(see on map) - trin: From Gili we took a fast boat back to Bali and stayed in Candidasa "where doing nothing is doing something." - Mike Murphy. The town was a snoozefest but it served as a base to see the cultural sights on the eastern side of the island.
Our first stop, Tenganan, is the oldest village on Bali. The town makes amazing textiles called double ikat. If you ever visit this village, be prepared. The man who greets tourist at the gate for tours produces these textiles. He'll take you to his home and put on the hard sell. When you don't make a purchase he'll pout and reluctantly show you the rest of the village. Can you tell the experience left me a little jaded?
On the brighter side, we did see a ceremony performed by the young girls in the village.
Next stop, Pura Goa Lawah, a Hindu temple that backs up to deep caves full of unnumbered bats and snakes.
Our rented sarongs and sashes. Traditional Balinese dress is required to enter the temples.
Bats hanging on the cave walls near the entrance.
We also visited Pura Besakih located high on the slopes of Mt. Agung. It is know as the mother temple of Hinduism.
It is actually a complex of temples where the locals are guides on rotation. Our young guide spoke Indonesian, Balinese, English, French, some Japanese and Italian. On the days he doesn't guide, he is a farmer.
Climbing the temple steps. In one of the smaller temples we had an opportunity to pray, receive a blessing from a Hindu priest (a woman) and leave a small offering. We left with rice stuck to our foreheads.
Rice paddies on the drive down from the temple.
Tirtagangga, an elaborate water palace that was built on an ancient spring. The beautiful site is surrounded by rice paddies.
While most of the temple have been rebuilt with black volcanic bricks, the statues at the water palace are still limestone.
Taking the stepping stone path.
Sunset over the lagoon in Candidasa.
From there we headed to the opposite side of the island, Pemuteran. There isn't much of a town just a few resort hotels but it is an ideal base for diving at Menjangan Island, a national park.
At first, we were staying at the most establish resort which wasn't all that great but they thought they were. They wanted us to move rooms twice. So, Mike went on a mission. He found Adi Assri Beach Cottages a brand new locally owned and operated resort where the staff out numbered the guests and they were almost too nice.
Breakfast on the new front porch
Blog-athon '08
30th Birthday Dive Day at Pulau Menjangan. Java in the distance.
Mike resting between dives. He looks a little high on residual nitrogen.
Reading my birthday emails. Thanks all.
Ouch. A little present from the jellies.
The chef made me a beautiful birthday cake that read Happy Birthday Ms Trinity. They all sang happy birthday. It was all really sweet.
1 comment:
It's so beautiful and looks like fun...while you were doing that I was catching up on all my work email. Maybe we should have stayed there after all.
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