Explore the Land Of Bali

In winter Bali is sad : clouds overcast the sky almost all the day, the sea is stormy, it is often raining and surfers are more scraped than their boards. On Christmas holidays traffic jams here are like Moscow ones. Locals and experienced tourists use motorcycles, but usually it does not help because as a result there are more motorcyclists than cars. But one advantage of raining still exists. It is not so hot as in August or September. The tempurature is about +25-30. So you can easily travel and explore this beautiful island.

The temple Pura Ulun Danu on the lake Bratan. 

The fisrt desire of all tourists who came here is to swim in the ocean. But it is almost impossible because the sea is rather dirty and full of surfers.To say the truth swimming in Bali is quite a spicific occupation. But there are some nice beaches with white sand, clear sea and few people. DreamLand beach, for example. But everything is not so simple. Huge waves throw you off no matter your weight is 50 kg or 100 kg. A board can help to tame these waves.  

The temple Uluvaty is located on the southern island part. But the cliff is more interesting than the temple itself.

An incredibly beautiful sunset.

The full name of the temple is Pura Luhur Uluwatu ( "pura" means temple, "luhur" - sky, "uluwatu" - mountain peak).

There are a lot of monkeys so you should hold tight your glasses and cameras. Somebody hasn't followed this advice and then a serious photographer sitting on a tree took some pictures of Chinese tourists.

Tahan-Lot is another popular temple. It is destined to protect gods from demons of the sea.

You can get to the temple only during the ebb but some tourists splash through the water. Only Hindus are allowed to the top.

Pura Ulun Danu Bratan on lake Bratan is considered the main water temple. Practically all the time there are heavy clouds under the lake.

The temple embodies the lake power related with fertility in the region. It is devoted to the lake goddess Devi Dana.

People go through these little gates not on foot but by boat.

There Hindu divine services and ceremonies take place.

The author of the main symbol of Olympics in Sochi probably was here.

A common Indonesian peasant.

Photos made by a mobile phone.

A yard in the temple Puru Besakih.

Hinduism came to Bali in the 10th century and brought elements of Buddhism and some local religions. So now in Bali there is a perfect merge of these schools. There are a lot of carved temples with one-two floors, so-called home temples. Every self-respecting Hindu family should have it and it may be higher and richer than the house they live in. People in Bali are just devoid of life dissaticfaction, envy and agonies. They live the life they deserved. Bali inhabitants believe in reincarnation. The cast system allows marriages between people from different castes and it also allows to eat meat. Women are treated better than in India. Gods live in the northern mountains and demons live in the sea. But the Balis make domation to both. The hill and volcano are sacred for the Balis. They even sleep with heads turned to the volcano. Tourists can not understand this.

The temple Pura Besakih is a huge complex of 32 temples built in a form of a pyramid.

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Entering a temple everybody should always put on a special skirt and a sash.

Gates are a symbol of men transformation and their dual nature. These gates are a special and well-known characteristic of Bali.

A Bali temple is an open building like a big yard with sanctuaries, altars and gods` statues. It is empty inside but the ouside view is splendid.

In the yards people sing songs, dance, there are a lot of fruits and flowers.

If you are lucky enough you can get into the temple during a ceremony. Hope Hindus would meet you freindly...

Traditional umbrellas are used in ceremonies.

Temple roofs are covered with black fibrous matirial which looks like a coconut.

Turrets of temple may have 3, 5, 7, 9 or 11 levels, it depends on the god it is devoted to.

It seems that temples are neverending.

Grass traceries on stones.

This terrible guard stops your way to something sacred behind the gates.

Another magnificent temple.

Pure Beji.

Danu Batur.

The majority of temples are much alike.

A prayer in a home temple.

An alter.

A nice hippie tradition to exchange with small braslets not with rings.

A rite for justmarried. And burial here is a feast and not such a tragic event like in many other countries.

via silver