tropicana ~ life is a kaleidoscope: Bali, Indonesia

Bali was fun. Rented a car and went around sightseeing. From sea to mountains, The Princess covered them.

With travel mate, Costina

Their supir (driver), Agus, is great. He took them wherever they wanted. Whenever The Princess has questions or saw something unusual, he would explain with great details. Like they saw this huge statue and he just stopped the car and helped them to take pictures.

Patung Satria Gatotkaca

First stop was the beach. They went to Geger Beach as it is more secluded, hence less tourists and pesky people trying to sell you ice-cream to manicure.

Pura Geger perched on the cliff

After risking third-degree burn, Agus took them to Mt. Batur. 2 hours drive up the winding mountain road, with a pit stop halfway to visit a farm producing coffee, cocoa, vanilla to spices like cloves and cinnamon.

Cocoa fruit

The white flesh of the fruit is sourish, the seeds are bitter (this is
where cocoa powder comes from)

Vanilla plant

Coffee plant

Trying out hand-rolled local tobacco

Roasting coffee beans

With Agus behind (poor guy's half a head is being cropped off)

Clean, crisp mountain air

After buying some buah salak (snake fruit), they continued their journey up Mount Batur. Maunt Batur is a sacred mountain according to Balinese. It is still an active volcano, with the latest eruption taken place in 1994.

Mt. Batur in the background

Outside a Balinese restaurant

Beautiful view of rice terrace

Every Balinese family has a family temple. Various festivals and celebrations take place in the family temple, from birth to death. And every village has their own temple as well. They stopped by a village temple, Pura Puseh to have a look.

Entrance gate of pura is huge and intricately carved. The entrance is a split gate, with each side taking the shape of a right triangle. This symbolises the mountain, a revered element in Bali representing the source of life.

He looks as if he's crying blood, no?

Folks practising gamelan

A lady weaving the sesajen tray from coconut leaves

Stone carving depicting various stories could be found

The Princess realised she loves taking picture of roofs

The Princess went white water rafting as well. Fun but tiring, not because of rafting itself, but because all the participants had to climb hundreds of stairs after lunch in order to board the van waiting at the top of the mountain! Her knees were practically shaking upon reaching the top.

All geared up

Stopped by a waterfall before continuing

Yup, they climbed all the way up the slippery waterfall

After all the hard work, they were rewarded with lunch buffet

Balinese spa is amazing. The Princess signed up for a 3-hour course in Galuh Bali Spa inclusive of body massage, body scrub and polish, milk bath and hair cream bath. All for about RM150.