Donna and I rented a motorbike and rode to the elephant cave temple. It
was humid in the cave with a statue of an elephant and some
other stone carvings inset in the walls. It is believed to be
a Buddhist hermitage. We walked around and saw some statues
with water pouring out. Then we went for a drive around, had
a calzone in Ubud. Donna stayed at the bungalow and I went for
a ride up north, went through many villages and came out at
lake Batur. I drove back to Tirta Empul, a holy spring and temple
which dates back to 926 AD. Then nearby I saw Gunung Kawi. A
beautiful river valley of rice paddies with a temple of large
stone memorials cut into cliffs on each side. After returning
to Ubud, Donna and I went to Arlies, our favorite eatery, for dinner and walked to
the ceremony at the temple near our place. There were children
dancing the barong and music playing.
We
rode the motorbike to the east coast. We saw Goa Lawah, the
temple with a bat cave behind it. Many people were praying
in front of the cave at a Shivaite temple guarding the cave's entrance. This site has been worshipped since around 1000 AD, and was founded by an itinerant holy man, named Resi Markandya (a holy priest from Java). I could see fruit bats hanging from
the roof squawking and flying around. Just in front there
is a black sand beach that we walked on. The walls literally vibrate with thousands of bats, their bodies packed so close together that the upper surface of the cave resembles undulating mud. The sight would be more eerie if it weren't that whenever the creatures venture out of the cave into daylight, their radar sense directs them back into their murky dwelling place. Being an extraordinary phenomenon, Goa Lawah is considered holy. A temple with shrines protects the entrance. The cave is said to extend all the way back to Besakih, and may contain an underground river. At Pura Goa (Cave Temple) within the Besakih complex, a temple associated with the mythological naga or serpent Basuki which is also honored at Pura Goa Lawah, where 'a snake is said to live, feeding on bats. This ancient reptile is believed to be the caretaker of the earth's equilibrium, a belief which stems from pre-Hindu animism. Goa Lawah Temple is one of the island's nine special Sad Kahyangan Temples, and as such it is the designated holy place to honour the God Maheswara, who resides in this section of the island. Religious processions visit the temple every day, and it is a particular focus for religious rites associated with death.
We drove on to Padangbai
for lunch. Then we went for a drive up some beautiful roads
shaded by jungle to a small bay. We ate at the Topi restaurant
in an outdoor dining area with a sand floor. I ate barracuda
grilled in garlic with garlic bread (heaps of garlic to keep
those bats away).Then took a walk on the beach. It was a
very nice beach village. We then drove on to Candidasa. We
saw many people with yellow flags and police filling the streets.
The traffic got heavy and the atmosphere was tense so we headed
up into the hills. We saw ducks being herded along the road,
beautiful rice terraces, and pot holed roads. It took us awhile
to find our way back to Ubud on our motorbike.
We got sick and tired of all the smoke, noisy roosters, mosquitos, cold showers, and the intermittent electricity where we were staying so we moved across town to Lumbang Sari, a really nice bungalow that has hot water. We were on the second floor with a view of the garden, a gentle breeze, and a pet monkey. We spent time relaxing at our room and went shopping round town. There are so many unusual things around like monkeys in jeeps, and dogs lying in the streets. The shops sell things like exotic wood carvings and colorful sarongs.
