853. Day 2 of travel. The Balinese and Pushpapuri Villa

Jan 30, 2012 Sanur, Bali, Pushpapuri Villa

Some info about the pictures I took from the Pusphapuri Villa and the Balinese culture

The Balinese are Hindus although Indonesia is predominantly a Muslim country.
Most of them live in a village (desa) which has 3 main temples (pura). These are the origin temple (pura puseh), the village temple (pura desa or pura bale agung) and the death temple (pura dalem). All villagers worship at these temples.

I had a unique chance to talk to the Manager of the Pushpapuri Villa on arrival on the morning of Jan 29, 2012. He told me that the temple on the left was the death temple. I could visit it but must wear a sarong (skirt-like). I could borrow one from the staff. In the death temple, no ashes are put there. All bones are crushed and ashes in a piece of cloth are scattered into the sea. Those Balinese who can't afford the costly cremations will bury first. Later, the government will offer money for a mass cremation and each family is responsible for the preparation.

Each village has a hamlet (banjar) which is the community. In each hamlet, there is the elected leader and another government appointed leader. There are cooperative groups of neighbours to help each other. The worst punishment is to be exiled from the village. So all Balinese have roots and are never isolated.

He said Mount Agung has not erupted since 1963. I wanted to visit it or trek but it is drizzling this morning Jan 30, 2012.

BEACH CLEANING
"The old man comes early to pick up the plastic bottles for recycling," the young Manager who is in sole charge of only Pushpapuri Villa and no others said to me. "Later there are women who come to clean the beach in front of the villas. In the afternoon, I saw two cleaners.

SECURITY GUARDS
At 3 am I woke up to listen to the sea waves. There were two men in their 30s patrolling the garden and checking the beach for intruders. One of them appeared to carry a short knife. I was impressed with the security of the management. It was drizzling but no thunderstorm. The waves roared. No brilliant blue sunrise and flashes of lightning as yesterday (some pictures to show what I mean). I guess I was lucky to have such good pictures. It is a pity that the website of this Villa has not much images of the beautiful surroundings and its activities. Yet February is fully booked.

BUILDING QUALITY
Other villas had collapsed due to poor construction but this villa is solidly built and was built in 2007. It is well maintained as I can see from the cleanliness and the structure. The only disadvantage is that the master bedroom has no power point on the dressing table for me to write and use my computer at 3 am. There are no writing tables in the master bedroom at all.

There is a library but somebody may be sleeping on the couch if there are more than 8 people. Sometimes, the architects may plan for what they think the user should do. So, no writing table in the master bedroom.

The same applies to some vets and groomers. They think what the client would want but is actually mistaken. For example, some groomers clipped the coat but leave the head and a bit of the tail end with hairs in a skin-diseased dog. This is not what the owners want. For vets, they may want blood tests and all tests to be done but this may not be what the owners can afford or want.

As I write, it is drizzling. The old man had come to collect the bottles and gone. Another man in the distance, near the death temple appeared to collect bottles. Plastic bottles can be sold for recycling. But this beach yields a few when the tide comes in. Still, I am inspired by this old man who still comes when it is drizzling. Now he has a competitor but that man came later. The waves are now stronger. Grey blue sky. No beautiful sunrise. The young men have not come back from their party which is an hour's drive away. It is already 7.20 am. I wonder what has happened to them.