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King Salman finds warm welcome in Bali
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Warm welcome: Fifty young dancers perform the Pendet dance, a traditional Balinese dance, to welcome the arrival of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in Bali on Saturday afternoon. (Courtesy of Angkasa Pura I/File)
King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud smiled and waved as 50 young girls performed a dance to welcome his arrival in Bali on Saturday.
Wearing colorful Balinese outfits and holding flower bouquets in their hands, the young dancers from dance group Sanggar Sawitri enthusiastically performed the Balinese Pendet dance, which is traditionally staged to honor guests.
The dance normally takes around eight minutes, but based on a request from the Saudi Arabian security advance team, it was shortened to five minutes.
Bali administration spokesperson Dewa Mahendra said King Salman looked happy when the dance was performed as he disembarked from the aircraft. “He was waving hands and smiling,” Dewa said.
The king shook hands with officials upon his arrival, including Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika and Bali Police chief Insp. General Petrus R. Golose.
(Read also: Bali welcomes King Salman)
Several other prominent figures also welcomed the king. They included the chairman of the Bali chapter of the Indonesian Parisada Hindu Council (PHDI), IGN Sudiana, Bali Interfaith Communication Forum (FKUB) chairman Ida Pengelingsir Agung Putra Sukahet and Bali Customary Village High Council (MUDP) head Jero Gede Suwena.
“King Salman shook hands with them all," Dewa explained. “We are very proud that we could show our Balinese traditional dance to the King and his entourage.” (ebf)
