Cristina Wistari Formaggia, 62, died peacefully of cancer in her hometown of Milano, Italy on 19 July 2008. She will always be known in Bali as the woman behind the Gambuh Preservation Project in Batuan village. Her dedication to the classical performing arts of Bali knew no bounds.

A memorial will be held for Cristina on Wednesday, 30 July 2008 from 3 – 6 p.m. at Cristina’s home behind the Ibah Hotel in Campuhan, Ubud. The Pura Desa Gambuh troupe will hold a short rehearsal in her honor. Please feel free to bring a flower or piece of fruit.

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Excalibur in Bali
Two Long-Lost Sacred Keris (Swords) Receive a Homecoming Welcome to Bali.

Two priceless keepsakes of Bali’s ancient kingdoms of Klungkung and Gelgel have made a brief and very emotional homecoming to mark the 100th anniversary of the Puputan sacrifice on April 28, 2008.

On a 100 year-long journey from Bali, Holland, Jakarta and now back to Bali - two priceless bejeweled ceremonial swords or keris have been given a memorial tour of their “old home” in Bali. So revered are the two Keris that each bears it own name – Ardawaike for the sword from the Klungkung Palace and Tombake Ki Baru Gudug for the weapon from the Gelgel Palace.

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During the heyday of tourism in Bali around 70s and 80s, the visitors to the paradise island usually had a chance or two to be showered by flowers by a group of girls with golden shiny costume holding a bowl of colorful flowers who danced the “Welcoming Dance” either in the hotel lobby or in airport. The Panyembrama (Welcoming) dance is a standard welcome dance that is always performed first in a dance program and regularly performed at Ngurah Rai Airport when distinguished guests from Jakarta or foreign dignitaries arrive.

The Panyembrama (Welcoming) dance is a purely secular dance that was created in 1967 by I Gusti Gede Raka, a well-known dance teacher form the village of Saba, in Gianyar regency’ based on the movement of the sacred rejang dance. After some reworking by I Wayan Beratha in 1970, the Panyembrama (Welcoming) dance reached its present form.

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As far as we know, in general bazaar is done by selling goods, foods, or sometimes items made by hand. It is normally sold with low price to attract people. Based on the Oxford Dictionary the definition of the word “bazaar” is a sale of goods, often items made by hand, to raise money for a charity or for people who need help. But there is a unique characteristic in bazaar a la Balinese. Before going further I’d like to share my friend’s experience about this kind of bazaar.

He is a Balinese but he was born and grew up in Jakarta. He came back to his home town to study in university. One day his uncle told him that there was bazaar in his banjar (ward) and he was so excited for that. When he got there he was surprised. Do you know why? Well, all the prices are twice more expensive than the normal ones. He was startled because in his thought he is going to buy food or goods in low price like in Jakarta.

In the era of 70s in Sanur, bazaar was held in Galungan only (Christmas a la Balinese ) by the member of the banjar ( hamlet / ward ) in order to give its community a chance to spend their money for snacks since all food stalls were closed during that day. And not all food, drinks or goods were sold in high price; only liquors such as beer, tuak, or arak (Balinese wine) were sold in inflated price to generate some profits and then the profit would be used to repair the banjar or temple on that area. But with the passing of the time there is a different concept arises in carrying out the bazaar.

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QATAR Airways yesterday began flights to Chennai and Bali. Chennai is the airline’s sixth Indian destination. It already flies to Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Hyderabad.
Qatar Airways also becomes the first Middle Eastern carrier to serve the tropical island of Bali. It is the national carrier’s second destination in Indonesia. It already flies to the country’s capital Jakarta.

On the Chennai route, Qatar Airways will operate daily flights using an Airbus A321 with 12 seats in business class and 132 in economy.

There will be four weekly flights to Bali and the airline will use an Airbus A300-600 aircraft with up to 30 seats in business class and 234 in economy.

“Passenger demand for both routes is expected to be significant,” Qatar Airways chief executive officer, Akbar al-Baker said yesterday.
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Sanghyang Indah Resort & Spa Hotel is a paradise of choice between relaxation and active vacation in natural environment of lagoons, lush green coconut and shady teak trees, which located in Anyer, Banten Province only about 128 Km from Jakarta.

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