Bali: an island in the middle of the sky

 

We had to be on vacation for a week already, beyond the Atlantic, "on the road" between the U.S. and Canada, but it was not possible, then, rather than shorten the route, we have completely revolutionized the summer holidays and the first time in our lives we go to the east, but not only, even in the hemisphere, in Indonesia.
The vast Indonesian archipelago stretches for several thousand kilometers from east to west, north and south of Australia dell'Indocina and includes several large islands such as Java (where the capital Jakarta), Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi and parts New Guinea, but we're going to Bali, an island much smaller (just over 5600 square kilometers) but not for this, hopefully, less interesting. The trip will be in flight, of course, very long and rather long will this time also the way to reach the airport, because we start from Rome-Fiumicino.
The alarm clock rings early, at 3:30 ... right time to realize the situation and closed the suitcases at 4:20 we leave the house officially giving the green light to this new adventure.
Case work (infinite!) On the E45 and the day saw red sticker, with regard to traffic, we followed a path somewhat 'unusual departure for a trip, the State Route 67, which is sull'Appennino adventure. With dark face so then an infinite number of curves and begins to dawn, at 5:15, we overcome the Valico Muraglione of an hour later and turn the much easier to A1 Incisa Val d'Arno, shortly after Florence.
Andiamo dispatched to the south, smooth, and pass around 7:40 to Orte, then reached the GRA of Rome, one quarter of an hour before the 9:00 we are parking long pause dell'Aeroporto Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino.
With the shuttle reach the Terminal C, where we check-in and also exceeded the controls, just after 10:00, we are waiting for the flight SQ365 at the door C21.
We should not wait long and soon we are taken up on the Boeing 777 Singapore Airlines, which in good time ... not detach from the ground, because it seems there is a problem with some passengers and we have to have it unloaded their baggage. Thus, at 13:36, well over an hour and a half after the estimated time rolled on the track and take part Roman, while the video appears to target distance: 10,061 km in Singapore ... twelve hours of flying ahead, then the return to Bali.
Italy override, pass over to Greece before and then to Turkey, and Iran over when we are suddenly aware that we will stop in Dubai, UAE ... and immediately the thought runs the risk of losing the connection to Bali.
Vaulting for almost an hour, inexplicably, on the Strait of Hormuz, the entrance to the Persian Gulf, then finally at 21:50 hours local gliding gently on the runway dell'emirato Arab ... but the environment around us is strange, poorly lit and too, too quiet to be an international airport in heavy traffic such as that of Dubai ... Indeed we learn that we are in a military airport and to be landed for security reasons, probably because the baggage of the passengers found that we had delayed the start (but will not it?) ... and just before, that was long twirl to get the fuel in flight! ... Not bad as the beginning of the journey!
What a great situation! ... Outside there are, despite the hour, 45 degrees and we landed with a scale of emergency at the airport is not prepared to accept passengers and not knowing when you depart! ... We are "crammed" into two meeting rooms (with air conditioning, fortunately) and there do midnight, surrounded by Arabs in uniform rather disturbing, but kind.

Tired and inviperiti await our fate ... After more than four hours from landing, around 2:00, we all loaded onto the bus and escorted to the airport with military (the real one) in Dubai. Through the metal detector and 3:00 we are all discussing with officials of the company, let us know the plane depart, after the necessary controls at 7:20.
Resigned early breakfast we make a bid by Singapore Airlines and then we put ourselves on the seats of the great Arab airport to await the dawn, which in fact we thought the windows to see the aircraft now in the vicinity of the goal.
Starts at 6:30 of embarkation and at that stage we learn, with relief, having already secured a new flight to Bali this evening, at 19:00 ... Thank goodness! ... We offer to all, apologize for the substantial setback, a box of Ferrero Rocher (sugar bitter!) And then with a shuttle us on the same plane abandoned a few hours before ... take our seats ... and the 7:48 flight SQ365 resumed its path towards Singapore!
This time everything liscio row: move over the Indian Ocean, across India and the Bay of Bengal, and in view of the coast of Malaysia. Then begin the descent into Singapore, where landed at 18:56 local time (six hours more than in Italy, as will be also in Indonesia).
We go out the door 53 and with great efficiency, becoming partly forgive the incident last night, the Singapore Airlines will immediately board the port number 50 for Bali ... The flight SQ948, a Boeing 777, is so detached from the earth at 19:57 Assigned Dempasar, the Balinese capital.
Outside the window is now the night came again and while we overcome the line of flying over the Sea of Java, on the right with the island of Sumatra and then the same Java and Borneo on the left. Finally we descend to our destination, Bali, and the airport of its capital, which landed successfully at 22:13 ... Now we hope to have no problem with the luggage!
Send a message home to say the end of our odyssey, beyond the customs and the Indonesian go to the conveyor belt, where now we find our bags ... thank goodness!
Emerge triumphantly from the Ngurah Rai Dempasar and expect to find the assistant to the Map Travel, our tour operator for this trip, which takes us to the Sanur Beach Hotel, in the town located in the south-eastern , where we will spend only the first night in Bali, because tomorrow morning we leave for a tour of five days ... then back to Sanur Beach until the end of the holiday.
We deliver the keys and, deliberately skipping the dinner, go immediately to our room (number 735) and then finally we're ready for a deserved rest, after nearly two days of exhausting travel.

