My Month in Bali...Continued

I left you to catch-up on some much-needed sleep and try and acclimate my body to the very different temperature of this country from the North Island of New Zealand.

I had left Auckland in a howling rainstorm with temperatures in the low 60's and coat and umbrella very much required.  I arrived in Bali hours later to blazing sun, a humidity level that embraced the body in a damp, cloying blanket of sweat which was impossible to lose and temperatures in the high 80's.

Driving from the national airport in Depensar with the radio blaring and the air conditioner grinding out a tepid flow of cool? air, with my host's son, the driver, giving me what I am sure was a splendid commentary on what we were passing by in totally non-understandable English, we arrived at the Rumah Roda Homestay in Ubud.

If you have read my previous post about my first day - how really lovely my room was and my immediate invitation and attendance at the Full Moon Festival, you know I ended my first 24-hours in Bali hot, sweaty and exhausted - but with my mind filled with brilliant colors,  images of the beautiful Indonesian people and a small inkling of their deep devotion to their Buddhist religion.

So now it's 2 days later.  Sunday morning and my host, Darta, has sent word that the Full Moon Festival continues over the weekend and I must join the family for an excursion to the famous Pura Tirtha Empul.  

This is the largest 'purification temple' on the island.  This is where you come to  bathe in 'holy water' and even take jugs of it home to use for your daily religious rituals.

We got a late start and arrived to find this normally peaceful and not very crowded temple overflowing with worshipers there to celebrate and be cleansed during the Full Moon Celebration.  You can see from the photos just what I mean by crowded.  (I returned to this temple very early in the morning the day of my photography tour and will share more detailed photos with you a bit later.)

The entrace

Offering left in thanks to the Temple

         

The 100's waiting in waist-deep water to be showered with holy water

Waiting in line 

A temple within the Temple

             
Behind the pools of holy water is a massive space where hundreds can pray and offer thanks.  Priests come from the local villages to perform the ceremony. They are surrounded by their parishioners who have come specifically to be showered, blessed and return home with their jugs of holy water.  The priest for this continuing Full Moon ceremony is the same that officiated at the one on the day I arrived.  I still think looks like Mr. Miyagi from The Karate Kid.

 

 

             

This Temple requires that all that enter must wear a sarong.  I had my trusty purple one which was 'mine' to use at all ceremonies I attended during my stay. But tourists who come to the temple are provided with a sarong to wear upon entry (for a small donation).  While Darta and family were being showered and praying, I spent my time observing, taking photos are getting the giggles seeing some of the amazing outfits that 'tourists' ware!

           

My favorite:)

 

Outside the entrance to the Temple
is a massive park with an area filled with
stalls where folks are selling everything from
bananas to kites to juice and food.
Inside the Temple is peaceful, quiet except for
the tinkling sound of bells and hushed prayers.

Outside is a bustle of noise and hustle as everyone tries to sell you something while 100's of cars are jockeying for position trying to leave as buses are arriving to unload more and more people - both tourists and worshipers. It was overwhelming and the crowds were too much for me to really enjoy this visit.  When I returned it was a whole different story - as you will see.

            

This darling little owl was just                                   Colorful kites for sale.

on a table looking very calm and wise

 The 'finger' is being pointed at me for taking her photo without purchasing a banana!  Me bad - so I bought a banana!

It was an amazing experience and I was so glad to be included in this family celebration.  I was even allowed to join with the entire village as they joined together (inside and in the shade of one of the smaller temples). 

Until next time.......which I promise will be really soon - like later today!

32 DAYS IN BALI - Part One

It’s 5 p.m.  The sun is setting.  The call to prayers at a nearby mosque can be heard drifting on the breeze along with the ever-present smell of incense, satay being cooked over an open-flame grill and the too-sweet smell of rotting fruit.  

The Balinese language is a muddle of sounds played on a musical scale that rises and falls.  Temperatures hover in the high 80’s with rain falling almost daily, either a brief shower or a torrential downpour, with the humidity level averaging always close to 100%.  Just a hint of a breeze is a gift to be stopped and enjoyed.

What am I doing on this hot, humid, tropical country for a whole month?   Why did I choose to end my 11-month sojourn of the South Pacific on this Indonesian island?  Honestly?  Because I, like so many other women, fell in love with and hoped to find ‘something or someone special’ here after reading Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray Love.  Stupid reason to visit a country, isn’t it?  And of course, I haven’t seen anyone who comes close to looking like Javier Bardem to say hello to, let alone who could possibly lift me off my feet!

I’m sweating.  I’m always sweating.  I can only manage the heat with two-to-four showers per day, not counting my daily running jump into the pool at my homestay. 

