Retired Nomads - Part 3: Batiks, Monkey Forest, Ubud Palace, Legong & Barong Dance

April 17

Today we had a more laid-back day since we chose not to do the elephant experience at the zoo.

It was a half day tour that started with a visit to a batik factory. The process wasn’t new for us, but they did have a great store to buy their products, and we spent quite a bit of time deciding what to buy. I found a small print in a frame, and I bought a pretty flower square that will have to be mounted. Perhaps I can group it with the ones we made in Jogja. We actually were supposed to visit the market that was right in Ubud but we didn’t mind the drive out in the countryside to get to this one. They had lovely things for sale.

pool shots taken at breakfast

lovely sitting area overlooking the 2nd pool

both pools

view from the pools and our balcony (there was construction so some of the view was blocked by a mesh fence)

walkway between the bar and the restaurants - pools are at the end

ladies showing their weaving process

some batiks in the process

Next, we visited the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary which is home to around 115 different species of trees and has become an important research area for both the flora and fauna which resides there. The forest park is dotted with temples, such as the 14th century Pura Purana, making it a site of cultural significance also. We went to the Balinese Cemetery which was only a temporary place to bury the corpses until the Mass Cremation ceremony of the Padang Village. Amon wouldn’t come with us as he said the thought of spirits spooked him.

in case you wanted some "monkey porn"

they do supplement their diets with food - though they are free to room the forest

young baby nestled in their

Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal - temples are not open to tourists

Pura Beji Padangtegal - Holy Spring Temple

site of the old Balinese Cemetery

monkeys on the cemetery fence

baby on mothers under carriage

outside the Monkey Forest

Our last stop was to the Ubud Palace located in the heart of Ubud, the cultural and artistic hub of Bali. The palace was built during the reign of Tjokorda Putu Kandel (1800–1823). After the 1917 earthquake, palace structures suffered significant damage, but since it was the residence of the royal family it was quickly restored, before being opened to foreign guests in 1928.

This is the home of the royal family, and some areas of the grounds are not open to visitors and the on-site temple is permanently out of bounds to tourists.

While we were there, we bought our tickets for the evening Balinese Dance Show. The Krill’s decided to opt out for some time on their own.

music room

After the Palace Emon took us to the craft/souvenir mall for about 30 minutes.

We wanted to find a place walkable to our hotel so we could get in some pool time and walked until we came to Sag Restaurant. Desert was the best.

mural on the outside wall of a bar

Sag Restaurant

Chicken Satay with peanut sauce

Lumpia - Ubud style spring rolls

chocolate pie with berry sauce - it was like fudge

back at Goya Boutique Resort

walkway to our room

We enjoyed some cold drinks and dipped in the pool before showering and changing for the dance show at the Palace. We ordered a GRAB and had a quick dinner back at Prasaja by ARANG Restaurant. We enjoyed the dim sum last time and wanted to try another kind along with the one we liked best last time.

Beef Rendang Dumplings

Crispy Pork Dumplings in curry sauce

The show tonight at the Palace was a traditional Legong & Barong Show with a Gamelan percussion orchestra. It was starting to rain, so they moved the show across the street to their alternate venue. Much more comfortable and we managed to get seats front and center. I have video that I’ll add to the albums later.