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Published: March 15th 2013
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On the way back to Ubud
Rice terrace along the roadside as a lady carrying a basket walks by... Ugh...I lost my last entry! Don't you hate when that happens?
Ok, recap....Today Nyoman took us on a tour of the Ubud countryside to show us that rice paddies still exist (Thank goodness!) and that even with all this growth tourism, you can still see that lush landscape. He was right! Not only did we see those gorgeous green fields of grain but I was convinced that not all has really changed too much. Yes, its there's too many stores, too much traffic....but Bali still has it's charm and it still surreal when you get a chance to take it all in.
Our goal was Mount Batur and the mother temple. So we started out around 9:30 a.m. Our first stop was at Goa Ganej which is the elephant cave. This place has ruins and an old bath or springs. I don't know how old these ruins are but it is a place worth visiting. Across from the cave there is a huge Buddha head that the jungle seems to now claim. That ruin fell when Bali had a large earthquake long ago and it sits in a gardenlike ravine. Pay the small fee and enjoy this place if
you can.
As we ascended the hills we passed along many rice fields and the further out we got, the cooler the climate. Nyoman took us to different villages where the locals specialized in crafts such as mask making or furniture making. It was amazing to see craftsmen working on furniture along the roadside. Tables, masks, puppets....everywhere!
Kintamani Bangli is full of coffee and lime plantations. As we drove by, I couldn't help noticing how friendly the locals were...they waved at us as we passed. I have never known such friendlier people =)
Nyoman wanted to show us a traditional Balinese village. I can't recall the exact name of this village but I will post photos of it. The adults were gone for the day so all it looked deserted minus the smiling faces of the children we passed. The kids were just running by and saying hello with no care in the world! I saw maybe 2 adults during the short time we were there walking around. We got hit with a heavy tropical rain while we were exploring and had to find a roof to hide under until the rain let up. That took about
Goa Ganej
The entrance to the Elephant Cave at Goa Ganej 45 minutes and our poor Nyoman was soaked trying to drive his car over to pick us up- unfortunately, his back tire was stuck in a hole. The village kids helped him push his car out and he was so touched by these little kids trying to help him while the rain was pouring. Kindness comes in all sizes, huh?
So with this unexpected heavy rain, we decided to wait on visiting Mt. Batur and head back to Ubud. We passed a village called Tegallalang which has the prettiest rice terrace I have ever seen. The road was really congested so we did not have a chance to park and take photos but I did get one good shot and I will post it. I really recommend this as a must-see when you're in Bali. I've heard about the rice terraces in the Philippines and though I have never been... I'm sure these terraces in Tegallalang can give it some serious competition. See it!
Wrapping up our short tour, Nyoman brought us back to Ubud and recommended a restaurant for lunch called Bebek Tepi Sawah - meaning something like: duck by the rice paddies? Anyways, I cannot stress
Village
A beautiful old village on the way to Mt. Batur - traditionally this village used bamboo roofing. more how beautiful this restaurant is! The dining around is set around a beautiful rice field. I believe it is outdoor dining but they may have a place for indoor if one prefers but don't even bother with indoor! This place has got ambience, scenery, good service and good Balinese food as well as western. After having lunch, you just want to sit back and take in the entire scenery. Belinda wanted to take a few photos and spotted a red dragonfly. I didn't believe her until I saw it for myself! haha... A red dragonfly in Bali? Surreal....
Ok, so I'm posting some photos for the day....tomorrow is Mt Batur and the eastern part of Bali.
Until I blog again....selamat malam!
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