When discussing Indonesia's most internationally recognized tourist destinations, Pura Ulun Danu Beratan in Bedugul, Bali, stands as an unparalleled landmark. This magnificent temple represents far more than a conventional tourist attraction—it embodies the perfect harmony between Bali's traditional architecture and the breathtaking natural beauty of the island's mountainous regions, captivating millions of visitors from around the globe.<br /><br />Primary Attractions of Pura Ulun Danu Beratan<br /><br />Pura Ulun Danu Beratan serves as one of Bali's most renowned icons, demonstrating the seamless integration of traditional Balinese architecture with stunning mountain landscapes. Bali's deeply rooted cultural heritage and spiritual traditions make this temple an extraordinary magnet for both domestic and international tourists.<br />Located in Candikuning Village, Baturiti District, Tabanan Regency, the temple stands gracefully on the northwestern shore of Lake Beratan. Its strategic position on the lake, surrounded by verdant hills, creates panoramic views that are both spectacular and highly photogenic.<br /><br />Rich History and Profound Philosophy<br /><br />Pura Ulun Danu Beratan possesses an extensive history, constructed in 1556 Caka or 1634 CE by I Gusti Agung Putu, the King of Mengwi during that period. Archaeological artifacts discovered within the temple complex are estimated to be approximately 500 years older than the Common Era, indicating that this area has served as a sacred site for the Balinese community for centuries.<br />The temple's construction originated from the story of I Gusti Agung Putu's defeat against I Gusti Ngurah Batu Tumpeng. Following his loss, the king performed meditation and spiritual retreat at the peak of Mount Mangu, seeking enlightenment and divine power. After receiving blessings, he arose and began constructing this temple as an expression of gratitude and a plea for protection.<br />The temple is dedicated to Dewi Danu, the goddess of water, lakes, and rivers in Balinese Hindu beliefs, recognizing the critical importance of Lake Beratan as the primary irrigation source for central Bali. The temple's construction also represents a petition for agricultural fertility, prosperity, welfare, and environmental preservation of the surrounding area.<br /><br />Magnificent Architecture and Temple Complex<br /><br />Pura Ulun Danu Beratan comprises four temple complexes and one stupa: Pura Lingga Petak as the place of worship for Lord Shiva, Pura Dalem Purwa for worshipping Dewi Danu, and a Buddhist Stupa symbolizing harmony and unity among religious communities.<br />The eleven-tiered meru building, which serves as the primary spiritual center of the complex, showcases captivating traditional Balinese architecture. Every detail of carving and ornamentation on the temple buildings reflects the exceptional artistic and spiritual values of Balinese society.<br /><br />Refreshing Mountain Natural Beauty<br /><br />One of the primary advantages of visiting Pura Ulun Danu Beratan is the remarkably cool and refreshing mountain atmosphere. Located in the Bedugul highlands at approximately 1,200 meters above sea level, this area offers clean air and cool temperatures, providing a stark contrast to Bali's typically hot and humid coastal regions.<br />The presence of the expansive and pristine Lake Beratan enhances the natural coolness of the area. Visitors can enjoy views of the tranquil lake with stunning temple reflections, particularly during morning hours when thin mist still envelops the water surface.<br /><br />Current Ticket Prices and Facilities Information<br /><br />For 2025, entrance ticket prices for Pura Ulun Danu Beratan have been adjusted. Domestic tourists are charged IDR 40,000 for regular days and IDR 50,000 for weekends and national holidays. International tourists pay IDR 75,000 for adults and IDR 50,000 for children.<br />In addition to entrance tickets, visitors must pay parking fees of IDR 3,000 for motorcycles, IDR 5,000 for cars, and IDR 10,000 for buses. Supporting facilities available in the area are quite comprehensive, including adequate parking areas, restrooms, food stalls, and rest areas.<br /><br />International Recognition and Iconic Status<br /><br />Pura Ulun Danu Beratan enjoys widespread international recognition. One of the highest honors achieved by this temple was when its image was immortalized as the design on Indonesia's former 50,000 rupiah banknotes. This distinction established the temple as one of Indonesia's most globally recognized landmarks.<br />The beauty and architectural uniqueness of the temple standing above the lake waters have made it an extremely popular photography subject on international social media platforms. Professional photographers and tourists from various countries travel specifically to capture the temple's extraordinary beauty.