We noticed a little shrine - on the property. We are in Bali and the religion here is mostly Hindu. Everywhere we went there was little shrines - and every morning people put out there little gifts of food items and flower petals. All throughout Bali - there were these little square containers filled with these items & a incense stick
We chatted with "Poppy" the mother who manages the homestay. Her daughter Linda - the owner lives in Jakarta.
It was Sunday morning..we seemed to be the only guests up...so we sat comfortably and had a light breakfast that they prepared for us.
As we were walking towards the beach this guy asked us where we were going? He was a taxi driver / and also a touring guide. We said we were considering going to Ubud - and he said he could take us....yes? Price? We chatted for a bit - he spoke English well - his name was Kadek (he told us it meant 2nd child in Indonesia) - and we came to an agreement - it is important to deal with this before you even say YES! So there is no surprises! We got into the car with him...and off we went up into the mountainous area towards Ubud!
The drive was fun - we climbed up into some elevation and passed many many road shops - Bali & its people are known for their creativity & artistry! 
We saw sculptures along the way, mahogany furniture, paintings of beautiful scenery's, KING SIZE clay pots, iron work, it was amazing to see it all lined up on the way to Ubud! Shops & shops - we remember our friends The Pierson's who live in Saudi and how they had bought all their furniture here in Bali and put it into a container and sent it to Bend! We understand why - the furniture is well built and the wood is beautiful - solid!
Kadek told us about the Monkey Forest & Temple there - and if we wanted to go see that first? Yes Kadek - that sounds really good! So we entered into Ubud and yes it was darling...shops galore' oh what fun to nose around later..yes! We found our way to the the monkey forest and paid our admission fee - this park is actually a sacred Hindu Temple that is still being used - surrounded by a wall and the monkeys are protected in this area.
Nick walked with Kadek to the booth to pay. 
If you look very carefully - you will see a person sitting there on the pathway on the right - she is selling banana's!
Banana's right? For the monkeys?
Nick kept taking pictures......
They were everywhere!
.........sitting up on top! Swinging from trees, walking among the people, hanging out - lots of monkeys!
We came to this little pond and everyone was standing there staring at it....hmmm...what is so interesting??????
If you look real closely into this pond...you will see some little monkeys swimming!
If you double-click on these pictures it will open up to a full screen....these little tikes were diving into the water from the Hindu statues around the pond - and they were mostly the young ones! It was adorable to see them...they were giving us all quite a show! With them being wet - they seemed so tiny & skinny too! But full of energy jumping, pulling on one another, swimming underwater - I didn't know monkeys liked to swim!
We walked down these stairs - we walked towards this
BIG Bunyan tree located in the center of this park...oh my GIGANTIC!
It had one trunk mind you...but so many branches/ shoots coming from it
We are talking here one Buyan tree with many branches growing from it - and back into the ground -
What you see is a main tree with the shoots/branches growing down and eventually they too connect into the ground and then form a additional tree! Amazing this tree! We saw these in Hawaii too - quite impressive.
Kadek, led us to the little creek that has a pathway - so we followed it too! The pathway narrowed out.....
....but fun to walk along - it brought us to another shrine and that was it - you had to turn around...one person at a time!
Nice shots from the canyon - so lush and green - and such beauty with beautiful types of ferns & plants - again things you just don't see where we are from!
Kadek our driver had on a t-shirt with "Seattle" on it - and we sent it to Seattle to the family - lookie here way over here in Bali - Diemel family.... we are thinking of you in the Monkey Forest!
There was a sweet family taking pictures so I offered to take one for them...and they said Yes please!
Then they asked for a picture with us! Well sure we can....Cheese!
The Temple could be entered if you put on a sarong - many people did.
We had heard from others that it was not wise to buy the banana's from the lady selling it at the front entrance - even though they keep the monkeys well fed in the park...they get right up to you and smell the bananas and want to have them...to the point that they will even pull & yank on your purse, bag whatever to get them.
Of course you are not experienced and want to pull back - but guess what?
They can & will bite - and can bite hard....someone on our bike tour showed us her cut on her arm...oh my! Pretty deep too!
Don't buy any bananas!!!!
We headed out of the park and Kadek said he would go park the car so we could go off on our own - checking out the streets/shopping and the pasar! What a great plan Kadek!!!
So we headed to another area - and he stayed with the car and we told him we would see him in a few hours! Oh my what fun...Ubud is adorable and it was a really busy place - many tourists!
We enjoyed walking along the shops and did end up buying some gifts.
We had worked up an appetite so we stopped for a bite to eat....hard boiled eggs in a curry sauce
Veggie with peanut sauce...tempeh & tofu - nice!
Oh this is cute ~ Meet "Roland" from Holland....his girlfriend, Amanda, was in the same shop we were in and he was hanging out in the tub outside in front - having his feet cleaned by the fish!
The fish nibble at the old skin! I asked Roland how that felt and he said quite different....a little ticklish and yet not bad at all....knowing they were doing a good job cleaning - after all that hiking and walking around he said! ha!
I asked him if I could take a pictures....of course he said...go for it!
We headed back to Kadek our driver and he was patiently waiting for us near the car...many drivers doing the same thing! People don't like to drive these narrow & busy roads so they hire a driver - We hired Kadek for 6 hours to be able to see the sights along the way and enjoy seeing Ubud! He will stop when you ask. Really convenient!
We definitely wanted to come back to Ubud - plus we had heard from someone that there was this Australian outfit that did this bike ride from the volcano down to this little town and it was well worth it to do! I found this travel-booth - (they have people lined up along the shops offering all kinds of activities to do and you can sign up with them!) I asked this guy called "Meggy" about the bike tour and he said
"I will give you a good price...come back to me!" OK Meggy when we come back to Ubud we will!!!
