Bali (Ubud) -- Day 4 -- Monkey Forest

After a quick breakfast at Masih Bungalow (banana pancakes, fruit and kopi bali), I checked out, exchanged the mountain bike I'd rented for a new one and rode on the new rickety bike to Monkey Forest Sanctuary (admission 10,000 Rp). Monkeys are sacred to the Balinese Hindus just as in India and they are revered. (These monkeys are macaques, the name is familiar, of course, to Americans for the macaca comment made by George Allen. That idiot!) For an additional 10,000 Rp, you can buy bananas to feed the animals. The sanctuary is used by the Balinese for religious festivals and is a haven for 115 different species of trees. It is a harmonious mixture of man and nature. The monkeys, by the way, are extremely aggressive and if you are not careful, they can snatch away your belongings. Watch out. The guides are very helpful if you want to take pictures. You can spend a good two hours in this sanctuary.

I retrieved my bike and rode back to Tutmak cafe for brunch (banana pancakes and iced coffee). I don't know, I just liked the pancakes so much, I suppose. Anyway, I took directions to Elephant Cave (Goa Gajah). The maps say that it's 3 kms from Ubud village, but I rode far more than 3 kms, because the signs are poor, I missed my way a few times and the locals don't understand the English term Elephant Cave. After I used the local name, Goa Gajah (Goa=cave, Gajah=elephant from Sanskrit) from Lonely Planet things went a lot easier. Riding through Ubud, you see plenty of artists' homes. Many of them work and display their art on location. I suppose, this where you've to visit to get the real stuff. The lush greenery and the gentle breeze mitigated somewhat the intense heat. I was drinking fluids like there was no tomorrow. After almost an hour of riding including miscues, I arrived at the Elephant Cave.

Elephant Cave: This cave is not readily visible from the street, but once you enter the premises and pay the admission (5,000 Rp), you have to change to the acceptable attire, a sarong, which they will loan you at the temple. Incidentally, a sign there says that women in their menstrual period are not allowed. I wonder how they are going to control that? At any rate, a very helpful guide, in fact one of the custodians of the temple, gave me a good history of the temple. Founded in the 11th century, it is perhaps the oldest Hindu temple in Bali. The deities are unlike what you might see in India. There is not much ornamentation, but on the other hand, you can see the Hindu Trinity (Brahma, Wisnu and Siwa -- note spellings) in the same location -- somewhat unusual in India. After an engaging conversation with the guide, I savored some tender coconut juice and went onward with my bike ride to Pejeng.

Pejeng: This is a region famous for its rice paddy fields -- the terraced fields that you see in tourist brochures. It is a sight for sore eyes, believe me. The ride itself took almost 2 hours because of undulating streets and having to stop every kilometer or so to get directions. The locals are indeed very friendly and it appears that you only have to say the word Ubud, and they know how to direct you. Terimah kasih (thank you), you lovely Balinese.

The ride back wore me out completely, not in the least because of the lousy bike. I went back to the rental place, returned my bike and went back to Tutmak for yet another iced coffee. I was tired (again) and this time I went to Adi Cottages, where I was going to spend the night. I was so glad to have a/c that I fell on the bed and snoozed for an hour or two. Feeling refreshed, I walked on Monkey Forest Road for a while and saw this women handing out fliers for different massages. What the hell, let me try a Balinese massage (70,000 Rp), I thought. It turned out that only the name changes, but the massage is the same. Marketing certainly works! The masseuse was very surly, yet grateful when I paid her. Maybe it was due to the lack of business, maybe it was her nature. Who can tell?

I walked back to Putra Bar for a few beers and some relaxing Jazz. I made small talk with the bartenders and learned of their pecuniary situation. Many of them subsist on the largess of foreign tourists who have spent considerable time in Ubud. Tough times! Here I also learned about the Balinese custom of naming children. The names are unisex. The first born is Wayan or Putu, the second is Made or Kadek, the third is Nyoman or Komang and the fourth is Ketut. The cycle repeats for fifth, sixth born etc. Interesting.

Based on the recommendation of the folks at Putra Bar, I went to the neighboring Cafe Bali (every third or fourth restaurant is called Cafe Bali) and had Balinese clear chicken soup and a full grilled red snapper in Balinese style. The total tab was 77,000 Rp; the spices were an interesting mix, but not hot enough for me. I enjoyed it, though. I followed it up with more beer and music at Putra Bar and retired thankfully at the air-conditioned Adi Cottage room. This was the end of my Ubud trip. I shall return!