S E T H L E S T A T H

SOLEMEN - Making a Difference in People’s Lives

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Oct 2018 23:54:00 +0800

Bali based NGO Yayasan Solemen Indonesia gives hope, creates smiles and makes a difference in many people’s lives every day. Since its inception in 2010, Yayasan Solemen has morphed into a dynamic organisation with a serious mission that reaches far beyond the original goal. A great outreach programme was created to benefit the poor, the disadvantaged, the disabled, the homeless and the marginalised in Bali. Their goal is to alleviate the misery of extreme poverty by bringing hope and solutions, while at the same time focusing on individual cases that remain hidden from public view and hence are separated from easy access to medical treatment.

Solemen reaches people who fall through the cracks and are not helped by the existing network of charitable organisations and government programmes. Many of them are difficult to find, mostly because Balinese culture dictates that misery, disease, disability and poverty should be hidden from the outside world.

Handling children and adults with pernicious diseases, acute and untreated medical problems, Solemen also handles those who need crucial medical intervention, ongoing therapy or medications. Helping all ages, conditions and religions all-around Bali, their Outreach Team travels huge distances often in arduous circumstances to help others. They are fully transparent, audited and have no religious bias.

Solemen’s great Outreach Team is making a vast difference in the lives of those in need. A roving, fast-acting team of volunteer doctors and nurses, backed by salaried local team members, has been canvassing the remote areas of this island to find the hidden misery of untreated disease, disability, extreme poverty and destitution. Their caseload has mushroomed, and they are currently approaching the needy with more people added every month. This situation creates a critically-strained team’s resources. The team operates on a shoestring budget, but, amazingly, they continue unabated and work wonders by focusing their efforts on providing effective and targeted help where it will have the most impact.

As the most visible and trusted charity on the island, Solemen is not the recipient of government funds or assistance from large institutional donors. Instead, their work is funded by donations from empathic individuals and through a partnership with businesses or corporate supporters. Solemen’s CSR charity programmes with hotels are now helping to support their Outreach programmes. That corporate support can have a far-reaching impact is amply illustrated by their long-term partnerships with hotels, such as Hard Rock Hotel Kuta and Bali Dynasty Resort.

CSR programmes, especially those focusing on charitable and philanthropic engagement with the community in which they operate, are gaining popularity and are becoming an important part of a hotel’s “doing well by doing good” business strategy. Hotel guests contribute through a voluntary opt-out $1 per stay donation. Such amount will create social and health benefits for the community. Other sponsors support it on a monthly basis to make sure that the needy children receive monthly sponsorships (medical, nutritional or educational needs). This programme also covers medical assessments for children suffering from a wide range of medical conditions, provides wheelchairs for disabled children and adults, prostheses for amputees, and basic household necessities for the desperately poor.

Corporate involvement in Solemen’s partnership programmes is a win-win situation for both parties. Such corporate sponsorship makes it possible for Solemen to do what they do best, which is to create ‘hope and change lives’ for those in desperate need.

Solemen have recently formed a new partnership with Scholars of Sustenance, a non-profit food rescue organisation, to collect and redistribute nutritious food for the Solehouse and their Solebuddies in local hospitals. The first generous collection included food from Hard Rock Hotel Kuta. As the programme expands, they expect more hotels will join this noble cause in order to feed more undernourished people. Solemen already has several initiatives in place to provide monthly food parcels to impoverished families and nutritious milk supplements to malnourished children and adults. The Scholars of Sustenance is a most welcome addition to their efforts.

All of these efforts need sustainable funding to be able to continue the momentum. As the workload becomes heavier, daily costs rise in tandem. Besides donations from caring supporters and corporate sponsors, they try to fill the shortfalls with other fundraising initiatives, such as the Solemen’s expanding merchandise collection, which includes the popular SoleTeddies, hand-made mahogany fans, Moringa super supplements, caps, t-shirts, singlets and attractive souvenir gift books.

The sad truth is that there are more people in need than the fund to care for them all. As they mostly operate close to breakeven, Solemen is still in need of more funding and contributions. No matter how much money they raise, they continually encounter more disadvantaged people who are in desperate need of intervention and care. As such, the circle never closes. However, this quest shall go on! Together, we can change more lives!

Yayasan Solemen Indonesia
Paradise Property Building 3rd floor
Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai, Siligita, South Kuta
www.solemen.org

This article is also published at NOW! BALI Magazine

Puspadi Bali - Helping More People with Disabilities to Reach Their Dreams

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Oct 2018 23:51:00 +0800

A rise in chronic illnesses and an ageing population stimulate an increasing number of people with disabilities. This triggered Nengah Latra, who founded PUSPADI Bali, to assist those unfortunate people with physical disabilities in Bali. The foundation runs Bali's wheelchair programme and manufactures artificial legs in their workshop at the Annika Linden Centre.

With a growing demand for quality mobility aids in Bali, PUSPADI Bali is the only NGO on the island which has been providing appropriately fitted prosthetics, orthotics and wheelchairs to people with disabilities in these areas. They also follow up the actions by giving rehabilitation and skills training programmes. Once a person with physical disabilities is found, their rehabilitation unit will immediately swing into action by getting the medical treatment needed for this person and help them mobile with either a leg or a wheelchair.

A mobility aid gives more than a movement for this unfortunate people, so they can work, study and fully participate in their communities. PUSPADI Bali also helps a child to get into school, and for adult, they will connect them with a recruitment agency for persons with disabilities. Since established in 1999, PUSPADI Bali has helped 5,206 people with disabilities access a mobility aid, rehabilitation and skills training, so these people can become the best version of themselves. From 2013 until now, PUSPADI Bali has managed to conduct 13,830 home visits and distribute 1,831 wheelchairs. A further 1,796 quality prosthetics, orthotics and braces are made and given to those who need.

In their workshop at the Annika Linden Centre, PUSPADI team is continually adapting and exploring new technologies. Over the past year, it has been making modular component prosthetic legs, a partnership with the U.S based non-profit organisation, A Leg To Stand On (ALTSO).

Not only limited in giving support in their Denpasar’s home base, PUSPADI Outreach Programme team will not hesitate to travel hundreds of kilometres away just to reach out those who are physically unable to move from their rooms by bringing mobility aids directly to them. Earlier this year, the team took a mobile workshop to Lombok to assess the needs of people with disabilities, making prosthetics and orthotics on site, as well as distributing wheelchairs. They teamed up with local organisations to identify who needs support.

Lives Transformed Through the Support of PUSPADI Bali

Ni Nengah Widiasih
Recently won a gold medal for Indonesia at the 2018 World Para Powerlifting European Open Championships in Berck sur-Mer in France, this Balinese Powerlifter grew up in an extreme poverty in Karangasem and experienced polio which affected her walking ability. PUSPADI Bali team found her when she was 12 and provided braces immediately, as well as facilitating her access to go to school.

As a teenager, Widiasih discovered her passion for weightlifting and pursued it ever since by winning multiple medals along the way, including bronze at the 2016 Rio Paralympics. She now has her sights set on qualifying to compete in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. Throughout her journey, the PUSPADI Bali team has continually provided Widiasih with mobility aids and rehabilitation, so she can keep on reaching new heights. Widiasih is a shining example of how the provision of quality mobility aids and support can pave a person’s path to success.

Ni Kadek Namiani Tiara Putri

The 18-year old, Ni Kadek Namiani Tiara Putri, was born with a disability and is standing on the brink of change. Defying the odds by recently graduating from the Bali Mandara School, she is now keen to take on the opportunities before her. Growing up in poverty in Badung region, Namiani’s options were limited. To the outside world, she was a young girl without a lower right leg living on an island where stigmas about disability and karma run deep. Not to mention discrimination is also entrenched. Namiani showed immense academic potential from a young age. After finishing high school, she plans to do an English major at the Sampoerna University in Jakarta and plans to return to Bali to build a school for children with disabilities.

Namiani’s destiny in life changed from the time she received her first prosthetic leg from PUSPADI Bali. This opportunity brought a renewed hope for her future. The prosthetic legs and rehabilitation that the team have provided her since she was a young child enabled her to go to school and realise her full potential.

By visiting http://www.puspadibali.org/donate, we can support the work of PUSPADI Bali so people with disabilities in remote areas of Bali can reach their full potential.

PUSPADI Bali
Annika Linden Centre
Jalan Bakung #19, Tohpati, Kesiman, Kertalangu, East Denpasar
+ 62 361 464537
www.puspadibali.org

This article is also published at NOW! BALI Magazine

Eco Bali - Solution to Bali’s Waste Crisis

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Oct 2018 23:44:00 +0800

Bali has now become the world's second-biggest contributor to plastic waste in the oceans. This island is facing the alarming issue of waste disposal with shorelines laden with refuse, which is washed up every day when the tides come in. Communities are struggling to deal with the volume of waste, and even high-end hotels now pay staff to dig holes in the beaches where they tip in the mounds of plastic. The tourist island’s main rubbish dump now covers 30 hectares, reaches 20 metres high in places and every day 600 trucks bring another 1544 tonnes to add to the pile. Staggering 175,000 tons of waste is produced each day, amounting to 64 million tons per year, according to data from the ministry.

Eco Bali was established in 2006 in response to the urgency of waste management problems in Bali. It is a registered operation and they comply with the current national legislation on waste management under the Ministry of Environment. Their vision is to enable everyone towards a zero-waste lifestyle. The mission is to promote the responsible waste management, create green knowledge and eco products towards achieving zero waste. All this is managed by a highly efficient team including professionals experienced in waste management, educational programmes, product design and marketing. Eco Bali operates their own sorting and material recovery facility (MRF) ensuring that your waste is properly managed and does not impose a threat to Bali’s beautiful environment. The goal is mainly to maximize recycling, reduce the quantity of waste to landfill and promote composting.

Eco Bali also provides a range of useful services. Waste Management is one of the primary ones, where they help you to take care of your household, villa, office, business, restaurant, hotel, community or school waste responsibly. Separation at source is key for recycling. They provide a two-bin system. Green Bin for paper; Red Bin for glass, metal, plastic and other non-organic waste. This programme also ensures effective staff training and the disposal of the remaining residue is in legal facilities. Eco Bali strongly believes that education is the key, and management sustainable living can be accomplished by creating knowledge and awareness about waste as well as its response.

To support everyone towards a zero-waste lifestyle, they offer different eco-educational approaches for schools, businesses and communities. The other program they offer is consulting, where they identify eco and cost-effective solutions for your company or organisation, and helping businesses to become more environmentally friendly and sustainable. In case you represent a business or organisation which is committed to working towards zero waste, you can take benefits of these partnership programmes with Eco Bali. They have a large number of tailored programmes in the field of waste management.

In terms of products, Eco Store allows you to shop for various environment friendly products that support your zero-waste lifestyle. They offer stylish Upcycled Drinking glasses from bottles collected. This original Glass Plates, Bowls and Vases will look good in your home, restaurant or café. For fashion, they have the airy bag of Net Bag Set for your wet swimwear and Ini Bags for shopping goods.

They also provide an easy composting system with complete installation suitable for households and business, including all materials required to begin composting. Eco Bali will take care of the complete installation and train all of the staff or householders. The unique layering process of their composting system is easy, with no smell and great results. Using this composting system provides you with beautiful compost for your garden or flower pots all year round.

All the services and products offered by Eco Bali are priced extremely reasonable to encourage people towards an eco-friendly living. Eco Bali reaffirms the idea that the majority of our waste is all recyclable. Now it’s all a matter of further harnessing that world-sustaining habit of recycling into our daily life.

Jalan Raya Padonan, North Kuta
+62 822 3779 9819
www.eco-bali.com

This article is also published at NOW! BALI Magazine

Solution to Bali’s Waste Crisis

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 3 Oct 2018 00:39:00 +0800

Jalan Raya Padonan, North Kuta
+62 822 3779 9819
www.eco-bali.com

This article is also published at NOW! BALI Magazine

Start Making a Difference Without Plastic Bags - Bye Bye Plastic Bags

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 1 Oct 2018 02:08:00 +0800

It is not a rocket science to see that this island is drowning in plastic, and there is no escaping from such reality. Who is going to do something about it? Sometimes we forget that it only takes one person to start the change. Instead of pointing fingers, asking people to change the world, why not look at ourselves and start from there.

Bye Bye Plastic Bags (BBPB) is one of the examples. This is a social initiative driven by youth to get the people of Bali to say no to plastic bags. This organisation was started by two young sisters when they were 10 and 12 years old after being inspired by a lesson in a class about changemakers. They decided not to wait until they were older to start making a difference on this island.

Five years forward to today, BBPB has now become a youth-driven NGO with the aim of making Bali plastic bag free. Starting from an idea on the couch, it is now a movement of 30 students in Bali, 20 cities across the world, and millions of viewers watching whether or not Bali is really going plastic bag free this year. For the last few years, the campaign has been working towards the big year of 2018. The team of youth have been able to meet with many key people, including Mangku Pastika as the current Governor of Bali and some national ministers. They have held meetings with nearly every governmental department and all of Bali’s nine head of regions to prove that their idea is legally possible to be done, economically more beneficial and practical for everyone living on this island.

The team of youth at BBPB are kept busy on a daily basis. Most of their activities take place on the weekends, such as beach clean-ups, plastic bag exchange and alternative bag making workshops. However, they believe that real change happens in the classroom. Thus, they approached around 18,000 students and created two educational booklets in the local language for elementary school students, which are being distributed on a mass scale.

Communication with the local communities is the key element. In order to change public mindset, BBPB works closely with local villages in some projects. These include to build River Boom school programmes and establish a social enterprise ‘Mountain Mama’s’ to empower women to produce alternative bags from donated materials to their weekly distribution of bags to local shops in the area. This action ensures that they are involving the local communities and convince local shopkeepers to stop giving plastic bags for free or to simply start using alternatives.

As a grassroot organisation that is youth-led, they have always understood the importance of working together with all levels of society. This includes the government. To keep reminding the government that change still needs to happen and that they are not going anywhere until it does, BBPB setups weekly meetings with the regional departments to the national scope. It is not an easy task and requires a long process. They are definitely aware of the emergency and need to change. However, it is not a matter of how, but more a question of who. Be it local, regional or national government, the question remains the same, “Are they ready to make the change, or they prefer to leave it up to the grassroots organisations to do the job?” 40 other countries around the world have implemented a final stage of ‘saying no to plastic bags’, and the people and businesses of Bali are ready to do so.

