Since our meeting time with our driver was at 12pm, Montana spent the morning planning activities for the next day. She went to the front desk and talked over some of the things we wanted to do. The receptionists were very happy to help and they unintentionally planned 3 days. Montana finally had to tell them that we didn't want to plan too far ahead.
We met up with our driver, Ketut. Both LuRue and Montana got in the car having hardly any clue as to what was going on other than that we were going to a temple. We ended up driving for about 2hrs in the crazy Indonesian traffic, which, compared to India, was nothing. We drove past some exotic restaurants like KFC, Burger King, and McDonalds.
Ketut pulled into a parking lot and asked for money, so he could get tickets for us. He came back with tickets and some orange ribbons for us to the around our waist and pointed us in the direction we were supposed to go. LuRue and Montana, still not really having any idea as to what was happening, followed a group of people with the same orange ribbon. The road split and the group of people we were following did too. We took a left and followed the path down to get a good view of the temple as shown below:
We never got any closer to the temple than that. We were able to walk into the outer buildings, which reminded us a lot of the Forbidden City, in that it was a ton of rooms with nothing in it. So, at first it looked cool, but then, it got boring looking at the same thing. A lot of the rooms were blocked off for worshipping too, although, no one was there at the time worshipping. The temple was called the Uluwatu Temple and was built for worshipping back in the AD's.
We explored the temple and then walked down the path to the right. It was all very similar to the first path we went down. We did find an interesting sculpture of what we think might have been the monkey god.
We headed back up to meet Ketut, who was patiently waiting there for us. He told us that we were going somewhere, but we couldn't fully understand, so we just played it by ear, like we had done all day. We drove for a while until we ended up on a dirt road. Ketut looked confused and he caught the attention of a guy on a motorbike driving by. They spoke Balinesian to each other for a bit and the guy pointed the way we came. Ketut turned around, we drove for about a minute and then he pulled over again and asked a security guard standing there. He pointed the way we had just come, but Ketut shook his head. They talked more and he pointed farther down the road. LuRue and Montana, having nothing to worry about, just looked at each other and laughed. Ketut turned into a road off the main road and we were stopped by a lady giving out tickets. They spoke to each other and we turned around once again. After a few more incidents like this, we finally got to the place he was trying to get us too, a beach.
Ketut dropped us off and told us to walk around and that he'd be right there when we got back. We walked down to the beach passed enough lounges to fill a stadium.
We watched people swim in the Java sea and wished that we had our swimsuits so we could
jump in, but sadly, we could only wade. We walked into the water, enjoying the smooth silky sand on our bare feet and the nice warm waves flow over our feet. We just stood there for a while, but then decided to continue walking when an unsuspecting wave washed up and drenched the bottom half of Montana's skirt. We walked about 5 minutes, until we decided it was time to head back to the car.
Ketut was waiting patiently for us like usual. This time he gave us some boiled peanuts to try, which were very good. Ketut took us to a restaurant, Matahari Cafe, to have dinner and enjoy the sunset. A waiter set us down, took our drink orders, then told us to come to the front to order where a guy was throwing live crabs into a tank to be eaten later.
We ordered a plate of prawns, the smallest plate there, but definitely enough for both of us. We then sat down to watch the sunset and wait for our food.
Our food came out and it was delicious. Who knew shrimp and molasses went well together. Although, LuRue stuck to her old ways, garlic and shrimp.
Ketut was waiting once again for us to get done with dinner. He drove us back to our hotel, finally arriving at around 10pm. Still having the blog to write, Montana pulled out her computer and walked outside to write, only to find that one of their neighbors was going for it hard core. What a lovely sound to end the day with.
We met up with our driver, Ketut. Both LuRue and Montana got in the car having hardly any clue as to what was going on other than that we were going to a temple. We ended up driving for about 2hrs in the crazy Indonesian traffic, which, compared to India, was nothing. We drove past some exotic restaurants like KFC, Burger King, and McDonalds.
