Mozzies, how they spread with just a '(big) drop of water. MustSee.

today's ride in the time-machine, going 1300 years in the past: candi sambisari

In the years 800 of our time, when Europe was suffering from the dark middle ages, culture in Indonesia was high and ample. Magnificent temples were built, and the Prambanan complex of Yogyakarta is a very fine example of that: it is a vast domain of spiritual buildings, several square kilometers wide.

It cannot be a coincidence that the Prambanan complex of temples was located near the Merapi volcano. Divine spirits always search the company of each other. In the direction of the volcano, a smaller but exquisit elegant temple was built, the very charming Candi Sambisari.

And then suddenly Gunung Merapi got angry, and spew ashes for many weeks, covering the surrounding areas with meters high of ashes, that turned into fresh soil. The eruptions completely covered the beautiful Candi Sambisari and nobody dared to uncover the temple, since Gunung Merapi wanted it to be covered. And people forgot that there was this elegant temple underneath the soil.

The temple emerged in July 1966 by a farmer when working on land that belongs to Karyowinangun. His hoe hit the carved stone which was a part of the buried temple ruins. The news of discovery reached the Archeology office in Prambanan and the area was secured. The excavation and reconstruction works were completed in March 1987. The discovery of Sambisari temple probably was the most exciting archaeological findings in Yogyakarta in recent years, leading to speculation about whether there are other ancient temples still underground in the vicinity, buried under Mount Merapi volcanic ash.

my first thai lessons ... how to say hello in Thai!

Before my trip I started studying a little Thai, learning all the basics so I can be a more informed tourist. At the time my Thai vocabulary consisted of a few phrases and a hundred or so words, such as ‘sawatdee krap’ meant ‘hello’, etc.

Anyway I’m on the Thai Airways flight and I see in front of me a magazine titled ‘Sawasdee’. Did ‘sawasdee’ have anything to do with ‘sawatdee’? What’s up with that ‘s’? A typo, maybe?

Many many months later, when I started learning how to read Thai, it became clear to me that it was a transliteration mistake. In the Thai spelling it is ‘sawasdee’ สวัสดี, but whenever an ‘s’ ส is at the end of a syllable, it makes a ‘t’ sound. The person who transliterated the word probably didn’t realize this rule doesn’t hold true in English (or Englit, as they say).

So as a beginner you’ve probably learned that ‘sawatdee’ meant hello ages ago. But it’s not that simple. Sawatdee is fairly polite, and can come off weird if you say it to your close friends or relatives. But never fear! I’m here to give you more options . . . or to overcomplicate it for you – depending on your fluency level . . .

The simplest way to say hello is . . . wait for it . . . ‘hello’! Yes, Thai stole the word directly from English, and is most commonly used when answering the phone. It is spelled ฮัลโล, but it isn’t pronounced as it is spelled. The correct pronunciation is haa1-low5. Just listen to Thais answer the phone to get the correct pronunciation.

To change the politeness/formalness of ‘sawatdee’, you simply add or remove syllables. I’ve listed each way by order of politeness, with 1 being the most polite and 6 the least polite. Note that the last two are rarely used, given their informality and the possibility of confusing the meaning with the word for ‘good’. Also, women should replace the word ‘krap4’ for ‘ka3’.

1 – สวัสดีครับ  sawatdee krap

2 – สวัสดี  sawatdee

3 – หวัสดีครับ  watdee krap  (notice the ห in front of the word)

4 – หวัสดี  watdee

5 – ดีครับ  dee krap

6 – ดี  dee

Even this however is a bit of a simplification to all the possible ways you can say Hello in Thai. There are plenty more!

the most beautiful headscarf ever: the UDENG from Bali

back to puberty

akward. that's the least you can say. I sit on a table with a thai girl that doesn't speak English but she's fluent in Thai. How can I ask her if she likes some more of this delicious Tom Yam soup? How can I ask her if she likes some more of this delicious steamed fish?

Her brother is not here. He doesn't want to come. My mistake. I failed to impress him.

Thai language: Common Thai Greetings

Make your trip to Thailand much better by learning some common greetings in this short and easy to follow video. Thai people appreciate a good smile, but they appreciate you speaking their language even more!

สวัสดี – sà-wàt dee

hello/goodbye

สวัสดีครับ – sà-wàt dee kráp

hello (male)

สวัสดีค่ะ – sà-wàt dee kâ

hello (female)

คุณสบายดีไหม – kun sà-baai dee măi

How are you?

เป็นยังไงบ้าง – bpen yang ngai bâang

How’s it going?

มีอะไรใหม่บ้าง – mee a-rai mài bâang

What’s new?

ยินดีที่ได้รู้จัก – yin dee têe dâai róo jàk

Nice to meet you.

อรุณสวัสดิ์ – a-run sà-wàt

good morning

ยินดีต้อนรับยิน – yin dee dtôn ráp

welcome!

ลาก่อนลา – laa gòn

Goodbye

พบกันใหม่ – póp gan mài

See you.

แล้วพบกันใหม่ – láew póp gan mài

See you later.

เที่ยวให้สนุก – tîeow hâi sà-nùk

Have a good trip.

Thai language:Mid Class Consonants (MCC)

when considering the spelling of a word in Thai, the consonant class influences the tone of the word. There are three consonant classes: low, mid, and high.

The mid class consonants are:

ก, จ, ฎ, ฏ, ด, ต, บ, ป, อ

You will need to memorize this list. The MCC are the only consonants that can achieve all five Thai tones. In the following rules I won’t go over every letter, but the rules apply to any of the MCC.

1. If a MCC has a live (or no) ending consonant, and no tone mark, the tone is mid.

กา

ดาว

กลาง

ใบ

ใจ

ไป

จาน

ตาม

2. If a MCC has a อ้ tone mark, with or without a dead consonant, the tone is falling.

เจ้า

ได้

บ้า

ใต้

จ้า

3. If a MCC has a อ่ tone mark, and/or has a dead ending consonant, the tone is low. This is the same for a HCC.

จาก

ปาบ

บาท

จ่า

ไก่

อย่าง

อยู่

อย่า

อยาก

เด็ก

Notice the last four examples. The อ is silent, and only exists to modify the tone of the word. Without the อ, each of those four words would have had a falling tone.

