April 20
After a rewarding day birding it was back to Temples. Our first stop was Pura Kehen which is an ancient Hindu Temple, also known as 'the temple of fire', and is the second largest temple in Bali. The temple was built in the 11th century and underwent significant renovations in the 13th and 19th centuries. It was constructed on a significant site, the hill of Sanghyang Widi, which is believed to be the location of the first settlement in the region. Pura Kehen served as a royal temple for the Bangli kingdom, and it is also believed to have been a center for the study of ancient Hindu texts and philosophy.
Just a short drive away to Penglipuran a traditional Balinese village located in the Bangli Regency of Bali. Known as one of the cleanest and most well-preserved villages in Bali, Penglipuran is often referred to as a ‘cultural oasis’ as it provides a glimpse into traditional Balinese village life and architecture.
The village is situated at 700 meters above sea level,
and it is surrounded by beautiful bamboo forests, rice paddies and deep valleys
with stunning panoramic views. The traditional houses in Penglipuran are made
from bamboo, wood, and clay, with roofs made from alang-alang grass. The
architecture is unique, with every house following the same design, layout, and
direction, making for a very aesthetically pleasing village. Emon explained
what the numbers meant on the front of their house. Not just an “address” but
denotes how many people live in each household. 980 individuals joined in 229
families of which there are 76 heads of families make up the village and the
majority of people in Penglipuran married people from their own village in
order to preserve the family / clan lineage.
In 1993 the government started promoting the village for tourism. The Penglipuran community aimed for "community-based-tourism". With this concept, no individual benefits directly from tourism: the income generated by tourism funds developments in the village. Even the families that sell things the money is evenly distributed.
Lunch was at a buffet at Lereng Agung Restaurant with a stunning view of Mt Agung and beautiful rice terraces. The magnificent volcano spreads in front of the rice terrace and restaurant and some of the prettiest terraces we have seen on the trip so far. Emon called me aside to tell me that this place won’t ask your age for the swing. I thanked him profusely as it was something I had researched and really wanted to do. He knew how disappointed we were since we were too old for the other one.
After our delicious lunch we got our tickets and waited our turn for the couple’s swing. The staff there is incredible. They instructed us how to get in and helped us get strapped in. They also take photos and video. Cathy got better video and I will add that after I get it edited and added to my Google Albums. What an awesome experience!
buffet at Lereng Agung Restaurant
It was ironic that the botanical garden we birded in yesterday was very close to our next stop today. Not that the rain would have made for a great day to visit Besakih Temple.
The last stop of the day was Besakih Temple, also known
as Pura Besakih. It is the largest and holiest Hindu temple in Bali and is often
referred to as the 'Mother Temple' of Bali, as it is believed to have been in
existence since the 8th century and is the center for Balinese Hinduism. It is
situated on the slopes of Mount Agung, Bali’s highest and most sacred volcano. Very
few tourists today, but many came to worship. It reminded me of the pilgrimage
to the River Ganges in India where they come from all over the country for
maybe a once in a lifetime experience for worshipers.
Our last dinner in Ubud was one of our favorites at Chai of the Tiger. (get the pun?) We wished we had tried it sooner as we would have liked to have gone back. The place was packed, and they seated up back on their patio. There was a lady reading on the couch and they made her move so we could eat there. Some people came in later and they seated them with cushions on the steps and set up a table for them.
We also had our favorite Gelato in Ubud. We met the owner who was an artist, and her studio was in the back. She had some lovely pieces. Mostly iconic music artists or flowers. She heard me cough and she came out to offer me a glass of water. While we chatted, she told us she was widowed (her husband was from the UK) and moved from Jakarta as her children are all grown. Opened her studio and recently added the gelato shop in front. She also shared that she recently had a stroke on her right side and was lucky that it happened at the shop and her fellow neighbors came to assist. She has gotten most of her movement and feeling back, but she said that might be the best her recovery gets, but she said she can deal with that. We said we were nearly at the end of our 6-week trip in SE Asia and she said “and you are still smiling and enjoying each other’s company”.
The sign on her shops says Open when I am not tired. We only saw it open twice and we were glad we got to try it and meet her.
We packed our things for the final hotel on this trip. Tomorrow, we visit Jatiluwih Rice Terraces, Taman Ayun & Tanah Lot Temple on the drive to the beach area of Nusa Dua for our last 2 nights on Bali.
For larger photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ckJdAK3NywKEheUq6
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