April 19th Cycling downhill

We were picked up by Bali Emerald Touring for a downhill cycling tour with our friends Maria and Joe at 8am.  We first stopped at a coffee plantation where they grow coffee beans and also have the civet cats that eat the coffee beans and thus produces civet coffee, which is reportedly the world's most expensive and low-production variety of coffee. The beans are eaten and pass through the cat's  digestive tract.  In its stomach, proteolytic enzymes seep into the beans, making shorter peptides and more free amino acids. Passing through a civet's intestines the beans are then defecated, keeping their shape. After gathering, thorough washing, sun drying, light roasting and brewing, these beans yield an aromatic coffee with much less bitterness.   At the plantation we had an opportunity to try the coffee for $6 a cup - we elected not to, but Joe says the coffee is excellent and he had bought some earlier in town. Kopi luwak, this cat coffee,  is produced mainly on the islands of Sumatra, Java, Bali and Sulawesi in the Indonesian Archipelago.

Joe and Maria, in background Batur Volcano with dark lava field

We then drove up to the mountains to see Batur Lake, a holy lake, and the volcanoes of Batur and Agung. We had a buffet breakfast there viewing the lake and the lava fields before we started our ride.  We thought we were going to be riding downhill to the lake,  but in viewing the steepness of the grade and the traffic, we were pleased to be told "no, we were going to be riding downhill from a lower point". On the way to collect our bikes we past the remnants of a wedding and our driver and guide kindly stopped so we could see what was going on. Unfortunately the wedding season is over now, so I will have to wait for another round of auspicious days.

Wedding Decor

For our bike trip another 2 ladies joined us and we started on the ride that was 99% down hill. We were given decent mountain bikes with helmets and water.  The bikes were not as comfortable as the ones from the tour company in Chiang Mai, as they did not have the handle bar extenders.  Also we were dealing with more traffic than we do on the CM cycle tour we take.  Here they also drive on the left so that was something to keep in mind as well as the fact the back wheel break was on the left handlebar.

We stopped along the way to see a typical Balinese family compound. The Balinese family compound comprises a rectangular perimeter wall and several important structures, each significant and carefully laid out. The Balinese think that the family compound reflects the human body.
The top end of the compound is considered most important and represents the head. This is where the sleeping quarters for the head of the household are located. The family temple, dedicated to the souls of ancestors and other gods are always located at the corner facing the holy mountain of Agung and first to see the light of day.

In the center of the compound is an open area which represents the navel and to each side of this are 2 structures, which are raised areas with an open air bamboo and thatched roof. These are the guest pavilion and the ceremonial pavilion (the arms).  On the side of the structure facing the sea is the kitchen and the rice storage barn. These represent the legs and feet. Having this explanation from the guide helped us to understand the large compounds we have seen in Ubud that always seem to have temples in them, which can number anywhere from 4 to 8 and be quite elaborate.

We continued on our ride and walked through a lovely terraced rice patty where in a snake was seen.  Leslie slipped while traversing one of the rice damns and ended up very muddy but unhurt from that little adventure. The rice was about a month away from harvesting so still a lovely lush green color.  We then cycled further down the road, past chicken farms, kids playing with kites, dogs running across in front of us, before we stopped at an excellent wood carving shed. 

Lovely doors and arch beams were being made in this small open air workshop.  These doors, the carving is three dimensional cost about $600 and can only be used as a door of a totally traditional Balinese sleeping quarters.  There are really so many rules here concerning when things are determined to be auspicious - even extends as far as when to get your hair cut!

Our ride finished shortly thereafter and we were happy to get off our bikes as the road had greatly deteriorated and dealing with loose gravel, big potholes, traffic and dogs in those conditions had us a little uncomfortable.  As the 28 KM ride was mostly downhill we did not really feel that we were overly tired and we had a nice cool breeze the whole way so we were not really too hot either.  Included in the tour was a nice Balinese buffet lunch at the tour company's facilities which was good and there was plenty of choice.  We arrived back at Murni's Houses at 3pm and then Leslie spent the next hour trying to get all the silty mud out of her clothes. 

We went out for drinks, then light supper at the restaurant with live light jazz performers.  We have a day tour with Marie and Joe booked to the North of Bali to look forward to tomorrow.

Family Rice Temples in the Fields

Who is that mud-covered biker?!!