Monthly Archive: March 2015

Batu Bolong beach in Canggu, Bali.

Two Nyepi Resolutions

Tomorrow is Nyepi. That’s the Hindu day of silence on Bali, when everyone has to pretend they’ve left the island so Bali’s not terribly intelligent...

Laundry hanging out to dry in front of buffalo skulls, Toraja, Indonesia.

Toraja: Just Plain Mental

In January, we went back to Toraja, the highland area of Sulawesi that’s famous for its gory funerals, not to mention burying babies in trees....

Balinese kris-maker Empu Nyoman Punduh with his masterwork.

Friday Photo: Balinese Kris

This is Empu Nyoman Punduh, a kris-maker in Kintamani, Bali, with his masterpiece. The Balinese kris is central to the culture. A young man gets...

The water temple of Tirta empul at Tampak Siring.

How to Spend 48 Hours in Ubud

If you’re coming to Bali, a night or two in Ubud, the island’s arts, culture, food and spirituality capital, is pretty much a must. So...

Pirate Party logo.

5 Stupid Political Parties

I’m not sure whether it’s a measure of apathy in the face of imminent enviro-disaster, a factor of our cat-picture-shrunken attention spans, or the information...