Bali: Water Temple and Farewell

Taman Ujung water palace near Amlapura was our last sightseeing stop, a slight detour on our drive back to the airport. It had few visitors besides ourselves, but the area seemed a bit out of the way of the tourist tromping grounds. It was built in 1925 by Anak Agung Anglurah Ketut Karangasem, the same King who made the water gardens at Tirtagangga.

Before leaving the mountains and rice paddies behind, we made our driver stop so we could inspect the rice plants up close. We had realized that though a staple of our diet, we didn't really understand how it grew. I was surprised to see how the little buds of rice formed on the stalks. OD spotted a spider in the stalks; he wondered if it was deadly poisonous, but that didn't keep him from taking the shot. 

Though our trip was short, we snorkeled, visited the mother temple at Bekasih, saw water gardens, explored village life, ate delicious food, and relaxed in our bungalow. We are certain to come back someday and explore the rest of the island. Before departing, we killed time by taking cheesy shots at the airport and filling up on coffee and french fries. Though we love to travel, our love of Starbucks and McDonald's will always mark us as Americans. 

Bali: Bekasih Temple

We had done very little planning for the trip, figuring we would spend most of our time just snorkeling and relaxing. At the same time we wanted to make the most of our short time in Bali, so we took up our hotel owner’s suggestion for a day tour. Bekasih is the largest temple complex in Bali and is built on the southwest side of Mount Agung, the highest and holiest mountain in Bali. The Balinese have their own version of Hinduism and are known as a very spiritual people.  

Though we did realize that we should be modestly covered to enter the temple, we didn’t know that sarongs were specifically called for. Our driver stopped at one of the vendors at the base of the temple area, where we proceeded to get ripped off. Though OD managed to get the price down to a third of what they originally asked for, we still paid about twice as much as we should have. Oh well, although we are pretty sure they are machine dyed and not handmade batik as claimed, we still like the patterns we picked out.

Next was a stop at the tourism office, where they insisted we would need to hire a guide to do more than just stand at the base of the temple area. They even showed us a book recording the visits of recent foreign tourists, listing their nationality and donation price paid for a guide (quite high at 400,000 rupiah/US$44). We declined and proceeded to the temple entrance, where again we were dissuaded from going up the steps without a guide. Apparently, people sometimes just barge ahead past the officials, but I didn't want to do that, I just didn't want to get swindled anymore. I was starting to feel we had made a mistake coming here with all the hassle, but we then found a guide who would take us in for only 40,000 rupiah (1/10 of the recorded price!). Many of the temples and inner chambers are closed to visitors, but it’s mostly an open design going up the mountainside, so there is still a lot to see. 

Our guide explained that there are typically three doors to a temple.
The central door is for the gods and therefore usually closed. 

For the Balinese, the dragon is a symbol of protection. Look at those teeth! 

Beautiful carved terrace.  I'm sure there is some symbolism in the design.

Ceremonial umbrellas or "tedung" offer protection. Each color represents a different god. 

As you can see, the temple complex has many level and buildings.
It also has vendors ready to sell snacks and souvenirs.

Bali: Village Life in Amed

Though I have yet to visit the rest of Bali, my understanding is that the Amed area is what Bali used to be like before it got overrun with tourism. While tourism is certainly an industry here (as evident from the number of signs for accommodations and dive shops lining the road), megaresorts and chain restaurants are thankfully lacking. Our trip was at the end of September, just at the beginning of off-season, and it was blissfully uncrowded. We saw more locals than tourists and though we got a few offers for tours and massages, most villagers were just going about their business. From our terrace, we could see the fishing boats heading back in the afternoons with the day's catch. This area is also known for salt production, and though we didn't see it up close, I caught a couple roadside glimpses of the bamboo cones used for filtering. In contrast to our very modern lives in Singapore, many of the villagers seemed to still be working and living in fairly traditional ways. Below are some photos of the local scenery.  