It begins this morning in practice, our real journey balinese.
Shortly after 7:00 we have breakfast at 8:30 and the reception, with all the luggage, until we come to take for the start of the tour ... In the meantime we do know of two boys Italian Gianfranco and Barbara, of Rome, which seems to us the company will in the coming days to walk to the island.
Arrives on time and is our guide, Oka ... and with him, a driver and our two new friends, starting to board a bus flashy completely yellow, with "Travel the World Map" on the sides.
C'immergiamo suffered in the chaotic traffic, with hundreds of motorbikes that emerge from all parties, without limit of passengers carried ... up to four, with no problems!
Thus, we arrive at the first planned stop, that is the manufacture and sale of batik, drawings on cloth made with the traditional procedure, which involves applying a layer of waterproofing wax on the areas that you do not want to dye, the next bath of color, rinsing and drying, and finishing with the removal of wax by the use of heat ... To obtain multicolored batik then repeats the process for every tone that you decide to use ... An ancient system that allows to obtain valuable drawings, but despite our interest to leave the store empty-handed.
Returned to our car we leave, finally, the most densely populated area for transit in rural areas are characterized by typical and green paddy fields ... Thus, we arrive, on the banks of the ocean, in view of the first temple in the program, to Tanah Lot.
The population is Balinese for 90% of Hindu religion, steeped in ancient animist beliefs, apply in a variety of temples scattered throughout the territory, which have earned the island the nickname of "Island of the Gods", as opposed to the rest Indonesia, with the overwhelming Muslim majority.
The Pura Tanah Lot is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Bali, scenographically located on an island a hundred meters away from the coast and accessible by foot at low tide, but not open to the public. As the name indicates is the point of encounter between the earth (tanah) and the sea (lot) and is said to be built in that place to protect the island from the evils and destructive forces that are considered just came from the sea. .. It is also said to be particularly impressive at sunset, but only 10:30 am in the morning and I do not think that waiting time.
Strolling along the stretch of coast in front of shoot pictures for more views and come up to the nearby Pura Batu Bolong, a temple built on a small promontory connected to the mainland by a natural bridge of rock.
Successfully completed the first visit to a sacred place we follow the road that goes towards the interior of the rooms and the mountains, where, unfortunately, in the meantime, we have been accumulating several clouds.
Thus, we arrive, without the presence of the sun, in the village of Bedugul, nestled on the shores of Lake Bratan, of volcanic origin like all lakes in Bali, and there we stop to see the distinctive and colorful market of spices and fruit.
Past 13:00 now walking between desks exotic merchandise we go to lunch, again at Bedugul, in a restaurant that offers good Indonesian cuisine with rice and several fried dishes.
In early afternoon then descend on the shores of the lake, where the temple Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, dating from the seventeenth century and dedicated to the goddess of the lake, Dewi Danu ... On a small island a few meters from the shore is a typical Meru, a shrine roofs superimposed (always odd numbers) and increasing depending on the importance of the deity to whom is consecrated: for this example has eleven, the maximum allowed. .. immediately opposite there is another, at three levels, and together offer a nice glance, of course, just missing the sun to light colors and to illuminate the scene ... sin!
Just spread across a large group of people in traditional clothes that are taking part in a rite of cremation ... very colorful and interesting. Our guide explains that this is the time of year when such ceremonies are held and who is involved virtually the entire community, because the dead are exhumed and cremated in a ceremony when combined families can afford it economically.
Beginning to descend towards the north coast of Bali next move on to another lake basin, Lake Buyan, and along the road we stop to observe in the distance, just at a point populated by many macaques, a type of primate, to what they say, is particularly widespread on the island ... There so fun to capture the cute animals in a variety of positions, before resuming our journey.
Coming down again towards the sea we find the sun and make a detour for a walk in the dense tropical forest, surrounded by flowers and trees we know of cloves, to the captivating waterfalls Gitgit, then we come in sight of the coast and the town of Singaraja, administrative capital during the colonial period, when the island was dominated by Dutch forces.
Turning next to green rice paddies and fields of tobacco and with the long shadows of evening, in the resort of Lovina, where we take shelter, for this night, Sunar Villas & Spa Resort, nestled in a lush tropical garden.
We bring our luggage into the room number 617 and after a fiery sunset dinner on the Oka, eat good fish in a small restaurant by the sea, with Gianfranco and Barbara, then run to rest, because tomorrow morning we expect a 'excursion with levataccia.

