English determined to sail to the island under the cover of darkness and meet the rebels, but was betrayed. Some Dutch were at sea that night, silently waiting for their hated enemy who had kept the British flag high among an orange sea. Courthope went down fighting, but came down he did. The body was not found, but later the story appeared that the Dutch had buried the man who had held them at bay for 1540 days full honor and respect.

With Courthope the road, the Dutch returned and remained until 1665 when a couple of English ships fronted up at the port and port recovered almost forgotten. But at that time, the British were looking to the west and the east and the year had already received the Dutch an area called Manhattan through a mixture of bluff and bravado.

In 1667 the British and the Dutch were tiring of the struggle against the other all over the known world and decided to try to find a peaceful solution. The English wanted Run officially handed back, the Dutch wanted Manhattan returned and here they got stuck. Finally, if they thought sod it, let's keep things as they are, no matter how the possession had been claimed, so officially exchanged the Run island in the East Indies in Manhattan, including New York, in the American colonies.

While the spirited defense of Courthope was in the battle for the spice trade, ultimately unimportant and soon forgotten, if the story was a pack of cards, he held two of diamonds which was then exchanged for the ace of spades. Today Courthope is almost forgotten, his heroic defense of a small island on the other side of the globe, courageous but futile. Which is a shame because his stubbornness face enormous obstacles is typically English. Maybe if he had a Max Clifford Simon Cowell or the representative, his name and deeds are in fact known throughout the country.

wind of the days of July, the sky Denpasar fill with kites. These large birds and dance of fish and slide with the joy of children (of all ages, of course) by pulling their strings. The heavens are not the only congested roads, however. As restless winds of change attempt to lay the final clumps of cloud for cooler Bali more sunny dry season, the blue sky invite guests from near and far, filling the streets of Bali with traffic.

Bali prepares to attack with frantic activity. Stuck in traffic with several meetings on my calendar, uncertain and renounce to go, I remember my all-powerful enemy, one of the six enemies in me (the Balinese version of the seven deadly sins): Confusion. And it's times like these I invoke the divinity in me, this time as Catur Muka, the god with four heads facing the four cardinal directions. Expand my spatial awareness, I guess the immobility of a statue as I slip (or grind, mostly) through the traffic. Watch all the comings and goings around me.

There are many Catur Muka statues, as Janus in ancient Greece, guarding the crossroads of Bali. My favorite stands proudly in the heart of Denpasar, at the intersection of Jalan Surapati, Jalan Udayana, Jalan Jalan Gajah Mada and Veteran. It is the place Puputan Badung Jagad Temple Natha.

To appreciate this statue, it is not enough to go round twice (as I like to do when in a race, but wanting to enjoy this marvel). I prefer to walk to it from the south, past the office of Denpasar Mayor, the granite statue of 9 meters high.

Unlike its cousins ​​skinnier around the island, Denpasar statue is impressive for its finely balanced proportions. It is the work of artist I Gusti Nyoman Lempad Ubud, commissioned in 1973 at a time when the Balinese government faced a new brave future. The Government had established the Ngurah Rai International Airport in 1969 and acquired Bali Beach Hotel in Sanur the same year (as a repair gift postwar Japanese government). When the local legislature issued a decree to erect the statue in 1971, the government had to establish the tourist area of ​​Nusa Dua.

Catur Muka is a representation of Brahma, God as Creator. It stands on a lotus petal, symbolizing a pure universe. In his four hands, the creator and-rule-of-the-universe holds a rosary, a whip, a wheel and a defense chakra, symbolizing the purity of knowledge, certainty of law, justice and divine the application of the law. The rope around the statue's chest symbolizes Maya (the world of illusion) linking the atman (soul) from the cycle of reincarnation.

The government directive is embodied by the statue "Denpasar should be built on the basis of Balinese philosophy." Rampant development in Bali late suggests otherwise.

