Well we're still in Bali. Here's the quick version of the update, and hopefully we can add a post or two with some details and lots of pictures we we find an internet cafe with a good conection. Here at the hotel it is really s l o w.
We finished off a great week in the hills and mountains of Ubud and then headed to Candi Dasa. Once there we found our hotel was absolutely stunning, but the town wasn't too great. Good news, though, the little port town of Padang Bai was just a 20 minute ($1) Bemo ride away, and it was our favorite place in Bali so far. It has a great vibe, super friendly people, amazing beaches, and some fantastic snorkeling.
As I (Justin) write this, we're back in the main tourist area near Jimbaron beach. I'm looking foward to some surfing - but you'll have to wait a while to hear about that as our posting lags our travels by three or four days.
More to come...
PS - I just read in the Seattletimes.com about all the snow. Alpental sounds like a really great reason to head back to the cold Pacific NW. Pow, baby, bring on the pow!
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Ooooo - Ubud
We're now up in the hills of central Bali in the town of Ubud, which is known for its art, culture and dance. We really like it up here, it is just enough cooler and cloudier to make walking around pleasant.
The surroundings are stunning and lush. Above is the hotel we stayed a few nights at - for pretty cheap, too. The Bali style architecture out here is really great, and people are always smiling and incredibly friendly.
We hired a driver again (that's what you do here), and headed up towards the Agung Batur volcano. On the way up we stopped at one of big, important temples in Bali. It was very, very busy since we were in the midst of the Galongan celebration.
In Bali there's pretty much some kind of celebration every day - all with a procession, ceremony at the temple, and drums, kids and flowers. Right when we got to Bali there was the full moon - that was followed by the 10 days of Galungan, right after that is Kerungun, then the dark (new) moon celebration, etc.
We arrived at the Tirta Empul (Holy Spring) temple and there were thousands of locals, and a handful of tourists. They are incredibly welcoming in Bali, and any time a celebration is going on you're more than welcome to come and watch. The only requirement is that you be "clean" and wear the appropriate clothes - a sarong and a slangdang (sash) with a modest shirt.
The temple is centered around a spring that is fed by the crater lake, Danau Batur, which we were up on our way to see. The waters here bring good luck, as well as being the site of the important temple.
Local men head up to the temple wearing their ceremonial white shirts and sarongs.
All these folks were making offerings and prayers before taking a dunk into the holy pool. The drums were constantly playing in the background at all temples and whenever there was a ceremonial procession through town (yup, every day).
Here Justin is at a restaurant literally perched on the crater wall of Agung Batur with the lake Danau Batur in the background. It had erupted two decades ago and lava covered a town - we felt right at home.
On the way down we stopped at some incredibly stunning rice terraces. Wow. We're still in Ubud for a little longer, and then we'll head to the East part of the island for a few days.
The surroundings are stunning and lush. Above is the hotel we stayed a few nights at - for pretty cheap, too. The Bali style architecture out here is really great, and people are always smiling and incredibly friendly.
We hired a driver again (that's what you do here), and headed up towards the Agung Batur volcano. On the way up we stopped at one of big, important temples in Bali. It was very, very busy since we were in the midst of the Galongan celebration.
In Bali there's pretty much some kind of celebration every day - all with a procession, ceremony at the temple, and drums, kids and flowers. Right when we got to Bali there was the full moon - that was followed by the 10 days of Galungan, right after that is Kerungun, then the dark (new) moon celebration, etc.
We arrived at the Tirta Empul (Holy Spring) temple and there were thousands of locals, and a handful of tourists. They are incredibly welcoming in Bali, and any time a celebration is going on you're more than welcome to come and watch. The only requirement is that you be "clean" and wear the appropriate clothes - a sarong and a slangdang (sash) with a modest shirt.The temple is centered around a spring that is fed by the crater lake, Danau Batur, which we were up on our way to see. The waters here bring good luck, as well as being the site of the important temple.
Local men head up to the temple wearing their ceremonial white shirts and sarongs.
All these folks were making offerings and prayers before taking a dunk into the holy pool. The drums were constantly playing in the background at all temples and whenever there was a ceremonial procession through town (yup, every day).
Here Justin is at a restaurant literally perched on the crater wall of Agung Batur with the lake Danau Batur in the background. It had erupted two decades ago and lava covered a town - we felt right at home.
On the way down we stopped at some incredibly stunning rice terraces. Wow. We're still in Ubud for a little longer, and then we'll head to the East part of the island for a few days.
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