Ubud, Bali: Monkey Forest, Goa Gajah, Yeh Pulu, Balinese Dance

(2012 Winter Holidays in Indonesia, Mark C. Eades and Nick Carruthers)

Terraced rice fields north of Ubud:

From Gili Trawangan we traveled by high-speed boat back to Bali. Upon arrival, we bypassed Kuta in favor of direct transport to the Balinese cultural center of Ubud in the island’s interior about an hour north of Denpasar. In Ubud we took up residence in tourist bungalows near the famous Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary (also known simply as the Monkey Forest), a Hindu holy site inhabited by grey-haired Balinese macaques. The sanctuary includes a descent by stone stairway and over an arched stone bridge to a temple and bathing pool that would make a perfect setting for an Indiana Jones movie. Overlooking a deep canyon nearby are a pair of Komodo dragons carved from a stony outcrop, lending the setting also a “land of the dinosaurs” feel (click on photos for larger images).

Monkeys sharing a meal in the Monkey Forest:

Monkeys grooming each other in the Monkey Forest:

Stone carving of Komodo dragons, Monkey Forest:

A few miles east of Ubud is the village of Bedulu, once a center of the Pejeng Kingdom of the tenth to thirteenth centuries. Sites in Bedulu include Goa Gajah, the “Elephant Cave,” a Hindu sanctuary dated to the eleventh century and discovered by Dutch archaeologists in 1923. According to legend, the cave was carved from the stone by the fingernail of the giant Kewo Iba. The opening to the cave shrine itself is through the carved mouth of a demon, its small interior including carved phallic symbols dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, “lord of the dance”; and a statue of the elephant-headed god Ganesha, the son of Shiva, lord of boundaries, remover of obstacles, and patron of arts, learning, and trade. In the courtyard facing the cave is a pair of bathing pools fed with spring water from spouts held by six female figures, a distant echo of a Roman spa. Beyond the bathing pools is a large pavilion, used when we visited for giving lessons in traditional Balinese dance to local schoolgirls. In Bedulu also are the stone reliefs of Yeh Pulu, carved into a cliff face in the fourteenth century, and including images of Hindu gods, heroic scenes of men battling demonic beasts, and scenes from everyday life. Like Goa Gajah, Yeh Pulu is said in legend to have carved by the giant Kewo Iba.

Opening of cave shrine, Goa Gajah:

Girls learning traditional Balinese dance, Goa Gajah:

Bathing pool, Goa Gajah:

Stone relief, Yeh Pulu:

Nick in jungle with motorbike helmet, Goa Gajah:

Me, back at my bungalow in Ubud:

Girls learning traditional Balinese dance, Ubud:

Balinese dance performance, Ubud:

 (click on photos for larger images)

Denpasar, Kuta, Gili Trawangan

(2012 Winter Holidays in Indonesia, Mark C. Eades and Nick Carruthers)

From Jakarta we flew to Denpasar, capital of the island of Bali neighboring Java immediately to the east. Bali is unique in that, unlike most of Indonesia, the island has remained predominantly Hindu. This difference was apparent immediately from the many Hindu shrines we passed as we rode by taxi from the airport to nearby Kuta, a convenient place to layover before traveling onward. Not surprisingly, Kuta Beach turned out to be a rather disgusting little tourist dive, full of spoiled young Australian surf brats and flabby middle-aged men on sex tours. It reminded me of a resort town in Mexico overrun by gringo college kids on Spring Break, a place from which to broadcast an MTV Beach Party (and where flabby middle-aged men on sex tours may also be found). Kuta’s only saving graces were the friendliness of the local people, and the daily religious practices of the people at the area’s numerous Hindu shrines (such as that in the photo here from our bungalows). Kuta is also haunted, however, by the bombings of 2002 and 2005, attributed to Jemaah Islamiya, an armed militant group affiliated with al-Qaeda which seeks to establish a fundamentalist Islamic state in Southeast Asia. We arrived near the tenth anniversary of the 2002 bombing (the far more deadly of the two, claiming more than 200 lives), and stayed in tourist bungalows only a few minutes’ walk from the bombing site.

We left Kuta as soon as possible by bus and high-speed boat to the tiny island of Gili Trawangan, the third in a string of three tiny Gili islands (also including Gili Meno and Gili Air) extending from the northwest coast of much larger Lombok neighboring Bali to the east. For some years Gili Trawangan has been known as a backpacker party island, a reputation quickly fading due to upscale tourist development on the island. The sea is warm and clear, diving and snorkeling among the area’s major draws for tourists. There are no motor vehicles of any kind on Gili Trawangan, only bicycles and horse-drawn carts; and until recently the island was noted for having no police presence whatsoever. Reggae is the music of choice in many of the island’s drinking establishments and even among many of the locals, with Bob Marley’s messianic image prominent everywhere. Indonesia’s strict drug laws (including a death penalty for trafficking) apparently don’t apply to magic mushrooms, which grow plentifully on the island in piles of buffalo dung, and which local vendors harvest, wash, and put into fruit shakes for the tourists. In addition to the ubiquitous mushroom shakes offered legally at bars and restaurants, young men along the road offer marijuana as well as cocaine.

