Indonesian                                      
          BALI    DIARY  10

 

Newer the less, an eager young man sell me a ticket, ten times what I use to pay for waterfalls, and insists guiding me to the falls. I try to enjoy the nature, but he is apparently in a hurry. Here are several falls, and although nice, not as impressive as expected. The 48 meters might be their total height.

Then I head downwards, all the way out to the central northern coast with Singaraja, an old harbour town. The temperature raises considerable, both due to the lack of altitude and presence of sun.

Singaraja is a big city, where the major roads are allied with trees, and the government have huge and fancy buildings. I gas the car, and fill my cash reserves with a few millions.

I optimistic start at Pasar Kuliner, but that is the night-market. Closer to the harbour, a huge combined shops and market area is found. Offerings in all kind of variations, fruit and vegetables, clothing, jewellery, dried anything, machetes and sickles – well; anything which the locals possible buy. I get away with a lot of photos, as they are not use to visitors. In the middle, a little coffee shop is found, and I’m game.

I had expected some sort of harbour, but all I find is a black beach with some of the usual outrigger fishing canoes. I follow the beach for a long time, mainly through the  fishermen’s humble township. A single rather new Chinese temple sticks out.

Back to the main-road, things only get slightly less humble. Just before noon, the sun vanish, and I slowly find my way back to the car.
As my next site is “low key”, I figure, I better get something to eat before I leave the city. Well, the first restaurants only serve chicken, and I stock some burritos, just in case. Then some lorries are parked in the edge of the city, and I get a great serving.

Although Lovina should be enjoying in the sunset, I head there at noon. According to my guidebook, is a low-key beach town. Well, with only tourists and their restaurants, dive- and souvenir shops. About 200 of each, give and take.

It is a nice black and vacant beach, but not really interesting. I do the mandatory walk, and find coffee at M-mart. A chat with a local over a real tasty passion fruit, and I had “low key” enough for one day - or week..

A bit up on the foothills, the Buddhist Brama Vihara Arama monastery is found. Here are some gardens and nice buildings along with numerous Buddha statues.
Some black clouds are gathering over the mountains, then closer. I get the photos and a few drops, before I head on.

My new home is a bit outside Seririt, where it just start to drizzle. I ditch the car and walk back to town, now in sunshine. The market is dead – and smell that way too. Vegetarian meal is hard to find, but I finally succeed.

That was enough entertainment for one day, and I return to my steamy room – or the porch. Apparently, I have not had enough to drink, and it take me seven hours to get back to, where I can fall asleep. And at one time, I get caught at the toilet, as the lock has broken.
 Day's highlights       All the better photos of the day

29/6. In an effort to find some breakfast, I stop at six restaurants. As it is a muslin area, it is tricky to avoid dead animals. When I finally does, it is a great meal with coffee for €0,80.

Then I follow the northern coastal road, between the sea and mountains. Here are also glimpses of rice fields and quite some mosques.
A tiny trail leads to a little fishing hamlet. They also farm fish, pigs and cows, and it is truly an unspoiled pace. I do a long walk along the beach, and back through the huts.

Unspoiled can’t be said about Pemuteran, a beach town with diving, resorts, restaurants and tattoo shops. I find the beach anyway – or the concrete, where it use to be. A bit of walking, and there are less spoiled beach and coastal forest.

The next stop is at the little harbour for Deer Island; Labuhan Lalang. I follow the beach, watching the large and lush trees in the see. Then a creek leads into the mangrove and its peacefulness. I find a few shells on the dark grey sand on the way back, then a cup of coffee at the terminal.

At Sumberklampok, the entrance for West Bali National Park is found. As they insist on a guide, I don’t get to see their monkey-infested savannah in the midday heat.

On a small peninsula, Gilimanuk is located. It is a serious harbour town, and the main-street is made up by “Online Ticket” shops. I find the most western part of Bali, where huge waves hit the coast, and the next island: Java can be seen in the mist.

