Vesak Day

There are so many things I will miss about Singapore.  One of them is seeing Buddhist monks clad in their orange robes all around town.  I see them on the street, at stores, on the train, and even at the zoo occasionally.  I'm pretty sure I won't be running into any in Provo.

Last Tuesday was Vesak Day.  The day is celebrated by Buddhists with great ceremonial ritual and commemorates the birth and enlightenment of Buddha and his entry into Nirvana.  Though this is my 3rd  Vesak day in Singapore, it was my first time attending any festivities.  Thank you Chelsea for having me over for dinner and taking me to it!!  

There was a great kids corner with games, which earned you tickets to buy prizes.

The tent was up for several days and all the rituals could be done/seen each day.  The actual day itself begins with the Buddha mantra chanting.  My brochure said that listening to the chanting is comparable to listening to discourses by Lord Buddha.  The chanting bestows blessings and protection.  It is a truly  a wonderful sound and so peaceful.  I've really enjoyed the several times I've been able to hear the chanting.  

Bathing Buddha commemorates the birth of Prince Siddhatta.

Lotus grows in the muddy darkness at the bottom of a pond, towards the warmth and light of the sun.  Hence, the lotus flower is offered to represent where devotees should turn--towards light and truth. 

The devoted Buddhist apply gold leaf to preserve the precious Buddha statues and to extend the lifespan of Buddhism.

The celebration concludes with a candlelight procession through the streets.

The Ten Parami Wishing Wells.  Making resolutions is to accomplish the Resolve Parami.  "Be diligent in meditation, truthful in speech, the strength of our resolution will increase."  I love that!

Since we are on the topic of Buddha.  Remember Samara's baby Buddha friends?

Lizzie wasn't too keen about her new playmates.  This is  how I feel at the moment too!  I'm thrilled for the future but so sad to leave Singapore.  And I hate packing.  And Ben's been gone all week in Ireland.  To end on a positive note,  I've sold a lot of our furniture.  And then I cry over selling cheap Ikea coffee tables.  

On the Move

 These little piggies are on the move.  

Lizzie could not be happier or more proud of her new abilities.  But can you guess what her favorite destination is?

C'est Moi!  She's been so determined to move independently only find her way back to my arms.  I feel like a million bucks whenever she crawls over to me and pulls herself to stand, wanting to be held.  It's so fun to see her sweet little personality develop.

I started this post earlier this week but blogger has been down for a couple of days so I wasn't able to post it.  Then today Ben got a job offer from BYU.  The universe was trying to tell us something.  

Ben accepted a position as a professor in the Physiology and Developmental Biology Department.  We are thrilled and grateful.   

We have a month to pack up and get to the states for my sister-in-law's wedding.  It's going to be hectic trying to fit 1,000 sq feet into suitcases and a few bins that we'll ship.  We have loved our time in Singapore and will be forever grateful for the adventures and lessons we've learned.  It will be very hard to say good-bye.  But we are thrilled to move on to the next step in life.  Anyone whose been (or been married to) a doctoral or med student knows what a long (but good) road it is.  We are looking forward to our new adventures and being near our families again.  I know we will dearly miss SE Asia.  It's an amazing part of the world and we feel so lucky to have been able to explore so much of it.  But it's time to get serious about retirement so we can make our way back to Thailand! We'll probably have to change the blog name soon to "Awaiting Tropical Adventures."

Happy Mothering Day

A Decade

The Mr. and I are celebrat'n 10 years of marital bliss (and spats!) today.  We've really moved up in the world--literally.  We started our marriage living underground in a basement and are now living on the 11th floor.  At this rate we have no choice but to retire in a big city. 

I'm so grateful Ben is the one with whom I get to enjoy this unpredictable and wonderful ride.  In the immortal words of Cosmo Kramer, "Giddy up!"

Bali: Temples

I am determined to get this posted while it's fresh in my memory.  I have yet to finish all the posts about Cambodia (last October) and it's easy to make comparisons between the two places.  The temples in Cambodia are monumental--the scale and magnitude is overwhelming.  The temples in Bali aren't as grand, per se, but I enjoyed them equally.  The sheer number of them is impressive and they are living temples still in use today.   One can't help but be touched by the devotion of the Balinese people.

