Bali January 13, 2012

Looking onto the horizon, I can see the sun from my airplane window. The beautiful shades of red and orange colors seems to light the evening skies. Just below I can see miles and miles of clouds slowly floating by.

Bali day 2, Jan 13, 2012

You know when you are not in the states when four a.m. in the morning, you are awakened by the roosters singing Cook – a- doodle do!!! Cook-a-doodle do!!! I was already awake, must be my jet lag but it feels very nice to be in Bali. I can hear crickets in a distant, water flowing just outside my bathroom window, the air is pretty warm and nice and outside the air is fresh. Bali, the island of thousands of temples is indeed a wonderful place to be.

Today was a very interesting and exciting day. The day began with a little uncertainty. I had spoken to someone about take me to places to see but it turns out there was a miscommunication and at 9:a.m they had arranged for a motorbike. Well it has been quite a few years since I have driven a bike so I had to pass, instead the very nice people from the hotel arranged for a driver to take me around. Just before I left, I realized something was wrong with the camera and I have not been able to figure out what it is. I’m just keeping my fingers crossed and hoping it will be ok. Glad I had my phone and was able to use it as a camera.

The driver was very friendly and knowledgeable and was able to take me to a lot of places, and give me the insight on each destination. He explained about the people, the life style and traditions, the food, the importance of temple and spiritual practices in day to day life and much more.

A place of worship is very important to the Balinese family. Every family has three temples in the house and is dedicated to each of the trident gods – Brahma the creator, Vishnu the protector and Shiva the lord of justice. Furthermore, a two hundred person Balinese family constitutes a community and every community has more temples and a community center. Prayers are conducted three times a day and the offerings can been seen as a small hand woven bowl with flowers and incense.

One very important note that one should be aware of before entering into the temples in Balinese tradition is that both men and women has to wear a sarong to cover themselves up. The sarong is tied around the waist and a smaller yellow color cloth is tied on top of it. I was told this signifies covering oneself up before the deities.

Stop 1: Rocky mountain temple.

Driving in the windy roads located half an hour from where I stayed in Ubud; the rocky mountain temple was carved straight into the rocks. I believe each temple carved was for each of the local deities. There were two carvings opposite from one another separated by a river surrounded by lushly green forest and rice paddies. The temple was located at the bottom of a mountain and there are over 200 stairs to get to it. The location was just perfect and you could feel the nature that surrounded you. The running river added just the right touch and provided soothing music to add to its perfection.

Stop 2: The holy water temple

Close to the Rocky Mountain temple laid the holy water temple. As the name suggests, this temple was built around a natural occurrence where water comes up to the surface from underground. If one immediately noticed this, it would look as if water was boiling. One can compare it to a swimming pool with bubbles being formed as the water oozes to the surface. This water was further diverted to three ponds with the help of manmade springs where people could take a dip and purify the body. It is believed by the local people that washing one’s body in this water and drinking it makes one feel and look 15 years younger.

I made two new friends Ketut and Ede, who showed and explained to me my first Balinese ritual. It was a series of a five step process using flowers and incense. The ritual ended with a holy man sprinkling water on the head and then drinking the water three times ending with the fourth water being put on the head and tika on the forehead. My friends also gave me an unusual but sweet fruit and it was pretty good. Taking a leave from them, I was off to my next stop

 Stop 3: Coffee, cocoa and vanilla Plantation

I was/am pretty amazed by the number of spices, vegetable and fruits that grow in Bali. It is a self sustained island and rarely has to import any foods from outside. Driving to my next destination, we stopped by a coffee plantation. Lush and green, this place was covered with coffee beans and cocoa pods. My driver even showed me a vanilla plant. Walking through the coffee plantation, we ended up at a place where a woman was roasting some coffee beans.

