Bali, "Money does not control the people, but the people control the money"
4 augustus 2017 - Ubud, Indonesië
My last day of Java I climbed another vulcano. Or day.... my last night, since we left again at 00.30 a.m. to hike up to vulcano Ijen, this is a bigger hike and slightly less touristy then vulcano Bromo (the one I did before) I was climbing with two English guys, drive together up there, rent a gas mask so I we wouldn't get to many toxic gasses and then go up. Apperetly those two English guys thought it was a race to get up the vulcano first, beat all the tourist and ofcourse without a guide.... So we managed to hike up first then we didn't know what way to go. It was around 3.30 a.m. very dark, some flashlights behind us, we could hear the vulcano, we had to climb down into the vulcano on loose rocks a steep parts. So I convinced the guys to wait for the first group, so we could follow them.
The guide of this group was so nice, he took good care of me, better care of me then of any person of his own group.... maybe because he had only men in his group? So he held my hand walking down in the dark. "Sabina, hati hati!!" (be carefull) "Sabina, ready for go up?" "Sabina, we go back. You come with us?" What a nice guide! :-)
When we got down it was sooo windy! We could see the blue flames. That was really special! And somehow a rock behind us cought flame and that flame was blue too. But the wind and the air, it was hard to breath, eventhough with a gas mask it felt like really toxic air!
We hiked back up and it started to rain. So instead of a beautiful view, sunrise, it was feeezing cold and we could only see many clouds and grey sky. We waited untill 6.30 and then hiked back. After about 1,5 hours the sky began to clear and one hour later the sun was actually shining.... we gave up and walked a beautiful hike further down.
I think most people are aware that in cosmetics there is a lot going on in the making proces that isn't ok. Well one of the things is the sulfur that comes from many places, from vulcano Ijen as well. The miners work in toxic air and get between 100 and 200 kg of sulfur every day. Their pay? For every kilogram 1.000 IDR (=€0,07). So per day they make between 100.000 IDR and 200.000 IDR (= between €7,- and €14,-) per day. Walking up and down a vulcano with so much weight on your shoulders in burning heat, in the cold nights and in toxic air.I can't even imagine!
After Java I went to Bali, Ubud. After I arrived a friend and I decided to hike up a vulcano, who needs sleep anyways? So we hiked up the vulcano in the middle of the night. We had a beautiful sunrise! A really nice view. We wanted to hike up ourselves but the people didn't let us. The story goes that a gang might be involved and they get most of the money that people pay to get up there. So we went up with a guide, unfortunatly this one didn't hold my hand ;-). But I finally had a female tourguide!! I've been asking around and asked many guides: "Where are the female? Why are all the guides men?" Never I got a real answer. But now I found one!
Eventhough this vulcano was very, very crowded, the sunset was amazing and up the vulcano there was enough space for everybody.
When I got back I went to my mom who arrived at Bali. She was tired of the long travel and I had a lack of sleep. We had a nice relaxed day with plenty of coffee.
The day after we rented bicycles and had good workout going up and down the mountains and valley's. We've seen many temples, beautiful rice fields and we did a yoga class (Bali is a yoga hotspot).
In Bali, or at least in Ubud people worship a lot! Every family at least have 6 things they worship everyday, temples, houses, vehicles, bicycles, everything! To worship they have a leaf with sticky rice, or a leaf with flowers, or a leaf with flowers and a insence stick. Some people seem to have a full time (unpaid) job to worship everything. Many people sell the flowers to worship. So there is quite some money and time involved in this worshipping thing.
So when you walk down the streets you have to mind your steps, not only bwcause of the bad uneven roads but also before you step (again) in the sticky rice and have a slippery leaf under your flipflops.
Some days ago there wasn't just leafs with sticky rice and some flowers but closer to entire bouquets in front of temples and houses. There was a special day for hindu's in Bali. Everyone went to the temples and it was decorated beautifully. Many people in traditional clothes. We didn't know what was going on. But is was beautiful to see.
Then yesterday we we're told: "We had a special day to worship money" That surprised us! But then he explained "So money does not control the people, but the people control the money"
Gives some food for thought, right?