Taking into account the fact that during the previous Dutch colonial period, this site was a city clock which chimes every hour, reminding residents that was in charge, it is also consider the statue as a symbol of the restoration of identity.

clock now wallows in the Bali Museum, two blocks away. It is easy to be pessimistic that by removing the clock, the Balinese have abandoned discipline and order mechanism for mysticism. Or Catur Muka statue that depicts the Balinese soul firmly bound by rope illusions Villa-Real.

But I prefer to put on four bold faces. It looks to the past and see a history of violence and repression and is happy for these freedoms. Another looks at the future of a generation that grew up with an awareness of the place of Bali in the world and pray that they will learn from the mistakes of their parents. A third looks at the price wars companies sub-section around the island as a necessary evil to remind stakeholders of the need for regulation and ethics.

The final face, I set before the tax man and government officials stressing their fees without contributing much, but heavier for business. It is a bold face obedient to the laws of this island, both spiritual and human. It is a face that intends to remind the mayor of good governance values ​​enshrined in the Catur Muka statue at the next meeting.

Photo Angela Richardson

There's a long weekend ahead in October and you desperately try to book a villa in Bali, but it seems everywhere is fully booked. Belitung not available and you do not want to try to drive in Bandung or Pelabuhan Ratu fear it will take hours and hours to get there. So where do you go?

My answer is Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Direct Flights from Jakarta to Kota Kinabalu (also known as K. K.) are available and are cheaper than flights to Bali. In two and a half hours you are in another country and a different world and you can enjoy a pedestrian city with a traffic light and fresh air. The KK attractions are limited to shopping, walking and food, but it's what's just outside of the city that made the trip to this side of Borneo all the trouble.

Our trip was a little adventurous, starting with a two-day hike up and down Mount Kinabalu, located in Kinabalu National Park, two hours drive from KK Peaking at 400.2 meters this is the one of the mountains of this magnitude easier to conquer and much effort has been put into this path. Starting the climb at 9am, we hiked through the lush tropical forest, admiring several miniature waterfalls during the trip, and enjoy the rest stations equipped with toilets and untreated spring water.

Photo by Angela Richardson

the path of Labuan Rata, the lodge where hikers rest overnight before ascending to the top, is six kilometers and we were four clicks before the inevitable happened to slow us - the open tropical skies and it was a downpour. One thing to each tour operator and the website will tell you is to make sure to bring waterproofs and how right they were. Waterproof trousers is the only thing you need most after a rain poncho with water.

Spotting Labuan Rata was a glorious moment, which means shelter and rest. The lodge consists of several dormitory-style rooms unheated different sizes, equipped with bunk beds and showers. Downstairs a large canteen serves meals as a decent buffet for hungry trekker. After cleaning, decorating our ancestries and eat as much as we could, our tired bodies have tried to catch a few hours sleep before waking up again at 01:30 for the final push to Low Peak to watch the sunrise.

Photo by Angela Richardson

Now this is where walking becomes difficult. Starting at 2:30 am after a light breakfast, headlamps illuminate the rock face steep and there are actually three segments where you have to shoot you up the rope - gloves with grip are very practical. It is a climb of three hours in the bitter cold when the sun came to wake welcomes you with open arms and incredible view opens up to you (if not below zero, I would have stayed much longer admire) .

Two hours later and return to the lodge, a large breakfast was really appreciated, followed by the rest of an hour before a four-hour hike down the mountain in the same way we arrived. In true fashion of the rainforest, the skies opened again halfway, but we smiled and enjoyed knowing we were on our way back to a hot shower in a warm hotel room and that our feet may soon get some well deserved rest.

The next day we organized a day trip to visit a little orangutan sanctuary where young rescued orphans have been rehabilitated. A 130 Ringgit each it was a great morning out and meant we were free to walk, yes again, around the city in the afternoon. There are many day trips available, you can book through a tour operator or through your hotel. Orangutan sanctuary travel book quickly so be sure to book in advance during high season.

