Friday, November 14, 2008

Malaysia to Bali


pile on!


write your name on a tile for a $10 donation and it will be built into the temple


View of Kek Lok Si Temple grounds from its towering Pagoda

Main Temple


quiet calm

Our last stop in Malaysia was the Kek Lok Si Temple built into the side of the hill and overlooking the island of Penang.


Petrified Mollusks near Krabi, Thailand


King Cave, Phi Phi Islands Thailand


cave temple gateway near Krabi

caught in the act


buddhas glow under overhang of cave


donations to help build the largest buddha 40 meters tall overlooking Phuket


bronze monk

night in Phuket


pier at dusk

We ventured into Thailand to escape the challenges we faced in Malaysia spending our time at the beaches on boats and motorbikes before we parted Julia to Bangkok and me to Bali.

Whoohoo!


procession


skilled craftsmen at Gaya Fusion Ceramic and Design turn ideas into reality overnight


Monkey Forest mystical creature offers itself as a bridge its visitors


I even got to teach an art class to first and second graders at the Green School


bamboo nautilus is just one example of the countless innovations in bamboo construction and design on display and in use at the Green School


I help Hillary put the finishing touches on her latest large scale vessel

A chance to slow down Bali is a paradise. Massive 3 story sculptures of intricate detail stand guard over every major intersection. Along smaller roads a temple of exquisite detail is home to a zoo of mystical concrete monsters coated in layers of neon moss. While celebrations are an elaborate affair, every day smaller offerings are ceremoniously placed in doorways, shelves, shrines, streets, and just a moment ago i watched as a beautifully dressed woman in her native kabaya rested an intimate basket of flowers and snacks on the seat of a motorbike waving incense and sprinkling water I imagine to provide its rider with a safe and profitable ride. It seems that every aspect of life is handled with dedication, skill, grace, and beauty. The tropical climate pushes greenery from the most unexpected nooks and crannies and explosions of flowers burst out of new hiding places daily.

You would all be bored if I continued to drone on about all I would love to share about Bali, but I will post photos as I am able to let you create your own picture. I don't want to spend all my time at the computer! Ciao!