When the winds begin to rise over Bali Island, the sky will be decorated with colors that announce the arrival of kite season.

It’s a summer activity that brings back joyful memories of childhood to Balinese photographer Putu Sayoga. As a young boy, he’d watch elder kids pull kites through rice fields near his village after harvest season. When the winds didn’t come, the boys would whistle loudly, acting out stories of Rare Angon, the name of a character in Balinese epic story respected by kite flyers. According to the legend, his magical flute beckoned (召唤) the winds. Kites that dance in those sudden strong winds are said to help farmers keep harmful insects away from their harvests.

In the early 1970s, foreign visitors began flooding into Bali’s white sand beaches and in 1978 the island launched an annual kite festival that quickly grew into a large competition. Three styles of kite take flight at the festival: the long-tailed bird; the fish, perhaps the most popular; and the leaf, considered the toughest to fly because of earlier preparation.

The COVID-19 pandemic put off the kite festival in Bali Island. But in the absence of tourists, Sayoya rediscovered the beauty of kite flying without earlier preparation. One day, Sayoga spotted a colorful gathering overhead. Down a small side road, he found an illegal festival. The police had forced the kite flyers to leave the beach, so they had to remove to a rice field. Sayoga asked if he could film it and they agreed — so long as he focused his camera on the kites and not their faces.

This year, the official kite festival has returned to Bali’s beaches, but informal festivals, like the one Sayoga photographed, have also stuck around again. For Sayoga, who had long avoided the overcrowded pre-pandemic festivals, these gatherings have helped him rediscover the entertainment he loved as a child. Now when he goes to see the kites fly, he may intentionally leave his camera at home.

Sydney Cultural Festival – What’s on today!

Location: Art Gallery of New South Wales. Today is the final day of the exhibition featuring 18th and 19th century paintings by some of the greatest European artists, such as Van Gough and Monet. Posters of these great works are available for purchase at the Visitors’ Centre.

Time: 8.30am –7pm

Cost: $12 adults; $7 children and students

Location: Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden. Come and celebrate our natural environment in one of the world’s only nature parks inside a major city. Join our hourly guided tours, starting at the Eastern Gate, and enjoy breathtaking forests, stunning city escapes and the magnificent Sydney Harbour.

Time: 9am – 4pm Cost: Free

Location: Sydney Opera House. Australia’s most famous orchestra is best known for its performances of classical French and German music. But in tonight’s concert, the world-famous Chinese pianist Lang Lang is the special guest artist and will perform a series of classic Chinese compositions including Yellow River.

Time: 8.30pm –11.30pm

Cost: $175 adults; $90 students and children

Location: Centennial Park. Sit on the grass and enjoy the latest movies or classics from the past under the stars at Australia’s best and largest outdoor cinema. Tonight features the wonderful Australian film Red Dog. Besides the movie, there will be a display of classic Australian film posters.

Time: 8pm – 10.30pm

Cost: $19 adults; $14 children and students

Greek Festival and Roman Festival

You will be sent to a group.

As a member of the group, you will take part in at least ONE of the following activities.

Sign up with your English teacher, and remember space is limited for each event, so don’t delay. See the list under “Olympic Events” below.

Mrs. Jones has a list of recipes (食谱) from ancient Greece and Rome. You may make American food, but be sure to give it a Greek or Roman name. For example, call your chocolate cake “Zeus’s Delight.” This is a great way to practice your skills in the kitchen.

Be sure your artwork reflects (反映) ancient Greek or Roman culture. Artwork may include sculptures, paintings, drawings, or models. The museum is a great place to show off your artistic talent.

Rewrite your favorite Greek myth (神话) using modern language, or change the words of a popular song to tell a Greek or Roman tale. To try out, you must perform for a group of teachers. This audition (试演) helps the teachers choose the BEST performance groups for the talent show.

Hercules Throw — Throw a football through a hoop (铁箍) 20 feet away.

Three-Headed Race — Three people line up with touching legs tied. Then they run the distance of the gym.