Today, BBPB can be found across 20 cities around the world, driven by young kids in middle school, high school and universities. They have literally embodied the message that kids can also do big things, and BBPB is the living example.

Their newest action comes in the form of a ‘Komitmen’. Through this, they invite individuals, organisations, companies and government offices in Bali to eliminate the use of the most pervasive plastics in our environment and to promote waste separation at the source in order to promote better recycling and waste management. If you are interested to join this cause, simply write an email to komitmen@oneislandonevoice.org. BBPB is planning to have a thousand Bali-based businesses on board with the ‘Komitmen’ by the end of September, and they will use it as a pressure for the government to take the action. The government will finally realise that industries are moving away from plastic, with or without them.

www.byebyeplasticbags.org

This article is also published at NOW! Bali Magazine

A Little Help for Children’s Future - Bali Children Foundation

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 1 Oct 2018 02:02:00 +0800

The education system in Bali is not at the best place right now. Despite the tourism is growing doesn’t change the fact that there still are a huge number of school-age children not attending school. Mostly, it is because of their poor economic background. There is a huge gap between the children getting the education in the urban areas as compared to the rural areas. Many schools in the villages are under-resourced with a very poor physical condition. Children are used to studying under a leaking roof using broken furniture. At the same time, teachers often struggle under rudimentary conditions with educational materials and teaching aids. Apart from that, children sometimes have no option other than working on the land to support their family. This inconvenient truth triggers a very high drop-out rate in rural primary schools.

Bali Children Foundation is one of many charitable organizations catering to the needs of children on this island. Through their various initiatives, they create an educational pathway for underprivileged children by providing a journey, from junior schools until graduate, leading to their growth and long-term sustainability. Margaret Barry is the person behind of this good deed. She had no experience in education or international development when started the foundation 15 years ago. However, for her dedication and services to education, she was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in Melbourne on last January.

Focusing on the north and west remote areas of Bali, Bali Children Foundation has supported over 1100 children through a scholarship programme. This scholarship contributes to school fees, uniforms, shoes, books, bags, stationery and all the basic needs to support a child through their education. The foundation has chalked out some other detailed and inclusive programmes to help the Balinese community with their much-needed education. In 2008, their work expanded to community education and the establishment of the village projects. Whilst assisting children’s education via sustainable, they also managed to run Children’s Homes (formerly called Orphanages). Here, they discovered that with functional English, even non-academic children had better employment opportunities. With that fact, they started the first English in the village project.

Obtaining internet access in the remote area was very challenging, but due to the rising need of computers as the main teaching aid nowadays, Bali Children Foundation introduced the Computers in the Village and Computers in the Orphanage programmes. The computer lessons are a direct teaching initiative with two classes per week offered to junior and senior high students. In total, 256 classes per month are provided for the children. Over 3700 students are currently enrolled in these programmes, which provide the skillsets needed for Bali’s growing economy.

The main focus of Bali Children Foundation is to ensure that children graduate and get decent jobs. For that reason, they also support extends into life after school. The graduates are mentored through the Work Ready programme to prepare them for the situation in the workplace. Once employed, those graduates will be guided through the first year of the job to make sure they are coping what they have learned. Through this experience, students can enrich the lives of their family and ensure the welfare of their community.

We can mark our share of contribution in quite a few ways. By being a dedicated sponsor, we can help a child to stay at school, finish high school, get employment or go on to the university. We can also choose to make a generous donation to support their programmes and projects. If teaching is what you are good at, they need qualified teachers for English, Computer, Art and Music programmes.

Every small contribution counts to ensure that Bali Children Foundation continues to provide educational opportunities to the disadvantaged children of Bali. This is the least we can do to break the cycle of poverty and improve prospects for future generations. Let us join our hands together and pledge to take care of the future of Bali.

Jalan Raya Kesambi #369, Kerobokan
+62 851 00648400
www.balichildrenfoundation.org

This article is also published at NOW! Bali Magazine.

Let’s Go to India: All You Need to Know About India

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 2 Apr 2018 00:10:00 +0800

Some people love to travel and if you are one of them, you should not forget to include India in your travel destinations. You can either find fascinating travel locations that you can visit by yourself or join the tours given by the different travel agencies, such as Travel Treasures Tour. If you want to make the most out of your travel in India, there are some things that you need to do and consider. Once you’re through, you can enjoy a holiday in India.

The very first to do is to conduct background reading about India. This will help in familiarizing yourself with the foreign country. The living conditions in India are also quite good. You can find five and four-star hotels offering international standards. Palace hotels have garnered a world status that can’t be compared to other hotels around the globe. For the budget traveller, you can check-in in three-star hotels. You can also find tourist bungalows, traveller’s lodges, youth hotels, holiday homes, and YWCA/YMCA’s.

For a worry-free traveller, you need to make arrangements in advance. October until March are considered the peak tourist season, while from May until June is the season of the Indian holiday. If you plan to travel during these months, it is highly advisable that you book in advance because at this time there are limited travel amenities.

If you want, you can also learn the local language, but English is used in all the tourist centres. The Indian locals are gracious and friendly. Now, if you find staring a bit rude, just relax if the locals stare at you because it is natural for them. However, you should not let your guard down because you will never know what can happen. Try to be friendly with the locals but you should always be careful. You will understand more about the locals with the help of your tour guide.

Indian food is very much different from your usual food. Make sure that you eat only one serving of Indian dish for each meal. Eat peeled fresh fruits and mostly cooked foods first. This way, your body system can easily adjust to the Indian food. It is also advisable that you drink only bottled drinks, water, tea and coffee. The hotels have filtration systems, so you will not encounter many problems.

If you are taking medications, buy it before you leave for India. You see, you may not be able to find the same brand of medications there. However, the local doctors may suggest alternative medications just in case you really need immediate medical attention.

When you are visiting a temple or mausoleum, make sure that you remove your shoes, sandals or slippers. There are also Indian temples that will not allow non-Hindus to enter. Your tourist guide will be the one to explain these matters!

Travelling to India is more comfortable and easier if you have someone who looks after you. Book your travel with the right travel agency and get the suitable tour package that can meet all your travelling needs. Make sure that you do this in advance.

Why India?

India is a mix of incredible combination of modernity and tradition. This country is also among the leading tourist destinations all over the world with millions of people visit every year. What attracts them to come to India? You see, there are many beautiful and attractive places that you can visit in the different regions. They are also beaches, mountains, wildlife, hill stations, sports and adventure, heritage sites, deserts, pilgrim sites, palaces and monuments.

Each tourist spots can give you a different experience. Make sure you do your homework; surf the net and visit India’s official site. Check out the comments from the previous visitors. Planning for a trip to India is quite easy. You can easily contact a travel agency, such as Travel Treasures Tour, and ask them to guide you. In choosing the right travel agency, make sure you choose a reputable one and the one who has been in service for quite some time. Ask for the travel packages that suit your needs. Decide your budget as it is another thing to consider when travelling to a foreign country. In case you prefer to go on with no string attached from any travel agency, you must gather all important information about India. Get a map and get used to it! You will be alright.

New Delhi – India’s Magnificent Capital

If you travel to north India, you will find New Delhi. This India’s capital can be found near the Yamuna River. It was only in 1931 when the city was inaugurated as India’s new capital. You can find printing plants, textile mills and other manufacturing establishments within the city. New Delhi India travel is a very exciting trip that you should look forward to.

The city streets are symmetrically laid out. Lutyens was the architect who drew the city plan. He was also the same person who designed Rashtrapati Bhawan which happens to be the residence of the country’s president. The buildings in the city reflect an Indian style but the architecture is primarily European. A boulevard is found east of the presidential palace that is bordered by canals and trees which lead to a memorial war arch. These particular sights are already eye-catching but wait until you see the rest of the city.

Heritage monuments, palaces, temples and wildlife reserves are found almost in every region of India. You can find these sights in New Delhi as well. Ask your tour guide to take you to the lovely spots of the city. Daily tours are conducted, and you only need to ask the tour itinerary for the day. You can join the city tour or explore it alone. Some individuals prefer to walk around the city to witness the breath-catching sights within the area. Aside from that, this will also give them a chance to meet the locals. Local people are most gracious and friendly, so you will surely have a great time wandering all over the city.

Travelling to New Delhi can be an exciting experience, especially if you know the best tourist spots to visit. To make the most out of your India travel, visit only the places that interest you. If you are interested in animals, visit the wildlife reserves. If you like scenic spots, ask your tour guide to a scenic spot in the city. For those who love unique architectures, visit the palaces, temples or monuments.

Visit Majestic Mumbai

In the states, New York is known as the ‘city that never sleeps’. Its counterpart in India is Mumbai. Despite the small troubles that occur in the streets of India, tourists still love to go to this magnificent and alluring country. Maybe because of its glorious past or perhaps of its scenic tourist spots.

Mumbai is a very important commercial centre in India. So far, it is the largest metropolitan area and is densely populated. The so-called Star Machine of the country is found in Mumbai, Bollywood. This Star Machine is able to come up with motion pictures more than what Hollywood can produce. The entertainment industry in India is booming and its popularity around the world is ever increasing. Indian cinema has definitely contributed to the country's cultural and economic context.

The metropolitan area is located in the coastal area. Almost half of India's sea cargo and traffic is catered in this sea harbour. Many years ago, Mumbai was a 7-island archipelago. Way back in the nineteenth century, the archipelago was amalgamated. Geographical features in Mumbai are diverse and so if you visit this city at any time of the year, you will experience tropical weather.

Mumbai’s culture is a reflection of many cultural influences. The city celebrates both the eastern and western festivals. These festivals are much awaited by the tourists. This represents unity despite the differences within the city. India is a country with different religions and beliefs but still, the entire country remains peaceful and very accommodating to tourists.

The city was only called Mumbai in 1995 but before that, local residents called it Bombay. The city is a hub for the manufacturing industry, transportation and commercial. The name Mumbai was derived from a Hindu Goddess known as Mumba or Parvati.

While you are in Mumbai, you should also see India's Gateway. This is a structure that sea travellers first see when they arrive at the harbour. There are also monuments in the city like the Gothic Style Presidency Secretariat, University Hall and Tower, Clock Tower of Rajabai, and High Court. If you are looking for a castle in this city, you should go to the Horniman Circle. Heritage sites are also located in Mumbai, which includes Elephanta Caves and Chhatrapati Shivaji.

Aside from those mentioned awhile earlier, there are still so many things to see in Mumbai. Your tourist guide can show you around the city of Mumbai. If you want, before you travel to India, you should already conduct a research about Mumbai and choose the specific locations that you want to visit.

Travel Recommendations for Northern India in Winter

The geographical position and unusual topography of India are responsible for the country’s diverse climate. If you have plans of visiting northern India, you can expect the climate to be hotter during the summer and cooler in winter. Before going there, you have to consider these travel recommendations for northern India in winter.

The northern plains of India during the winter season which happens to be from October to March brings very cold temperatures. In fact, the temperature in the Thar Desert can reach freezing point. The central city of the north is New Delhi and the temperature there is from 8 degrees to 21 degrees Celsius.

You can find a rich history of culture in north India. Aside from New Delhi, you can also visit other destinations, such as Uttranchal, Uttar Pradesh, Jamma, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Kashmir. There are many activities that you can do in north India, such as river rafting, camel safari, mountain biking, skiing and trekking. You can also find exquisite architectures, incredible wildlife, sand dunes and historical charm in this Indian region.

If you plan to tour Delhi, you can explore the city’s religious face. There are many temples that you can visit Akshardham, Birla, Bangla Sahib, and ISKCON temples. Aside from the temples, there are also forts in Delhi like Qutub Minar, Jantar Mantar, and Red Fort. Taj Mahal is found in north India, specifically in Uttar Pradesh. If you have plans of travelling to Uttaranchal, don’t do this during the winter season as it is very cold. You can do it between April and June or from September to November.

Individuals who love mall shopping can go to Shimla. You can find malls offering great sights there. The Golden Temple can be found in Punjab. Other places that you should visit are Srinagar, Jammu, Dal Lake, Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Solan, Dalhousie, Dharamsala, Kullu, Manali, Kangra, and Chamba. You can have the best holiday experience in north India.

As mentioned earlier, winter in north India is quite cold. If you go there during winter, you have to bring the appropriate clothes. If you don’t have them, you can start purchasing winter clothes. This way, you can avoid stressing out your body and ending up sick. Make sure that you take your vitamins and some medications with you, just in case you catch fever, cough or colds. The medicines sold in India are not the same as those sold in your home country. So better be prepared especially if you're travelling there during the winter. You can enjoy the sights and tourist spots in north India if you have a healthy body. Still, if you can't withstand the cold, you should go to North India during the summer season. The temperature during that time is not as cold as the winter season.

Now that you know the places that you can visit in north India, you can contact a travel agency and book your travel in advance. The winter season in India is also the peak season for the influx of tourists and so it would be best to plan ahead, otherwise, you will not get the best services because the accommodations are limited. Planning can really take so much of your time but with the help of a travel agency, your troubles are lessened. If you take into consideration these travel recommendations for northern India in winter, you will have the greatest time of your life despite the cold climate.

India Wildlife Tour and Hiking Adventure

Why is it that many tourists love to visit India over and over again? The country is rich in heritage and culture; not only that, there are many picturesque and adventure spots all over the country. If you plan for an India wildlife tour and hiking adventure, this is the ultimate experience that you shouldn’t miss.

There are only very few countries that offer tourists with a broad range of tours, and India is one of them. All throughout an India tour, you can surely experience an outstanding and awe-inspiring expedition. If you like a hiking adventure, you can visit the Himalayan range in India. By going on a hiking adventure to the Himalayas, you can take part in other adventure sports such as river rafting, mountaineering, trekking, and climbing. Aside from that, by hiking in the Himalayas, you can also go on a wildlife tour because you can find wildlife sanctuaries and blossoming forests there as well. Hikers like you can enjoy nature's pleasure including majestic landscapes and waterfalls.

