Up and out early again this morning – no rest for the wicked. Tenders start around 7am and we want to be on one of the first so as not to be stuck behind the tours because it takes around 25 minutes to get to shore. So off we go – and holy cow! We were the first ones on the tender, literally. Only us and the crew!!! That worked well! We have to sit and wait for others to join, but hey, we don’t care. We have the cat bird seats by the door, and we’re happy little campers.
Arriving shoreside, we wander through the market booths that are just setting up, then to the parking lot looking for I Wayan, our guide. Another couple follows us, looking around confused, and finally asks us where the Celebrity tours are. Uh, well, if you followed the sign that said “shore excursions’ you just passed you’d probably do well. Oh, and also they still had their paper tickets! They hadn’t even gone to the theater to check-in and get their number sticker. Yeah, we are figuring out that this ship does not have the most savvy cruisers/travelers. Should be a fun 3 weeks!
At any rate, we head to the parking lot outside the port gates and find I Wayan who gives us a huge warm welcome and settles us in his car to begin our tour of CB. He is a doll – so full of information and fun and happy – oh and is nicknamed Apple, which is what we now are calling him. Cute.
Our first stop is the local market, which is really, really local. It is just us Bule and everyone else is local. Basically held in a series of alleys – there may have been a main market building, but it is so crowded crazy here, we stick with the alleys. And those little narrow lanes are fine for us, cram packed with fruit and veg and fish and people. It’s a crazy, chaotic mess that just works as it does everywhere here in SE Asia. Great place to come and shop every morning for your meals – if only we were staying (or could bring things back onboard, but they make it very clear in multiple announcements that food, particularly fresh fruit, cannot be brought back on board, sigh).
Next, we are off to the Brahmavihara Arama temple, the only Buddhist temple located in Bali. Founded in the 1970s by a highly respected Indonesian Buddhist monk, the Theravada temple was built as a sanctuary for practicing Buddhism and meditation in a tranquil environment.
Approaching the main entrance, we can see the influence of the local Balinese Hindu art in the statuary – essentially a fusion of traditional Buddhist icons combined with Balinese exaggerated features. Completely different. On the entrance stairs, the Noble Eightfold Path is literally spelled out with each stair emblazoned with a factor in the path, leading to a Buddha in the Abhaya Mudra pose – welcoming us with protection, peace and fearlessness.
Apple guides us through the entire complex – explaining the mix of Buddhism and Hinduism as we go along. We learned so much – none of which we can remember now, but at the time it was all fascinating. We pass by the Stupa and then enter into a wonderfully decorated temple – the wall mural made to represent the different features of nature from heaven down to the flowers on earth.
In addition to teaching us all about Buddhism, Apple is also an accomplished photographer, continuously positioning us and posing us for great photos! He’s definitely got the eye. Skirting around the stairs (Apple tells us we’ll come back here later – not now, not now!) we head to the main plaza area where the monastery resides among gorgeous gardens and a serene lily pond. All incredibly peaceful and beautiful.
On the side of the monastery is the Stupa Panca Bala, dedicated to the founder of the Bramavihara Arama and built to resemble the 9th Century Borobudur temple located in Central Java. The name means 5 basic Forces to achieve inner Freedom of Nirvana. On each side of the stupa, a Buddha faces each direction – you can pray to a certain Buddha for specific wishes. The interior walls have gorgeous bas relief murals that depict the life history of Siddhartha. The perfect place for meditation.
Now it is time for the stairs! Built with the traditional Hindu candi bentar, or split gate (as an entrance to any shrine or temple) the positioning at the highest part of the temple looks very similar to the view from the Hindu Gates of Heaven temple, located in the far western part of Bali. We get to play model here with Apple totally directing the photo shoot! First, our praying hands. Then our romantic shot. Then walking down the steps hand in hand. Both from in front and behind . Total director! Such fun. And a great substitute for the Gates of Heaven, which we’ve wanted to visit, but have never made it quite that far West.
Returning our sarongs, we head back to the car and Lovina beach – which means Love Indonesia! A touristy enclave with a gorgeous, wide white sand beach and a cool dolphin statue, in front of which Apple must, of course, have our photo.
Next up is the Gitgit Waterfall, also known as “Ceburan Tuan,” the highest waterfall in Bali at 160 feet. We’re looking forward to it, but also hoping it isn’t quite as strenuous as yesterdays trek to the waterfalls! Apple assures us it isn’t that hard – we believe him more than the “soft trekking” description from yesterday.
To get to the waterfall, we park in a very small carpark (which in and of itself was fun – Apple wanted to park in one space, the parking guys wanted him elsewhere – negotiations ensue – you had to be there!), then walk down the village road to a little narrow alley beside a big sign welcoming you to GitGit. When in Indonesia….
