Missive From Paradise
Our workshop participants began trickling in, all arriving by Monday, when we held a welcome session over tea and cake, and a refresher class on the elements of composition. We have two from Australia (not related to each other), two from New Jersey, one from Minnesota, one from Indiana, one from Phoenix (who lived in Australia for thirty years), a couple from DC, and my partner, who’s from Portland — so a geographically diverse bunch of really nice people.
Our first outing was just next door, to the Sacred Monkey Forest, where I managed to shoot dozens of blurry photos of monkeys running around. Maybe next week I’ll do better.
One of the things you notice immediately here are the vast numbers of carved stone statues, some immense, others just small details on gates or doorways. Wood carving is also a fine art here, with most family temples adorned with intricate designs rendered by master craftsmen. Playful ganesh, Bali’s Hindu elephant god, are everywhere. He is the Lord of Beginnings and Remover of Obstacles. Door guardians like the one below put on a quite different face to all who approach.
Even the doors to the hotel rooms are decoratively carved of wood.
Day’s end, after a late afternoon shower…