THAI LANGUAGE - High Class Consonants (HCC) (to give you an idea how difficult that language is)

High Class Consonants (HCC)

when considering the spelling of a word in Thai, the consonant class influences the tone of the word. There are three consonant classes: low, mid, and high.

The high class consonants are:

ข, ฉ, ฐ, ถ, ผ, ฝ, ศ, ษ, ส, ห

You will need to memorize this list. The HCC are the only consonants that can create a rising tone without the use of the อ๋ tone mark. The HCC cannot be used to create a mid-tone. If you hear a rising tone, chances are it uses an HCC. In the following rules I won’t go over every letter, but the rules apply to any of the HCC.

1. If a HCC is with a live (or no) ending consonant, and has no tone mark and no dead consonant, the tone is rising.

เขา

ขัน

ขา

สาม

ศาลา

ฝน

ถึง

2. If a HCC has a อ้ tone mark, and no dead consonant, the tone is falling.

เข้า

ขั้น

ข้า

ห้าม

ห้า

3. If a HCC is with a อ่ tone mark, and/or has a dead ending consonant, the tone is low.

ขัด

ขาด

หีบ

ฉิ่ง

ข่า

ข่าว

4. When the first syllable is an alone HCC without a visible vowel (and is not a consonant cluster), it becomes a low tone while the second consonant becomes an HCC. The ห is always silent if there is no vowel with it – it solely exists to modify the tone of the word.

สยาม sa2yaam5

สนาม sa2naam5

ขนม ka2nom5

หลาย laai5

หน้า naa3

เหรอ law5

เหงา ngao5

ใหญ่ yai2

now I'm an inhabitant from MARS hahaha

Just joking, we just visited the exhibition by National Geographic, on the planet Mars. Virtual reality shows you on the surface of this planet and lets you experience how rough life will be there. Nevertheless, I'm already the proud owner of a Marsian ID :-)

Japan in Malaysia: ISETAN

Isetan is a well-known shopping mall in Japan. The first Isetan outside of Japan was located in Kuala Lumpur (KL), Lot 10, Bukit Bintang (BB), many years ago. Time for a renovation!

We remembered the old Isetan in KL, as a more or less run down mall, with many cheap items, interesting but not inspiring.

Our recent visit showed a totally new Isetan: fresh ideas, sparkling design, innovative products, totally the opposite of the old one. Now it's really a showcase of the best that Japan has to offer. Amazing. If you have time, do go there and pay it a visit in Lot 10, BB. Although being a showcase, the items are still for sale (most of them). Unfortunately, no longer cheap. One price one quality!

I met a GM (General Manager) today. He's managing 3 hotels right now (soon to be 5).

It's spectacular to see how his focus changes from humans (staff) to profit (money).

I guess this is the world we're living in.

GROWING OLD IN BALI (Written By, Jean Couteau)

Growing old means getting closer to the moment of death, which, according to the Balinese, opens the possibility of moksa, i.e, blending one’s human microcosm with the ultimate cosmic spirit, or God. In  order to achieve this and not reincarnate,  people have to live in accordance with the principles of cosmic harmony, which means achieve good karma (quality of one’s deeds) and, as part of this good karma, properly perform their social and religious dharma (duties). This in turn is only possible if one keeps a proper balance between the four goals of life: “desire” or kama , “wealth” or artha , “virtue” or dharma and moksa, as the ultimate objective. Each of these goals should be fulfilled in a combination and order of priority adapted to the stage reached in the process of life: young age, adolescence, married life and old age.

Desire is at its peak when one is still relatively young. It should be exercised with caution and balanced by dharma. This control is symbolized by the mesangih/metatah toothfiling rite, which normally takes place at adolescence. Teeth—especially the canine teeth, symbolize the demonic or animal side of humans. By filing them, one subdues one’s sadripu, the six “intimate enemies” (musuh ing raga) of the human: lust or kama; greed or loba; anger or kroda; arrogance or mada: attachment or moha; and jealousy or matsarya.

When marrying, one enters mature age. One may exercise kama or desire, but again in a controlled way; which is underlined in the wedding ceremony (mesakapan ), the apex of which is an offering addressed to the buta  sor  (material forces) which are at the origin of the various desires. But during married life proper, the priority should shift to the accumulation of “wealth” or artha, still spurred by desire but checked by virtue (dharma). This wealth is necessary for the holding of the death ritual which one owes to one’s dead parents, who set off the incarnation process in the first place.

When one reaches the fifties or so, one has had one’s fill of desire and wealth and one should dedicate what is left of one’s life to the implementation of virtue or dharma. Elderly people therefore withdraw from active life and study the scriptures. Some, if the family tradition allows it, become high priests. In some classical stories, the heroes go meditate (tapa) on the slope of a mountain or in the depth of a forest until they blend with nature itself. This is also what kings did after a long reign.

Old age and reality in Bali’s rural surroundings
Western visitors sometimes get the impression that the elderly are badly treated in Bali. Not only do the meals served to them consist only of rice and vegetables, but they are dressed in old clothes, sleep on mats rather than beds, and make do without most of the essentials of modern life. In actual fact, although they are not pampered, the old people in Bali are far from neglected by their offspring. Stay a couple of days with a Balinese family, and you will learn that they are treated very well indeed. Their children may arrange things to suit their fragile health, prepare “soft” meals or cover to suit their stomach or provide them with special warm clothes. But how do they react? By stubbornly sticking to their independence: “Don’t treat me like a senile man (or woman),” they will say, “I can cook my own meals and wash my own clothes. Do you want me to die of boredom?” So, grandma goes on with her cooking and washing, while grandpa continues taking his daily walk along the busied roads of the village. Their children and grandchildren think of them as being obstinate. But they are just eager to be a burden to no one.

Shameful treatment of elders is very rare in Bali. When it occurs, there is usually a strong reason, either a prolonged, unrelenting bitterness on the part of the young, that brings about a desire to take revenge, or simply a particularly difficult elder! Another reason is financial. People living under difficult conditions have a limited ability to take proper care of their elders. If the elders wear dowdy dress and have meager meals, it doesn’t mean that their children do not pay enough attention to them. It may be that poverty is can be anyone’s fate.

It is perfectly natural for elderly Balinese to remain engaged in domestic activities. Many household items are made in the home, often by the elderly. They may also be seen participating in jobs such as palm oil making, breeding of chickens and pigs, vegetable cultivation etc. And they will remain participants of the village working-bee as long as their health allows. For the elders, such activities are a relief, as it helps them to feel that they are still useful.

