Arcane Candy

Monday, May 31, 2010
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

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Sunday, May 30, 2010
Goa Gajah, Bali, Indonesia

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Saturday, May 29, 2010
Blahbatuh, Bali, Indonesia

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Friday, May 28, 2010
Peliatan, Bali, Indonesia

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Thursday, May 27, 2010
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

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Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

A small island measuring just 69 x 95 miles nestled between Java and Lombok in the vast archipelago of Indonesia, Bali is covered with lush jungles, rice terraces, mountains and beautiful beaches, making it one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Some come for the sun, sand, surf, and world class resorts and spas, while others enjoy the predominantly Hindu culture that is celebrated daily with highly evolved dance, gamelan music, art and architecture.

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Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

What’s the best thing to do when you get laid off from your job? Get another one? Hell no! You should go see the world, of course. Welcome to the Tropical Punch Tour, my little three-and-a-half month jaunt through Southeast Asia. I first became interested in Bali back in the mid-1990s. I was collecting a lot of vintage electronic music on vinyl, some of which was released on a label called Nonesuch, who also curated a series of albums featuring gamelan, the traditional percussion music of Indonesia. I was so enamored by the exotic, haunting sounds that emanated from those black grooves that I just knew I had to hear it in real life someday.

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Welcome to the Tropical Punch Tour, my little three-and-a-half month jaunt through Southeast Asia. From May 25 to September 10, 2010, I backpacked through Bali, Java, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Myanmar to experience the insanely creative music, art, food and architecture of those countries.

Bali

Bali Part 1 – Heading into Ubud.
Bali Part 2 – Sekehe Gong Panca Artha at Ubud Palace in Ubud.
Bali Part 3 – Museum Puri Lukisan, Pura Marajan Agung temple ceremony, more Sekehe Gong Panca Artha at Ubud Palace in Ubud.
Bali Part 4 – Peliatan day walk, Krama Desa Ubud Kaja at Pura Dalem Ubud in Ubud.
Bali Part 5 – Gamelan foundry in Blahbatuh, Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary and Wayang Kulit Kertha in Ubud.
Bali Part 6 – Goa Gajah (the Elephant Cave) and Yeh Pulu near Bedulu, Seke Werdha Arma (The Peliatan Masters) and Semarandhana at ARMA in Ubud.
Bali Part 7 – Agung Rai Museum of Art, Sadha Budaya at Ubud Palace in Ubud.
Bali Part 8 – Threads of Life, Bina Ramaja at Ubud Palace in Ubud.
Bali Part 9 – Heading up to Candikuning and Danau Bratan.
Bali Part 10 – Bali Botanical Gardens and Pura Ulun Danu Brutan in Candikuning.
Bali Part 11 – Pura Tanah Lot, Denpasar, Suara Sakti bamboo gamelan in Bentuyung village.
Bali Part 12 – Gunung Sari at Puri Agung Peliatan Palace in Peliatan.
Bali Part 13 – Calon Arang at Pura Dalem Puri in Peliatan.
Bali Part 14 – Luh Luwih at Bale Banjar Ubud Kelod in Ubud.
Bali Part 15 – A tour of East Bali, Sekka Gong Karyasa at Pura Dalem Ubud in Ubud.
Bali Part 16 – The mother of all web sessions in Ubud.
Bali Part 17 – A hellish 14-hour 350-mile bus ride from Denpasar, Bali to Yogyakarta, Java.
Bali Video 1
Bali Video 2
Bali Video 3
Dancers of Ubud (Flickr slide show)

Java

Java Part 1 – Heading into Yogyakarta.
Java Part 2 – Street music, Wayang Kulit at the Sono-Budoyo Museum in Yogyakarta.
Java Part 3 – Borobudur and Mendut Temple near Yogyakarta.
Java Part 4 – Gamelan practice at the Sultan’s Palace, the Ramayana Ballet at Purawisata in Yogyakarta.
Java Part 5 – Sono-Budoyo Museum, Taman Sari (Water Palace) in Yogyakarta.
Java Part 6 – Gamelan practice at the Sultan’s Palace, Wayang Kulit at the Sono-Budoyo Museum in Yogyakarta.
Java Part 7 – A bicycle trek around Yogyakarta.
Java Part 8 – Heading into Solo, Wayang Orang at Sriwedari Theatre.
Java Part 9 – The gamelan factory in Bekonang village, a tour of cottage industries around Solo.
Java Part 10 – The Kraton Museum in Solo.
Java Part 11 – Leaving Solo and Java.
Java Video

Singapore

Singapore Part 1 – Heading into Singapore. Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, Sakaya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple.
Singapore Part 2 – A skyscraper-spotting sojourn.
Singapore Part 3 – Sri Mariamman Temple, Thian Hock Keng Temple ceremony, Orchard Road.
Singapore Part 4 – Fort Canning, Clarke Quay.
Singapore Part 5 – Military parade, Asian Civilizations Museum.
Singapore Part 6 – Marina Bay.
Singapore Part 7 – Malay Heritage Museum.
Singapore Part 8 – Singapore Botanic Gardens.
Singapore Part 9 – Lau Pa Sat, Marina Bay.
Singapore Video