Ketut pulled into a parking lot and asked for money, so he could get tickets for us. He came back with tickets and some orange ribbons for us to the around our waist and pointed us in the direction we were supposed to go. LuRue and Montana, still not really having any idea as to what was happening, followed a group of people with the same orange ribbon. The road split and the group of people we were following did too. We took a left and followed the path down to get a good view of the temple as shown below:
We never got any closer to the temple than that. We were able to walk into the outer buildings, which reminded us a lot of the Forbidden City, in that it was a ton of rooms with nothing in it. So, at first it looked cool, but then, it got boring looking at the same thing. A lot of the rooms were blocked off for worshipping too, although, no one was there at the time worshipping. The temple was called the Uluwatu Temple and was built for worshipping back in the AD's.
We explored the temple and then walked down the path to the right. It was all very similar to the first path we went down. We did find an interesting sculpture of what we think might have been the monkey god.
We headed back up to meet Ketut, who was patiently waiting there for us. He told us that we were going somewhere, but we couldn't fully understand, so we just played it by ear, like we had done all day. We drove for a while until we ended up on a dirt road. Ketut looked confused and he caught the attention of a guy on a motorbike driving by. They spoke Balinesian to each other for a bit and the guy pointed the way we came. Ketut turned around, we drove for about a minute and then he pulled over again and asked a security guard standing there. He pointed the way we had just come, but Ketut shook his head. They talked more and he pointed farther down the road. LuRue and Montana, having nothing to worry about, just looked at each other and laughed. Ketut turned into a road off the main road and we were stopped by a lady giving out tickets. They spoke to each other and we turned around once again. After a few more incidents like this, we finally got to the place he was trying to get us too, a beach.
Ketut dropped us off and told us to walk around and that he'd be right there when we got back. We walked down to the beach passed enough lounges to fill a stadium.
We watched people swim in the Java sea and wished that we had our swimsuits so we could
jump in, but sadly, we could only wade. We walked into the water, enjoying the smooth silky sand on our bare feet and the nice warm waves flow over our feet. We just stood there for a while, but then decided to continue walking when an unsuspecting wave washed up and drenched the bottom half of Montana's skirt. We walked about 5 minutes, until we decided it was time to head back to the car.
Ketut was waiting patiently for us like usual. This time he gave us some boiled peanuts to try, which were very good. Ketut took us to a restaurant, Matahari Cafe, to have dinner and enjoy the sunset. A waiter set us down, took our drink orders, then told us to come to the front to order where a guy was throwing live crabs into a tank to be eaten later.
We ordered a plate of prawns, the smallest plate there, but definitely enough for both of us. We then sat down to watch the sunset and wait for our food.
Our food came out and it was delicious. Who knew shrimp and molasses went well together. Although, LuRue stuck to her old ways, garlic and shrimp.
Ketut was waiting once again for us to get done with dinner. He drove us back to our hotel, finally arriving at around 10pm. Still having the blog to write, Montana pulled out her computer and walked outside to write, only to find that one of their neighbors was going for it hard core. What a lovely sound to end the day with.
Sounds like an interesting and different way to spend Christmas day. Sounds like every day is an adventure but as long as you are open to whatever happens, it sounds like it is all good. Beautiful sunset picture on the waves.
ReplyDeleteWe'll have to try boiled peanuts. How do they taste different? Also, I'm assuming that TWO of your neighbors were "going at it hard core," is that correct? Or am I misunderstanding? Is it like that time in Denali National Park when our camping neighbors were very vigorous in their tent during the middle of the day?
ReplyDeleteWhile we just opened our Christmas stockings here on Christmas Day, you both were visiting a lovely Hindu temple and enjoying the beauty of the warm Java Sea on your Christmas Day... and then enjoyed what I imagine were very fresh shrimp--the molasses sounds yummy.k PS I totally missed the"...hard core..." I was imagining that your neighbor was really writing on his or her computer in a very diligent way---well I am 76!
ReplyDelete