Some older people may be returning to infancy and display a strange behavior, for example mixing bananas and rice and then eating it. Others may refuse to change and wash their clothes, and thus be subject to skin rash. But only a small minority are really a nuisance. Most know how to behave in old age and their continuous participation in social life and activities ensure that few of them ever become senile.

Old age in Bali ensures power rather than decrepitude. Instead of being “ruled” by the younger members of the family, they “rule” everybody and their commands are absolute. The most strong-headed are elderly widows of high caste, who have often undergone a long period of widowhood, or those who have had to struggle hard as single parents to support their family.

As everywhere throughout the world, the main function of Balinese grandpas and grandmas is to look after their grandchildren, teaching them good manners and telling them educational stories. This is good for both generations. The children need instruction, while the elders long for communication.

Last but not least, the elderly in Bali always spend their old age at home. In Bali one just doesn’t just cast away one’s parents in an old folks’ home. This “betrayal” would kill them.

As for death itself, it is when the children “pay their debt” to those who have begotten them. Wasn’t it the parents who enabled their child’s “soul” to incarnate in a human guise? One understands why the cremation is the most important event in the “life” of a Balinese. It ensures the passage of a soul to the realm of the dead, to become an “ancestor” and/or to wait for another incarnation.

(text source and drawing: http://nowbali.co.id/growing-old-bali/ ; picture: copyright paulbavo )

Caste System of Balinese Hinduism

The ancient social order among the Indonesian Hindu kingdoms was based upon four castes.

The first one, and the highest, was hold by the Brahman (caste of the priests and the teachers). The second was hold by the Satria (caste of warriors and kings). The third was hold by the Wesya (caste of king vassals and merchants). Those three higher castes are considered as the aristocracy. The fourth caste (95% of the total population) was hold by the Sudra (lower caste of peasants and craftmen).

There was no fifth caste like in India (caste of “undesirables”). In Bali this social order exists until nowadays (everybody belongs officially to one of those four castes) but it doesn’t mean much anymore in terms of wealth, working positions, and political power. More and more the young people will choose their husband or wife without caste consideration. Brahman may work in the rice fields and a Sudra be his land owner…

A Satria may sell cigarettes in the street while a Sudra may be the president director of a local company (with higher caste people under his command). Generally the Satria have lost most or all of their ancient wealth (the change to a modern and democratic economy after independence in 1949 and the land reform in 1965 were rude chocks for many of them).

But the caste system can still be observed by the names given to people at birth, and the Balinese language.
Brahman names will always start with Ida Bagus (male) or Ida Ayu (female), the Satria names with Gusti Agung, Anak Agung, and Cokorda, and the Wesya names with Dewa, Sang and Gusti. The Sudra do not possess such titles to make their names start with.

The beginning of Sudra names indicates the order of birth (same for male and female): Wayan or Putu if they are the first child, Made or Kadek if they are the second child, Nyoman or Komang if they are the third child, and Ketut (meaning “the last one”) if they are the fourth one…

Balinese are traditionally “invited” to limit their family to four children. If they can’t the fifth one will be named as the first one, Wayan or Putu, and the sixth Made or Kadek and so on… Given names will follow the “birth number” but in ordinary circumstances people of the Sudra caste will introduce themselves with their “birth number” only.

During religious ceremonies or village councils respect and special consideration are still expressed to the higher caste people (maybe with an ironic smile on some Sudra faces…).
Balinese language is divided in different levels of politeness (low Balinese, medium Balinese, high Balinese and sacred Balinese, which is comparable to Indian Sanskrit). A Sudra will usually address himself to a Satria, Brahman or Wesya in the high Balinese and the aristocrat fellow answer in low Balinese to affirm his superiority. Only some Brahman do know the sacred language (and some scholars).

Among themselves the aristocrats do usually talk in medium Balinese. Young Balinese in towns often choose the Indonesian language in a move to react against the old social order. Still, it is well known that Brahman young men are more often “playboys” (able to catch girls easily) then the Sudra are (it is said that Sudra girls still dream of climbing the hierarchy and to become a “Jero”, a new Brahman woman, and offer themselves to any young Brahman who points his finger).

Well, this is what a Sudra friend told me (some jalousie I guess might have exaggerated the phenomena!). He confessed me as well that bringing a Brahman girl into his arms is something of a very nice target to start the Saturday night (no comment given about the level of language used in bed).

(source: http://www.discover-bali-indonesia.com/encyclopedia-caste-system-of-hinduism.html)

pain

dtoday I got to new tooth implants. Happy happy, if it weren't of the pain.

Imagine yourself laying on the dentist's chair, fully packed with antiseptic covering, waiting to be drilled in an area that always has been extremely sensitive (the lower jaw bone, right end). The dentist kept on adding injection after injection, without result. Finally he surrendered, adding that a former infection might be the cause of this horror story. Pain. It clearly isn't.

As far as I know, pain is just an electrical impuls sent from a local nerve to the brain, that declares it a pain. There is no pain, unless my brain tells me so.

So, how can I convince my brain that the implanting of two new teeth should not cause pain?

The one who finds the real answer to this question will probably get a Noble prize. Good for you! Do let me know!

