BALI UPDATE #311 - 02 September 2002

Oh Boy, Here We Go Again!

Immigration Department Lobbies for Abolition of Visa-Free Facility.

The Saturday, August 31, 2002, edition of the Jakarta Post reports that the Directorate General of Immigration is proposing that the government scrap the current visa-free facility extended to 48 countries, reducing the number of countries eligible to arrive without a visa to only 14.

Under the proposal put forth by the immigration department, virtually all the current main source countries for tourism visitors, except ASEAN member nations, would be required to apply for a visa before visiting Indonesia.

This latest proposal comes as a shock to the tourism community that widely assumed threatened changes in visa policy had been resolved with the recent announcement by the Minister of Culture and Tourism stating that the visa-free-facility would be reduced from 60 to 30 days.

According to the Jakarta Post, immigration officials contend that the revocation of the visa-free facility is necessary to curb illegal workers and those entering the country to perform non-tourism related activities. An additional consideration is a desire to extend visa-free facilities only to those countries that reciprocate with a similar program for Indonesian passport holders.

Tourism observers are concerned with the latest proposal claiming such a move would be disastrous to an industry that has become a major earner of much-needed foreign exchange. Indonesia's benchmarks the birth of it substantial tourism industry from 1983, when visitor numbers suddenly increased after the introduction of the current visa-free facility.

It should be noted that the government has made no formal response to the latest proposal from the Director General of Immigration.

More information: Jakarta Post Story

3 Injured in Garuda Mishap

Turbulence During Landing at Singapore Sends Three to Hospital.

Garuda 973 enroute from Frankfurt to Bali via Singapore encountered unexpected mid-air turbulence as it was flying to Singapore's Changi Airport in the early hours of Sunday, September 1, 2002. The incident occurred while the passengers were having their breakfast meal, at approximately 07:45 a.m. local time.

Initial reports that 10 passengers were hospitalized in Singapore as the result of the accident were later amended by airline officials to only three. No details of the hospitalized passengers condition were available. They remained warded in various Singapore hospitals 24 hours following the incident. A Garuda Indonesia spokesman said the airline was covering all the passenger's medical expenses whilst in Singapore.

The aircraft, after undergoing a thorough safety inspection in Singapore on Sunday, was flown to Jakarta later in the day. The remaining passengers on the flight were flown to Bali's Ngurah Rai Airport, departing on a Garuda Airbus that landed in Bali at 6 p.m. on Sunday evening.

The Zeppelin Has Landed

Massive Bamboo Airship Takes Shape in Ubud Hills.

Skyplace, a massive bamboo airship by the well-known Munich-based installation artist, Markus Heinsdorff, is slowing taking shape on the front lawn of the Gaya Fusion of the Senses Gallery in the Sayan district of Ubud.

Amazing passing motorists as slowly comes to life above a field of growing rice, the Skyplace is being assembled by local Balinese craftsmen under the supervision of the artist. The final structure, to be on display at Gaya Fusion of the Senses Gallery from 9 September until 20 October 2002, will measure 27 meters long and 5.5 meters high. The transparent, flightless Zeppelin is a study in contradiction between form and function. Inspired by the great German Passenger Ships whose era ended with the horrific crash of the Hindenburg LZ-129 on May 6, 1937 in Lakehurst, New Jersey, the Skyplace at dock in Ubud's hills serves to launch its viewers into dreams of the possibilities of flight.

Watch the Airship Take Shape

Readers of Bali Update and visitors to balidiscovery.com are invited to monitor the construction of the Airship via a live WebCam installed on location.

Gaya Fusion of the Senses Gallery is open daily from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m..

More information: The Skyplace Website

Tourism Dialog

Dialog and Seminar on Competing with Other Destinations in the Asia Pacific.

An interactive dialog addressing Bali's competitive position within the Asia Pacific region has been set for Saturday, September 21, 2002 at the Kuta Paradiso Hotel in South Kuta. Starting at 08.30 a.m. and running until 1.30 p.m., the dialog is intended to stimulate an active debate and shared perception between local government officials and those working in tourism's private sector.

Scheduled to participate as speakers at the event are Mr. Djodi Trisusanto, Vice-President of Jones Lang LaSalle who will present an overview on the competing destinations in the region; Mr. Putu Antara, Chairman of the Bali Tourism Board speaking on the challenges and future plans of his organization; Prof. Dr. Gede Pitana, Head of the Bali Tourism Authority, providing an overview and statistical analysis of Bali tourism; and Stephen Chandra of Information Technology, exploring the role of E-commerce in promoting Bali.

For more information or to register, contact Gunawan Wicaksono of Dima Productions at telephone 081 647 41270.

More information: E-mail Contact for Interactive Dialog

Nyoman and Kadek are Getting Married

Part One: A Balinese Family Prepares for a Wedding.

Nyoman is the groom, predictably bewildered. Kadek is the bride, restraining her smile.

