Indonesia

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Ubud Village Hotel at Monkey Forest, Bali, Indonesia with Colorado Traveling Ducks

Before we head to the airport for our next destination, let’s look around our hotel.   Ubud Village Hotel at Monkey Forest calms visitors as we relax and enjoy the beauty around us.   From the main street, Jalan Monkey Forest Road, we enter our resort.

Entrance to our home in Ubud

You see there are many motorcycles, and our hotel has a parking, drop off, area for tourist convenience.

Arrangement of flowers

Beautiful flowers in the lobby makes us feel welcome.   Straight ahead, we noticed this small pool.

First small pool

A pool here gives us a tropical feeling and exotic atmosphere.

Hand carved wooden chairs and table

Small shops and a gym border each side of pool, while hand carved chairs and table allow us to sip a beverage and enjoy the atmosphere.   Continuing toward the back of the resort, we follow the path.

Path through hotel to restaurant and pool

Our room is last room on left.   Tropical view from our room.  Soapy and his mom are a floor above us, while they enjoy a higher view of lush vegetation.   Breakfast is served in this main restaurant.

Dining facing main pool

Dining and looking at the main pool.

Serene pool

The pool is uncovered and there is a snack bar at the far end.   Everythying is very convenient, located together, but with the illusion of space and solitude.   This bar and smaller restaurant, where we had our dinner the first evening, looks out to the street.

Looking toward main shopping street

We would love to go shopping or to the Monkey Forest, but we need to get on our bus now.   Heading to the airport and our next country.

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Bali’s Taman Ayun Temple with Colorado Traveling Ducks

Let’s visit Taman Ayun Temple.

Taman Ayun Temple

Built in 1634, Taman Ayun Temple was a main temple of the Mengwi Kingdom, which survived until 1891.   According to Lonely Planet, this is a spacious place to wander around, away from crowds.   And we agree.   To enter this Hindu temple complex, your legs must be covered.

Must be covered to enter

A few of our group, including our guide, were wearing shorts.   The temple provides complimentary sarongs for men and women so we could all enter.   Properly attired, we climb the stairs and pass through this gate.

Through gate

This is a meru, or multitiered shrine.

Meru. A multitiered shrine

Very elegant.  And a large temple.

Temple

We are instructed to go around this building to see the moat and more of the complex.

Around temple to moat

Very nice.   As we walk, we ducks admire the foliage.

Nice flowers

Aren’t these interesting blossoms?  And another view.

Temple complex

Notice that there are not many tourists here.   Time to wander, take photos and enjoy the serenity.

Shrines

This complex is surrounded by a moat.  This is now part of subak, a complex rice-field irrigation system.   The masonry is beautiful.

Covered area. Great stone work

This covered area is available for gatherings.   We love this.

Interesting statue

With the water we enjoy the stone fish.  You can guess what this was used for.

Area for cock fights

The figures show this to be the arena for cock fights.   Isn’t this a pretty fountain?

Fountain

We like it.    But everybody knows ducks love water.   Leaving Taman Ayun Temple complex, we discovered a modern use for the extensive moat system.

Fishing in the moat

Fishing on a warm afternoon seems to be a pastime enjoyed all over the world.   We recommend that you visit this temple when you are in Bali.   Beautiful and away from the crowds.

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Bali’s Museum Puri Lukisan with the Colorado Traveling Ducks

Let’s visit Bali’s oldest art museum.

Museum Puri Lukisan

We walk through the ornate entrance and receive our entrance ticket from our guide.

Puri Lukisan Art Museum

This places beautiful.

Puri Lukian

Lovely, lush landscaping and such nice stairs and pathways.

Puri Lukisan

At the top of the first set of stairs we stop to admire this arbor and bridge over the lake.

Puri Lukisan

We follow a path along the water and fountain.  Puri Lukisan museum consists of four main exhibit buildings.  We will only show some art from one, the South Building.

