Based in Dallas, Texas, David T. Ball maintains a strong philanthropic presence and is also an avid traveler who enjoys exploring different cultures. Among David T. Ball’s favorite destinations is Bali, and he has had the opportunity to take in the landscape and temples of a small volcanic island rich in history.
The most active of the three volcanos on Bali, Mount Batur features three distinct calderas that are the remnant of major eruptions that range from 20,000 to 30,000 years ago. A sacred mountain to the local people, Batur has had a devastating effect on communities in the region, with a 1926 eruption creating a lava flow that covered an entire village. More than 300 local people who refused to leave perished in that tragic event. With the most recent significant eruption having occurred in 1994, steam is released from vents in the inner caldera that can boil eggs. It also creates high temperature hot springs in the vicinity of Lake Batur below.
Despite the danger, many Balinese view Mount Batur as a blessing, both for the rich and fertile soil it creates and the tourist business it generates. With trekkers starting before dawn to make the 2,000-foot ascent by sunrise, the volcano features sections of pebbly black lava beds, as well as forests rich in pine, bamboo, palms, and jackfruit trees.
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