An ideal hiking adventure provides you with all factors of attraction and ecstasy. When you're on nature's trail, you can feel an unknown force that seems to draw you closer to things around you. You don’t have to be an expert in hiking in order to enjoy this adventure. You simply have to make sure that your individual stamina can withstand the weather conditions while hiking. If you plan to go on hiking, make sure that a guide is with you especially if this is your first time in the Himalayas.

Aside from hiking, you can also visit India's wildlife reserves. You can find about eighty national parks and more than 500 animal sanctuaries all over India. You can visit the most popular animal reserves in Madhya Pradesh (Bandhavgarh sanctuary and Kanha), Rajasthan (Ranthambore and Sariska), and Uttar Pradesh (Dudhwa and Corbett Park). To enjoy these wildlife destinations, it would be best to join safari tours and trekking adventures.

If you like bird watching, you can visit Keoladeo Ghana and you can see tigers in Rajasthan's Ranthambore Park. By joining wildlife tours, you can explore nature more closely and you will see how animals live peacefully and in unity.

India is a religious country. Respect and unity are strongly reflected in their culture. The country is home to many different religions but despite these differences, you can enjoy the peace and serenity in almost all the tourist spots of India. Because of this, you can make the most of your vacation holiday. Every day, tours are conducted in the various regions of the country. Get in touch with your travel agency and ask for the schedule of hiking adventures and wildlife tours. Having a tourist guide with you wherever you go will make you feel safer and protected. But for those who want to explore India alone, you can create your very own adventure. Your unforgettable adventure will depend largely on your choice of tours.

The good thing is that while you're hiking the Himalayas, you can already witness the wildlife reserves of the country. You can do two things at a time. That will save you time and energy. On your next day in India, you can try another adventure tour. Travelling to a foreign country gives you limited time to explore the places that you've never been to, so better make sure that you join as many tours as possible.

Applying for an India Travel Visa

You can’t travel abroad without a visa. But what is a visa anyway? Visa is a stamp, an official stamp, from the high commission or embassy in your travelling document or passport. It authorizes you and other travellers to go to India (or any other country) for a specific period and purpose. Take note of the word 'official'. You see, there are a lot of scammers out there who are able to go out of the country and enter into another without having an official visa.

Getting an India travel visa? That's quite easy. All you have to do is satisfy all the rules and visa regulations. After doing so, you can be issued an India travel visa. Some individuals fail to get visas but not because they are unqualified. The main reason why most people are denied is that they fail to understand the visa officer. Consider the following suggestions when applying for an India travel visa or any other visa.

For the passport, first-time travellers have 'virgin passports'. To the visa officer, this may mean that this is your first time to travel overseas or your previous visa applications to other countries were denied. Your passport may also have more than one visa. This can mean that other countries have confidence in you, that is why they gave you a visa.

If this is your first time to apply for a visa, you have to determine first if India has a high rejection rate for visas. India is not that strict in the visa applications so even if you are a first-time India visa applicant, you have a high chance to get an approved visa.

You can acquire India visa easily through the help of travel agencies, such as Travel Treasures. They will gladly assist you while you apply for a visa.

Getting an India travel visa is not that hard, especially if you know your way around the embassy. Learn more about visa application online because you can find a lot of helpful information on the net. Prepare yourself. You can’t afford to be denied a visa application because you cannot reach India without it and not only that, your passport will be affected as well and all your other visa applications in the future.

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Bali as Your Wedding Destination

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 00:47:00 +0800

Wedding in Bali is an excellent way to enjoy the serene environment, bask in the sunshine, enjoy the beach and make the most of a great holiday on a paradise island. But planning for this once in a lifetime occasion is extremely daunting, particularly when you have no idea regarding the best offerings that Bali can present. The key to planning is to work with the wedding planners that you can trust. That’s where The Seven Agency can work wonders for you with seamless planning process suited to your requirements and budget. Pre-designed wedding packages that are all inclusive leaves all your worries away as the wedding planner takes care of all the major and minor requirements for your big day before and after your wedding ceremony.

As a wedding destination, Bali helps you relax and takes your stress away. With absolute romantic wedding venues and a group of well-trained and professional staff, The Seven Agency helps you organize the dream come true during your wedding in Bali. The uniqueness of your wedding is based on the number of venue options, starting from lakes, lush green paddy fields, beaches, jungles, cliff edge, waterfalls and secluded locations all around the island. A large number of optional accommodation are available for you to choose, starting from exquisite villas to resorts, all will provide you and your guests the best place to stay on the island. Not just limited to the ceremony, Bali also doubles up as an excellent honeymoon destination. This is a great advantage for those who want to have both the events one after the other.

Bali offers the best of tropical settings, thereby allowing you to capture the best moments of your wedding and honeymoon in the backdrop that you want. Whether it is a beautiful sunset or sunrise, the night sky with the twinkling of stars, the island offers the best photographic moments to add to your occasion. With friendly marriage laws for foreigners in Bali, the entire process is quick and easy with legal documentation. Another reason is the cost-effectiveness that Bali offers for a wedding as compared to similar tourist destinations worldwide. This is especially true considering the value of money options with venues, décor, honeymoon packages, and food options. It is established that the cost on the island is almost 3 to 5 times cheaper than any other renowned destination.

However, if you do not plan everything well, then there is a chance that you can get stuck in a massive traffic of Bali. The reason being the emergence of Bali as a favourite tourism destination and the presence of a large number of budget travellers on the island thereby increase in a crowd during the peak seasons. Another cause of concern is that the budget accommodations get filled up quickly as tourist flocks to this paradise to enjoy the warmth and splendour that nature has to offer. Unless careful planning is done using a renowned wedding planner, things can get a little out of hand during the peak seasons.

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A Peaceful Family Treat at Royal Tulip Saranam Resort & Spa

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 02:00:00 +0800

Bali’s popular northern region is a home to some of the best luxury hotels on the island. This is particularly noteworthy for those with a penchant for only the best in accommodation, service quality and facilities during their stay. Unlike the typical southern attractions where beach resorts are a big hit and crowds are more, the northern portion provides accommodation which is not necessarily five-star resorts or international hotel chains but still lives up to the standard for a luxury living. The luxury accommodation here allows you to enjoy and experience the area, allowing peace of mind and pleasure from the hustle and bustle of crowded places. With lush green surroundings and harmonious setup, the luxurious Royal Tulip Saranam Resort and Spa offers a total serene and calm experience.

Located on the way to Bedugul, this 5-star hotel offers a village-like atmosphere combined with luxury accommodation. This essentially means that you can explore and enjoy the beauty associated with Bedugul while living in this 5-star sanctuary, surrounded by vast open spaces and rice fields. Royal Tulip Saranam Resort and Spa offers peace and tranquillity to its guests along with luxury living with the highest international standards of service and quality. Each of the rooms here is outfitted with plush furnishings and bedding for a sumptuous stay.

Unwind with wonderful views from the countryside while enjoying the privacy of large living rooms and bathrooms in your accommodation. Another notable feature is that all the rooms in this hotel are fully equipped with a wide range of amenities. The decoration of the room is extremely soothing thereby helping you relax during your stay here. It is also possible to choose villas with the kind of view that suits you. There are villas with the view of mountains, the large pool, or the lush rice paddies. Even the standard and deluxe rooms come with balconies with beautiful views that will make you feel rejuvenated.

This accommodation also has a big outdoor pool dedicated to families with kids, a perfect playground to relax while soaking under a cool weather. Along with the natural beauty, guests can pamper with the host of facilities inside the hotel and enjoy some delicious cuisine in the restaurants. Families can also take part in the family activities at this hotel, which includes both art and cooking classes. Along with that, there are some traditional Balinese activities like rice harvesting and offerings at water temple. Fitness conscious guests can work out at the fully equipped modern gym and outdoor running track in the valley of the hotel.

Royal Tulip Saranam Resort and Spa is also located within a close distance to a number of attractions, such as the Botanical Garden, Jatiluwih Rice Fields, Hot Springs and Ulun Danu Temple. For shopping fans, guests can visit the Bedugul Market, while Bali Treetop Adventure Park is in the neighbourhood to entertain the adventure enthusiasts. Nicely located in Bali’s Lake District, the Royal Tulip Saranam is a perfect vacation destination for families who are in desperate need a peace of mind in a peaceful environment.

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Sharing and Caring with Solemen

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 3 Dec 2017 02:03:00 +0800

December is a busy and festive month in Bali as many tourists spend their end-of-year holidays here and join the resident expatiates in a merry period of cheer and exotic fun, sipping a cool drink with toes wiggling in the sand, wearing a Santa hat to ward off the rays of the sun or dancing the old year away under swaying palm trees.

Christmas carols float around in shopping malls, restaurants and hotel lobbies. New Year trumpets and slingers are sold on the street and spruce up the usual decorations everywhere. It’s a world of celebration and goodwill, a chance to renew our hearts with peaceful intentions and goodwill towards everyone.

The tourist areas of Bali are in full decorative mode enticing visitors to celebrate and partake in all the joys the festive season is bringing. Yummy food and delectable drinks are high on the menu and Bali, being the mecca of great restaurants and eateries, lures visitors with mouth-watering selections featuring traditional and not so traditional holiday favourites.

While you are tucking into that luscious duck, succulent turkey or glistening ham, spare a thought for the less fortunate on this island of plenty. Few tourists are aware that Bali has a staggering poverty rate and malnutrition is rampant in some of the more remote communities. And in those communities it is the children who suffer most. Poor nutrition and inadequate vitamin, protein and micro nutrient intake in children result in poor brain development, weak muscle growth and impaired coordination. This affects a child’s mental, physical, emotional and social health and is the leading cause of degenerative disease in adulthood. A malnourished child with delayed development is at greater risk of illness and disease throughout its lifetime. Many poor families are unable to afford even the most basic food necessities and are severely malnourished.

Yayasan Solemen, one of the best known and transparent charities in Bali, has made it their mission to care for the least fortunate people on this island. Solemen’s great Outreach program touches many people in remote communities whose lives are tainted by the misery of untreated diseases, disability, extreme poverty, malnourishment and destitution.

Sometimes it does not take a great deal of money to alleviate some of the more searing problems like malnutrition and Solemen’s monthly distribution of food parcels to poor families brings great succour and grateful smiles to the children. These basic food parcels include all local products and consist of a sack of rice, sugar, Bali coffee, cooking oil, tray eggs, tahu or tempe, chicken, milk, fruit and vegetables. They cost Rp700k (approximately AUD$68), the equivalent of a modest Christmas or Chanukah present.

Donating a basic food parcel to a needy family would be an utmost gift of kindness and a great way for them to share in the festive bounty. Donating a monthly food parcel would certainly spread that goodwill cheer throughout the new year. To contribute your gift and learn more about the good work done by the Solemen,

visit https://www.solemen.org/donate/

- Nobody should endure hunger -

East Bali Bamboo Bikes

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 27 Nov 2017 10:41:00 +0800

The village of Ban (Desa Ban) in Karangasem, East of Bali, has the distinction of being one of the largest villages in Indonesia, with its 7,200 hectares village boundary joining the craters of Mounts Agung and Abang in the south and then running northerly from both craters to meet on the boundary of Tianyar village, 5km south of the ocean road which connects Amlapura city with Singaraja. All of Desa Ban’s 19 sub-villages lie within 12km of Mount Agung crater which meant that all of the 3,500 or so families from these 19 communities were forced to flee their homes on 22nd of September when severe earthquakes pointed to an imminent eruption of Mount Agung, with the Government Disaster Mitigation Agency raising the alert level to IV, its highest, and ordered all villagers living within 12km of Mount Agung crater to evacuated to designated safer locations. By 29th October, volcanic activity had reduced to a level where the danger zone was reduced to 6-7.5km and only those within this zone were not allowed to return home. That included 8 of our 19 communities.

In 1998, when the East Bali Poverty Project (EBPP) formed a partnership with the 19 communities of Desa Ban to reduce poverty and promote culturally sensitive, sustainable social and economic development, it was clear that their centuries of isolation and abject poverty had been exacerbated by the destruction caused by Mount Agung’s 1963 eruption, which continued on and off until February 1964. In 1998, with short and medium term goals to reduce poverty by improving infrastructure, education, health care resources, water and sanitation, the long term goals were to create livelihoods opportunities through the most beneficial natural resource of bamboo.

Bamboo has played a key role in EBPP’s community based sustainable economic development activities since 2007, including planting more than 80,000 bamboo plantlings and training more than 20 local people, including 7 high school graduates from EBPP’s schools, from 7 different communities in bamboo clump management - in partnership with the late Ms Linda Garland and her Environmental Bamboo Foundation - and bamboo product development. In addition to selling a wide range of size and styles of high quality woven bamboo baskets, produced by our Cegi and Pengalusan communities since 2003, our new bamboo product venture to further empower our communities for the long term is production of high quality bamboo bikes. Starting in November 2016, after recruiting Deni, an experienced bamboo bike builder from Bandung in West Java, we soon had a well-trained local team of 9 bamboo bike builders, using locally sourced bamboo and working from our recently built and well equipped Daya Bamboo Workshop.

A key essential for all bamboo poles before use is to ensure that as soon as harvested, they are cleaned and treated to preserve the bamboo and prevent termite infestation, and then dried to a moisture content of 6-8%. Here was where we experienced difficulties due to our often very humid and cloudy days at our Daya Bamboo Workshop area. I should clarify that Daya, at an elevation of about 950 metres above sea level, is in the valley between Mounts Agung and Abang, with temperatures that can range from an overnight low of 12 degrees Celsius to a high of 32 degrees in the same day, and due to its valley location, has quite high humidity and gets more rain and cloud than the remaining 18 hamlets of our mountain village.

To solve this problem, we built a 4m x 6m ‘drying room’ from matt black painted corrugated zinc sheets to absorb the heat, built pallet-type drying racks inside to stack the bamboo and installed a dehumidifier with fans at the rear to absorb the humidity and increase the temperature – resulting in achieving the desired moisture content of the cut bamboo poles after treatment in a just a few days – whereas before building the drying room, it could take weeks and not achieve the low moisture content required. Now, we can dry the bamboo and maintain the appropriate moisture content until the poles are needed for the next bike!

