Looooonnnggggg Day of Touring

July 7, Touring Day

Putut Alit, our esteemed driver, took us on a tour today.  We hopped in the car to several different places starting with traditional Balinese dancing in Singapadu.  The traditional Hindu story told during the dance including so many elements that this quickly turned from a drama into a melodrama.   One of the central figures is the Barong, a mythical lion like creature.   It's a story involving lions, witches, princes, servants, battles, and a host of other worldly elements.  What an enjoyable way to start the tour. 

The Barong, a mythical lion like creature.  

Servant girls.

Bali dancers have exceptionally expressive eyes (very wide open and  often looking to the side). 

Make up the envy of drag queens everywhere. 

A Balinese version of a witch.

Next a traditional Indonesian Batik factory.  The workers were weaving Balinese Itak cloth, and others were demonstrating the wax process of Batiking.  Very labor intensive but what beautiful products in the end.  

Another hop in the car to go to the temple Goa Gajah, or Elephant Cave temple.  This beautiful temple dates from the 11th Century.  The cave has alcoves about waste high used for meditation.  The featured statue is Ganesh but this is not why the cave is considered the elephant cave.  It really is because the cave is very large by typical temple standards and the front of the carving once represented an elephant. Much of the temple was destroyed in 1917 and only portions are being restored.  The temple grounds were home to a Buddhist temple as well.  

Intrepid travelers heading into Goa Gajah.  

Ganesha, over 1,000 years old.  The God of Education and Learning.  

Ganesha photobombing Rusty and Di's selfie.  

Other stone carvings in the cave. 

Rusty in front of Ganesha.

Interesting tree roots.  

Remains of the Buddhist temple at the same site. 

Restoration of the temple structures...using lots of gold leaf. 

Temple gates. 

It seems that most Indonesians don't practice Hinduism or Buddhism, rather they practice Hinduism and Buddhism.  I'm coming to find that this country is about balance.  The Balinese place offerings in front of homes and businesses on the ground not as an offering to the good Gods but rather to appease the evil Gods. Offerings placed in the small home temples are to receive favor from the Good Gods.  Again balance is the key!  (the Balinese are constantly presenting offerings…often several times a day in homes, in front of businesses, at temples, in the natural areas, in the rice fields).  All to receive the blessings of Gods. 

From there, we took a long, slow, and steady trip to the twin volcanoes. (Kintamani).   The views were absolutely stunning.  We ate lunch on a veranda overlooking the entire valley.  Not a bad way to spend a lunchtime.  

Lunchtime on the deck of a cliffside restaurant overlooking paradise.  

BinTang?  Why of course...the benefit to hiring a driver. 

Another cliffside hotel up the road a bit.  

Time for good food, good company, and a quiet moment to contemplate the view.  

Truly awesome.

One of the three dormant volcanoes.  

Good times, people, good times. 

We also stopped by the Holy Water temple.  (Pura Tirtha Empul) This is a place for Hindus to bath in the holy water.  How unfortunate that this temple was over run with just about every tourist in Bali.  

Truly frightening stone carving.

Mostly Hindus bathing in the holy waters.  

Walking out the exit of the temple, one is ferried through a veritable maze of souvenir stands.   We navigated the stands fairly quickly and easily before being accosted by banana sellers in the parking lot.  The pack of sellers sensed the weak link and separated Rusty from the herd.  He ended up buying organic bananas for a price worthy of Whole Foods.  So far the only unpleasant tourist experience we have had in Bali!  

From there, we took a quick trip to some distinctive rice paddy steppes (Tegallalang) and then home. 

Very steep rice terraces in a very narrow valley.

This was a very long day but some nice sites to see.  We come to our villa every night worn out but filled with a bevy of new memories.  

Home sweet home!