Kadek took us back down to Sanur where are our homestay is and we thanked him for a good day! We went to our room to relaxed & took another nappy-pooh! With it being hot & humid here it can drain you & your energy. We have had so many rainy days these past 3 months in Salatiga - and with this gorgeous weather here in Bali - we seem to have to get use to it again! But we also remember that we are down in elevation again, to sea level - and with that comes a much hotter day....
...no complaints - we ARE LOVING
IT..... these the sunny days!
Wonderful!!!
Evening came and we freshened up and headed towards the beach again - this time we walked a longer way along the beach front and saw so many more luxurious hotels. We heard that Sanur is what made Bali first so well known! Kuta/Denpasar is where the younger crowd hangs out and
is also where the bombing took place, if you recall. We did not want the crowded busy scene - we came to relax- so no Kuta/Denpasar for us!
We walked quite a ways...the evening was perfect...the breeze soft and pleasant..oh my what a evening it was! Then we heard singing...lots of good old American songs: Frank Sinatra, well known tunes from days gone by....this Indonesian gal was singing with such a good accent...gosh fantastic - ! The keyboard player too was wonderful - well of course we decided to stop here and have dinner...wouldn't you? A BIG Yes to that right?!!!!
Gosh so beautiful - out on the beach - lots of darling little lights on - lanterns hanging from the trees, and there were other tourists around us too...Australia being only 3.5 hrs away draws many people to Bali - for them it is Bali - for us it is Hawaii!
The tables were dressed so nicely - gosh we felt spoiled and blessed - pinch me?!
Played around with our camera's ....pretty huh?
After dinner we went to sit on the lounge by the fishing boats...and just shot a lot of pictures.
I like this one...right in front by the beautiful pool
in the background at this hotel.
Well it was a wonderful day - our first full day in Bali - and it was really time to head back to the homestay...right Nick...shall we end this day....do we want to? Or stroll along the beach before we do? Well next time...there are many days ahead to enjoy everything!
Nighty-Night!
BIG Bunyan tree located in the center of this park...oh my GIGANTIC!
It had one trunk mind you...but so many branches/ shoots coming from it
Then they asked for a picture with us! Well sure we can....Cheese!
We had heard from others that it was not wise to buy the banana's from the lady selling it at the front entrance - even though they keep the monkeys well fed in the park...they get right up to you and smell the bananas and want to have them...to the point that they will even pull & yank on your purse, bag whatever to get them.
Of course you are not experienced and want to pull back - but guess what?
They can & will bite - and can bite hard....someone on our bike tour showed us her cut on her arm...oh my! Pretty deep too!
Don't buy any bananas!!!!
We headed out of the park and Kadek said he would go park the car so we could go off on our own - checking out the streets/shopping and the pasar! What a great plan Kadek!!!
So we headed to another area - and he stayed with the car and we told him we would see him in a few hours! Oh my what fun...Ubud is adorable and it was a really busy place - many tourists!
We enjoyed walking along the shops and did end up buying some gifts.
Veggie with peanut sauce...tempeh & tofu - nice!
....a nice healthy meal! We're trying- so many delicious dishes!
We headed back to Kadek our driver and he was patiently waiting for us near the car...many drivers doing the same thing! People don't like to drive these narrow & busy roads so they hire a driver - We hired Kadek for 6 hours to be able to see the sights along the way and enjoy seeing Ubud! He will stop when you ask. Really convenient!
We definitely wanted to come back to Ubud - plus we had heard from someone that there was this Australian outfit that did this bike ride from the volcano down to this little town and it was well worth it to do! I found this travel-booth - (they have people lined up along the shops offering all kinds of activities to do and you can sign up with them!) I asked this guy called "Meggy" about the bike tour and he said
"I will give you a good price...come back to me!" OK Meggy when we come back to Ubud we will!!!
Kadek took us back down to Sanur where are our homestay is and we thanked him for a good day! We went to our room to relaxed & took another nappy-pooh! With it being hot & humid here it can drain you & your energy. We have had so many rainy days these past 3 months in Salatiga - and with this gorgeous weather here in Bali - we seem to have to get use to it again! But we also remember that we are down in elevation again, to sea level - and with that comes a much hotter day....
...no complaints - we ARE LOVING
IT..... these the sunny days!
Wonderful!!!
Evening came and we freshened up and headed towards the beach again - this time we walked a longer way along the beach front and saw so many more luxurious hotels. We heard that Sanur is what made Bali first so well known! Kuta/Denpasar is where the younger crowd hangs out and
is also where the bombing took place, if you recall. We did not want the crowded busy scene - we came to relax- so no Kuta/Denpasar for us!
We walked quite a ways...the evening was perfect...the breeze soft and pleasant..oh my what a evening it was! Then we heard singing...lots of good old American songs: Frank Sinatra, well known tunes from days gone by....this Indonesian gal was singing with such a good accent...gosh fantastic - ! The keyboard player too was wonderful - well of course we decided to stop here and have dinner...wouldn't you? A BIG Yes to that right?!!!!
Gosh so beautiful - out on the beach - lots of darling little lights on - lanterns hanging from the trees, and there were other tourists around us too...Australia being only 3.5 hrs away draws many people to Bali - for them it is Bali - for us it is Hawaii!
The tables were dressed so nicely - gosh we felt spoiled and blessed - pinch me?!
in the background at this hotel.Well it was a wonderful day - our first full day in Bali - and it was really time to head back to the homestay...right Nick...shall we end this day....do we want to? Or stroll along the beach before we do? Well next time...there are many days ahead to enjoy everything!
Nighty-Night!
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