<br /><br />Tourist Activities and Experiences<br /><br />The Pura Ulun Danu Beratan complex covers a substantial area, allowing tourists to explore freely, enjoy various perspectives, and spend quality time at this location. Visitors can engage in numerous activities including exploring the temple complex while learning about the history and philosophy of each building. The well-maintained temple area, featuring colorful flower gardens, provides highly enjoyable visual experiences.<br />Photography represents the primary activity undertaken by visitors. Every corner of the temple offers compelling photographic angles, from temple reflections on the lake surface to silhouettes of towering meru structures against mountain backdrops.<br />Visitors frequently experience the spiritual atmosphere and tranquility emanating from the temple complex. Many guests report feelings of inner peace and spiritual inspiration during their visits to this sacred site.<br /><br />Optimal Visiting Times<br /><br />To achieve the best experience, visiting during morning hours between 06:00-09:00 WIB is recommended. During this period, the air remains exceptionally cool, sunlight provides optimal conditions for photography, and visitor numbers remain manageable. Additionally, morning hours often feature thin mist phenomena enveloping the lake, creating highly mystical and photogenic atmospheres.<br /><br />Conclusion<br /><br />Pura Ulun Danu Beratan transcends conventional tourist destinations—it serves as a window showcasing Indonesia's cultural wealth, spirituality, and natural beauty. The perfect combination of magnificent traditional architecture, refreshing mountain natural beauty, and profound historical significance establishes this temple as an essential destination when visiting Bali.<br />For those seeking travel experiences beyond ordinary recreation, Pura Ulun Danu Beratan offers a blend of education, spirituality, and visual beauty that creates lasting impressions. Do not miss the opportunity to visit this internationally renowned Indonesian icon and personally experience its unforgettable charm.<br />Have you visited Pura Ulun Danu Beratan? Share your experiences and impressions in the comments section. If this article proves beneficial, please share it with friends planning vacations to Bali.

<br /> <br /> How the National Media Messed Up the Mavs Predictions<br /> by Bob McCullough 6/14/24<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Go into the recent archives of any major sports site, and you'll find a lot of names who should be embarrassed about their predictions for the Mavs-Celtics series. And they're not just the names of those who happened to cover the Mavs. <br /> <br /> <br /> The prediction split was close to 50/50. Maybe 60/40 in favor of the C's, which felt reasonable going into the Finals. Now it seems a little ridiculous. <br /> <br /> <br /> So what went wrong? Let's take a closer look at why the national media especially fell for the Dallas storyline, for it embodies a lot of what's wrong with sportswriting today and NBA coverage in particular. <br /> <br /> <br /> **** Mavs Story Lines<br /> <br /> <br /> This one's at the top of the list. Writers love superstars, and the NBA's entire culture is built around them. The old ebony/ivory combination of Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic was irresistable as a result, especially given the story lines. <br /> <br /> <br /> Start with Irving, a fascinating wack job who's been shooting his career in the foot for a long time now. After getting in trouble for spewing anti-Semitic nonsense, breaking up teams, getting coaches fired and conveniently missing games due to his anti-vax rhetoric, Irving somehow managed to resurrect his career and transform himself into a supposedly responsible NBA elder in Dallas. It's the ultimate redemption storyline. <br /> <br /> <br /> If you really believe that I have deeds to several bridges I can sell you, but in a basketball context Doncic may be even worse, which hardly seems possible. He's the most offensively gifted player of his generation, and yet, to use the words of Bob Cousy, he "looks like a truck driver." <br /> <br /> <br /> Which is Cooz-speak for Luka being fat and out of shape, especially for a professional athlete, and the Celtics have relentlessly exploited that flaw. Add in the fact that he goes after the refs on EVERY play, and he's pretty sickening to watch, even with his incredibly skill set. That doesn't stop the writers from relentlessly loving the highlight plays; that's what they do. <br /> <br /> <br /> J's Fatigue<br /> <br /> <br /> This one's right up there, too. NBA writers especially are sick of writing the same old rivalry