The repugnance of the Balinese against having to appeal in the courtroom was inherited from the feudal era of Bali. The hatred of Balinese against the official high tribunal, the kerta is only a part of the Balinese policy of keeping the princess of interfering too much in the affairs. The kertas are the courts of the princes and they are generally composed of three Brahmanic priests who act as judges. They are assisted by a number of kantjas, “lawyers”, and scribe.

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The Java-Bali fusion dance storms the world of contemporary dance. The fusion of Bedaya Ketawang and Legong Calonarang brings a new touch in the contemporary dance performance. The fusion of these very different rivets the audiences in their chairs.

The Bedaya Ketawang is a sacred Javanese dance, which commemorate the union between the first Sultan of Java and the Goddess of South Sea, Kandjeng Ratu Kidul. Nowadays, the dance is performed only once a year to celebrate the day Sultan ascended to the throne. This sacred dance exhibits the calm and elegant movements that are the hallmark of Javanese mystical dance.

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Ujung Water Palace, which by the local people is called as Taman Soekasada Ujung, lies at Tumbu village, Karangasem district. It is approximately 85 km from Airport Denpasar and 5 km from Amlapura. The water palace was built in 1919. However, the launching of this complex of water palace was performed in 1912. The water palace was constructed by the late King of Karangasem, I Gusti Bagus Djelantik that reigned in Karangasem from 1909 until 1945. This water Palace was majestically built to welcome and to serve important guests and Kings from neighboring countries, besides for the pleasure of the King and his royal family.

courtesy of A. Bulantrisna Djelantik

The greatness of Ujung Water Palace had been destructed by the World War II when Japanese dismantled iron bars in Taman Ujung for weaponry production then followed by Mount Agung eruption in 1963. Another earthquake in North Bali around 1976 helplessly shattered Taman Ujung into pieces. The government and the royal family of Karangasem reconstructed this water palace and restored its former glory. (more…)

Apart from its art and culture, the island of Bali is also rich with mystical remains and ancient temples. Many of these sites indicate early traces of civilization and have been preserved for research and as objects of tourism. One site that is worth seeing is Bali’s largest and perhaps oldest Hindu temple monument known as Gunung Kawi.

Gunung Kawi was built in the 11^th century and was only rediscovered during the 1920’s. Throughout the ensuing years the site has undergone several renovations to conserve the overall architectural elements that are a tribute to the island’s artistic heritage. Gunung Kawi consists of two groupings of temples with the first made up of five shrines located close to the river. Here visitors can see an ancient inscription that dates back to when the monument was initially erected.

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1. When there is a temple ceremony, half of the road will be occupied for ceremonial purpose. Be patience. Use the opportunity for taking a picture or two.
2. On foot ceremonial procession will slow you down. Again, be patience, it is a rare spectacle and an opportunity for taking pictures of a colorful event.
3. Pecalang (traditional security force) will manage the traffic in areas where temple ceremony or ceremonial processions are in progress. Obey their traffic orders. During the ceremony it is their responsibility to ensure the security of the area, including the traffic.
4. Vehicles for transporting ceremonial processions will likely occupy most of the road. Be patience.
5. Kite festival processions, usually a combination of trucks, huge kites, and uniformed teenagers will likely occupy most of the road and move slowly, but it is another spectacular opportunity for pictures.
6. Beware of dogs! Many street dogs roam freely on the roads in rural areas. Be careful and keep an eye open for them. The same advice holds for chickens and cats and sometimes cows as well.
7. When construction is in progress, often mounds of building material will occupy the shoulder of the road and overflow onto part of the road. Be careful.
8. If you ask Balinese for directions, they will likely tell you the direction based on the point of compass. Seldom will you be told to go right or left. Instead, will advise you go to the east and turn to the north.
9. Please get out of your car when you ask directions. Asking for directions while sitting in the car is considered impolite.
10. You can park almost everywhere in Bali. Don’t bother finding a space. A parking officer is always ready to help for only a modest parking fee. These fees are usually Rp.1000, ($ 0.12) for car and Rp 500 ($ 0.06) for a motorbike.
11. Honk your horn when you cross a bridge or pass a cemetery. It is a way to show your respect and ask permission to use the road from the unseen inhabitants of those places.
12. Your full concentration while driving is essential in Bali since there are few marked pedestrian crossings. It is rare to find marked zebra cross points.
13. Always keep a sharp eye open for children on foot and on bicycles. They are very trusting and count on you to be alert and careful.

Editor’s Note:
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The Museum was built on December 2, 1998. The work of building its foundation was attended bv Don Antonio Blanco. Mario Blanco. Ni Rondji and their nearest relatives. The aim of building the museum is to remind of the Blanco’s great master pieces that were sincerely offered to Balinese and Indonesian people. The 3 storied museum was built on 20.000 square meters which represents the three part of the earth: mountain, land and sea.

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