August 17th - Indonesian independence day

Went to the Bajra Sandhi last Saturday with driver Nyoman, the monument for the people's struggle in Denpasar at Puputan field. Its name comes from a hand bell Hindu priests use here which it resembles. It's got a great museum inside with lots of photos, many from 1906 when the Dutch were pressing in. Lots of photos of where we live, the beach here, and streets or maybe street. And on the 2nd floor of the monument, round and tapering in, there were still-life depictions of Bali's history from 3000 BC.
The main event was the slaughter of the Sanur and Ubud royalty and others who offered suicidal resistance to the Dutch soldiers way back. It was the day to celebrate their proclamation of freedom - the 70th because they declared independence as soon as the Japanese surrendered. Over a thousand Japanese soldiers stayed to join them in the fight against the Dutch who wanted their islands back.