Photo by Angela Richardson

Next on our itinerary was diving to the famous island of Sipadan, one of ten the word diving destinations. Sipadan, in the Celebes Sea, is only half a kilometer long and 0 meters wide, and was once the center of a territorial dispute between Indonesia and Malaysia, with Malaysia being awarded the island the international Court of Justice on the basis of "effective occupation" in 02. Jacques Cousteau said in his Borneo movie: the ghost of the sea turtle, "I have seen other places like Sipadan, there 45 years, but not anymore. now we found an untouched piece of art. "

Untouched it may have been, but today many boats from neighboring islands will take you to Sipadan divers and0 per day are allowed to dive in its surrounding waters with a license fee of 40 ringgit per person per day. We enjoyed three dives a day and were fortunate to have access to Sipadan for two whole days, enjoying an abundance of sharks - black tip and white tip - HAWKBILL turtles, barracudas, jack fish schools, schools of parrotfish bumphead and an array of other species of fish and macro marine life, including a rare spotting of a dragon Seamoth which was one of the sweetest creatures ever!

With such a profusion of divers, it is so important to dive responsible in these waters to minimize the degradation of the dive effect tourism has had on its formerly pristine reefs. We attended a diver diving carelessly along the bottom of the ocean, dragging her second controller through the reef, breaking pieces of coral on its way. As much as we all tried to pull it up and say out of sign language, he continued, which brings me to an important point; learn to dive properly before attempting underwater photography.

Harau Valley

Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world and is a place of rich and diverse culture and natural beauty, much of which is off the main tourist route and therefore managed to retain its original charm. Local people are always quick to offer a friendly smile and show you a warm welcome and friendly, which is an important call when traveling across the country.

This month Mandala Airlines has opened a new sector with direct flights from Jakarta to Padang, capital of West Sumatra, making the region more accessible and providing opportunities for local and international nature lovers to meet and explore the majestic scenery in a little over an hour and a half.

Padang seems to be most famous for its food and is one of the most popular dishes in all of South East Asia and is the cooking of Minangkabau people of West Sumatra. It is usually designated as Masakan Padang and is best known for its rich coconut milk flavors and spicy chili, and most dishes include meat which must follow strict Muslim halal food law. There are also many options available for vegetarians simmered with vegetables in thin curry and a lot of cassava, fresh corn and rice options available and that the courses are not msg, they are incredibly tasty.

One of the first and the most striking features you'll notice upon arrival is the distinct Minang architecture that can be seen scattered in West Sumatra, where the elegantly designed and decorated roofs rise up to the sky at both ends, to the enchantress search against their mountain backdrops. This style resembles the look of buffalo horns and symbolizes the Minangkabau and according to the Indonesian folklore culture it comes from a legend of a fight between two buffalo in a war between the Minangkabau and Javanese invading clan.

Due to the climate of tropical rainforest and the average temperature of 26 degrees Celsius, it is one of the wettest cities in Indonesia with frequent rainfall during most of the year, which resulted in the dynamic green vegetation, lakes and rivers in the supply of abundant water. During the season of heavy rains over from about November Harau Valley is not to miss the waterfalls on the rock walls and magnificent transforming them into breathtaking beautiful waterfalls. The area is absolutely beautiful with fields of rice and lush tropical vegetation and a perfect location for those who love the outdoors and enjoy hiking and climbing, or simply enjoy the tranquility provided by Mother Nature. Anai Valley Waterfall is also worth visiting the spray of the waterfall provides a welcome relief from the hot sun and is easily accessible from Padang city.

Traditional Padang Food

of nature will also enjoy Singkarak lake - the biggest lake in West Sumatra - covering 1,000 hectares . It is located in a spectacular volcanic landscape with breathtaking views, where you can enjoy the sunset over the mountains clouds covered with a cup of local coffee and seafood snacks, surrounded by the natural beauty Indonesia is famous for.

Bukittinggi is one of the largest cities in West Sumatra and is located in the high Minangkabau land near volcanoes Mount Singgalang and assets of Mount Merapi. At 930 meters above sea level, it is popular with visitors for its cool climate and is a perfect city to explore on foot. A great place to stay is the Great Rocky Hotel that was recently completed in early 2012 and has a view breathtaking on Sianok Grand Canyon - also on foot 'Jam Gadang' - the giant clock tower built by the Dutch in 1926 and Pasar Atas and Pasar Bawah, markets traditional town center in the center of Bukittinggi.