This plantation belonged to a family where the members of the family were involved in growing, harvesting, roasting, hand crushing and then packing coffee, chocolate and tea. I was given a tour by a very nice girl who explained to me the process of making coffee from the plant to a cup. I was astonished to find that the world’s most expensive coffee came from animal poop…..

That’s right…. A rare variety of coffee was shown to me which was made after being collected from animal by product. Mongoose and raccoons selects the finest and sweetest coffee pods as their food. Due to the lack of enzymes that breaks down solid foods, perfect coffee beans passed down through their body and when dry, it forms a perfect poop pod. This pod is then fermented and the outer skin is removed, leaving behind a bean. After another wash, these beans are roasted, crushed and one could enjoy a fresh brewed less bitter coffee, as I was told.

Stop 4: Mountain View Road

Back in the car we started driving towards the mountains. Living in San Diego for the past eight years, the sunny and warm weather could easily make one forget how heavy it rains in other places around the world. As we got higher into the mountains, heavy dark clouds covered the afternoon skies. Just before we got to the next stop to view the highest mountain in Bali, heavy rains started pouring, preventing me from seeing another perfect view. Through the misty clouds I could see the mountain in a distant and a magnificent lake laid somewhere at the base of the mountain.

I was told this was a dormant volcano but when it last erupted in 1963, lava from this volcano spread for 15 km and destroyed villages, temples and many people lost their lives. For now this mountain provided a nice six hours hike to the top and five hours back. If one chose to watch the sun rise, I was told, it was best to start walking around midnight.

Stop 5: largest Temple in Bali

On one of the bases of the largest volcanic mountains in Bali, there lies the mother of all temples. This temple was built in the 8^th century by a yogi from India thus introducing Hinduism to Bali. This area was covered with many temples built in the honor of different deities. The east end was dedicated to Ishawra(White), the south to Brahma(Red), West to Maheshwara(Yellow), the North to Vishnu(Black/Green) and the center to Shiva(Five colors). There were also temples for the caste systems. According to the Balinese belief, Shiva was the creator of all manifestations in the universe.

My journey to this holy and ancient site was accompanied by a local volunteer (also a bee keeper) who explained to me the significance of that area. The entire temple was carved out of lava rocks, hand carried by the people up the mountain, and then carved to perfection. Devotion is indeed a powerful element which enables the devotee to do things which before completion cannot be comprehended by the mind.

The place did indeed cover a huge area. When the volcano erupted in 1963, many things were destroyed but the temple was untouched. There is a lot happening in this mystical island of Bali, and one is continuously humbled by the happenings. Walking to the holy sites, it feels like we are just a tiny speck in the cosmic manifestation. What is there to be proud of, what is there to hold unto, what is there not to love?

From the North end of the temple the black volcanic rocks arranged and carved, spread in all directions. It was surrounded by lush green forest, and rolling fog up in the distance. The physical location was just breath taking and the energy so pure.

Stop 6:  View point

As we left this place, we stopped very briefly at a view point to watch an island up in the distance and the beach. Green shades from the rice paddy and coconut trees was a wonderful sight.

Stop 7: Royal Palace and museum

My last stop before dinner that evening was at the royal palace now converted into the museum. One of the things that I keep noticing is that there are so many ponds with lotus and Koi fishes. There was a structure in the middle of the pond, could have been a temple or a place where the ruler dwelled. Whatever it was, it was a beautiful sight. Within the compound, I could see a praying area with a huge door. These doors were/are common in many temples and houses.

The museum was filled with memories of the past. The weapons that were used, the conquest of Bali by Holland, the tribal people defeated by the powerful guns, the musical instruments (some still being used), ritual dresses, various forms of art, bronze statues, and much more…..

Bali, with its geographical location, tradition, culture and the hard working people, offers many unique gifts which cannot be expressed by words but can only be expressed and appreciated. I have not been able to see entire Bali, as of now but if someone were to ask me what I don’t like about this place, I don’t have anything ill to say, for all I see around me is beauty, wonderful people, good food and a full complete experience.