South building

This building displays primarily new acquisitions and temporary exhibits.

sculpture

This was an interesting sculpture.  But this.

Colorful

We like colorful work.   This is rather timely for late October and early November.

Spirits of the Forest

Titled Spirits of the Forest by Satya Cipta, 2019.   This one reminds us of island life.   *676*

Pretty

Remember, Bali is one of several thousand islands that comprise Indonesia.   That is all we are showing  you.   On display is a letter written to the Bali government from then, Attorney General, Robert Kennedy.   Mr. Kennedy thanked the government of Bali for hospitality and honors bestowed upon him and his wife during an official visit.   We really want you to visit Bali and experience this art museum.

Water lilies

After more exploring, we leave the exhibit and walk toward the pond.   Aren’t these water lilies fabulous?  Now we go down the stairs and get on our tour bus.   When in Bali, spend a little time here.  We think you will like it.  We did.

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Goa Gajah or Elephant Cave in Bali with Colorado Traveling Ducks

Elephant Cave?  OK, our moms said no elephants here, so let’s see what is here.

Entering Goa Gajah or Elephant Cave

Walking past the shops, we are told that this was built in the 9th century and served as a sanctuary.

Path with steps down

Quite a long downward path with steps.   But pretty.

Pretty foliage as we descend to cave

We love the colors of the plants.   From the path, we have a good view of the area.

Looking down on complex

Stones are piled after being recovered in the area.  Pavilions for meeting and prayer.   We later read that these fountains were for women bathing.

Fountain of Youth

Someone told us these waters were to have fountain of youth properties, so everyone went to get some of that water.   Soapy’s mom is getting water to remain youthful now.   This is the entrance to the cave.

Entrance to Elephant Cave

Wow.   The carvings in the stone are so elaborate and detailed.   Inside the cave we looked at the alcoves for offerings.

Alcove for offering

Very nice, but we don’t know the real significance of these items.

Offering

There were about 8-10 alcoves.   All was very interesting.  Exiting the cave, we admired these items.

Part of religious retreat

This is a very quiet area and we were told may people come here to meditate.   The pavilion provides a place for prayer.

Pavilion

We could spend more time here, wandering in this peaceful area.   There are very few other tourists here now, so it is a pleasant location for meditating or thinking.   However, it is time to walk back up that path with steps.

After cave shopping opportunities

And a little time for shopping.   We have been fortunate in Bali.  Most of the temples were not crowded during our visit.   People are fine, but some quiet, peaceful time is nice on a long trip also.   We are very happy in Bali.

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Bali’s Pura Tanah Lot, Sea Temple, with Colorado Traveling Ducks

Driving in Bali we saw rice fields.

Rice field

This lady is working.   Here is newly planted rice.

Newly planted rice

Rice is a major crop and dietary staple in Bali.   Today we are going to Pura Tanah Lot, or the Sea Temple.   This is a complex of Hindu Temples located on the sea.   Our bus parks and we are eager to see everything.   We enter the complex, walk along a path with many shops, heading for the sea.   But wait.

Soapy’s mom petting a snake

A snake?   And Soapy’s mom is petting the snake.

Big snake

That is a pretty big snake.   But the snake is welded and he tolerates we tourists very well.   Wow!   Love the view.

Going to the sea

We are going to the steps and then to the sea.

Beautiful

This is beautiful.   The lawn, temples and sea.

Temple with limited accessibility

Here is another temple.   But this one is only accessible during low tide.    Too late to go now.

Tide coming in

Just time for those in the temple to return to the mainland.

