Asia Adventure:
October 16 - November 25, 2013

(Click on photos to see a larger image.)

Bali: Drive to the North

We engaged a driver to take us up north towards Lake Batur and Batur the volcano, stopping at 3 temples on the way: Elephant Temple, Carved Stone Temple and Holy Spring Water Temple. The driver is Wayan and we are rode in a comfortable Toyota SUV sort of vehicle. (More about Wayan later on.)

Elephant Temple

We had an impromptu guide here (left pix): Ron asked to have his pix taken with temple cook. (She is available we were told.)

Carved Stone Temple

This temple had the most steps so far ... way down into the valley floor.

We met a scout troup along the way. They had been camping on the valley floor.

Holy Spring Water Temple

Women have a lot of rules regarding entry into the temples

People stand under the water flows to get the benefits of the holy spring water.

We are nearing 2 festival days in Bali. Here was a procession through the temple.

Fed the fish,

Coffee Plantation

Roasting the coffee.

Grinding the coffee

Lowat (civit) cat eats the coffee berries an people collect the poop with undigested coffee beans inside. The are washed, roasted and ground up and sold for SO MUCH MONEY!!!

Ron bought a cup of Lowat coffee and he mde the rest of us taste it (it was good.)

Buying coffee and tea.

Lake and volcano area

Bali: Home Visit

We engaged a great driver and guide named Wayan (a common name for eldest son in Indonesia.) He took us to the temples and volcano/lake to the north. He invited us to come the next day to his home and that's what we did.

He lives with his wife and 2 sons in a compound in a community near Ubud. After seeing his home, family, parents and his over 100 year-old grandmother, he took us to the family farm and rice paddies a short walk away.

If you need a driver or guide in Bali we recommend Wayan:
I. Wayan Gunawan (Kwi)
081 855 3560
vayubali@yahoo.com

Wayan is a tailor, artist and musician.

Wayan's wife and 2 sons.

We were served delicious breakfast sweets along with Balinese coffee! Afterwards we ate fermented rice (some alcohol) that was sweet and tasty!

Family gathering building

Family kitchen ... wood and gas stoves, They raise, pick, roast and grind their own coffee.

In the family temple area in the compound.

Elderly woman picking greens near the creek.

Picking water snails from the water in the rice paddy

Snails. They boil them, remove them from the shells and saute them with spices and vegetables.

Heads of rice

Filling up water containers from the natural spring we walked by on the way to the farm.

Walking to the farm.

Wayan's father with his grandchildren. He was at working at the farm.

At the farm.

The family's rice paddies.

300 year old tree (it is honored by wearing a sarong.)