Galungan & Kuningan 2015

Galungan Ceremony In Bali

The Balinese celebrate the day of Galungan, which commemorates the triumph of Dharma over Adharma, or good against evil, this February 9 to 11. Second in significance after the Nyepi or Saka New Year, this observance comes twice a Gregorian year, as the Balinese use a 210-day calendar system known as the Pawukon that is the basis for their daily rituals, temple anniversaries and holidays. Galungan is celebrated again on September 6-8.
This year the Galungan festivity starts on a Tuesday on February 9 and September 6, when bamboo poles decorated with young coconut leaf decorations line the streets all over Bali. This is a unique welcome to Bali if you happen to be on the island around this time, and usually lasts until Kuningan, another associated observance that comes 10 days after on February 20 and September 17. Traditionally, Galungan day sees the slaughtering of pigs for communal feasts, as well as baking traditional rice cakes and erecting iconic 'penjor' bamboo poles.
These intricately decorated poles, naturally curved at the top, comprise harvest items such as rice, fruits, coconuts and coconut leaves. The men of the households erect their ‘artwork’ at each household gate on the eve, resulting in an impressive view throughout all village roads. Celebrants in traditional attire attend temple ceremonies with their families, bringing with them offerings of fruits to temples and family shrines – which they share and enjoy after prayers.
The celebration climaxes on Wednesday, February 10 and September 7, when people put on their finest clothes to visit family and temples. The day of Galungan is important for the Balinese, similar to a new year, when everyone returns to their families and home villages. The following Thursdays, Manis Galungan, like Boxing Day, is a day to visit friends and relatives or for fun family trips.
Kuningan, on the other hand, marks the end of the 10-day festival. The ceremony surrounding Kuningan refers to special offerings made of yellow turmeric rice. Yellow is also the colour of the god Wisnu, the protector of the Hindu trinity. The Kuningan celebrations are most significant at Sakenan Temple on Serangan Island, southern Denpasar, which coincidentally celebrates its piodalan temple anniversary peak celebrations on the same day. The occasion features a series of sacred dance performances and rituals, with pilgrims attending from all over the island.

all power comes from the people

        Galgelied

        Er stonden drie galgen op 't galgeveld,
        De kraaien hebben het voortverteld.

        En stom blauwden winterse bossen rondom,
        Zij kaatsten 't gekrijs van de kraaien weerom.

        Het volk stond zwijgzaam opeengehoopt:
        Drie mannen moesten opgeknoopt.

        Drie rechters lazen het vonnis voor;
        De bossen bauwden het na in koor.

        Eén had in eigen macht geloofd,
        Hij moest het bekopen met zijn hoofd.

        Eén had gehoopt op een nieuwe tijd,
        Dat was voor het heden een scherp verwijt.

        Eén had de waarheid te zeer bemind,
        Daarvoor ging hij bengelen hoog in de wind.

        De kraaien krijsten: kwaad is kwaad!
        De bossen echoden: haat is haat!

        De kring van het volk werd enger en enger,
        't Gelaat van de rechters werd strenger en strenger...

        Maar toen de koord in de hoogte ging,
        In elke lus een rechter hing.

        Het volk stond zwijgzaam opeengehoopt:
        Drie rechters werden opgeknoopt.

        Eén had zijn eigen volk verraden,
        Eén had zijn geldkist volgeladen,

        Eén had de macht om haarzelf bemind,
        Drie rechters bengelden hoog in de wind.

        De kraaien krijsten: kwaad is kwaad!
        De bossen echoden: inderdaad!

        Karel Vertommen (1907-1991)
        uit: Brood (1939)

why does snakes (naga) have a split tongue?

Garuda is one of the three principal animal deities in the Hindu Mythology that has evolved after the Vedic Period in Indian history. The other two are Ganesha, the elephant-headed son of the goddess Durgha, and Hanuman, the monkey god. It is after Garuda that the Indonesian National Airlines is named. Even today, Garuda is much revered by devout Hindus for his ethics and his strength in applying his ethics to correct evil-doers.Garuda is the king of the birds. He mocks the wind with the speed of his flight. As the appointed charger of Vishnu he is venerated by all, including humans. Garuda is the son of Kashyap, a great sage, and Vinata, a daughter of Daksha, a famous king. He was hatched from an egg Vinata laid. He has the head, wings, talons, and beak of an eagle and the body and limbs of a man. He has a white face, red wings and golden body. When he was born he was so brilliant that he was mistaken for Agni, the god of fire, and worshipped.

Garuda was born with a great hatred for the evil and he is supposed to roam about the universe devouring the bad, though he spares Brahmins as his parents had forbidden him to eat them. Garuda is also well-known for his aversion to snakes, a dislike he had acquired from his mother, Vinata. There is a story behind this hatred of Garuda's mother. As it is quite interesting it is told hereafter.

Kashyap, Garuda's father, had two wives: Kadru, the elder, and Vinata, Garuda's mother, the younger. There was great rivalry between the two wives. They could not stand each other. Once, they had an argument over the color of the horse Uchchaisravas, produced during the Churning of the Ocean just after the time of creation. Each chose a color and laid a wager on her own choice. The one who lost would become the other's slave. Kadru proved to be right and, as part of the agreement, imprisoned Vinata in the nether regions, Patala, where she was guarded by serpents. The serpents are, according to another myth, the sons of Kadru herself.

Garuda, on hearing of his mother's imprisonment, descended to Patala and asked the serpents to release Vinata. They agreed to do so and demanded as ransom a cup ofamrita (ambrosia). So Garuda set off for the celestial mountain where the amrita was kept. Before he could get to the amrita he had to overcome three hazards set up by the gods to guard the celestial drink. First, Garuda came upon a ring of flames fanned by high winds. They roared and leapt up to the sky but Garuda drank up several rivers and extinguished the flames. Next, Garuda came upon a circular doorway. A very rapidly spinning wheel with sharp spikes on the spokes guarded it. Garuda made himself very small and slipped through the turning spokes. Lastly, Garuda had to defeat two fire-spitting serpents guarding the amrita. He flapped his wings rapidly and blew dust into the eyes of the monsters and blinded them. Then he cut them to pieces with his sharp beak. So Garuda finally reached the amrita and started to fly back with it to the nether regions but the gods anticipated his purpose and gave chase. Indra, king of the gods, struck him with his thunderbolt but Garuda proved a superior warrior and defeated the gods and continued unscathed on his journey to Patala.

When the serpents got the amrita they were overjoyed and released Vinata. Garuda got his mother back but he became an inveterate enemy of the serpents, the sons of his mother's rival Kadru. Also the serpents, the Nagas, symbolized evil and that automatically invoked Garuda's hatred.

As end-piece to this myth it must be told that, as the Nagas were about to consume the amrita Garuda had just brought them, the chasing gods entered Patala and Indra seized and took away the cup of amrita. Anyway, the serpents had just had time enough to lick a few drops of amrita and this was enough to make them immortal. Also, since the celestial drink was very strong, their tongues were split and that is why, to this day, serpents have forked tongues.

Article "Garuda" created on 03 March 1997; last modified on 29 March 2005 (Revision 4). 712 words.
http://www.pantheon.org/articles/g/garuda.html
© MCMXCV - MMIX Encyclopedia Mythica™. All rights reserved.

