Balifornian Photo of the Day ~ Handsome Young Fella

While attending a sacred ceremony at Pura Besakih, Bali's Mother Temple, this handsome young fella flashed us his beautiful smile and huge bright eyes.  Thousands of Balinese Hindus flock to temples on Gunung Agung, The holy volcano and the highest point on the island of Bali, for the week long celebration. Mount Agung is the most sacred spot on the island and rises 3142 metres above sea level. Its a trek to get here especially when thousands of others are attemtping to navigate the small winding roads to give their offerings to the Gods, but its well worth it.

Just one of thousands of worshipers at Pura Besakih- Bali's Holy Mother Temple Have a great photo of Bali or Indonesia? Just send us an email with the image and details and your photography can be selected as The Balifornian Photo of the Day.

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Photo of the Day ~ Mt. Agung from Amed Beach ~ Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog

Here is our photo of the day...

This is the view from our hotel in Amed called three Brothers.  There are several 3 Brothers so you need to choose the right one (see our blog post on Amed) as the others are not quite as good.  Formerly know as a sleepy fishing village, Amed has blossomed into a great beach town with an actual nightlife, amazing scuba diving and snorkling and retains a great authentic Bali feel.  There are some wonderful restaurants and lots to do but just chilling on the beach or by the hotel pool is a great way to pass the time.

Mt Agung as seen from Amed beach. Bali, Indonesia. Balifornian Villas and Tours.

Gunung Agung volcano rises dramatically in the background as the sun sets on another perfect day in paradise.

Do you have some photos from Bali that you would like to share?  Enter them in the Balifornian Villa and Tour photo of the day.  Just send them in to photo@balifornina.com along with a description and we will post the winners for you to see.

Happy travels!

Bali Agung at Bali Theatre stunningly recreates Bali’s historic past

I love great theatrical and musical performances and the new Bali Theatre presentation Bali Agung is awesome, rivalling those amazing theme park presentations and performances the US has become so good at. When I was privileged to be taken to Bali Theatre, I was told that the spectacular Bali Theatre performance of Bali Agung was inspired by the historic and legendary account of Sri Jaya Pangus, King of what was the unassailable Balingkang Kingdom of 12th century Bali, which romantically takes its name from marriage between a Balinese king and princess of Kang family of China.   Today, many of us will have seen effigies of the King paraded through the streets of Bali as an ogre-like Barong Landung, warding off bad luck and evil spirit. Bali Theatre recreates this epic and brings the legend to life in a rare display of Bali’s diverse cultural heritage, in an entirely new concept for Bali, with Bali Agung described as a massive collaboration of 150 performers mirroring every aspect of the Bali’s historic past retelling an epic Balinese tale with scenes of the island’s paradise, its royal atmosphere and the magical forests that are the settings for the romantic and heroic scenes, which helps any visitor really understand and appreciate Bali’s cultural heritage. Bali Agung takes place in a massive 1,200 seat indoor theatrical complex built to international standards in stage settings, state-of-art lighting and sound systems, offering luxurious seating, located in the heart of Bali Safari Marine Park along the newly developed seaside highway, Jalan Ida Bagus Mantra, on Bali south-eastern coastline of Gianyar. Bali Theatre is a mega-stage theatrical complex, fully equipped with advanced multi-media technology and state-of-art sound and lighting systems, the entrance featuring the island’s tallest 8-metre high Ganesha statue, the God of science and knowledge, who appears to be persuading visitors to enter the lobby and discover the many aspects of theatre. The statue even suggests to people that the theatre was built with highly sophisticated technology, and performers that will guide their audiences to a better knowledge of Bali and its charming people, unique tradition, history, and culture. A walk through the tunnel behind the statue leads visitors to the luxurious pre-function area, decorated with warm lighting, a wooden floor and a beautifully landscaped garden filled with exotic flowers, shrubs and extensive ponds. The lobby can be considered as a perfect pre-function venue for cocktails as well as an ideal location for a private party or theme function. The Bali Theatre brings a whole new experience to theatrical art performances, especially in Bali, by combining stunning and very colourful traditional and contemporary dance, modern puppetry and live animal parades and all highlighted with a combination of three different awesome musical and melodic influences. The music was especially written and was performed and recorded by a western orchestra accompanied by a live Balinese pentatonic gamelan ensemble and loud Chinese cymbals and drum.  The setting is just amazing and something you have to see if you go to Bali, with the huge main stage separated from the audience by a river pond, with boat skippers voyaging on it and the mega-stage setting transporting the audience into a timeless journey and through a magical performance that shows the true colours of the island as it was several hundred years ago. To see a sample of this amazing performance and hear what the visionaries behind this superb performance and also its Balinese and Australian directors have to say, please  click on the video below: - For more information on the amazing Bali Agung performance at the Bali Theatre, please visit:- www.balitheatre.com John Alwyn-Jones reporting for e-Travel Blackboard and e-Travel Blackboard TV on location from Indonesia and Bali brought to you by Garuda Indonesia and Garuda Orient Holidays.