UBUD

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Today we left for Ubud. Along the way we visited Goa Lawah a temple where the bat caves are. We managed to take some pretty good pictures of the thousands of fruit bats that inhabit this cave. We saw rats crawling around the offerings... hmmmmm not so thrilled about those. The caves are said to be over 1,000 years old and are used for performing ceremonies. It is thought to be about 19 miles deep and legend also has it that a dragon like snake "basuki" lives in the recess of the cave and feeds on the bats; I guess he shouldn't have to order take out for some time with all those bats.

Since Joan had not seen Taman Gili - yet another floating temple we stopped there. This temple boasts 267 painted panels in and around the ceiling - each one depicting different stories.

Nyoman delivered us as far as he could to our BB in UBUD. Our BB is in the middle of a rice field about a half mile from the closest drop-off. For $37.00 a night including b'fast it's a pretty good deal. It is operated by a retired (early) American professor and Balinese man - they are married - of course and are great hosts. Down side - no A/C and when they said to bring ear plugs because of the roosters - well the squawking of the roosters is bleeding awful. *It sounds like we have a rooster right in our bed - I'm surprised they don't fly in our bedroom window actually. I am NOT kidding - we are surrounded by roosters, I don't know what you call a flock of ducks but we have many many ducks. At 4:45 am the roosters start, the ducks join in and a whole mess of chickens and then of course we have the doves... After the first night we thought we should leave but Mary is so great that we just couldn't leave - I would like to reduce the rooster population though - by at least one!

The first evening we went to dinner at the Lotus Cafe and were treated to a Balinese performance - quite by luck. The temple "Pura Taman Saraswati" was holding a performance and the cafe is attached to the temple through a large lotus water pond garden. At night it looks quite magical. This temple was built t honor deity of Learning and the Arts.

The next day we went to the local market which is very large and then to a resort called IBAH - 5 star and used their pool for $6.00. There was only 6 people there with us. It was very beautiful. Later we went out to dinner - a western dinner - I am REALLY sick of rice! and Joan had a Fish Spa treatment. This is where you stick your feet into this big aquarium with carp like fish and they nibble your dead skin off. She was very adventures; I wouldn't even stick my hand in there! Unfortunately as she was feeding the fish her skin it started to rain - no it started to POUR, and then thunder and then fork lightening - REALLY REALLY violently. We couldn't leave because it was raining too hard but most of all because we are staying on the highest point of land. We would have been out in an electrical storm totally exposed with a half mile walk. We waited for some time and eventually it stopped fork lightening and we managed to get a taxi to our walk in point. By the time we got home the electricity had been blown out in our BB and so we got to wander around with our flashlights - thank goodness we took them! At least the ants didn't visit us last night. The first night we were there we killed about 25 large ants later in the evening - and I Hate ants. I'll tell you that storm scared the crap out of me!

Today we went on a rice paddy walk as it was cooler - it has been VERY hot here. Our walk eventually took us into the city centre of UBUD. Since we had walked about 8 miles we decided we deserved a spa treatment so we got a reflexology and head massage - a $7.50 or 75,000 rupiahs. We stopped for lunch - and it started raining again - oh jeez... then it started pouring so we took a taxi to this German restaurant called KUE for desert... we couldn't go home yet anyway with all the rain because with the rain it started to lightning again.

UBUD is quite nice but I really don't know what all the fuss is about. Tomorrow we are going to visit the Monkey Forest. We would have gone today but we have walked enough. Our walks have done nothing to reduce our Bingtang looking beer bellies... we'll have to try another strategy perhaps??? Two weeks of no make - up for Joan; longer for me. Joan things that people likely refer to us as the Ubud Uglees. Oh that Joan.. she is funny. I have really enjoyed her company. She is a lot like me... she can't remember where she puts things. For me, no matter where we are - You can be sure that I have everything we need - BACK AT THE ROOM.... what can I say... Life is Good in Bali - regardless of the weather....

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Comments

[Monika]

UBUD :(
Hey sister,,, As I get nearer to the final packing<< I will have you cross that one off my list of necessities,,, Although I will admit you did have me laughing... I am happy to hear you two are such good sports!! PS i have still packed my make up LOL Love ya PSSS I forget,,are you meeting me at airport

[suzanne]

your comment about leaving off the make up struck my funny bone. when my sister and i were in mexico (we realized right away that it WAS a gay town) we didn't wear any make up either. being sisters, your body language w each other is different- you touch each other more, you sit closer and talk more into each other's face. you know- directly. after a couple days we srarted to realize that people thought we were lesbians! no kidding! it was just part of the vibe we were both picking up on. we thought it would be so funny to end the speculation by putting on a full face of make up including (of course) red lipstick, stilletto heels, and real tight black slinky pants with a tight shirt and a pushup bra. but then we thought that would be even funnier, since neither of us can walk in heels. in the end we figgered-who the fuck cares anyway? and about which part do they care if at all! just so funny, strange and a different from any thing else i've experienced before.......stay in touch......love to hear about your excursions both expected and unexpected.

[lovetodance]

Gay or No Gay
If you were in Old Town or around that area it is very GAY.. at least that is what Kathy and I found the last time we were in PV