Myths Linked to Bali’s Iconic Tanah Lot Temple

Click Image to Enlarge

(9/20/2015)

 

Believed to trace its roots back to its building in the 16th-centuryDang Hyang Niratha Dynasty – Pura Tanah Lot sits on a pinnacle of land surrounded by the Indian Ocean a stone’s throw from shore. Local lore says that King Naratha once slept on the island, decreeing after his stay that it should become a place of worship dedicated to the Lord of the Sea – Dewa Baruna.

Connected by a landbridge to the mainland prior to a massive 1919 earthquake, Tanah Lot is one of seven sacred sea temples that dot the coast of Bali.

Myths Connected with Tanah Lot

Gathered from The Bali Post and other source, there are a number of interesting fables, myths and folklore embraced by locals worth sharing,

• Many believe that if you bring your romantic interest toTanah Lot the relationship is doomed to soon end.
• Conversely, couples that have formally married and started a family seem unaffected by the threat of a breakup.
• Pregnant or menstruating woman are considered “unclean” and must not visit the temple. Local legend contends that the natural land bridge that once connected the Temple to the shore crumbled into the sea when a menstruating woman tried to cross from the shore to Tanah Lot.
• Water drank from a source at the temple’s base is considered to bring good fortune.
• Venomous Sea Snakes found on the nearby shore line, and believed to the living embodiment of King Niratha’s sash(selendang), are said to make the short migration each evening through the water to spend the night guarding the temple. 

© Bali Discovery Tours. Articles may be quoted and reproduced if attributed to http://www.balidiscovery.com.

food for thought for parents with a LGBT kid

When your child is LGBT (Lesbian or Gay or Bisexual or Transsexual), it is part of a minority.

If you are like most parents and heterosexual, this minority does not include you.

Most minorities are based on race and religion - things that tend to run in families. Histories and stories are told from generation to generation. Politics are discussed over the kitchen table where everyone has the same stake.

With a LGBT child, it is different. You may not e LGBT, but it is now your job  to become an expert in the issues of this minority. You need to learn LGBT history, LGBT current political issues and LGBT controversies. Because you need to know your child's history, your child's issues, your child's reality. This might feel uncomfortable to you, maybe even a little alien, but this is not about you. This is about your child.

The Top 175 Essential Films of All Time for LGBT Viewers (141 to 175)

BY 

ADVOCATE.COM EDITORS

JUNE 23 2014 7:33 AM ET 

 

(Page 8)

141. Death in Venice (1971): Gay love was still tragic for the most part in 1971 movies, but this film lifted up the usual sad gay love story to an exquisite level of pain and poetry. Luchino Visconti's filmic version of the Thomas Mann novel stars Dirk Bogarde as Gustav Aschenbach, a composer (based loosely on Gustav Mahler) who has journeyed to Venice to escape his work and his demons, but he finds no respite. Instead he finds the androgynous and beautiful Tadzio (Björn Andrésen) and becomes obsessed. Visconti used Mahler's music for the score and perfectly captures the decay of Venice and the onset of a plague. You might need to watch cat videos on YouTube after viewing.—C.H.

142. All About My Mother (1999): Viewed by many critics and cinephiles as Pedro Almodóvar's best film, All About My Mother is a meditation on the beauty and complexity of women and how some lucky men are endowed with that same mix of softness and grit. It is told through the experiences of Manuela (luminous Argentinian actress Cecilia Roth), who loses and gains children, lovers, and friends during an odyssey through Madrid and Barcelona. The protagonist also encounters AIDS and drugs, but the tale doesn't feel soapy, only heartfelt. All the characters face life with a passion and resolve that feels uniquely Spanish. With beautiful cinematography and near-perfect performances, out director Almodovar proved himself a global treasure with this film. —N.B.

143. Yentl (1983): It took more than a decade for Barbra Streisand’s opus to finally make it to the screen. Based on Isaac Bashevis Singer’s short story “Yentl the Yeshiva Boy,” about a young Jewish girl who poses as a boy so that she may study the Talmud, the story made a stop on Broadway in 1975 before gay icon Streisand directed and starred in the movie that incorporated Michel Legrand’s original songs — including “Papa, Can You Hear Me” and “The Way He Makes Me Feel.” Streisand took on the titular role of the girl who dresses as a man and immerses herself in Talmudic studies after her father’s death. While all of that alone is worth the price of admission for Streisand devotees, the film also explores markedly fluid gender and desire dynamics as Amy Irving’s Hadass falls for Yentl and is hurt by Yentl’s rejecting her while Mandy Patinkin’s Avigdor is confused by his attraction to his intellectual sparring partner. —T.E.G.

144. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997): The city of Savannah is really the star of Clint Eastwood’s (that’s right, Eastwood directed this gay-themed Southern gothic) big-screen adaptation of John Berendt’s best-selling nonfiction book. The ever-watchable John Cusack plays a writer on assignment in Savannah who ends up covering a story about a Christmastime murder at the home of mustached gay antiques dealer and the toast of the town, Jim Williams (a charmingly smarmy Kevin Spacey foreshadowing hisHouse of Cards character). The murder victim is the hot young male prostitute Billy Hansen (a young and beautiful Jude Law) who had serviced Spacey’s Williams frequently. Rife with mystery, flowing bourbon, Southern heat, voodoo sensibility, and a quirky cast of Savannah locals, including drag diva The Lady Chablis, Midnight is one hell of a fun movie. —T.E.G.

145. Howl (2010): It’s not every day that a poem can change the world. But “Howl,” one of gay poet Allen Ginsberg’s most impactful works, certainly came close with his frenetic, counterculture screed that began “I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness.” The film of the same title, which stars James Franco as the famous Beat writer, manages to capture glimmers of Ginsberg’s greatness in this account of the obscenity trial that occurred after the controversial poem’s release, with live-action sequences intermingled with animated footage. As Roger Ebert wrote in his favorable review: “The bold, outspoken man of later days is seen here as still a middle-class youth, uncertain of his gayness, filled with the heady joy of early poetic success, learning how to be himself.” —D.R.