The alarm rings at 5:30, when over the window is still completely dark. Un po 'sleepy and we are preparing to leave the room and head towards the beach, where we expect a boat to go in search of dolphins, which abound in the waters surrounding the area.
Precautionary worn the life jackets we leave the shore aboard yukung, traditional local boats to balance, and we will venture into the Sea of Bali, while beginning to dawn and the colors of the sky are beautiful.
From the coast yukung other and arrive at the end are several tens to gather for the same reason. Practically in a group as we go in search of more friendly inhabitants of the seas and between shouts of wonder we awarded several times, in fact, first sighted in the distance, the typical dorsal fins, then the dolphin jump a few meters from our boat ... are fantastic and very curious because they appear to want to play with rimpiattino boats and their passengers.
Remain in water more than an hour and then, welcome, we return to the hotel beach, we go to breakfast and we appear to 9:30, luggage in hand, the reception, where there Oka expects to resume the tour.
Walk down a stretch of coast to the east, passing once again to the chaotic streets of Singaraja and joints in the home of Kubutambaham deviamo inwards, while around it would be interesting to visit the temple Pura Karang Meduwe, but to my request to see us Oka replied that there is no time ...
The road climbs with steep slopes and beautiful views of the mountains to touch, near the village of penulisan, its highest point at over 1600 meters of altitude. There you could spend some 'time to the temple Pura Tegeh Koripan, one of the oldest of all Bali, but apparently is not complete restoration and it is worth stopping ...
We thus approximate to the lake, and the Batur volcano, an area particularly attractive from the point of view, but also of religion, and now in the town of Kintamani met a police blockade that makes us deviate from our path because the country of Batur is visiting for the cremation ceremony, none other than the chairman of Bali in person.
Return on the main track after covering narrow streets and impressive slopes in the town of Penelokan, but in doing so we skipped the visit absolutely worthy of the temple Pura Ulun Danu Batur, evocatively located on the edge of the caldera of the volcano ... and because the presence of the President can not just do it! ... And with this are three! ... Today we seem destined to lose their all occasions!
Even though we are a Penelokan on the edge of the crater and consoles us by going to lunch in a panoramic restaurant, with a view that spans the lake below and Gunung Batur, the most active volcano in Bali, which has attracted more than twenty times in the last two hundred years ... The most disastrous eruption was that of 1917, with over a thousand victims and left two thousand temples destroyed, but now everything is silent and will not run any risk, even if the signs of more recent eruptions are clearly visible along the blacks slopes of the mountain.
After lunch we go to the south-east of the island and going down a little 'come to share in the early hours of the afternoon at the temple complex of Besakih located on the slopes of Gunung Agung, active volcano (the last catastrophic eruption dates back to 1963) and highest peak of Bali with its 3142 meters, but also a sacred place, which resident believes the spirits of ancestors.
The Pura Besakih, that we can finally go after the failures of the morning, is a large complex of 22 temples founded, apparently, in the eighth century by the Javanese essay Rsi Markandya ... Considered the mother church of the island, is a particularly important center of Hinduism Balinese ... which you can tell by the excitement, not just tourism, it is gripping.
Turn around the walls of Penataran Pura Agung, the main sanctuary of Besakih, accessible only to the faithful and characterized by a more senior Meru orders ... The whole area is a wonderful chaos of pagodas and Balinese in traditional dress carrying their offerings to the gods and our civilization in this world seems, now, light years away.
After this excellent experience we return the now famous yellow van with the complete and, with such curves and countless climbs, the descent from the mountains to restore the sea level to about half of the south-east coast and go on the first hills the village of Aga Tenganan.
The Bali Aga, or "original Balinese" cultural minorities are daughters of invasion of the Javanese in the fourteenth century. These communities are at the time refused to take the social and religious habits of the invaders and withdrew into secluded villages maintaining customs different from those of the rest of Balinese ... Tenganan village is the best preserved of the Bali Aga, and is still inhabited by some three hundred families.
For a little walk 'along the dusty streets of this arcane agglomeration of buildings dilapidated but distinctive, full of cages with aggressive roosters ready to fight, while mountain big Nuvoloni and the sun inexorably goes away under cover.
In the late afternoon we leave the village of Tenganan and we move on the sea, near the Straits of Lombok (island east of Bali), in the village of Candi Dasa, where we take shelter for the night at Puri Bagus Villa Resort, in room 215.
The facility is very nice and try to godercela as possible, so while Frederick is a bathroom in the pool system, we are trying lettini un po 'di relax: it is fine, only sin has come to completely miss the sun.
Later, dinner at the hotel and after a chat with friends we spend the first night full of sacred rest, meditating on the beautiful day just passed, albeit somewhat 'unfortunate about the visits of the morning.

