Chapter 9
Kuta Days
We came back to Kuta to have some days of beach life. We spent our time between the Padang-Padang beach and the same Kuta beach.
One day we decided to have a rafting trip, as I love it. The trip shown to be very funny. We crossed very nice landscapes, and the rives, in some parts, was very rough and funny.
One day we decided to have a rafting trip, as I love it. The trip shown to be very funny. We crossed very nice landscapes, and the rives, in some parts, was very rough and funny.
Pura Tanah Lot
The same day, when we came back to Kuta we bargained with a driver and we went to see the Pura Tanah Lot temple. This temple is quite famous because it was built on a huge rock that with the high tides turns into a small island. We arrived there by sunset. There were thousands of tourists, but sunset is the moment when the temple looks better. Once near the temple, people can visit a “holy fountain” under it. Here some people, that say to be priests, ask for money in exchange of both a blessing and as a toll to enter the temple. People, only two minutes later, will discover that the “allowance” to the temple is to enter a stairway that leads to a closed gate just behind. By the way, the stairway has free access. This time we were scammed too.
On the west side there is a cliff where people can enjoy a better sight both of the temple and of the sunset. Then exactly with the last rays of sun, thousands of bats got out of the caves in the high cliffs nearby. They looked like a huge living black cloud dancing in the sky heading East.
We sat a little longer to enjoy the sight of the sunset on this wonderful sea, and then back to Kuta, looking forward for a lively night life.
On the west side there is a cliff where people can enjoy a better sight both of the temple and of the sunset. Then exactly with the last rays of sun, thousands of bats got out of the caves in the high cliffs nearby. They looked like a huge living black cloud dancing in the sky heading East.
We sat a little longer to enjoy the sight of the sunset on this wonderful sea, and then back to Kuta, looking forward for a lively night life.
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Tanah Lot Temple
Tanah Lot means "Land Sea" in the Balinese language. Located in Tabanan, about 20 kilometres from Denpasar, the temple sits on a large offshore rock which has been shaped continuously over the years by the ocean tide. Tanah Lot is claimed to be the work of the 16th-century Dang Hyang Nirartha. During his travels along the south coast he saw the rock-island's beautiful setting and rested there. Some fishermen saw him, and bought him gifts. Nirartha then spent the night on the little island. Later he spoke to the fishermen and told them to build a shrine on the rock, for he felt it to be a holy place to worship the Balinese sea gods. The Tanah Lot temple was built and has been a part of Balinese mythology for centuries. The temple is one of seven sea temples around the Balinese coast. Each of the sea temples was established within eyesight of the next to form a chain along the south-western coast. In addition to Balinese mythology, the temple was significantly influenced by Hinduism. At the base of the rocky island, poisonous sea snakes are believed to guard the temple from evil spirits and intruders. The temple is purportedly protected by a giant snake, which was created from Nirartha's selendang (a type of sash) when he established the island. Restoration In 1980, the temple's rock face was starting to crumble and the area around and inside the temple started to become dangerous. The Japanese government then provided a loan to the Indonesian government of Rp 800 billion to conserve the historic temple and other significant locations around Bali. As a result, over one third of Tanah Lot's "rock" is actually cleverly disguised artificial rock created during the Japanese-funded and supervised renovation and stabilization program. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanah_Lot |
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The way back to Italy
We more day of beach life in Kuta and then it was time to pack our backpacks and come back, via Bangkok, to Italy.
We enjoyed this trip very much. It was quite short, but it took us to many different places and gave us so many emotions that we’ll never forget.
See you again, Indonesia!
Franz
We enjoyed this trip very much. It was quite short, but it took us to many different places and gave us so many emotions that we’ll never forget.
See you again, Indonesia!
Franz