High tide now

The temple is isolated for now.   Bali is the only Hindu majority province in Indonesia.   About 83.5% of the population adhere to Balinese Hinduism.   You probably know that Indonesia is largely a Muslim country.  Wikipedia says Indonesia has the highest Muslim population of any country in the world.   But Bali is Hindu.  We saw no tension between people about religion.   Everything works smoothly and people are very welcoming and nice here.  This is a beautiful area.   We took many photos, but without feeling the sea breeze and hearing the pounding surf, they all look about the same.   Closer to the bus, there are restaurants and many shops, but we spend most of our time by the sea, enjoying the solitude and the sound of the ocean.   When in Bali, don’t miss Pura Tanah Lot, or the Sea Temple.   It was a wonderful place for us.

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Traditional Balinese Dance Performance with Colorado Traveling Ducks

Let’s see more of Bali.   Our first stop this morning.

Sari Dewi Jewelry

Sari Dewi jewelry store.   The jewelry was beautiful.   Some purchases were made.   After shopping mom took us outside.

Beautiful entrance

The entrance to the parking area impressed us.   But now, back on the bus, we will see a Traditional Balinese dance.  This is the Barong and Keris Dance.

Let’s go to performance

Let’s head to the performance.

Detailed stone work

Detailed stone work is magnificent.

Dancers

We are just going to show you photos, not try to explain the dance.

Drummers

Drums.

Dancers

 

Dancers

 

Dancer

Dancers

 

Dancers

 

Dancers

And a beautiful temple.

Ornate temple

We really enjoyed the performance.   When in Bali, we hope you visit a Traditional Balinese dance performance.   It was very interesting.

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Ubud, Bali, Indonesia Welcomes the Colorado Traveling Ducks

Bali, Indonesia is beautiful.  From the airport we drove through amazing mountain and jungle scenery.   We are staying at Ubud Village Hotel at Monkey Forest.   In the morning we needed to explore.   Out the front entrance of our resort and a right turn.   Shortly we arrive at the Monkey Forest entrance.

Entrance to Monkey Forest

Yes, that is a monkey on the roof.  Just inside the monkey forest is a statue.

Monkeys on statue

And this statue has a monkey on the head.   And monkeys nearby.   We like monkeys, but there are a lot of them.   The road coming into Ubud passes in front of the monkey forest.

Road near entrance to Monkey Forest

The vegetation is beautiful and tropical.   It seems like there are many motorcycles.   This is a different statue.

Stone monkey on stone turtle. Zeb and Soapy on stone turtle head

Turtles have a significance to the local people, and here is a stone monkey sitting on the turtle.   And, two famous Colorado Traveling Ducks, sitting on the turtle head.   We have seen a few dogs on the street.

We like this

We love this sign.   Free veterinary care for street dogs.   Isn’t that great?  We have places to go with our group this morning, so we wander back toward the hotel.

Our street and shopping

Shopping is available everywhere.  As the day progresses, we see so many motorcycles.

Motorcycles for transportation

They are convenient to rent and so much easier to drive than cars.   We think this is a nice way to see Bali.   We did make some purchases, but no food.  Different people on the street warned us to be careful as the monkeys will take what they want.   We made sure nothing was poking out of our shopping bags.

Many monkey statues here

And so many great statues of monkey near the monkey forest.   A few blocks from the monkey forest we did not see any more monkeys.   Bali is Indonesia’s main tourist destination.   Located 8 degrees south of the equator, Bali has a wonderful climate all year.   Ubud, the city we are visiting, is known as the cultural center and magnet for artists.

Motorcycles and shop

This store offers an unusual variety of items.   While walking we entered some stores and made some purchases.   Snake skin change purses, wooden monkeys and bowls, a statue of Ganesha, a Hindu god, a little jewelry, and our favorite.   Reusable bamboo drinking straws.   We had never seen the bamboo straws before.   Always something new to see.

Shopping choices

Another interesting shop.   But this store, across from our hotel, had to be our favorite.

Our Bali relative

Our relative from Bali is ready to take us to the pool or beach.   Unfortunately, mom says we are on a tour and have places to go.   But we enjoyed meeting a fellow rubber duck.   We already like Bali, and our town of Ubud.   We’re eager to see more of Bali.