If it's culture you're after, you can enjoy a barbecue dinner by candlelight under the stars with music and performance of the martial art of Pencak Silat and the beautiful plate of dancers Tari Piring where women carry candles in their headgear before smashing their plates and dance pieces. You can also enjoy a walking tour through the picturesque kampungs and fields of rice Sanjai Village where you can also visit the cassava plant and enjoy fresh and delicious cassava chips to keep your energy for more to explore.

For a history lesson, you can visit the Lobang Jepang (Japanese Caves) is a network of tunnels and underground bunkers that were built by the Japanese during the Second World War. Also on the scenic route to Bukittinggi to Padang, stop the mining tunnel the "Mbah Soero" in Sawahlunto where you can learn about the tunnels dug by the "chain of people and minors from 1898 to the late 1920s . There is a small gallery showing the original strings by workers around their legs and arms as well as photos of Sawahlunto mines. Nearby is the Museum Goedang Ransoem was a general kitchen built by the Dutch colonial government in 1918 to provide food for coal mine workers and hospital patients. There are walls and descriptions of the history of the kitchen and outside, you can watch women as they weave patiently traditional picture fabric.

With a stomach full and satisfied and after the fresh air and idyllic countryside, you will feel rejuvenated and ready to tackle new chaos of Jakarta. I'm sure the impression of West Sumatra will make you want to return again and again to be reminded of the simple lifestyle and beauty that is now so easily accessible thanks to the wonderful staff at the Mandala Airlines.

Mandala Airlines

Flights to Padang daily at http://www.mandalaair.com

An Expat Ogoh-Ogoh by Leonard Lueras

Work has already started on a five meters high mysterious creature hidden behind a huge sheet with Styrofoam chips lying by then. The only clue to his identity are threatening sharp claws that protrude from below.

The men of our banjar create one of the newest and most unique art forms in Bali, a paper mache doll Ogoh-Ogoh giant statue, which will be a demon or another formidable character, which is become an integral part of the forthcoming celebration of Nyepi, March 12.

hoisted on the shoulders of men and boys village, elaborately made puppets are designed with enthusiasm all over Bali. During the weeks preceding the traditional annual celebration, disembodied heads, hands and arms are scattered storey workshop in almost every community rooms of the island village (banjar) as craftsmen bend, shape, paint and cut the foam and decorate headless torsos before the final threading hideous masks on top.

manufacturing giant puppets in fact only began in the early 1980s, when then-Governor of Bali, Mantra I first conceived the idea of ​​staging an annual parade in Kampung around the capital during the pre-Nyepi celebrations. Nyepi has since become so popular that tourists plan their vacations around the event throughout the island and pickpockets hide among the rowdy crowd prey on the unsuspecting. Restrictions on parades are imposed by local politics. ogoh-ogoh raucous processions are forbidden during an election year where fights may break out between the various political factions.

Many beautiful puppets have a very energetic quality hovering above the crowds or jumping against the explosion of confetti-like environments. Ogoh-ogoh is proof that the visual arts of Bali are always reinventing itself, and the Balinese festivals are in a state of constant renewal and exciting.

A veritable gallery of thugs make up the repertoire of amazing creatures made and jostled about in processions of ogoh-ogoh when a demon is worth its salt is sure to make his or her appearance. Predominance are characters from the Ramayana and Mahabharata epics: Krishna, the Dewata Nawasanga nine heads, Gatotkaca giant heads multiple manifestations of Durga; an elephantine Ganesha; Kumbhakarna monstrous, as well as characters of the native Balinese mythology, Rangda, daughter Rurung, large puppets and Barong Landung Bawi Srenggi who was cursed for his ruthless ambition to marry the rice goddess Dewi Sri

stand. parades are not only demons and gods as was the case in the early 1980s ogoh-ogoh makers of today have become more competitive and artistic, creating characters representing good and bad human traits: corrupt politicians, terrorists, scammers, claims prostitutes, wonton players, disco queens, spiky hair and surfers demonic pop muscled boxers, drunks and junkies wielding syringes dissipated.