Malaysia

Malaysia Part 1 – Heading into Melaka.
Malaysia Part 2 – A photo session throughout downtown Melaka.
Malaysia Part 3 – Hiasan Budaya, a night market in Chinatown, Melaka.
Malaysia Part 4 – The Muzium Rakyat in Melaka.
Malaysia Part 5 – Heading into Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia Part 6 – Dayabumi Center, KL Tower, traditional Malaysian dance in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia Part 7 – Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia Part 8 – Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia, Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia Part 9 – Taman Rama Rama (Butterfly Park), traditional Malaysian dance at the Central Market in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia Part 10 – Little India, traditional Malaysian dance at the Tourist Information Complex in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia Part 11 – A day off (with photos to prove it) in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia Part 12 – KL Monorail to Chow Kit in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia Part 13 – KL Bird Park in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia Part 14 – Flying from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Phuket, Thailand.
Malaysia Video

Thailand

Thailand Part 1 – A stroll around Phuket Town.
Thailand Part 2 – A random school parade, Patong beach in Phuket.
Thailand Part 3 – Patong beach in Phuket part two.
Thailand Part 4 – Laem Singh beach, Put Jaw Temple in Phuket Town.
Thailand Part 5 – Saeng Tham, Jui Tui and Thye Guan Tong temples, Phuket Thaihua Museum in Phuket Town.
Thailand Part 6 – Karon beach in Phuket.
Thailand Part 7 – Heading to the Phi Phi islands.
Thailand Part 8 – Viewpoints overlooking Ko Phi Phi Don.
Thailand Part 9 – Snorkeling on Koh Phi Phi Don and Koh Phi Phi Leh.
Thailand Part 10 – Heading back to Phuket Town.
Thailand Part 11 – A day off (with photos to prove it) in Phuket Town.
Thailand Part 12 – Leaving Phuket.
Thailand Part 13 – Heading into Bangkok.
Thailand Part 14 – Aerobics in Lumphini Park, Chinatown in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 15 – Sri Mariamman Temple, one amazingly musical day in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 16 – May Kaidee’s, Wat Pho in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 17 – Saturday night buffet and traditional Thai dance at May Kaidee’s in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 18 – Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 19 – A ladyboy cabaret in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 20 – A day off (with photos to prove it) in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 21 – A standard torrential downpour in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 22 – Royal Thai Decorations and Coin Pavilion in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 23 – Leaving Bangkok.
Thailand Part 24 – Heading into Chiang Mai, Wat Sai Mun Muang and Wat Thing Yu temples.
Thailand Part 25 – Wat Phra Singh and Wat Lam Chang temples, Wat Lam Chang Vieng Phing in Chiang Mai.
Thailand Part 26 – A tour around the moat in Chiang Mai.
Thailand Part 27 – Heading back into Bangkok.
Thailand Video

Myanmar

Myanmar Part 1 – Heading into Yangon.
Myanmar Part 2 – Botataung Pagoda in Yangon.
Myanmar Part 3 – Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon.
Myanmar Part 4 – A hellish 12-hour bus ride from Yangon to Mandalay.
Myanmar Part 5 – Heading into Mandalay.
Myanmar Part 6 – Mandalay Hill in Mandalay.
Myanmar Part 7 – Mahamuni Pagoda in Mandalay.
Myanmar Part 8 – Thone Yaung Chael and Shwe Pone Taung street bands, Shwe In Bin Kyaung Buddhist monastery in Mandalay.
Myanmar Part 9 – Sandamuni Pagoda, Mintha Theater in Mandalay.
Myanmar Part 10 – Nat Pwe in Taungbyone part one.
Myanmar Part 11 – Nat Pwe in Taungbyone part two.
Myanmar Part 12 – Leaving Mandalay.
Myanmar Part 13 – Heading back into Yangon.
Myanmar Part 14 – Leaving Yangon and Myanmar.
Myanmar Video

Thailand

Thailand Part 28 – Heading back into Bangkok.
Thailand Part 29 – Santichaiprakarn Park in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 30 – Snorkeling in Bangkok?
Thailand Part 31 – Wat Chana Songkhram in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 32 – Memorial Bridge, Wat Kanlayanamit, Wat Arun in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 33 – Wat Bowoniwes, Wat Intharavihan in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 34 – A day off (with photos to prove it) in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 35 – Wat Rajnadda, Golden Mount at Wat Saket in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 36 – A walk down Thanon Tanao in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 37 – Failed missions to the Sky Bar and Sri Mariamman temple in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 38 – A day off (with photos to prove it) in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 39 – Heading into Damnoen Saduak.
Thailand Part 40 – The floating market in Damnoen Saduak.
Thailand Part 41 – A day off (with photos to prove it) in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 42 – The National Museum in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 43 – Bangkok Art and Culture Center in Bangkok.
Thailand Part 44 – The last day in Bangkok.

South Korea

South Korea Part 1 – An eight-hour layover in the airport complete with some unexpected and amazing music.
South Korea Video

The End – Thank you.

In a myriad of ways, Julius Eastman’s whole life was more unusual than a Kodak moment. For starters, he was a black, gay, avant-garde classical composer and performer. Can you say highly unlikely? Beginning in the late 1960s, he mostly worked in a post-minimal vein for a couple of decades until his life unraveled in the 1980s. That’s when his professional performing and teaching gigs dried up, he got evicted from his apartment, his scores and belongings got trashed, and he spent the next few years living on the streets, just prior to his very unfortunate and premature death in 1990.

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