Friday 16 November 2012

Bali: plants and jungle part 1


I have just got back from a couple of weeks in Bali and this is the first of two posts with lots of pictures of plants and jungle.

It is such an amazing tropical paradise, a real Garden of Eden....everything just seems so fertile, with luscious growth wherever you look. For the tropical garden enthusiast there is lots of inspiration from the plants to sculpture and design as everywhere you look there is beauty.

It is also a very spiritual place with a very strong culture and traditions which is evident in the architecture and day to day life. The island is littered with temples, and each village will have three. Even each house will have shrines and temples with daily offerings being made to the gods, ancestors and demons.

I am also a massive fan of the distinctive sculpture. This is all mainly religious and connected to its own distinctive blend of Hinduism which came over from Java in the 16th Century.  Carvings adorn everything, and there are loads of statues everywhere. To give them power they dress them with sarongs; give them an umbrella and offerings to encourage the gods to visit.  

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the pictures...I will be off down the shops buying lottery tickets so that I can go back and start shipping containers of sculpture and goodies back!
Can I have one of these for above the front door please? These characters were above most temple doors
New ideas for a water feature?

These are durians......king of fruits, but not my cup of tea..they have a 'delightful' cold custard consistency and taste of cheese and onion crisps!

Jackfruit


Durian tree flowers

The whole island is quite mountainous with two sacred volcanoes...as such the land has these amazing rice terraces






Amazing natural ground cover....cyatheas also grew everywhere, and I saw a good few Amorphophalus (Charles that isn't me being rude, it is a real plant)

Large stone pot of water plantain



Temple in Oberoi hotel......temples are moated as it is about representing mount Meru, sacred home of the gods

Mother temple

1 comment:

  1. Based on your photos, Bali certainly lives up to its reputation of being a tropical paradise! A stunning looking indeed!

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