Chapter 8
Day 10
It was night when I started feeling bad. The next morning I woke earlier than the rising sun looking quite like a ghost. Lula was quite worried for me and we decided to stick to Ubud for the rest of the day. So, I went back to bed having pills for lunch. In the afternoon Lula visited an Ayurvedic centre for a massage, but she didn’t like it much. I started feeling better by the late afternoon, so we got out of the hotel and we visited local travel agencies where we bargained for a driver for the next day and a minivan to go back to Kuta two days later. Of course, both the price for the Day Trip and the ride to Kuta were much lower than the price asked us by Yum Yum. We did right leaving him.
Our evening was far too quiet and my dinner was just plain unsalted steamed sticky white rice.
Back to sleep early looking forward for a better next day.
Our evening was far too quiet and my dinner was just plain unsalted steamed sticky white rice.
Back to sleep early looking forward for a better next day.
Day 11
I woke up that the previous day was only a far nightmare. I was back to my own self and the Franz reflected by the mirror was again colourful and not in shades of gray.
Goa Gajah
After a short breakfast we met our new driver, that shown to be very professional and quite silent too. In few minutes of driving we reached our first place to visit, that was Goa Gajah, also known as “The Elephant Cave”. This area has two main attractions, the cave and the gardens. The cave is a quite interesting. We were told that in the beginning it was just a sort of a tunnel-temple hosting a God Ganesh statue. Seeing that the God Ganesh has human body and elephant head, the cave was named as The Elephant Cave. Later were made enhancement works on the exterior cliff. The same cliff was carved with the face of a giant with open mouth. People say that it mught be a sculptured portrait of the famous giant Kebo Iwa. Of course, the open mouth is the entrance of the cave.
We reached the area and we passed by some dry pools that looked like the ones that we saw two days earlier in Tampak Siring. According to an old legend, there fountains were considered the Fountains of Eternal Youth! You find Fountains of Eternal Youth where you expect less. For a moment, looking at these ancient ruins, I reminded my time in Cambodia, and somehow, I missed Cambodia a little. I wonder when we’ll meet again. I miss you Kampuchea…
Just a little farther we reached the cave and we entered it. In the inside there was a short straight tunnel that ended into a perpendicular other, like a “T”. In the two tunnels before us there was, in the first the God Ganesh Staue, while in the other there were three thick stone Lingam.
We came back outside and we visited the gardens. There was a nice pool where grew beautiful Water Lilies. All around of us there was a park, not quite well cared, that resembled a rain forest. We did a short hike and then we came back to our driver.
We reached the area and we passed by some dry pools that looked like the ones that we saw two days earlier in Tampak Siring. According to an old legend, there fountains were considered the Fountains of Eternal Youth! You find Fountains of Eternal Youth where you expect less. For a moment, looking at these ancient ruins, I reminded my time in Cambodia, and somehow, I missed Cambodia a little. I wonder when we’ll meet again. I miss you Kampuchea…
Just a little farther we reached the cave and we entered it. In the inside there was a short straight tunnel that ended into a perpendicular other, like a “T”. In the two tunnels before us there was, in the first the God Ganesh Staue, while in the other there were three thick stone Lingam.
We came back outside and we visited the gardens. There was a nice pool where grew beautiful Water Lilies. All around of us there was a park, not quite well cared, that resembled a rain forest. We did a short hike and then we came back to our driver.
|
History of Goa Gajah
The mysterious Goa Gajah (elephant cave) is one of the oldest relics on Bali. The exact time of origin is uncertain, but archeologists estimate the cave to have been built around year 1022 AD. This was long before Majapahit entered the island, and also hundreds of years before the first Europeans set foot here. The site is a mix of Hindu- and Buddhist symbols, among them the cave with the entrance in an artistically carved cliff, a bathing pool with fountains, a statue of the Buddhist goddess Hariti, as well as several other Buddha figures. The cave was only known by the locals until 1923, when a young Dutch found the place after hearing some conversation about a monster head with elephant ears. The left wing of the cave: three linga, symbols of fertility.It soon became apparent that it was rather a head of a demon, not an elephant, but this misunderstanding probably gave the cave it’s name. Another explanation for the name is that it comes from the statue of the elephant god Ganesh, a third explanation is that Javanese writings from 1365 says that a Buddhist hermit lived near Lwa Gajah, the elephant river. This probably points to the Petanu river close by and probably also to the cave, which is quite similar to hermitages found on East Java. Yet another interpretation of the name is that the cave was created by the legendary giant Kebo Iwo, who also according to the myth built Gunung Kawi and Yeh Pulu. The demon above the cave entrance should then be a portrait of the same Kebo Iwo. The demon is in fact meant to protect the site, this is quite common on Bali were demonic faces like this is found on temples and other buildings all over the island. Who this particular demon is meant to portrait is still disputed, except for Kebo Iwo it has been suggested that it is the witch Rangda or maybe Shiva Pasiputi. Shiva Pasiputi divided the cosmic mountain Mahameru in two and created the rival mountains Agung and Batur, as well as the characteristic split gate that can be seen everywhere on Bali. The fingertips of the demon seems to push aside a jungle of carved animals, cliffs, leaves, waves and demons. Three of the statues in the old bathing pools.The cave is manmade and has the shape of a T, it is two meters high and one meter wide. It contain 15 niches which is regarded as proof that this was not a temple. At the end of the left wing there is a one meter tall, four armed statue of the elephant god Ganesh, at the end of the right wing there is three half meter tall “linga”, fertility symbols of the Hindu God Shiva. On the walls there are some old-Javanese writings which has helped to establish the time of origin of the cave. The bathing place in front of the cave was not discovered before 1954. It then became apparent that the whole complex has been an important religious site in old