A Day of Rest

The main pool

The difference between Alissar and I. She stays away from the sun and I tan!

Anthony works on his tan

A monkey on our neighbors villa. Anthony took this picture from our pool

We spent the afternoon just reading

Views from the main pool

Fish Food

We were shopping in Ubud and came across this place right next to the road. Here we are, our feet in tanks filled with little fish that apparently think our dead skin is absolutely delicious.

Anthony braves it first, he is very surprised by the feeling

Alissar goes next, yes this feeling is definitely new

Alissar's feet

Anthony's feet

Monkeying Around in the Sacred Monkey Forest

In the Monkey Forest. We both had to change our clothes (buy new clothes) because we had gotten so dirty from the monkeys

Anthony catches the attention of two monkeys

The monkey wouldn't get off Anthony's shoulder and we aren't allowed to touch them. This little monkey just sat for minutes on end eating on Anthony's shoulder

Anthony gets use to his little friend

This monkey holds on to Alissar while she eats. Alissar is just waiting for her to be done.

The Monkey Temple guarded by monkeys

Stairs to the Monkey Temple are above the river

This monkey decides to climb Anthony

Hanging at Hanging Gardens

Having afternoon tea on the deck

Views from the deck

Breakfast this morning. Across the hotel is a temple, which can be viewed from the hotel dining room

Alissar looking very small next to the pool

Anthony looking handsome in the garden

The funicular, our transportation around the hotel

Orchids packed and nailed to the trees- so beautiful

Second Hotel

Random

Kuta Beach 

Alissar excited about the monkeys near the road

Anthony with our driver Wayon. Wayon lives in a nearby town called Bug Bug and he is a pork and rice kinda guy (meat and potatoes in USA lol)

Dinner at Vincent's near our hotel

Lunch above this stunning view

A bat poses with Anthony

Pura Lempuyang

At the bottom of the first temple. There are seven temples all together, the last temple is at the top of the mountain. It will take hours to get to the temple and we will have to fight aggressive moneys to get there.

We met two men along the way that were traveling to the top to pray. One was carrying a gun which made Alissar very worried. He assured us that the gun was to protect them from the wild monkeys that are known to bother worshipers venturing to the top. Yesterday, one of the wild monkeys attacked and bit someone, so the villagers were more aggressive. They usually scare the monkeys with just sticks. The guy in the red was a tourist from Holland who made the trip with us.We climbed over 1,700 steps and climbed to the peak (3,800 ft). The sweat poured out of us and we were exhausted, literally drenched in sweat.

We were so high we could see the clouds. It was such an eerie feeling.We did it!

Pura Besakih

This was our guide, his name is Geedy. He is thirty-two years old like Anthony. This is the largest temple in Bali, it includes seven temples within it.

This is the entrance to the first temple. There are seven temples. The middle entrance is for the gods and the side entrances are for the people. The left side represents the good spirits and the right the evil spirits, this is depicted by the statues.

To get into the temple we had to wear wraps. Anthony's wrap is very traditional, the white represents good and the black represents evil and his wrap represents both in harmony. Mine is a traditional Ikat made from bamboo, no meaning just pretty! lol

This is one of the few temples where people from other religions are allowed  to pray. Although we did a traditional offering we prayed using our religion. The incense ward off evil spirits and the flowers are offerings to the good spirits. Men sit with their legs crossed and women sit on their knees. Once we were done praying we drank holy water and washed our faces with it. After, a priest put rice on our forehead and neck (see Anthony), a sign that we prayed and for prosperity. At last, you can remove the rice and throw it in the temple, people from India usually eat the rice.

Our guide loves photography. He was very creative when he took some of our pictures. This is a side view of one of the temples.

Overseas Operation

Due to the cleanliness here. We felt more comfortable taking Anthony’s stitches out ourselves. We couldn't find any surgical scissors or forceps, not even at any of the pharmacies. So we bought the smallest scissors we could find and tweezers. We boiled the tools and cleaned them with alcohol. It was very simple and we are so glad we did it this way.

Coffee Luwak

A cup of this coffee in the US is $95.00! Anthony drinks a cup of the Luwak coffee. (as seen on the movie the Bucket List)

Alissar tries roasting the coffee beans. 

The Luwak eats the beans on the right. The droppings are collected (left) cleaned and roasted (top)

This is a Luwak, they eat the coffee beans. After, the coffee droppings are collected to make this expensive coffee

Arabica coffee is short and the coffee fruit is very large. They use two different kinds of coffee plants, arabica is one of them.