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Woke up at 5AM this morning, and it was still pitch dark outside. After getting ready and eating breakfast, our homestay walked down the street to the banjar (community center) to meet with everyone at 6:30. We waited for some large mini vans (held 17 people in the bus I was in!) to pick us up, and our first stop was the local market in Ubud. From 4AM-9AM, the market sells fruit, vegetables, and other foods and is filled with locals; after 10AM the market turns into a tourist market (t-shirts, etc). The market was packed with locals, and was filled with strange fruits and smells--smoke, garbage, and produce. I was on the hunt to try durian fruit (the infamous smelly kind that's banned in hotels throughout Asia) but I couldn't find any unfortunately. We stayed there for 45 mins, then headed out to a terraced rice paddy to walk around. The rice paddys were so green, and the guide explained to us that the paddies are terraced because the irrigation system ("subak") is run by gravity. We then hopped back into the car and drove for 20 mins (Kimia and I were in the front seat, where the driver would swerve around slow cars into the other lane into oncoming traffic--eek!) to get to the temple. Once we got to the temple, we put on our sarongs and sashes--which are required to enter the temple. There are 3 times no one is allowed to enter the temple: menstruation, pregnancy, and mourning a recent death--the symbolism behind these restrictions I do not know. The temple was huge, green, and waterfalls flowed throughout the grounds. The buildings were damp and covered in moss, resembling rainforest ruins found in a Indiana Jones movie. We were taken to the main temple sacrum (built in the 10th century) were we meditated while a priest gave us a Balinese blessing--and sprayed holy water all over us while changing and ringing bells. After that, we hopped back into the car to Kintamani a volcano surrounded by a Lake Batur (the largest one in Bali). We ate at a restaurant overlooking a GORGEOUS view for lunch (rice, noodles, tempura buffet). The volcano is active, and had erupted 24 times since 1800. After lunch we hopped back on the bus to a place out of Ubud to have a woodcarving and offering-making workshop. It was really fun! We got premade sign with our name on it, and it's really cool! Offerings are scattered everywhere throughout Bali--homestay garden, street corners, outside stores, on top of stairs. All are ornate, beautiful, and extremely complicated to make as the bowl which holds the flowers is made of banana leaves. After the workshop we had a siesta at the homestay before Kimia, Irene, and I got tapas at a little Indian place down the street: we got three sodas; a platter of naan and hummus/chutney/eggplant; and samosas all for only 105,000 rupiah total ($8!). Today was successful yet very tiring, and I cannot wait to be going to bed tonight
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auntie Lissa Yet another extraordinary day in the life of "Indiana Erica!!" Ride on and rest up... PS: I'm hoping that their vehicles have seat belts; and, consider that maybe those durian fruits are hard to find for a dang good reason!!!
Melissa love the posts erica!! I giggled at your mom's comment about getting close to the monkeys. can't wait to read about more adventures! Hope you are getting good rest and enjoying every moment. miss you! xoxo
Aunt Shari Grammi will be happy to hear you got sprayed with holy water. What a full day ! Sit in the back seat next time !!!