Temples, Religions and Paradise – featuring Bali as a destination
As I write this, I am a week away from departing Toronto for
Bangkok, Singapore, on Cruise Holidays of Clarkson’s “Orient Experience that
travels by rail to Singapore, then on to Bali and Hong Kong. Two guests would
have started their tour in Beijing two days earlier.
This voyage visits the teeming city of Bangkok with its
famed temples Wat Arun and Wat Pho, travelers experience the Malaysian
countryside as we travel to Singapore, and the “Island of the Gods” – Bali --
so named for its twenty thousand temples. We return home after three nights at
the world’s shopping Mecca – Hong Kong.
Not having visited Bali before, I did a little research. I was
preoccupied by the temples in Bangkok and astounded by the number of temples in
Bali. I wondered about the culture and system of beliefs on this island of just
under 4 million inhabitants. I learned the Balinese predominantly follow the
Hindu religion; as compared to Buddhism in Singapore’s (5 million) and
Bangkok’s (8 million). My research did not establish a clear predominance for Hong
Kong (7 million) amongst Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and other religions
practiced there.
Now for the jam on the bread – the
word “Paradise” in the title; this is what Bali is also called!
Bali as a destination
Undoubtedly, Bali’s main source of income is tourism. Yet, Bali’s
main port (Benoa) is new and was just opened to ocean-going cruise lines last
year; I delved into the reason for this late entry, and discovered that Bali just
recently, within the last fifty years, was able to establish the political
wherewithal and stability to attract capital and to build its economy. A summary
look at relatively recent events shows this:
- 1949: Independence from Dutch rule.
- Mid 1960’s: General Suharto’s purge of rival Communist political parties / members. 500,000 Indonesians died, 80,000 of them Balinese.
- Post purge: creation of a democratic, western aligned, government.
- “Paradise” reinstated; transition from an agriculturally-based economy to tourism.
The beauty of this island is nested in its people,
its geography, and its culture. The society follows a caste structure, and is
patriarchal. Family is big; generations occupy the same ancestral compound or
village; women are typically the only members to move from one compound to
another and that would be at her marriage -- to join her husband at his
compound.
One of the fascinating features of Bali’s past is that of
its complex irrigation system for rice paddy fields built circa 914. The island
also treats tourists to rituals and culture with performances of the Barong dance (see mask) – a struggle
between good and evil. Don’t be surprised to see monkeys as family pets.
A coral reef surrounds the island, bringing with it a wide variety
of sea life -- 952 documented species of
fish. The island’s landscape is spectacular with high majestic volcanic peaks rising
to 3,000 metres.
Bali Voyages to consider
For your consideration, we have identified four voyages involving
three cruise lines that offer fulfilling itineraries and good value for money. Each
has some variation of itinerary and we suggest you call us for details. We
start below with the ship with least capacity and progress from there.
Voyages to Antiquity: “Bali to Bangkok and Beyond”
Voyages to Antiquity’s Aegean
Odyssey has a capacity of 350 passengers. This 21-day voyage departs Bali
January 21, 2013. It ends in Bangkok February 10th and includes
hotel nights in Bali, Siem Reap, Cambodia (the home of Angkor Wat) and Bangkok. To view details of this voyage CLICK HERE.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises “South Pacific Secrets”
Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ all-suite Voyager has a capacity of 700-passengers. This 21-day voyage
departs Bali December 19th and ends in Auckland, NZ January 10th.
A most memorable way to celebrate both Christmas and New Year’s with your loved
ones and family!
We invite you to call us for details, or visit www.clarksonregent.ca and select the December 19th departure date for Voyager.
We invite you to call us for details, or visit www.clarksonregent.ca and select the December 19th departure date for Voyager.
All-inclusiveness is just a part of the reason to travel
with Regent. This voyage carries a generous shipboard credit of $700 per suite and
significant savings if booked before November 1st.
Crystal Cruises “Reefs and Rain Forests” and “Spice Islands and Beyond”
Crystal Cruises’ Symphony has a capacity of 940-passengers. We
recommend two voyages, both with a duration of 12 days.
“Reefs
and Rain Forests” departs Sydney Australia February 11th and
arrives in Bali February 23rd. Crystal Cruises has reduced the fare by
$700 PP on this voyage if booked before October 31st; call us to
check whether this offer has been extended. We add to the attractiveness of
this offer by including a $250 shipboard credit PP.“Spice Islands andBeyond” boards
in Bali February 23rd and sails
February 24th. This voyage ends in Singapore March 7th.
Crystal Cruises has reduced the fare by $1,200 PP on this voyage if booked
before October 31st; call us to check whether this offer has been
extended. We add to the attractiveness of this offer by including a $250
shipboard credit PP.
Both these voyages provide the opportunity to extend one’s
stay in Bali either pre or post cruise. Call us for details or visit www.clarksoncrystal.ca and select the
above 2013 departure dates for Symphony.
Crystal Cruises has been voted #1 by Conde Nast Traveler for
an unprecedented 18 years running. No hotel, resort, or other cruise line has
such a record.
You may have heard Alexa Petrenko’s on-air invitation to
join her on Crystal Cruises’ “Canary Islands Classical” that sails from Lisbon
to Barcelona. You may view details at www.clarksoncruises.ca.
