"Very Naughty Monkey!"

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18th April 2011.

Finally pinned Joey down to come to a monkey and temple tour with me and thank God it didn't start til 3pm as we were both hung over and eager to sleep in. We had so much to drink and didn't realise and in the morning we both had patches of last night missing.

We had collected a brochure when we arrived in the airport on tours in Bali. The brochure looked professional was very reasonably priced (half the price of other tours) and said our tour included an air conditioned car, guide who speaks English and included a seafood dinner by the beach at sunset. When we found our guide he was very lovely, hardworking and gentle. He didn't speak much English and the air con was blowing warm air on us but we did get our seafood dinner by the beach at the last temple. 😊 So no complaints.

We visited three temples. I can't remember the name of the first one but it wasn't that flash anyway. The flatness, amount of concrete (did they use concrete back then? probably not) and the architecture of the parts of the temple reminded me of a Japanese concentration camp from the movies - especially with it being right next to the jungle/forest area.

Outside this temple was a big sign "wear respectful clothing". I was expecting someone to try and sell us a sarong but no-one did and everything viewing the temple was wearing casual clothes, so I wondered in anyway. The next sign I came across clearly read that no women menstruating are allowed in the temple. I waited for someone to stop me here too as I was one of those menstruating women but no-one came (haha) and so went in anyway, quite pleased with my little secret.

After this temple we went to a place off old roads with pot holes and in the forest somewhere. They grew cocoa trees, coffee, ginger, turmeric, ginseng and all that good stuff. We viewed their plants, took photos of the beautiful ganesha outside their property (the architecture is beautiful here with statues adorned everywhere) and then we tasted a cup white ginger tea, red ginger tea, black coffee, pure sugarless cocoa, ginseng coffee and lemongrass tea. They were all lovely and be bought a couple for the trip home only to find that our next hotel and the one after wouldn't have any kettles in the rooms but the block of pure cocoa with brown sugar came in handy and surprisingly tasted creamy.

Then the monkies! We were warned about the monkies before going. We were told by a local that "They very naughty monkey! Very cheeky! People take photo and they take camera! Monkey take glasses. We throw food everywhere try to get glasses back! Very naughty monkey!" 😊 They were cheeky. They know the game. No glasses or cameras were stolen this time but one strong monkey put his armed around my leg and refused to let me go until someone fed him. Another would not let go of my fingers - very cute. People still go to pray three times a day at the monkey forest temple.

The best temple was saved til last and but surrounded by rock and sea. It was a magnificent sight. We were allowed to wonder around at our own leisure, not being harassed by anyone which was nice. We were then guided up the mountain to have dinner looking over the water at sunset. A few guys came over to serenade us and of course we had to pay them too - when does it end?! But the three course meal was apart of the tour. All of this for about $60 Aussie dollars.

Most of the photos are on Joey's camera - so will post photos of these temples and the monkies soon. 😊

Next: Gili Island!! A paradise island where anything goes and no police 😊

Lotsa love, Tara

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