146. The Kids Are All Right (2010): This dramedy directed by lesbian filmmaker Lisa Cholodenko about a married same-sex couple and their children was an instant hit among critics upon its 2010 release. The ensemble cast of Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, and Mark Ruffalo, who portrayed the hitherto unknown sperm donor who fathered the couple’s children (Mia Wasikowaka and Josh Hutcherson), was praised for its heartfelt and realistic portrayal of a family faced with the crisis that occurs when a stranger comes to town and threatens the foundation of the family unit. The strong acting and story made the film a major contender during awards season, in which it garnered a Best Actress win for Bening at the Golden Globes and four nominations at the Oscars, including Best Picture.—D.R.

147. Wigstock (1995): RuPaul, Alexis Arquette, Joey Arias, and Lypsinka are among the headline acts in Wigstock, a 1995 documentary that captured the extravaganza of the annual drag festival. Although no longer active, Wigstock, which traditionally took place in the East Village on Labor Day, functioned as a mainstay of the gay New York social calendar since the 1980s, and the documentary lovingly captures the campy glamour of the performances as well as under-the-wig glances into the performers backstage.Wigstock also features an appearance by Lady Bunny, one of the festival’s founders and the mistress of ceremonies, who attempts to have the Statue of Liberty bewigged. —D.R.

148. De-Lovely (2004): Cole Porter is one of the most celebrated composers in the realm of 20th-century American theater. Musicals like Anything Goes,which feature catchy, homoerotic songs like “You’re the Top” and “I Get a Kick Out of You,” are still popular today, making household names of actresses like Sutton Foster, who headlined one of the more recent Broadway adaptations. De-Lovely is a musical film starring Kevin Kline as the gay songwriter looking back on his life. And much like a Porter musical, it does not have the strongest script. But De-Lovely is a joy to watch for its revisiting of Porter’s songbook and for its recognition of a gay American who made an indelible mark on The Great White Way. —D.R.

149. Dog Day Afternoon (1975): There are many reasons Dog Day Afternoonhas never faded from the national consciousness: It was a tense, well-acted bank robbery film, it had audiences sympathizing with a thug —"Attica! Atttica!" — and a plotline involving a transgender woman. Though incompetent criminal Sonny (Al Pacino) is frightening and dangerous, he's also risking everything for the love of his life. The whole impetus for the robbery, based on a real-life event in Brooklyn, was to pay for the girlfriend's gender-reassignment surgery. While that could have been played for humor in 1975, the love story is tragic and human. —N.B.

150. Edward II (1991): Director Derek Jarman took Christopher Marlowe’s play and cranked the gay dial up to 11 in this adaptation. The film portrays King Edward II’s friend Piers Gaveston as his lover and shifts the focus of the kingdom’s ire from Gaveston as a person to gossip about their relationship. Queen Isabella (Tilda Swinton) is the excluded partner, jealous and sexually unfulfilled. The army is recast as gay rights protesters. The adaptation mixes classic and modern elements to craft a time-bending story of gay love and exile, making it an icon of queer cinema. —K.O.

151. Mildred Pierce (1945): Joan wins an Oscar! Crawford's career looked washed up and then, boom! She wins the gold guy. This is the first of the great mother-daughter movies (see Mommie Dearest). Long-suffering Mildred, wonderfully horrible daughter Veda (Ann Blyth), and campy-as-pink-tea Ida (Eve Arden) give us pathos, mendacity, and irony respectively. Basically the movie is about a lot of people making silly decisions, but how would you make movies if people didn’t? Charles Pierce, Carol Burnett, and many other comedians kept the camp alive through parodies. Restaurants actually sprung up in gay ghettos called Mildred's. "Aren't the pies enough?" —C.H.

152. Suddenly Last Summer (1959): “We procured for him!” Elizabeth Taylor’s Catherine screams in the climactic scene of the big-screen version of Tennessee Williams’s Southern gothic about Catherine’s mental breakdown following her cousin Sebastian Venable’s brutal murder at the hands of dozens of young boys while on holiday in Europe. Of course, the famous line is Catherine’s confession that she and his icy mother Violet (Katharine Hepburn), had, with their looks, helped lure young men so that Sebastian could seduce them. Gay actor — and Taylor’s dear friend — Montgomery Clift stars as the young doctor who tries to help the institutionalized Catherine in the film directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz (All About Eve) with a screenplay by Gore Vidal. Homosexuality is never overtly named, but as is pointed out in The Celluloid Closet, the film uses imagery straight out of Frankenstein to depict Sebastian’s murder, as the villagers chased the otherized Sebastian to the top of a mountain to eviscerate the monster.  —T.E.G.

153. Southern Comfort (2001): One of the saddest trans documentaries is also one of the best as it follows the last year of Robert Eads's life, the complications that transition brings for FTMs and the ways in which all LGBT have made family. A transgender man, Eads was battling ovarian cancer and was turned down by almost two dozen doctors who were afraid that treating a trans man with cancer would harm their reputations. By the time a doctor would care for him, the cancer was too advanced for his life to be saved. Still, we see the man and his partner, trans woman Lola, and their chosen family fight fear, discrimination, and stigma to be who they are and live with dignity. Eads's last appearance was at the famed trans gathering Southern Comfort, as he died shortly after.—D.A.M.

154. The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love (1995):  The L Word’s Laurel Holloman first won lesbian hearts as Randy, the adorable baby butch outcast who falls for Nicole Ari Parker’s Evie, a beautiful, smart, popular girl with a boyfriend. Even with typical high school Mean Girl-esque odds against her, Randy wins Evie’s heart and the pair fall madly into first real love. But they bump up against teen cliques, plus Randy’s lesbian aunt and caretaker who thinks she should keep things under wraps, and Evie’s mom, who catches them in the act! Maria Maggenti (Puccini for Beginners) directs the indie comedy that so accurately depicts the thrill of nascent love. When a stoned Randy gleefully reads aloud from the copy of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass that Evie gives her, their budding love affair becomes the stuff of lesbian film legend. —T.E.G.

155. Sordid Lives (2000): The funeral of a loved one sets the stage for the story of a family in a small Texas town and their sordid lives. Among the film’s colorful cast of characters is Ty Williamson (Kirk Geiger), who is struggling with revealing his homosexuality to his family as he makes his own way in West Hollywood. And then there's Earl "Brother Boy" Ingram, who was institutionalized 23 years ago by his parents because he is a gay man with an affinity for cross-dressing and an obsession with country singer Tammy Wynette. —J.P.

