Bali - Temples

Bali is primarily Hindu, and Balinese life revolves around the local temple. All of the temples we saw were gorgeous - carved out of stone, they were weathered and moss-covered in a way that made them look ur-old. In fact, because of the humid, warm environment on Bali, temples are constantly being rebuilt as they decay.

One of the ways the Balinese make temples part of their every-day life is to leave offerings. We got used to seeing the little leaf-plates scattered in front of doorways and by the road with bits of rice and flower petals.

Offerings at a temple entrance.

At our hotel.

Delivering offerings for the day.

Preparing offerings on temple grounds.

Some of the more interesting temples we visited were:

Goa Gajah

(Elephant Cave Temple)

Here I am in the mouth of the "Elephant Cave"

The cave wasn't the best part about this place, though - the best part was the jungle behind the temple.

Gunung Kawi

(Rice Terrace Temple)

While exploring the rice terraces just outside this temple, this guy came up to us and asked "Do you want to take pictures?" We thought he was offering that we could take a picture of him, so we snapped this picture.

What he really meant was for us to follow him and photograph the ceremony he was leading in the jungle. We followed him a few minutes down the jungle path and found these people assembled around a small shrine, waiting for him.

It turns out it was a special day for honoring the gods of education and this spot was special because it was here that religious instruction was said to have taken place long ago.

Ulun Danu

(Water Temple)

This temple is located on Lake Bratan, up in the mountain highlands.

Tanah Lot

Perhaps the most dramatic of the temples we saw, Tanah Lot is located on an island in the sea that is only accessible at low tide. We went at sunset and wandered around the tide pools.