My Favorite Bali
Pictures of Me! <big grin>

The following picture was taken by Jim Barr. All the others in this section were taken by Paul Voelkel. Blessings to both wonderful men!

BEFORE

Here I am, sitting in Philadelphia Airport, anticipating my trip. Waiting, I had the thought, I hadn't found the time to really learn Indonesian yet (I always learn the language of any country I'm about to visit). I experienced a miracle in that the lady who sat next to me for PHL-LA, who was returning home to Fresno, CA, was born in Indonesia and delightedly tutored me the whole trip. Thank you, God.

TRAVELING

The trip was organized by Power Places Tours, who chose Malaysian Airlines as our carrier. Malaysian Air was punctual, efficient, and classy. I enjoyed practising Indonesian with the crew. I thought their costumes were beautiful, much like dance outfits, and since I'm a ballroom dancer by hobby, for me, this is high praise.

IN BALI !

Bali is an island in the archepelago of Indonesia, south of the Equator, east of Java, west of Lombok, south of China, and just north of the westernmost portions of Australia. Translation: it's half-way across the planet from my home in New Jersey. The trip to Bali took 39 hours, the trip home, 54.

I participated in many ceremonies while I was there. Here, I am praying in the Temple of All Faiths, at the Mother Temple, Besakih, on the slopes of the volcano in Mt. Agung. I am in traditional ceremonial costume, and am holding a flower offering between my fingers. I left the tour group for a while to join in this ceremony. The Balinese allow people of all faiths to pray in their temples; they simply request appropriate clothing.

Joan asked me to lead singing meditations on the bus. I led the "Shalom" and the "100 Blessings" meditations. We all noted another miracle, that we finished the meditations I was leading, EXACTLY as our bus reached its destination.

The temple of Ulu Watu is considered by the Balinese to be the most spiritual and the most mystical of all their temples. Situated very high on a cliff surrounded on 3 sides by water, it is majestic. We were there at sunset, where we prayed in traditional ceremony and made an offering.

Fellow traveller Shelisa Burke, L.A. hairstylist to stars including Frank Sinatra (RIP), gifted me with a new hair-style and look (see photo on right). An amazing and special lady, Shelisa was also a Werner Erhardt "6-Day" haircutter. She was starting an extended stay in Bali with her son, Ramzi.

Finally, my favorite of the pictures of me! This one was taken on our last day at the Nusa Dua Hotel in Bali, in the morning of our closing process with Joan. I felt wonderfully joyful and totally relaxed.

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