Hello 2010

On geeky side, tomorrow will be the binary day cause the date is 010110 in DDMMYY format. Ok, I know it's not funny, but happy new year anyway. 2009 comes to an end finally. This is a busy year, almost all the juices are squeezed out of me with all the projects running parallel. I'm still survive luckily. If you had noticed already, there are massive postings on this month. I manage to turn the tide for post count this year! For the first time, the count is not slipping down! Let's see how I cope next year. Happy new year and hope it's a great year!



This is one of my project with "Safe" as the theme. Hello 2010

Balinese gate - Part 4

Balinese gate #16/25

Walking further towards the main road from Rumah Roda, there is another local Homestay. The similarity of at these Homestay's gates is a blocking brick wall right after the gate. Usually they have their Homestay name hang on the entrance wall and another usage I guess is to avoid people peeping into the house.


Balinese gate #17/25

This is one of the gate inside the Royal Palace of Bali. From the look of outside, the palace seems ancient and old. However, the sculpture and design of the architecture is grand and expensive.


Balinese gate #18/25

This gate is also located at Royal Palace in Ubud. There are a number of gates around to different section of the palace which is expected. :) However, visitors are limited to access main compound, others gates and doors are closed for public.


Balinese gate #19/25

Although the gate at the Royal Palace stated cannot enter, I still can take a peep. ^^ I even took a photograph with the door half open. kekeke.


Balinese gate #20/25

Another blocked gate/doors at Royal Palace, Ubud. Near the palace, there is a famous restaurant selling grilled pork, or Babi Guling in local name. The restaurant was not open for business yet, so I spent more time in each corner of the palace that I can access.

Self accessed achievement

Heart

One of my achievement this year is winning a game in Heart, a Microsoft Windows game, for the first time. This is a historical event of my life and I would like to thank PSDC (for the computer), Zhen (for teaching me what is Pokers), my parents (for bringing me to this world during the 80's to enjoy the computer technologies) and all my friends (for supporting me, I knew you would). Thank you.

Ramly

Ramly Burger

Home made Ramly burger. The best Malaysia burger patty has to be Ramly, no alternatives, no replacement. The patty must be cut into half and pan grilled inside out.

Don't drool in front of your monitor

Balinese gate - Part 3

Balinese gate #11/25

This is the entrance to the main praying square. Only prayers are allowed to walk the stairs into the praying area. My guide told us to peek inside to see how the local pray. We kept our tone down as if we did something bad.


Balinese gate #12/25

This gate is located at Klungklung, an old city of Bali, and the same place as the first gate. This is the place where Royal people take a rest.


Balinese gate #13/25

This is the gate of Rumah Roda, a nice Homestay at Jalan Kajeng, Ubud. The people at Rumah Roda is friendly and you will feel like home. They have a restaurant on the second floor and yes, they serve really good food. I have breakfast that surprise me everyday while I was there. Two thumbs up to Rumah Roda.


Balinese gate #14/25

Along Jalan Kajeng at Ubud, there are many Homestay gathered around. Like Rumah Roda, they provide rooms to stay with the family. The neighbourhood is quiet and peaceful in the morning. To my excitement when I took a stroll along Jalan Kajeng, all the gates are unique for each household.


Balinese gate #15/25

This is another gate of local Homestay at Jalan Kajeng, Ubud. A few years ago, the locals ran a donation drive to repair the Kajeng road. Whoever donated is eligible to write whatever they want on a cement tile (which constructs the pavement).

Jingle bell

Merry Christmas!

Large On Black

Balinese gate - Part 2

Balinese gate #6/25

This is at Tampak Siring, a place for the local to make their wish. Balinese come to have their wish granted by washing their bodies in the holy water. This is at the entrance way before reaching the pool site.


Balinese gate #7/25

Another gate at Tampak Siring, this is facing the pool sites. There are 2 pools, one is for people to make wish while the other is for people to bath after the wish is granted. When I was there, quite a number of people was bathing at the wish granted pool. Looks like the holy water is powerful. ^.^


Balinese gate #8/25

This gate is located at another pool opposite of the wishing pool of Tampak Siring. This pool is not for bathing. The water constantly flowed from the ground and the black soil is constantly bubbling. Contours of soil are built up due the water flow. They look like hot spring.


Balinese gate #9/25

This is the last gate photo I took at Tampak Siring. The gate is facing a Koi pond. Those Koi are really big and fat, they must have been there for a long time. The water is amazingly clear. This gate is special, it has extra 2 statues to guard it. :)


Balinese gate #10/25

This at the grand entrance of the biggest temple in Bali, Besakih, the Mother Temple. There are historical temple with unique architecture. Besakih has bad reputation of local 'gangsters' forcing you to pay them to bring you around the temple. They called it as donation.

Freshly cut tomato

View Large

Fresh and juicy. It's best to eat them raw. Do you eat them raw? Since we eat them raw, why should we cut them in the first place? Can we eat them just like how we bite our crunchy apple? Maybe not, by the time our teeth sinks into the juicy body of the tomato, it'll be crushed and become a pulpy mass in one hand.

Balinese gate - Part 1

Long ago, someone posted "Someone got fascinated by Balinese door and started to create a photo collection of it" and now I have a series of Balinese gate to share ^^. When I arrived at Bali, I observed one thing. Balinese has unique design on their gate or entrance. They have these 2 pieces design at both side of the passage on the entrance. Furthermore, every design is special and not a single design is repetitive. I really like them so much and decided to make a collection of doors/entrance pictures to share with the Flickrverse. I almost stood on every gates I came by and took a picture of them. It's too bad that I did not have much time to stay at Bali, I have only 25 pictures to share. Enjoy!


Balinese gate #1/25

This gate is located at Klungklung, an old city of Bali. It is the entrance of an area of a resting place for the royals to escape the heat. In there, there is a big hall with pool of water surrounding it. Bigger Balinese gate, maybe?


Balinese gate #2/25

This gate is located at Uluwatu. With around 10 feet high, it is towering the small metal gate there. It is under a hill before one climbs up numerous staircases to the top for the famous Kecak dance. The dance is a traditional dance of Balinese performing story of Ramayana. It supposed to be performed at late evening, through dusk with the location facing at sunset until night. As you see, it was a cloudy day so I missed to chance to watch Kecak dance with sunset. To make things worse, it rained during the dance.

Follow the thumbnails link for more pictures and story.



Balinese gate #3/25

This is at Goa Gajah which features a small pond and a small cave. Everything is small except the gate structure.


Balinese gate #4/25

Another gate architecture by a small pond at Goa Gajah. One of the unique feature of Bali building structure is that they are usually covered with moss. Maybe they don't apply a layer of paint or protective coating?


Balinese gate #5/25

This gate is located at the down hill of Gunung Kawi. One needs to walk a number of steps of staircases to be able have a great view of great cravings on the rock surface of the hill. On the way to the top, there's some locals selling souvenirs to the tourist. At the side of their stalls, you can have a nice view of paddy field. It's a beautiful place.

Follow the thumbnails link for more pictures and story.


4 more parts to go for all the Balinese gates I have. Stay tuned.