23rd Annual Family Christmas in July

This is a recreation vehicle and camp site called Pin Oak Creek. 

休閒旅行車及露營園

Thanks to the family who organised the 23rd annual "Christmas in July" here.

第廿三屆家庭七月聖誕聚會

Steve and one of his sisters.

Some family members.

Let's walk around the camp site.

走一走

A lake for fishing.

釣魚湖

 I like purple and I like flowers. Hmm...these have nice fragrance. 

Steve's cousin's grand-kids.
表姐的孫子

All little princesses.

 Little princess has pretty curly blond hair.
小公主的鬈髮真美

 Steve's cousin and her granddaughter. 

We went to visit a little town a few miles from the campsite - Washington, Missouri.

我們又去附近的小鎮

Was Washington born here?

Bank of Washington. 

Boating on the Missouri river.

有人遊船河

Back at the camp site.
回來露營園

Some of the family playing games.
玩一玩游戲
誰贏？

Who are the winners? 

Everyone.
每個人

We went back home before the Santa Claus came, all the way from North Pole.
我們沒露營，不等聖誕老人了，我們回家了。

Kids were happy to see Santa Claus and got their presents. 

孩子可高興見到聖誕老人咯，得到禮物。

(Photo taken by Laura)

Indonesia - Bali

This is the top of the hotel where we stayed for 4 nights near Kuta beach.  

A shopping mall. 

We hired a taxi to/from Uluwatu. 

Entry ticket to Uluwatu was IDR20,000.  

Kecak Ramayana & Fire Dance at Uluwatu. IDR70,000 per adult. 

After the show, we went back to the hotel and I discovered I left my camera in the taxi. 

I prayed the driver would return my camera, as we had hired him for the next day to Ubud. 

As I wished, I got back my camera.  

Monkey Forest.

Paddy field at Desa PekramanTegallalang.

Tanah Lot.

Entry ticket IDR30,000. 

Very cloudy, no sunset but beautiful colors light. 

I took some tour brochures at Bali airport.  Many tour agents with comparative prices.

I referred to their prices to hire a taxi/car, and activities.

在Bali機場，我拿了一些旅遊傳單，比較他們的價錢。包車及玩水上活動時可以参考。

For example, we went to the 'Sea Walker' experience - wearing a heavy metal helmet with an oxygen line up to the boat, and walking on the sea floor to see coral and fishes. The agent showed the price list and said it is US$70 (IDR700,000). I think because one of us is American, they have US dollar price list. I showed the brochure price is IDR400,000.

例如，我們去玩'Sea Walker'，代理員拿出單價說，US$70(IDR700,000)。我想是因為他看我們其中一人是白人，他們有特別的美金價。我讓他看傳單上的價錢是IDR400,000。

Parasailing is $20 (IDR200,000), the brochure is IDR100,000.

Why pay more?

遊客應該討價還價嗎？
(我旅遊印度時，與不熟悉的旅伴有很不同的觀念。我減價成效，那位旅伴沒說我好，我減價不成，要換他家，那位旅伴大聲說我下衰(羞恥)。
我有時是計較，有時是大方的，不過自己計劃到亞洲自助旅遊都會查看價格，比較一下。
亞洲大多旅遊業與遊客就是有這樣的討價還價惡性循環現象，一方知道對方會減價就給高價、一方知道對方給高價就減價。
其實我是不喜歡跟人討價還價的。在美國旅遊，就可省這方面，大多都是實價。

Having my first experience parasailing.

GWK ticket IDR80,000.  This is the statue of Garuda's (the "G" in GWK) head.  His wings haven't been made yet.

 This is Wisnu (Vishnu) - the "W" in GWK.  When complete, this statue will be mounted on top of the Garuda statue.

 Barong dance at GWK.

Dreamland beach. Parking fee IDR15,000. 

Pura Desa Batuan, ancient temple. 

Gao Gajah ticket IDR15,000 

 The monument.

 Volcano view at Kintamani, ticket IDR10,000. 

Jimbaran, cloudy and no sunset again. 

Indonesia - Borobudur

  We stayed at Manohara hotel located near Borobudur temple. This is a model of Borobudur.  In the background on the left, you can see part of the real temple.

Let's go visit a UNESCO World Heritage site in central Java, Indonesia.

Many local groups, some students, like to take photos with white foreigners.

Borobudur was built in the 9th century.

The temple's architecture reflects Indian influences of Buddhism as well as Hinduism.

It is a Mahayana Buddhist temple.

 

It laid hidden for centuries under layers of volcanic ash and jungle growth.

The monument is equipped with a good drainage system.

More than 1600 carved stone panels on the four lower levels tell stories and teach lessons.

The monument consists of six square platforms topped by three circular platforms.

Many statues of various Buddhas.

A source of exhibits for museums and income for thieves, parts of sculptures were looted.

 

The Jataka stories on some panels tell about the previous lives of Buddha, some in animal form.

The stupas on the circular platforms on the top 3 levels of the temple.

We bought a ticket for sunrise viewing (IDR230,000 - about US$23)

Look at the view.

Don't look at me, look at my background.

Inside each stupa is a full-sized stone Buddha statue.

Exploring the temple a little again after watching sunrise.