stories about Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown, i.e., who's better, who gets paid more, who cares more about winning vs endorsements and brand, and so on. <br /> <br /> <br /> Not surprisingly, the rest of us are just as sick of reading them. Even more so now that' they've become largely irrelevant. Whatever their differences were--and there likely were differences, rest assured--they've worked them out to get to within a game of their first title. <br /> <br /> <br /> ** hum. <br /> <br /> <br /> What Matters About the Mavs Previous Opponents<br /> <br /> <br /> This one hasn't been explored as much, but it's relevant. National writers especially saw three glamour teams in the Clippers, the Thunder and the Wolves, which wasn't exactly the case. <br /> <br /> <br /> Start with the Clippers. They were always a shell of a team with lots of older star power--Kahwi, Paul George, the artist formerly known as Westbrick. Without a healthy Leonard, however, that formula was yesterday's news, as the Mavs quickly proved. Simply put, it was a hidden mismatch. <br /> <br /> <br /> On to the Thunder. This one's slightly more interesting. OKC surprised everyone with a first-round sweep over a New Orleans shell team supposedly "led" by the ever injured and absent Zion Williamson, which led to the assumption that they were ahead of the curve when it came to being playoff ready. <br /> <br /> <br /> Dallas exposed them as a bit of a donut team without enough secondary scoring after SGA, giving Sam Presti a solid blueprint for what he needs to fix going forward. The Thunder are one of the few teams where "watch out for them next year" carries a lot of weight. <br /> <br /> <br /> Lastly, the Timberwolves, who have one of the most oddly mismatched rosters in recent memory. They were perfectly constructed to stop the Nuggets, however, with two seven-footers available to get Nicola Jokic off his game. Against the Mavs, though, young Anthony Edwards was exposed as far from Finals-ready, and KAT came off once again as a seven foot scorer who sometimes plays at 6'6" under pressure. <br /> <br /> <br /> What Now For the Mavs? <br /> <br /> <br /> This one's simple, at least on paper--get Luka in shape, and convince him to play a nominal amount of defense. According to reports, though, Dallas has been trying to get him to do this for years, so that's where the "on paper" part comes in. <br /> <br /> <br /> They also need him to grow up. Luka's referee theater routine grew thin when he was exposed to a team with two All-Defense defenders, and at least two more who should be considered for that roster. Whining about fouls is fine when you have inferior defenders, but it doesn't hold water when athletes like Jaylen Brown and Jrue Holiday are in your grill taking options away. <br /> <br /> <br /> Finally, the Mavs need a third scorer. Badly. They got by with guys like PJ Washington and Derrick Jones this year, but bargain basement options like that almost always wilt like March daffodils when the playoffs roll around in April, May and June. The future's still bright in Cuban Land, but it's going to take some serious attitude and personnel adjustments to get Luka, Kyrie and company over the top.

(NewsUSA) - Later this month, the nation's largest-ever celebration of educational opportunity will kick off. During National School Choice Week (Jan 26-Feb 1), 50,000 events and activities around the nation will raise awareness about K-12 education choices.<br /> <br /> The real impact of school choice is what gives the Week such energy. A learning environment can change a life, sometimes unexpectedly. Remember the Dr. Seuss story featuring a character who, until he actually tries it, insists a dish of green eggs and ham is not for him? As President of National School Choice Week, I have the joy each month of hearing students, parents, and educators around the country share their own "green eggs and ham" moments.<br /> <br /> A teacher who was ready to leave the education field - until she overcame her skepticism about teaching in a virtual school. A mom who never dreamed she'd homeschool - until her son's medical needs led her to discover its benefits. A student who felt out of place in his previous school, but is now happy and thriving in a different traditional public school.<br /> <br /> That's the power of school choice. All children learn differently and families' needs vary. In the midst of healthy differences and human change, choice empowers families to access the learning environments that work for them now.<br /> <br /> School choice recognizes that parents are best positioned to know their child's passion for botany, reading struggles, or penchant for drawing quirky cartoons. And those same parents are best qualified to choose their children's learning environments.