BALI UPDATE #290 - 08 April 2002

As Always, Bali Remains Safe

Dr. Pitana Writes to All Diplomatic Missions on Current Security Situation.

Dr. I Gde Pitana, M. Sc., the Chief of Tourism for the Province of Bali has written a letter to all Indonesian Embassies abroad and foreign diplomatic consul in Bali, clarify the security situation in Bali in the wake of heightened tensions in the Middle East and asking their assistance in spreading the news that Bali remain safe for foreign visitors.

In a letter dated April 3, Dr. Pitana underlined that despite the expanded military moves by Israel against the Palestinians, Bali remains perfectly safe for visits by foreign tourists; that the people of Bali have consistently rejected any actions that have the potential to disrupt tourism; and coordination with local police agencies have been undertaken to ensure that Bali's security situation remains safe.

The tourism Chief's letter of comfort and assurance was written as a preventative step in anticipation of negative news portrayals of Bali's situation in the wake of increased tensions in the Middle East.

In related comments, Mr. I Gusti Bagus Yudhara, MBA, the Chairman of the Indonesian Association of Travel Agents (ASITA) stated that there is no indication of booking cancellations in Bali that can be tied to the Israel actions against the Palestinians. (Bali Post)

Entry #14 - Bali Dream Contest

A Las Vegas, Nevada Reader Shares His Bali Dream Holiday.

Only three more weeks to run and then we'll be giving away a Bali Dream Holiday for two. We're still waiting for your vision of a perfect dream holiday in Bali and the chance to win 2 tickets on Singapore Airlines, 7 nights at the Four Seasons Private Estates Bali at Jimbaran Bay, tours and transfers from Bali Discovery Tours, rafting and cycling excursions from Sobek, luxurious spa treatments from Mandara Spa, a helicopter tour from Air Bali, and Cooking Lessons from Bumbu Bali/Rumah Bali.

Entries are welcome from everyone in every form, from both veteran travelers to Bali or those who have only dreamed of visiting our tropical paradise.

Alex Sandlin, zentravler@aol.com, from Las Vegas sent this week's dream selection, his second sumbission published in the Bali Dream Holiday Contest:

Come Away with Me to Bali: A Letter to a Friend

"Every dreamer knows that it is entirely possible to be homesick for a place you've never been to, perhaps more homesick than for familiar ground" - Judith Thurman.

Many years ago, Bali became my "dream" after I viewed a painting in the "Ubud style" in Los Angeles, California. Mesmerized by its chock-a-block figures, rich earthy colors and intricate detail, I never forgot that painting...it changed my life. Ten years later, I stepped on Balinese soil for the first time, and I knew I was home.

But we know that Bali was dream two, because we were dream one - a dream left unfulfilled by circumstance. We have, once again, found each other after 20 years (thanks to the internet) and I make this proposal to you...come away with me to my sanctuary - come away with me to Bali.

Come with me and overlook the cascading rice terraces of Tirtigangga and Jatiluwih. The elegance of Bali's rice terraces rival that of the great gardens of the world created for aesthetic pleasure alone.

Come with me to Negara to see the Mekepung, the heart-pounding buffalo races. Hear the rare and magnificent gamelan Jegog, crafted from giant bamboo, their thunderous tones electrifying the atmosphere.

These are experiences you will never forget.

Come with me to Ubud and enter the mystical worlds unveiled in the Barong Dance and Wayang Shadow Puppet Play. Take a visual journey through Ubud's fine art galleries, overflowing with paintings, sculpture and carvings, and enjoy food originating from the four corners of the world.

Come with me and watch the fiery sunset at Jimbaran Bay as the Balinese slowly move their technicolored prahus from shore to sea, so they may bring home the ocean's bounty we savor at the local warungs.

Come with me to Candidasa and watch the magenta and gold sunrise, as we are served the world's finest "java" by the world's loveliest people - the Balinese, the jewels in the crown of Indonesia. What a way to start a day.

Come with me to hundreds of exotic places, see thousands of smiling faces.

Now I have a new dream...to share with you my beloved island, my paradise, my Bali.

Make that dream come true - come away with me to Bali.