Bali. Parts of the statues in the bathing pools were first found close by the cave, and later the bathing pool itself were excavated. The bathing pools are divided in two, one for men and one for women, each part with three water sprouting statues. The statue parts first found fit perfectly to the parts found by the pools. Another bathing place were later found further down the hill, with steps leading down to it. These findings is said to be the most important done on Bali since WW2. The old bathing pools.To the left of the cave there is a statue of the Buddhist goddess Hariti, a child-eating witch worshipped in India. She converted to Buddhism and transformed into a fertility goddess and a protector of children. On Bali she is also known as Men Brayut, a name often used on poor women with many children. South of the cave there is a small shrine with two Buddha figures, or it used to be two until 2000 when one was stolen. Close by there is some fragments of old relief’s, probably much older than the cave. Goa Gajah can be difficult to find on your own, from south you drive towards Gianyar, by the “baby monument” after Batuan you continue straight ahead towards Ubud, then turn right at Teges towards Bedulu. The site is on the right side two kilometers before the Bedulu village. You know you’re there when you see the large parking lot and the many souvenir stalls. From Goa Gajah it is possible to take a walk through the rice fields in Bedulu and to Yeh Pulu, it is recommended that you pay one of the local kids to guide you. Source: http://www.thebalidriver.com/places-of-interest/goa-gajah-the-elephant-cave.html |
|
Goa Lawah
We had a long ride before reaching the next point of interest. We reached Goa Lawah that was almost midday. Our driver parked just in front of the sea and we went at the temple across the street. This area is known also as “The Bat Cave Temple”. In fact, the temple rises just outside a tall cave that hosts thousands of bats. The noise of their screeching pierce the hears while the guano fills the air with its stinging smell. It was really unbelievable place!
Of course this place has not one but two legends. One tells that deep underground a giant snake made this cave his home. The second one says that this cave is a connection between the coast and the Besakih Temple. Of course, for fear of the snake, nobody ever checked if this cave truly leads to the Besakih Temple.
The Goa Lawah temple is also the most important of Bali for the matters concerning the afterlife. By the beach in front of the temple, usually are performed funerals of members of the most rich families of Bali, the only ones that can afford it.
When we reached the car the driver suggested us to have a walk on the beach, because, as he said, it was really nice. So, we went to the beach and we discovered that it was broad, long and made of black sand. It was nearly deserted. The sea, in the bright sun and the black sand turned into a beautiful blue colour.
We walked along the beach until we couldn’t see the parking anymore, so we turned back. On the shore we saw something strange. A sort of finger-like thing was sticking out of the sand. I looked closer and it looked like it had a mouth. So, using the back of the blade of my knife, in a way to not hurt that thing, I touched it. Never touch a snake when it’s sleeping! The snake, because in that exact moment shown himself, got out of the sand. He was crazily pissed off just like I’d be if an idiot would disturb me with the back of a knife. Lula didn’t just run, she teleported herself a kilometer farther, while I run away until I saw the snake entering water. It was in that moment that we saw a strange group of people. It was like a large family, they were a sort of procession by the beach, and there were some boys, maybe servants, holding in their heads boxes with what looked like food. We wondered if it was some sort of ritual or maybe just a pic nic! We should go and ask them. Perhaps we should do it running toward them, holding the knife in hand and a big sea snake following us? No, that wouldn’t be a great idea.
Of course this place has not one but two legends. One tells that deep underground a giant snake made this cave his home. The second one says that this cave is a connection between the coast and the Besakih Temple. Of course, for fear of the snake, nobody ever checked if this cave truly leads to the Besakih Temple.
The Goa Lawah temple is also the most important of Bali for the matters concerning the afterlife. By the beach in front of the temple, usually are performed funerals of members of the most rich families of Bali, the only ones that can afford it.
When we reached the car the driver suggested us to have a walk on the beach, because, as he said, it was really nice. So, we went to the beach and we discovered that it was broad, long and made of black sand. It was nearly deserted. The sea, in the bright sun and the black sand turned into a beautiful blue colour.
We walked along the beach until we couldn’t see the parking anymore, so we turned back. On the shore we saw something strange. A sort of finger-like thing was sticking out of the sand. I looked closer and it looked like it had a mouth. So, using the back of the blade of my knife, in a way to not hurt that thing, I touched it. Never touch a snake when it’s sleeping! The snake, because in that exact moment shown himself, got out of the sand. He was crazily pissed off just like I’d be if an idiot would disturb me with the back of a knife. Lula didn’t just run, she teleported herself a kilometer farther, while I run away until I saw the snake entering water. It was in that moment that we saw a strange group of people. It was like a large family, they were a sort of procession by the beach, and there were some boys, maybe servants, holding in their heads boxes with what looked like food. We wondered if it was some sort of ritual or maybe just a pic nic! We should go and ask them. Perhaps we should do it running toward them, holding the knife in hand and a big sea snake following us? No, that wouldn’t be a great idea.
Padangbai
The last stop of the day was in Padangbai where we saw the typical Balinese boats with the eyes painted over. The bow of the ship, to me, looked like the head of Marlin fish. I wonder if it was inspired by that fish. The sand of this small bay was made of big round grains, so we decided to change its name from Padangbai to “Cous Cous Beach”. I don’t know if local people would be happy of it!
Night in Ubud
That evening, after a gorgeous dinner, we visited a local Raggae pub absolutely crammed of people. Unsurprisingly the singers were the same that we saw in Kuta few days before. The music was nice and the rum based cocktails were very nice! A great way to spend the evening!