A few more Balinese tidbits

Before I forget what everything was, here are a few of my pics...

Barong Balinese Dancers
(They put on a special stage production just for our group.)

School's out! The children had a big exam coming the next day.

We dropped in on this cottage (literally) industry. They are making clay roofing tiles. No electricity. They hand-crank the press, trim the tiles by hand, and bake them in an oven that burns coconut husks. The children are always nearby.

The Monkey Forest.
There are hundreds of them. Since they are revered, they live like kings. They would have grabbed things out of our hands if they thought it was food

The view of the Tanah Lot Temple from our first hotel.
Tanah and Lot: one means land, the other sea.

Suksama Bali

The Balinese are hard working and have their own Balinese Hindu religion. Karma is in everything they do. If they didn't have "good luck" today, they believe they will have it tomorrow. Integrity is central in all they do. They are kind, gentle, and respectful. So respectful, in fact, that they have
many ways to say "Thank you." Most I can't remember, but to place the hands together (like you're praying), give a slight bow, and say "suksama" is not only to say thanks but to honor and respect the person as well.

Thirty-six hours! That's how long it takes to travel to Bali. It's a little more coming back, but we got to break it up for a day in Singapore.

I'm safely back from Bali. It was an amazing experience. I hadn't thought about it before I left since we were staying in 5-star hotels, but Bali is actually a Third World country. Even so, I saw no homeless, drunk, or otherwise vagrant people.

Our first morning in Bali, we took in 18 holes of golf. Well, at least we rented a cart and I got to drive all over the course. And yes, they do drive on the left. Others in our group heard about our golf cart excursion and did the same thing the next day.

The golf course is the only place I'd dare drive in Bali, since the painted lanes are really only suggestions. There are millions of scooters and motorbikes. All small. A liter of gas gets them around for a month. All of them are on the road at once. It's like a choreographed stampede. And the foreigners can't hear the music or learn the steps. They have very few accidents. though.

Don't drink the water.

And don't eat the fruit unless you peel it yourself.

More later...

Suksama and good night Bali.

(That's Melda in action at the golf course.)

Blast off!

I'm outta here!

I've even turned my calendar over to December.

See you all in 20,400 miles!

Busy... Just Three More Days!

Just 3 days until we leave for Bali and I've been trying to get everything done here before I leave... reports, analyses, statistical testing, programs, parties, passports, prescriptions, etc. Not to mention the packing. Oh. No wait. I haven't done any packing! Our carry-on's are limited to 15 pounds, but they want us to take three full changes of clothes, all our toiletries, extra shoes, an umbrella, and cameras, etc. all in there. It looks like the adventure starts with loading the suitcases.

On November 30, our little group in Holladay will have its 17th annual performance of Handel's Messiah. Of course, I'll have to miss it this year, but it's been growing every year since its inception in 1992. I've been on the committee since 1993. I've made everyone get things done ahead of time so I could get the programs printed before I leave. We got them finalized this morning, so it looks like we're in good shape. Every year we add more professionals. This year, we brought on Jack Ashton of the Utah Symphony. Handel's Messiah has been my gift to myself every year for a long time and is the perfect way to kick off the Christmas season. I'm saddened to be missing it this year.

But the thing I will miss most of all is spending my favorite holiday with my favorite people. It may sound cliché, but I truly have an amazing family. They are there for me when I need them. They let me strike out on my own when I need to. We laugh. We build. We cook. We sing Happy Birthday (in a myriad of different keys all at the same time--eat your hearts out Mo-Tabs!). And we feel comfortable spending time with each other. I'll expound on this amazing blessing when it's not my lunch hour and I have the liberty to be more eloquent. OK, try to be more eloquent.

Thank you to you all. See you soon!

I gotta learn to golf... NOW!

OK, check this out...

In three weeks, it could be me getting a hole-in-one right here!

Now, if only I knew whether to use the nine iron or the curling iron. It's probably the cast iron.

BTW, this is a snippet of the golf course at the Le Méridien Nirwana Bali.


I wonder if they drive golf carts on the other side of the course?

A little football wisdom

If there should ever be an office pool to pick the winning football teams each week, Chad's the man! Three out of five! That's amazing!

Anticipation

While most of Indonesia is primarily Muslim, Bali is about 95% Hindu. It sounds like there are temples galore.

According to my calculations (OK, Google Earth's calculations, but it couldn't have done it without my assistance), it's 10,200 flight miles to Bali one way--that's SLC to San Francisco to Hong Kong to Singapore to Denpasar (Bali)--and about 26 hours of flight time. We will cross the International Date line, so it may actually be yesterday when I get there or get back home. The mathematician in me will have to figure it out before I leave, or maybe I will just use that handy World Clock feature on my cell phone.

This will be the furthest south I have ever been (and the first time that I have crossed the equator). My previous southern record was Mexico City, or was it the Dead Sea? Northern is Oslo, Norway, or maybe Skagway, Alaska. I guess it's the furthest west (or east, depending on your perspective), too. Those records were Kauai, Hawaii and Moscow, Russia.

Bali is about four times the size of Oahu and about 8 degrees south of the equator. It will be early summer when we arrive. Although, being that close to the equator, I think it is probably always early or mid summer.

And, I'll get to add numbers 24 and 25 to my list of countries visited. I'm counting Hong Kong, even though it's only a layover. Does it count if they don't stamp your passport?

Well, that's enough boring geography for today. What subject shall we tackle tomorrow?

Something to look forward to...

Next stop, Bali!

Well, maybe not next.

But soon!

Yellowstone

July 2008

The Tetons

String Lake


July 2008

Jenny Lake
the one hour cruise!

Genny at those falls in Yellowstone.
You know the ones.
Someone thought it would be clever
to build a platform out over the gorge,
so tourists could teeter on the precipice
while Niagara's little brother carves
away the mountain directly below you.

Albion Basin Wildflower Festival

Jace and Laura
at the 2008
Albion Basin Wildflower Festival

The flowers look even brighter here
than they did that day.

The skies were mostly overcast,

so the light was soft.

Looking back into the basin.

Well, at least I am.
Brent, Laura, Jace, and Genny
are looking down
Little Cottonwood Canyon.
All those white and yellow spots
are wildflowers galore.


27 July 2008

Bryan & Whitney's reception

By the waterfall

Bryan & Whitney's reception
With their parents
Nice hat Whitney!
The best man

Mt Olympus from Mom's kitchen window.

Sunny San Diego in January