Since selling our first bamboo custom bike to a British expat in April, which included front and rear bamboo custom made bamboo baskets we have sold more than 40 bamboo bike frames to local businesses and now are developing our website for “East Bali Bamboo Bikes”. We are continuously improving our standards and moving towards a sustainable business where our present team of trained artisans will train others in our village, especially graduate students, both male a female, which we hope will eventually provide home industries for many of our communities and hope that our high school graduates will not need to venture to south Bali to seek work – but can develop their own village, supported by East bali Poverty Project team, with our mission of helping people to help themselves to escape the poverty trap.

Of course, much depends on our Holy Mount Agung going back to a deep sleep and enabling our Cegi, Pengalusan and Daya communities to return home and get back on with their lives, and resuming their bamboo products and bamboo bikes business.

Courtesy of East Bali Poverty Project

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Make Vision Count with John Fawcett Foundation

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 10:57:00 +0800

The quality of life for people in Indonesia is reduced as blindness plays a major spoilsport in their normal living. This country is indeed suffering from such problem. World Health Organization data has raised an alarm and states that every single minute in Indonesia sees a person go blind due to the poverty and weak economic conditions. An estimated 5.4 million Indonesians or almost 1.8% of the overall population suffer from different eye conditions, and half of which are cataracts. The majority of eyesight related problems for the people is due to conjunctivitis, refractive disorders, cataract, and glaucoma. Data from the Health Ministry of Indonesia mentions that cataract is causing majority of the blindness among Indonesians. New plastic lens implementation is the urgent need of the hour.

The John Fawcett Foundation (JFF) was created in Indonesia with a single vision to eradicate blindness and reduce its effect among the Indonesian people. The foundation further marks that around four million people are needlessly blind and can be cured through proper treatments. Actions are taken place in order to prevent visual impairment, and this includes blindness prevention, sight restoration, prosthetic eyes and corrective surgery for children.

Majority of the blind people in Indonesia suffer from cataract because they are poor and cannot afford the cost of surgery. For that reason, the JFF team decided to reach out to far flung places in Indonesia and offer help through Mobile Eye Clinics. This exercise is much needed and beneficial for those who live in weak economic conditions. The Village Mobile Eye Clinic offers humanitarian assistance for not only children but impoverished adults suffering from visual impairment through eye screening, medicines, treatments, free surgery as necessary, and finally by providing free glasses. JFF also ensures quality eye care in the most effective manner. The cost-efficient ways of treatment through technology transfer to the villages and remote places ensures that there is a transformation in the lives of such people.

The whole community sees the benefit as the numbers of disabled people reduce. With more than forty thousand cataract surgeries, over four lakh glasses distributed and over a million patients screened, the foundation has turned visual impairment from a curse into something which can be prevented and cured. To help such programmes succeed, the foundation looks forward to generous contributions and donations through monetary or materialistic means, or through volunteering efforts of Individuals who want to help others. The success of the foundation relies on these helps. Your support is priceless!

The World Sight Day

Focusing on global attention on blindness and vision impairment, this year’s annual day of awareness will be held on the 12th of October, coordinated by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness under the VISION 2020 Global Initiative. JFF, as a member of VISION 2020, is planning a special, large-scale programme as a seven-day event, involving its fleet of four Mobile Eye Clinics, four ophthalmic surgeons and its full team plus extra contract nurses in the regency of Situbondo, East Java.

During this programme, the JFF team estimates to screen 2,500 people with eye problems, distribute 1,875 pairs of glasses and treat 1,250 people with eye drops. With four ophthalmologists operating in the four mobile clinics, they are expecting to be able to restore sight for over 400 people. The team will also go to local primary schools and check the eyesight of the children with an estimated 15 pairs of prescription glasses required.

Situbondo, in the eastern part of East Java, is a very impoverished area. The JFF team conducted a programme there in late January and was inundated by the sheer numbers of people with cataracts. During that four-day programme, the team operated 201 people who were blind with cataracts. They left behind hundreds of others and are keen to return for this special large-scale programme in October to assist those still waiting for their surgeries.

The total cost for this event is estimated around AUD $55,000, so a consortium of donors to support this would be ideal. Supporters of this programme would be promoted at the location and in JFF’s promotional materials. JFF is expecting that this event will attract a lot of media attention in Indonesia and wider afield through social media promotions. Donors would also be most welcome to join the JFF team in October to participate in the event and see the wonderful outcomes of their donation to so many lives.

Please note that donations for this event would be eligible for JFF’s usual tax deductions in Australia, the UK and USA, and can be made online via the JFF website, by bank transfer to the JFF accounts in Australia or Indonesia, or by cheque to JFF Australia.

website: www.johnfawcett.org

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Touch a Life of Children with Bali Life Foundation

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 30 Oct 2017 10:39:00 +0800

: Photo courtesy of Bali Life - Foundation

Bali Life Foundation is an Indonesian and Australian registered foundation that exists for the sole purpose of providing a future and hope to the underprivileged children within its areas of operation, especially Bali. This foundation is an award-winning entity, having received many prestigious awards for its great work of improving the social and economic lives of the less privileged.

Currently sheltering about 40 children, a children’s hope stands tall at the heart of the foundation’s work. The children home has offered hope to these little beautiful lives coming from disadvantaged backgrounds, with all of whom have either been rejected, orphaned or even abandoned, prior to their inclusion in this noble work. Rather than be faced with the significant risks that come with living on the streets, Bali Life Foundation offers food, shelter, and clothing to these children.

The foundation’s missions, vision and goals are the indications of what the foundation believes. Their core values are mainly engineered to offer hope to those who may have ended up with bleak futures. The vision determines their missions, which are to provide basic needs to the less privileged (HOPE), train and give skills for future survival (PURPOSE), and to teach good values and morals (DIGNITY).

Within 10 years of existence, the foundation has been able to achieve their goals by depicting an organization having a clamour for excellence in the empowerment of the disadvantaged in Bali, more specifically the children and women. It is Bali Life Foundation’s intention to see such unprivileged lives given another chance of reaching their dreams, thus raising an independent and responsible generation for a future successful nation realisation.

They are currently running 4 programmes.

Children’s Home

Unlike most of the children’s homes we know of, this one doesn’t only purpose to give food to the less privileged but is also concerned with the mental and spiritual spheres of their lives. The children are empowered with education to become responsible, successful and independent citizens with the capacity to influence changes within their respective sub-communities across Bali and beyond. By now, at least 8 of the children under the foundation are either in the course of their college or university studies or have just completed their programmes. All the children sheltered under the foundation attend local schools.

Street Kids Centre

There is an informal school for the street urchins, and at least 30 children are attending the sessions. This school features two classrooms, a children’s play area and a library. This is a perfect ground for making kids to be kids as they learn to be enlightened as well as gain skills for the betterment of their future lives. Learning is carried out from Monday to Friday between 9AM and 5AM, with the classes’ main aim being to nurture a child to become meaningful and productive.

Women's Workshop

Bali Life Foundation hasn’t forsaken the seed bearers of any society-women. Once a mother has been empowered, there is a high chance that the entire generation will get the same empowerment. Many of those who were not seeing any hopes for the future will have a reason to smile from now on. Through proactive care, employment and training, Bali Life Foundation has been able to hamper with the poverty cycle that was eating into most of who had either been disregarded by their partners, lost their partners, and even those who just had to flee from abusive families to save their lives. Jewellery and handicrafts are made by these women, after which they are paid wages in return. The foundation’s future idea is to expand the programme to be able to accommodate larger operation base, that may end up including the youths as well.

Suwung Community Centre

This is another programme that purposes to offer the children as well as their families a place for support. It is a centre for the restoration of PURPOSE, HOPE and DIGNITY, especially to those little ones who are not able to attend school due to financial constraints from their backgrounds. This community centre comes in to help in empowerment, education and medical support among other forms of assistances. The positioning of the school in the Suwung Denpasar Trash Area was purposely designed for the centre to target those families working in the dumpsite. Informal school programmes have been designed, tuitions as well as extra classes for mothers and children. Suwung Community Centre’s informal school features two classrooms together with a playground. It is opened from 10AM to 5PM every weekday. At least 30 children and 10 mothers have been benefiting from this programme.

Self-Sustain Farm

Located on a 3380-square meter parcel of land, Bali Life Foundation runs a Self-Sustain Farm that cultivates fruits and vegetables as well as tending to livestock and Aquaponics. This farm’s purpose is to sustain the activities of the foundation, while at the same time offering a ground for the training of valuable skills and experiences. It is encouraging that though the farm instructors underwent just some informal training, the success of the farm is impeccable.

Bali Life Foundation exists for a worthy course that all humanities ought to consider living for. The foundation has done a commendable job within such a short time. However, due to limited resources, they still need some generous donations to continue the cause they have been doing. And this is where we must take our part. Our donations today will go a long way to expand the humanitarian support and base. Let us support this cause!

Courtesy of Bali Life Foundation

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Indulge your ceramic interest at Jenggala Keramik

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 30 Oct 2017 09:41:00 +0800

Bali is a most memorable destination hotspot for many international and local tourists. This is because the islands of Bali are graced with gorgeous and breathtaking scenery, bountiful cultures, delectable cuisines and cocktails in the various restaurants and bars and a place to explore and indulge in many watersports as amply availed by the various clear water beaches with fine white sands.

One of the reasons I was inspired to come over to Bali was to soak in all the knowledge I could regarding the vast Balinese culture. And as I went along visiting as many historical places as I could manage and talking to the indigenous people, it was brought to my attention to visit Jenggala where I could find and indulge in the Jenggala Keramik.

Jenggala Keramik is a ceramic warehouse where clay is given the utmost respect and treatment to create beautiful tableware and home ware pieces that many restaurants and homes all over Bali use. And as in the case of the international tourists, the exquisitely handcrafted products are a beautiful way to gift your friends and family back home or keep as souvenirs of your visit to Bali.

The clay for over thirty years that is used is the finest of its kind to create the wondrous formulas used to create and showcase their aesthetic products. Also various techniques are employed like casting and throwing on a potter’s wheel but for the most part are all handcrafted. The technique to be used depends on the intricacies of the product in question. A lot of time is given in the thought, design and quality control processes of each and every product. These ceramic Balinese inspired products are offered in a wide array of shapes and colors, in sets as well as in single pieces. A gallery with a wide inventory is right round the corner where anyone that wants to purchase a piece or two can go right ahead and do so. All of them are at affordable prices and there are discounts and promotions available making the shopping experience all worthwhile and interesting.

For the most part, my time at the Jenggala was spent participating in the ‘Make a Pot and ‘Color a Pot’ program that is provided by the Jenggala Keramik team to its visitors. And I must say that it was time well spent indeed in that well air conditioned space. It reminded me of all the fun I had making various home ware pieces out of soil with friends as I was a very little girl. The beauty of this program is that it can be enjoyed by people of all ages and sizes, as a group or as an individual. I am pretty sure that many kids preferably of three years plus get a kick out of creating something using their own hands. For the adults, I believe that aside from being a fun way to spend time with friends and family, it is a very good activity for soothing oneself and get one with nature.

Everyone is given a chance to come up with their own design idea and the staff is always there to lend a hand if needed. I love that the visitors get to test and build their creative side. You are left to your own devices and you can create a mug, a bowl, a plate and so on. These have to be fired and so will be ready after four or five days. Hence make sure that your activity is well planned for so as to get to enjoy your final ceramic pieces. Your creation can be made as beautiful as you would want for paints and glazes are provided for your use.And if anyone is interested in having a one on one class, all can be arranged. All one needs to do is ask. I have found that large parties attending these workshops and they can be as fun filled as one wants them to be. So if you want to have a birthday party or anniversary party activity, then Jenggala Keramik is the way to go. All your guests will thoroughly enjoy themselves. Payment for participation is not set but depends on the number of pieces one wants to make or paint.

However if you are also one of those people that would rather feast with your eyes rather than participate directly, it is quite alright. A viewing area is provided for you to view whatever is going on in the studios.

My love for food greatly appreciates the fact that there is a café and restaurant a few minutes’ walk from the workshop and gallery where anyone can feast on the various mouthwatering Balinese cuisines on offer. So after a hard work on your special project, it is a great place to relax and catch one’sbreath with a very good cup of coffee in hand.

All in all, a visit to the Jenggala Keramik is one that I would recommend to anyone who is looking for a fun activity in Bali that will also draw them closer to Balinese history. Just make sure to secure a booking ahead of time so as not to be inconvenienced. It is also the place to be if you are looking for a venue to keep your guests entertained for whatever occasion you might have in mind. Visit Jenggala Keramik today and witness the magic.

Early Detection Saves Lives – Bali Pink Ribbon

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 2 Oct 2017 02:06:00 +0800

Until recently, major studies regarding breast cancer among women was limited to the developed countries. However, the recent past studies have indicated breast cancer as one of the common type of cancer in the female population in Asia-Pacific, particularly Indonesia accounting for almost 18% of the cancer diagnoses. Based on the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), cancer incidence in Indonesian women counted 134 cases per 100,000 population, where breast cancer became the highest incidence of 40 cases per 100,000 population and mortality rate for breeder in Indonesia was 16.6 death per 100,000 population. The latest WHO data indicates that breast cancer deaths in Indonesia alone account for 1.41% of all deaths in the country. Magnitude of breast cancer problems in Indonesia can be seen from breast cancer patients who come for treatment, where up to 60% of patients already in an advanced stage. Another surprising statistic is the prevalence of breast cancer among Indonesian women at under the age of 35.

Founded in 2009 by a Brit survivor, Gaye Warren, Bali Pink Ribbon has been actively promoting the vision to prevent Indonesian women from dying of breast cancer. Their main focus is to improve the quality of life and educate women regarding the preventive measures for this disease. Mass media programmes, seminars, and outreach programmes are conducted not only in Bali but across the country to support and empower women along with their families to fight the menace of breast cancer. Another important objective of Bali Pink Ribbon is to reach out to remote parts of the island to provide medical help to the patients.

