Excellent Adventure Into the Mountains

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Good morning everyone it's about 6:30 a.m. here on the beautiful, tropic, 80 degrees F in Bali; what more can I say? lol
We went on an 8 hour tour up into the hills to visit the temple closest to Mount Agung. The temple was very similar to the buddist temples I have seen. On the way we stopped at a shop to watch them in the art of creating batik art and clothing. The pictures were quite beautiful and the clothing very nice but not anything I would really want myself.
We visited a mountain community and it was beautiful. The communitie are known as Associations - comparable to our municipalities difference is the Association's land is owned collectively. Each family gets a house of equal size and from there you personalize it depending on interest and wealth. Each home has access to the next by way of a small opening. The property is not that wide but it is very long and extends into the jungle. As the family grows they can build more buildings but everything must be approved. It sounds like a wonderful way of life. Each Association has a main temple and then each home has their own shrine built on the east side of their property and is as ornate as they wish. They keep their pigs and chickens in the back yard. The home we saw the pens were between the main house and the house that had been added for extended family. We saw some huge papyas growing - I mean really huge ones.
We had lunch at a restaurant overlooking this amazing rice field - so green and lush. While we were having lunch we had torrential rain and could hardly see the fields eventually. Thankfully our driver is VERY skilled and I had complete confidence in his ability to negotiate the road back down the mountain, which while being modern is also narrow with no shoulders.
Our last stop was another Hindu temple and it was quite different. I have pictures of this trip which I am trying to post however I am experiencing some difficulty because of lack of availability through this computer's software. Lori is going to try and get her laptop working and then we should be okay.
While we were in this last city the signal for Muslim worship sounded. It is quite a different sound and loud enough for everyone in the town to hear. Interesting. Till later... keep warm.

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