Let me take a moment a tell you what a homestay is, compared to a hotel,  resort or AirBnB.  A homestay is a Balinese family-owned compound.  The depth of a family compound runs from the street it faces to the street behind and can be as wide as 1/2 a city block.  One extended family, their relatives and employees all live happily(?) together in the many structures that are enclosed within the walls of the compound.   

There is always a small temple in the center where these very observant Balinese Hindus pray and give offerings each day.  Structures have been added during recent years to accommodate paying guests.  The one I am staying in is a typical addition.

At the rear of my homestay is a three-story structure that has 9 very large rooms - 3 per floor.  The beds are enormous, 1 1/2 times the size of an American king.  Several of the rooms have an additional twin or a daybed in the room.  There is an armoire for your clothes, a sink, a shower/tub combo, a toilet and mini fridge. The beds are enclosed in mosquito netting, a must, as there are no screens or windowpanes. 

Rhuma Roda entrance

My room is the top floor - left side

My bedroom, desk & outside seating area.

Looking down at the pool                                        The family Temple.

                                       

Though my homestay is located within an easy 10-minute walk to the very center of Ubud, wth their huge marketplace and the Palace (residence of the current ceremonial-only King of Bali) it is located on a fairly quiet street- if you don't take into consideration the dozens of roosters who crow all day AND ALL NIGHT or the many street dogs who join in with their howls and barks at all hours of the day and night.  And then there is the putt-putt and roar of the main form of Balinese transportation - the motor scooter.  Quiet in Bali is relative.

Yep, there is a scooter under there

Parked in front of Temple for service

Two guys just bought a new wheelbarrow, pulling it behind

                                          

They are everywhere, used to transport anything and everything.  There are no rules or at least it seems like that.  They dart around and pass you on both sides of your car, they drive the wrong way on one-way streets, they cut between buses and trucks with only inches to spare.

Though the age for a scooter license is officially 17, children from the ages of 8 or 9 drive scooters to school every day. Parents put babies in a backpack, two other children sit between the driver and the passenger and one standing between the handle bars.  I kid you not, that's a family of 6 on a scooter - and that's normal!

And yes, I've put my life in the hands of a scooter driver as it's the cheapest and fastest taxi service in Bali.  I could get a ride to anywhere in Ubud for $10,000IR - that's 75 cents in USD.

The day I arrived was the March Festival of the Full Moon, a traditional Hindu celebration.  Darta, my host, and head of the family in whose compound I am staying, immediately invited me to attend and photograph this event with his fellow family members and friends.

It is necessary for women to dress properly when entering a temple or attending a ceremony.  I was given a traditional sarong, normally of colorful batik cloth, which one of the women tied for me so it would not fall off and then a scarf is tied around the middle.  Women normally wear a white kebaya, or blouse, but I did not have one so my shirt, because it had a small sleeve, was passable. You will see from the photos that the women's kebayas can be extravagant, very sheer, lacy, colorful and are worn with a corset underneath.

Men wear a folded white fabric hat, white dress shirt and a darker, muted-colored sarong.  The point of their sarong is always much longer at the front and even drags on the ground.  Darta shared with me that the men do not wear underwear!  In their heat, I could understand why.  My sarong was tied over my pants and within minutes  I so wanted to be able to take them off

I took over 100 photos during the Full Moon's morning and into afternoon celebration.  Here are just a few.  Don't forget you can 'click' on any photo to enlarge it.

The 'band' who would play non-stop all day

 
 The temple with the women presenting their many offerings.

Waiting for the priest to arrive. He has to officiate at all the local celebrations on the same day so normally runs very late!                      And here he is!  Doesn't he look like Mr. Miyake from The Karate Kid movies?

     
The priest changes his outfit and adornments several times during the ceremony while music is constantly being played.  The children are adorable and very well-behaved.

Little girls in traditional dress

           

                                                                                 Young girls doing traditional Balinese dance

f

Folk characters performing 

And one must check your email!  

You realize I have now been in Bali less than 24-hours?  I'm exhausted and hot and think it's time to take a long nap.  But don't worry, I have so much more to share with you about my time in this beautiful country and lots and lots of photos!

Until next time.....

RETURN TO THE NORTH ISLAND - Part 1

Peaceful-Design

Pretend it's now February 6th.  My time in New Zealand is drawing to a close - just one month a 2 days before my Visa expires and I my leave my home of the past 9 months.

The first thing I did after landing in Auckland was to catch a bus to Thames  - the town in the Coromandel where I had started my New Zealand adventure.  My 'girlfriends' had invited me back for a return visit.

The lovely Jeannette had put a Sold Out sign on her every-busy AirBnB room and I was thrilled to be her guest for 5 days.  We had so much fun 'playing' in her quilt/sewing studio.  I had a delicious dinner at Jean and Frank's in TePuru, went to my morning exercise class at the Elam Church and Jenny, Elizabeth, Pat and I attended the Scottish Highland Games in Paeora.  Had my fill of bagpipes for another year!

