Day Trip Around Central Bali
Our driver Made (mah-day) took us on a lovely tour to see the sites today around South/Central Bali. We first went to see a traditional Barong dance, which was very cool, but confusing as hell to figure out what was going on. A lot of running around hitting each other with palm branches??? We were handed a sheet which explained the story, but still had a hard time following. A couple of Americans actually up and left because I think they were so confused! Funny. Still very enjoyable to see.
We then drove to Celuk, a small town specializing in silver, where we visited UC Silver - a place where we got to see how all the jewelery was made and then went into the huge gallery where we bought a few pieces. Kevin bought a chain and pendant and a money clip for himself and a beautiful bracelet and earrings for me. Then it was off to a place to see Batik - a special dying process that they do. Again, got to see step by step how they do it, and a gallery of all the finished product. Third stop - Balinese artshop where there were corridors after corridors of beautiful art. We bought two pieces, one for the bedroom and one that I think we will hang in the hallway. We then hit our first temple - the Goa Gajah (elephant Cave) dated back to the 11th century. The grounds included the remains of a Buddhist temple and several Hindu shrines and monuments and a sacred holy water pool where locals and visitors alike can come and bathe in the holy water (we left our swimmers behind). Made then drove us around through the countryside a bit to a countryside restaurant with a fabulous view of the rice fields where we enjoyed a yummy Indonesian lunch. Kevin had bebek tutu (smoked spicy duck) and I had mie ayam goreng (fried noodles with chicken). We are slowly learning the language - mostly food items!!
After lunch, we saw more beautiful rice fields as we drove to another temple - a water temple where again we saw more holy water pools to bathe in, and more Hindu temples and shrines. Even saw a group of locals in worship in front of one of the shrines. We then headed to a coffee and spice place where we saw all sorts of strange Indonesian fruit trees and some cocoa plants and saw where they produce the famous, expensive Balinese Kopi Luwak (aka "poop coffee") where the Luwak, a local weasel type animal, eats the coca beans and poops them out, and subsequently the beans are then washed and processed and made into coffee (blah)! Kevin couldn't quite get past the idea of the origin of the beans to buy any, but we picked up a few spices, some cocoa, and some other "non-pooped out" coffee.
Then back trough the countryside to see more terraced rice fields (amazing landscape to see) and back to Sanur (the village we are staying in) to have dinner at Mings - a restaurant our friends recommended. This place they noted as having exceptional service, and silly little chairs (looks like a chair a monkey could sit on) that they bring to your table to sit beside you to put your purse on. Food was good - we ordered the 10 dish tasting menu of more traditional Indonesian food. My taste buds are slowly adapting to the spicy food. They sure know how to cook chicken, mmmm chicken satay and peanut sauce has become my favourite!!
A great first day out to see the sites. Is a little hard getting used to the poverty and the numerous people that constantly swarm you selling their wares. The one lookout we stopped at to see the rice fields, we were bombarded by small children running over to sell us postcards and wood carvings. When you stop at a red light, sometimes they come running and knock on the window of the car wanting to sell you things.
We then drove to Celuk, a small town specializing in silver, where we visited UC Silver - a place where we got to see how all the jewelery was made and then went into the huge gallery where we bought a few pieces. Kevin bought a chain and pendant and a money clip for himself and a beautiful bracelet and earrings for me. Then it was off to a place to see Batik - a special dying process that they do. Again, got to see step by step how they do it, and a gallery of all the finished product. Third stop - Balinese artshop where there were corridors after corridors of beautiful art. We bought two pieces, one for the bedroom and one that I think we will hang in the hallway. We then hit our first temple - the Goa Gajah (elephant Cave) dated back to the 11th century. The grounds included the remains of a Buddhist temple and several Hindu shrines and monuments and a sacred holy water pool where locals and visitors alike can come and bathe in the holy water (we left our swimmers behind). Made then drove us around through the countryside a bit to a countryside restaurant with a fabulous view of the rice fields where we enjoyed a yummy Indonesian lunch. Kevin had bebek tutu (smoked spicy duck) and I had mie ayam goreng (fried noodles with chicken). We are slowly learning the language - mostly food items!!
After lunch, we saw more beautiful rice fields as we drove to another temple - a water temple where again we saw more holy water pools to bathe in, and more Hindu temples and shrines. Even saw a group of locals in worship in front of one of the shrines. We then headed to a coffee and spice place where we saw all sorts of strange Indonesian fruit trees and some cocoa plants and saw where they produce the famous, expensive Balinese Kopi Luwak (aka "poop coffee") where the Luwak, a local weasel type animal, eats the coca beans and poops them out, and subsequently the beans are then washed and processed and made into coffee (blah)! Kevin couldn't quite get past the idea of the origin of the beans to buy any, but we picked up a few spices, some cocoa, and some other "non-pooped out" coffee.
Then back trough the countryside to see more terraced rice fields (amazing landscape to see) and back to Sanur (the village we are staying in) to have dinner at Mings - a restaurant our friends recommended. This place they noted as having exceptional service, and silly little chairs (looks like a chair a monkey could sit on) that they bring to your table to sit beside you to put your purse on. Food was good - we ordered the 10 dish tasting menu of more traditional Indonesian food. My taste buds are slowly adapting to the spicy food. They sure know how to cook chicken, mmmm chicken satay and peanut sauce has become my favourite!!
A great first day out to see the sites. Is a little hard getting used to the poverty and the numerous people that constantly swarm you selling their wares. The one lookout we stopped at to see the rice fields, we were bombarded by small children running over to sell us postcards and wood carvings. When you stop at a red light, sometimes they come running and knock on the window of the car wanting to sell you things.
posted by Kevin and Cheryl | 2:05 AM
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