Ibu Nyoman, who is Nyoman's mother, is in charge of sprucing up their compound where the ceremony and reception will take place. She is busy painting one of the buildings when I arrive to congratulate Nyoman. Disappearing briefly, she returns with a coffee and biscuits for Bapak Wayan and me. Pak Wayan is Nyoman's father. He is typically quiet, but unusually full of jitters, making lists – never a need for paper: the building of a temporary roof structure for the wedding guests, reviewing the materials needed for a half-dozen other ceremonial constructions. Nyoman's elder sister, Wayan, sits in near silence, posing questions whenever the conversation wanes.

Nyoman is bleary this morning. His wedding is just three weeks away. There is much to be done. Basically, following instructions given by his mother and father. What fabric store has the blues and reds he must wear during the wedding ceremony? Where is the best price for the bamboo? What needs to be moved to make room for 500 guests? What is the menu? Who's invited? The list of undone tasks seems to be growing.

Sitting on the worn tile floor, I'm searching for questions to cross the bridge between a Western and a Balinese wedding - questions about the priest, the schedule, the wedding party.

And the answers make sense. We are not so different, not in our reliance on family, not on our unabashed willingness to guide a couple's private matters, our eagerness to make the ceremony worthy of remembrance and engraved with sincerity.

All it takes is a whole lot of family. A whole lot of food. A whole lot of money and toil.

Next week, Pak Wayan's brothers will cut the lengths of bamboo for the temporary roof. Every night until the wedding, neighbors and women members of the family will drop in to make the ceremonial offerings and decorations until a pile of hundreds, if not thousands, of deftly folded palm leaves fill baskets waiting for the auspicious day.

Pak Wayan is seeking extra work to earn the Rupiahs that will ease the financial burden. In his heart, he wants to treat his son and daughter-in-law's guests with honor. He is devoted to performing the sacred Balinese Hindu wedding ceremonies with their all-important offerings, priestly blessings, and community involvement.

This is a marriage, after all, the continuation of family, and the final rite of passage in his son's journey to independence.

The wedding day will also be a day of double-ceremony, with Nyoman beginning the day with a tooth filing - a final adolescent rite of passage that must precede the wedding ceremony.

Next week, part two of Nyoman and Kadek's Wedding Story.

The Slaughter Continues

Bali's Illegal Turtle Trade Operates Unabated.

In response to local and international criticism, Bali's provincial officials do, from time to time, take high-profile action against those who hunt turtles and turtle eggs openly on sale at Bali's major markets. A short time later, however, the well-connected turtle traders, although convicted and sentenced to jail time, are reported to be back on the streets organizing armadas of boats to hunt endangered turtles for eventual sale in Bali's markets.

In late August, the Government's resolve to deal seriously with the rapid depletion of the archipelago's turtle population was again called into question when 25 large Green Turtles arrived by boat, destine for open sale and eventual slaughter in Bali. Fortunately, the staff of a local Indonesian restaurant, Bumbu Bali, were at the market when the boat arrived and managed to purchase all the animals and bring them back to their turtle rehabilitation center for eventual re-release into the oceans.

Sadly, a few days later, another boat arrived in Bali overloaded with 400 turtles. This time limited funds and time permitted only 11 of the turtles to be rescued - the remainder fated to end up in stew pots and souvenir shop shelves.

When the buying stops, so will the killing. To stop the slaughter, however, police authorities will have to consistently and continuously enforce the law that strictly prohibits the turtle trade in Bali.

If you would like to help, please write to Bali's Governor, expressing your concern and reminding him of his Government's pledge to stop the illegal trade endangered turtles through stricter enforcement of the law.

The Governor's address: Mr. I Made Dewa Berartha, Governor of Bali, Jalan Niti Mandala Renon, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia.

Who Takes This Woman to Be Wed?

Apparently Nobody. News of Kylie Minoque's Wedding in Bali Denied.

A late August report in News of the World that pop Diva Kylie Minoque married her long-time companion James Gooding during a brief Bali stopover have been denied.

That the jet-setting millionaire pop icon actually did not decide to tie the knot on Bali is a cause for some relief in local circles. Particularly so, if Kylie's real wedding plans are anything like those described in the News of the World coverage.

With a headline shouting Kylie - The Bali Bride? Star and Lover Do a Jagger, the article compared her marriage ceremony to one performed on Bali many years ago for Mick Jagger and model Jerry Hall. Moreover, the article went on to unbelievably suggest that some strange incantation involving a dead chicken's blood are somehow central to the celebration of a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony.

Such distasteful and sensational reporting explains why the Balinese no longer allow non-Hindu's to celebrate their wedding with a classical Hindu religious ceremony. A huge holiday wedding industry does exists on the island with people welcome to exchange their wedding vows in accordance with their own beliefs. A Bali-Hindu wedding ceremony is, however, strictly reserved for only those who have fully embraced the tenets of Bali's majority religion.

Those wondering why the typically easy-going Balinese draw such a hard line when it comes to wedding ceremonies, need look no further than the Kylie Minoque report that, were it true, serves to trivialize one of Bali's most sacred relgious ceremonies. Similarly, rock and roll legend Mick Jagger, after being wed in a specially arranged Hindu ceremony with model Jerry Hall, managed to deeply offend his Balinese friends and fans when, some years and several children later, he repudiated the marriage, claiming that the Bali ceremony "wasn't real anyway."