Group Tours at Clarkson
Group tours at Clarkson offer a promise of travel with
like-minded travelers, the start of new friendships, learning from guides, and continuing
enjoyment that lingers in one’s mind. Each year we select groups to escort and
our 2013 selection is as follows:
April 7th: Zaneta and Joe will escort “Canary Islands Classical” cruise tour from Lisbon to Barcelona
June 11th: Tal McKelvey will escort the “Russian Waterways” cruise tour from St. Petersburg to Moscow
September 15th: Victoria De Wildt will escort the “Magnificent Europe” cruise tour from Amsterdam to Budapest.
April 7th: Zaneta and Joe will escort “Canary Islands Classical” cruise tour from Lisbon to Barcelona
June 11th: Tal McKelvey will escort the “Russian Waterways” cruise tour from St. Petersburg to Moscow
September 15th: Victoria De Wildt will escort the “Magnificent Europe” cruise tour from Amsterdam to Budapest.
About our “Refer a friend” program
We invite you to take
advantage of our referral offer. Refer a friend, have your friend book and earn
CAD 150 bonus on your booking.
Why Cruise Holidays of Clarkson
We consider
it important to understand our clients’ travel dreams, preferences, and needs,
to keep abreast of travel trends, opportunities, and geopolitics, and to deliver
travel services aligned with expectations.
We are part
of Travel Leaders Group and benefit from the scale of that operation when
dealing with suppliers. This positions us to provide significant value to our
clients.
Cruise
Holidays of Clarkson is a member of Cruise Holidays’ President’s Circle, i.e.
amongst the top 20 stores in North America, for the years 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012 and is a two-time recipient of Royal Bank Insurance’s award for quality
business.
For more
information on group travel, see www.clarksontours,ca; for
individual travel see www.clarksontravel.ca ; or
call 905 855 1700 or email info@clarksontravel.ca .
Or better yet, drop in at our store located at 1739
Lakeshore Road West, Mississauga ON L5J 1J4; we have ample parking at back.
Bangkok. This is a land tour,
filled with activity designed to provide an
understanding of ancient culture at our places of visit,
and experience then influence of this past on today’s
lifestyles. And music, art, stunning landscapes and
architectural wonders all form part of the total
experience.
Petrenko of the New Classical
96.3FM radio station will join us on this voyage, and
will be available to meet, socialize with you, and share
her experience with 96.3 and her vast exposure to the
world of classical music. Alexa hosts “Oasis” that airs
weekdays from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM and “Sunday Night at
the Opera”. This voyage visits the powers of the Old
World, Portugal and Spain, the steamy kingdom of
Morocco, and the revered Canary Islands. There is much
to see, learn, experience and do on board and on shore.
We invite you to come with us. Note we are in the
process of adding concerts etc. however don't wait to
book! Bookings before
June 30th 2012 carry a savings of $1,000 per
person. It does not hurt to know that Crystal
Cruises’ has been voted # 1 by Conde Nast for 17 years
running.
earth.
The heart of the country is in the
vast Outback—one of
the oldest landscapes in the world. Its dramatic red
rocks (Uluru
being the most majestic one), ochre plains and purple
mountains are topped by brilliant blue skies. A “dinner under the
stars” at sunset and a visit to Uluru at sun
rise is a must--nowhere else will you see such dramatic
display of nature’s beauty. It is here that the
indigenous inhabitants of Australia, the
Aborigines
settled 60,000 years ago. For thousands of years they
hunted 
to overcome widespread poverty.
Nowadays, Australians are
increasingly aware of the rich heritage of the Aborigines, and
the society is trying to reconcile and make amends for
injustice committed by their ancestors over 200 years
ago. Even though the first European
settlers were convicts, and Australia is
known as a penal country, very few Australians
have true convict origin. Within only one generation of
the arrival of the First Fleet in
1788, Australia had become a nation of immigrants.
A visit to the Outback
followed; here we witnessed the most dramatic landscape
dominated by Uluru. The
highlight here was the dinner under the stars
overlooking Uluru at
sunset, and the dramatic sunrise at the footsteps of Uluru, followed
by the Liru
Walk where we retraced the paths of the Liru Ancestors
through the bush land near Uluru. We then
flew to Sydney,
Australia’s largest city. Sydney embraces
its harbour, taking the sea and natural waterways to its
heart. The grand style of the Opera House has
made the city the landmark of the South Pacific.
We drove through the historic “Rocks” area
where Australia was
first founded with its maze of terrace houses, pubs and
restaurants. Here we boarded Oceania’s elegant
Regatta—our
home for the next 17
days.
its many of the prison’s original
facilities. After cruising the Tasman Sea for
two days, we reached the western coast of New Zealand’s South
Island and sailed along the fjords of Milford Sound.
Our first port of call was Dunedin—New Zealand’s
oldest city well known for its Victorian and
Edwardian architecture. Next, we called on Wellington, New
Zealand’s capital city and most northern port in the
South
Island. Apart from the stunning bays and
exhibitions. We then sailed to the
North Island and called on Napier, nestled
in Hawke’s
Bay, for an introduction to New Zealand’s most
popular wine region with over 70 wineries. Bursting with
taste sensations, Hawke’s Bay is
one of New Zealand’s leading food and wine destinations.
Tauranga was our next port 