After breakfast at Pondok Baruna we said our farewells to the staff and got ready for our pick-up by Scoot Cruise to take us back to Bali. We got a little nervous when the pick up was late, but were told not to worry as the island tends to operate on "Indonesian time". The ride eventually came and soon we were on the fast boat back to Sanur. This time the water was much calmer and no seasickness threatened.

We got off in Sanur and were soon on our shuttle to our next stop – Ubud. Ubud is in central Bali away from all the hub-bub of the coast. Ubud is the artisan heart of Bali, and it is where the true spirituality of the island emerges. It is full of tourists, but there is a different pace here than down at the coast – one we found much more enjoyable. The locals are genuine and friendly, the food is tempting, and the handiworks of the artisans (painting, woodcarving, etc) admirable. Ubud is also higher and greener than the coast, so although still warm, it is by no means as stifling as Kuta.

About 1 hour later we arrived at the lovely Alam Jiwa hotel. Located just on the outskirts of Ubud amidst rice fields, this place is a real find. Open-air cottages are scattered across a meticulously maintained jungle setting with water running through the complex. The atmosphere is incredibly serene and peaceful. Unfortunately it was a bit early to check in, so we caught up on internet in the lobby before taking the hotel's free shuttle to the center of Ubud. Our hearts were set on having lunch at a warung made famous by Anthony Bourdain for its suckling baby pig – Ibu Oka.

We arrived at the restaurant just as it was opening for lunch, and just in time to see them delivering that day's menu. A full roast baby pig was being dropped off, and the staff reveled in slicing up the poor creature while playing up to the tourists taking pictures. The pork was amazing. Efren really liked it as it was served with the ever-present chilis we have come to expect across Indonesia.

The restaurant is located right across the street from the Ubud Royal Palace, so after lunch we had a look. The local royal family still lives here and the compound has many intricately designed corners. We strolled up the street to the magnificent Pura Taman Saraswati temple. What a lovely place. Here the waters emerge from behind the temple and spill into one of the most gorgeous pond of lotus blossoms we'd ever seen. We stopped for a drink at the extremely trendy Arys Warung and were wowed by the bathrooms. They came complete with their own coy pond!

We then walked down Monkey Forest Street and did some window shopping. A few minutes on Efren was tempted to check out one of the salons offering massage and haircuts. After a quick haircut and pedicure (think of those aching feet!), we were so impressed with the delightful staff at the Merano Spa that we both made appointments to come back later in the evening for a full body massage and scrub. At $15 for 90 minutes, how could you pass that up?

We returned to the hotel and were shocked to see our room upon check in. The Hanoman Room was huge and is basically like 5 star accommodation in the jungle (more on that later). The room overlooks the rice paddies just south of the famous Monkey Forest, and it was very amusing watching the ducks patrolling the rice fields. We would later learn that the Balinese employ ducks to eat the bugs on the rice paddies instead of using pesticides. All part of the Balinese ethos for maintaining the environment for future generations.

The incredibly attentive staff brought us afternoon tea and coffee which we enjoyed while taking a dip in the refreshing pool. We then took a quick shower and headed back to Ubud for dinner and then experienced our wonderful massages. Craig wasn’t much of a massage fan before, but now he is a convert! The only drawback was that the sandalwood scrub was a bit painful on our sunburned backs!

We headed back to the room and learned what 5 star accommodation in the jungle is like. Although the room has everything you could want, it is open air and not air conditioned. There are few lights in the room aimed at keeping out the bugs. However, as this is tropical Indonesia, although the staff does an excellent job keeping things clean, there will definitely insects in the room. The mosquito nets are a must as we found all sorts of little critters crawling around the nets. Nothing too spooky and it added to the ambiance. Without A/C the room was a bit warm at bed time, but by the AM it was actually cool enough to require the use of blankets.

Tomorrow Ngurah is picking us up for our full day tour of the East part of Bali. Can’t wait to see the rural charm of this incredible island!

August 28
After a delicious breakfast at the Alam Jiwa, we were met by Ngurah for the start of our very busy day. As it was still a bit early to start visiting the sites, Ngurah suggested we check out a Barong Dance performance that was being held nearby. The Barong Dance is one of many types of dances done on Bali (the Kecak Dance we saw at Ulu Watu a few nights ago is another example). The story is basically one of good vs. evil where the barong represents good and protects from the evil witch. The usual drama ensues, and the dancing and music is very interesting, and in the end good prevails over evil.

We then stopped at a woodcarving center where we picked up some authentic carvings of hibiscus and ebony wood. Cool stuff. On our way again, we were soon delayed by a traffic jam (not unusual in Bali). We soon learned, however, that this jam was the result of a huge funeral procession that was marching through the streets. This one was for an "important" person as the procession was extremely elaborate. We jumped out of the car and got a front row seat to something many people don’t see when visiting Bali. We have the full moon to thank for all these processions. The Balinese look at death as the passage to the next life, so the mood of these occasions is surprisingly joyous.

We were then able to start our touring in earnest. The first stop was a drive along Sidemen Road. This road goes from Klungkung to near the famous Besikih Temple. The road winds through a beautiful river valley affording amazing views of rice paddies and mountains, including the highest on Bali, Mt. Agung.