<br /> <br /> National School Choice Week celebrates traditional public, public charter, magnet, private, online, and home education. We celebrate and support families, too, whichever type of school they choose. That's because when families and schools bring their gifts together, students succeed.<br /> <br /> All children deserve to close their school books at the end of each week inspired and equipped to give back. So, if you love your school, celebrate it during School Choice Week! If you're searching for a school, be willing to try something new to find the right fit. You might have a green-eggs- and-ham moment, when your child's frustration with learning turns into an excited "I do love it!"<br /> <br /> For more information, visit schoolchoiceweek.com.<br /> <br /> Ref: Cultures - in Blogs

Just me writing my little story! It's a coming of age story about a girl graduating from high school and not being sure where to go from there. Her family and friends help her out with a little bit of chaos and a lot of luck! <br /><br />“T! Can I borrow your notes for French?” Hailey fluttered her eyelashes at me and gave me her most winning smile, knowing that my notes were at least twenty times better than hers. I rolled my eyes and reached for my bag. I was ready for the French exam later, it was on my study schedule to be way beyond prepared. I started studying months ago so that I could get all of my sleeping in. Of course, Hailey almost never sleeps. <br />“Oh my gosh, girlie hand them over,” speaking of not sleeping, Evelyn had just walked over and was holding her hand out to me. I’m not sure how Evelyn ever slept, since she ran with me every morning at 5 am and she was on every sports team that she could fit into her schedule, plus some advanced classes. <br />“Hey, hey, no! I asked first!” Hailey gave a pouty look, her lip out and her eyes big. With her tiny frame and overly stunning blue eyes she looked adorable, but I knew that Evelyn probably needed the notes more. She struggled with French, and Hailey had had me and Cardan there to help her all year. Evelyn and I had only become friends a couple of months ago, despite having run the same route together everyday for the past four years. <br />I shoot Hailey a sympathetic smile and pull out my red notebook with Iron Man stickers coating it and hand it to Evelyn.<br />“Eek! You’re the best!” She planted a kiss on my cheek, which earned me a jokingly jealous look from Hails. Honestly, I couldn’t blame her either. With her perfectly clear brown skin and her hair always done up in some sort of cute braids, Evelyn was one of the prettiest girls in our grade. Of course, she was also a sweetheart and therefore sat down on the couch next to Hailey so that they could review together. Hailey started chattering with Evelyn about something or another as I closed my eyes, drifting off to sleep. <br /><br />“Pencils down!” Madame Saker’s yell startled me awake and I heard a small, stifled chuckle from Cardan, who was sitting next to me. I wiped the little bit of drool off of my face and shot him a quick glare, but by the time I looked over, he was already staring at his exam again, his lower lip firmly stuck between his teeth. Honestly, at this point it’s a miracle that he still has lips with how often he gnaws on those things. We start passing our tests forward and I toss my pencil onto his desk to get his attention. When Cardan looks over at me, his brow is furrowed and he looks moments from a panic attack. I throw him a thumbs up and a questioning face and he gives a despairing shrug. Cardan is actually one of the smartest kids in our grade, but he never believes he did well on literally anything. I know that the five seconds between our tests getting to her and Madame dismissing us could be vital to Cardan’s mental state, so I reach over and grab his hand. It’s shaking, but he intertwines his fingers with mine and takes a breath deep enough that people across the world could have seen it. He squeezes my hand right as Madame calls that we can leave. The bell won’t ring today because it “disturbs the mind of a studying student”. Basically, the headmaster thinks that anyone who is currently studying and not in an exam will be startled really badly by the bell, even though we are all expecting it. <br />Cardan releases my hand with a small smile and grabs his bag. No one else in the room has theirs except for Hailey who is already pulling out her dance notebook. I grab my pencil from Cardan’s desk and tuck it into my ponytail as I walk over to Hails, Cardan trailing behind me. <br />“So, T, how did you do? Cause I think that I messed up the conjugation of être on the fifth question, but it was a fill in the blank, and if that’s all I messed up, we’re totally fine… Do you think that I could run