Day 3 of Motorcycling Through Bali

My two long days of motorcycle riding left me wanting a day to simply relax, so I spend most of the next day enjoying the tranquility of Ubud, finding a local barber shop hidden among the courtyards and relaxing at a tiny restaurant just a few steps down the small road leading up to my guesthouse. As I sat eating my rice, wrapped in a bamboo leaf along with a bit of meat and vegetables, cooked over an open fire, a middle aged woman at one of the other tables began talking to me, and I couldn't help but notice her crazy red hair (not natural, but bright, fire-engine red). It turns out she's from New Zealand, which became an important detail just a few minutes later when an Australian man came in, asking if the cafe had internet access. The workers seemed a little confused by the question, so, trying to help out, the lady mentioned that he was probably looking for the internet cafe just a few shops down. Apparently not wanting to accept her advice, verifying that she was from New Zealand first, he went off on a tirade about many cafes having wi-fi, that he was not just looking for an internet cafe and asking why she had inserted herself into the conversation in the first place if she didn't know what she was talking about. Eventually, the Kiwi woman apologized, and the Aussie went back outside, as I sat amused by the rivalry between the two countries. Just a minute or two later, while speaking with the woman again, I saw something drop out of the corner of my eye and heard a thud on my table, though I when I turned to look, I couldn't see what it was, so I went back to the conversation. Then, I looked down at my plate and saw that apparently one of the resident geckos in the restaurant had fallen from the ceiling onto the edge of my plate (geckos are on many walls in Indonesia - hotels, restaurants, tourist shops, etc - I just figure that they are better than the insects that they eat, so I don't mind them). The poor gecko lay there motionless, his front half resting on the edge of my plate, his back legs clinging to one of the fish-flavored, air-puffed crackers that often accompany rice dishes and his tail just slightly laying in my side of chili. He didn't seem to be moving, so I eventually poked him, and he scurried away, though he didn't seem to have any control over the back half of his body, though I'm not sure if that's what caused him to fall or if that was a result of it. Either way, after pushing him to the floor, I continued with my meal, amused by the whole situation.

That evening, I stopped by a restaurant down the road, tempted by the sign out front, "All you can eat buffet - Traditional Balinese food and dance." In addition to giving me the opportunity to gorge myself on good food, this would be a good chance to try more of the local cuisine, so I came back right at 7, when the buffet began and started my feast. The first table featured a variety of fresh fruits such as pineapple, watermelon, papaya and honeydew, along with a large selection of side dishes with fried and steamed rice and vegetables, traditional soups and a few different types of chili sauce. Across the way, the second table was the meat section, with fresh cuts of fish, chicken, beef and pork with Balinese seasonings. With a large plate in hand, I set out for my first round, finding a good selection and getting ready for a long night. Next to my table, a traditional dancer performed to the sounds to the two main orchestra behind her. In addition to this entertainment, this restaurant also had a wi-fi connection, so despite the obvious social drawbacks of being the kind of guy who uses a laptop at a restaurant, I decided to use the opportunity to check a few flight schedules, catch up on email and give myself a break in between heaping plates of food. After almost three hours and countless pieces of grilled fish and chicken, three massive plates of fried rice and probably the equivalent of a whole pineapple and half a watermelon, I waddled back home, content with my $5 buffet experience.

Well-fed and ready to explore more of Bali, I rented my motorcycle for a third day, heading towards the West Central part of the island and some highly recommended mountains and rice terraces, a recurring theme in Bali. Veering off the main road, I found another small, winding road towards the rice fields, being compelled to stop a few times for the majestic views of the verdant valleys and backing volcanic peaks in the distance. I eventually found my way to Jatihluwih, paying a tiny entrance fee to make my way through the scenic road. To my right, along narrow two lane road, the hills rose gradually, covered in vegetation, and to my left, the land dropped off into vast green rice fields, stepping their way down to the valley miles below. Even after having seen a few other rice terraces, this was really impressive, seeing flooded rice terraces in various stages of cultivation, from simply water-filled compartments to tall green stalks of rice ready to be harvested. Passing through town, I decided to see where the road went afterwards, though it quickly changed into a narrow, bumpy gravel road, and after passing a few oncoming cars, I didn't feel too comfortable nor trusting of my motorcycle, so I headed back for the paved road and magnificent views.

