Yeh Pulu

It is a week or more since we visited Yeh Pulu in the village of Bedulu, but lack of time has meant that some catch up posts are needed.

Situated just beyond the Elephant Cave at World Heritage listed Goa Gajah on the Gianyar road, Yeh Pulu is not easy to find. We had almost given up when we noticed a fluttering computer printout indicating that it was down a road that looked as if it led nowhere in particular. Later, leaving in another direction, we saw this lovely sign, so it all depends on how you approach.

We had read about the site in Lonely Planet and seen images on the Lempad film that contained historic footage of the artist at the site. A small entrance fee and a sarong is requested, and like so many of these sites, a local guide seeks to offer interpretation of what we are seeing for a small fee. Made spoke excellent English and was very informative.

Yeh Pulu was unearthed in the 1920s and is the site of a 25 metre relief wall that depicts Balinese village life in the 14th century. The short walk down from the carpark is clean and beautifully landscaped, helped by the funds generated at the entrance, and contains a small cafe and just the one seller of artefacts, unlike the hassle you can experience at Goa Gajah.

At the time of discovery Balinese people had things on their mind other than history, so it was not until several decades later, when archaeologists documented the site, that its religious significance was realised. A holy spring flows through the site which includes 14th century bathing areas clearly marked for men and women.

An elderly woman mangku was in attendance, and blessed us as we entered. The feeling is extremely spiritual and its isolation and lack of visitors adds to the atmosphere. Made explained that the woman's father, also a priest, had no sons so she inherited the role. It's unusual for women to be priests, but obviously possible.

Made speculated at what else might lie hidden beneath the sawah. He explained that 10 years ago another site was found about two kilometres away and offered to take us in the cool of one morning. We have his mobile (HP here, for 'hand phone'; 'mobil' means car) number and will contact him to do so. The newest discovery is, according to Made, even more spectacular than Yeh Pulu and consists of four walls of reliefs creating an enclosed area.

 We are glad we persevered with the search.

A walk through Indonesia

Yesterday we traversed Indonesia from east to west and also through time. The journey started last week  on the way to Candidasa. We had passed a sign saying that the Indonesian Cultural Heritage Center was up a side road. Interesting, we thought, we might come back later and check that out. We probably would have at some stage, but yesterday morning in my inbox the latest newsletter from Bali Update included this item. That clinched it - a brand new museum to be visited before the crowds discovered it, and only about a half-hour drive away.

We weren't really sure what to expect. As we approached the site it was clear that it was still unfinished as workers were visible everywhere, however the welcome at the front desk was warm and clearly they were open for business. Even better, entry* is half price for the first month.

As we were guided down a sweeping driveway we could see that initial appearances were indeed deceiving. Fifteen hectares have been devoted to fulfilling a long-held dream for the creator,  Ir. Santosa Senengsyah, and no expense has been spared. We got the impression that only a few people had been through in the short time (mere days) that the centre had been open as our welcome could not have been warmer. The two charming young people who were appointed as our guides turned out to be Grace and Edward, two of Pak Santosa's four children who share his vision. No wonder they were so well informed!

The concept is grand in every way: to document and preserve the cultural heritage of Indonesia's 34 provinces from East Nusa Tenggara to Aceh.** Why Bali for this project? Because it is the province visited by most people, and therefore the most suitable place for a major attraction.*** Why in Siden village, east of Gianyar? Because East Bali needs an economic stimulus to draw people to the area, and the centre will provide work for 200 people.

As Grace and Edward took is through the complex we passed Stone Age and Bronze Age Indonesia, and a scale model of Borobodur before reaching the first of many small compounds containing housing typical of the region. The diversity of the archipelago became quickly apparent, from the huts of West Papua, the longhouses of Kalimantan to the heavily Dutch-influenced dwellings of old Jakarta. One (and unfortunately I have forgotten from where) is one of only three examples of a particular style of housing still in existence. The other two, in situ, are in such poor condition that they are unlikely to survive. Conservation, preservation, information, inspiration should be the mantra of Taman Nusa.

At one stage (and we had been there for ages) Grace took a call and I had to smile as I heard her say (in Bahasa Indonesia) that 'we were in Kalimantan'. I was wishing. Part of Pak Santosa's vision is to inspire people to appreciate the rich culture of provinces other than Bali and encourage them to visit. The bug had already bitten both of us. Why hadn't we seen more than Lombok and Bali? Well, it's not too late.

As we continued our hands-on tour, visiting dwellings of many shapes and sizes furnished appropriately, we were entertained by traditional music and dance of the relevant region. Refreshments can be obtained at any of 11 stops with toilet facilities along the way.

Not long after Grace's telephone call we were joined by a man who she introduced as her father, the person behind the dream. As if it were not honour enough to be shown around by the younger generation, we were then accompanied by Pak Santosa himself. His passion is evident in his words as well as his actions in creating this marvellous site. He revealed that there happened to be a TV crew there and would we consent to be interviewed? No hesitation if it was to be a radio interview for me, but I had lost all pretence of cool, calm elegance in the heat and vanity demanded that only Eddie face the cameras. He didn't have to feign enthusiasm in his assessment of Taman Nusa.

In an unexpected and delightful turn of events, Pak Santosa asked us to join him, his wife and all four children (Alison and Robert as well as Grace and Edward) to be their guests for lunch in the very beautiful restaurant. Of course, it was delicious Indonesian food, and very welcome.

I could go on for pages. There is still a lot to be done before the vision is fully realised, but in many respects this was a terrific time to visit. It was possible to see in the site what was evident in Pak Santosa's vision - how much had been achieved, in his country and his project,  but also what the future holds. A library and a museum are yet to be completed  as is a model railway housed in a replica of Stasiun Kota Jakarta, an art deco building. Edward described what was unique about the model railway but I didn't really appreciate the finer details, not being a railway buff.

We came away not only impressed with what has been achieved so far at Taman Nusa, but with the unity of a family determined to achieve the dream of a charming, humble man. What a gift for Bali. What a gift for Indonesia. Australians need to know much more than we do about our nearest and largest neighbour. Here is an excellent starting point.

Eddie had his 10 seconds of fame. They didn't quite get his name right though, so that's probably the end of his TV career. But the program did Taman Nusa proud. It deserves to become a premier tourist attraction.

Another of those special days! We keep having them. And our thanks to the family for their generous hospitality.

* Normal adult admission is USD50. It may sound a lot but you could spend five hours here easily. Anything less than two hours could not possibly do Taman Nusa justice. Our half-price admission proved to be excellent value, but we would not have regretted paying full price once we had experienced all that was on offer.
**The provinces are further divided into regencies, of which Bali has eight. The Gianyar regency includes Ubud, but the administrative capital is the city of Gianyar.
*** And a far more relevant attraction than a current controversial proposal to reclaim part of Benoa Bay for a F1 racing circuit and Disneyland. There is a lot of opposition. Fortunately.