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At the End of the Rites of Passage

“Everyone goes through the rites of passage in their life. It begins at birth, followed by the coming of age, marriage, sickness, and become completed with death.”

Offerings for the deceased

It was only very recent when I heard of the passing of a noted, well-respected film maker in Malaysia. Her name is Yasmin Ahmad. My heart was saddened along with the family members and friends of the departed Yasmin Ahmad as I watched the news broadcast on TV. Death, though inevitable, often catches us by surprise; no matter how prepared we think we are. When a person dies and leave behind their physical body, we can’t help but wonder, what will happen next?

Carrying the deceased in a 'bade'

In Bali, death brings a different meaning. Life does not just end with death. The rituals of funeral rites and cremation play an utmost importance in the stages of life. The Balinese believe that the soul will be freed to begin a new journey when death comes. The soul will be reborn into a future generation. And so, life continues on…

When a Balinese dies, the cremation for the deceased is a joyous one. The whole village will come together to prepare for the cremation. The cremation ritual is a ceremony which purifies and frees the soul from its earthly house and help it set forth to be incarnated. The body will be bathed and prepared as the priest will come and pray and bless the deceased. Meals are also prepared and offered to the deceased as usual to keep the person’s memory alive.

The elaborately decorative base of the cremation tower

The cremation ritual is a costly one. Most often when a family does not have the finances to proceed with the cremation ritual, the body will be buried first until they have saved enough for the event. Sometimes, they will also choose to do a group cremation. The size and elaborateness of the cremation ceremony reflects the wealth of the deceased's family.

The most exciting part of the cremation ritual for a tourist to watch is the procession to the cremation ground. It resembles a community carnival, with marching gamelan bands and people in high spirits. If you have never seen nor understand the ways and culture of a Balinese funerals goings, you might not even guess that it’s actually a cremation march!

The sacred bull-shape sarcophagus

On the day of cremation, an elaborate cremation tower called ‘bade’ will be build. It is made with paper and soft wood. The remains of the deceased will be placed in it as the people will carry it to the cremation ground. Once there, the body/bones will then be placed in a bull-shaped sarcophagus. (Bulls are considered a sacred animal in the Balinese culture) After that, the burning of the tower and sarcophagus will act as a final cleansing. The ashes will be gathered and be cast into the sea in order for the soul to be released and go on to its next life.

The final cleansing for the spirit to be released

Though the cremation ritual is a tourist attraction itself, you will still be advised to cover up and dress appropriately if you want to be there to watch. I believe it will be an interesting and unforgettable experience to witness a Balinese funeral rites. Life is a cycle after all, isn’t it?

What’s Serving in Bali?

Now let’s talk about food in Bali. If you are wondering what are the special local delights you must try in Bali, read on. Let me share with you some local specialties that you must eat when you are there.

1) Lawar
This is a dish full of nutrient and taste. Lawar is usually served in a bowl of mixed finely chopped traditional herbs and flavourings such as ginger, shrimp paste, salt, pepper, green beans, shallots, red chillies, garlics and grated coconuts with a few dashes of lime juice. For easy understanding, I call it the "Balinese Salad"! Some might even add in shredded chicken or other kinds of meat. I find this dish compliment extremely well with white rice, or served on its own.

2) Bebek Bengil
Now, this restaurant is so famous that it needs no further intro. Anyhow, for those who have never heard of Bebek Bengil or 'Dirty Duck', this is a well-known restaurant which serves its specialty dish, no other than, DUCK, well (and clean!). When you are here, try out their Bebek Bengil Crispy Duck or Smoked Duck., I am sure you won’t regret it. Besides their 'dirty ducks', they do serve other dishes like pasta, salad, kebabs, chicken dishes, coconut pies, dessert, fresh fruit juices and many more. This restaurant and its branch are both located in Ubud. Be sure not to miss them!

3) Fresh seafood
No where else you can enjoy a full stretch of seafood café and restaurants along the seaside. Come to Jimbaran, a fishing village in Bali, and indulge yourself with freshly cooked seafood dishes. Lobsters, clams, oysters, squids, fish, prawns and crabs… You name it, you got it! Choose how you want your seafood to be cooked; steamed, deep fried, curry, cheese baked and even 'tom yam'. Listen to the musical beach waves and feel the cooling breezy wind while delighting yourself with dishes of fresh seafood served on the table.

