We spent most of the morning/early afternoon on the beach. Absolutely perfect weather today. The cool breeze made the heat bearable and I found myself taking a quick nap.
Once again we were able to FaceTime with our children. It's funny to see them in pajamas ready for bed when we are getting ready to go to lunch. They are excited to see us, but also to make faces and fight over screen time. Nana seems to be surviving (thankfully). We are blessed to have such a fortunate situation.
We ventured in to the streets of Sanur for lunch and decided on a restaurant (probably because they had pictures of food). We had nasi campur, garlic prawns, and bintang. Absolutely delicious. To top it off, my husband treated me to some beautiful earrings at the shop next door that I've had my eyes on for a few days!
With full bellies, it was time to relax poolside. We continue to marvel at the foreigners all around us. No Americans. Australians, Japanese, Chinese, English, French, Germans, but no other Americans! We didn't have much time as we had to get cleaned up and ready to go on our big adventure.
A driver and our guide (Kerta) met us in the lobby to take us to the infamous temple Uluwatu. Our driver never said more than two words, but Kerta cracked me up. He was full of LOTS of words. Kerta looked somewhat like Ketut, the medicine man from the film Eat, Pray, Love. He told us about everything - from the history of Bali to the traffic to the tourist attractions and much, much more.
On our lengthy drive, I again marveled at the contrast of worlds. There would be a devastated building with people cooking in it and next door a Cartier. A pile of endless trash and next door a massive Rip Curl outlet. My eyes darted in confusion at these disparities and I just can't make sense of it.
Once we finally arrived at Uluwatu, I was immediately pleased we hired a guide. There were hundreds and hundreds of people there. Kerta escorted us to the entrance and immediately gave us the appropriate attire (see pictures) and also warned us about the monkeys. "Don't touch them and if one comes near you, keep walking. Okay?"
From the moment we entered the sacred grounds, we understood what Kerta was talking about. Monkeys everywhere and they were not shy. We watched as one monkey stole a woman's shoe... when she was standing. The baby monkeys were darling, but the aggressive nature of the smart little buggers made us walk quickly (but not before my husband captured them in even the most compromising position).
At the top of the temple, Kerta explained some of what we were seeing and then brought us to the edge. Now, I consider myself well traveled and I know the term "breathtaking", but today I actually EXPERIENCED the word. When we looked out from the temple wall, I literally gasped at the vast beauty before me. My eyes welled with tears. I was so moved by the beauty of the sea, the massive cliffs, the silhouette of the temple. It was a glorious feast for the eyes and soul.
We walked all around the temple stopping to hear explanations from Kerta and to take pictures. Kerta said Uluwatu is a special place because people release their bad thoughts and become better people which will then affect others positively. Soaking it all in, I definitely believed him. How could you not?
Kerta then escorted us to an outdoor arena. He made certain we had the best seats in the house. Waves of people entered and we wondered where everyone would go. We were packed in like sardines. We estimated there were around 800 people; American standards (and laws) only would have allowed 400 people.
We were treated to a truly unique experience, a Hindu story in dance during sunset, which included music performed by approximately 60 men using their voices and bodies as well as a fire dance. The story was that of a princess who was captured, but thanks to the help of the white monkey Hanoman, she was saved in the end from the evil king. Near the end, the power went out (although I don't think many of us realized it at first). When the show was over, I wondered how 800 people would safely exit down the mountain. I did not see one person fall and we found our guide with little difficulty. Uluwatu was a cultural experience we will never forget. It changes you in profound ways.
Driving down the mountain, our guide wanted to take us to a special beach restaurant. Reluctantly, we agreed. Honestly, I wondered if we were being driven to our deaths, but Kerta was kind so we trusted him. Sure enough, he took us to a beautiful restaurant right on the beach with music and entertainment. We went to a window and pointed at the fresh fish/shell fish we wanted and they picked it up and cook it for us. We opted for the special rock crab and giant prawns. We watched the waves crash on to the beach and the traditional Balinese dancing while we awaited our food. We weren't sure where Kerta disappeared to, but it was nice to enjoy the moment with just the two of us.
As we polished off our plates of food, a small band of four (two on the guitar, one on the bass, and one playing "drums" on a wooden box) came to our table and serenaded us. To our surprise and delight, they sang songs like Take It Easy and Stand by Me. Watching Balinese men sing American tunes (and quite well) - what a sweet way to end the day.
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Amy, this is beautiful. I'm so happy you're enjoying yourself, and that by the time I get there you'll be an expert and can be MY guide!
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