After breakfast, we departed Singapore for Bali, Indonesia Depart 10:00am Arrive Bali, Indonesia 12:40pm Elapsed Time: 2 hours, 40 minutes

We loved the short flight today. After arrival in Bali, we whisked through immigration (ie walking straight off the plane onto our buses..yeah!). We are thrilled to be in the tranquility of magical Bali, whose cultural landscape was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2012.

As we exited the airport, we were greeted by young ladies with colorful, aromatic Frangipani leis.

The buses drove us a short distance to the Grand Hyatt Hotel for a wonderful lunch. Once again, we have police escorts to help move us through traffic more quickly.

After lunch, we visited a Batik workshop to learn about the design process and dyeing techniques of this traditional and ancient Indonesian art form.

One of the sweet ladies sat me down next to her and proceeded to paint a design on the lower edge of the tee shirt I was wearing. It was amazing to watch how quickly and perfectly she painted the design. I love it. We did bit of shopping in the Batik store and picked up a few goodies.

Afterwards we continued on to a museum and then to a silver jewelry gallery where we watched artisans at work.

Next door was a silver jewelry store…the selection was huge and so overwhelming, no one could make a decision about buying anything.

During our 40 minute bus ride to the hotel we were fortunate enough to view a Galungan ceremonial parade. There were men dressed in ceremonial white outfits followed by beautifully adorned women marching with piles of fruit on their head and following behind them was a musical troupe.

As one of the most important feast for the Balinese Hindus, Galungan  festival is celebrated to honor the creator of the universe (Ida Sang Hyang Widi) and the spirits of the honored ancestors.

It also symbolises the victory of good (Dharma) over evil (Adharma) and encourages the Balinese to show their gratitude with offerings and prayers.

The offerings, the penjor, the temples being decorated and house all deep cleaned are the Sunday’s best it is all for the Gods and ancestors.

In the 210-day cycle of the Balinese calendar, Galungan marks the time of the year when the spirits of the ancestors are believed to visit the earth. Balinese Hindus perform rituals that are meant to welcome and entertain these returning spirits.

The house compounds that make up the nucleus of Balinese society come alive with devotions offered by the families living within. Families offer bountiful sacrifices of food and flowers to the ancestral spirits, expressing gratitude and hopes for protection. These sacrifices are also offered at local temples, which are packed with devotees.

The whole island sprouts tall bamboo poles, or penjor, which are usually decorated with fruit, coconut leaves, and flowers and set up on the right of every residence entrance. At each gate, you’ll also find small bamboo altars set up especially for the holiday, each one bearing woven palm-leaf offerings for the spirits. Galungan is a Balinese holiday celebrating the victory of dharma over adharma.^[1] It marks the time when the ancestral spirits visit the Earth. The last day of the celebration is Kuningan, when they return. The date is calculated according to the 210-day Balinese calendar. It is related to Diwali, celebrated by Hindus in other parts of the world, which also celebrates the victory of dharma over adharma. Diwali, however, is held at the end of the year.

Galungan marks the beginning of the most important recurring religious ceremonies. The spirits of deceased relatives who have died and been cremated return to visit their former homes, and the current inhabitants have a responsibility to be hospitable through prayers and offerings. The most obvious sign of the celebrations are the penjor – bamboo poles with offerings suspended at the end. These are installed by the side of roads. A number of days around the Kuningan day have special names, and are marked by the organization of particular activities 

Sunset is fast approaching as we finally arrive at Mandapa, A Ritz Carlton Reserve. It is a gorgeous and massive hotel built on the side of a mountain. We are warmly greeted by the staff with cool towels and delicious fruit drinks before being shown to our room.

Hotel: Mandapa, A Ritz Carlton Reserve 1 US dollar= 14,000 Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)