4) Babi Guling (a pork dish)
A plate of rice served with chunks of roasted suckling pig meat, crispy skin, minced intestines, vegetable and some specially made sauce. This must-try local delight is so popular among tourists as there is one stall located right next to a tourist hot spot – The Ubud Palace. Some travel buses even drop off their guests here for lunch before starting their tour in the afternoon. This dish is served in a big portion. So, if you are not a big eater, you may consider sharing with your travel buddies.

After looking at all the mouth watering dishes, got the urge to fly to Bali to try them? Excite your taste buds with just a click on PYO Travel.com. Loads of tasty travel itineraries are awaiting you! Take photos of yourself with the food and share your delicious experience with us!

Purely Bali

I have heard so much about Bali and lately, a friend of mine just came back from this place and highly recommended me to travel there. I got excited about it and quickly logged in to my 'personal travel consultant' website – PYO Travel.com to source for some travel info & packages. To my surprise, I’ve found out that there are more than what I’ve expected in Bali!

Turtle Island
I have never know Bali has got a sanctuary to breed sea turtles. As someone who loves nature, this is actually a main attraction to me. I want to see and hold the turtles in my arms and embrace them with love. I also got to know that many species are being bred here with the attention of professionals. That's good to know that they (the turtles, of course!) are in good care. I can’t wait to see them and have some pictures with those cute little sea creatures.

Dolphin Watching
Dolphins?!! Gosh, I really thought that I need to be in Australia to see dolphins! Well, in order to see those active swimming dolphins, we need to take a cruise ride to the deep ocean. I believe the dolphins would be more than happy to welcome us and dance for us in the sea as their welcoming act. Boy, really can’t wait to see these rare marine mammals in the nature. I must have my camera ready for them!

Uluwatu Temple
A temple built by the cliff above the ocean. The scene here is so amazing that it almost took everybody’s breath away whenever they see it. Well, to me, this place is special because I have never seen a temple built so near to the ocean before. What more, by a cliff! My friend told me there were a lot of monkeys around when they were there. Again, get ready your peanuts guys!

Ubud
This place, I heard, is absolutely an artistic place. There are batik paintings, wood carvings, stone engravings and other kinds of art (you name it!), can be found easily here. In other words, it’s the haven for artists and creative people to gather and show off their talents and masterpieces. Actually, I think Ubud itself is already an artwork of nature. Look at the picture below and you will know what I mean.

Tanah Lot Temple
Another temple built by the ocean. But this one, it is situated on top of a big piece of rock, by the Indian Ocean offshore. The special highlight here is that the temple would be surrounded by sea water by every sunset.

Spa
Spa! Spa! Spa! What a great way to pamper yourself! My friend told me spas here are at reasonable prices and said that you have never been to Bali if you have not tried out their spa treatments. I bet I would be the first one to indulge myself in their signature treatment here.

I have actually booked my tickets to Bali for my coming trip. How about yourself? If you have not done so, no worries! PYO Travel.com is the way to go…

BALI, HERE I COME!!!

P/S : Thanks to Ms Felicia for her beautiful pictures of Uluwatu Temple & Tanah Lot Temple...

Discover THREE Reasons To Go To Bali

It is the Best Time, Season, and Price, Now. (‘till June)

There’s always a certain time and season in every place. We know not to go the deserts in summer months, we know not to go to disease infected countries (H1N1), and our advisor in our mind counsel us on so on and so forth.

So why is it the Best Time to visit Bali now?
Every westerner is green with jealousy with Malaysians experiencing 365 days of awesome summer climate. They can’t wait till their July holiday break begins and hop onto a plane and land themselves on a nice beach to tan. So why would we want to battle in booking our vacation and then find ourselves on a crowded beach and other attraction with only enough space to barely breathe? So get there before everyone else does!

When is the Best Season to visit Bali?
Now. Malaysia shares similar weather with Bali. The temperature has been soaring high at 36°C or over. Rain or no rain, it’s the same season to us. We have gotten so used to it that we forget about seasons. Yes, there is a season for traveling to Bali. Beside dry and rainy, there’s Peak Season. We want to avoid that. With peak season, all prices will most probably be hike up and we will find ourselves having to combat for a serene, quiet spot for relaxation. Let us not burden ourselves further on a vacation trip and drive ourselves crazy. It’s not worth it.

Can I really get the Best Price Now?
Yes! Didn’t I just tell you that the prices go up during peak season in July? Well, unless you manage to get a steal, which is hard, go now! I have a good place for you to check it out. Click HERE.