Bali Hot

Please keep in mind that these photos do not convey the unbearable heat and humidity of Ubud. The Monkey Forest, (some kind of Temple site and Monkey sanctuary which is a major feature of the town) had shade due to large trees and we thought it would be cooler. But it was airless and stiflingly hot at 9:30 AM. I venture to say you are better off looking at these pictures than actually going there.

In case you didn't know, Saturday, March 21st was a special holiday devoted to objects made of metal and their sacred connection to Shiva and his metal sword, known as the kriss I think. This explained the odd fact that most of the vehicles in Ubud suddenly had little palm constructions (offerings) hanging from their license plates and stuck into their windshield wipers.

On Sunday morning, starting at 8AM, we went on a  four-mile walk through the rice fields which surround Ubud. It would have been perfect if it weren't for the occasional motorcycle using the path and requiring us to move precariously to the edge, right over irrigation channels which run on each side. Some of the paths were not more than two feet wide. We connected to a paved road (appropriately enough named Jalan Swetu (sounds like sweat) after about two hours , strengthened ourselves with ice cream and a milk shake, and returned to the center of town with a taxi. During the walk itself we consumed about a liter of water between us and were drenched with sweat.

 I will post photos of that heroic trek later. For now I am taking advantage of a temporary internet improvement to upload photos relating to the Monkey Forest and religiosity of Bali. 

Temple entry instructions, including ban on menstruating women.

Palm container offerings are mass produced.

Yet another small shrine, distinguished by mirror decoration.

Common street scene - religious observance of some kind

Demon being prepared for Nyepi observance.

Monkey Forest banana seller notwithstanding it is inadvisable to feed them because their behavior is unpredictable and guards patrol with slingshots to scare them away.

Also, they are fed by the park authorities - some kind of root.

Offerings litter the Monkey Forest floor in various stages of decomposition.

Monkey tries to get roots from storage container.

The green moss/mildew represents tremendous heat and humidity.

Wise old monkey

Heat and humidity personified

Hot and humid sculptures adorn fountain.

Foam Demon figures being prepared for the Nyepi celebration

Another festival relating to metal and its Shiva connection. Most cars and mototorcycles wear palm amulets

A large banner gets people ready for Nyepi, a New Year's Day of total silence and inactivity on Bali (the only place in the world where an international airport closes for a whole day for religious observance.) We will escape the day before to Java and Borobudur to avoid the restrictions, returning a day after.