January 21, 2019 - Celukan Bawang, Bali - Monday, Day 16
We docked at the pier in this northern port on Bali shortly before 8:00. We have visited Bali three times before. Those visits were all to the port of Benoa on the south side of the island. That area is highly populated and extremely commercial. It is home to many resorts and horrendous traffic. We were looking forward to a different experience here in the north. We got it.
We had booked a shore excursion titled Munduk Highlands. I left the showroom at 8:15 ahead of schedule by 15 minutes. As the coach left the port our guide Putri introduced herself. She is a native of northern Bali and clearly loves her region. As the day wore on she would tear us a lot about her culture and its history. We would also learn about her.
Our first stop was the library in the city of Singaraja. This small and ancient library is home to manuscripts of all sorts written in the local language with hand drawn pictures on dried palm leaves. These had been processed and looked and felt like thin boards of wood. These manuscripts are stored in woods boxes with hand carved covers and descriptive catalogs on the box ends. M any are over 400 years old and they are still legible. We were allowed to hold and inspect these beautiful documents.
Now our drive through the mountains began. We took a two lane road that was in very good condition and wound its way over multiple switchbacks as it rose higher and higher in the mountains. Our objective was Ulun Danu Temple. This public temple is an open air worship pace situated on the shore of a mountain lake.Its setting is beautiful. the gardens and grounds are exquisite, and the architecture is inspiring. What more could we want. Well just in case, there is a Buddhist Temple, a Hindu Temple and a Mosque on the grounds. Al religions live in harmony in Indonesia. Tourists are not allowed to set foot on the actual worship spaces, but we could walk all around them and view them through the open walls. This eliminated the need for head, shoulder and knee coverings for the ladies. We had ample time to enjoy the atmosphere here.
After visiting a local market and learning more about local fruits and vegetables, Putri explained the cooking and eating practices. The markets open at 5:00 AM. The women cook once a day usually between 6:30 and 8:00 before going to work. So, they hedge to the market everyday to purchase the fresh things they need for their menu. There is no refrigeration in the market, so everything is fresh daily. If perishables are not sold by about 1:00 the vendors cook what is left. At home the women check the food remaining after the mid day meal. If there is not enough left for the evening meal they go to the market and buy some of the prepared foods.
It is not a custom for the family to eat together. They just go into the kitchen and help themselves whenever they get hungry.
Putri also explained that the houses we had been seeing along the road were actually compounds shared by multiple family units. Children live with their parents until marriage. Then the wives of sons move into the family compound. Sons live with their parents and raise their families in the same compound. Daughters move to their husband’s family compound after the wedding. In Putri’s compound there are 6 family units totaling 42 people. Each group does its own cooking and keeps it food separate from the others
One benefit of this arrangement is that the in-laws care for the children so that the wives can go to work. All live together in harmony.
Most men are fisherman. But many have started to be trained to work on cruise ships. They find this hard work because it requires them to be away from family for such extended periods of time. However, the pay is much greater than what they would earn in Bali that they can work for 10 or 15 years and return home wealthy and able to start their own businesses.
Putri’s husband is a fisherman. She has been working in the tourist industry for 18 years. She learned English in school, but perfected it on her own. She did an admirable job. She is an excellent communicator. While she works during the tourist season, Putri’s mother-in-law cares for her 3 children. She has a 7 year old daughter, a 5 year old son and a 2 year old daughter. Putri will not accept work assignments in the south because she would be away from home too long.
Now it was time for our lunch. We drove to a former resort with a golf course. The hotel building and dining room were set way back off the main road in what we would call the jungle. Once again we found ourselves in a beautiful setting. The buffet lunch was substantial and very tasty. Afterward we enjoyed an opportunity to photograph the ground before boarding the coach.
We headed back to the ship. It would take about 2 hours. On the way we made a planned stop at an overlook where we could view twin lakes in the mountains. It was very impressive to see these large fresh water bodies at this altitude. They further accented the splendor of the scenery we passed through.
Back at the ship Putri bid us a very sincere farewell. Alice and I are in agreement that of all the guides we have experienced on our many tour Putri was the greatest. We will think of her often. we already have. What a marvelous 8 hours this was.
No comments:
Post a Comment