Today Dewa wrote about the traditional roofs the people of Bali make.

a great day today!

April 27, 2009

Today is sunny.

There is traditional roof in Bali. It is ilalang grass roof. The people take the ilalang grass in their farm. The grass must be dried before using for the roof. Bamboo and string is one kind of the material that used to make the ilalang roof. Long times ago the Balinese used the grass roof for their house. But now, the ilalang roof used for roof of the restaurant and bungalow. The Balinese don`t need the ilalang roof for their house. The people using the grass roof for the roof of restaurant and bungalow because look very traditional. Some of the Balinese people they got income from the ilalang roof. They sell it to other countries. Thank you.

ilalang grass roof

making the grass roof

The words today are:

Grass : Padang

Roof : Raab

Dry : Tuh

April 25, 2009

Weather today is sunny

Paddy harvest

The farmers harvest their rice paddy when the paddy is yellow. In Bali there is an organization for harvesting the rice paddy. Balinese called “seka panen or seka gedig”. Seka is organization and panen is harvest. When the farmers are harvesting their rice paddy, the seka came to their rice field to harvest their rice paddy. Usually the seka is more than 5 peoples. The seka came to the rice field to harvested the rice paddy in the morning. The first they cut the yellow paddy and they collected all of the yellow paddy that already cut. Than they hit the paddy in to the wood until the grain is out from the steam paddy. After that the farmer put the rice paddy in to the plastic bag and ready to sell or dried. Thank you

Cutting the rice fields

Cleaning the rice hulls.

Flowers are an important part of Balinese life. 4-24-2009

April 24, 2009

Thanks for checking back for today’s peek at Bali. You will find current photos taken the day of the posts as well as “letters from Dewa” (our local Balinese friend.)  He even includes a language lesson each day with words translated into Balinese as well as Indonesian. Dewa was back at work today, getting some new jewelry designs made for us to sell back in California. He took these photos today not to far from his house near Ubud.  From the photos you can see that it another perfect day. Thanks  Dewa! -Charlie

A small private piece of land with nearly everything a Balinese family needs. 4-24-2009

Dewa writes;

April 24, 2009

Weather today is sunny…

Hallo…Flower is very important in Bali.The Balinese people used many kind of flower for offering. And also they used flower when they are praying at the tample. -

Suksma,

Dewa

Word today is

English - Indonesian -  Balinese

Flower - Bunga – Sekar

Red – Merah – Barak

Coconut - Kelapa - Nyuh

The point at Medewi Beach is one of the longest waves on Bali.

Good Morning and thanks for stopping in for another daily view of what’s happening on the island of Bali.  There is plenty of swell in the water still and you could find a wave just about anywhere on the west side of Bali. Dewa headed over to Medewi Beach to give us a look at what was going on over there. He got a few shots of the handful of surfers on the point as well as some spots along the way. You will see more of his photos as well as his take on Medewi Beach below. You will also find his words of the day that he translates into Indonesian as well as Balinese for us.  No rain to speak of once again with only a few clouds in the sky. Lucky crew on Bali right now…

Catch you again tomorrow!

Charlie

It's a long walk back to the top of the point!

Definitely not many barrels here but great for beginers and longboards.

One of the many beaches you will see on the way to Medewi from Kuta.

A common site on Bali. 4-23-2009

Dewa writes…

April23,2009

Today is sunny

Medewi beach ( Pantai medewi )

Medewi beach is located in Medewi village, jembrana regency. Negara is city town of Jembrana. Jembrana is western part of Bali. It is about 120 Km from the Bali international Airport. There are beautiful beach in jembrana. The beach is Medewi beach. If you were on medewi beach you will see a lot of rocks and black stone volcano. The waves is good for surfing. The surfer oround the beach said that early morning is the best time to do surfing. If you are not surfer there is heaps of time to just relax and enjoy your stay at Medewi.

