Bali is a small Indonesian island with a reputation as paradise. It is actually a Hindu nation in a sea of Islam (the rest of Indonesia). It has ‘everything’ - beach, surfing, swimming, sailing, boating, and a substantial mountainous region of tranquil beauty.
Additionally, there are tiny islands off the coast of Bali. One is mountainous with a big waterfall, but another called Nusa Lembongan Island is the Bali of 40 years ago. All this handful of small islands are reached by ferries. I wish we’d been here long enough to use the ferries and see beyond the tourist attractions. That said, the tourist attractions were pretty spectacular.
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| Entrance to Tanah Lot Temple |
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| Uluwatu Temple This temple is on the edge of the Indian Ocean. [First time I’ve ever seen THAT ocean.] Meet the Indian Ocean. This cliff is across from the temple. And, yes, the water is really this color. This temple is located on the western tip of Nusa Dua, a little southern afterthought to the main island of Bali. You can see it on the map.    As you can see from the tail, it frees up those prehensile hands and feet, and assists in the getaway. Their annoying interactions are the fault of the first tourists who gave these monkeys FOOD. Now, they steal personal items to exchange them for food. Nobody can say these monkeys aren’t smart. This behavior has been learned by successive generations of monkeys from their parents. Here’s my personal anecdote about the monkeys. As I noted, the tour guide was emphatic about what NOT to take out of the bus. Of course, one man (who looked like he thought he knew everything) took a honking big camera with the lens that extends 10” from the camera. He’s got it around his neck, so he feels smugly secure from theft. As he begins to focus, he takes his glasses off his face and puts them on top of his head. The monkeys see an easy picking and plug them right off his head. Oh man, he’s stomping around informing everyone of his irreplaceable $1500 glasses that have every bell and whistle you can load on a pair of eyeglasses. In my opinion, he deserved to lose them. However, that’s not how life works in Bali. They have monkey wranglers with calls and sticks who managed to retrieve the glasses. I never heard him say thank you. Life in Bali is not really about attractions. It’s about the harmony of humans, nature, and the gods. Restoring the man’s glasses restored the harmony in the relationship with him and the others around him. The Hindu religion is taken very seriously in Bali. Everyone tries to achieve harmony and life balance. Offerings are made daily to the gods. Here’s an example:  This offering is sitting out on the sidewalk and is probably for three businesses/apartments. Offerings are also refreshed every day in family temples which are behind walls. One of the speakers on the ship talked about his favorite Bali hotel he likes to stay at when he visits. The hosts spend two hours a day preparing offerings for all 22 rooms in their hotel. We visited another temple, Tanah Lot on a Balinese holiday. Families were visiting here as we trooped around. Here are two little boys enjoying their orange chick on the holiday:    The Tanah Lot temple was much more open than the Uluwatu Temple. Plus, no monkeys! We walked around the temple, and boy, was it hot and humid. I looked like a tomato struggling with my sticks and trying to keep up. I made it, but I was glad to rest a bit o the air conditioned bus. These little boys were a delight. They were just as happy as they look in the picture.    Bali has wonderful food and beautiful vegetation. I haven’t seen birds of paradise growing since New Orleans or lobster claws since Jamaica. |
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This last bush is a Jungle Flame or a Jungle Geranium. It’s a sacred plant, so it’s not surprising it’s on the Tanah Lot grounds.
As we drove around Bali, there are larger than life statues of Hindu gods and Hindu stories. Here are some pictures of my favorite:
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Having lived in New Orleans, I attacked this plate with gusto. I was pulling out chunks of seafood with both my fork, my fingers, and a cracker. I admit my weak hands just couldn’t get into the crab. My husband who hates to dirty his fingers to eat was quickly tired of trying to crack shells and pry out meat….so I ate his lobster. Both were delish! My mother-in-law would have risen from the dead if I’d left any lobster on either plate. It was her favorite food.
The lunch was in an open air verandah looking over the beach.
The woman running the lunch was bustling around serving food, answering questions, and trying to make about 60 people simultaneously comfortable. I decided to try Balinese manners. At the end of the lunch, I not only thanked her, but I bowed to her in Balinese fashion. She broke into a big smile and hugged me. I could feel the harmony.
I don’t know how many pictures this horrible internet loaded, but hopefully, you can click the link and see more.
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