tendus twice today without some of the younger kids getting annoyed? It really helps their turnout, but they also complain sometimes…” Her tongue appears between her teeth as she scribbles in her notebook, completely lost to the rest of us now. Cardan and I exchange an eye roll over her head. Surprisingly easy, considering that she stopped growing in like fourth grade at 4’ 10”. <br />“Thanks for the notes Tiana, they really helped!” Evelyn bumps my shoulder lightly as she walks past and I wave goodbye to her before placing a gentle hand on Hailey’s back and scooping up her bag, steering her in the direction of the common room. She continues mumbling under her breath as Cardan pulls out a book and follows behind us, already lost to the world as well. <br />By the time we reach the common room, I’ve had to steer the two of them to avoid five different people rushing around and at least three people who tried to talk to them about the exams we’ve taken. Of course, neither of them know this, and both collapse on a couch to continue what they were doing, giving me the room to climb between them and take a nap with my head on Cardan’s lap and feet on Hailey’s. <br /><br />It’s Hailey who wakes me up about an hour later in order to remind me that we need to change for the parties later tonight. Since we’re seniors, we kind of get a free pass to go to every single end-of-year party, and Hailey is also friends with everyone, so she has people to see at all of them. Cardan takes this as his cue to leave, and kisses both of us on the forehead before heading upstairs to his room. He’s probably packing up his cat’s supplies for the trip home tomorrow. I’ll have to leave hails at some point tonight to check up on him before he gets too in his head about going home. <br />“So, what are we thinking? I know that the soccer girls always wear their jerseys, but like cropped or bedazzled or whatever you guys do to them, but I don’t think that you can wear that to every party… Or maybe we could stop back here and change between that and other parties. Well, I wouldn’t want people at the parties to notice you changed, since that might be a little weird. Oh! Can you do my hair for tonight? I can’t just wear it in a ballet bun like usual, since that is what I do all the time. Oh my gosh! Did I send out the message to remind the kids that classes are canceled tonight?” Hailey continued rambling, thankfully remembering that she did actually send out the reminder, several of them actually, as I steered her to our bedroom. She flopped back on my bed, still talking, as I slipped out of my leggings and tank top and into a pair of ripped skinny jeans with my purple and red jersey that Hailey had stitched into a crop top and bedazzled the number 8 on the back. She was still talking as I shoved my clothes in my laundry hamper, so I grabbed one of her decorative pillows that was on the floor and threw it at her. <br />“What?” Hails sat up, and finally looked at me, a cute blush coloring her cheeks as she realized I was already changed. “Are you gonna take that pencil out for the party?” That was her only verbal acknowledgement of my clothes change as she headed over to her closet and grabbed a cute purple dress and white ballet slippers, slipping in for five seconds before coming out already changed. <br />“Hair?” She threw me another dazzling smile before plopping back on my bed. I grabbed my hairbrush from its place on the dresser and climbed on the bed behind her, listening to her ramble about everyone’s summer plans and pretending that it was okay that I had absolutely no clue what I was planning to do once summer ended. I had no college plans, no job plans, nothing prepared for my life. <br />“Done!” I finally said, cutting Hailey off a little, but she barely noticed as she pranced to the mirror to look at her wraparound braid. <br />“You’re an angel! Thank you!” Hails ran back and kissed my cheek before grabbing earrings off of the mess on her dresser and sliding them in as I pulled out my phone. I had a text from Cardan asking if I was done with the book he lent me and double checking the dates I was staying with him, a text from Evelyn that was just a picture of her jersey that she had cut holes into the side of and made slimmer around the waist to fit her, and a few texts in the soccer group chat about who was bringing what. I ignored the group chat, sent Evelyn a thumbs up and a selfie and shot a quick reassuring text (or seven) to Cardan before tossing my phone down and shrieking when I found Hailey standing an inch from my face. <br />“Ready?”<br />“You’re a pain,” I mumbled as I stood up, reaching for my phone again and tucking it in my back pocket. “Let’s go.”<br />“YAY!” Hailey pranced from the room, leading me to the first party of the end of my high school life.

