Photo of the Day ~ Torajan Marlboro Woman ~ Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog

A woman sells tobacco, betel nut and vegetables at a weekly market in Tana Toraja, Sulawesi, Indonesia.  Betel nut is chewed as part of social occasions or as a part of daily life. Betel nut is a stimulant and traditional local people chew it for recreation, stress reduction, heightened awareness, and suppression of hunger.

Sulawesi and its incredible funerary practices in Tana Toraja is the subject of an upcoming Balifornian documentary.

Copyright © 2010 Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog ~ Michael Doliveck

Our Adventure Photo Safaris ~ Are you a photographer or just love to take pictures?  Contact us to find out about our special tours for photographers.  Take a look at the images in the gallery, as they are good examples of the types of images you will be able to create on our tours.  The tours are led by Michael, a professor of art and photography as well as some very special guest teachers and pro photographers.  Contact us at photo@balifornian.com today for more information.

Do you have some great images from your Indonesian travels you would like to share? Want to submit your fantastic photo for the Balifornian Tour and Travel Blog Photo of the Day?  Please send your JPEG, location and description to photo@balifornian.com  Files must be under 500 kb.

Happy travels! Salamat Jalan!

Michael and Maryam ~

Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog ~ The best website for news and information on Bali and Indonesia.

The Real Home of the Boogie Man (photo)

In Southeast Asia the term is commonly used to refer to the ethnic group The Bugis and Buganese pirates, who were (and to some extent, still are) ruthless seafarers from the Indonesian island of Sulawesi (formerly known as Celebes).

Sulawesi is the home of the age old frightening myth of the "boogie man" propagated in the 15th century by the English to promote negative views of their rivals, the Buginese, who battled the marauding English, Dutch and other Europeans who were trying to obtain strategic control of the lucrative spice trade. In colonial times, cloves for example, coveted by dentists for their anesthetic properties, were more expensive than gold. The cloves only grew on the small ‘spice islands' of Sulawesi. This was also home to many other spices that were desirable the world over.

Sulawesi and its incredible funerary practices in Tana Toraja is the subject of an upcoming Balifornian documentary. 

Photo Copyright 2010 Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog ~ Michael Doliveck

Our Adventure Photo Safaris ~ Are you a photographer or just love to take pictures?  Contact us to find out about our special tours for photographers.  Take a look at the images in the gallery, as they are good examples of the types of images you will be able to create on our tours.  The tours are led by Michael, a professor of art and photography as well as some very special guest teachers and pro photographers.  Contact us at photo@balifornian.com today for more information.

Do you have some great images from your Indonesian travels you would like to share? Want to submit your photo for the Balifornian Tour and Travel Blog Photo of the Day?  Please send your JPEG, location and description to photo@balifornian.com  Files must be under 500 kb.

Happy travels! Salamat Jalan!

Michael and Maryam ~

Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog ~ You're best source for news and information on Bali and Indonesia.

Dramatic footage ~ Big Rig falls off bridge ~ Indonesia

An 18 wheeler falls off Bridge. Dramatic coverage of a horrific truck accident in Yogjakarta, Java, Indonesia. As seen on Balifornian Tours Ec-Adventure Tour.

 
While it may seem to the outsider that the drivers in Indonesia and other Asian countries are reckless and law breaking, we see very few accidents while traveling. This was one of the few, but it was quite shocking. It appears the driver and passenger of the big rig were in shock but alive. No word on their recovery but we wish them the best.  Its amazing they made it out at all as the cab was crushed.  Be safe out there everyone!

Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog was nominated for the best bali website and travel blog.

The Ultimate Adventure Expedition ~ West Papua

Balifornian Tours announces The Ultimate Adventure Expedition.  We will be touring Bali and then head off to one of the most remote regions left in the world, West Papua also know as Western New Guinea (formerly Irian Jaya). 

Its beauty and magnificence is unparalleled from its pristine beaches, ultra rare flora and fauna and the deep traditions of its tribes, which have been virtually untouched by outside influences. 

Travel is difficult on this tropical island for many reasons from snow capped rugged mountains to some of the most impenetrable jungles.  Many areas of this remote island are off limits to tourists and others require permits, but we will have unique access, as we will be chaperoned by local officials and members of the military. 

This is a once in a lifetime trip allowing you to interact with former headhunting and cannibalistic tribes of primitive cultures whose development is said to have ended in the Neolithic period (younger Stone Age).  We will be making a documentary film during this tour in which you can participate (and be credited). 

This expedition is for experienced travelers and requires extreme sensitivity and thus the exploratory party will be limited to only a small group.  If you are interested, please contact us ASAP papua@balifornian.com as we depart in June 2011.  For more information go to http://www.balifornian.com

Balifornian Tours ~ Best Tours.  Best Adventure.  Best Experience.  Photos above from Public Domian.

Update on Friday, March 18, 2011 at 4:25PM by Michael Doliveck

Update:

The response has been strong so I wanted to provide a bit more information.  We have a great opportunity here and I am working hard to get everything arranged.  Some details are still being worked out as it always is with these projects.  

If you do have strong interest, I am happy to provide more information.  I'd say you would need to buy air fare before too long as prices are predicted to rise due to oil prices worldwide but now they are still reasonable, though a bit more than usual for this time.  All team members are responsible for their own expenses.
The plans are liquid at this point as we are still gathering information and coordinating with our contacts in Papua.  I think we are looking at 8-14 days there and I am trying to lengthen it.  We will be in Bali for a couple weeks as well.  Papua is a bit pricier than other spots in Indo but still very reasonable and we will be able to save money by traveling with family (who also conveniently lead the Navy).  I can take care of all the permits and coordination.  It looks like we may have a small crew of videographers so its shaping up to be a great trip.  The rubber dates to be in Papua are June 22- July 6th or so.  All we ask is that, all footage gathered would remain the sole property of the shooter, but we be given permission to be used in the documentary we are producing.  All credits will be given to the shooter in the film and we are still filling positions (editor, sound tech, etc.)
I have a great travel agent if you want his name.

Thank you,
Michael

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prof. Michael Doliveck ~ Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog ~ Your best source of news and information of Bali and Indonesia
m@balifornian.com

Photo of the Day ~ Borobudur Bokeh ~ Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog

Borobudur is the largest and widely hailed as one of the greatest Buddhist monuments in the world.  The colossal temple, composed of 55,000 square meters of lava-rock is erected on a hill  in Muntilan, Magelang, and is about 42 km from Yogyakarta city in Central Java, Indonesia. 

This massive structure was built between AD 700 and  AD 850, (over 300 years prior to Cambodia's Angkor Wat, and more than 400 years before any of the great European cathedrals).  The monument comprises of a stepped-pyramid of six rectangular stories topped by three circular terraces, and a central stupacrowning this incredible architectural achievement on par with the great pyramids of Egypt.  The entire structure is in the form of a lotus, the sacred flower of The Buddha.

Copyright © 2010 Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog ~ Michael Doliveck

Our Photo Safaris ~ Are you a photographer or just like to take pictures?  Contact us to find out about our special tours for photographers.  Take a look at the images in the gallery as they are good examples of the types of images you will be able to create on our tours.  The tours are led by Michael, a professor of art and photography as well as some very special guest teachers and pro photographers.  Contact us at photo@balifornian.com today for more information.

Do you have some great images from your Indonesian travels you would like to share? Want to submit your photo for the Balifornian Tour and Travel Blog Photo of the Day?  Please send your JPEG, location and description to photo@balifornian.com  Files must be under 500 kb.

Happy travels!

Michael and Maryam Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog- Your best source for information on Bali Travel