Day 2 - paradise

Bali is paradisiac I've never been in such a place! The airport was the first thing I've noticed to be extremely Balinese style. The whole building is absurdly beautiful all filled with statues and plants, it looks like being in the middle of an industrial massive jungle, with plane as birds. 

One thing I totally love is to travel at late night, so I can go to my hotel, fell asleep and woke with thousands expectations and very positive energy! Discovering a new world around me ! Johan our friend's driver come and picked us up welcoming us in super warm Balinese way! 

We talked for a little during the journey, both my Francesco and I were really tired. Johan explained us few things about his yet to discover beautiful island, he recommended us where to go, giving us tips for trips around Bali! After a short drive we arrived at the Hotel that I've booked the previous day, in a total rush, realising I didn't book anything for the first night. I thought it was going to be a last minute thing... It was absolutely beautiful and immense. 

People at the reception are really kind, polite and friendly. And when you're thanked they put hands together and lower their head. I thought was something you could just see in the movies. They have a truly devotion for the tourist and perhaps is the thing that saves them, tourism. If tourists come they have work and have some money. It make sense. 

We've been assigned a beautiful room on the third floor and without even the strength to put an alarm I fell asleep. 

The next morning my biological alarm woke me up quite early, we've got dressed and we went downstairs on the first floor for the breakfast which was the most big assortments of food I've ever seen. We start picking food from our plates in a rainy, muggy, hot day in Bali. 

After breakfast Johan picked us up and we drove to Ubud for about an hour, the journey was not exactly quiet , people here drive like crazy and streets tent to be very, very, busy; especially lunch and dinner time is mental, but with air condition and the thought of being in a new country we just let our eyes rolling around. 

Everything is a big temple, houses are gorgeous and so the people. 

As soon as we arrived in Ubud, Rumah Kitah our host Made and his wife Putuh made the welcoming! They are such a lovely people, I had the chance to Visit Made workshop, he does beautiful wooden sculpture and you can tell that he's very proud of it. He explained to me how Michelangelo and Bottini really inspires him, the giant scene of the Christ on the Cross is one of the best reproduction I've ever seen! Really impressive! 

We had couple of cigarettes together, he apologised for is English very often, but I found it great to be honest! I guess is not too easy for a man of his age to talk another language.. Putuh in the other hand she's adorable very shy and a strong woman at the same time. She made me a wonderful tea and I couldn't stop to thank her : "terima kasih" which is the only thing I learnt for now ! 

They provided us with a scooter in about half an hour and we went to visit Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal which is the Sacred Monkey Sanctuary! 

Rules are very easy: 1- don't feed them with your own food; 2- don't touch the babes; 3- don't scream at them; 4-don't look straight in the eyes; pretty easy thinking that they are our old descendants. They live at peace and in contact with the people! Keepers are extremely sweet to them and they really act for their best. We enjoy a walk in the temple surrounded by them, I had one of them trying unsuccessfully to open my backpack and another one rummaging in my partner's pocket, but after realising we were not carrying food they just kept doing their business and us ours ! 

For lunch we went for some food in a local place that does a balinese style pork with coconut! Absolutely a must try! Unfortunately, during the afternoon started to rain really bad and we had just to jump from a bar to another and from a market to another, but we enjoyed getting lost in Ubud which is absolutely a jewel! People , the people! They do make the difference! 

Xx