   

Bali: Snorkeling

Our primary activity for this trip was snorkeling. After weeks of practicing with my snorkel mask and flippers in the pool, I was eager to experience the real thing. Our first attempt was the Japanese shipwreck in Banyuning, about a 15 minutes drive from Beten Waru. A couple boats were already anchored with snorkelers in the water and we swam out from the shore to join them. We never made out any part of the wreck itself, but found the coral and fish. Though I enjoyed my first time snorkeling, the current was a bit strong for me and once we were back on the beach I even felt a little seasick. I also managed to lose one of my flipper straps in the water; OD jumped back in and somehow located it within a minute (he has that kind of luck).  

Next we headed for the coral gardens of Amed. As our drive approached from the hill above, we could see the coral darkening the water all along the coast. Right away I liked it better than the Japanese wreck site, as the waters here were much shallower and calmer. Also, the water was clearer, with sunlight coming through and dappling the coral. OD was our official underwater photographer and managed to take photos and video with a regular camera put into a waterproof plastic cover. My favorite sights were a school of small blue fish hovering over a patch of yellow coral, a colorful medium-sized fish nibbling on the coral, and a number of large blue starfish. 

For the third snorkeling trip, we ventured out of Amed to Tulamben, the site of the USS Liberty Shipwreck. For a moment I got a bout of cold feet, as it seemed that we might have to swim pretty far out and the current was on the stronger side. After making OD promise that he wouldn’t swim ahead of me and let me get swept away by the tide, we headed out. The site had larger fish than we had seen so far and a school of them came right at us (apparently they are used to getting fed by the divers). A number of divers were down deep in the wreck, and I felt more secure with the thought that they could rescue me if I started to drown (OD says he could have saved me, but it’s nice to have backup). The photos are pretty dark, but you can make out a bit of the wreck. If we come back, we’ll have to dive it next time!

Bali: Beten Waru Bungalow

For our 3 nights in Bali, we stayed in one of three bungalows at Beten Waru. Amed has many choices of budget accommodations, but a certain someone had to have airconditioning. Beten Waru not only has airconditioning, but hot water and wifi. As a trade-off for these amenities we gave up direct beach access and a pool. Overall, we were very pleased with our pick. As Beten Waru is situated up a steep hill, it offers great ocean views. The Balinese aesthetic is reflected in the intricately landscaped grounds. Our one room bungalow was comfortable and secluded. And our terrace was the perfect spot to just chill for a few days.      

Road sign for Beten Waru. It's not far from one of the fishing coves. 

The view looking down from our bungalow. 

Beten Waru's own altar. Per tradition, the Balinese give daily offerings.  

The walkway leading up to our bungalow. Note the pebble designs.
I also loved the stone lamps and tropical flowers. 

Our terrace. Steps and side shades gave it a sense of privacy.   

Our canopy bed with our typical messiness. 

Sliding glass doors with an ocean view. 

We woke up early enough one morning to catch the sunset from our terrace. 

Terrace dining. The owner prepared us a special meal for our last night.  

Bali: Arrival & Tirtagangga

For our first trip as Singapore expats, we chose Amed in Bali, which is known as a laid-back spot for snorkeling and diving. Amed is on the eastern coast, a 2 1/2 hour drive from Denpasar International Airport. The drive there progressed from urban chaos to coastal development to mountain scenery. Frequent jolting and honking seemed to be required to avoid motorbikes that weave through traffic and pedestrians on the shoulder of the road. Being prone to motion sickness, I started to feel a bit queasy on the winding mountain roads, but the iconic views of rice paddies cascading down the mountainside made up for it. With our driver zipping along, it was difficult to get the camera focused, but we managed to get a few decent shots.

On the way to Amed, our driver stopped in Abang, Karangasem, to give us a chance to have lunch and see the water gardens. The Tirtagangga complex was built in 1948 by the late Raja of Karangasem, Anak Agung Anglurah Ketut Karangasem. The gardens consist of several pools of water, accented by statues, lily pads, and flowering plants. We particularly enjoyed walking along the stepping stones built into one of the ponds. A few other tourists milled about, but there were also many locals. A few villagers lounged on inflatable swimming tubes in the wading pool and others seemed to be using a smaller pool as a bathtub.