Finally a night's sleep as God commands! ... In fact we had a 'sleep to recover arrears and we have taken advantage of today's soft departure, set for 10:00.
After breakfast, at the estimated time, we present the receipt with all the luggage and found our guides take the adventure on the streets of Bali.
Let's go to the south-west along the coast, and after a handful of miles to reach Goa Lawah, a cave considered sacred and most ancient of a thousand years, linked to the ritual ceremonies belonging to the sphere in the hereafter, and inhabited by tens of thousands of bats . The legends tell that you wander in the mountains for thirty miles, until Besakih, and living inside a giant named Basuki, the shape of dragon, who feeds on bats ... It seems nobody has ever ventured inside to check, but was built outside a temple, we are preparing to
visit.
Wear all the pareo (the traditional sarong) and a narrow band of fabric at the waist, to cover the part of the body considered the most impure and negative, and enter the first courtyard of the temple, then in the second but not the third because it is doing a religious function and is completely full of people ... That is a little 'time to act upon the faithful, their devotion and their behavior, for us Christians so unusual ... In the end then we can reach the heart of the church, accessed by a side door, and we have in this way the possibility to observe the entrance of the cave, which is full of really big (and perhaps' even repugnant) bat!
Emerge from that strange place, enriched with new experiences, just as the road passes through a nice motorcycle, which traina with a cart on a pig ... and the smile back on our tour of the area.
In short we arrived in the town of Klungkung, a district capital and major commercial and historical center, where we stop to visit the Taman Gili.
Built at the beginning of the eighteenth century, the Taman Gili (literally "the garden with a moat), is what remains of the royal palace of Klungkung, was destroyed in 1908 during the Dutch conquest. Inside are two pavilions, beautiful even if in need of substantial restoration ... We see the first Kert Gosa, situated in the garden, and then Bale Kabange (Floating Pavilion), located in the center of the ditch, both with ceiling entirely covered with panels with wayang style paintings, inspired by Balinese myths and fables, brightly colored, but two-dimensional, like Chinese shadows.
Spend some 'time to close the museum also contains some photographs and documents of the early twentieth century, but it is not anything special and I do not think there will be impressed, then let Klungkung to climb hills and on the first lunch in a restaurant with stunning views over surrounding terraces, dotted with palm trees and green paddy fields.
In early afternoon we continue the tour and just go further north, in the village of Bangle (not included in the original program), to see its interesting temple Pura Kehen.
Perched on a hillside and place of worship since the XII century, the Pure Kehen spread over different levels and its entrance is distinguished by the strewn staircase adorned with fantastic sculptures ... Exceeded the drop cross the front door and set foot inside the first court we can not help but notice the huge Banyan or ficus benjamin that characterizes ... Vague so for some time among the ancient stones and typical shrines to the last court, before returning on our steps and regain the van to continue the journey.
Bangla After we go further inside the island, near the town Manukaya, in order to visit the Pura Tirta Empul.
The sacred temple of the source, which we think dates back to the tenth century, located near the source of the river Pakrisan is much visited by devotees, who s'immergono in special tanks where water flows considered sacred, including the traditional offerings.
Nearby is the village of Tampaksiring, known to host the so-called Monuments and the Royal Tombs of Gunung Kawi ... Then descend along a trail to the bottom of the valley where the river flows Pakrisan, crossing a beautiful terraced rice fields that seem at the same time works of art and engineering hydraulics, to arrive in this place considered sacred ... Carved into the rock there are two sets of monuments, commonly known as tombs, but in reality are only commemorative of shrines dedicated to the legendary King Anak Wungsu and his wives, lived in the eleventh century.
Always very interested immortalized mentally and even physically Gunung Kawi and then, relying completely on the experience of our driver, we narrow lanes of the countryside, with rice fields and Balinese to look to get now in the evening Champlung Sari Hotel in Ubud, where we should stay for the next two nights ... but despite the reservation seems there is no place and the guide goes on all the rage!
After a long discussion we are moving to ten minutes at Cahaya Dewata Resort incident and apologize to offer us dinner included in price ... Nothing wrong, because the more I enjoy the wonderful view from our room (number 403) on the paddy fields below ... Over time, however, we can not help but notice the look bleak and rather dilapidated place, especially as a dinner over to us we see only two other customers (will be "refugees" too?), But despite everything we eat well and after a long chat we withdraw into our room, conscious of having lived, until now, a great travel experience.

On this last day of tour will remain as long in the outskirts of the town of Ubud, the undisputed cultural capital of Bali ... Nevertheless, things to do and many are already at 8:30 we are at the reception to officially launch the program of visits.
The first stop is located a few kilometers south, in the home of Batubulan, where first of all we look at the strange Balinese traditional house and then the much more interesting spectacle of Barong dance, held at the Pura Puseh, the captivating temple of the village.
The Barong dance is ancient, and even though today may seem just a tourist attraction for the Balinese has a deep religious significance, because it represents the eternal battle between good, identified in the mask of Barong and the evil, symbolized by against the figure of Rangda. The representation from esasperatamente repetitive rhythms, but the colors and the high content folklore, lasts nearly an hour and tell a kind of mythological episode ... After all, in our opinion, an essential part of this trip on the Island of the Gods.
After the show we move to a few kilometers, the country of Celuk, to visit a laboratory known for processing of silver (the classic trap for tourists), but also near the Ornithological Park, built in 1995, which hosts a wonderful setting approximately 1500 species of birds, some of which are large, but rare or endangered. Many are from the islands of Indonesia, but many others are from the most diverse regions of the world.
We do a nice walk between the ponds and large aviaries, even though in principle we do not see animals in cages, then around noon, completed the visit, leave the park.
Before lunch we go to Mas, a town known for its artists dedicated to sculpture in wood and colored with traditional masks, and then around to a cooperative of Balinese painters, who try in vain to sell some of their works.
Lunch in a restaurant with beautiful views of the rice fields around Ubud and in the early afternoon we arrived at the outskirts of the village of Bedulu, where is located the Cave Goa Gajah or dell'Elefante.
Down a path with steps in a small valley where there are some shrines, large tanks and the cave, of course, whose entrance carved into the rock vaguely remember the face of an elephant and is decorated all fanciful. The interior, however, in the shape of T is dark and suffocating, with niches containing statues deemed sacred ... Goa Gajah is thus to be another strange place which is devoted to this incredible civilization.
We find our bus yellow, while the clouds that were carried more or less rade for the entire day will be particularly thickening, and with that we go on the outskirts of Ubud to the "forest of monkeys, an area of dense bush, on the edge of a temple, where these animals abound, in complete freedom. There so fun to give him some time to eat some bananas purchased locally, which are to take quite voracious, directly from our hands.
The sun goes away completely behind the clouds when later, in the center of Ubud, we look at the Puri Sarène, royal palace dating from the late and belonged to warlord, Cokorda gede Sukawati, very well kept and reported in several particulars to its former glory.
We conclude the visit of Ubud shopping in its bustling market and then we go to our hotel, putting the word end on a good day, but perhaps the least interesting of the tour.
Later we go to dinner as the only guests at the restaurant of Cahaya Dewata Resort, begins to rain and strong, but not limited to, drops a thick fog ... we hope the time is unleashed during the night and come back tomorrow the sun shines! ... Meanwhile salute our friends, and Gianfranco Barbara, departing at dawn to the nearby island of Lombok ... but it is only a goodbye, because they will meet again on their return, the next week in that of Sanur.