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Travelers who are seeking serenity as part of their quintessential Caribbean luxury resort experience will find their perfect getaway at Calabash Cove.<br /><br />With a secluded beachfront location on the northwest (or Caribbean) side of the coast of the island of St. Lucia, Calabash Cove offers privacy and luxury for adults only.<br /><br />The Calabash Cove guest list includes singles and couples, some honeymooners, some celebrating an anniversary or other special event, and others looking for a simple but elegant getaway with some personal space and well-prepared meals. Visitors come from the United States, Canada, Europe, and around the world.<br /><br />The resort and spa is a full-service resort: the optional Unconditional All-Inclusive package covers all food and drinks including room service, daily specials, an in-room bar, lobster when in season, and more than 20 wines by the bottle from the resort's extensive wine list. Tips and Wi-Fi are included as well.<br /><br />Part of the resort's appeal is its promise of intimacy - only 26 suites, all with a king bed, Jacuzzi, double vanity, rain shower, private balcony or patio, ocean view and cable TV. The resort is built along a sloping hill and was designed to complement and harmonize with the natural surroundings and offer guests full benefit of ocean breezes and sunset views.<br /><br />The property includes a private beach with nearby coral reef, as well as tropical gardens and groves of trees to set the scene for reflection and relaxation.<span style='display:none' class='DO NOT REMOVE - THIS CATEGORY CODE WILL BE HIDDEN - IT IS NEEDED TO BE FOUND BY CATEGORY AND ONE-CLICK SEARCH'>Category: Saint Lucia - in Countries</span>

(NewsUSA) - How much will I need for my kid's college education? And how the heck will I pay for it?<br /> <br /> With the cost of a four-year degree rising nearly eight times faster than wages since the 1980s, those two questions are enough to give today's parents a serious case of night sweats. You can argue about the reasons for the disconnect -Administrative costs? Fancy amenities? - but you know there's a problem when a writer at Education Week is incensed.<br /> <br /> "Madness," she decried.<br /> <br /> Which is all the more reason to mark May 29 down on your calendar.<br /> <br /> Otherwise known as National 529 College Savings Plan Day -Get it? 5/29? - it's the perfect time to consider setting up one those tax-advantaged 529 plans, as they're called, to help sock money away to cover tuition, books and other education-related expenses at most accredited two - and four-year colleges, universities and vocational-technical schools.<br /> <br /> "It's a way of keeping your son or daughter from being saddled with too much debt when it's time to jump start their careers," explained Melissa Ridolfi, vice president of retirement and college products at Fidelity Investments. "Plus, any investment earnings compound on a tax-deferred basis, and qualified withdrawals are entirely free from federal and state income taxes."<br /> <br /> And now to the big question: How much?<br /> <br /> Two factors are mainly at play:<br /> <br /> * Public vs. private schools. The cost difference can be about as mind-boggling as "Avengers: Endgame's" record $357.1 million opening weekend domestic haul: an average of $21,370 a year at the former, according to the College Board's latest figures, as opposed to $48,510 at the latter.<br /> <br /> * The percentage of the bill you plan to foot. If you were counting on scholarships and other grants to pick up all or most of the tab, you should probably rethink that unless your kid is either a bona fide child prodigy or football star. Sallie Mae's "How America Pays for College" 2018 report found that both categories combined paid for just 28 percent of college costs.<br /> <br /> One guess where 47 percent of the costs came from. That's right, "family income and savings," with another 24 percent covered by borrowing.<br /> <br /> In other words, as Ridolfi said, "any way you look at it, the family is on the hook to pay the lion's share of college expenses." Which probably helps explain why a recent Fidelity study found that parents are increasingly starting to save before their child even reaches the age of two.<br /> <br /> To see where you stand, try using what Fidelity calls "the college savings 2K rule of thumb." Simply multiply your child's current age by $2,000 to figure whether your savings to date are generally on track to handle approximately 50 percent of the College Board's $21,370-a-year average cost of attending a four-year public college.<br /> <br /> Or, especially if you want a more customized estimate - one that lets you play around with percentages and switch back and forth between public and private schools - the firm's free online college savings calculator takes the angst out of doing the math yourself.<br /> <br /> Fidelity provides 12 savings ideas to help reach your own goal, and offers a choice of two different investment strategies in the 529 savings plans it manages - including an age-based portfolio of funds that automatically becomes more conservative as the beneficiary nears college age.<br /> <br /> Hopefully, armed with all that info, you'll be sleeping better at night.<br /> <br /> Ref: Family - in Blogs