Little wonder that soon thereafter Bali put the scotch on any more Hindu wedding ceremonies for non-believers.

Fortunately, several days after the erroneous announcement of Kylie's Bali wedding, her official spokesperson stepped up to deny the reports. "They haven't got married and they haven't exchanged any vows in a Balinese ceremony," he told the BBC News.

Now, that is a relief.

Bali Samaritans

An Australian Falls Off His Motorbike and Experiences the Real Bali.

During a recent visit to Bali, Australian visitor Mr. Ian Nesbitt, a guest at Bali's Hard Rock Hotel (HRH) threw caution to the wind and decided to go touring on a rented motorcycle. The results of his two-wheel expedition will probably cause Ian to think twice before climbing aboard another motorbike, but left him in no doubt as to the kindness and generosity of the people of Bali.

While descending the notoriously-steep road leading to Uluwatu in the island's south, he lost control of the bike and suffered significant injuries as he and his bike skidded a considerable distance down the steep asphalt road before coming to a complete stop. Fortunately, Ian's misadventure was witnessed by Ms. Ketut Indah and Mr. Ngurah Putra, two employees of the Patra Jasa Resort in Kuta who were also traveling on the same road. Stopping to lend assistance and concerned at the extent of the Australian's injuries, Ketut and Ngurah brought the man to a nearby medical clinic where they offered to pay for his treatment to make up for his shortfall in local currency. Their kindness did not stop there: later they delivered the bruised and battered Mr. Nesbitt back to the Hard Rock Hotel, returning some time later with the motorbike repaired at their own expense.

In appreciation to the two young Balinese for being so conscientious in looking after one of their guests, the management of the Hard Rock Hotel recently called Indah and Ketut back to the hotel where they were formally presented with gifts and certificates of appreciation.

Pictured in the photograph are, left to right, Mr. IGN Wiadnyana, Human Resources Director, HRH; Mr. Ngurah Putra, A cook at the Patra Jasa Resort; Ms. Ketut Indah, a cashier at the Patra Jasa Resort; Mr. Wahyu Hidayat, Room Divisions Manager HRH; and Mr. Jamal Hussain, acting General Manager HRH.

Agenda Announced for BTB Meeting

Bali Tourism Board and Tourism Leaders to Meet 02-03 September to Formulate Policy and Plans.

The agenda for the first convocation of all the stakeholders in Bali Tourism Board (BTB) has been set, preparing the way for the first meeting to formally fix plans and direction for the future of the island's tourism industry.

Scheduled for September 2-3, 2002 at the Hotel Sanur Beach, the two-day-long meeting will be opened by Bali's Governor on Monday morning, prior to four discussion periods led by various community leaders. The topics to be covered include: Zoning and the Tourism Economy; Planning on Revenue Sources for BTB; Tourism Policy; and Social and Cultural Issues.

The meeting is scheduled to reconvene the next day, September 3, to formalize the by-laws for the organization and set the group's future action plans.

Those seeking more information on the meeting can contact the Secretariat of the BTB at ++62-(0)361-229500.

The Legian's Guest Chef Program

Celebrated Canadian Chef Grant MacPherson Latest Installment in Parade of Cooking Talent.

The Legian's Guest Chef Program continues this September with a display of the culinary talents of Chef Grant MacPherson, during a one night cooking engagement on Sunday, September 15, 2002.

MacPherson, has plied his trade in his native Canada, before widening his kitchen experience in London, France, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. Along the way he's prepared meals for Nelson Mandela, Lee Kuan Yew, Margaret Thatcher, Rod Stewart, David Bowie, Sylvester Stallone, Julia Roberts, Jimmy Stewart, and Brad Pitt.

Joining this Master Chef for his Bali debut at The Legian will be David Powell of Torbreck Wines from South Australia's Barossa Valley. Powell, Torbreck's owner and chief vintner will be bringing an outstanding selection of six wines, including his critically acclaimed Sommelier's Selection and Cellar Master's Selection.

Complementing a lavish five-course menu and the fine South Australian wines will be a jazz trio performing throughout the evening.

The five-course meal, offering main course alternatives, is priced at Rp. 550,000 per person, including tax and service. Wines are not included in the dinner price.

A pre-dinner wine tasting will be presented for Rp. 350,000, including tax and service.

Reservations are highly recommended. Call The Legian at ++62-(0)361-730622 or facsimile ++62-(0)361-730623.

More information: Book a Stay at The Legian

Blue Virgins for Bali?

Richard Branson Delcares Bali a Target for His Australian Airline.

Virgin Blue's colorful Chairman, Sir Richard Branson has declared that he has designs on Bali in his plans for future expansion of his Australian-based air carrier.

While revealing his plans for the purchase of an additional 40 new aircraft costing $US 3 billion, Branson listed Hong Kong and Bali as two destinations in the region high on his list for international routes.

Showing eminent good taste, Branson was quoted by the media saying, "Bali's one of my favorite places ... I'm sure that we'll be applying to fly to Bali at some stage."