We stand up calmly after Oka and driver accompanied Gianfranco and Barbara at the port of Padang Bai to sail on to Lombok ... We rise with the sun returned to shine and light flooded the beautiful view enjoyed from our room on the valley below and the paddy fields.
With the breakfast, just after 10:00, we leave the hotel about an hour later concludes our tour of Bali in front of the Sanur Beach Resort, which already housed there in our first night on the island and now it will other seven, until the end of the journey.
Cordially salute our guide and completed registration operations réception go to the edge of the pool waiting for us to deliver the room number 524 ... They do around 13:30 and once we presona possession for lunch in the Italian restaurant of the resort, enjoying a plate of pasta that we now lack.
In the afternoon we remain at the hotel with the intention to dedicate ourselves to the most relaxing, but the passage of several clouds spiteful and a rather cold wind blowing from the sea will irreparably ruin the second part of the day, so, around 17:00, we decide to go for a walk along the main street of Sanur, full of souvenir shops and restaurants, waiting time for dinner.
When we go out in the evening there is a magnificent starry (really unpleasant time!) And with the hope that keeps us later withdraw Room confident for the continuation of the holiday.

After the tour and after the Sabbath of complete rest almost think we spend the morning today in classical robes of the "tourists DIY ... so we rent a taxi for half a day and depart in search of places of interest, including in the area north-east of the capital and left out of dall'itinerario Travel Map.
We leave behind a chaotic suburb of Dempasar and driving between the fields, towards the center of the island, we arrive around 10:00 in the small village of Sangeh, known mainly to the forest of monkeys. This is a dense forest of huge trees of nutmeg, some high up to 30-40 meters, within which there is a small temple, the Pura Bukit Sari, where these animals (the usual macaques) are considered sacred and scorazzano freely. We spend some 'time, curious about the strange environment and the uninhibited behavior of monkeys, the continuous search of food given to them by the few tourists who visit the place, and then regained our taxi, which had waited patiently for nell'attiguo parking.
The next stop is the town of Mengwi, where the Pura Taman Ayun, the most interesting temple among those not touched by the tour.
Founded in 1740, the Taman Ayun (literally "enclosed garden") is surrounded by a moat which symbolizes the Hindu world in the cosmic sea, and its towers are the mountain Meru, the residence of the gods. Located on an axis that joins the inland mountains to the sea is thought that the temple ensures the smooth movement of the water, sap of life, from the mountains to the rice fields of Bali, the sea and then back to the mountains.
Just entered the sacred place we are struck by the monumental Kori Agung (the door), but we can not cross because it is not allowed tourists to enter the inner enclosure ... But you can make the turn around, with exceptional views of the hosts of shrines and a tower moat, full of lotus flowers.
Very beautiful the Pura Taman Ayun, perhaps second only to the temple complex of Besakih and therefore we can not help but wonder, while we are leaving him behind, how come it is listed in the main requests of the tour organized.
At this point in the morning we accompany us in the nearby village of Marga, where we look at the Monument Margarana, not a temple but a place where there was a battle known (rana) resistance between the Balinese and Dutch forces in 1946. In addition to the graves of 96 soldiers killed in that there are orderly arranged in rows, the burial of other heroes of 1372 war of liberation of the 40s, some typical buildings and the monument dedicated to independence of the island, surrounded by peace and the greenery of a vast garden.
Very few tourists come to visit the Monument Margarana and Balinese few it seems, so that our taxi driver was not there ever been and he will take advantage to view ... sure, the place is not a transcendental beauty, but certainly worth the short time that we wanted to dedicate.
It 'almost noon and in our programs there is still a temple, so we go into town to visit the Kapal Pura Sada.
Severely damaged by an earthquake in 1917 the first temple of the royal house of Mengwi was rebuilt by a group of archaeologists in Indonesia, which are based on the original model of the seventeenth century, and is distinguished by its high Meru to eleven levels, built in style of a Javanese candi, a type of tower very rare in Bali, called Prasad, but also for a group of mini shrines and some beautiful doors, offering glimpses of undisputed interest.
Released by Pura Sada, walk the main street of Kapal and note the specialization of local artisans, making decorations in banana leaves for the houses and temples ... small temporary works of art, which exposed all along the edge of the street gives the place a very special flavor.
Slowly come back to Sanur finally concluded positively the small self-tour ... Are already 14:00 and we stop for lunch in a room just outside the hotel, just 150 rupees (about ten euros!) Eat all three, then we go on the edges of the pool (the sea here is very unattractive) to take a little 'sunshine ... But, like yesterday, soon disappears behind an ode nuvolaglia, offering a fairly inglorious afternoon.
The evening does not go much better: after dinner, there is really little to do on Sanur Beach and at the end of a billiard partitina we should go to bed ... removing anything but the beautiful morning spent walking to the island.

