Definite Top Experience of Nuventures

If you were to ask us, "What is the coolest thing you have done recently?"  Adam I would both yell out, "Flying kites!" Well, we weren't even flying the kites, we were only watching! Then, we would argue over who would get to tell the story.

Hands down, seeing kites take flight in preparation for the Bali Kite Festival has been one of the coolest experiences we have had on our nuventures. We even have a video below so you can see one getting launched! You need to see it to believe it!

Background: The Bali Kite Festival is an international festival where teams from all over the world come to fly their kites in the seasonal strong wind. These aren't just any kites. We were hearing of, "Kites being so big, 14 men are dragged down a beach trying to control them!"

Over our month long stay in Ubud, Bali we were seeing the daily preparations of men and boys working on building these enormous bamboo structures in their banjar centers each night. As the nights progressed, we were starting to see the men working to fit beautiful fabrics over the bamboo frames. Then, we started witnessing these kites causing traffic jams because they were bigger than the trucks carrying them! The transport of these kites require police escorts to ensure the kites don't get caught in overhanging trees or electrical wires on the narrow streets.

For the entire month, we were waiting in anticipation like Christmas was coming! On July 18, the date of the festival, we were off to Sanur Beach with our hearts full of excitement to see these enormous kites in flight!

After the hour ride, we stepped out of the car and our hearts were immediately deflated. A parking attendant said, "No, it happened three days ago." What!?! I checked five internet sites for the date! We hurried to the beach to see for ourselves. No kites. I was heartbroken. I had been waiting in anticipation for an entire month and we missed it! I edged away from the group and pouted like a five year old. Seriously.

Adam was the man, stepping up to the plate and persevering in asking more people to get a better understanding of the real story. We are continuing to learn  you can't trust to get the real facts about visas, kite festivals, or anything from one person or the internet in South East Asia. You need to ask tons of people and read many internet sources to get a big consensus on any issue.

A few people pointed down the beach and described a 15 minute walk. As we were heading that way, we asked a few more people just to make sure we were headed in the right direction and they said, "It's not today." Ugh! We kept on hoping for the best!

Then, with our ears perked, we heard the kites before we saw them! It sounded like we were approaching a small airport!

The walkway opened up into a huge field and kites were flying! I was so excited I felt like I was racing onto the field jumping and doing somersaults in celebration. Yes, we missed the festival, but we got to see some of the teams practicing for their future competitions!

All the kites flying! They are huge!

A team bringing in a kite to launch! Check the dragon face!

The team starts tying on the tail of the kite. 

We are so PUMPED! Look how big this kite is!

We met Laura in New Zealand and reunited in Bali! So cool experiencing this together!

We met Rich and his wife, Danielle, in Bali and we're all from Colorado Springs, Colorado! Small world!

The dragon launches into the sky!

We are seeing this! OMG!

Containing our excitement for a photo:)

It's huge!

The 20+ man team works together to control the flight. 

They were constantly shifting and adapting to the winds. 

They used exposed sand bags on the beach as a base to hold the rope. 

So awesome!

Watch the kite being launched here!

Have you ever seen this? If not, you have to! Put Bali on your bucketlist and make sure to go for the Bali Kite Festival, whenever it is! We still wouldn't be able to tell you!

A Birthday Like None Other

Adam's 28th year was brought in with a Balinese bang!

Our Balinese friend, Guli, invited a couple of bules (white people) to his family's temple ceremony. Thankfully, we were two of these lucky bules along with our new Colorado Springs friends, Rich and Danielle. The date of the ceremony was scheduled for an auspicious day on the Balinese calendar and just happened to fall on Adam's 28th birthday.

This kind of invitation is the ultimate travel experience for Adam and was quite the birthday gift to start off a new year!

Guli

This ceremony celebrates the birth of the temple and is celebrated every six months through two cleansing ceremonies in the clan temple and again in the family temple. We had no idea what this meant and what we were in for, so cheers to another #nuventure!

After arriving at the family's compound, we sat chatting with the men. 

We sampled sweet Balinese coffee, rice cookies, purple sweet potato and spicy chicken. Yum!

