So here we are in Paris, after a long, long day of travel with some really "interesting" experiences as we passed through a number of different countries en route to here. We're in Paris, but have yet to post about Bali. So fried as my brain is what with time changes, sleep depravation and normal decline of function, I'm going to attempt to string some pictures together to create at least a passing impression of our brief time in Bali.
We were only there for a brief three days and small as that island is, three days is not nearly enough to do it justice. As with the diving photos, I've decided to divide these up a bit and do several posts (three to be precise). The first one will be a quick collection of some of the highlights of our visit to this beautiful but challenged country. I'm working with a foggy brain here so I may just let some of the pics speak for themselves.
The place we stayed was exquisite. Easily the nicest place we were in during our trip.
The view from our patio. One feature of this trip that was a bit of a challenge was the frequency of relocation. We never spent more than three nights in any one place. The room we had in Bali was one of the three night stays and we enjoyed every bit of it.
Since we hadn't visited a temple since all those weeks ago in Japan, it be time to put a temple on the agenda and Bali is the place to do it. As many temples as we saw in Japan, Bali has more. The grounds of this one were immaculate.
This one is for Diana.
A trio of temple cats.
Had to recharge after the temple so we found a place for lunch. Diah was our waitress and very graciously allowed me to take her picture.
The Villa we stayed at provided a free tour of island locations and one of the places we stopped during the tour was a butterfly park. In the park we discovered some very amorous butterflies . . .
And a large Leaf Insect.
He seems to be little ahead of the season. Actually not, since Bali only has two seasons: Wet and Not-so-wet. He may be waiting a long time for fall and leaf change.
Bali is very wet and very fertile. Things grow really well there. This just a shot I took of some of those growing things.
Another stop we made was to a very large and very impressive Art Gallery. This was essentially a cooperative gallery similar to the Guild, but this one was representing over 150 artists and the place huge -- room after room after room. We did our bit for the local arts and bought some paintings.
Here's a shot I just couldn't pass up. The incongruities of it tickle my funny bone. Bali is the most excessively decorated place I've ever seen. That Crocs sign amid all that careful craftsmanship seems out of time and out of place.
All that intricate stonework, carvings and construction yet this is how they still work. A lot of the basic, family level building is done in this scale -- lifting thing up a story one bucket at a time.
One thing Bali doesn't seem to lack, along with the rain, is lots of fresh fruit. Fruit in quantities and descriptions we can hardly imagine. For instance, I have no clue what those red/pink things in the upper right hand corner are.
Where ever I go, I engage in a personal quest. I have to find a source for Gelato. Bali was no exception. I quested and I found.
The lovely girl behind the counter was amused when I asked her to pose so I could get a shot of her and her Gelato cap.
The gelato was very good too. But then it pretty much always is.
Passing through the market place, we happened upon this woman from Australia and her companion, "Dahling".
This is just to illustrate the principal from of transportation in Bali. There are a lot of car and trucks too, but most people use motorbikes. I saw a family of five on one motorbike. And have we mentioned the traffic? Let's just say that venturing into Bali traffic on one of these things is an incredible act of faith.
Bali seems to be a land of old and honored tradition that is also trying hard to modernize. It's going to be an interesting journey. Next post I'm going to spend more time looking at and talking about some of the art of Bali.
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