Dr Dian Ekawati, the Chairman of Bali Pink Ribbon, explained that the incidence and death rate of breast cancer should be suppressed because breast cancer can be detected early. Until now, the cases found in hospitals mostly come with advanced breast cancer and a small amount comes with an early stage. Public awareness to do early detection is still lacking. Efforts awareness of the importance of early detection of breast cancer has been done by Bali Pink Ribbon in partnership with Prima Medika Hospital. Counselling about breast cancer and early detection followed by breast clinical examination and breast ultrasound for early detection have been done to various regions and community groups in Bali. Hopefully, the wider reach of the community in the knowledge and early detection, so the more can be pressed the number of cases of breast cancer.

The fund through donations and other charitable events received by Bali Pink Ribbon is used to spread awareness and help educate Indonesian women, especially those with breast cancer. Events such as Pink Health Day, Breast Cancer Seminar, and focussed groups are conducted regularly by Bali Pink Ribbon to achieve its objective. International visitors who are affected by breast cancer also visit these focus groups to share their knowledge and experience to Indonesian women to fight this disease. Learning from the survivors of breast cancer gives Indonesian women the courage and motivation to overcome adversities and keep up their fight against breast cancer.

Indonesia Goes Pink 2017

Carrying a theme “Indonesia Goes Pink 2017” – a 1000 Voices, Bali Pink Ribbon is collaborated with Breast Cancer Foundation from Jakarta ‘Love Pink’ and ‘Reach to Recovery’ Surabaya, supported by Oncology Hospital Surabaya, to build breast cancer awareness. This event is based on the idea that if the “Breast Cancer Awareness” movement is massively echoed in various places simultaneously, it would be wider reach of information to the public so that it could increase awareness of the dangers of breast cancer and care to keep health.

Indonesia Goes Pink is an open breast cancer care activity for warriors, survivors, relatives and family. It is a collective effort to increase public awareness of breast cancer with the series of activities consist of gathering with survivors, workshops (make up class, self-healing, learning to wear cloths), talk shows, Thousand Voices of Survivors Dinner, Pink Run, Fun Walk and ultrasound examination.

Although awareness of breast cancer has begun to spread, hopefully the knowledge of breast cancer does not stop there alone. Breast cancer is not “exclusively” specifically for women, but also the people around their lives. This is the reason why this event involves the community of runners as a form of family and relative to support the warriors who are currently struggling with breast cancer.

All participants, either warriors, survivors or supporters, can take advantage of this event to exchange information, gain knowledge, and inspire each other. It is hard for a warrior and his family to fight this disease without the support of morale as well as the much-needed knowledge in their daily struggle. This event is a container for those affected by breast cancer to encourage and work together to fight breast cancer.

Courtesy of Bali Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Foundation

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A little hope for children future - Bali Children Foundation

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 23 Sep 2017 23:58:00 +0800

As said by Dr. Seuss, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not”. The obvious reference in this context is caring for the children’s welfare and giving them an opportunity to lead a normal life on the Island of Bali. Though there has been some progress in children’s education in Bali, there still remains a concern as only 27 million children attend school in Indonesia and a lesser percentage on this island itself. The dropout rates for primary education for the children in Bali have decreased to less than 1 percent, but there are still a lot of things to achieve in terms of providing them with proper education, food, and medical attention. There is a huge gap between the children getting education in urban areas as compared to the rural areas, and this number stands at a staggering 15% overall. Quality of education for children is also a concern as the higher repetition rates indicates that one out of every ten children that gets the primary education has to repeat the education, and more often than not drops out of school to support their family.

If you travel around this island, it is easy to witness children selling things like bracelets, fruits, and other items to earn a living and support their family. These children come from families with extreme poverty, and the only source of income is by selling things to tourists. Due to lack of education, the option to earn a living is very limited for them. That is why to break this vicious cycle there is a need to educate these children and give them an option to look at better employment opportunities later in life. Though there are government schools where education is free, but the other costs related to uniforms, books, school bags, and other stationery items make it difficult for families to afford the expenditure and send their children to school. Again, despite the presence of compulsory education programme in the country, Bali still continues to struggle with a huge number of school-age children not being able to or continue their education due to location, economic conditions, and cultural factors.

Though there are several charitable organizations catering to the needs of children, Bali Children Foundation (BCF) is doing a remarkable job in helping children through its various initiatives. The main focus of this charity organization is to help children with education opportunities from junior schools till they graduate, and obtain the necessary skills for employment. In addition to teaching English, BCF also engage in offering sufficient computer instructions to children. Such skills along with education are what employers demand, and will help the children earn a decent living when they reach adulthood. The foundation has over the years assisted school districts with particularly high dropout rates to improve retention and improve the quality of education that these children deserve taking care of the costs and removing the burden of extra expenditure from the economically backward communities.

Since established in 2002, BCF has grown from delivering education opportunities to 45 students to over three thousand students in 45 communities. In these communities, BCF has directly lowered dropout rates after primary school from 60% to 3%, which means communities in which 50% of the population were functionally illiterate now have educated, employed, well-paid young people with great futures to look forward to. Starting July 2017, BCF will be offering education opportunities to 3,300 students in Bali Region. They have been blessed with strong and consistent support from their partner foundations and the businesses of Bali.

BCF work at Kayu Putih in north Bali continues to expand with strong support from Motel Mexicola. Motel Mexicola sponsorship supports school fees, books, bags, shoes, socks and hygiene kits for 19 children, known as ‘Mexicola Kids’ and also helps to provide key skill sets within the community with computer and English classes. In this programme, year 12 students are mentored into a work-ready environment providing pathways into employment.

BCF also offers extensive mentoring programmes for those children who are attending schools at present to understand and take care of their needs. All this has helped the foundation achieve excellent results as several hundreds of the students have gone on to graduate and find decent employment. Another focussed initiative is the pledge that senior students who have benefited from the foundation programme take to give back to their communities. Scholarships are offered on need basis after the economic status and circumstances of the family is analysed by the foundation members and senior students. Senior students of the foundation help reach out to remote villages and provide assistance as necessary to help the foundation achieve its goal.

It is never too late to start something good and it is never too less to help a needy. After all, small drops of water constitute a big ocean. Children are the most beautiful and pure creations of God. To help a child, even in the smallest possible way, can make an enormous difference in their lives. The Balinese children are in real need of funding. You might think the amount you are contributing might not make a difference, but be rest assured it will. You can sponsor the scholarships provided at Bali Children Foundation or make small contributions towards their food, uniform, books and other such amenities. So, let us join our hands together and pledge to take care of the future of Balinese children. “All kids need is a little help, a little hope, and somebody who believes in them.”

Bali Children Foundation

Jalan Raya Kesambi 369, Kerobokan, North Kuta

+62 851 0064 8400

www.balichildrenfoundation.org

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Craving Italian dining in Bali

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 02:45:00 +0800

The island’s ever-evolving international dining scene has seen huge growth in recent years, and one particular type of cuisine to emerge as one of Bali’s favourites is Italian. Many Italian chefs play their trade on the island, serving up authentic flavours from home without a frozen pizza or pre-bought packet of pasta in sight. Some of the reputed favourite Italian restaurants make their reputations on outstanding wine lists, while others go beyond Tuscan or Roman cuisine altogether and acquaint diners with the culinary traditions from Italy’s further flung regions. Experience only the finest spots when you want to experience Italian dining in Bali, and expect to find classy and sophisticated Italian food as delectable as it can be.

Pizza

This is an Italian origin dish which was born in south of Italy. Back in the old days, pizza was only a flat, round base of dough baked into wood fired ovens, seasoned with garlic with a topping of tomato sauce and cheese, typically with added meat or vegetables. And that was it. But these days, pizza comes with a lot of style, taste, and even shape. Time has changed, and probably now is the time for the modern era of pizza. However, some restaurants in Bali are still keeping the authenticity of the origin pizza.

In Nusa Dua, there is nothing better than a plate of ‘pizza Margherita’ at Prego. Like a typical classic pizza-style, this restaurant is serving it with freshly mashed plum tomatoes, seasoned with salt, garlic, olive oil and fresh basil, with toppings fresh mozzarella cheese and a sprinkle of oregano. Meaning ‘you are welcome’ in Italian word, Prego has an intriguing space that will tempt any senses with its beautiful stylistic layout and a roomy colourful interior in mitigating tones with a somewhat laid back vibe. You will be cooled off by the sound of a soft ocean breeze while admiring the glistening tableware atop the pristine linen. Outside the building, an infinity pool is ready for your pleasure, partially shaded by tall and swaying palm trees. Apart from wood fire oven baked pizzas, this restaurant has excellent variety of food on offer with cold cuts, pasta, risotto, meat, seafood, cheese, and lip smacking deserts.

Still in ITDC complex of Nusa Dua, Salsa Verde at Grand Hyatt Bali offers the same ambience overlooking the ocean wide. As for the pizza, while Prego is keeping the original taste, this restaurant is more about taking care of the local taste by serving ‘Indonesiana pizza’. Freshly prepared at an open kitchen using homemade dough and baked in wood fire oven, this pizza is made with minced beef rendang, shallots, and chili. The pizza is a nod to Indonesia’s rich and fragrant cuisine. Although serving Indonesian-style pizza, Salsa Verde keeps its flavour to the classic Italian style that will bring your culinary journey to a whole new level of satisfaction.

Going south to Kuta, The Best Brew has announced their Wood Fired Pizza Making Class program. Dedicated to anyone who wants to learn how to make an authentic wood-fired pizza, you can expect to have step-by-step guidance from the pizza maker. From tossing a hunk of dough, plotting the topping, putting it to the wood fired oven to the revealing unique recipe of ingredients, you would master the art of baking wood fired pizzas in a day! Besides wood-fired pizzas, this restaurant at Four Points also dishes out items like big stick kebab, sausages, and other grab-and-go options. You can choose to eat selected poultry, pork, beef, or seafood, delicately marinated & flame grilled.

Seminyak caters the top Italian restaurants in Bali serving more than just standard pizzas. However, Warung Italia has gradually gained popularity with its simple yet humongous Italian menu. Located at the end of jalan Kunti, the pizza comes in a very good price. The crust is amazingly soft and thin since it is fresh and made on the spot. The list of pizzas is huge and you will find it difficult to choose since all are equally tasty but amusingly different in taste. You can also stack up your plate with fresh well-seasoned calamari, fragile arancini and salty slices of excellent prosciutto topping shapes of multi-hued melon, all-encompassing the star of the dish – an overflowing hill of startlingly crisp, creamy burrata cheddar, served on an energetic serving of mixed greens loaded with bits of pumpkin and sun-dried tomato.

Da Maria encompasses stunning Roman interiors with Balinese greenery of rubber trees, cacti and passion fruit vines spiralling down the walls. Locally crafted beautiful chandeliers that use simple festoon lighting reminiscent of 60’s Italian courtyard restaurants adorn the ceilings. The fountain is an Italian and Neapolitan icon, adding to the refreshing surroundings. Pizza is undoubtedly the signature style of this restaurant. With dough fermented for 24 hours and inspired by special Neapolitan artisan techniques, the pizzas are cooked in local, Naples inspired lava stone ovens. The Antica Margherita pizza is extremely popular here owing both to its history and explicit taste. Named after Queen Margherita, this pizza is carefully prepared using ingredients to match the three colours of the Italian national flag – green, white and red. It is topped with basil, mozzarella and tomato. The specialty here is the impressive Italian seasoning sprinkled on top.

Others Italian Restaurants may be focusing on their specialty, but Hank’s Pizza & Liquor is more about combining pizzas with great cocktails while keeping the Rock n Roll music alive. If Wednesday’s belongs to Classical Hip hop, Thursday’s offers entertaining Jukebox, and Friday’s presents live DJ set. On the menu, the pizza selection includes a wide variety with a favourite such as Dylan – combination of pork & fennel meatball with roasted chili oil, lemon, caramelized onion parmesan, and broccoli. Or you can try The Delightful Siouxsie, a mixture of king prawns, roasted peppers, capers mozzarella, and tomato Passata.

Ginger Moon is a warm and welcoming restaurant on a bustling street of Seminyak. This restaurant may not be an Italian restaurant, but they do have pizzas come in unique way. The pizzas are thin, crispy and surprisingly, not round! A definite try out on the pizza menu is the ‘Lamb pizza’ which consists of slow cooked lamb shoulder, black beans, sweet & sour onions, goat cheese with a sip of the refreshing fruit daiquiri. They also offer Gluten free pizzas for those with an intolerance. The concept here is small portions with immense flavour and lots of variety to devour. Your food palette will be on a delicious journey.

Pasta

This is another main food of traditional Italian cuisine. Normally, pasta is a noodle that made from an unleavened dough of a durum wheat flour mixed with water or eggs and formed into sheets or various shapes, then cooked by boiling or baking. Italian Restaurants in Bali highlight custom-made pasta in an assortment of sauces. Pairing with imaginative flavours of pizzas cooked in a wood-smouldering stove, the whole menu on the table is loaded with enticing alternatives for those who are looking for an authentic Italian treat.

A fantastic new addition to the vibrant Seminyak strip is Seminyak Italian Food, overlooking Double-Six Beach. This modern trattoria, which marries Italian classics with best of the season produce, has quickly risen to become one of the best in Seminyak. The restaurant dishes out the finest Italian preparations, from Calamari, Ravioli, Ricotta and Tiramisu. Enjoy the slow cooked lamb Ragu Fettuccine, grilled sea bass, minute steak, steamed spinach, Arancini and the delightful Bambini (small doughnuts with warm lemon custard and strawberry jam-delicious). The most recommended pasta here is the ‘Tortelli di Granchio’. The pasta is filled with handpicked crab meat, sauce of French butter, Chives and Confit of Tomatoes Passata which is an explosion of Italian flavours in your mouth.

Still in Seminyak, Ultimo Italian also serves a huge plate of mouth-watering Italian food. Decorated beautifully with fairy lights, this place is surely to get noticed, plus having the addition of daily live music performances. Boasting both high service and food quality, pasta stands out remarkably in the menu. Duck filled Ravioli, Linguini with prawns, Aglio olio pasta, seafood pasta with white wine sauce appease your taste buds. The ravioli pasta got curved around the seven-cheddar filling to look precisely like a treat wrapper. In any case, the dish is a great deal more than an adorable trick. The smooth pesto sauce and brilliant cherry tomatoes give an excellent stage to the delectable kaleidoscopic pasta.

