Day 3 and we decide it’s time to get out of dodge. We’ve hired a driver for the day (about $75) and are headed to the famous UNESCO heritage site, the Jatiluwih rice paddies. A heritage site is something, somewhere that preserves important cultural traditions that are deemed important to all of humanity, and therefore receives support.
But what’s this? we are driving down the road and hear the drums and percussion of what can only be a local temple ceremony. Sure enough it is, and we request to Wayan to stop immediately. As we walk over to the temple (but cannot go in), we pass the pathway down to the river,
a particular spot to obtain holy water for part of the ceremony, which lasts all day. We walk up to the entrance:
(don’t you just love it?) and stand behind a low wall to watch and listen to the ceremony. Sacred rice and holy water are thrown all over the place by just about everyone, while the band plays on one side and people are cooking for the community lunch on the other:
They stop for a bit, and we head on. It’s about an hour or more to the paddy, and Wayan parks, and we start exploring. We walk along pathways,
but can’t get to the other side (yes, a chicken is more talented), so we head back up, and around, and go down the path Wayan had shown us. It’s a glorious day and the the rice field is unimagineably big:
and at one point, I just plop down and enjoy being in it all. It’s so quiet (other than Lance’s shutter going off, Jefe, where are you? no fox, but plenty of chickens) and I enjoy having the time to just be in it.
We meet up with Wayan, and have a buffet lunch while overlooking the fields. Then we’re off for the Pura (meaning Temple) Luhur Batukaru. We each acquire a sarong with a sash, and explore. It’s incredible how the moss grows everywhere in this fecund island, and it just adds to the ambiance. I witness people praying and making offerings, but as visitors, we can’t get close enough to take any really good shots. A lovely lake, and beautiful pavilions and shrines:
and I take the time to sit, and do a guided meditation from my phone on “Present Moment Awareness.” What an idyllic setting and when I open my eyes again, I see so much all around me. The force is strong on this island!
Back in the van and we head back to Bali Eco Stay for the usual wash-up and lovely dinner. Hang out by the car and have a cocktail before dinner:
We’re out of here tomorrow!