Wine Poisoning Kills 21 in Indonesia

A batch of rice wine laced with methanol has killed 21 people on the Indonesian island of Bali, including two Britons, officials say.

Police say they have arrested the owner of a small rice wine factory after discovering drums of the wine, called arak, that contained traces of the toxic chemical methanol, which is often used as an antifreeze or solvent, The Times of London reported Wednesday.

The owner and two employees were arrested for allegedly "producing and selling alcohol containing methanol which can cause death," a police spokesman said in a statement. "We are investigating whether they did it on purpose."

Indonesian authorities are also reportedly looking into whether the methanol may have been added to the wine after it had left the factory.

The newspaper said some of the victims died in extreme agony, including Briton Alan Colen, 59, who suffered a long and painful death Saturday after buying arak from a roadside stand near his home in Canggu, North Kuta.

"There was nothing we could do for him," Dr. Ida Bagus Alit told The Times. "When methanol gets into the bloodstream the victim deteriorates very quickly. It attacks the eyes, the liver and the kidneys."

© 2009 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

UPI

Bali woos Indian tourists this autumn

The blossoms of the Indonesian island of Bali will add fragrance to the holiday itineraries of several Indians this festival season. With the number of Indian footfalls growing in the island every year, officials of Indonesia's culture and tourism ministry, the Bali tourism industry and the Bali chapter of the Pacific-Asia Travel Association (PATA) all expect the number to cross the 22,000 mark in 2008.

At the close of 2007, the number of Indian visitors to Bali stood at 21,909, up 71.27 percent from the previous year, said a communiqué issued here Friday by the Indonesian culture and tourism ministry.

There has been a steady increase in Indian arrivals to the exotic island. In 2003, the number of Indians who visited Bali was a mere 4,554. The subsequent year, the number logged a quantum jump of 42.03 per cent to 6,468 and in 2006, it was 12.792 per cent.

The ministry, which is hard-selling the island as a preferred destination to Indian tourists this year, held a colorful cultural roadshow Friday.

The highlight of the marketing show was a traditional dance performance which opened with the Sekar Jagat dance - Sekar in Balinese means flowers and Jagat means the world. Like other welcoming dances, the Sekar Jagat dancers bring flowers with them, which combined along with hand movement, make the flowers come alive. The dancers move in a circle, which is beautiful when seen from above.

It was followed by the religious Topend Tua dance, which tells the story of a grandfather. The dancer illustrates to the audience that as we age someday into old men and women, one of our senses would not work perfectly any longer. The eyes lose power of sight, the hair changes colour and the body emaciates.

The show ended with the Cendrawasih dance, which is woven around the scarce fauna found in the Irian Jaya (Papua) island.

This dance has a green message - it tells the viewers how to protect the environment - through the movements of the playful Cendrawasih bird. The bird is red in colour and attire and winged formations of the dancers make the dance lyrical.

Bali, which was nominated the world's best island by the International Travel Magazine, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Nestled in the Indonesian archipelago, with a rich tropical wildlife and exotic cultures, it attracts tourists from across the continents.

This year, it hopes to draw at least two million foreign tourists by the year end.

“Interestingly, Balinese is still as rich as it was though it is growing along with globalisation. The Balinese culture has always been related to 'Tri Hita Karana' or a tripartite concept that includes spiritual relationship between humans, gods and environment.

"Owing to many similarities between Bali and India and influence of the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata on the lives of the people in Bali and India, the two places have shared an emotional bond,” the statement issued by the ministry said.

Bali, one of the 17,000-odd islands in Indonesian archipelago, was an old spice trade centre dealing in pepper, cloves, nutmegs, vanilla and cinnamon. India last year ranked 14th in terms of foreign tourists visiting Bali.

via NDTVTravels

Summer at the Samaya

The treatment rooms in the Samaya Spa are positioned so that you can have an ocean view, and even with eyes closed, ensconced in the privacy of the room the oceanic presence is audible and restful.

The Friendly Samaya Spa staff guide you through the choices of treatments and offer knowledge on essential oil blends and suitable styles of massage for problem areas. Well trained and in tune with the healing culture of their heritage, the massage therapists are among the islands' finest. They have a beautiful work ethic; 'share the gift of touch and touch someone's heart'.

A sense of gentleness pervades as the pretty gardens are echoed in the room by the petals strewn on the massage bed and the soft traditional music that flows through the room. The Samaya have a full range of treatments available and what we especially like is the Rama Men's treatment, it is so wholesome and male it provides the perfect excuse for a man to tend to his wellbeing. An afternoon spa session is a perfect gift and can be provided as a treatment for romantic couples or simply as a solo undertaking

Samaya Spa : 0062 361 731 149

Nyepi Holy Day

This is one of the most unique celebrations in the world. It is also known as the Day of Silence. This unique day is celebrate once a year between March or April.

On this day Balinese must remain in their homes for 24hrs, abstaining from lighting fires and work. Before this holiday at night, house yards are symbolically swept of demons and lots of noise is made to scare negative forces away. Great big papier-mache puppets, called ogoh-ogoh, parade through the streets.

