Thursday, November 15, 2012

Final Day in Bali: Rice Terraces & Waterfalls

For my final day near Ubud, Annie and I decided to hire our awesome homestay dad to drive us around to see some of Bali's amazing sites. First, we drove to the absolutely stunning, green lush tropical Jerking Rice Terraces. Annie bought a quilt, and I almost bought an amazingly beautiful wooden mask. (Again, Bali has incredible shopping). After that, we drove to a beautiful waterfall. We climbed down, took lots of pictures, and then climbed all the way back up. I feel like I have been so spoiled in Southeast Asia throughout this past year because I have simply seen majestic, gorgeous waterfall after majestic fairytale-like waterfall. I should add "expert jungle waterfall explorer" to my resume...or my hobbies :)

Part of why I loved the homestay so much was because I loved the family that we stayed with. They had two young, helpful, loving, really sweet boys. One evening while I was eating a snack and Agus (the older boy was around) I asked him if he "had a good day." He responded, "Everyday." It was such a natural, genuine answer, and I was so touched and taken aback that a young person like him could enjoy and appreciate his life that much. It's stories, and connections like this that make traveling my favorite thing to do on the planet! And all over the planet ;)

My friend Nicki and I are off to Malaysia now! We are taking a train from Bangkok to Penang. She will run a half marathon. I will watch and cheer. She will then go home, and I will continue south to Kuala Lumpur and then onto Borneo...



Jerking Rice Terraces

So so beautiful

Me and Annie

Now that's a romantic view!

Me and Wayan

ANnie and Wayan, standing in front of a cool "love seat"
Annie kept telling me, "We're on our honeymoon" haha

I couldn't stop taking pictures!

Wahoo!

Annie. I love this shot of her.

Me

Wayan being a boss

Me and Wayan again

These rice terraces are hundreds of years old

We tried to do a selfie with the terraces in the background!

Mt. Batur (active volcano!)

This didn't really work hahah

Annie and Me!

I had never seen a volcano before. Look at all of the 
completely black earth around it! (I also like the one little 
pocket of a green island that is in the middle of the black!)

What a view!

Again, this didn't really work haha.
I WISH I had thought to take a picture with me 
"plugging" the volcano hole with my finger hahaha

A nearby temple made from black volcano rock

Yet another beautiful view

Looking down from Bali's longest bridge

A cool prickly fruit? that I'd never seen before!

Me and some aloe vera

Love this

Annie's new dress was so photogenic!
Heading down to a waterfall...

So beautiful!

Taking a picture

Peekaboo!

Me and Wayan

There we are again!

Hey!

Me

I like this picture

So tropical and lush and jungl-y!

This tree's leaves looked like a star from underneath it!

TARZAN!!!

Another mystical Bali statue. Someone had put 
an offering on it. I love seeing sites like this around the island.

Hehe

More green, lush rice terraces

A woman walking carrying a baby and a huge load on her head

Yet another beautiful view from a lookout point

These flowers actually grow naturally somewhere in the world?!

A beautiful burst of red!

A gorgeous old temple

I absolutely loved seeing the black palm leaf rooves...
very different than Thailand.


I also learned that I'm not supposed to go inside! Oopsy

A beautiful small lake with a holy spring behind it.

A very old large Banyan tree

So beautiful!

There were boys swimming in the buff haha!

Such a beautiful, tropical backdrop!

Our cottage :)

Our fancy last dinner: Fried rice, sliced egg, chips,
cucumbers, and tomatoes! Beautiful!

The Birthday Girl 
(Oh, and Satay!)

Fried bananas

The BEAUTIFUL offering that Aiyu (Mom)
made for Annie's birthday! She "speared" 
tangerines and mangoes onto a banana "rod"
to make it. I've never seen anything like this.
It must have taken her hours!!!

Agus lighting the incense on Annie's birthday offering

Aiyu (right) created this offering just for Annie because
it was her birthday...unbelievably kind!!!

Wayan and his youngest (adorably bashful) son Anta
eating some fried bananas :)

The whole group! (Minus me of course)

Even the palm-leaf plate that the fried bananas 
were served on was gorgeous!


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