Offerings

Offerings

Small, square woven trays of palm leaves filled with a variety of offerings abound in Bali. Their contents show respect to the gods - both gods and demons. Flowers and bits of food offer thanks to the gods. Burning incense and sprinkling water make a connection to the gods and purifies the offerings. Offerings on the ground are directed toward the demons and those higher to the gods.

Usually a tray or two mark the entrance to a home or business. Near temples and holy sites, the trays are stacked up in dozens. Last night (Friday) at a celebration in Ubud hundreds of offerings lined a roadside. Here are some examples.

This is the porch of the house where we stayed for our first two nights. We spent one morning reading on the couches and keeping the cats company.

Street scene in the north Kuta area. 

Kuta seems to be the Waikiki of Bali - lots of tourists, shops, fast food, and congestion. We walked south from our place in Seminyak, mostly along the winding, narrow city streets through Legian and down to Kuta. After reading on the beach for a little while, we returned to our place via the beach.