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The Indonesian archipelago became Muslim in the 15th and 16th centuries but Bali retained its particular religion which is a blend of Hinduism and Animism with a Buddhist colouring.
The Balinese religion is very much present in the every day lives of the 3 million people here who are convinced that something terrible happen to them if they fail to placate the spirits of the dead and of the forces of nature.
Temples, large and small, are everywhere and the sight of someone going through the ritual of offering a few grains of rice, a flower and a stick of insense to some immaterial entity is an integral part of the Balinese scene as you can see below.
Here is a view of some of the lush terraced rice paddies that have become a trademark of Bali.
I met this colorful gentleman on the way to the Tanah Lot Temple. His traditional costume is certainly more elegant that my baggy pants. Maybe I would be elegant too if I could lose hundred pounds or so!
For the Balinese Tanah Lot is one of the more important and venerated sea temples. The original temple was built here 16th century at the suggestion of a holy man called Nirartha.
This is just an ordinary run-of-the-mill village temple photographed through the window of the minibus that was taking me north to Lake Bratan.
The huge Taman Ayun Temple near Mengwi, originally built in 1634, became the state temple of the Balinese kingdom that ruled until 1891.
The inner enclosure is surrounded by a moat and a paved path from which tourists can look at the complex of temples.
Approaching Lake Bratan from the south, the road climbs up into the hills where this luxury hotel offers cool air and great views.
On the Bratan's lakeside, near Candikuning, is this 17th century temple dedicated to Dewi Danau, the goddess of the waters.
The tall structure by the lake is a traditional Hindu style thatched-roof temple of "meru" style (evocative of the mythical mount meru). There was also a Buddhist style stupa inside the enclosure on the left but I could not get in to take a picture of it because a religious ceremony was going on.
It was raining and a thick mist over the lake created an unreal atmosphere.
On the way back we stopped at a village market where all the usual goodies were displayed. This smiling lady was was selling offerings for the gods handmade from flowers and banana leaves.
