Bali: A Whole Different Indonesia

During the second week of their trip to Indonesia, my family went to the island paradise of Bali. I love Bali, but it is very different from the Indonesia that I know and live in. So our week there was like a vacation for me too! Here are some highlights of our trip there: We went to a Kecak fire dance performance in Ubud. This involved a lot of chanting men and men pretending to ride horses and kicking flaming coconut shells everywhere. I thought it was pretty awesome. Spirits were momentarily lowered when we got drenched in a downpour, but overall it was a great performance.

Neil found his new girlfriend.

We went to Pura Goa Lawah or the bat cave temple near Padangbai. Bali is predominately Hindu and this is a Hindu temple built into a cave that is full of bats. The sound of fluttering wings and the smell of their guano was overpowering. The Hindus believe that the bats live there to feed Naga, the serpent, who lives at the back of the cave. We were not allowed to enter the cave to search for Naga.

Here are just a few of the big bats who live in the temple's cave. Much larger than your average North American flying mammal!

Mum and Dad respectfully wearing their sarongs and scarves to enter the temples. Aren't they an adorable couple?

Neil looks nice and manly in his sarong and scarf. He got along well with all of the demon statues.