Day '#116 - Temple Tales & Firefly Trails

For James, his day in paradise started quite a bit earlier than mine. After having some great night's sleep in this hotel, James found that he was awake at 3am. So he decided to go for a night swim in the pool. He described it as magical since the sky was clear, the stars visible and he was surrounded by fireflies which delighted him immensely.

James in the pool, not in the middle of the night obviously!

I woke up normal time and join him for another lovely breakfast of fruit, toast, omelette and green pancakes. I forgot to mention, they serve a decent cup of tea here which, as those that know me will confirm, is very important for me.

Did I mention the collection of livestock here at the hotel? Some chickens and ducks along with two guinea pigs and a cat, the last two I have yet to take a picture of.

Like yesterday, after the morning routines, we headed back down the path into Ubud. On the way we passed our Scottish lady friends who were taking a sculpting class in one of the artists' huts that line part of the path. We felt a twinge of guilt that we haven't engaged in learning any new skills but soon consoled ourselves that we had planned our first stop of the day to be a cultural one. 

Janice's Buddha carving

We were headed to Museum Puri Lukisan, the oldest art museum in Bali, established in 1956. It houses a vast collection of Balinese art, including traditional and modern paintings, wood carvings, and other artifacts. While we both like a bit of art, we couldn't say that we were too knowledgeable about Balinese art, but we were soon drawn into the intricate paintings and in particular, the sculptures. 

The  museum is housed in four buildings around four buildings and was actually started by a Dutch guy and a Russian born German along with the king and prince of Bali at the time. A nice surprise for us was a lovely lunch was included in the price of admission (£7) so we both enjoyed a plate of spare ribs and a drink. 

Next up was a walk along another of Ubud's streets lined with market stalls. This one had more of an art focus (well it was the street near the art museum). As usual, the shopkeepers were politely inviting us to view their wares and this time James bought a couple of items. I cannot tell you what they were since they are gifts and the recipients might be reading this. 

Afterwards, we went to the magnificent Pura Taman Kemuda Saraswati, also known as the Ubud Water Palace. It is a stunning Hindu temple dedicated to the goddess Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, literature, and the arts. The most striking feature of the temple is its serene lotus pond filled with vibrant pink and white lotus flowers. The pond is surrounded by lush greenery and traditional Balinese sculptures, creating a picturesque and tranquil atmosphere. As with previous temples, we were invited to wear traditional dress in order to show respect - as well as the sarong, this time we had a headband and a kimono jacket to wear. Very fetching.

Then it was lunchtime and we enjoyed a lovely meal in a local eatery - chosen because of a sign it had on display: "Chicken Burritos". As saw as I saw that, I knew that's where lunch was going to be. I opted for a chicken club sandwich since I wanted something a bit lighter. 

After lunch, it was back up the path to the hotel to enjoy the pool and to hang out in our lovely room/house. 

In total contrast to all this peace and tranquility, we are both really enjoying watching the vampire saga "True Blood" which has appeared on Netflix. Since we are not sure if it is available back in the UK, we are binge watching a few episodes each night. It is still as good as we remember it to be (and not just for the story!).