 
←Jenny  ↑ Elizabeth & Pat
 I'm amazed at Pat's courage as her sight continues to fail and she 'just keeps going!'  

From Thames it was back on the bus to Auckland where I had one night downtown at the Attic Backpackers Hostel and time for a great Free Walking Tour of Auckland.

 

 

The next day I was joined by my good friend Kelly from Wellington.
Before I had departed her fair city, we had arranged to meet-up and bus to the northernest portion of the North Island - The Bay of Islands.

We left in sunshine but arrived in Paihia in rain - lots of rain!  Our hostel, Capt'n Bob's Beach House, was not quite as close to the bus station as we were lead to believe. We had to drag our suitcases up and over and around a hill - about a 2km walk - through the rain.  We arrived wet and hungry but were happy with our large rooms, great lounge, and big kitchen.

We dried off, shook off the raincoats and umbrellas and headed out once again. This time it was another 2km wet walk to tour the Waitangi Treaty Grounds.  This is the most historical Maori-English site in New Zealand, where the treaty was signed making New Zealand an English colony.  We had a guided tour of the grounds, a performance of Maori music and dance and a very nice movie detailing the treaty.

 
Flagpole designates the spot of the signing. 
A hand-carved waka, traditional Maori boat.

The next day, still damp with light showers and cloudy, we scratched plans to spend the day on the water and took the ferry across the bay to Russell.  Russell during its heyday was where the whalers and prostitutes made their home, while the god-fearing Englishmen lived in Paihia.  To this day, Russell is a much more fun place to visit.

We took a fabulous Russell Mini Tour with a great guide named Bob!  This hour-long tour took us around and through and up to the highest point with a grand view of the entire Bay of Islands.  (Which I am sure is much better when it isn't cloudy and wet!).  Back down into town and time for a hot, delicious bowl of seafood chowder at Sally's before wandering around the town.

 

Love how Sally's signs her name (in heavy cream) in the bowl of chowder!



Halleluiah!  The sun has returned.

We awoke to a bright, blue sky and decided to split up for the day.  Since I had done so many tours on lakes and sounds, I chose to see something truly unusual (thank you, Susan Hayden, for the suggestion) while Kelly chose to spend the day boating around the islands.

I hired a taxi to take me to Kawakawa,

the home of the Hundertwasser Toilets. Yep, I went out-of-my-way and had to hire a cab to be able to see a public toilet! But oh my, what a toilet.

Known as an international work of art and a huge tourist attraction to this small town, the toilets were designed by the expatriate Austrian artist, Fridensreich Hundertwasser using recycled materials from the local community.

Seen from across the street

 

                   

                             
                                                             

Women

Men

This was a total delight to the eyes! And what was sad to learn was at the time the 'city fathers' really didn't appreciate Mr. Hundertwasser's work, so when he volunteered to do more installations in other locations throughout the Bay of Islands, they turned him down.  What a shame, as they now see large numbers of tourists visiting their fair town specifically to see 'the toilets!' Now, of course, the town has now embraced the mosaic art form and other pieces of artwork fill the streets and line the walls!

 
            

When my taxi driver returned me to Paihia, I chose to ferry back to Russel and have a leisurely lunch overlooking the water.  After lunch, I did a little shopping, toured the original church and it's graveyard while falling in love with their congregation-needle-pointed seat cushions,  then just sat in the shade and read a good book!

 
My 'smiley' ferry boat. (click to see a bigger photo and read the sign)  And as you can see, I was not the only who chose to lunch on the waterfront.

 

Kelly's cruise boat dropped her in Russel at the end of the day and we had a lovely glass of wine and nibbles at The Gables (overlooking the water) before we found a really wonderful wood-fired ' pizza garden' hidden in an alleyway where we enjoyed dinner before taking the ferry back to our hostel for our last night in the Bay of Islands.  Early morning return bus ride to Auckland in the morning.

 

I  planned to finally spend the next 4 days before my tour to Rotorua and final housesit began exploring New Zealand's largest and busiest city. That didn't happen.

Thanks to tromping through 2 days of rain, for only the 2nd time in 9 months I came down with a terrible cold - and fever - to the point where a trip to the emergency room became a necessity.

 I was staying in one of the loveliest AirBnB's in the beautiful Auckland suburb of Remuera with a wonderful hostess named Judie.  She was kind enough to move me to a room (away from everyone else!) and made sure I had plenty of tea and good care.  When it was time for me to head to Rotorua, the antibiotics had kicked in and I was finally on the way to getting well.

This has gotten much longer than I thought it would be - and my friends at Starbucks are looking at me like it's time to move on....So I will add a Part 2 within the next day or two.  It will be my farewell to New Zealand!

Until next time.....