All six senses were bursting with new and foreign stimulus all day. From our first step into the compound, we were constantly adjusting and soaking in all the new visuals, sounds, and smells that come with preparing for and taking part in a Balinese ceremony. Just imagine this scene: roosters constantly crowing, incense burning for the offerings being sent to the heavens, constant ringing of the priest's golden bell as he prayed,  the tonal pitch of eastern hymns, mischievous boys running and screaming around the temple,  and the vibrant colors in the decorations, the attire and in the fruit and flowers.

We were soaking all of this in whilst being creative in our communication with Guli's family through broken English, laughing, and enormous smiles. We wanted to make sure his family knew we were so thankful to be there with them on such a special day!

The family temple decorated for the second ceremony. 

The family temple located right in the compound next to the bedrooms. 

The ladies started taking the offerings to the clan temple. 

Everyone preparing the offerings in the family temple. 

While waiting for the ceremonies, Adam learned how to massage and condition cocks for cock fighting. 

We made our way to the clan temple for the first prayer and cleansing ceremony. As we were sitting on the bamboo mats in the clan temple, Guli was guiding us through the Balinese prayer ceremony we were about to experience. Just before it started he said, "I hope after today you will be better Christians."

The family slowly trickled into the clan temple. The priest had started ringing his bell and the singing of prayerful songs had started. 

How beautiful are these women? Waving flower petals and wafting their prayers to heaven. 

We are so bad. We're supposed to be praying! I'm not a good influence:)

We loved how the boys could just play and be themselves during the ceremony. 

The women, the colors, the offerings. Ah! All are so lovely! 

Big contrast to Adam's Southern Baptist upbringing. This would be begging for a good switchin'!

Guli's uncle chummed up with Adam all day. He's holding a grilled chicken with the head, beak and talons still intact. It's snack time after the ceremony. Dig in!

Small piece of Guli's family. 

While waiting for the second ceremony, we sat and chatted again. Everyone was amazed by Rich smoking his pipe. Never seen a pipe before!

Everyone's watching curiously!

The men were preparing a fire cracker to explode during the next ceremony to scare away evil spirits. 

A fire was lit under three bamboo stalks right outside the family temple. Everyone laughed and made fun of each others' shock when each one exploded.  

The women are still bringing in more and more offerings for the ceremony in the family temple. 

And more...

The entire family squeezed together on the ground for the ceremony to begin. 

The priest prayed, rang his bell, led us through prayers and drenched us with holy water. 

Guli's uncle led the songs of prayer and guided us through the singing. 

So many offerings of cakes, fruit, flowers, rice and chicken. 

The camera just can't capture it all. Heaps of offerings were on the tables, in the temple's nooks and crannies, and on the ground. 

After the ceremonies, it was time to eat! Guli presented Adam a cake from the offerings as a birthday cake. Balinese folks don't have birthdays, but are familiar with Western traditions.  He asked, "Should we light the candles?"

The family all followed us out to wave goodbye. Ah! What an amazing day!

The day ended and we crashed into bed with yet another day of our minds exploding from all the learning and our hearts full from the love we received from another beautiful Balinese family.

Family photo!

The next morning I woke up in a groggy stupor and realized I had no idea what had happened on Adam's birthday. I was in absolutely every moment. I saw it all, took in all the noises, smells, tastes, brilliant colors and smiles. We even took part in the same ceremony twice. I still had no idea what was sang, what was prayed, why certain colors were chosen, why they have three ladies praying instead of four, etc, etc.

Before I started googling the heck out of Balinese human temple ceremonies, I had a revelation. I was there. I don't need to google it. I don't need to know absolutely every intricate detail of what was said, what was sang or the purpose behind every small hand movement. The purpose of the day, the temple birthday and Adam's birthday, was celebrating life. Even though we all come from such different lives and backgrounds, we came together to celebrate. We united in celebrating life living in a world of the seen and unseen, the known and the unknown. To what we see and know, we all give thanks and for the unknown and unseen, we all get on our knees and pray.

Cheers to another year, Adam, of new, unknown adventures!