While the picnic area was chockers with picnicker – grannies, parents, kids, babies, dogs – the rock platform was rather empty. I know where I’d rather be.
Lazy Sunday – Part 1
Ah, Terrible Terrigal. It’s my first visit in over 10 years and I wanted to get out right away. It was a sunny end of winter weekend, and although it might not seem like it from this photo it seemed that half Sydney was camped out there. Terrible. I’m ever so glad that BB’s place is in relatively tranquil Umina Beach.
The Gods Must Be… – Part 7
Up the overgrown stone steps, and we come to the top of the temple complex. The view from the top is absolutely glorious. No wonder this is the most important place in all of Bali.
Thanks for journeying with me through Besakih temple!
The Gods Must Be… – Part 6
The upper tiers weren’t quite as well-kept as the lower ones. Here, the weeds were slowly overtaking the place – it’s as if the jungle wanted to reclaim its long-lost territory.
The God’s Must Be… – Part 5
The individual temples are made of local stone and tiered thatched roofs. It also contains some intricate masonry. Given that much of this was first constructed 500-600 years ago, I say that everything’s been pretty well-maintained.
The God’s Must Be… – Part 4
I glimpsed part of a funeral ritual – praying for the soul.
I like the thatched roofs and the Bali dogs wandering around. These dogs are a pretty close relative of the dingo, don’t you think?
The God’s Must Be… – Part 3
A behind-the-scenes glimpse at the preparations for the festival. The checks make another appearance, this time on umbrellas. Gold signifies prosperity, and so is also in great abundance. These umbrellas will be carried in procession.
The Gods Must Be… – Part 2
We pass through gates guarded by dragons. They dressed in chequered scarves – not sure why chequered – perhaps because it symbolises light/dark/good/evil?
The God’s Must Be… – Part 1
I’m returning once again to Bali to view another temple. This one is quite different from the last. It’s not beside a lake but under a volcano…
Pura Besakih (Besakih Temple) sits under Gunung Agung (Mt Agung) – Bali’s highest peak (3,142m – almost 1km taller than Mt Kozzie) and also an active volcano! The volcano last erupted in 1963, and still belches smoke.
So why have they built this mega temple underneath a volcano? Because…
The Balinese believe that Mount Agung is a replica of Mount Meru, the central axis of the universe. One legend holds that the mountain is a fragment of Meru brought to Bali by the first Hindus
– From Wiki
The temple is built on the side of the hill in terraces. This photo was taken at the bottom. Being Bali’s most important temple, it holds up to seventy festivals a year. The locals were in the midst of preparing for a new moon festival when I visited.
Wild, Wild World – Part 12
It was a big day, wasn’t it? And what a way to end it with a superb sunset at Ahipara.
Static and Silence 