We stopped for lunch at a mediocre buffet restaurant before continuing on to Besikih Temple. This temple is located on the slopes of Mt. Agung and is considered Bali’s most important temple. The temple complex was beautiful, however this is the first place we’ve visited where extreme care must be taken not to get ripped off by the locals. There are enumerable scams associated with the visit – including being told you need to hire guides or where special sarongs for outrageous sums of money. The best thing is just to walk by them all and hold your guide book so they know you don’t need their sub-par guidance. Our driver could not accompany us as he would get in trouble with the local guides if it was perceived he was "muscling in" on their tuff. Politics aside, the place is beautiful and it is a bit of a shame that the serenity is lost because of all the aggressive behavior. It is still worth a look, but be aware of what to expect.

Moving onward from Besikih our next destination was Penelokan which promised to offer a spectacular view of Batur Volcano and its lake. As we approached on the bumpy road, we were a bit nervous as the clouds thickened and we were concerned the clouds would obscure our views. However, almost as if by miracle, as soon as we reached Penelokan, the skies cleared and we were treated to amazing views of this volcano. The crater on the side of the mountain is massive and you can see the lava flow from the most recent 1994 eruption. Framing Lake Batur are 2 other volcanoes (including Mt Agung), and we stopped at a local restaurant to drink coconut water out of a coconut and just soaked in the fantastic views.

On our way to our final destinations for the day, Ngurah suggested we stop at a small coffee co-op that shows how the beans are roasted. Being avid coffee drinkers, we were both interested in this detour. In the garden grew local plants including coffee, ginger, vanilla and cinnamon. The real draw, however, is the roasting of (in)famous Civet Coffee, known as Kopi Lawak. What is kopi lawak? Take a seat….

This coffee has an incredibly rich body. The process by which this flavor enhancement occurs is downright nasty. Instead of decaffeination, we’re talking defecation! The civet is a rodent (kind of like a raccoon) that loves coffee berries and has a very keen sense of smell – and thus will only eat the very best coffee berries (which contain the beans). If a pound of coffee beans are fed to a civet, it might only eat a handful. The berries are passed through the animal’s digestive tract and the stomach enzymes cause chemical reactions to occur in the beans which impart the very special flavor. These beans come out the other end (eew) and are collected by farmers who clean and roast the beans. We are told the beans are just as sanitary as normal coffee, and due to the intricate process involved, a cup of civet coffee can run over $100 a cup! In fact, we saw it on several menus in Ubud for $25/cup.

At the end of the tour we were offered a little taste of the brew for only about $5. We couldn’t resist! It actually had a very mild but rich flavor. In addition to the civet coffee, they also served a sampling of other coffees – including very tasty ginger and ginseng coffees. We still can’t believe we actually drank that stuff!

Sunset was quickly approaching, and as we returned to Ubud we stopped at Gunung Kawi. Gunung Kawi is one of Bali’s most important monuments. Set in a lush green valley, multiple shrines are cut out of the rock amidst clear waters bubbling up from below. The final stop on our tour was a quick visit to the rice terraces of Tegalalang. Ngurat said we’ll see much more of rice terraces on our tour for tomorrow.

By the time we got back to the hotel is was late. We took the shuttle to down, grabbed a quick dinner, and arranged for a roast duck feast tomorrow night (they require 24 hr notice). Looking forward to another fun-filled day tomorrow – this time exploring Central Bali!

Aug 29

Ngurah picked us up again this morning at 8:30am for our tour of the Central Highlands of Bali. Unfortunately the weather is a bit cloudy today, but at least there is no rain!

Our first stop of the AM was at the Butterfly Garden. Lots of interesting species of butterflies flying around the enclosed area, but the highlight was the huge stick insect and rhinocerous bettle which seemed to take a liking to Efren. We then moved on to the Batukaro Temple. A very beautiful temple set in a serene mountain setting. Unfortunately the overcast weather prevented any pictures that accurately convey the beauty of this place.

We then moved on to the UNESCO nominated Jatiluwih Rice Fields. What is so special about rice fields, you might ask? Well these rice terraces cover land up and down mountains for as far as the eye can see! The shimmering electric green color of the rice takes on different hues as the sun’s light changes. Every few moments the palette of colors change along with the lighting -- the place truly must be seen to be believed.

After Jatiluwih we stopped for lunch in another uninspiring restaurant before heading up up up to Bedugul and Lake Bratan where there is yet another famous temple, this one the water temple. Bedugul is high up (2000m) so the air is delightfully cool (almost chilly!). Strawberries are grown here so everyplace is offering them for sale. As we approached Lake Bratan we could soon see the temple, which appears to rise out of the lake. Again, the overcast skies didn’t allow the proper lighting for great pictures, and fog was hanging around the area. Still, the fog lifted long enough for a few quick snapshots before we left.

We then make the 1 hour ride back to Alam Jiwa and said our farewells to Ngurah. We had some time before our 8pm roast duck reserved dinner, so we swam in the pool and relaxed for a bit. Around 6pm we headed back to Ubud and really enjoyed the duck feast. The duck was a bit small for 2 people, but the spices that it was cooked with were amazing. After dinner we wandered back to the Art Kafe and Bar and enjoyed ice cream and coffee along with live entertainment. A couple of Indonesian fellows were belting out the best of cheesy pop songs and were extremely enjoyable. We ended up hanging out there for over an hour before heading back to the Alam Jiwa.

Unfortunately this meant our time in Ubud was coming to an end. Tomorrow we head over to Java to get ready to see the steaming volcanoes at Bromo. Should be interesting, but we’re not looking forward to the 10+ hour bus journey!

Farewell Ubud, we hope to return someday soon!



August 29