Passing back through the tiny town, I apparently stumbled upon a wedding procession, so I stopped to watch the locals parade by, adorned with traditional costumes, carrying baskets of food balanced precariously on the heads of the women, eventually piling into a row of cars, moving on to the next stage of the event. The bride and groom both wore elaborate costumes and headdresses festooned with gold accents, making it difficult to get into the backseat of their SUV, though they managed. After 30 minutes watching the ceremony, I went back to the rice fields, walking down among the infinite levels of green, even watching a few of the workers up close as they plowed the muddy fields with their oxen. More expansive than the previous rice fields that I had seen, Jatihluwih was recommended to me by my driver on the river rafting trip, and although I've now seen a good bit of rice fields, I still find the sparkling green steps an incredible sight.

With a few remaining hours of daylight, I decided to head back to the beautiful waterfall in Munduk that I had seen two days earlier, though my visit was shorter than I would have liked, and my camera battery died, so that gave me a good excuse to go back. I was already most of the way there, so I traversed a few of the mountain roads surrounded by groups of monkeys looking for handouts and was soon back on the painfully steep climbs leading to the waterfall. Again I parked and walked down, hearing the thundering falls for a second time just before once again being taken aback by the spectacular sight of the high falls plunging down into the tiny pool, surrounded by a huge arc of rock, almost completely covered in huge leaves of ivy running down the walls. Again, one or two tourists trickled in at a time, though I had a few long periods of time where I was the sole admirer of this wonderful place, enjoying the therapeutic sights and sounds of the waterfall. I also knew that I could stay a little later in the afternoon, since I knew exactly how long it would take to get back home. On the way back, I maneuvered my way through the crazy traffic, stopping a few times to watch the late afternoon sun illuminate the yellow rice fields and palm trees just before the sun went behind the jagged horizon. Fortunately, I also had an easier time finding my way back to my hotel, since I was now somewhat familiar with many of the unnamed roads and unsigned passes, making a series of random turns and miraculously finding myself just a few minutes from my homestay.

(This guy's sweatshirt obviously caught my eye. Matt Nolan and I once saw a random guy like this with a Georgia t-shirt on a small beach in Costa Rica, and, as before, I didn't think it was worth the time and effort to explain to him that I went to that university, as I really don't think he'd care.)

(While enjoying a rice dish wrapped and cooked in a banana leaf, I had a visitor drop down from the ceiling directly on to my plate. I'm not sure if he injured his legs after the fall or if that contributed to it, but he was having trouble moving his back legs after I cleared him off of my plate and away from my chili sauce. Geckos are common sights on the walls and ceilings in many places in Indonesia.)

(A traditional dancer and accompanying gamelan musicians performed as I enjoyed three hours of a Balinese buffet. Not a bad deal at all.)

(Some unnamed terraced fields backed by the ubiquitous central mountains of Bali.)

(In the town of Jatiluwih, I was lucky enough to see a wedding procession, with these women carrying food from one part of the ceremony to another.)

(A group of elderly women ready to move on for more wedding-related revelry.)

(Sweet traditional outfits and sweet traditional moustaches. I imagine he scoffed at my lack of facial hair.)

(The main attraction of Jatiluwih - a long series of rice terraces just off the side of the road.)

(Walking carefully along the earthen separators, I made my way down into the midst of the rice fields, trying not to fall into the muddy basins of water and rice.)

(These rice fields came recommended by a few locals, including my driver on the rafting expedition, and they were definitely worth the drive.)

(As the afternoon progressed, the skies started to grow a bit dark, but the rice fields continued to be beautiful.)

(For that authentic look, here's a local plowing the fields with his trusty ox. Actually, the ox could be unreliable, I wouldn't know, but he seemed fine for the twenty minutes that I observed them.)

(Along the top of the picture, you can barely make out the road that hugs the contours of these green hills.)

(Finally leaving, I had to stop for one more picture, to be sure my readers truly grasp what a rice field in Bali might look like.)

(A quick stop on the narrow road back to Munduk had this wonderful view of a tiny town at the base of the dormant volcano and adjacent lake.)

(Though I had already been there a few days before, I was so close, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to head back to the magnificent waterfall at Munduk, a huge falls covered in ivy and greenery.)

(Another rice field after harvest, in the yellow stage.)

(And the last rice field for the day, not too far outside of Ubud, displaying a shining emerald green.)