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"The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain." -- Dolly Parton

277--Bali: Bat Caves & Pink Chickens @ CherieSpotting     Jan 23 2005 - 09:16 PST cherie writes: Hannah and I headed for Tenganan, a local Bali Aga village famous for weaving holy ikat cloths. Sometimes these intricately woven cloths take months for a villager to make. The native Bali Aga people believe that the Hindu god of storms (Indra) taught the villagers how to create these special cloths. Hannah wanted to buy one of the beautiful rectangles of cloth and use it as a sarong. I can’t explain the expression on the local man’s face as Hannah innocently wrapped the ikat cloth around her waist. I can only describe the man’s actions as “freaking out.” It was the same horror a Catholic might have felt seeing a man defecate in the Pope’s hat. Knowing Hannah meant no offense, the native man eagerly showed us around his village and let us hold Tenganan’s pink and yellow chickens. Perhaps the local Bali Aga children have too much time on their hands and have taken to coloring the poultry. On his day off Ketut, a waiter from a local Balinese restaurant, gave us a tour around the Western part of Bali. Hannah and I, clothed in matching Cookie-Monster shirts, were welcome visitors at one of the most famous temples in Bali, Pura Goa Lawah (or Bat Cave Temple.) Every Balinese person visits this temple one month after a family member is cremated. We watched in awe and respect while the Hindus made offerings of fruit, flowers and incense at the entrance of the bat filled cave. Hannah and I ended our day’s tour at the floating pavilion in Klungkung (Semarapura) and watched the sunset at Tanah Lot, one of Bali’s most picturesque sea-temples. Click on each picture to see it full size. read comments (0) | write comment| views: 5552    | rated: 0.0    printer-friendly version   Hannah and Cherie in matching Cookie Monster shirts at Pura Goa Lawah, Bali (Bat Cave Temple.) Hindus make offerings in honor of a recently cremated member of the family. Bats cover every centimeter of the temple. Hindus stand in line, patient with their bounty of offerings. A Balinese Hindu Holy-man (complete with mobile phone and cigarette.) The power of prayer. Women with baskets loaded with offerings. A Balinese man. Praying. Pura Goa Lawah. A Balinese farmer working the rice fields. The simple, but magnificent beauty of rice fields. He's not afraid of a little hard work. A photo of Hannah and I showed up in the Bali Post (Bali's newspaper), the day after we photographed this farmer. A farmer gives us a hearty, toothless grin. Fields of green. Cherie and Hannah. Cherie with a pink chicken from Tanganan. Hannah kisses the yellow chicken. Taman Tirtha Gangga near Abang, Bali. Floating footsteps. Hannah takes a stroll. It's imperative to watch your step here. Fresh water clears away the slime. Little boys wave hello. A variety of pools to choose from. Cherie by a strange boat. Taking a dip. A walk on the wild side. Beauty everywhere. Ketut, a new Balinese friend. Cherie by the peaceful pool. Cherie and Hannah by the floating pavillion in Klungkung, Bali. Does it really float? Violent artwork on the ceilings. Ketut explains the meaning of the paintings. And people think violence is a creation of the 20th century. Little girls with big smiles. Cherie sitting down for a rest. A Balinese man shines a light on one of the poisonous snakes in a cave near Tanah Lot. The snake slithers along. Cherie by Tanah Lot. Balinese cousins. Thousands of bats and hundreds of believers gather at Pura Goa Lawah. Hannah, Ketut and Cherie. Sadly, that's not a zip line. It's what gives the island its electricity. Hannah and I made it into the Bali Post. A photographer took a photo of me taking a photo of the rice-farmer. 1000 rupeees to pee, 2000 rupees to pooh. Is that the honor system? Hannah in front of a tourist shop. Hannah near Tanah Lot. Cherie near Tanah Lot. Tanah Lot. Traditional houses in Bali. Unique Balinese architecture. Driving through a tree. There's a hole in the tree! Hannah and the mighty tree with a hole. Balinese road. An impromptu gathering of local musicians. Anything (and everything) becomes an intrument. Keeping the beat. Everyone grabs a drum and joins in. A mock fight/dance. He plays to the audience of drummers. The men fight/dance to the rhythm. His rooster lost the cock-fight.