a Baliround trip 1/6

"We would be glad if we got adjoining seats for you". So our journey begins at the counter of Singapore Airlines, at the airport Frankfurt. An understanding nice smile, when we told about our honeymoon. "Our plane is full but we will try our best ". - 5 minutes before Check-In we were paged, and we experienced the first of many happy moments: "Naturally we have seats for you, adjacent at the window.." and again this friendly smile, which did not leave us within the next 15 days.

A long-distance flight is not everyone’s cup of tea and I had bad fears, that it would be annoying and stressful, but the service of Singapore Airlines is for good reasons one of the best. So the 13-hours flight did not meet our fears, but was relatively harmless and almost too short thanks to the personal monitor and entertaining terminal. How shall you see 15 current films at the same time and play all Nintendo-Games?..The service on board is attentive, calm and (it will attend us furthermore) ... very friendly -
The airport of Singapore is the most impressive, we experience concerning cleanness and organisation up to now. The two hours stopover there rather give the charm of a recreation center. Open drinking water dispenser every 20 meters, a small tropical forest amongst the shopping facilities, everything very elegant and chic.

Time flies during the continuation to Bali, which lasts "only" 2 1/2 hours, and yet we landed at the airport "Ngurah Rai" in Denpasar. The airport of Denpasar is really not big but it is nice. At the entry counter we were asked to form even lines at 2 persons. The small "captain important” took it seriously, controlled "his lines" and tried to look as big as possible. After speedy check we had our stamp in the passport. current temperature in Denpasar, Indonesia welcome by the travel guide: we were garlanded with chains of white Frangipani flowers. On the tour to our first hotel the return journey tickets were collected (see organization). As already often experienced we could not see much of the environment at the arrival at the destination due to darkness. In May the dry season on Bali begins. But this does not change the temperatures.

The average temperature on Bali is about 30°, the very high air humidity changes only statistically and – some species of trees loose their leaves even at these temperatures ...unbelievable :-)))) The climate is the first, you notice and requires a certain change over. We did not want to see big tourist centers (acc. to our mentality), so Kuta and Denpasar were only counseling resp. transit station for Bali. We did not select it except for the departure day consciously. We wanted Bali pure, and this will come...

Batu Blig Beach

The hotel INTAN BALI – at the South West Coast on the Batu Blig Beach finished our "feared" totally 25 hours arrival adventure.

The INTAN BALI was just renovated (status 5/2002) and partially extended.We got rooms which were entered the first time, and even the current initially did not know if it should function or not. After 3 visits of different on-site engineers it worked.

The footboy told us proudly that the room is new and left only after the obligatory dollar. After the long arrival and with the expectations for the coming we went to bed exhausted and could not use the whole service of the hotel. The hotel has more than 300 rooms, is spacious and offers also separate bungalows. The renovated and exteded part has 3 floors and a narrow high courtyard with access to the single rooms. Next morning the INTAN BALI provided us (as all visited hotels) with a large cold and warm breakfast buffet. A short walk let us feel the seawater for the first time.

Tanah Lot

It was the sole small disappointment of our journey. and unfortunately for us and the coming tourists for the next 3 -4 years no adventure. The temple and the whole sea area around it are renovated. Thick metal scaffolds are built deep into the ocean and spoil the hoped sensual impression. Nowhere it is advised. The travel agencies would do good to inform the guests before the journey. As it happened during the round trip and we will see temples in great profusion, we got over it. I did my very best to make a photo, which conceals the mentioned construction measures and shows the temple, which is not so dazzling as it is indicated in all brochures and tour guides. It won’t be a photo-duty for the next years. It is considered as one of the most famous buildings in the area Tabanan, if not of whole Bali. The temple is addicted to the three High Gods Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu. It is considered by the Balinese as outpost against the feared daemons of the Hades, who live in the sea acc. to belief. The location and the region on the coast is beautiful. Oblations with joss sticks lie on many steps. From a high headland to the right of the temple you have an amazing view over the small complex.

This will be overwhelmed by tourists in the afternoons, because everyone wants to have a photo of the temple with sunset in the background. The marketer were the most remarkable, who settle (as at all known temples in Bali) the distance between the far parking place and the temple complex. The first meeting with them requires some adaption, but bit by bit you get a feeling dafür. You ignoriert them am besten with a friendly smile. They will accompany us at almost every sightseeing.

After a one hour drive we reached the "water temple" in Mengwi.

Pura Taman Ayun

The baronial water temple PURA TAMAN AYUN in Mengwi. The name means "swimming garden" what describes the complex to the point. Efficient merchants of fruit and lemonade sell "Warungs" at the entrance. Some anglers try their luck in the river. The temple built around 1740 is situated on a river island in waters which are covered by lotus blossoms. On its banks are Frangipani, Rambutan, Durian and Mangosteen trees. In front of the on the "island" a samll park is situated. In front of the imposant temple gate (Candi-Bentar Gate) one sees a high drum tower and a meeting pavilion for the priests.

The main court "Jeroan" is additonally surrounded by an interior moat. The visitors can only inspect the center from the circuit. Women must not enter any temple complex during their menstruation. The Meru`s, the peaked towers rise out of the center of the complex. Two Neun-Tumpang-Meru`s for the lords of the Batan and Bratur lake and one Elf-Tumpang-Meru for the lord of the Ayung river. At the front side in westward direction a Lotus throne stands for the God-trio Vishnu,Shiva and Brahma. The comprehensive religion of the Hindus would go beyond the scope of these pages if we described history, legends and contexts between temple complex and godhood in detail. In case of interest there are further information about corresponding literature under "organisation". I will describe the basics also in the following... at the risk of “peculate".substantials.

We took the dinner in the Cahaya Dewata hotel. This hotel shall be our place to stay for 2 nights. In the afternoon the obligatory zoo visit was planned. Not far we found the bird and reptile park of Bali.....

..forward to the Taman Burung Bali Bird Park...