A must place to visit if you are strolling around Kuta Beach, Jamie's Italian is rustic with a Jamie twist and features beautiful work by local artists. From the sunny street-facing terrace to the large bar and lively open kitchen, you cannot resist the aura of this place. If you have a large Italian appetite, then the variety of pasta here will match it. Some of the signature dishes are Prawn Linguine, which is garlicky prawns with fennel, tomatoes, chili, saffron, fish broth & lemony rocket. Or, Squid and Mussel Spaghetti Nero, a beautiful flash-fried squid & mussels with tender octopus, capers, chilli, anchovies and white wine tossed through in homemade nero spaghetti.

La Cucina at Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel, also known as Tastes of Italy, is a place to go for your favourite Italian delicacies. Seated on the ground floor, overlooking Kuta Beach and the hotel’s pool, experience the typical Italian fare in an al fresco besides pizza and pasta. La Cucina Restaurant also has three outdoor bales that provide privacy for a romantic candlelight dinner. The local and international chefs transform fresh and seasonal ingredients into delectable plates to feast upon. The showstopper here is the fresh pasta which tastes as good and comfortable like homemade pastas. Spaghetti with olive oil, garlic and hot peppers and Spinach Gnochi is such a treat for the taste buds, as well as The ‘Lasagna Rendang’ that is served to introduce Indonesian flavour.

Gelato

After the main course, here comes the dessert, Gelato, or you can say ice cream. But wait, there’s a big difference between Gelato and Ice Cream. While Ice Cream normally comes in heavier and richer texture, Gelato is softer, smoother, leaving a clean taste in your mouth. Bali hosts the best gelato which recommended to be eaten straight away in the store, as it is freshly made, held and served at the correct temperature.

Gaya Gelato is a clean establishment with a huge selection. This Place is actually a contemporary art Gallery. With Comfortable seating, impeccably cleanliness, fast and friendly service, and moderate pricing, it has become hugely popular. Using the wide variety of Indonesian fruits, they create recipe that reflect the culinary traditions of Bali. You can choose from the popular flavours like mint, aranciola, dark chocolate with orange, strawberry, coconut topped with fresh pistachios, salty caramel peanut butter and hazelnuts and mix two of the flavours in a cup. Quite a mouthful!!

A tiny, unassuming, quirky pink gelato cafe located along a busy street in Seminyak, Gelato Secrets offers delicious, wholesome and innovative gelatos. Some very interesting flavours offered here are Black Charcoal with Organic Sulawesi vanilla, organic raw chocolate and salted butter caramel. If you want to devour fruity flavours, go for the Strawberry and guava, pineapple and mint. The differentiating factor of Gelato secrets is that the natural fat from our gelato originates from fresh milk and cream and completely egg free. Not much seating area, so a good place to have Gelato if you are on the run.

A small and cosy café with a greens caped outdoor seating, Gusto Gelato & Café is the place to chill out. Always come out with new experimental flavour like Cinnamon, Avocado, Soursop, Dragon fruits, Tamarillo, Lemongrass, Kemangi, Spirulina, Ginger, Vanilla, Chocolate and Chili, they make gelato eating a memorable and fun experience. It proudly boasts of the fact that 70% of their produce is of Indonesian origin churned into perfection. Decently priced and unlimited tasting is one sure factor driving the customers crazily happy. This is truly the place for dessert fanatics.

Massimo in Sanur is an authentic Italian restaurant, located in the heart of Marina with a fantastic waterfront terrace. True to its name, the walls are covered with photos and paintings of the owner, Massimo. This is one of those classy venues where apart from eating sophisticated food, you get to enjoy the ambience as well. Massimo is a relaxed open-air bar, a gelateria, and a wood fired pizzeria facing the main street of Sanur. A lot is on the menu here, but the Gelato is highly preferred for desserts. At Massimo, gelato is made from morning until evening. Italian nuts and banana, Rum Raisin and Pistachio, Chocolate and Pistachio, Coffee are some distinct flavours among the huge array of gelatos. In case you do not find your favourites flavour, the chefs promise to make you one the next time you visit them.

In Ubud, featuring more than fifteen selections of flavours, Mason Gelato comes in different sizes to meet any personal satisfactions. Used to be known as K’Dewatan Gelato, the gelato tastes so good and it reminds you of your family secret recipes back home. One of their specialties on our menu is Rum and Raisin Gelato, a rather ‘intimate’ of creamy blend and rich flavours.

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A Tale of Hope for Bali Dogs

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 01:07:00 +0800

Behind all the beauties of Bali, a sad-tale of a dog’s life is looming. Without a doubt stray dogs are quite evident in this island. Bali dogs are by nature free roaming animals that have wandered on the island for thousands of years. Facts show that around 90% of the population of dogs in Bali actually has somewhere to which they belong to. However, it is not the same as the kind of belongingness of a pet to an owner in the Western sense. That is, dogs may be present in that place but the people living there are not their owners.

Before rabies came, Bali had one of the highest populations of dogs in the world. There were somewhere around 800,000 dogs before the rabies outbreak. In 2008, Bali experienced an outbreak of rabies which has since caused a large number of human fatalities. The Bali dogs’ population is not the only problem, but the escalation of rabies-related deaths as well. Rabies problems coupled with myths that Bali street dogs are rabid, aggressive and feral, the government saw it as a threat in their tourism industry because no tourist would visit a rabies-infested environment. If this problem continues, Bali might lose an estimate of 60-70% in the economy sector.

Efforts have been made to eradicate and to solve this problem. Potential community-driven interventions for optimising rabies control such as vaccination took place. In 2015, sadly some provincial government resolved to dog culling. Culling is controlling the size of animals by killing them with the main goal is to lessen the number of stray dogs. But, is this the right thing to do?

This act triggered opposition from animal welfare groups and international experts. They argued that merciless dog culling is not only vicious but it is also not the right answer for rabies prevention. Figures revealed that the number of dogs dropped immensely to approximately 150,000. Dog-meat trade together with culling and natural reasons of death presented a big problem to the Bali dogs’ existence.

Contrary to what is already known, Bali dogs are highly intelligent animals. They are also capable of learning appropriate behaviour and interactions with humans. They make wonderful pets because, like other breeds, they are loyal and loving. They just need to learn to trust humans and, like any dog, they need to be treated with respect and affection. These fur balls’ lives are endangered because of some humans’ unwise decision. Dog culling is definitely NOT the answer. Vaccination and adopting these pups are more effective and humane ways in solving this menace.

Now, the question is: “Are we turning a blind eye on this?”

A group of individuals certainly didn’t turn a blind-eye on this. Lucky Dog Rescue is one of a non-profit dog rescue foundations dedicated in protecting the neglected and forsaken dogs. Claudia Mingardo started this project because she noticed that Bali dogs were treated even more horribly than they are treated at this time. In years past, one would often find the bodies of dead dogs when walking on the beach. These dogs had been poisoned or set afire or tortured for ‘fun’ with their legs wired together and other heinous acts done to them. The hundreds of dogs that roamed the beach and streets were unfed and not given clean water, and most suffered from life threatening skin conditions.

Impossible for Claudia to ignore such cruelty and injustice, so she began to make action by feeding these dogs and administering to their injuries and appalling skin conditions, as well as having them sterilised. As time went by, her compassion for these forsaken animals became a passion that replenished her heart and spirit. It is a pure joy!

Up to this day, Claudia houses 15 dogs while at the same time feeds and oversees the needs of an additional 75 of more dogs who live on the streets, which all of them neutered. She spends almost 12 hours each day – seven days a week – caring for these 75 or more feral dogs and feeding them twice daily. She also spends several hours each day at various veterinary clinics, including their own clinic, Central Veterinary Clinic, overseeing whatever health care is necessary to help these beautiful and innocent animals who are apparently traumatised and fearful of humans.

Funded by herself and the donations of a few like-minded animal lovers, Claudia believes that Lucky Dog Rescue foundation will continue to evolve step by step, dog by dog. As a firm believer that ‘good intention yields good results’, she will keep on administering to dogs in need and to expand its rescue services, including send them to worthy fur parents by means of adoption programme. At this time, Lucky Dog Rescue has 2 part-time paid staff who prepare the large quantity of food required to feed 90 dogs twice each day, as well as to walk and clean the dogs.

Bali is a transient island with a care-free attitude, so dependability is one of the biggest challenges. People have good intentions, but good intentions without follow-through does not feed or care for the many dogs that require being fed and cared for every day without fail. This is where we come in the picture. Let us bring a new chapter to that dog’s tale of hope. We can simply start by treating all dogs with respect and kindness, or providing them healthy food and fresh water. Alternatively, signing up as a volunteer is also an option. Spare time an hour or two to assist in any way possible; to feed or walk the dogs.

As Mother Teresa said, “You may not be able to help all dogs, but you are able to help one dog.” Every bit of our action is valuable. If we could not help them, then who will? After all, we are their only best friends.

Courtesy of Lucky Dog Rescue

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Hear the Nature’s Roar and Snuggle on a Comfy Bed - Glamping in Bali

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 24 May 2017 01:24:00 +0800

My title

Try to picture yourself sitting under a million stars, chatting until the early hours, whilst toasting marshmallows over the fire pit. Imagine a lazy morning curling up under your blanket next to the glow of a fuel stove. They say camping is the nature’s way of feeding mosquitoes. Don’t let that joke scares you because glamping is the exact opposite. Glamping is recently growing around the globe and it is a form of camping that comes with utmost comfort. Worry not to find the camp space, setup tiny nylon tents and suffer in cramped sleeping bags. As the newest travelling style, glamping romantically brings you in touch with nature while allowing the 5-star hotel comfort. Glamping is all about escaping from the world into the heart of nature with no trace of modernization yet a luxurious twist.

Though Bali is known for many intriguing sites and activities one can get involved in, glamping gives another reason to believe that there is still much to learn and experience in this part of the world. There are numerous romantic places for Glamping in Bali where you will not have to give up sleeping in bed, running water or electricity. The only comfort that you will give up is the concrete walls. As they say, “Life begins when you start saying YES to experiences.”

In Ubud, Sandat Glamping Tents will take you in the middle of rice fields. As one of the most popular glamping sites in Bali, you will be offered with 5 safari-style tents with each having its private infinity-edge pool together with a terrace that leads into the forest. Lumbung cottages are there for grabs; traditional local houses with alang-alang roofs and balconies overlooking the lush green surroundings.

The interiors of the tents are amazing and fantastic. If you have always harboured the fear of the discomforts in the camping tents, then glamping here can be even more comfortable than your own home. The decorations are down to detail in order to give the occupants the real touch of Bali’s nature. Pearl chandeliers, hand painted furniture, coffee plants and white shells, you will feel at home while in the wild. Each cottage is also equipped with ceiling fan, mini fridge, i-pod docking station, internal phone service, and of course, Wi-Fi connection.

The tents are surrounded by rice fields, vast vegetation and the beautiful mother nature. Perfect seclusion has been done with bamboo screen together with vertical gardens thus giving you all the privacy you need. So when the jungle is alive at night, and surely it will, don’t worry about your safety. For the nature lovers, be ready to enjoy the melodious and at times discords sang by the night creatures. Your night will be memorable in such an elegant surrounding. With the capability to accommodate just a few people, Sandat Glamping Tents will absolutely be enjoyed by any person who loves eccentric things, activities and places. If you decide to go out from the camping site, it will take you just a 10-minute scenic drive through the rice paddies to reach Ubud Central.

Still in the same region of Ubud, hidden away in the rice fields above the Ayung River, Escape Nomade offers simplicity as the new style of luxury with eco experiences for a romantic adventure. You can spend your afternoon embracing the nature around you under a beautiful assortment of tents and live by the moments. These unique air-cooled designed tented villas combine all the natural elements with utter finesse and lend a romantic flair by taking you back in time with grandeur.

Living without walls, Escape Nomade is all about experiential satisfaction. For those who want to experience the idyllic setting under bright blue skies, the “Picnic Lunch” is hosted on a deep gorge above a mountain stream with all the picnic goodies packed in bamboo picnic baskets. Listen to the sounds of nature while seated comfortably on cushions or rugs and enjoying your healthy lunch on low rise tables to give you the epic picnic feel. “The Royal High Tea” experience begins with a sublime footbath and full body massage in a breezy covered tent pavilion next to the river. Freshly brewed tea of your choice is served on the high hills.

Relaxed and refreshed, you retire to the main tent for a divine spread of champagne and sweets. A promenade of unexpected events in the jungle await you after you reach a solitary luxury safari-style tent on the edge of the world. Bamboo flute-playing musicians serenade you, and there’s time for cocktails and canapes before your walk back to the temple at sunset.

If this is still not enough and you are keen on taking your beloved to a classic dining experience amongst the wilderness, then carry on to the dining table. The dinner is set within a tent glowing with lanterns and small shrubs. Wildflowers placed on the table along with linen and fine china. The four-course dinners are a healthy take on local flavours, and each course reflects the main colours of the temple offerings like red, green and yellow. The feeling of being close to nature is intensified as you dine listening to the wind rustling in the palm trees outside, the gentle bubbling of the river close by, and crickets chirping in the foliage.

Outstandingly stylish tents with a touch of magic, Escape Nomade experiences bring you deep into nature’s living space and encourages you to listen to the sounds of nature while spending quality time with your special one. Far more romantic than any other experience, the romance of the evening with its bamboo lights, candles and transparency all shining through and casting its shadows is a joyful rendezvous with your partner. You will find total harmony and peace, feels like a home nestled in the lap of mother nature!

If you make your way to the west part of the island, Menjangan Dynasty Resort, Beach Camp & Dive Center is the best location for those who want to experience close-to-nature ‘glamping’ with splendid underwater treat. This tented resort sits next to a blissful white-sand beach, catering to outdoor activities for the adventure enthusiasts. You are expected to enjoy the sweeping forest views of West Bali National Park. You will be treated with seamless and comfortable treatment to the protected mangrove and rainforests leaving you with awe for days.

