Bali postcards: Part 3

A few more off-beat and personal observations from Bali (and Lombok).

Even as the years pass some mind-altering fungii never seem to go out of fashion © Rob Walls 2010

Mountain bike touring through the rice paddies © Rob Walls 2011

Duck herding near Klunkung © Rob Walls 2011

Family on way to temple ceremony, Ubud © Rob Walls 2010

Indonesian cigarette advertising. No comment. © Rob Walls 2011

Child at a temple, Jalan Hanoman, Ubud © Rob Walls 2011

My daughter, Cassie, on mountain bike tour © Rob Walls 2011

Beach, Padang Bai © Rob Walls 2011

Lombok fashion © Rob Walls 2011

Pertamina gas station attendants © Rob Walls 2011

More Bali postcards…

Temple festival, Padang Bai, East Bali © Rob Walls 2011

Padang Bai, East Bali © Rob Walls 2011

Near Klungkung, East Bali © Rob Walls 2011

Temple festival, Padang Bai © Rob Walls 2011

Traffic jam in Central Ubud © Rob Walls 2011

Monkey forest, Ubud © Rob Walls 2011

A few postcards from Bali

McDonalds, Sanur © Rob Walls 2011

Starbucks, Ubud © Rob Walls 2011

Balinese fast food © Rob Walls 2011

More Balinese fast food, Sanur © Rob Walls 2011

A society that thinks painting lots flowers on a garbage truck has to have something going for it. Ubud © Rob Walls 2011

Especially one that can convince tourists to pay money to have their fee nibbled by fish. © Rob Walls 2011

Catching up with an old friend…

In Bali last month, I took the time to re-connect with an old friend. I met Nyoman Purpa, an art dealer in Ubud in 1977 and would visit him again and again, whenever I returned. It had been 25 years since I was last in Indonesia and taking a trip there with my daughter during the school holidays, I decided to seek him out. This is Purpa as I knew him in 1977; a laid-back, easy-going seller of paintings, with a few motorbikes for hire, as a sideline:

Nyoman Purpa in his art gallery, Circa 1977. © Rob Walls

Though Ubud had changed almost beyond, recognition, Purpa was not hard to find. His gallery which was once set amongst rice paddies is now part of some of the most expensive commercial real estate in Bali.

He was still the same, smiling, optimistic Purpa of old, though now comparatively wealthy. A dedicated family man, he had helped set up his twin daughters with their own fashion and jewellery business. His son, is a well know rock musician, appearing regularly on Indonesian television.

After filling in the years over a few Bintang beers, we decided to update his image with a new portrait:

Nyoman Purpa with ever-present cigarette, in his gallery, February 2, 2011 © Rob Walls

The years have been kind to my old friend.

Purpa and me. Photo © Cassandra Walls 2011