There are so many temples in Bali that you couldn't possibly see them all in one trip.  There are a few big ones we missed so I wanted to list those first.

Pura Besakih: Often referred to as "the mother temple".  I read it's very touristy and opinions vary on whether it's worth visiting, but it's considered the largest and one of the most important places of worship.
Pura Ulun Dabu Bratan (Lake Bratan): This is one featured on all the guide book covers.  I am disappointed we missed this one.  We didn't realize where it was located and were just too far away to go to it the last day.
Uluwatu Temple: Located on top a dramatic promissory with great views, this temple looks similar to the last one in this post, Tanah Lot.  I was told to visit Jimberan Beach afterwards.

Pura Tirtha Empul

 I am 99% sure that is the name of this temple.  Our villa and driver referred to it al the "Holy Springs" temple.  If that isn't the name then it's Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu or Pura Mengening.

 The source of the water is Pakerisan River (see next temple).  Balinese believe the spring was created by the Hindu god, Indra.  The waters gushing through it's many spouts are said to have curative powers.  People journey from near and far to purify themselves in the pools after presenting a small offering to spring's deity.

Built during the 10th century.  Lizzie is going to wish she remembered visiting these amazing sites when she is older.  Good thing we have lots of photos to prove it.

Gunung Kawi

 Nicknamed the "100-steps temple" but there were far more than that.  We lost count.

The stunning Pakerisan River Valley

 The natural setting of this temple was my favorite.  It was a hot and sweaty trek down to it, but so worth it.  We were virtually the only ones there, which is always a perk.

 I loved the traditional Balinese umbrellas.  Ben was meant to live in a culture where the men done skirts of some kind.  He was really digging the sarong and you know how he feels about kilts.

 The temple dates back to the 11th century.  A complex of rock-hewn candi (shrines), facades, and monks' alcoves are well preserved and were carved out of the ancient rock.

Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave)

This temple also dates back to the 11th century.  These pools were excavated in 1922 by the dutch.

 The figure above the cave is a Boma figure that frightens away evil.  The statue to the left of the cave is a demonic goddness Hriti, who converted to Buddhism and became their protector.  The Balinese call her Men Brayut, a woman who had 18 kids. Villagers pray here to be blessed with offspring of their own.

Speaking of offspring...cute Lizzie and her BFF.  They syncro nap.  How cute is that?! 

Puri Saren Agung

 The palace of the royal family that ruled from the late 1800s until World War II.  Most buildings were designed by Bali's most famous architect.  This is conveniently located opposite the market in Ubud.

The kids all got a kick out of this dog--they joked that he thought he was royalty.  Apparently, guests can book these sites at the palace if they want to experience life in Balinese palace.

Pura Taman Ayun (Floating Palace)

 I have no idea what Samara is doing, but she kept clapping like this for pictures.  Ole!

This temple was built in the 18th century by King Mengwi as a temple for the royal family.

 The Balinese architecture is distinct and so beautiful.  This type of entrance is very common.

 The temple grounds are protected by a moat.  The temple itself, which is a series of soaring Meru (pagodas), is open only to worshipers; visitors are only allowed to walk around it.  Gorgeous, isn't it? The architecture at Lake Bratan is similar. 

Pura Tanah Lot (Sunset Temple)

Tanah Lot is located on a picturesque rocky islet just offshore.  When the tide is out (as it was in these pictures), you can walk across to the temple area (though climbing to the temple is not allowed due to severe erosion).  The founding of the temple is attributed to a 16th-century Hindu high priest who fled to Bali from Java due to the rise of Islam.  

 This was a special moment for Ben.  Earlier that day he had been expressing his regret that he'd never seen a black sand beach before.  Needless to say, he was delighted by this stop.  

Unrelated, I think this is probably the 2,000th picture of the two of them walking away from me.

 Catching our dinner!  I really did have fish and chips for dinner.  But I'm not so sure it wasn't stray dog to be honest.  

We had dinner on the coast overlooking the temple--we had a beautiful view and horrible food.  The indigestion was worth it.

And I end with Samara's favorite thing about the trip...Lizzie's princess fairy bed (with signature mosquito netting).