Besides from that , they have a noisy mosque and a prehistoric man-museum. And lots of restaurants, which is good, as I have to ask at eight, before someone can make dish without chicken or fish.

The inland surroundings are scattered with “Gunung”s; mountains, of which Gunung Kelatakan is the highest, with 693 meters. It is within the national park, and there are no roads.

I just follow the main road south-east, which also leads through the park. Here are mainly a dry forest, then some coconut plantations, and just outside Tempat Peribadatan, some rice. Then some large factories, were the different parts of coconuts are manual processed.

Tempat Peribadatan is another harbour town – or rather village. There are gardens and green wasteland between the huts, and is rather humble. I stop a single time at the beach, but it is slightly depressing. On the other side, some cows get to walk the green fields.

I reach my new home in Negara at two, get a room and walk out of the town to a park. At first, it is like a wedding-area, found in a square lake. Then a racing course for mopeds. Finally, it looks right. Lotus ponds, large trees and an impressive but neglected temple.

Pass the hotel, and into the big but sleepy city. Well, Saturday is the day off for Muslims, Hindi and the few Christians. I have seen more bicycles in this city, than in the rest of Bali all together, and it is a first, where I get candy instead of coins back.

I just walk around the main streets, and remember to drink plentiful. Just before home, I  get a great meal at a little restaurant – and then pass the night-market in front of the day market. As it is weekend, there are some extra for the small kids with a merry-go-round and alike.
 Day's highlights       All the better photos of the day

Then I lean back and enjoy the drive along the south-western coast. The traffic is not as light as I anticipated, but despite I face the sun, it is a nice drive over rivers and through huge rice fields and some terraces. I pull over several times, especially when I catch up with a group of lorries.

The road leads through some amassing green rice fields, all the way out to the sea, where Pura Rambut Siwi is found.
With the exception of a guy sweeping and a few pigs, I have it to myself. The temple is not really special, but the quietness and views to the sea truly are. The only creature for at least ten kilometres are the tiny crabs.

It is a bit reluctant that I leave, but a river crossing and the beach White Sands draws. It is a nice river, allied with coconut palms and bananas, and I see a few orchids.
The beach is grey, empty with the exception of a few fist-sized rocks. Along it are screw-palms, and quite some of the gentle and white-socks cattle. Some of the calf are less than a week old, and adorable. To me, the waves look perfect for surfing, but here are none.

I follow the beach for some time, until it meet the river mouth and a little fishing hamlet with colourful outrigger canoes.
Then I turn into the mountains bye a great little road. It twist and turns up through the foothills at first. Here are forest and banana plantations. Further up, the coffee dominates.

Just before I reach my home for the night, the road literally cuts through a giant Bodhi tree. I ditch the car at the yoga retread, and walk the 200 meters back. It is truly a magnificent tree – or actually; cluster of trees. The tunnel though it is ten meters long, and give room for the high packed hi-aces. I make a few (hundred) photos, and head further into the mountains.

The road follow a ridge, and pass some humble settlements and Manggissari. I stop many times, and get equally bad looking photos of the fantastic canyons on both side of the road. I pass 800 meters height, and then it downhill again.

Halfway down, I turn around, and enjoy the tour back home equally. It is still coffee which seems to dominate this altitude, and the farms' yards are covered in beans in different stages of drying. The views down the forest-covered giant cannons are fantastic – and all look the same on the photos.

I live in 450 meters height, and sure hope, that is sufficient to get a hot shower. It is, and I have the most cosy room in a real quiet place. It is actually the only cabin or room they have, and I’m alone after six.

I do a long walk up and down the road, through nature and down to the little village. The only new, are a few cacao plants with fruits. The coconut palms have so many fruits in different stages, and the coffee plants have white flowers along with green and red fruits.

There are seven kilometres to the sea, but the waves are clear. In an effort to get my spare instant noodles used, I cook dinner myself, and just enjoy the tranquillity.
 Day's highlights       All the better photos of the day

               And then into the next page; Diary 11.