This morning in our programs is a trip in a catamaran Nusa Lebongan ... To the south-east of Bali lies a tiny archipelago of three main islands: Nusa Penida, the largest, Nusa Ceningan, the smallest, and, indeed, Nusa Lebongan (not longer than five kilometers), which should offer beaches pristine and untouched coral reefs.
The alarm clock is pretty soon ... We make breakfast while the sky is a little 'cloudy, but confident in a fast improvement.
At 8:00 we will take a bus to accompany us to the nearby port of Benoa, from where it set sail for our adventure today. We put on hold the craft in time that instead of improving is deteriorating: the clouds are more compact and the flashes of blue sky are reduced to light, so shortly after the 9:00 take off, on board the catamaran Sail Sensation and we run a large Nuvoloni blacks, with morale under heels.
After almost two hours to arrive at Nusa navigation Lebongan ... no rain, but cloudy and without much enthusiasm we landed by local boats on the beach of Nusa Lebongan Resort.
We are greeted with a welcome cocktail and then trained on the programs of the day, so now in the late morning, abandoned the idea of beach life, we leave to visit the local village, because they reside on the island about five thousand people ... while, hear, hear, leaves out a few timid ray of sun.
The small collection is quite distinctive, with the houses piled into the narrow stretch of sea that divides the island from his sisters, and the inhabitants are mostly engaged, as well as tourism, the cultivation of a type of seaweed used widely in medicine and cosmetics ... You can observe the different phases of the product, starting from the collection with the use of traditional boats, to finish the drying in the spaces provided on the seashore.
See you at the center of a sort of troglodyte house, which was excavated by a Balinese monaco in the last century, which was ordered in a dream, according to popular beliefs, to live in the bowels of mother earth ... one place is certainly not spectacular, but trigger a certain amount of curiosity.
Returned to "base camp" of the lunch buffet Lebongan Nusa Resort, and later, while continuing to filter some sunshine, go snorkelling in the sea area in front of the resort ... the best thing that has happened to us in this dull day: clear water, lots of tropical fish and colorful coral big banks ... certainly much more than what I expected!
Returned to the beach soon leave Nusa Lembongan, we had hoped to enjoy this, and two hours later we were again at the port of Benoa in Bali and then.
Also returned to the curiosity to watch the weather to the reception today was expected tomorrow clouds and sun! ... Fortunately! ... We only hope to have reversed the dates!
In the evening dinner at Sanur Beach, concluding a day in some ways interesting, but not really lucky in terms of weather.

Time does not just forgiving in recent days has claimed its victim, Sabrina has indeed taken a pretty cool ... Fortunately, however, this morning, in a beard all predictions, a beautiful sun shines!
We wake up calmly, and after breakfast we are going to spend some 'time in the pool area, looking for a good healthy dose of warmth ... In most relaxing is noon and so we go for lunch buffet at the Sanur Beach.
Be lifted immediately after we return from the table in the room to prepare for a trip that awaits us in the afternoon, in fact, to 14:30, is to take us to réception Oka, with the legendary coach of the first yellow days.
Let's take another group of tourists (three Italian girls) from a hotel near Kuta (Bali Rimini), and with them we are heading for the southern part of the island.
First of all we stop in the village of Jimbaran to explore the lively fish market, but above all to see, on the beach, the colorful fishing boats lined up next to each other and ready to leave for the evening fly fishing. Jimbaran is perhaps the most important center of its kind on the island of Bali and its shoreline are used extraordinary scenes of daily life, tied to the sea and its fruits, so tiring to be seized.
Jimbaran left turn the bow toward the Bukit Peninsula, extreme southern tip of Bali, which looks more arid than the rest of the island, but no less interesting.
To begin with we are dedicated to visiting the Cultural Center GWK (Garuda Wisnu Kencana or "golden Garuda Vishnu), a place where" soon "be a statue of the Hindu god Vishnu who rides the mythological bird Garuda, higher than the Statue of Freedom ... Work fervono long time ago and now we have only to assemble pieces of a few scattered 'throughout the territory (not only in Bali, apparently) and us, jokingly, say to our guide we will return to Bali when the statue was finally completed in two thousand and ... who knows!
After visiting the GWK Cultural Center we continue along the west coast facing the Bukit Peninsula and go to see from the beach at Padang Padang, one of the most famous and scenic of Bali, to arrive finally at the far south-western tip , where is the temple Pura Uluwatu Luhur, the main point of interest in this afternoon hike.
This religious site is located on a dramatic cliff-to-peak over the Indian Ocean and is populated by many dispettosissimi macaques that steal hats, sunglasses, scarf, hair clips and everything not securely anchored to the body ... but just knowing it and nothing happens.
Going through a long flight of steps we come in sight of the temple, founded in that century by MPU Kuturan (legendary religious figure of the island) is one of the most venerable of Bali and to the beginning of the twentieth century was accessible only to the principles of Dempasar . Today, however, they can attend all the faithful, but not tourists, so we look at a consulate outside Savonarola sull'azzurro of the sky and poised sull'immensità sea.
Strolling among beautiful views we get, next to a theater on the cliff, where we place to watch a performance of Kecak dance, an ancient ritual that takes place in the magical atmosphere of the sunset with the silhouette of Uluwatu always present and predominant .
The dance ends when the darkness now dominates unchallenged ... We then return to the hotel, enriched by a new experience, and salute, this time (perhaps) finally, Oka and the now legendary bus yellow.
For dinner we go into a room just outside the Sanur Beach. Eat with a minimal amount and then drag us into a rest room, hoping that Sabrina increasingly invaded by the effects of cooling during the night better, so you can take part to more intensive tomorrow morning.

