TWO DAYS IN BALI

 

It was a beautiful morning as we ported into Bali.  Lots of boat activity and the views of Bali were incredible!  We ported right behind another cruise ship - Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth. This is one of the few other cruise ships we have encountered on our journey. We have mostly been cruising solo!

My first impression of Bali was its beautiful skyline featuring many tall and brightly colored monuments.  It was a busy port with many ships and small boats anchored.

We enjoyed two long BUSY BUSY days in Bali and we were both very wiped out after the two excursions. A lot of that was heat related because it is very hot and humid in Bali. The two excursions were similar and so I’m going to combine them into one post.  

First, my thoughts about Bali…….  It was so different than I had imagined.  I always pictured Bali as a tropical paradise.  Beautiful beaches, palm trees, resorts……..  Perhaps part of Bali is like that, but we didn’t visit that part!  Instead, we toured a couple temples, family compounds, arts and crafts businesses and very busy streets in the heart of Bali.  Not glamorous at all!  I must admit that some of the temples and doorways that we saw were beautiful, but mostly my impression of Bali is congested streets, packed housing, and lots of dogs!

The first excursion in Bali (Day 48) focused on Balinese Arts and Crafts and the focus of the second (Day 49) was mostly about Temples in Bali. However, there was a lot of overlap in the two.

Both excursions started with an hour plus bus ride into the city center.  What amazed us both was the large amount of traffic, especially scooters!  They were everywhere darting in and out of traffic.  

Homes, Temples and Businesses were extremely close to the street.  There were sidewalks now and then but were barely used because the scooters used them to drive and park on.  If a family had a business, it was front and center along the street and the family lived in a compound behind. If there was no family business, an elaborate door or gate led to the family compound.  Often the family’s temple was in the front. These units were all next to each other - practically touching.

Our guide told us that most families have a temple in their compound and one can tell how religious a family is by how elaborate their temple is.  It was a very common sight for a food offering that was placed in front of homes and businesses.  Our guide said this is a daily practice. (As I looked out the bus window I noticed dogs enjoying the offerings….  Hmmm…..)

Speaking of family compounds…..  Several generations of a family live together in a compound.  They own the land and the compound is passed down to the eldest living son.  If there is no son, it is inherited by another male relative: grandson, nephew or brother.  Never a female relative.  I found the family dynamics very interesting.

Dogs were everywhere in Bali!  The most common breed that I noticed was similar to the dog in the picture below and they were either the golden color or black and white.  They were running free, never on a leash or chained.  I asked the guide about these “stray” dogs and he said that most of them are owned but the philosophy in Bali is to let them run free during the day and they are clever and will show up at their home after dark.

The first photo is a Balinese woman in front of her home and the second shows an “offering stand”

 that seem to be everywhere, perhaps so the dogs won’t eat the offerings!

A couple of business along the busy street

A family home

On the second day our bus came upon a “holiday parade” and we followed it for awhile.  The religious holiday was the Festival Tumpek Landep and it was for blessing metal/iron.  The traditional metal was swords, but now anything metal is blessed, kitchen utensils, tools, cars, etc….. It was fascinating to see the parade and how the Bali citizens celebrate a holiday.

Our first stop on both tours was a batik factory.  In both cases, demonstrations of the batik process was shown and then we were led to a retail store.  Honestly, this stop was mostly about shopping and less about the actual fabric stamping and waxing process.  However, we did learn that the prices of batik fabric vary with the type of fabric used in the batiking with silk fabric as being the most expensive. The process of hand dotting the pattern on the fabric is a more expensive option as well.  The traditional colors of batik are usually blue, brown and light yellow.

We enjoyed the demonstrations in both shops and purchased a couple of beautiful sarongs (me) and a shirt (Mark).  We were assured that the batik in this factory was reputable and the fabric would not fade as is the case with the cheaper knock offs that you see everywhere.

We visited a jewelry making shop.  Silver is big in Bali and it was enjoyable seeing some pieces being made.  I especially was intrigued with one of the artist weaving a silver necklace.  The jewelry in the shop was stunning and I purchased two beautiful bracelets.

Next stop was a wood carving business.  Again a woodcarving demonstration was going on when we arrived followed by a visit to their shop.  Stunning carvings, but we didn’t purchase anything here.  It would be difficult to get a 7ft Madonna statue or a mermaid chair home!

During this two day period we visited two family compounds with two different vibes.  The first one was in the busy, congested city center and was quite rustic.  There were about 4 dwellings in the compound plus a small temple in the center.  They also had a garden area and chickens.  Several family members were there to welcome us including a couple of children.  We were able to go into the grandparents living quarters (who would be the head of this household).  It was very small and inside only had two small beds and a table.

The sign that our guide is pointing to lists the inhabitants of this compound. All the residences have this and it is used for census purposes.

The outdoor bed is used to display the deceased body of a member of the compound who has died and awaiting burial.

The Family Temple

Compound Garden Area

The other family compound that we visited is called Puri Taman Sari and was out in the countryside and was quite majestic. It was interesting to see the contrast of the two compounds based on the wealth (or lack of) of the family that owned it.  We enjoyed a wonderful lunch there. The Indonesian food was quite good! This compound has been converted to a resort.  If I remember correctly, the family still resides there.  Their temple beyond the gate was stunning!

A building on the compound, musician welcoming us and the temple beyond the gate.  The temple is private and no women are allowed……

More lovely sites at the compound.  Infinity pool overlooking rice fields, pavilion where some of the lunches were served and an entrance between the pillars.  Our guide said that the entries in Bali are pillars that are divided in half and the area between the pillars bring good spirits to those who pass through.

Look what I found at the compound!  Beautiful Doors!  Those who have been following my travels for awhile know that I find old doors fascinating and am always searching for them to photograph - especially those with a #7 address.  I haven’t found any of those yet, but hope to sometime on this journey!

We passed by many rice fields. Rice is Bali’s main crop and is planted by hand. 

 Besides a visit to a batik factory, the second day was focused on temples.  We saw many exterior examples of family temples in the city and then stopped to visit the “kings temple”  (Taman Ayun Temple) in the town of Mengwi which is in a rural area outside the busy city center.  It was the family temple of the Mengwi dynasty and members of the royal family still worship here today.  What a beautiful place!  

Out of respect, knees and shoulders had to be covered while in the temple and sarongs were available to use just in case someone arrived who needed to cover.  There were many in our group who donned the bright green sarongs!

Gateway to the magnificent temple.

Photos of the magnificent temple and gardens.

We also visited Luhur Tanah Lot, a beautiful temple on the coast.  We couldn’t go into the temple because of the difficulty of getting there mostly because of the tide, but saw it from the cliffs beyond.  It was stunning!

The “gateway entrance” to the cliff area to view the temple.  

It is said that this temple is the most popular photo taken in Bali.

Just as we were leaving, it began to rain and the clouds really opened up as we walked on the sidewalk to the ship!  Viking provided us with bright green rain ponchos and bright red Viking umbrellas (we looked like Christmas) and we still got soaked!

Back on the ship, we showered and changed for dinner!  On the first evening Viking surprised us with a Balinese feast complete with a performance of Balinese dancers.  They were excellent!

On the second evening upon our return, we again showered and changed for dinner.  My “changing for dinner” meant pjs and room service and Mark actually went to the world cafe and attended a lecture.  It was a nice ending to two BUSY BUSY days!

Note - after completing this post, I think I have changed my mind about Bali.  I didn’t get to see the”fancy and glamorous Bali”, but instead saw the “real life Bali”.  I think that was a much better cultural experience.  Thanks Viking!

 Next stop - Java!