Kecak Dance

In 1930th, for the new influx of tourists, the kecak was created by the German painter Walter Spies and artists are from Bedulu Village. Now, it is one of Bali's most spectacular performances. It is based on the hypnotic songs which originated with the Sanghyang trance traditions.
In this incredible interlocking rhythms of the vocal sound of cak, create the swirling music of the kecak. Over 100 mens chant while dancers perform an excerpt from the Ramayana story in the middle of the human circle. Peliatan at the Puri Agung, is one of the best to see it, in the Ubud area.

For more detail information abouy Kecak Dance:
Puri Agung, Peliatan, Ubud, Bali, 80571.
Tel.: +62 361 976 285
Article: World News, Photo: mountainelm.com

Bali to host international animal welfare meetings

Around 250 delegates from countries in Asia, Europe and the United States along with representatives from 10 animal welfare foundations will gather in Sanur from Aug. 24 to 29.

The delegates will attend two events to discuss animal welfare issues, namely the Asia for Animals Conference and Asia Coalition for Farm Animals Workshop, which is organized by the Bali-based Yudhistira Swarga Street Dog Foundation.

The participants will include the London-based World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), the Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan (EAST), and the Korean Animal Welfare Association (KAWA).

"We intend to learn from the best practices around the world on how to improve our ways in taking care of these animals, including how to increase public awareness on the issues," Yudhistira foundation's spokeswoman Danti Yuliandari told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

Yudhistira foundation was established in 1998 by Balinese veterinarian Dr. Listriani Wistawan and her American friend Sherry Grant. The name of the foundation was taken from a character in Hindu's great epic Mahabharata.

According to the story, Prince Yudhistira, the epitome of virtue, refused to enter heaven after Lord Indra denied entry to Yudhistira's sole companion -- a skinny, dirty dog. Yudhistira argued the dog had earned its place in heaven for being loyal to him along the journey.

Danti said Bali was selected as the conference's site because many animal owners on the island were still treating pets or livestocks in a poor manner.

"Like humans, animals need to be treated with respect and care," she said.

Rina Dwi Asih, one of the foundation's field veterinarians, said they would also use the information from the conferences to lobby local legislators for a new animal welfare law.

She said the new law was expected to grant more power to animal welfare foundations and the government's animal husbandry agencies as well as to stipulate firmer punishments for those who abuse animals.

"With heavier legal sanctions there will be a new hope for a more conducive atmosphere on animal welfare in this country," she said.

Another veterinarian I Wayan Mudiarta said that to this date the only law concerning animal welfare used by the government was 1967 Animal Sanitary Law.

"This law is already out of date and in desperate need of improvement as it doesn't view animals from the animal welfare perspective and only stipulates minimum legal sanctions for violators," he said.

posted via: thejakartapost.com

Bamboo sales soar as Galungan nears

As the Balinese prepare to celebrate their spiritual triumph in the Hindu holiday of Galungan on Wednesday, bamboo merchants celebrate another kind of victory -- high sales and good profits.

Many bamboo merchants in Denpasar reported high sales in the days leading to Galungan, when Hindu worshippers celebrate the victory of dharma (virtue) over adharma (vices) by erecting elaborately decorated penjor bamboo poles in front of their homes.

"The earnings I've gotten from this year's bamboo sales have gone up about 20 percent to 30 percent over last year's Galungan," said Made Reda, a bamboo merchant on Jl. Kenyeri in Denpasar, on Tuesday.

Reda attributed the high sales to more Balinese simply getting better connected to their religion.

"That makes me feel good too, because I'm helping my fellow Hindus celebrate Galungan," he said.

Reda, who has been selling bamboo for 13 years, said he had sold about 1,500 bamboo pieces since Saturday, up from the 25 to 100 he can expect on normal days. His sales of janur (young palm leaves) and rice paddies bouquets have also increased.

Reda's bamboos come from areas outside Denpasar, like Gianyar and Klungkung, while the janur come from Java.

"Because it's hard to find janur or bamboo in Denpasar anymore," he said.

He said his bamboo go for Rp 15,000 (US$1.60) apiece, while his other decorative items cost between Rp 13,000 and Rp 35,000, a slight increase compared to last year due to the high cost of fuel.

"But that has not stopped people from celebrating Galungan, apparently. In fact, it's great that more people are buying Galungan decorations," he said.

Ngakan Putu Jendra, another bamboo merchant, said he had sold about 1,000 bamboo pieces since Sunday. His bamboo and other decorative items go for between Rp 12,000 and Rp 25,000. Jendra, who studied to be a teacher, said he enjoyed selling bamboo because it gave him a chance to help Hinduism flourish.

"We do what we do because it is part of our blessing. We can only give what we have received," he said.

Galungan, which occurs every 210 days and lasts for 10 days, ending on a day called Kuningan, is one of the most important recurring religious festivals in Balinese Hinduism. During the festival the deified ancestors descend to their former homes. The ancestors must be suitably entertained and welcomed with prayers and offerings.

According to Balinese mythology, Galungan is a celebration of the victory of Lord Indra and his heavenly army over Maya Denawa, the atheistic ruler of ancient Bali.

The days leading to Galungan see Balinese men prepare pigs or chicken as sacrifices, while inside the homes women can be seen making cakes and preparing fruits and flowers for offerings.

On Tuesday, Balinese men erected the penjor next to the front gates of their houses. The sight of the arching bamboos flanking the island's streets enhanced the festive spirit brought on by the religious festival.