The wind blows quite hard recently in Bali, older people who know the characteristics of each month in a year complained: “It is already Kedasa (tenth month of traditional Caka calendar) everything should be clean and nice, but this strong wind, dark clouds, sudden downpour of rain, what all these thing all about!” Yes, of course, they are right as always; in this month, the weather should be clean and nice but what can we do with the weather except talking and complaining.

This strong wind, however, creates many beautiful things to see. There are many clouds appear in beautiful formations, fill up the sky, creating beautiful views to behold. This one for example

Or this one

These photographs are taken by my boss. He said that Bali is blessed by beautiful panorama; someone does not have to be genius to produce a postcard-quality photo here in Bali. The recipe for a good shot is just a slice of good weather, a few ounces of good gears, a few slices of knowledge of photography, preferably on composition and finding good angles and generous sprinkle of secret ingredient that is called ‘persistence’.

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On Friday, April 11th 2008, the royal cremation ceremony of the late Dr. Anak Agung Made Djelantik will be held at the royal palace of Karangasem, rescheduled from the initial plan in which the cremation ceremony will be held in August 2008. Dr Anak Agung Made Djelantik passed away on the eve of Sept. 5, 2007 and had been cremated with modest kingsan ring geni (bequeathal to fire) ceremony without the actual cremation ceremony.
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I found this amazing view on the way to Pura Pasar agung and Wikipedia says:

There are two routes up the mountain, one from Besakih which proceeds to a higher peak and starts at approximately 1100metres and another which commences higher from Pura Pasar Agung, on the southern slope of the mountain, near Selat and which is reputed to take 4 hours. There is no path between the two routes at the top. Cecilie Scott provides an account of the ascent from Pura Pasar Agung. The mountain can be seen from various directions in video, there is a well produced video of the climb from Pura Pasar Agung and a short video from the top above Besakih. Greg Slayden describes a climb from Besakih claimed to have taken a remarkable four and a half hours to the peak and Ken Taylor describes a climb that took much longer and which included getting lost.

Guides are available in Besakih and the mountain can also be climbed without a guide. The climb from Besakih is quite tough. It is sometimes tackled as a single climb generally starting about 10.00pm for a dawn arrival at the peak and sometimes with an overnight camp about three quarters of the way up. It is far harder than the more popular Balinese climb up Gunung Batur. It is not a mountain that needs ropes and not quite high enough for altitude sickness but adverse weather conditions develop quickly and warm waterproof clothing is required and should be carried. There is no water available along the route.

Proceed through the temple complex then continue on a path that travels continuously upwards on a steep narrow spur through open forest and jungle most of the way. There is little potential to get lost until the route opens up towards the top where the correct route doubles backwards. Many climbers miss this turn and continue up a small valley which can be climbed out of with some difficulty.
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Bali, this february, is entering the ninth month of Caka lunar year which is known as Kesanga. The Kesanga is well-known as the worst month in a year which full of pestilences, swarms with bhuta kala or evil spirits, and the world ( in Balinese conception the island of Bali is the world) is littered with the wastes. The Kesanga is always related with the perils and disturbance by the Balinese.

In this month Balinese will perform many kinds of ceremonies is dedicated to pacify the evil spirits in order to reach the harmony. the grand payment to the evil spirits ceremony which is known as Tawur Agung is held in this month; each house compound performs a small payment ceremony (tawur) in front of their house, each hamlet holds a bigger payment ceremony, a bigger ceremony is held in village level which is performed in the biggest crossroad in that village. Bigger still is the payment ceremony that is performed in the district level and regency level, and the biggest one is held in the provincial level in the center of Denpasar.

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Come and relax in the tropical speldor of the Besakih Beach Resort. Set amongst beautifully manicured garden 80 attractive Balinese Bungalows offer the ideal setting for you to enjoy the delights of the Bali coastline.

Each Besakih Beach Resort bungalow is a harmonious combination of the old and the new : a mixture of traditional Balinese architecture and modern facilities including air conditioning, satellite television and private terrace or verandah.

Relax in Besakih Beach Resort two open air swimming pools and spa bath or, for the more energetic, we provide a full range of other water sport activities. Enjoy daily live entertainment in Besakih Beach Resort two restaurants. The Nirvana Restaurant, located right on the beach, specializes in fresh seafood dishes and offers and extensive menu of European and Indonesian cuisine, whilst the 24 hours Agung Bar / Restaurant serves delicious grilled food and BBQs. wice weekly Besakih Beach Resort organize a magnificent Buffet Dines accompanied by a traditional Balinese Dance performance

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The elegance of Balinese architecture and hospitality flourish at Hotel Tjampuhan, located just west of Ubud. Here, Prince Tjokorda Gde Agung Sukawati and Walter Spies began Pita Maha in 1934, an association that brought Ubud painting and artistic talent into the forefront of world art. Spies house, the original guest house of the Ubud royal family, hosted this historic meeting and is here still, on the hotel’s grounds, overlooking the banks of the sacred Oos Campuhan river. Hotel Tjampuhan and Spa remains a source of inspired artistic activity since its founding in the heyday of the 1928’s world traveling.

Unsurprisingly, this setting also inspired Bali visionary holy man Resi Markandya to build the mother temple complex Besakih, the center or worship and ceremony for all of Bali. You can be witness to the living spirit of Balinese devotion to Gods and ancestors, symbolized in the daily offerings made of rice, fruit, flowers and incense in the resident Tjampuhan temple.

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