contemporary life is seen in the riding beasts to large motorcycles chopper back, swigging beer tourists, Babi Guling sellers, icons of pop culture, rock guitarists, robots, comic characters like SpongeBob and Doraemon, and all sorts of other wacky creations arise from the fertile minds and demonic Balinese artisans.

it is sometimes difficult to identify who or what is represented. asked passers produce very different interpretations, so it's fun to try to guess the number is among all the beasts red face, cryptic and unspeakable, crude, drooling zombies eyeless, miserable and demigod half human figures , some of which are chasing the kids terrified air.

After all the noisy festivities died down, there is a feeling of apprehension at the approach of night. But with increasing serenity sun tomorrow, the island feels somehow purged. As one form of Balinese art perishable - lamak (palm leaf decorations), the giant towers of cremation, figures from the underworld Batara Kala, etc. - Ogoh-ogoh the beloved are transported to the flames in the days following the Day of Silence, having already fulfilled their mission to neutralize the negative forces generally wandering around the island.

Retreat

giant puppets are created at the Nyepi, the Balinese day of Silence, which paves the way for the new year in the Bali Hindu calendar when no vehicles can drive on the roads, no planes can land or go, no light is allowed, no phone can ring, no fires may be lit the government similar stations local television not to broadcast.

But do not get the idea that Balinese just sitting in the dark and meditate. Few people these days on Bali are trained in spiritual disciplines. Nyepi is practiced in different ways and applied to varying degrees depending on where you live on the island. In cities the authorities tend to be stricter about the application than in the countryside where the pace is much slower. Villagers remain inside until about 10 hours, and then go out to visit friends, go out into the local banjar, play and gossip. Farmers have to feed the pigs and cows that do not take a holiday eating.

But even in our small hamlet in the countryside, we must totally black on our windows to watch TV on the long night of Nyepi or otherwise we are fine. I remember two years ago, while staying in a villa in the remote Tejakula, Nyepi was very rigid applied. I was driven to the beach at midnight with a patrol guard, although I do not bother anyone, just sitting there in glorious silence, with the sound of waves and the bright stars.

Anyone who lives anywhere in Bali can not help but keep their thoughts not to turn inward during this special day. You do not have to be sitting in a lotus position surrounded by incense and incantations burning priests to experience inner peace. There are many times during the day and evening hushed when everyone in Bali is left alone. I love working in the garden and do other contemplative activities on this beautiful day silent. You can hear the wind and other sounds of nature. I love Nyepi why, and I wish it was held once a week every week of the year

By its very nature, Nyepi is a day when there is little to distract mind -. No loud voices, no mobile phones ringing, no radio, no horns or spray motorcycle sounds. A moonless night game against a black pitch-sky punctured by distant stars is naturally conducive to reflection. Nyepi is as close to a state of deep inner contemplation that we can achieve in Bali today.

Istana Bogor by C. W. Meiling (courtesy of Bartele Gallery)

When it comes to ostentatious shows of wealth, nobody does it better than the Europeans. Backed by inherited riches of generations, the elites of Britain, France and Germany expressed their affluence the only way they knew; building bigger, better, dachas Brasher who shouted 'Look at me' to their neighbors, peers and tenants.

Old money with its commitment to the succession, wealth and the right found it easy to build. No pesky distractions such as unions or health and safety, the rich were not constrained by their imagination, and that European economies have exploded new money in the form of people who had made a fortune in the "trade" were too keen to flaunt their new wealth, often built on the back of trade in the colonies, including Indonesia.

For sheer extravagance perhaps very few can beat the eccentric fairytale castle built by Ludwig II in the second half of the 19th century before Germany became an entity separate. Drawing inspiration from the Teutonic tales of the Middle Ages, and the music of Wagner Neuschwanstein elements combining Romanesque, Gothic and Byzantine, all gathered on the crest of a cliff surely provide one of the most dramatic pieces of real estate in the world.

