In my extensive research prior to coming to Bali, I went
online and found an excellent tour guide.
His name was Nyoman Gede and all of his customers left fantastic
feedback for his touring services. I was
pretty excited to see all that Bali had to offer, so Jessie and I booked him
for 3 days.
His prices are very reasonable, as he only charges $50 a day
(which lasts for 10 hours!) and that includes all gas, parking and guide. Jessie and I knew that we’d be seeing a lot.
On Saturday we got up, had breakfast and were soon picked up
by Gede. He was very professional and
sat down with us and made a tailored itinerary based on what we wanted to see
and do. Unfortunately, we found out that
Gede had a family wedding for the following two days, so instead he told us
that he would send his cousin Komang, who was also supposed to be fantastic.
Gede started our tour by taking us to a theatrical
performance, “Barong and Keris Dance”.
The theater was packed by the time we got there, so we got seats off to
the side of the stage. The performance
was very interesting. Despite the fact
that the actors were talking in Indonesian, we learned some of the history
behind the Hindu beliefs. The play was a rendition of a story from the
Ramayana. We later talked to our guide
about the things we saw and learned that many of the stories are based on the
ever present balance of good vs evil.
The costumes were quite impressive; very colourful and intricate. It was a very neat experience.
Ubud, the area we are staying in, is known for its
creativity, and is divided into many villages that produce different types of
art. Art becomes a family tradition as sons and daughters take up their parents’
work. There are villages for painting, stone carving, batik and weaving, metal-working,
wood-working, and more. We were able to visit a couple of these villages and
enjoy the beautiful craftsmanship.
After the show Gede took us to a Baktic factory. We had expressed our interest in art and so
he tried his best to take us to as many art places as possible. Baktic is a traditional Balinese artform
where they weave material and then place layers of wax on it in beautiful
designs. The material is then dipped in
dye and the areas without wax become coloured.
This process repeats several times until the material is covered with a
beautiful design. Finally it is washed
and the wax is removed through melting.
The end result is a beautiful work of art that can be clothing, blankets
or even a framed masterpiece. Because the gallery was part of a formal batik
factory, we could only afford to look at the finished products which were beautiful.
Later, we went to a beautiful building in the
silver-smithing village. The archetechture alone was memorable and worth a
visit. When we were there, we were able to see the process for making jewelry.
After visiting the workshop, we saw the showroom, filled with some of the most
incredible silverwork I have ever seen. They had pearls the size of gumballs,
and necklaces that were so big and intricate that they weighed a few pounds.
After this, we visited Batuan Temple, which dates back to
the late 10th century. Though a major tourist destination, it is
still used as the community’s temple today. There have been a few restorations
and renovations, but most of the temple is original. We had to borrow batik
coverings for our legs so that we could be modestly dressed to walk inside the
religious site. Inside, Gede told us the basics about the Hindu faith, and
explained how essential the temple is to every Balinese community.
After a relaxing lunch break, we drove for some time to
arrive at a breathtaking view of the semi-active volcano, Mt Batur, and the
corresponding Batur Lake. The last eruption of the volcano was in 1917, and
sadly wiped out a village in the lava’s path. The scarring black crust left
over is still plainly visible… but now contributing to healthy nutrients in
farmer’s soil. The mountain is in the middle of a huge crater (from which we
were viewing it). This crater is the top of the original volcano from very long
ago. Next to the mountain is a lovely lake and there were scenic clouds misting
over the edges of distant peaks. It was an incredible site for some good
picture-taking.
After this, we
visited Gunung Kawi, Bali – the most scenic temple we have yet encountered.
Deep in a valley filled with rice paddies, rivers and jungle foliage stands a
temple that dates back to the ninth century. Carved straight out of the
bedrock, several monuments to royalty and Deity still stand, imposing and
impressive. I was surprised to find it was not only a historic tourist
destination, but still used today by the locals as a place of worship. By far,
the most beautiful balance of natural and cultural beauty I have seen on this
trip.
After this, it was beginning to get late, so we went for a
quick visit to the Coffee and Spices Plantation, where we were introduced to
Coffee Luwak. Coffee Luwak is one of the world’s most expensive coffees.
Undeniably, the process to make it explains the high price. First, they gather
coffee berries and feed them to an animal called a civet (which sort of looks
like a weasel and an otter). The civet picks only the best berries. After these
are digested, the civit poops out coffee gold. These coffee beans are cleaned
and roasted, and make some of the best coffee in the world. We had a chance to
sample a small cup for $5.00, but we wanted to sleep that night, so turned down
the offer. However, the plantation gave us many other delicious samples to try
(free this time, as they are much easier and cheaper to make). It was a nice
way to end the evening.
After this, we reached the end of our tour and were driven
back to our homestay. We had a nice dinner before falling into bed, to get ready
for our next adventure!
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