More information: How to Enter the Bali Dream Holiday Contest

Bali's Own Airline?

Air Paradise - An Airline Owned by a Bali Businessman is Scheduled to Start Flying Soon.

Ian Jarrett in the on-line edition of Travel Weekly West reports that Balinese businessman, Kadek Wiranatha will commence scheduled air service between Bali and Australia with his new air carrier in September of this year. Initially, according to the story, Air Paradise International will operate four flight each week to Perth, Western Australia, and two flights to Melbourne.

Wirantha owns a number of businesses in Bali including hotels, restaurants, night spots, and retail shops. His brother, Gede is the high-profile Chairman of the Bali Chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) .

Travel Weekly reports that Gary Hilt will serve as the airline's national business manager and Barry Hess is the company's General Manager.

Bali Marathon Results

Race Results of the 4th Bali Marathon Held on Sunday, 07 April 2002.

The 4^th running of the Karangasem Bali International Marathon was held in East Bali on the morning of Sunday, April 7, 2002, with over 150 international contestants competing in full marathon (42 kilometer), half marathon (21 kilometer) and 10 kilometer events. Runners were sent off in stages starting before sunrise at 0530 hours for runs that brought them through traditional Balinese villages, rice terraces and past the sandy beaches of Bali's eastern shoreline.

Strong American Contingent

Over 50 runners from the United States participated in this year's event, led by international running event organizer Ms. Kathy Loper. The marathon run which saw the Americans visitors urged on by the applause of local Balinese villagers was the highlight of a week long's visit to Bali that included fun runs through local rice terraces, dining at some of the island's best restaurants, tours to the leading sites on the island, and a white water rafting trip.

Encouraged by the warn and friendly reception encountered everywhere her runners went, Kathy Loper has promised to bring another group for the 5^th running of the Event set for April 27, 2003.

RESULTS OF THE BALI INTERNATIONAL MARATHON 2002

Full Marathon - Female

1^st Erni W. - Dragon Salatiga - Java 3:31:57:68

2^nd Denise Faloon - Brunei 4:06:37:67

3^rd Kim Hong Goh (Maggie) - Indonesia 4:07:24:89

Full Marathon - Male

1^st Nur Amin - Dragon Salatiga - Java 2:47:30:91

2^nd Lucen Yatindas - Dragon Salatiga - Java 2:55:09:58

3^rd David Elger - Japan 3:14:52:78

Half Marathon - Female

1^st Unik Setyorini - Kereta Api Athletic Club Salatiga - Java 1:31:49:81

2^nd Nurafiah - Kereta Api Athletic Club Salatiga - Java 1:34:52:11

3^rd Dr. Karen Steele - USA 1:35:25:68

Half Marathon - Male

1^st Wahab - PASI NTB (Indonesia) 1:12:46:76

2^nd Mochmujianto - Kereta Api Athletic Club Salatiga - Java 1:13:24:02

3^rd Yanuar Drago - Dragon Salatiga - Java 1:14:26:58

10K - Female

1^st Mulyati - Kereta Api Athletic Club Salatiga - Java 41:38:07

2^nd Muji Suryanti - Kereta Api Athletic Club Salatiga - Java 44:02:01

3^rd Helmiah - PASI NTB (Indonesia) 44:23:20

10K - Male

1^st Fathurrohman - Banyuwangi - East Java) 34:13:66

2^nd Hariyono Saputro - Banyuwangi - East Java) 36:07:22

3^rd Dewa Dangin - Wahab - PASI NTB (Indonesia) 37:15:16

The award for the oldest participant completing the race went to 80-year-old American Robert Brady, Jr in the 10 K race. The youngest runner in the marathon was 9-year-old Balinese I Made Mustika who completed the 10K (male) race.

Bali Discovery Tours handled the local arrangements for Kathy Loper Events inlcluding a special race-site tent offering a range of cool drinks, photographic services, and post race massages from a team or expert therapists provided by Magic Charm Spa in Ubud. Bali International Medical Centre (BIMC) donated the services of a doctor, a team of nurses and a fully-equipped emergency ambulance on standby at the event.

Preserving Balinese Tradition

Bali Hilton International Staff Study Ancient Bali Offering Rituals.

