Photo of the Day ~ Boys playing Soccer- Taman Sari Water Castle ~ Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog

Built in mid 18th century,  The Taman Sari Water Castle is the former royal garden of the Sultanate of Yogyakarta.  A huge complex of manmade lakes, underground tunnels, bathing areas and much more.  The name Taman Sari comes from the Javanese words taman, meaning a "garden" or "park" and sari, which means "beautiful" or "flowers".  These boys were elated to kick around the soccer ball in these empty cavernous rooms.  We saw them on our travels in Yogjakarta, Java. Indonesia

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

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

Lovely Putu and Dina at Candi Borobudur.

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 stupa crowning 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.
The Temple is adorned with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha sculptures.  A huge main dome, located at the very center of the top most platform, is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues seated inside perforated stupas.  Each of these Buddhas are performing a mudra or hand gesture indicating one of the five directions.  East, with the mudra of calling the earth to witness.  South, with the hand position of blessing.  West, with the gesture of meditation and north, the mudra of fearlessness.  And finally, the centre with the teaching gesture.  The name Borobudur is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit words 'vihara', 'Buddha' and  'uhr', which loosely translates as 'the Buddhist monastery on the hill'.
Borobudur is Indonesia's single most visited tourist attraction and  is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  But fear not as Balifornian Tours can get you there at times when you will not be inundated with tourists.  This is a "no miss" site on any Indonesian tour and we can help you get there with the least hassle possible and get you to all the secret spots while explaining this heroic achievement of human vision that others might miss.

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 ~ The best Bali website.

Photo of the Day ~ Mbok Salak Pondoh ~ Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog

Salak Pondoh also know as Snake Fruit or simply as Salak (Salacca zalacca) is a species of the palm tree family native to Indonesia. The leaves of the palm can be 6 metres (20 ft) long!  The fruit is almost the size of a baseball and the snake fruit moniker comes from it reddish-brown scaly skin.  The fruit inside is sweet and a bit acidic and crunches like an apple.  It almost looks like garlic and consists of three lobes, each containing a large inedible seed.  Salak pondoh is an important fruit in Yogyakarta province and sold throughout Indo including Bali.  

This kind woman (mbok or mother) is selling the Salak Pondoh and we spent quite a while chatting with her and learning about her family while on our tour of Bali and Java.

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

Photo(s) of the Day ~ Napping Becak Drivers ~ Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog

These shots are some of my favorites and we have many more in this series but here are just a few.  We spotted these hard working gentleman (really they are) taking a break from thier labor while on our Eco-Tourism Tour in Yogjakarta, Java, Indonesia.

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 ~ The best Bali website.  Your best option for Bali and Indonesia Travel information.

Photo of the Day ~ Lotus Fountain, Yogja ~ Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog

The lotus fountain at Candi Prambanan Temple in Yogjakarta as seen from our Eco-Adventure Tour.

Copyright © 2010 Balifornian Tours and Travel Blog ~ Michael Doliveck

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.

Have 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 ~ The best Bali website.  You best option for Bali and Indonesia Travel information.