Tuesday October 15

            We had an abbreviated tour today as Caroline and Ali left for home in the afternoon.  We went to the mother temple – the most important temple in Bali. Like 90% of the population in Bali the temple is Hindu.  It sits on the side of the largest volcano in Bali – Gunung Agung.  The temple is a large compound of buildings with Pagoda roofs everywhere.  It contains several smaller temples.  The temples are laid out on several levels.  There is a caste system in Bali: the farmers, the merchants, the warriors, and the Priests.   The lower temples for the farmer caste and the upper temple for the priests caste Today there were several ceremonies going on in the temple.  The biggest one seemed to be the cremation ceremonies.  The temple was crowded with Hindis and I was pleased to see they were harangued as much by the hawkers as we were.  I  also loved seeing so many Balinese dressed in their finery.                  

Balinese Celebrants

On the way to a cremation ceremony

                                                         

                                                
                                                                                                                  
                                                                                              

Monday October 14

                      

      

Joan and friend

At Rest

Glass Shop

       Our hotel is close to the Monkey Forest so after breakfast we walked to the forest and joined the crowds.  The forest is a sacred forest and the terrain and the monkeys are protected.  The monkeys roam free and the humans feed them so the monkeys are very comfortable around humans.  We were warned to remove all jewellery and hats lest the monkey grab them.  Joan had a plastic bottle of water in her purse and a monkey climbed up her leg and stole it.  While she was laughing another monkey climbed over her shoulders and perched on her arm.  She looked like an animal trainer. 
            In the afternoon Joan and I went art shopping for a painting from Bali.  I have learned that negotiating is necessary but even I can’t get a $4,000 painting for a hundred dollars.  We left the first place and went to the second dealer.  We ended up with 2 paintings.  I paid $20 for my picture of Buddha and Joan paid $100 for her picture of rice fields. 

Temple detail

Sunday October 13

Ali in Dive Mode

            We changed towns today and drove to the cultural centre of Bali.  Along the way we stop off at a harbour for lunch and a swim.  Ali, Caroline and I went on a snorkelling tour.  I had my underwater camera and we spent hours snorkelling at 2 different dive sites along the coast.  The water was clear and warm and the coral reef was quite shallow.  The variety of fish was impressive.  There was one fat ugly 2-foot fish that moved very slowly and seemed to eat coral.   He would swim into the coral headfirst and then back up and do it again.  He often swam sideways.  He looked very, very drunk.

Drunken Coral Fish

                                                                                                                                                                

            On the way back to Ubud we stopped at a waterfall. I was walking across the rocks to the gras only to discover the grass was really a swamp.  Both feet up to the ankles covered in green slime.  So after taking my pictures I stepped into a nearby bath pool, sandals and all.  The kids thought I was funny.       

Bali Waterfalls