Off we go, down a wide stone walkway that turns into wide stone steps that are slippery and slick. As in watch where you are going, walk slow and hold on if there is anything to hold on to! The walk is through the tropical forest for the most part – complete with this lovely arachnid specimen – eek! And then traverses through a few shops before finally ending in yet another Gate of Heaven type gate providing a fabulous view of the waterfall. Once again, Apple directs us, walking toward the falls, then telling us to keep going, get closer, so he could film us and the falls – while we were getting soaking wet! (I swear he had my phone more than I had my phone!) The park itself is fairly small, which mad it ideal to traipse all over viewing the magnificent waterfall from all angles – and yes, of course – being photographed by our personal photographer! Apple even got into the posing as well!
Heading out of the falls, our timing was perfect as a huge school group was descending upon the falls and little swimming lagoon – and all the best spots for selfies. It was peaceful while we visited, now, it’s time to skedaddle, which we did, stopping halfway up for Apple to go grab the car and come meet us. Then we headed off for the Beji Temple, the 15th century Hindu temple with stone carvings of serpents and mythical figures. Here we aren’t quite as lucky with the timing as there are 2 cruise ship tours here – but Apple has everything figured out. First, he has his own sarongs so we don’t have to use the ones the temple provides, which everyone else has been using (“these are clean” he says). Thank you Apple. Second, he manages to take his time getting us across to the temple, and then lingers in the outer courtyard explaining the temple history – thus giving the hordes time to clear out. Smart guy.
The short history of Beji is that the word has the same meaning as the Balinese Temple pond, like in Tirta Empul where we visited with Kadek a couple of years ago. Because of the association with the pond, essentially holy water for purification, farmers revered Beji as “pura subak,” the rice field irrigation system that they have been using since the 11th Century, and come here to wish for the fertility of their rice paddies.
Inside the Inner sanctum, the temple carvings are incredible. It is a gorgeous place, filled with typical Balinese carvings of vines and flowers, Bhoma heads (for protection) and other intricate figures. The black stone makes a stunning contrast to the green grass – and if not for all the tour buses, it would be a wonderful peaceful and spiritual place. As it is, we dance between the groups – and as you can see from Mr. Photographer’s photo shoot – pretty much have the place to ourselves!
Escaping the temple before the next tour bus descends, we drive through Singaraja, the main town here on the Northern coast. By this time, we are getting hungry and ask Apple about lunch – seafood of course! He thinks for a bit and says he knows just the place, proceeding to stop at a little hotel right on the beach. Walking through the courtyard though, it doesn’t appear this place is open. It would be fabulous – gorgeous views and seating areas, but it is mysteriously deserted. Finding someone who works here, Apple has a quick exchange and finds out the place is in fact closed. Oops! He said it was open the last time he was here, so he had no idea. Oh well, no worries, there are other places. Off we go in search of another venue, settling on Tanjung Alam, a restaurant right on the beach. Perfect! We have a little lost in translation moment trying to translate what the fresh fish of the day is – Jangki – which we finally figure out is emperor Snapper. Perfect. Grilled snapper with garlic – we’re in! Plus, an order of fried squid and we are good to go. Everything is fabulous, from the view, the beer, the food and the company. Couldn’t ask for better. Maybe cheaper – the fish ended up being $12, and while that is nothing in the States, in Bali that is pretty expensive, but it was totally worth it.
And that was that! Back to the pier we go, chatting along the way, finding out that Apple is using this as a little “vacation” for his family. They live near Ubud, but when he got this tour, he decided to bring his wife and 2 daughters along and spend 2 nights here at the shore. We were so relieved that he didn’t have to drive back to Ubud tonight – and that he had a “bonus” vacation! Before wishing Apple a fond farewell at the pier parking lot, we exchanged “old” money with him. He had asked if we could do that earlier, and of course, we had no problem. Apparently the money exchange gives you bad exchange rates here for old dollars. We thought he meant used and wrinkled or ripped, but no, he meant the old-style $20 bill with Andrew Jackson’s picture. He was so surprised that we didn’t care, that the bills are perfectly fine at home, and so excited, telling us he was giving them to his girls to spend tonight on their last day at the shore for “vacation” with him. Sweet. Another fantastic day and fantastic tour guide.
Before hitting the tender, we needed to spend our last rupiah, so we wandered the shops along the pier, finding another lovely Batik shirt for Ed and one more pair of those cool elastic pants in a different pattern than elephants for me. Then it was back to ship, standing in line for the tender with the passenger guy who wanted to know if there was a bathroom on the tender? Um, no, don’t think so. Did he not come over on a tender? Did he not look around? Yeah, not really well traveled, or at least not well cruised.
Normal evening activities ensue. Gym, balcony drinks, dinner, back to the room for balcony drinks as the show tonight is Johnny Balance, a comedian and magician. Nah. Balcony, reading and tv are fine by us. 2 days at sea next.
Andiamo 