156. Hellbent (2004): Billed as the first  gay slasher film, Hellbent follows the story of a serial killer who stalks West Hollywood on Halloween and the group of gay youngsters who foolishly decide to visit the site of his murders. The film serves campy goodness, dramatic deaths, and plenty of shirtless scenes in a worthy attempt to increase LGBT visibility in the horror genre. —J.P.

157. A Home at The End of The World (2004): Michael Cunningham, the Pulitzer-Prize winning author of The Hours, wrote the screenplay based on his novel of the same name about a gay man, a straight woman, and Bobby (Colin Farrell), who defies labels and who they both love. Over the evolution of their relationship, a baby is born, though not how anyone planned it. The three are so interdependent they somehow manage to stick together despite their frustrating emotions for each other, only for AIDS to split them up in the end.—L.G.

158. Carrington (1995): Painter Dora Carrington and author Lytton Strachey found love that transcended the usual bounds of gender and orientation. Emma Thompson and Jonathan Pryce are wonderful as complex lovers forging new territory in freedom of love. Anyone interested in the domestic entanglements of the Bloomsbury set will love this story of a unique commitment that surpassed jealousy and desire. The sexual revolution of the 1960s was really sparked by this small group of men and women trying to resist the cookie-cutter moral expectations of upper-middle class England between the wars. —C.H.

159. Scorpio Rising (1964): Hollywood Babylon author Kenneth Anger created his own niche with this chaotic pastiche of Nazis, bikers, and leather clad S/M boys. Considered psychedelic at the time, it proved to be an early influencer of yet-to-be-invented music videos. The revolutionary soundtrack was dialogue-free and an illegal mash-up of surf music, Elvis Presley, and girl groups like the Shangri-Las. Tattoos, skulls, and random Catholic symbolism make this early underground film oddly fresh today. After a theater owner was arrested for showing the film, Anger won the case against it in the California Supreme Court, opening the doors for greater freedom of expression in film. —C.H.

160. Mulholland Drive (2001): Director David Lynch (Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks) has generated a cult following for his surrealist projects that often shine a spotlight on the unusual and bizarre — and Mulholland Drive may be his most celebrated thriller. Set in Los Angeles, the neo-noir film follows the mystery of a beautiful woman (Laura Harring) who, suffering from amnesia and being chased by unknown threatening forces, seeks to unravel the mystery of her identity with the aid of an aspiring actress and recent arrival to Hollywood (Naomi Watts). In the course of their investigation, the women develop a relationship that becomes intimate, and Lynch’s dark lens lets the viewer catch glimpses of the dangerous consequences that can come with obsession. —D.R.

161. Lonesome Cowboys (1968): Andy Warhol and Paul Morrisey felt their territory was being stepped on by John Schlesinger's Midnight Cowboy. Warhol had watched his coterie of superstars and hangers-on flock to be extras in the party scenes. So Warhol and Morrisey named their newly shot satire on Hollywood westerns Lonesome Cowboys, hoping folks would be confused. Then they took new talent Joe Dallesandro and made another film about male hustlers: Flesh. Campy, and strangely sweet, Lonesome Cowboyshas a cast of hunky Warhol regulars: Tom Hompertz, Eric Emerson, and Louis Waldron. Viva, Taylor Mead, and Francis Francine bring home the camp. —C.H.

162. Love Is The Devil (1998): The beginning of painter Francis Bacon's and George Dyer's relationship — Bacon (Derek Jacobi) came upon Dyer burgling his home — was only the start of a roller-coaster affair between two men who lived at the outer edges of life. Bacon was intrigued by Dyer's anarchic innocence. Dyer dominates Bacon and is prone to psychotic depression — he ultimately committed suicide on the opening night of a show for Bacon. This is not the happy gay pastel love story your mother would like. Beautifully filmed with a reverence for Bacon and his work, and then there is the treat of Daniel Craig as the working-class, rough-hewn Dyer. Oh, and Tilda Swinton balances out the cast.—C.H.

163. The Killing of Sister George (1968): It might be good to note here that this list is made up of important LGBT films, not necessarily happy ones. Beryl Reid stars as June Buckridge, who plays Sister George in a hospital soap opera on the BBC, in this film about a middle-aged lesbian actress hitting the skids. Not upbeat, this film makes The Boys in the Band look like light comedy. The film contains one of the more frightening lesbian seduction scenes ever filmed between the BBC producer who fires Beryl Reid (bisexual actress Coral Browne) and Reid’s lover, the creepily immature Childie (Susannah York). X-rated when released in the United States for intense nipple plucking. —C.H.

164. Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (1982): Robert Altman transferred Ed Graczyk's play to the big screen as a filmed play. Retaining the original cast, he opened up the property by showing flashbacks of the women gathered for a reunion of a local 1950s James Dean fan club. Cher, Sandy Dennis, and Karen Black lead the cast as southern women with more quirks and tics than a Tennessee Williams play. Joe Qualley (Mark Patton) is the one male member of the club and a no-show. But then who is this strange woman Joanne (Karen Black) and why does she know so much about them all? —C.H.

165. ParaNorman (2012): This is an animated story of a bullied kid who takes on all kinds of paranormal figures to save his town from an old curse. It also happens to feature a gay kid, in the form of Mitch, a gigantic jock. Sure, featuring the first known gay character in a mainstream American animated film caused the ire of right-wingers everywhere who breathe the words "gay agenda," but to many, it was just a cool element to a fun movie. —M.G.

166. Mädchen in Uniform (1931): This German film is often credited with being the first feature film to unabashedly advance a pro-lesbian storyline. Aside from making artful use of then-nascent technology of sound in film, the screen adaptation of Christa Winsloe's play Yesterday and Today (Gestern und huete) was also noteworthy for its all-female cast. The story tenderly explores a 14-year-old student's fierce love for her teacher, with dire consequences when that affection is less than reciprocal, but never devolving into antigay hysteria. Even more incredible is that the film survived — more or less in whole — through the Nazi regime. And although its initial ending was edited to be more appealing to the Third Reich, the film was ultimately banned for its "decadence," and several of the Jewish actors fled Germany. But by the time Hitler's troops tried to destroy every copy of the film, it had already garnered international awards, and copies had been shipped far and wide, preserving this piece of lesbian cinematic history. —S.B.