The sky is completely covered with clouds ... damn! ... If there was a possibility that Sabrina had our hopes are now completely disappeared!
We make breakfast without too much enthusiasm and then salute Sabrina, who take refuge in the room, while we, backpackers, and we go to the reception around 9:00, along with five Japanese, the way to take part in a rafting descent along the course of the River Ayung.
We employ more than an hour to get to the point, the hills around Ubud, and the luck just does not seem to help and also begins to rain.
Equipped with the necessary equipment (life jacket, a protective helmet and paddle) to descend a steep flight of steps, regardless of weather conditions, but not prohibitive, until all'alveo of the river, where we expect that the ribs will be with us for the adventure .. . and a little later, a little 'excited, we begin the descent of the rapids, which does not go beyond the second degree of difficulty.
It 'really a beautiful experience and for nearly two hours we proceed in an extraordinary environment, in the lush tropical forest with waterfalls and streams of water coming down from all sides. Only, perhaps, there is a little 'too much traffic, in fact we are not the only ones who go rafting in this stretch of river, indeed ... But the fun is all the landing and reached the final Federico says openly that he would start all over.
With another steep staircase, this time uphill, we arrive instead at a center where we find our clothes dry and where we offer a simple lunch before back in the early afternoon, the Sanur Beach.
Regained the hotel is expected to Sabrina on the edges of the swimming pool, sun-kissed that even today (better late than never) has made its appearance ... So let discretamente the afternoon and evening also find friends in the early days (and Gianfranco Barbara) return from their short stay in nearby Lombok. With them go out to dinner and after a long chat there we go to sleep, however, giving appointment for the following morning.

In our programs, there was a whole day to go to sea in the company of friends, but of course it is cloudy and to avoid being bored ruefully at the hotel we take the "Plan B" ... or visit the temples missing.
We rent a taxi for the morning and with that we leave to the north and towards the area of Ubud, which is already in sight during the tour, but not entirely.
First of all we stop in the town of Batuan, where is the temple Pura Puseh interesting, completely renovated in 1992, with fine carvings and shrines of excellent bill, which makes honor Balinese art. So wear the traditional sarong and do a short walk within the sacred enclosure surrounded by beautiful buildings and typical spots ... pity for the lack of sun.
Batuan greeted us move further north in the village of Bedulu we go to visit the vast temple Pura Pengastulan, characterized by large and beautiful doors, where feverish preparations for an upcoming religious ceremony ... and is a very interesting situation because we have the opportunity, in this case, to see the Balinese (mostly women) in the intent pack offers and decorations then used in the performance of the function.
Negl'immediati surroundings of Bedulu is another site that deserves attention is that of Yeh Pulu ... Going along a path through beautiful rice paddies you come on a black rock, carved with monumental bas-reliefs that are thought to date back half of the fourteenth century.
Of about twenty-five meters high and two to the sequence of figures, probably carved by the same artist, showing human beings at war with demonic beasts, is naturally regarded as sacred and to act in his stead a nice lady, almost as old sculpture, with its deep wrinkles, and under the meter in height and fifty ... The smart and devout Balinese, with great savoir-faire, it draws us into a Hindu prayer, with a lot of flowers on her head, and ultimately a claim on money that we can not refuse.
Yeh Pulu left and regained the taxi, walk a few kilometers and with the sun still rather fugitive, we arrive in the country of Pejeng in an area particularly rich in temples, some of which, perhaps, interesting.
First we see the Pura Kebo EDANA, the temple of the "giant crazy", depicted in a statue revered by the faithful, but the place is rather untidy and would require a radical restoration.
Nearby reach then, walking among the rice fields, the Pura METAP Arjuna, which is nothing but a simple pavilion, containing a few sculptures in stone, surrounded by bucolic and verdant landscape.
Going back in the car for a few hundred meters come in Pusering Jagat Pura, where is the so-called "Pot Pejeng", an urn of stone carved with mythological figures, and where many believers are involved in the function of an imminent religious shrines among festively decorated with banners from the bright colors.
Finally we visit the Pura Penataran Sasih, that among the pavilions of the various fences houses a bronze drum of unknown age held sacred ... but now we are completely drunk and temples while the South has already passed for some time we speak to our taxi driver and practically in chorus, with our poor English, we tell him: "Finish! ... Go to the hotel ...".
Almost an hour after leaving Pejeng us at Sanur Beach, the sky was completely cleared of cloud. Lunch outside the well and then let's spend some 'time in the pool, completing a worthy this day.
In the evening finally salute the friends of Rome, leaving tomorrow morning for Italy, and then withdraw it in the room, with the holiday for us too now running out.

