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I am just back from an hour aromatherapy massage and reflexology treatment and I cannot say I've ever had better. Afterwards, she brought me ginger tea and biscuits. Oh heavenly day. But I digress . . .
Yesterday, we went to the iconic Pura Tanah Lot, (pura means temple; puri means palace - bit of trivia for you.) Anyhoo, I told somebody I have been seeing pictures of this all of my life and never did I dream I would actually see it in person. It was built over 400 years ago and is one of 7 sea temples around Bali. I haven't seen any of the others, and why the huge waves that pound Tanah Lot day in and day out haven't eroded it is beyond me. We were there at high tide so couldn't get close at all but this is a better view. The reason to get close at low tide is to get a blessing and it is supposedly the best sunset on Bali and that's when most of the famous pictures have been taken. You'll have to google that yourself. My connection is slow tonight.

recognize it?

This gate is the entrance to the park and market where the temple is located. I know I know, I should have taken it from the other side where I would have avoided those power lines. oh well. The market is aimed at tourists and kind of insane but fun with lots of bargaining and wheeling and dealing and I got some nice souvenirs. 

This is another temple adjacent and there is a very narrow walkway along the cliff out to it. Much as I was tempted, I decided against. haha Sorry but I can't remember the name. See the hole in the rock at sea level? cool

The following are some pix I took from the bus. Rice is the #1 moneymaker in Bali, followed by tourism. Here are some of the rice fields. So beautiful really, and clever.  All man made.

Don't know if you can see the ducks but there were hundreds of them. They are important to the ecology of Bali's wet rice lands. Owners of the fields have their own flocks and bring them over for the day to eat bugs and algae right before harvest, and then take them home again in the evening. I read someplace that the ducks can start going to the fields at 15 days old and we did see some babies paddling around. V. cute.

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I have to say, now that it's been a few days, our group has been bonding and I like them all very much. Last night seven of us sat out in the moonlight, just sort of ran into each other, had some wine, some beer, some iced tea, and some dinner and talked the evening away. And, we have a lot in common, of course. Not just the love of batiks and quilting and sewing either, but we talked about books we were reading and had read and about our lives. I loved talking with this group of intelligent women. We are so much brighter and more interesting than the opposite sex. True. 

Today, I got on the elevator and was asked if I was English or Australian. I have not run into any other Americans since I've been here. Makes one feel quite adventurous!