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Indonesia

Bali

Water Palace

After visiting Pura Goa Lawah, we continued east and went to the water palace at Tirta Gangga. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Bali was run by local Rajas who acted under Dutch influence. The Dutch had been the first Westerners to land in Bali. They first arrived in the 1500's. At that time, they were just exploring for the Dutch East Indies Company, and many refused to go back when it was time to return because they loved it so much. They came in peace and left in peace.
However, the Dutch returned with more economic goals in mind in the 1700s and soon over-ran the island with their superior arms and manpower. Those Balinese tribal leaders who submitted (most did the manly ritual suicide thing) were designated 'Rajas' and Bali became much like a feudal state.This lasted until Indonesian independence from Japan after WWII  in 1949. 
Unfortunately, the cataclysmic eruption of Agung volcano in 1963 rocked the newly independent island. We saw much evidence of this eruption on our drive north. All the temples and buildings in Bali are built of gray cement. Susan was particularly distraught by this, at first, (where is all the wood??) until she realized the gray cement was volcanic sand used to rebuild he island's homes and infrastructure after the eruption. We drove over an abyss that had been gauged out of the earth by a lava flow and then filled in with volcanic sand.  In 2009, almost 40 years after the eruption, the sand had been dug out almost 20 feet down, with dump trucks still in lines carrying the sand away to be turned into cement for buildings, statues, and temple siding.
And we were awestruck by the beautiful statues scattered around the Water Palace, as well as the gorgeous flowers. A perfect half way stop to Amed, we hopped back in the van just as a rainstorm started up and headed for the beach!
Bali Home
Main
Fish
Sanur
Beach
Bat Temple
Water Palace
Amed
Surf and Sun
Local Life
Christmas
Ubud
Around Town
Temples
Rice Paddies
Shopping
Dances
Temple Ladies
Monkeys
Jewelry-Making
Goa Gajaj
Pemuteran
Sights
Surf and Rain
Turtles


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