Every Bali-Hindu religious ceremony has mandatory ritual offerings that must be presented to the Gods comprised of fruits, cakes, flowers and ornaments made of young coconut leaves. Recently, The Bali Hilton International invited a professional instructor to the hotel's Samudra Room, to conduct a course in "Mejejahitan," the plaiting of special ornaments made from young coconut leaves. All employees were invited to participate together with the hotel's guests.

The practice session, included preparing offerings for "Otonan Madya," a ritual ceremony for the child's first birthday and considered the most elaborate of all rites of passage celebrated every six months in Bali.

Bali Hilton Wins Bronze Medal

Bali Culinary Team Brings Back Honors from International Cooking Competition in Kyoto, Japan.

A team of professional chefs from the Bali Hilton International have returned from the World Association of Cooks Societies 30th World Congress (WACS) held in Kyoto, Japan March 24-28, 2002, with a 3^rd place Bronze Medal. The competition was followed by 11 countries including Mauritius, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, China, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Thailand.

The first place honors went to the Hotel Mandarin Oriental in Kuala Lumpur with the second place prize won by Hilton Colombo Sri Lanka.

The Bali Hilton International team included Made Atmaja, Wayan Linggih, and Putu Guna, lead by the Team Leader, Executive Chef I Ketut Sukamara. The team earned the right to represent Indonesia after winning a Gold Medal at the Indonesian Finals held January 31st - February 2nd, 2002 in Bali.

The competitors were required to create western cuisine dishes from a set of mystery box ingredients only presented to them at the time of the competition.

To honor the team's participation in the event a cocktail party was held in Bali in their honor. Meanwhile, the support of their fellow workers in Bali was demonstrated by two buses full of colleagues who escorted the team to the airport upon their departure for Kyoto.

Garden Hotel Changes Hands

Police Move in to Enforce Supreme Court Decision.

On Friday, April 5, 2002, a long-standing case before the Indonesian courts entered a new stage when Malaysian businessman David Chiu, assisted by the Bali police, evicted the management of the Bali Garden Hotel in Kuta. The move, the execution of an appeal's court decision in a legal struggle between Mr. Chiu who originally established the hotel and local businessman, Osman Sapta Odang for control of the 138 room hotel.

Located on Jalan Dewi Sartika in Kuta the change in ownership leaves in question the fate of 256 employees of the hotel who may be displaced, at least in part, by 115 staff brought to the hotel by Mr. Chiu.

The execution of the court order was marked by a brief altercation between police and the hotel's security force who tried to prevent the change of management and the ousting of Mr. Odang's appointees from the hotel's executive offices.

Fuel Prices Increase Again

Fuel Prices Increased April 01.

The Government continued its promised program of gradually reducing all official subsidies on fuel by introducing yet another price hike in the cost of gas and fuel oil on April 1.

The third hike in less than a year, the latest increase sees premium now selling at Rp. 1,600 (+/- $0.17) per liter and diesel fuel at Rp. 1,250 (+/- $0.13) per liter.

Cumulative price increases over the past year are equal to a 60% increase in prices now paid at the gas pumps with plans for the Governemnt to eventually remove the remaining Rp. 50 per liter subsidy provided on premium fuel.

A Worrying Sign of the Times?

Gianyar Regency's Road-side Sign in the War Against Drugs: A Warning or Helpful Suggestion to Drug Abusers?

Visitors to Bali travelling on the highways through the Tohpati area heading towards Gianyar are understandably somewhat shocked by the a road-side sign recently installed by the local government and police as their contribution in the "war against drug abuse."

The bright yellow and red sign bearing the logos of the Gianyar Regional Government and Bali Police Force bears the Indonesian language admonition to ”Jauhi Narkoba” - a message quite literally meaning “distance yourself from narcotics.”

When, however, the local authorities decided to make their message bi-lingual, apparently something got lost in the translation as the English version of their message became "Hide Drug!"

While a suggestion to "hide drugs" may prove very helpful information for drug users hoping to avoid detection, it's hardly a move that's going to make it any easier for the local police in their efforts to apprehend people involved in the local illicit drug trade.

One wonders: Fractured English or a radical new approach to law enforcement?