167. Silkwood (1983): Mike Nichols's film about labor activist Karen Silkwood is a dramatic take on a passionate woman's life and the bizarre circumstances surrounding her death. That alone would make the film important, but Silkwood is even more laudable thanks to one of its supporting characters: Dolly Pelliker, Karen's lesbian roommate, played by Cher. Nichols and writers Nora Ephron and Alice Arlen's approach to Dolly's sexuality is remarkably matter-of-fact for an early-'80s film — never ignorant of it, but also happy to make it just one facet of Dolly's characterization. When her lover, Angela (Diana Scarwid), joins later in the film, we get to see a fleshed-out, genuine lesbian relationship. Silkwood holds up over 30 years later for good reason. The film garnered Cher a Golden Globe for the role as well as her first Oscar nomination. Streep also earned nominations for the Globe and Oscar. —K.O.

168. Show Me Love (1998): This girl-gets-girl coming-of-age film made a splash at Cannes and caused a stir with its original title, Fucking Åmål — referring to insular Swedish town where the main characters live — but when the dust settled over the title, it became critically acclaimed and internationally beloved for its heartfelt, often gritty, portrayal of young love. Elin (Alexandra Dahlström) is the popular girl while Agnes (Rebecka Liljeberg) is the outcast lesbian at school. They bond over their frustration with life in their tiny town and eventually fall in love. Elin struggles a bit with her feelings for Agnes, but she comes around, and there’s a happy ending for the young lovers in this debut film from esteemed director Lukas Moodysson (Together). It’s safe to say that Show Me Love’s unflinching portrayal of budding love paved the way for queer bildungsromans to come, including The Perks of Being a Wallflower and especially Blue Is the Warmest Color.  —T.E.G.

169. The World According to Garp (1982): Based on the acclaimed novel by John Irving, The World According to Garp follows the unusual story of T.S. Garp (Robin Williams), a man conceived when his mother, a nurse played by Glenn Close, has sex with a solider on his deathbed in order to intentionally have a child without a living father. The film is notable for feminist themes and characters that run throughout. Garp grows to become a fiction writer who weds Jenny, the writer of a feminist manifesto and the founder of a home for troubled cis- and transgender women. One of these trans women, ex-football star Roberta Muldoon, becomes a friend and ally of Garp’s, and the moving portrayal of her character earned actor John Lithgow an Academy Award nomination. Queer in every sense, The World According to Garp remains a dramatic portrait of love, death, and desire decades after its release. —D.R.

170. I Shot Andy Warhol (1996): Lili Taylor is a revelation as the brilliant but unbalanced Valerie Solanas, a lesbian and writer who penned the S.C.U.M. (Society for Cutting Up Men) Manifesto, but who gained notoriety for shooting Andy Warhol, the man — not so ironically — responsible for the phrase “15-minutes of fame.” Directed by Mary Harron (American Psycho) and produced by New Queer Cinema luminaries Christine Vachon and Tom Kalin (Swoon), the film not only captured the era of the heyday of Warhol’s factory but exemplified a certain kind of freedom and excitement in independent cinema at the time of its release. The excellent supporting cast includes Stephen Dorff as Candy Darling, Jared Harris as Warhol, Martha Plimpton, Michael Imperioli, and Jill Hennessy.  —T.E.G.

171. Lianna (1983): An early film that explores love and desire among women. Indie golden boy from way back, John Sayles Sayles (8 Men Out,Matewan, Lone Star, Return of the Secaucus Seven) wrote and directed the deft story of Lianna (Linda Griffiths), a philandering college professor’s wife and a mom who takes a psychology course to save her from imminent suburban ennui but falls for her female professor instead. As the story goes, Lianna and professor Ruth (Jane Halleren) begin an affair that goes awry when Lianna comes across a little too strong out of the gate. Lianna goes on to leave her husband and to explore her sexual and emotional desire for other women. As early lesbian-themed movies go, the ending was not a particularly happy girl-gets-girl story, but Sayles presents the subject with such a gentle inquiry and so much pathos, it’s tough not to root for this little movie that could. —T.E.G.

172: Red Without Blue (2007): Directed by Benita Sills and Brooke Sebold,Red Without Blue tells the true story of Mark and Alex Farley, twins who grew up in a conservative area of Montana. The film, which won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the 2007 Slamdance Film Festival, recounts the childhood of the siblings as they navigated coming out, family, bullying, and pedophilia. It also trains a lens on their present-day search for identity, as Mark embarks on his first serious relationship with another man and Alex, who has adopted the name Claire, considers gender-reassignment surgery. By weaving together past and present, Red Without Blue creates a rich and complex portrait of an American family. —D.R.

173. Henry and June (1990): Based on Anaïs Nin’s diaries, this film explores the romantic triangle involving Nin, novelist Henry Miller, and his wife and muse, June, amid the bohemian life of 1930s Paris. Director Philip Kaufman wrote the screenplay with his wife, Rose; the resulting film is visually stunning but long and occasionally a bit of a slog. However, Maria de Medeiros as Nin and Uma Thurman as June are sexy and charismatic, and the movie is an important example of bisexual visibility, although it sometimes plays into stereotypes. —T.R.

174. The Fox (1967): By the late 1960s, mainstream filmmakers had gained the freedom to portray same-sex relationships, but attitudes hadn’t evolved enough for such portrayals to be positive. The Fox is a case in point: We won’t give details about the ending except to say that lesbian lovers Jill (Sandy Dennis) and Ellen (Anne Heywood) don’t live happily ever after. The women’s life on a chicken farm in rural Canada is disrupted by both a literal fox in the henhouse and a figurative one, the latter in the form of Keir Dullea as a sexy sailor home from the sea. Despite following the “no happy endings for lesbians” rule, the film has some admirable aspects; it’s atmospheric and haunting, and there’s plenty of heat in the love scenes between Dennis and Heywood as well as those between Heywood and Dullea. Based on a novella by D.H. Lawrence and directed by Mark Rydell, The Fox stands as a significant example of what had and hadn’t changed for LGBT portrayals in ’60s cinema. —T.R.

175. Claire of the Moon (1992): This early film by lesbian director Nicole Conn has endured, even if it hasn't aged particularly well (especially the earnestness and mom jeans). A supposedly straight writer discovers the joys of sapphic sex at a Pacific Northwest retreat, and there may be no going back (to men). The cinematography is pretty gorgeous and the sex scenes were certainly daring for the early '90s. —N.B.