Despite the natural beauty and laid-back atmosphere of the island, the effects of rapid tourist development have made it a far less desirable place to spend very much of one’s hard-earned holiday time than it might once have been, and one soon begins to think of moving onward (click on photos for larger images).

View from beach on Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno in near background, Lombok and Rinjani volcano in far background:

Inter-island commerce, Gili Trawangan:

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Demonstration for Agrarian Reform, Jakarta

(2012 Winter Holidays in Indonesia, Mark C. Eades and Nick Carruthers)

Following our arrival in Jakarta, we booked airline tickets for Denpasar, Bali. Leaving Jakarta for our flight to Denpasar, our airport bus was stalled for some time in the city center due to a demonstration for agrarian reform outside Parliament House. Among the demonstrators' demands was an end to violence against rural residents in land disputes with developers. Groups involved in the demostration included the Indonesian Peasants' Union (Serikat Petani Indonesia, or SPI), the Pasunsan Peasants' Union (Serikat Petani Pasundan, or SPP), and the Mining Advocacy Network (JATAM).

(click on photos for larger images)

Nick, obviously enjoying the ride:

Me, looking perplexed and curious:

See also Inside Indonesia, Jakarta Globe, Media Indonesia, Republika.

(click on photos for larger images)

African Expats in China Meet Opportunites and Discrimination

With an African expat population estimated at 200,000 and increasing by 30-40% each year, the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou now hosts the largest African community in Asia, known to locals as "Chocolate City." Large and and growing African expat communities may also be found in Shanghai, Beijing, and other Chinese cities, mirroring China's growing presence in Africa. Lured by lucrative business opportunities or study at Chinese universities, Africans in China also meet racial prejudice and discrimination. Chinese netizens express sympathy as well as hostility toward their African guests in comments reported at ChinaSmack (see also NetEase, QQ, ifeng).

Romney Hits China, China Hits Back

China lashed out at Republican US presidential candidate Mitt Romney this week following an assault on China by Romney in a campaign speech Sept. 6 (Xinhua). In his"jobs plan" Romney called China a "cheater" and promised that as president he would impose trade restrictions if China doesn't comply with intellectual property laws and allow its currency to float freely in foreign exchange markets (see CNN Money).

"I'll clamp down on the cheaters, and China is the worst example of that...," Romney said, "...If they cheat, there is a price to pay.... I don't want a trade war, but I don't want a trade surrender either." Romney's tone contrasted sharply with that of Vice-President Joe Biden in a New York Times op-ed following his recent visit to China. Biden rejected the view of China's rise as a threat to America and said: "I remain convinced that a successful China can make our country more prosperous, not less.... As trade and investment bind us together, we have a stake in each other’s success."

China called Romney's remarks "old-fashioned and ill-advised," observing that US politicians of both major parties frequently resort to China-bashing in pursuit of votes. "China bashing has become a handy tool of US politicians, especially in electoral campaigns or times of economic difficulties...," an editorial at state-owned news agency Xinhua said, "...Crafty politicians tend to cater to and even ratchet up the antagonistic sentiment of some poorly informed voters toward China, dreaming that they could ride the anti-China waves to higher political echelons and even the White House."

Xinhua is correct that Democrats as well as Republicans often indulge in China-bashing to appeal to angry voters. The harshest anti-China rhetoric of late, however, has come from Republicans, who frequently resort to Cold War language to appeal to xenophobic Tea Party voters who make up a large portion of the Republican base of support. While Democrats such as Joe Biden focus on economic and trade issues in a spirit of constructive engagement with China, Republicans speak of China as an enemy in language reminiscent of the 1950s. Some, such as conservative media figures Lowell Ponte and Arthur Herman, still insist on referring to the country as "Red China," and claim that "China sees debt as a way to conquer America." Republicans use the same Cold War language against "socialist" President Barack Hussein Obama, whom they also nonsensically accuse of being in league with other perceived enemies including "Muslim terrorists" and "illegal Mexicans."

The insane pitch to which xenophobic nationalism has risen in Republican ranks cannot be overstated, and each of the Republican candidates competing for Tea Party primary votes will try to be more anti-Mexican, anti-Muslim, anti-China, and anti-Barack Hussein Obama than all the rest. The only exception is former ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, the self-styled "sane Republican" who stands precisely zero chance of winning the Republican nomination. In a Republican debate this week Huntsman chastised Romney for the latter's belligerent remarks on China: "I'd have to say, Mitt, now is not the time in a recession to enter a trade war." Huntsman may be a reasonable man, but neither is now the time in the Republican Party for reasonable men.

As the "China threat" looms ever-larger in the paranoid minds of conservative Americans—and as the 2012 Republican campaign wears tiresomely on—we can expect anti-China rhetoric on the Right to grow more heated and to extend far beyond merely economic concerns. In particular, look for China's rising global influence to be waved around by national security hawks as a threat to American supremacy in Asia and the Middle East. Meanwhile, Democrats such as Barack Obama and Joe Biden will be at great pains to avoid accusations of being "soft on China."

