The Royal Palace

By: Helen Rosell

We visited the royal palace on day six. We met the king and the princess. We got to learn a lot
about the princess. She’s interested in studying abroad in the future at Yale University or in
London. She loves films and is very familiar with American pop culture. The royal family was
very welcoming and open to answering our questions.

During our visit, we got to tour around the royal palace. We saw prayer sites. We learned where
the girls train for the Balinese dance and we were able to learn more details about Balinese
dancing. There are different types of Balinese dances including barong, legong, and kecak. The
most common dance is the legong dance. It has complicated footwork, specific finger
movements, and expressive eye gestures. The dance originated in the 19th century and its
purpose was for royal entertainment.

After the tour, we enjoyed a traditional Balinese dinner with the royal family. Balinese monarch
lineage continues to exist in Bali. Hinduism has remained to be a part of the Balinese monarchy
and its culture. The royal family is respected in Bali but they do not hold political power.

The royal palace of Blahbatuh was built in the 16th century and is one of the biggest palaces in
the Gianyar area. As of today, the royal palace serves as a place to preserve traditional art in
Gianyar.