The Ramayana Dance

The Ramayana is a great Hindu epic that is loved all over South East Asia !!!!

The full story is massive, and told only in episodes.

The most popular episode tells the story of Prince Rama, his wife Sita, and his brother Laksmana. They are banished from their kingdom and wandering through the forest.

One day, while hunting for deer, they are tricked by the evil Rawana, who kidnaps Sita.

With the help of the mythical Garuda and Hanuman (a white monkey general), Prince Rama eventually saves his wife.

Everyone in Bali loves this story, and even at tourist shows, there are sure to be Balinese in attendance.

Hanuman is everyone's favorite character. Animals in Balinese plays are allowed more freedoms than human characters. This is true in both the dance and the performance. As a result, Hanuman is usually performed by the most creative actor.

I've seen actors play Hanuman as a comedian, as a swashbuckling adventure hero, and as a ladies man.

Every performance is different. Because Rama and Laksmana are seen as idealized personifications of beauty, they are played by women.

This often confuses tourists, who can't keep track of the characters. My advice is, don't worry about it.

Read the plot line before the show, then forget about it. Once the show starts, watch Hanuman make his jokes, enjoy the costumes and dances, and listen to the gamelan.

Get there about 45 minutes early, bring something to drink and food to munch on, and sit on the carpet right in front of the stage.

The National Monument tower - Monas

The Monumen Nasional (or Tugu Monas, the National Monument tower) is a 450 ft (137 m) tall tower in Central Jakarta, symbolizing the fight for Indonesia's independence. Construction began in 1961 under Sukarno and was not finished until 1975 under Suharto. It is topped by a 14.5 ton bronze flame, which is plated in 35 kg (1,125 troy ounces) of gold.

Visitors can take an elevator up to a platform with a view of Medan Merdeka Park, Istiqlal Mosque, and the capital city of Indonesia Jakarta. Inside the base of the monument is an exhibition on the country's Declaration of Independence and several dioramas showing the history of Indonesia.


Monument design

The design of the monument is meant to combine elements of masculine and feminine. The design based on Lingga-Yoni, the symbol of fertility in ancient Hindu-Javanese belief. The phallic shaft comes toward the ground and is engulfed by square base meant to symbolize fertility. The monument body was made of steel and concrete covered with Italian white marble. On the top of the tower there's a square terrace that can be reach by visitors by elevator. From here visitors can see an aerial view of Jakarta. The monument is crowned by gold-coated flame, right on the top of the peak terrace. This golden flame is intended to symbolize the spirit of freedom and the struggle for independence of Indonesian people.

Senggigi Beach Lombok

Senggigi is the most developed tourist area in Lombok. The sunsets over the Lombok strait are superb, and you can enjoy them from the beach or from one of the beachfront restaurants. Senggigi, north of Bangsal, belongs to the most scenic and most popular beaches on the island of Lombok with good accommodation facilities.

Senggigi is the main tourist strip of Lombok, stretched out along nearly 10 kilometers of beachfront just to the north of the capital Mataram.Located on the western coast of Lombok in the small village and resort area of Senggigi.

The town of Senggigi spreads out along nearly 10 kilometers of coastal road. This road continues north to Bangsal, the port for the Gili Islands. Along the way be in store for winding turns, steep hills, and a fantastic scenery of the coast. The bays are ideal for swimming snorkeling and other popular water activities and its impressive hillsides provide a dramatic backdrop and breathtaking scenic road trips along the coast to the north.

Located on the western coast of Lombok is the small village and resort area of Senggigi. Tall coconut trees shadow two stunning bays and the white sand beach of Senggigi. The bays are ideal for swimming snorkeling and other popular water activities and its impressive hillsides provide a dramatic backdrop and breathtaking scenic road trips along the coast to the north.
Senggigi over the years has become the most popular tourist area of Lombok, presenting a diverse range of hotel accommodations, from deluxe four-star resort properties to simple home-stays. As well, restaurants, cafes, entertainment venues can all be found along the main Senggigi road and on certain areas along the beach.

Senggigi can be broadly divided into three parts: northern Mangsit Beach, central Senggigi and the southern stretch near Batu Bolong, with headlands separating the three. Mangsit has quiet resorts and very little other development, while nightlife and other restaurants are concentrated in Senggigi and the Batu Bolong area.

Additional Information:

Get in
Senggigi is about 15-20 minutes north of Mataram and its airport. Taxis charge around Rp 30,000 for the trip, while bemos will cover the distance for under Rp 5,000.

Buddha on Borobudur - two

Prambanan Temple Gate

Buddha on Borobudur

Borobudur Temple Picture