A case in point is the vote on Palestinian statehood recognition later this month at the United Nations, where the US and China sit as two of only five permanent members of the UN Security Council with veto power. In loyalty to Israel he US has pledged to veto Palestinian statehood recognition, while China has declared that it will support the Palestinians. Calling China's move a "jolt to U.S. influence in the Middle East,"the right-wing World Net Daily (Aug. 29) said: "While China's stance is no surprise, it further complicates US-China relations at a time when the US position in the Middle East has eroded.... China also is flexing its influence elsewhere and has raised challenges to US military presence in East Asia."

On national security as on economic and trade issues, the tone among Republicans contrasts sharply with that of Democrats. "On issues from global security to global economic growth...," Joe Biden writes in the New York Times, "...we [the US and China] share common challenges and responsibilities—and we have incentives to work together. That is why our administration has worked to put our relationship on a stable footing."

China's response to Mitt Romney at Xinhua concludes in a similar spirit of cooperation: "China is no cause of the current US economic mess, and bashing Beijing is no cure for Washington's woes. What US policymakers should do is to revamp their own practices and foster more cooperation with China, which benefits from a thriving US economy."

Whichever party holds power in Washington, the US and China will undoubtedly have occasional differences on issues of importance to both countries. With Democrats such as Barack Obama and Joe Biden in the White House, however, these differences can at least be debated in a rational and sane manner.

Israeli Intelligence Officials Claim Hamas Operating in China

Israeli intelligence officials say that Palestinian militant group Hamas has financial operations in China that include money laundering and procurement of equipment, according to a report in the Jerusalem Post (Sept. 8). The report also says that Hamas has recruiting operations in Turkey.

This is not the first time that ties between Hamas and China have been alleged by Israel. In 2008 the Bank of China was accused of transferring millions of dollars to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad for carrying out terrorist activities in Israel between 2004 and 2007. In 2009 Israel claimed that Hamas leadership had been ordering weapons and military equipment directly from China.

China has categorically denied these allegations, which have thus far warranted little international attention.

Nazi Chic Cosplay: Chinese Couples Pose for Pictures in Nazi Attire

This is simply too weird for words. Costume play or "Cosplay" is a popular Asian pastime in which practitioners dress up as characters from their favorite cartoons or video games. Here, however, a young Chinese couple poses for photos in Nazi costume (via ChinaSmack, MOP):

"Nazi cosplayers often don’t comprehend the historical implications of the uniforms they are wearing...," says ChinaSmack, "...When asked, they would respond with 'We’re not racist, we just like the fashion. Really'." Better-informed Chinese netizens were quite unsympathetic, however, and harshly derided the couple for their astonishing ignorance.

No Pants Subway Ride Comes to Shanghai

Inspired apparently by New York's annual No Pants Subway Ride, local girls here in Shanghai caused a stir recently among Chinese netizens when they decided to strip down to their underwear on the Shanghai metro (via ChinaSmack, ifeng):

Comments at ChinaSmack translated from ifeng express astonishment and even outrage at the behavior of these brave young metro passengers. "When did Shanghainese girls become this uninhibited?” one asks, while another calls today's China "a society of lost morals and deformed values."

Not all comments were so negative: "Haha, there’s something rare and novel every day...," one netizen writes, "...This world is so amusing."

I, for one, see what these girls have done as a good and healthy thing - a joyous act of personal liberation - not to mention a lovely diversion for other passengers from an otherwise dull morning commute.

Airport Gothic (Untapped SF)

See my essay, "Airport Gothic," with photography by cousin Shelley Eades, at Untapped SF:

This is the airport.

Feel it: Slick, breezy, international; a place that wakes you up, gets the blood pumping. A place where people are on the move. Rosy-fingered dawn; awaiting departure. There’s something about the smell of coffee and jet fuel early in the morning.... [Continue reading at Untapped SF]

Basketball Diplomacy Fails as Biden Visits China

While US vice-president Joe Biden hobnobbed with Chinese officials Thursday night in Beijing, an international "basketball friendship match" between the Georgetown Hoyas and Shanghai Bayi Rockets erupted into a violent and embarrassing brawl that threatened to mar the entire vice-presidential visit. Hopes for a resurrection of the "ping-pong diplomacy" that helped re-establish relations between the US and China in the 1970s were dashed as members of both teams threw punches at one another, chairs were thrown, and Chinese spectators hurled water bottles at Georgetown players leaving the court with nine-and-a-half minutes left in the game and the score tied at 64-64.

The fracas on the basketball court was almost certainly followed by a storm of expletives before the television set in the vice-presidential hotel suite, where I would love to have been a fly on the wall. Up to this point, the tone of Biden's visit had been overwhelmingly positive, except for a minor kerfluffle between American reporters and Chinese officials when the reporters were pushed from a Beijing ceremonial hall while the vice-president was still speaking. Following the ill-fated "friendship match" members of the Chinese and American basketball teams reportedly shook hands and made up at the Beijing airport. From Beijing the Hoyas flew on to Shanghai to compete with the Liaoning Dinosaurs at the Nike Sports Festival, where it is hoped that no further violence will ensue.

See also China Daily, The Hoya, Los Angeles Times, Time, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Xinhua. Photo: Reuters.