The NOW! Bali Podcast

More tourists is always good, right? Not always. What if they don’t care about the local culture, or have no curiosity for the history? Then numbers don’t mean anything. So, how can we promote Bali to attract people who DO care?

In this opinion piece, NOW! Publisher Alistair Speirs shares his thoughts on business ethics and tourism in the time of Covid-19 in Bali. He touches on why, in these difficult times, it is the absolute responsibility of business owners and leaders to help those most vulnerable.

Did you know, being centuries old, Bali's great temples have a whole host of wonderful myths and legends surrounding their founding? As with all things in Bali, there is plenty of magic and mysticism involved. This week we share the stories of Tanah Lot Temple (Pura Tanah Lot) and Uluwatu Temple (Pura Luhur Uluwatu), and the role the travelling priest, Dang Hyang Nirartha, had to play. 

"The crisis will end. They all do. And usually precipitate another because our ability to recover is pretty much equal to our ability to plan, says Alistair Speirs who has seen his weary way through many crises in Indonesia: from riots to earthquakes, from financial collapses to tsunamis. And if we are truly honest and compare our recovery time and our recovery programs to our neighbours in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, we will see we are very much slower than they are. Why is this and what can be done this time to make recovery quicker and easier – and more permanent!"

NOW! Publisher Alistair Speirs, OBE, reads out his widely received article on how Bali and Indonesia should prepare for after Covid-19.

Full article here: https://nowbali.co.id/after-covid-19-what-next/

In Bali, north has a different meaning. North, or Kaja, is towards the mountain, Mount Agung to be exact. It is the direction towards the spiritual, where the Balinese orient themselves towards. This orientation is found throughout Balinese structures and is all about orienting oneself with the universe. 

In this episode of The NOW! Bali Podcast, we share the unique way in which the Balinese Hindu perceive disaster as well as deal with disaster. This is a nice segue into the discussion of 'balance': how mankind is at the centre of balance between 'good' and 'evil'; and the purpose of ceremonies and offerings in keeping that balance.

In this debut episode of The NOW! Bali Podcast, we share the story of Jero Gede Mecaling, an old animist myth surrounding the 'Honourable Fanged One', written by Jean Couteau. Jero Gede Mecaling is said to be the bringer of death and disease; a timely myth to discuss for the COVID-19 situation taking place during the recording. 

NOW! Bali is a multimedia company based on the Island of the Gods, sharing the best of Travel, Culture and Leisure in Bali. (www.nowbali.co.id)