Thank you,

Dewa

Word today is :

(English - Indonesian -Balinese)

Stone – Batu - Batu

Sand – Pasir - Bias

Beach – Pantai – Pasih

Black - Hitam – Selem

Clove farm along the Munduk road on North Bali. April 22, 2009

Thanks for checking back for today’s report from the island of Bali, Indonesia! Our good friend Dewa went out on his daily mission of giving you a Balinese local’s perspective on one of the most beautiful places on earth. Some say he has the best job on earth! This morning Dewa had some motor bike trouble on the way to his nephew’s 18 month ceremony.  One of his tires went flat and he ended up pushing his scooter over an hour and a half up and down the hills along the Munduk road.  He ended up hiring a truck and driver after not finding any of the usually common tire repair places.  These are normally just  private homes that bought a compressor and started their own business. (Look for signs that say “Pres Ban” along any major roads in Bali if your tires need air.) 1000 to 5000 rupiah is the going rate for checking and filling your tires. ( 10 to 50 cents us) Dewa is not one to give up as he still managed to send us some beautiful photos of the scenery as he made his way to the repair shop. Go Dewa! You can see his photos from today and read what he had to write about them below. If you have any questions about Bali – feel free to write and we’ll do our best to dig up the right answer.

See you tomorrow!

Charlie

Dewa writes…

April,22 -2009

Today is claudy.

Clove farm ( kebun cengkeh )

Hallo…Buleleng regency is very femouse with the lovina beach. Buleleng with the Singaraja city town is north part of Bali. When you were in buleleng you can try to come to the village to enjoy the view of the clove farm. The located of the clove farm is in munduk village, Banyuatis, and gobleg village. Most of the people there are farmer. The farmer harvested their clove every year. When you were pass by munduk road you will see many of the clove tree. The view is very beautifull. Thank you.

Dewa

Terrraced garden - Buleleng Regency. 4-22-09

Banna Trees in foreground. 4-22-09

Word today is :

English – Indonesian - Balinese

Clove – Cengkeh – Cengkeh

Tree - Pohon -Punyan kayu

Come – Datang - Teka

Every – Setiap – Sebilang

Surfing is what originally took us to Bali.  Charlie spent some time surfing there before we were married, and decided it was paradise.  We returned for a month for our honeymoon, and have since lived in Bali off and on.  Here are some pictures of the beach and surfing that Bali took for today’s daily update. The weather couldn’t be better!

Surfing at Surabrata Beach

Surabrata Beach

Soka Beach

a garden near the ocean

a river on the way to Surabrata Beach

April 18, 2009

The beaches of Bali are some of our favorite places to go as a family.  Dewa has been able to travel around a bit and sent some great pictures for his daily update.

The Kandapat Sari Statue in Klungkung

Kandapat sari statue

Kandapat sari statue is located in the main junction of Semarapura (Klungkung) town. The people consider this statue as the landmark of Klungkung regency. The statue is 28 meter high (about 92 feet).

Candidasa Beach in Karangasem

Candidasa Beach

Candidasa beach is located in Karangasem regency. Karangasem regency is eastern part of Bali. It is about two hours to Ngurah rai airport (Bali`s international Airport ). This countryside is blessed by breathtaking view of Indian ocean with the Nusa penida island as a backdrop. The beach is very beautiful with the calm seawater, which is good for diving, snorkeling and also fishing. The people are very familiar. Thank you.

In Indonesian, the sound for “c” is “ch”.  So Candidasa is pronounced “chandidasa”.

Mangis Beach in Karangasem

The Balinese Word of the Day is:

ocean: pasih

it's hot and sunny in Bali today

Dewa is a great photographer.  In today’s update he sends us a variety of pictures of Bali.

Saba Beach

waves on Saba Beach

rice terraces in Bali

a Hindu temple on Bali

The weather today is cloudy, and rainy in some areas of the Gianyar regency.

rain on the paddy fields

Today in his update, Dewa writes about organized groups in Bali.  They’re a very important part of the culture, as Dewa tells us:

Seka (Balinese organized group)

Here I will tell about Balinese organized group in Balinese culture. The Balinese term for any organized group of people is seka. Many kind of seka in Bali, some are: seka many (the group for harvesting paddy), seka subak (the group for the irrigation of the rice fields), seka gong (the group for the traditional gamelan music ), seka pula (the group for planting the paddy), and so on.

Seka (group) that harvests rice

Seka loyalty is a major value in Balinese culture; these voluntary groups are not just unimportant organizations, but a basic part of Balinese social life. Almost every Balinese belongs to two or three private seka of this sort, and the alliance formed in them balances those formed in the more formally organized sectors of Balinese social structure.  Suksma (thank you)

The Balinese Word of the Day is:

group:  seka