The resort comprises Beach Camp Tents and Cliff Tent Villas, featuring the antique African-style glamping tents from robust top-quality canvas. The interiors of the tents perfectly capture the ambience of the classic safari-style with solid glass doors, natural materials and muted colours harmonised with blackened steel elements. Each room is fitted with canvas roller blinds, wardrobes, inbuilt desks and bamboo lamps. International channels and DVD player can be your alternate entertainment inside the tent. And to make you feel more at home, you can snuggle in the luxurious queen-sized bed with a spacious dressing area. To create a romantic moment with your partner, daybeds and loungers are available in the private deck outside the tent where you can appreciate the tranquillity of the surroundings.

For the vibrant underwater experience, a dive and water sports centre is provided to give you the best water excursions around Menjangan Island. This will include scuba diving, snorkelling, kayaking, canoeing and stand-up paddle boarding. If you prefer land excursions, there are loads of outdoor activities to add the sparkling attachment between you and your lover. Trekking to the nearest villages, cycling and mountain biking, birdwatching along the forest, or daytrips to the nearby attractions. Menjangan Dynasty Resort, Beach Camp & Dive Center is for couples who are seeking a totally different experience.

Glamping is the newest way to disrupt your daily routine and shift your focus back to the things that matter. It is the way of celebrating a love of individualism, the nomadic life and being sustainable. After a short trip to the nature, you are expected to be more balanced and brimming with ideas due to the change in perspective! Glamping immerses you in a region’s raw beauty – every trip away is enhanced by the time of year, local topography and wildlife. It gives you a different way of viewing your world and bonding with your loved ones.

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One Hundred Dollars for One Newborn’s life

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 23 May 2017 11:47:00 +0800

Childbirth is one of the most beautiful creations of the universe, and it is still considered a godly gift for which every woman yearns. The ugly truth according to the WHO, about a thousand women in the world die from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, every day. In developing countries, common complications such as obstructed, preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy) or excessive bleeding can kill the mother, the child, or even both.

In Indonesia, the alarming mortality rates of women and babies in Indonesia is leaving everyone grieve struck. The maternal mortality rate is 228 per 100,000 live births, with infant mortality at 27 per 1,000 births, which is one of the highest in Asian nations. In Bali itself, the underlying problem for this issue is the extensive tourism which has led to high cost of living. The basic necessities of life have become so expensive that the locals tend to compromise on keeping babies, resulting on major health concerns.

Bumi Sehat Foundation International is one of non-profit organisations focusing on this issue. They believe that every individual has the right to access quality healthcare where hygienic and culturally appropriate birth right is practiced. To sustain this goal, they provide general health services, emergency care, prenatal, postpartum and birth services, and breastfeeding support; in addition, healthcare and youth education, environmental and disaster relief programs.

Their ideology is very strong, wherein each human being is an essential societal component of peace. They care for the smallest citizens on earth, the babies, thus creating peace within the mother, baby and the family one at a time. It is a branch which is slowly but progressively growing. Bumi Sehat Foundation International's mission is to reduce maternal and child morbidity and mortality as well as to support the health and wise development of communities. It is devotedly working in partnership with communities to improve quality of life.

Back in 1995, Bumi Sehat Foundation International’s founder, Robin Lim, began providing health services free of charge for pregnant women and children under the age of five in the Ubud. Today, Bumi Sehat Foundation International operates two Community Health Education and Childbirth Centres, one in Bali and another in post-tsunami Aceh. Not just restricting to provide health services, this foundation has launched many other welfare programs as well. Education through their Youth Centres, elderly wellness services, scholarship programs for future midwives, disaster relief programs are some of the programs which has been launched successfully. The last year statistics show that more than 600 new-borns peacefully into this world. It is indeed a great accomplishment.

The first Bumi Sehat Foundation International’s clinic is located in the village of Nyuh Kuning, just outside Ubud. This Community Health Clinic has two birthing rooms, a postpartum recovery area, and three general health treatment areas. They provide weekly check-ups, ongoing birth services, and 24-hour a day emergency health services. The major investment has been a fully equipped ambulance which is essential for transporting emergencies that occur in birth. The ambulance is also employed for hospital transport of motorbike accident victims, sick children or the elderly. Their Community Health Clinic conducts approximately 20,000 consultations and more than 500 births per year. A new state of the art clinic has been inaugurated in October 2016. This clinic is designed to be more than three times the size of the current clinic. The design is in concurrence to the way that midwives, doctors and nurses practice. Owing to the volatility of the region, it is earthquake resistant as well.

The team at Bumi Sehat is extremely professional. Currently they employ more than 80 full-time members which most of whom are internationally recognized midwives, who bring the new-borns to this world with utmost dedication, love and safety. The Clinics are open 24 hours a day and staffed with midwives, doctors, nurses and international volunteers from around the world. A professional office staff works behind the scenes to manage the organization’s finances to ensure responsible accounting and donation allocation.

Bumi Sehat Foundation International has generous local and international supporters. Some caring organizations and wide hearted Individuals donate generously for this noble cause. Apart from just financial contributions, each of these involved organizations and individuals have walked the extra miles to create greater awareness to improve the quality of life for babies, mothers, families and communities.

We can also become a part of this team. Our continuity support and generous donation means a lot for the live of this organisation. Donation doesn’t always come in form of cash, but can also be items for hospital needs (beds, neonatal supplies, vitamins and supplements, and general office equipment). If you want to get actively involved, by all means to enrol as a volunteer in their ongoing programmes. But more than that, at least you can always give a hand in spreading the word on social media. Any contribution we make goes a deep way in nurturing the roots of this organisation.

“We can’t help everyone, but everyone can definitely help someone”

Bumi Sehat Foundation International

+62 361 970002

Banjar Nyuh Kuning, Ubud

www.bumisehatfoundation.org

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Conserving Bali's Rice Paddies and Creating New Markets for Farmers

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 02:14:00 +0800

The most commonly identified issues in Bali are environmental degradation, health problems, food insecurity, identity and land loss, water scarcity and economic inequality. Due to increase in tourism, land has been sold relentlessly and development made on fertile sites. The soil in Bali is dead in the past 45 years due to no use of biomass and excessive use of chemical fertilizers. It is creating a paradox of nutritional starvation and diabetes. Decades of mono-cropping and import from foreign countries is leading to economic instability. Due to real-estate speculation, families are selling their ancestral farmland at exorbitant rates which is posing ethical challenges for Bali.

In 2012, UNESCO designated five world heritage sites in Bali. This designation recognizes paddy fields and 1000-year-old canal system known as Subak. Due to over-development and commercialisation in Bali, severe water shortage and food insecurities are being faced by the Balinese common man. Even though Bali has been the most productive “Sawah” in south-east Asia, UNESCO does not provide protection for these sites which are under the constant threat of development. Yayasan Konservasi Sawah Bali (YKSB) has implemented a democratic, community based resource management system that maximizes efficient water usage and makes Bali unparalleled in rice production.

The mission of YKSB aims at conserving and sustaining a working landscape in Bali, and to restructure agricultural production to secure greater economic equality and wellness for Bali's farmers. The vision is very clear and addresses to create new paradigm that will generate food security, food sovereignty, mitigate climate change, retain culture with economic development, so that farmers will stop selling/leasing their land for building development. Farmers will be educated on seed saving, vermiculture and financial aid given so that they return to organic farming methods. Economic opportunities for farmers will be expanded by restructuring their farming methods, connecting them directly to markets with high demands for organic produce and developing value-added products from surplus crops. Agritourism will be introduced where tourists will participate in the farming activities and learn about Balinese lifestyle. On the other hand, this will provide a direct source of income to the farmers. To conserve the Sawah, a U.S. land trust concept will be applied where annuities will be paid to multigenerational farmers to not develop their land. Ongoing land stewardship will be carried on where lands will be under continuous monitoring and best land practices made more available to farmers. The vision is top-notch and covers all dimensions to ensure complete development of “Sawah” and Subak.

The pilot project is on the outskirts of Ubud, Gianyar. This Subak was chosen as it is close to Ubud, which is famous for tourism and hence is threatened. The pilot project “Seeing is Believing” aims to replicate the US Land Trust Model while ensuring that the culture, religion and legal framework of Bali is prioritized. Phase 1 has been a hit with international volunteers from all age participating in the field work and the Mangkok rice hitting the economic boom. YKSB receives no income from the sale of its Mangkok rice, farmers receive 100% from its sale. Phase 2 is in process where the aim is to restore the habitat to health by adding compost and biomass. Growing of heritage rice will continue. In addition, organic vegetables will also be grown. In Phase 3, the price paid to each farmer to not sell their lands will be fixed. Conservation of property will be guaranteed and financial structuring like opening of bank accounts for farmers will be done. Phase 4 will be about monitoring, enforcing and stewardship of the land.

The board consists of highly qualified Individuals and very successful entrepreneurs who have dedicated their time and efforts to protect and conserve Bali. Their efforts have already put a permanent smile on the faces of Balinese people. News channels like CNN, Jakarta Post and Bali TV have regularly covered news addressing the issues of the Subak and “Sawah”. This has spread a lot of awareness on the current scenario of Bali. The involvement of YKSB with its energetic and super-efficient team has ensured that the mission and vision are all aligned with the implementation activities.

Without a doubt, YKSB’s world-class model will ensure the protection of thousands of Balinese families. The successful beginning of the pilot program has enforced this trust and further belief. With this being a hit, future programs will be replicated on the same model of land conservation. The program has already gained momentum with an effective response from the Balinese government. YKSB seeks out the support of individuals to make this program 100% successful. All the generous contributions will go directly to 135 family farms. You can pledge to donate any amount, and for every pledge you make you will receive small gift hampers that will remind you of the contribution you are making to make Bali more beautiful and the stability of Balinese families. The feel good factor is an added bonus. Be a part of this movement and earn the blessings of thousands of Balinese families.

Credit to Yayasan Konservasi Sawah Bali

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April's Kids Discounts & Deals

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 21 Apr 2017 00:56:00 +0800

A lot of monthly promotional subscriptions are available for kids nowadays. You could check out the options and maybe select some as gifts or you can use them yourself. This year April’s promotion is featuring dining discounts, spa & dental treatments for kids, as well as entrance packages to the amusement parks and kids’ clubs. These special offers create an experiential gift to the kids which makes it all the more enjoyable for them.

Entrance Ticket

Bali Bird Park

This park is home to 1,000 birds from 250 different species. If you are a bird lover or simply just a bird watcher, you would love this place. Nestled inside a two-hectare tropical garden, you can find any kind of bird from parrots, peacocks, hornbills, cranes, pelicans, flamingos and even the rarest ones Bali Starling and the exotic Birds of Paradise. Open daily from 9AM to 5PM, Bali Bird Park offers special admission fee for kids. Children between 2 – 12 years old will get 50% off adult price, which already includes all bird shows and feeding experiences.

Bali Zoo

As one of the best zoos in Asia Pacific, Bali Zoo offers kids not just as a recreational park but also a fun education centre on wildlife. Their April’s promotion focuses on Zookeeper for Kids. Starting from IDR 110,000, the package includes Zoo entrance, Tour Guides (2 persons), Explore Aviary, Lemur Keeper Talk, Lorry Keeper Talk, Animal Presentation, Petting Zoo, Lunch, Explore Kampung Sumatra, Shuttle Bus, and zoovenir. This package is only valid for children under 12 years old.

Dining

Conrad Bali

Proposing spectacular views as well as stunning interiors/exteriors of each restaurant, dining at Conrad Bali boasts a wealth of dining experiences. You can choose to dine with a Japanese Classics & Innovations touch, Full flavoured fare & cool ocean breezes, or Delightful Asian Selections. Enjoy free meals for kids under 12 years old in any of the restaurants. This includes breakfast, lunch and dinner. Please note that any one of the parent must be present at the restaurant with the kids.

Sundara

This restaurant at Four Season Resort Jimbaran is not all about dining in style for adults, but it can also a perfect spot for kids to play around. Viewing the wide curve of Jimbaran Bay, Sundara is now launching a new 3-course menu for kids. The idea is to provide healthy, full meal for kids which packed in bento box. There are six options which inspired from variety of meals reflecting each of its name; Oceans, The Farm, The Field, The Village, The City and Roma. To celebrate this new menu, Sundara offers 20% off for the new Kids' Menu.

Frestro

Serving healthy cuisine in the heart of Seminyak, Frestro & Bar features a captivating glass frontage at the entrance. The dining area is quite comfortable for the little ones to move around, and it comes with great atmosphere. Offering no chemicals and addictive in the menu makes the restaurant a perfect selection for lunch with kids. Special promotion for kids IDR 75,000+ which includes pasta, pizza, grill and complimentary juice or soft drink selections.

Spa

Sakanti Spa

Offering an oasis of serenity in the busiest street of Kuta, this spa at Anvaya Resort will take you to the ultimate sanctuary for spa and beauty rituals. The environment of the spa is unique in its expression as it immingle cultural and native values with technology to provide deluxe in elegant way. The spa renders numerous treatments, messages, baths in the environ that most suits the treatment or message thus augmenting the efficacy of the treatment. It has over 30 rituals ranging from massages and body scrubs to facials, manicures and pedicures, perfect leisure time for mothers and daughters. This month promotion, kids range from 4 – 10 years old will get 10% off.

Body Temple Spa

The spa has all the pre-requisite paraphernalia with vast range of auxiliary services to be provided in dazzling environment and the services being doled out by the proficient professionals. Offering almost all kind of treatments for your needs, it also excels in providing oil and non-oil therapy in various dimensions. Now, how about combining a pampering package with play date. For every book of a 60-minute Soothing Warm Stone Massage at Body Temple Spa, your kid will receive a 2-hour entrance to Cubby House Kids Club.

Rock Spa

Spa at Hard Rock Hotel won’t let the adults have all the fun. The little ones can get spoiled with a 45-minute yummy fruit facial of Tutti Frutti treatment only for IDR 350,000++, or a 25-minute foot rub with melted strawberry lotion for IDR 250,000++. If they want the whole kit and caboodle, opt for The Sweet Shop 2-hour treatment for IDR 800,000++. They will get a full treatment from top to toe with a facial, manicure, pedicure and a mini foot massage, all with a lip-smacking juice and snack to make life super sweet!