In England, Blenheim Palace is tenuous link with Indonesia. It is the stately home of the Duke of Marlborough, a name that comes back on the west coast of Sumatra Benteng Marlborough, a single relay for the East India Company, while there is some suggestion that the famous street that runs through the heart of Yogyakarta, Marliboro, is a local adaptation of the name.

Built more than 0 years, the house is now typical of 21st century mansions in England. It has a maze, playground and a butterfly house and the sumptuously appointed rooms and regular exhibitions and gardens; enough to keep people busy for a few hours after delivering their costs GBP 21 admission. And do not forget the cafes and restaurants!

Indonesia, on the other hand, has three palaces "national" (Istana Negara, Istana Bogor and Istana Cipanas), which are not always open to the public. The closest most people feeding deer through the fence outside Istana Bogor. And that's about it. The idea that an old building can be transformed into a beauty item that people would pay money to watch has yet to catch on, and the few that remain are jealously protected by their current owners.

first wealthy bourgeois what was known as Batavia were Dutch colonialists and moving beyond the city walls, one of the first places they settled on was what we now know that Jalan Pangeran Jayakarta. The southern movement took place as native wild animals and marauding gangs are made live too far from the walls of a dangerous option.

As the Company Dutch East Indies strengthened their hold on Batavia and trade, the area has been made safer however rich, abhorred by the waters of the stagnant canal in the center, away to find some peace and comfort. Areas like Jalan Gunung Sahari and Jalan Hayam Wuruk were regularly presented, there was a magazine Tatler as the 17th century.

Istana Negara by CW Meiling

Lapangan Banteng, once the political and military heart of Batavia, still has a few examples of his greatness once. The current Ministry of Finance building (construction started in 1809) was originally designed for the Governor General, while the wings were government officials. Nearby, the Supreme Court of Indonesia was built in 1848.

An English visitor, Charles Noble, reported in 1765: "The ground for about 10 or 12 miles around Batavia is pretty well grown . The gentlemen have their country houses, gardens and ponds after the Dutch fashion ". This suggests a world of peace and serenity, he would find difficult to meet today

An early French visitor in 1810, describes the area :. "This walk is one of the most beautiful that you see, all sides streets are adorned with beautiful palaces, residences of members of the Council of the Indies, the principal officers of the Company and the wealthiest merchants."

When Governor General von Imhoff built a palace in Bogor, it triggered a real estate boom as other senior officials and influencers follow his lead in the south, but the high cost lives sold and the idea of ​​a seat the past heredity.

as foreigners, the Dutch are never likely to stay long and independence after World War hastened their departure. Jakarta historian, A. Heuken, wrote in his seminal "Historic Sites of Jakarta", "Many who are still in good condition before the Second World War were burned or destroyed in the turbulent years after 1945 to prevent former owners to return to their land. "

an example is worth considering. Pondok Gede, not far from the current airport Halim, was built in 1775 by a Dutch Protestant pastor. a long building with a huge roof, it was built in a mixture of Indonesian and Dutch styles. Its importance was recognized when it was protected by law, but this has not prevented a very family placed demolished in 190 and replaced by a supermarket.

When the rich once led, the rest still follow. the expansion of Jakarta south gate quickly, bringing endless building shopping center and housing estate, and the drive time to time to access these new areas. The new elites, the vegetable garden built their country retreats on the slopes of Puncak Gunung Salak and with an emphasis on practicality more ostentatious; high walls and barbed send a message to "move along, nothing to see here. The idea of ​​cultivating gardens is ignored; weird when the fertility of the earth, particularly on the foothills south of Jakarta, is considered.

The popularity of a pretty garden is still there, witness the weekend and holiday crowds that fill the gardens in Bogor and Cibodas Merkasari, but with the current mantra of building, building, building we are some way from being offered a choice of spectacular gardens with a backdrop of an old beautiful house to enjoy.

In the absence of the real thing that we are relegated to take photographs of artificial floral arrangements set in lush environment, fake, fountains with trophy fish at Changi Airport and shopping centers.