Bali

Sailing along the north coast of Bali we see several high mountains on the island, some of which with vulcanic power, an impressive sight. Lovina Beach is again a gathering place for participants of the Sail Indonesia Rally. On the tour over north Bali we visit a Hindoe temple, the local market and the museum of the area. Lunch starts with the tasting of several beers of the local brewery Storm, followed by an excellent buffet. In the peacefull gardens and buildings of the Buddhist monestary we can stretch our legs, after which we visit a silversmith family before taking a refreshing dive in the baths feed by a hot water spring (just below the temperature of the environment).

In the evening on the beach we sit next to the gamelan orchestra that performs traditional Balines music on gongs, xylophones, drums and flutes. Handsome and slender girls in colourfull costumes make complicated dancepasses, athletic headnods and subtile fingermovements. We experience a lot of atmosphere and on friday night there is a spectaculair music and dance show to welcome the complete sailing fleet, followed by an extended and good dinner in one of the restaurants on the 'boulevard'.

Sunday evening we start with a colourfull performance of the very young Balinese talent, after which we take a seat before or behind the screen of the 'wajang' theatre, also build on the beach. Behind the screen an oil lamp is burning and the wajang storyteller has been settled with his 'kulits' (the flat wajang puppets of dried animal skin). Next to him are the musicians of the gamelan orchestra with their instruments. It's a pity we don't understand 'Bahasa Indonesia (the Indonesian language), but with a lot of music and an extended story of the narrator the different characters of the old legends come as shadows on the screen to life. The presentation can take for hours while the spectators empathize with the good and the bad fellows to pick up, chastened by the wisdom of their heroes, their daily lifes again.

Slideshow Bali