We gathered for a “theme” dinner at the Padma Resort Legian.

Marla and the Girls try a Balinese dance.

A wonderful group photo with the performers. The Padma does a great job combining cuisine and entertainment at their “theme” dinners.

Time for a swim.

Enjoying the Padma’s “swim up” bar.

We booked a private guide to take us to Uluwatu Temple. It is one of Bali’s most sacred sea temples, offering breathtaking ocean views. We wanted to go early for the dance performance and dinner afterwards at Jimbaran Beach.

Lo and I explored the temple area while her sister and Marla stayed below.

The views were beautiful!

One of the boys from this family noticed the the Girls were identical twins and asked for a photo. He exclaimed…”TWINS!” They were fascinated by this! They were from the island of Java.

The mischievous monkeys are famous for stealing glasses from visitors. Notice what he has in his hand!

Sunset at the temple.

We had front row seats because we arrived early! They really pack in the people!

The dancers arrive. The Kecak Dance, one of Bali’s most iconic performances, was developed in the 1930s by Balinese artist Wayan Limbak in collaboration with Walter Spies, a German painter and musician. It is inspired by the sacred Sanghyang dance, which is performed to ward off negative spirits. They adapted the ritual into a dramatic storytelling dance based on the Ramayana Epic. Unlike traditional Balinese dance, Kecak Dance does not use musical instruments; instead, it relies entirely on the synchronized chanting of a large male chorus, producing the famous “cak-cak-cak” sound.

The dance epic features beautiful performers.

Hanuman, the white monkey king, makes a dramatic entrance!

After the dance performance our guide drove us to Jimbaran Bay for dinner on the beach by the sea.

Marla and I dressed up for dinner later in the week. I’m wearing one of my Paul Ropp shirts. Marla and I come from a decorative textile background and have always loved the fashion of Paul Ropp. (He passed away in 2023 and his daughter is running the company today.) We even visted his Bali factory once. Check out this great video from “Fashion TV” about Paul Ropp. https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x323kki

Tonight was the Balinese Theme dinner.

We loved the dance performance at dinner! The accompanying Gamelan muscians are a true favorite of ours!

Fabulous dance costumes and fabrics!

Gamelan performer. I first saw him playing here in 2019.

The Girls tried dancing as well!

We say goodbye to Bali and look forward to visiting Singapore.

Photos: Dick Gentry. Not to be used without permission.