Thursday 2nd February
Stephen has arranged for a driver to take us out today. Abdul is from Java & he speaks very good English (mostly self taught) & has excellent local knowledge. He moved to Bali with his parents when he was a teenager, as unemployment is high & life is difficult in Java & we got the impression he was keen to escape for the prospect of a better life. His story made us feel very humble as he has strived to teach himself English & learn as much as possible about the Balinese culture, including a new language, in order to be a good tourist guide & driver. He was a mine of information as the day unfolded.
Today was a completely different experience on the road! The main mode of transport is the low cc motor bike/moped & there are hundreds & hundreds! Families travel 4 or 5 at a time on one bike. Add on rickety bamboo constructions carrying shopping /wildlife/ furniture, as required! Indonesian law, (such as it is), now requires adults to wear crash helmets – children under 12 are exempt as are Muslim women if they are wearing their habib (not sure where the logic is in that?). The driving licence requires one hour's instruction for bikes but Abdul reassured us that for his car licence he had spent a whole day!! It is complete pandemonium....no speed restrictions or right of way, though the pot holes & volume of motor bikes inhibits any major speeding.
Most Balinese are Hindu, but there are also many Moslems & Chistians who all live in total harmony with each other. The Balinese culture is fascinating & the religion is tied firmly to mythology. Many gods & heroes are commemorated along the roads & in public areas, with huge stone statues.
Every building, home, place of work & shop has its own 'temple' or shrine. These were decorated in drapes of black & white chequered cloth or white & gold. The Balinese pray several times a day & give offerings to the gods, only visiting the main village temple perhaps once a month. These offerings are made from folded banana leaves containing flower petals, rice, seeds & sometimes eggs.
The 1st of Febuary is one of many Hindu festivals.It is called Galungan, a special time for families to congregate & celebrate together. All the streets have decorations made from banana leaves representing freedom.
There are traditional processions through the streets, with instruments & the Barong – a mythical animal half shaggy dog, half dragon who represents the battle of good over evil.
Our tour took us to the sacred temple of Tanah Lot, built on a 3 acre volcanic rock.
We crossed at low tide to the holy men who sprinkled us with holy water & blessed us, sticking grains of rice to our foreheads & placing a flower behind our ears.
To the numerous craft villages of Ubud, each specialising in a different area of expertise – batik, wood carving, painting, sculpture & silversmiths. A large number of highly skilled crafts people each displaying their wares.
We wondered how they could all make a living. Tourism is the main industry here & it is the hotels who purchase the majority of the large pieces. ( Our hotel is bedecked with such artefacts & beautiful wooden furniture.) The streets are so narrow it is impossible to stop at most of them!
The Padangtegal Sacred Monkey Forest, filled with macaques, who are considered to be the guards of the 3 temples in the forest. All waiting for the tourists/locals to bring them bananas. Tiny babies & fearless adults scampering & jumping all over. Good advice to remove all shiny objects as they will jump up & grab anything that attracts them or think contains food. Rather scary when you see their bared teeth!
The countryside is filled with rice fields. Lush green, so beautiful. The farmers bent over tending their precious crops. No where more stunning than the Tegalang rice terraces.