Ferragosto in Bali ... August, apparently, for a change, with some cloud in the sky too ... but it is the last day that we move on and not give up, so after breakfast we decide also to give the green light to the program today, which includes a day devoted almost entirely to the sea, in the Bukit Peninsula, south of Sanur.
We rent the same taxi yesterday (and Sunday) and above all we are accompanied by a small deviation on the island of Pulau Serangan, connected by a bridge to his sister, to see the last temple in the series, the Pura Sakenan, according to the driving one of the most revered temples and ancient origins of Bali, but not excited, maybe because it is yet another of a long sequence.
The island is also known as a place of nesting sea turtles, so our taxi driver takes us to see a few, that the locals take tristemente segregated within the walls of a narrow basin interior, and covered.
After the visit is certainly not exceptional Pulau Serangan we move towards the sea, in the southern part of Bali. Let's see the original Dreamland beach, where the water has some great colors, but the creek are irreparably spoil with the construction of a concrete monstrosity and there meets ... Then we go to Padang Padang, we had already seen from above during the trip Tuesday at Uluwatu, and there we stop.
It 'almost noon when the driver of taxi stands in the shadow system, in a parking lot nearby, and says there waiting our return, as we descend to the beach and rent a beach umbrella for the rest of the day.
Bay Padang Padang, bathed by a beautiful sea, is a narrow strip of sand surrounded by dramatic cliffs, walked behind them for several kilometers at low tide ... a walk we do gladly, enticed by eloquent views.
Spend on the spot nicely, all afternoon, along with a mackerel sky finally by those odious clouds ... and finally we can enjoy a swim in the waters of the Indian falls.
Given the favorable time flies and soon you are 17:00, the time required for the return ... then we find where we had left, our taxi driver (fresh and rested!), which takes about an hour there back to Sanur Beach and at the end of this beautiful day by the sea.
Recently back in the room start to accommodate luggage for departure tomorrow, then we go to dinner at Italian restaurant, just to return slowly to the flavors of home, and then all to bed ... also because, as usual, there is nothing to be done within the resort.

We arrived the day of departure for Italy, a departure that will happen but only in the late afternoon.
Luckily this morning, a beautiful sun shines, so we can go all the time remaining on the edges of the pool ... First of all, however, after breakfast, we stroll along the beach of Sanur, where there are, in addition to many other hotels, including the colorful boats of local fishermen.
Take the latest photos of the place we take our place in the sun, to go relax in these final hours before the long journey. As we move from our beds only to remove the bags from the room before noon, as required by regulation, pay the account and have lunch in a restaurant along the beach, summarizing the sweet view of the sea the best moments of this holiday in the east .
Shortly before 17:00, we pack the costumes, and wearing clothes for the trip, arriving at 17:30 to take the van to accompany us to the airport.
Completed all customs formalities smoothly through the metal detector and we sit in front of the door number three, awaiting the departure of the Singapore Airlines flight SQ947 ... Thus, a slight delay, at 20:28 local time, on our Boeing 777 soars in flight from the runway Dempasar, and while the night has now taken the upper hand, ideally salute the Island of Bali.
Climb above the clouds and flying over almost the whole of the Java Sea to touch the ground, after just over two hours, to 22:38, in the Changi International Airport Singapore ... Then there is not much use to find the door from which c'imbarcheremo for the next flight, because the exit B3 and we put ourselves on hold to B1, while the chassis and is midnight ...

We embark on the Boeing 777 Singapore Airlines, which identified as flight SQ366, almost in perfect time, at 1: 28, breaks away from the earth Assigned Rome.
Flying to the west the night is long and the hours seem to pass ever, although in the central part of the journey we can crush some good nap.
Ripasso over in Dubai and thoughts to same, somewhat 'troubled, then flying over Saudi Arabia and Egypt, to join with the first light of dawn on the Mediterranean Sea.
Tap the coasts of Greece and passing on the southern Calabria also enter the Tyrrhenian Sea, and then, shortly later, we begin the descent towards the city capitolina.
Landed at Leonardo da Vinci at 7:18 and crossed the customs we put ourselves on hold baggage at the belt ... We have to wait for over an hour (a shame!), But finally we retrieve all of our things.
Taking the shuttle to the parking lot long pause found our car at 9:20 and we leave behind the airport at Fiumicino ... We follow the GRA to travel then the A1 north and one hour after the start to be Orte, where turn the E45.
At 11:15 a.m. we Perugina and noon on Verghereto Pass, where, because the work, there's a queue of three kilometers ... So we lose a good half hour and arrived in Cesena, around 13:00, walk a short stretch of the A14 up to Forlì, then at 13:33 in front of the gate of our house, at the end of this journey.
E 'was the first positive experience in East and Bali in particular. Being an exotic island par excellence one would expect to find crystal clear lagoons and beaches ... But it is not so, and we knew, because the Island of the Gods offers rather bucolic landscapes with much greenery, a pristine nature at times, but especially the contact with a population of mild and very devout, tied to its traditions, but mainly to His religion, so inherent in behavior and in everyday life as to be beyond any thing ... As proof of this there are the magnificent temples scattered throughout the territory, which make Bali a place outside the normal range, a spiritual high, so high that it can not define an island almost in the middle of the sea ... but an island in the middle of the sky!