Bali Vacation - Checking out the Island

On our transition day between resorts we had Joe our driver show us around the island - it was a great day.

We started our day in Bali traffic - we estimated Bali has ten times more motorbikes than cars

 Our first stop of the day was to see a traditional Balinese dance - showing good versus evil.

This was a tiger.

These are dancers representing the Rangda (the evil one) on their way to see the prime minister.

Rangda - the evil one

 Next stop was to see a Batik shop.  Bali is well known for it's batik style.

Lady applying wax to stamped pattern

Examples of the wax printing.

This was pretty cool - the each yarn had a pre-colored pattern.  This lady is weaving in the pattern and carefully placing in each yarn across the width (in the weft) to create the pattern in the fabric

 Next stop was to see a traditional family home.

Kitchen

Temple area of home.

Statue wrapped in black & white fabric representing good and evil.

The family well

This family kept pet porcupines.

Family Pig - He will be dinner for one of the festivals

Next stop was a local woodworking artisan shop

The Hindi in Bali were celebrating the Galungan holiday.  It celebrates the victory of the dharma (good deeds) over the adharma (bad forces).  As we were driving we saw many homes decorated with Penjor (long bamboo poles embellished with ornaments).  We got to see a lot of parades while we were here of the Barong (mythical monster representing the good spirits).

Next stop was Mount Batur - active volcano - we ate lunch with a beautiful view while rain fell around us.

I tried to take a picture of one of the roadside fruit stands - all the fruit was in pyramids.

Next stop was another coffee, fruit, and spice plantation.

This is some of the Luwak coffee.  Patrick calculated it to be about US$240 a pound.  It's a good thing we really did not like the US$6 cup we tasted.

Roasting coffee beans.

 Civit Cat (Luwak):

View from our tasting area - still raining.

All the different tastings.

Local tobacco they would roll for you to try.

 Last stop of the day was a temple - with water that would make you younger :)

Another view of rice paddies on the way to resort #2.

It was a long day, but we got to see and experience a lot of this island and learned a great deal.