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Published: March 3rd 2010
Bali After Daybreak
Early morning as we approach the island and Padang Bai, where we will anchor.We arrived in Padang Bai, Bali this morning about 7:30am where the ship anchored. Padang Bai, which is a quiet village next to Bali’s main port, has remained a charmingly offbeat center for water sports and other getaways. Based on our visit here last year, we are prepared for the onslaught of vendors that will swarm upon us as we walk off the pier. We have decided not to book any formal excursions here and let our travel angels watch over us…and they did.
As our tender approached the pier, there were two separate, large properties under construction on the beach to our left that were not there last year. At least it appeared they were under construction, as we later found out that both were halted, one because of the global economy and no more financing, and the other from embezzlement of the construction money.
As we walked on the pier, Annette started conversation with one of the men holding a sign saying “Air Conditioned Car and English Speaking Driver”. His name is Komang Sulatra, and he will be our guide for the next two days. It was great because he also had a driver…his 17-year old nephew,
Mt Agung
Mt. Agung is the highest point on the island at about 10,300 feet and is visible from far away. It is an active stratovolcano and last erupted in February, 1963. Wayan, who he is training to be a guide, as a possible vocation after he finishes school. We talked about what we wanted to see and off we went.
The Balinese people are descendants of a prehistoric race who migrated through mainland Asia to the Indonesian archipelago. To this day, they retain their own total individuality, having absorbed and adapted those parts of each dominating civilization which best suit their own spiritual and cultural values.
The “magic” of Bali arises from its religious distinction from the rest of Indonesia. Unlike their Muslim neighbors, the Balinese are Hindu, but their faith also contains elements of Buddhism and ancient, indigenous animist beliefs. To the Balinese, every living thing contains a spirit; when they pick a flower as an offering to the gods, they say a prayer to the flower. Those beliefs make Bali the island of 1,000 temples, each one a work of art. Temple festivals, featuring processions of identically clad women with fruit piled high on their heads as offering to the gods. Black-and-white-checked cloths called poleng, worn for ceremonies and draped around statues’ waists symbolize the balance between good and evil. Maintaining harmony is the life work for
Padang Bai Beach
The view from the pier after our tender lands. Beautiful sand beach and local boats. every Balinese.
All over the island, from the capital Denspasar to the tiniest village, plaited baskets filled with flowers and herbs lie on the sidewalks in front of a doorway, on the prow of fishing boats, car dashboards, and in markets. As you drive around, one sees small temples and statues incorporated into each family’s home, which is their private temple that they pray to each day.
Bali’s interior is mountainous and lush. At its edges, it is framed by thick mangrove swamps, sweeping white sand beaches, and lively coral reefs. The island also has a variety of eco-systems for wildlife such as mouse deer, monkeys, dolphins, giant turtles, and more than 300 bird species, including the rare Bali starling.
We departed the pier area on the coastal road. Our first impromptu stop was to see how sea salt was made. Komang showed us the drying racks they used and we were able to meet the wife and child of a family that made the sea salt. She was very nice and we bought a bag from her. As we continued, we stopped to see an elephant statue and a guy that that had a freshly cut
Welcome to Bali
Our greeters on the pier. bale of greens that he was carrying on his head, up the hill to feed his cattle. In that area, Komang showed us a series of tunnels that were dug out of the hillside by the Japanese that were very interesting. We saw several shrines and then he took us to ‘the best’ woodcarving place, where we did buy a couple things, actually made of ivory tusk. Following that, we went to where we both had to wear a poleng (sarong) to get access. After that we went to ‘the best’ silver and gold place.
Then it was time for lunch. Komang took us to a very nice restaurant that was set-off from the road about 100m down an alley. It was called Rapuan Cili Restaurant and Swimming Pool. The restaurant was on the 2nd floor and had beautiful views of the pool, Coi area and rice fields. We bought Komang and Wayan a nice lunch. As we looked around, we saw another table of four from the ship. Shelly, the art director from Park West, who we like very much, and, Sondra Bowen, the guest lecturer on the ship who speaks about the areas and countries that we
The Happy Travelers
Taken in front of the local band as we arrive. visit. She is very knowledgeable and really knows her stuff.
Following lunch, we went back to the Monkey Forest, which is in Ubud, where we had such a good time at last year. We had another enjoyable time. We bought a small bunch of bananas and off we went. They are a kick! And we have photos to prove it. After the Monkey Forest, we decided it was getting late and we wanted to get back for Lloyd Tinkle’s 100th birthday celebration and barbeque on the pool deck, so we asked Komang to bring us back to Ubud tomorrow so we could spend some more time here. On the way back, we stopped at a roadside fruit stand and we bought a small bag of Mangosteens, a very tasty local fruit.
Before dropping us off at the pier, we arranged for them to meet us in the morning about 9:00 and we would see more of Bali.
Lloyd’s celebration was fabulous and a real tribute to a great old guy! The dinner on the pool deck was fabulous and it ended up being a full day!
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