Today I'll be visiting another project and my mom will take it easy with a massage. Tomorrow we'll go to a small island (Nusa Lembongan). So we hope that the weather will be better... since it has been raining a lot the last couple of days!
Like this I can't poke anyones eyes out with the tan I have, I'll get back in NL in 2 weeks, so only 2 weeks to get tanned ;-)
Sampai Jumpa!
Xxx
The guide of this group was so nice, he took good care of me, better care of me then of any person of his own group.... maybe because he had only men in his group? So he held my hand walking down in the dark. "Sabina, hati hati!!" (be carefull) "Sabina, ready for go up?" "Sabina, we go back. You come with us?" What a nice guide! :-)
When we got down it was sooo windy! We could see the blue flames. That was really special! And somehow a rock behind us cought flame and that flame was blue too. But the wind and the air, it was hard to breath, eventhough with a gas mask it felt like really toxic air!
We hiked back up and it started to rain. So instead of a beautiful view, sunrise, it was feeezing cold and we could only see many clouds and grey sky. We waited untill 6.30 and then hiked back. After about 1,5 hours the sky began to clear and one hour later the sun was actually shining.... we gave up and walked a beautiful hike further down.
I think most people are aware that in cosmetics there is a lot going on in the making proces that isn't ok. Well one of the things is the sulfur that comes from many places, from vulcano Ijen as well. The miners work in toxic air and get between 100 and 200 kg of sulfur every day. Their pay? For every kilogram 1.000 IDR (=€0,07). So per day they make between 100.000 IDR and 200.000 IDR (= between €7,- and €14,-) per day. Walking up and down a vulcano with so much weight on your shoulders in burning heat, in the cold nights and in toxic air.I can't even imagine!
After Java I went to Bali, Ubud. After I arrived a friend and I decided to hike up a vulcano, who needs sleep anyways? So we hiked up the vulcano in the middle of the night. We had a beautiful sunrise! A really nice view. We wanted to hike up ourselves but the people didn't let us. The story goes that a gang might be involved and they get most of the money that people pay to get up there. So we went up with a guide, unfortunatly this one didn't hold my hand ;-). But I finally had a female tourguide!! I've been asking around and asked many guides: "Where are the female? Why are all the guides men?" Never I got a real answer. But now I found one!
Eventhough this vulcano was very, very crowded, the sunset was amazing and up the vulcano there was enough space for everybody.
When I got back I went to my mom who arrived at Bali. She was tired of the long travel and I had a lack of sleep. We had a nice relaxed day with plenty of coffee.
The day after we rented bicycles and had good workout going up and down the mountains and valley's. We've seen many temples, beautiful rice fields and we did a yoga class (Bali is a yoga hotspot).
In Bali, or at least in Ubud people worship a lot! Every family at least have 6 things they worship everyday, temples, houses, vehicles, bicycles, everything! To worship they have a leaf with sticky rice, or a leaf with flowers, or a leaf with flowers and a insence stick. Some people seem to have a full time (unpaid) job to worship everything. Many people sell the flowers to worship. So there is quite some money and time involved in this worshipping thing.
So when you walk down the streets you have to mind your steps, not only bwcause of the bad uneven roads but also before you step (again) in the sticky rice and have a slippery leaf under your flipflops.
Some days ago there wasn't just leafs with sticky rice and some flowers but closer to entire bouquets in front of temples and houses. There was a special day for hindu's in Bali. Everyone went to the temples and it was decorated beautifully. Many people in traditional clothes. We didn't know what was going on. But is was beautiful to see.
Then yesterday we we're told: "We had a special day to worship money" That surprised us! But then he explained "So money does not control the people, but the people control the money"
Gives some food for thought, right?
Today I'll be visiting another project and my mom will take it easy with a massage. Tomorrow we'll go to a small island (Nusa Lembongan). So we hope that the weather will be better... since it has been raining a lot the last couple of days!
Like this I can't poke anyones eyes out with the tan I have, I'll get back in NL in 2 weeks, so only 2 weeks to get tanned ;-)
Sampai Jumpa!
Xxx
Leuk samen met je moeder.....
Groetjes, Wil