Dental

Ultimo Aesthetic & Dental Center

It is always better to make a dental visit early to get the better chance of preventing dental problems as well as helping your child to have healthy teeth. The paediatric dentist of Ultimo specialises in taking care of children from infancy to the teenage years. The treatment includes preventive & restorative, oral hygiene & diet counselling, pit and fissure sealant, topical fluoride application, aesthetic restoration, preventive resin restoration, colourful restoration, stainless steel crown restoration, root canal treatment for children, space management treatment & early orthodontic treatment. Kids below 12 years old will receive 10% off all dental treatments. This promotion is valid until June 2017.

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Learning Balinese Dance at Tender Age

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 9 Apr 2017 00:18:00 +0800

Dance is the most beautiful form of expressing yourself. It brings out the best in you and sets you free. It is an art well-practiced and appreciated around the globe. Balinese dance is one such enticing dance form. Popular all over the world for its elegance and colourful nature, this dance form is very unique, dynamic and highly stylized. A dancer must be able to move every part of their body, from head to toe, and for that reason, Balinese dance is easy to pick up at a tender age.

Apart from its uniqueness, Balinese dance is also closely connected to religious rituals. Dances are often performed at ceremonies, typically as part of dramas, and most involve the Balinese version of the Hindu Ramayana epic. Traditional Balinese dance forms are passed on to boys and girls at a very young age, and training is often rigorous and disciplined. So, it is advisable to impart Balinese dancing coaching at a young age so that kids learn this art form with finesse and grow deeply connected with it.

There are places in Bali to get your kids enrolled for Balinese dance class. In an introduction session, normally the experienced teachers gently guide the kids to take their first Balinese dance steps. The integration of body movements, hand and facial gestures is what makes this dance so appealing to watch. The teachers also explain the meanings behind the individual postures and gestures that comprise the basics of the dance. It is a wonderful way to expand the kid’s knowledge of the Bali-Hindu culture while at the same time enjoying and having fun.

Some resorts in Bali host dance demonstration classes for kids. In Jimbaran, Ayana Resort and Spa is conducted a class in the open air viewing the ocean wide. The kids are expected to get the basics lesson of Pendet Dance. It is originally a dance of worship which was exhibited at many temples. This dance symbolises the welcoming of the gods fall into the natural world. The dance is a lot about the varied facial expressions and symbolized the purity of the soul. Fresh flowers are handed to the kids while teaching, to invoke the true devotion of the almighty. Classes are conducted for an hour every day. The timings and fees varies according to the batch size.

Still in the same location, Balinese dance workshop is also available at Ganesha Cultural Centre of Four Seasons Jimbaran every Monday and Wednesday from 3PM to 4PM. Your little ones will get traditional dance lesson almost as soon as they can walk. At first, they can observe the impressive skills of children from Jimbaran village, and if they fancy trying it, they can join in. This class is free of charge for staying guests, and a small fee will apply for public. At Ganesha Cultural Centre, your kids will get the opportunity to personally meet and learn from Bali’s talented artists, who are hand-picked and invited to share their knowledge and skills. This programme represents the evolution of Ganesha Gallery as an independent fine art gallery. This art space has been refurbished to create an inspiring place for people and artists to connect and interact.

Not far from Jimbaran, Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa conducts Balinese dance classes every Friday from 10AM to 11AM at Lagoon Pool Bale where the highly-experienced staff teaches the kids patiently all the intricacies of Balinese dance forms, giving them a close look of Bali’s cultural and artistic tradition. The Barong dance is loved by kids where they are dressed up as dragons, monsters and other mythical creatures.

In Canggu, Hotel Tugu specialises in teaching kids the basics of Balinese dance before going into specific styles. The class is held every Sunday from 3PM to 4PM and costs IDR 100,000 per session. Local kids from the Canggu neighbourhood can join the class for free. The skilled students will have the chance to perform what they learn in the class on Bale Agung Garuda stage.

Most of the workshops will not ask the kids to bring or wear anything in particular. However, it is recommended to wear lose and comfortable clothes as the postures involve a lot of stretching and turning. Costumes will be provided to get the real feel of Balinese dance but only after a few classes once they learn the basics. Sometimes the workshop starts with a little presentation of culture, heritage and tradition just to give an overview of the background of the dance forms.

The classes are pretty interactive, making them a fun and quick-learning process. Learning Balinese dance is a special takeaway, and the kids are bound to enjoy thoroughly. As someone rightly said, “There are shortcuts to happiness. Dancing is one of them.”

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Romantic Cruise to Nusa Lembongan

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 6 Apr 2017 01:43:00 +0800

Bali is without a doubt one of the best wedding destinations in the world. However, it is where and how to get there is the most crucial decision that will lead to either a memorable or disaster honeymoon ever. A romantic cruise honeymoon getaway to Bali’s neighboring islands can be an option. There are a number of companies in Bali offering honeymoon cruise packages leading to Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Penida and the Gillis Islands. As much as there is a lot to enjoy and appreciate in these islands, the main romance must always be accorded while you are on the sail.

Ideally, most of the cruise packages available start with a breakfast before set out for the waters. This is more so the case in luxury cruises. And of course, for the honeymooners, you can expect to go the luxury way. Inside these vessels is fine comfort and sophistication. All the amenities are luxurious, starting with the washrooms, all the way to the ambience of the catering tables. In a normal vessel, there should be some tables for different groups with the possibility of offering a provision for bigger group eating on a single table. Enjoy your romantic cruise with drinks and music that blends with the stunning sea views. And because it is your honeymoon, everything is tailor-made as your request. Special décor, custom prepared cakes, flower arrangements together with other delightful ways are provided for anyone to give their significant other a surprise of their lives. Remember that you really want to pour your heart to your loved one during this cruise. Be assured of getting the real surprise of your life.

Lembongan is a village that anyone would easily spend the whole day in, admiring and appreciating the on goings in an ideal island village. The village has so much in store for you to do and see, yet it is such a small island indeed. Doing a village tour is a must-as this, imprints in your mind the best sense of what an ideal village life looks like on tropical islands.

Catching with the peaceful and quiet early morning ceremonies of Nusa Lembongan ensures you start your day on a high note. And along the main street of the island are a number of shops with some of them selling fresh fruits and super strong coffee, which you can give it a try with your loved one as you head downwards to the seaweed farms. Seaweed farming can easily be concluded as the hardest job within the island as it is tide reliant.

So many things can be done or seen on this island. This includes diving, visiting the underground village house and sailing between the islands. You can also just enjoy the stunning beach views. If you opt for luxury packages, your day’s trip will include total access to private beach. For accommodation, staying at Hai Tide Beach Resort can be another journey to meet people to exchange stories of this beautiful island. In the evening, enjoy the best part by the poolside as you get ready to be in touch with a romantic diner in the hotel. A pool-side romantic dinner is a great option for the two of you and the experience is one worth spending some extra ducks on.

Don’t let dreams be dreams. And when it comes to expressing love, the sky is the limit. To have a luxury experience doesn’t always end up with high budget that will hurt your pocket. You can create your own luxury moment with your own style.

An important note to remember for safety and comfort purposes, when having such cruises, wear as limited jewelry as possible, wear tight tropical clothes, head wear, swimwear, and sunshade and apply sunscreen & UV protection. Also be in flip-flops or sandals for wet landing.

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Livelihood in the Eastern Bali

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 4 Apr 2017 13:00:00 +0800

Eastern Bali is where you can come closest to the Balinese lifestyle and local people. This is the region from where people draw out their livelihoods thus accounting for the maximum employment opportunities in Bali. Famous for the lush green paddies, eastern Bali is the core of producing fruits, vegetables, nuts, rice and all such items which not only fill the stomachs and hearts of many.

People in eastern Bali has gone beyond the obvious and converted what little they have into something which we all are in awe of today. The livelihood activities of Bali have given rise to the humongous tourism and placed Bali on the global map.

Where to go

Eastern Bali is known for its beautiful coffee plantations. Hundreds of years ago, Dutch planters had recognized Bali as a perfect growing climate for the heirloom cacao and they moved cacao beans onto Bali soil. Eventually, the trees spread informally and evolved into a unique, high quality cocoa. The Kintamani region is still considered as Bali’s primary coffee growing region. Most of Bali’s coffee is grown by small local farmers organized in Subak Abian. Subak originates from rice production and is an organization where farmers within the same trade join forces and cooperate about the technical, social and religious aspects related to farming. One of the characteristics of Bali coffee is the processing method. Wet processing is the traditional way of coffee processing in Bali, while dry processing is the most common method on the other part of Indonesia.

Balinese soil is very favourable for growing cashew nuts, owing to the fertility of soil. In Ban Village, Karangasem, the cashew growing community has created huge employment opportunities for women in eastern Bali. These cashews were earlier exported to India or Vietnam for processing. But now a lot of cashew filtering and processing units are also being setup in Bali. These units employ about 300 staff to crack, pry, peel, roast and bag the cashews. Now the cashew farmers are able to sell ready-to-eat cashews at a much higher rate.

Arak workshops also create huge working opportunities in eastern Bali, and Sidemen Village is a well-known area for Arak producing. Arak is the traditional Balinese liquor that is derived from the palm tree. Arak is clear and colourless, high in alcohol and has a very sharp, biting taste. It owes its popularity to the powerful taste and cheap rate. These workshops take you through a tour of how Arak is produced and how it should be consumed so that the bitterness does not hit hard.

Bali is renowned world-wide for its unique and intricate textiles. The Balinese women are considered to be the guardians of the secret knowledge of textiles, and like the ingredients for certain dyes and a rich compendium of sacred motifs. Bali’s rarest textile can be found in the village of Tenganan, known for its sophisticated weavings. The Geringsing of Tenganan are produced by what is known as the double ikat method, a technique in which resist patterns are applied to both warp and weft threads before weaving, so that the final pattern appears only on completion. The most striking feature of all Geringsing is their muted colouring – combining red and reddish-brown tones, eggshell and dark blue or black violet. Double Ikat is a technique in which both warp and the weft are dyed with a specific pattern prior to stringing on the loom. This extremely demanding and time-consuming process requires a lot of skill and employs skilled craftsmen only.

Amed is a vibrant fishing village where the daily life has not changed in decades. This area is responsible for employing hundreds of fishermen. More than 80 percent of the people in Amed rely on fishing. Traditional fishing boats line the beach and various sized motor boats are moored to the shore. The local people are very friendly, and most of the times they welcome visitors into their homes to see their day-to-day activities. Each morning before sunrise the local fisherman leaves on their jukung boats to catch mackerel in the Lombok Straights. The fisherman usually returns early morning, while the women and children are waited to collect the fish and take it to the markets. Mahi-Mahi, Rainbow Runner, Spanish Markel, Travelly, Tuna are some of the common Balinese catches.

Step outside a little bit, Lombok is known for its golden ‘South-Seas’ cultured pearls. Lombok produces some of the best South Sea Pearls in the world with over 24 active pearl farms. Pinctada Margaritifera, the black-lip pearl oyster, exhibits a variety of colour morphs ranging from the commoner reds and browns to greens, bronzes and creams. Hyriopsis Schlegeli is freshwater mussels which are common throughout the world, but those used for pearl cultivation are mainly found in freshwater rivers, lakes and ponds. These pearls are unique and of the finest quality. Most of Lombok’s pearl farms are located along the south west coast of the island, from Sekotong Timur to Bangko-Bangko, Sekotong Tengah and Lembar. At present, Lombok exports over 700 kilograms of pearls per year. It not only puts Bali in the global map, but provides jobs to a lot of people along the coastlines.

What to do

For the underwater lovers, there are several breathtaking diving sites like Paradise Reef, Kubu, Lipah Bay and Waterloo. The east of Bali underwater attraction is mainly known for the US Liberty, a world war II wreck that lies close to Tulamben. Shipwreck diving enables sport divers to visit the past. Each wreck is considered a time capsule into history waiting to be explored. There are many rare animals living in the small reefs and sandy areas close to the wreck. The excellent diving in this area makes it well worth an extended visit, especially for photographers interested in critter diving. You can see mimic octopus, boxer crabs, eagle ray or a couple black tip reef sharks, a big barracuda or Spanish mackerel.

Eastern Bali has stunning beaches for the beachgoers. Bias Tugel Beach and Blue Lagoon are beautiful white sandy beaches near Padang Bai port. The clean water here allows you to swim or snorkel to see the beautifully coloured coral reefs and various ornamental fish. Jemeluk Bay in Amed is another snorkelling spot. The offshore waters offer good snorkelling with live coral in shallow waters. The coral reef is right up to the shore and is very gorgeous.

For all those who just cannot get enough of the ocean, Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan beaches offer sea kayaking activity. You can paddle along the coast taking in the beautiful landscape, including the cliffs and natural caves. Also experience the beautiful sunny mornings and afternoons paddling along the shoreline of Mushroom Bay and Lembongan Island. Depending on the tides, you might experience flat water or some manageable waves.

Telaga Waja river hosts a variety of water rafting activities for the adventure seekers. The action starts when you launch into an 9.6 kilometres river stretch, set to a backdrop of wild unspoiled rainforest, towering gorges and magnificent rice paddy terraces. Test your adrenaline and feel the sensation of how the thrill of conquering the rapids of the wild river.

One of the most adventurous things to do during a trip to East Bali is to go hiking the volcanoes. Mount Agung and Mount Batur provide hiking trails that will challenge your core stamina. Mount Agung is the most favourite one among the hikers. Before or during the hiking, you can also camp a day to get the real sense of being a true traveller. Imagine watching the starry skies, trading stories over the campfire and enjoy the solitude all around.

East Bali will give you loads of options for sight-seeing, adventure sports as well as brings you very close to Balinese way of life. With so many livelihood activities around you, there is no scope to miss out understanding the Balinese tradition and culture. If you keenly observe the local people, you will not fail to notice how hardworking and sincere these people are and how their occupation has given rise to such wonderful tourism options.

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