 |
| Jann Segal |
Bali
is not a destination most Americans visit. In fact, the majority of English
speaking foreigners there are from Australia. Americans should give this
destination a second thought. On an airline like Taiwanese carrier EVA, it is
easy to fly there with one change of planes, and from the West Coast there is
literally no jet lag in spite of the time difference. The food is wonderful,
the beaches among the most scenic in the world, and the authentic Asian Pacific
island culture is second to none. Where else do you get to see the traditional
fire dances like the one pictured above?
Fire
dances can be found in many parts of the small island of Bali, but one that
attracts many tourists is around Kuta, and overlooks the cliffs of the
magnificent Balinese coast. It is known as the Kecak fire and trance dance, and
includes a chorus of 70 male voices that provide the rhythmic and primal music
for the hour (think Balinese version of a Greek chorus). It may attract
tourists in abundance, but it is authentic in its preservation of the vibrant
Balinese culture and tradition.
The
choruses of men are first joined by a few other dancers who light the shrine
that is used for the dance ceremony. The hour of dance consists of a story line
in five acts, and everyone is handed a sheet in their native language so they
can understand and follow the story as the dance progresses. The dance begins
as the sun is setting along the scenic backdrop of the rugged cliffs and
coastline, with the Uluwatu temple looking on. As the dance continues and night
begins to fall, the amount of fire intensifies until all you see is a ring of
fire with dancers circling around in dramatic fashion. The chorus of 70 men
continue to sing for the entire hour in a pulsating rhythm that intensifies the
circle of fire before you. Monkeys crawl near by, which adds to the exotic
nature of the evening. Several of the dancers dress as monkeys from the nearby
forest, but the real monkeys are not that far away.
The
entry fee is $10 USD, and an extra couple dollars to rent the appropriate
covering to wear around your waste, which is a Hindu tradition. You can make
arrangements to see the dance while in Bali with any private driver or guide,
or you can also book in advance on Viator.com, but it might cost more that way.
Dinner
typically follows at an additional cost. There are many fine restaurants on the
beach in nearby Kuta or Ubud, but several that are especially delightful serve
fish with tables directly on the sand. Guests do not select the fish from the
menu. Rather, they select the fish by size from an assortment of freshly caught
fish and pay by the kilo. In the case of some shell fish like lobster, it will
still be alive when you select it. This is an Asian custom so customers are ensured
that the fish is fresh, but it is also part of the typically Balinese
experience.
Food
in Bali is as exotic as the culture itself. The delightful combination of
Indian, Asian and Indonesian cuisine in a single dish is divine. Order one of
the many Indonesian specialties that can be split by two people in a typical
Indonesian restaurant, and you will get to try a variety of dishes at once that
are indicative of the best that Indonesian food has to offer.
No comments:
Post a Comment