Our driver (Yoman not Huyman) is patiently waiting for us when we finally arrive in Amed and knows we want to head to Ubud, about a 2-2.5 hour drive. First we have to stop back at Alur Homestay in Amed and say our official goodbyes to Made and his family! They want to be sure we enjoyed our stay on Lombok and know we are welcome back any time . . . then Yoman asks if we would like to stop at his village and visit his home which is on the way to Ubud. But of course!
Now it's possible that an invitation like this has some dark or ulterior side but honestly, we never see it! We just think - how nice, we get to see a 'real' Balinese home. We thread our way into the recesses of a nearby town and walk the last couple of blocks to Yoman's family compound. He tells us that about 20 extended family members live here and that he inherited his house from his father. As we walk in, we're greeted with surprised looks and everyone who'd been engaged in some sort of meal preparation, clothes washing, et al scatters . . . doubtless, they weren't anticipating guests!
Yoman's wife then brings out a plate of boiled snake fruit and tea. Snake fruit is about the size of a lemon, and the skin looks (and feels) just like the skin of a snake! Because it's been boiled, the skin slips off easily revealing a semi-firm pulpy fruit that is absolutely delicious. Accompanied by tea it's a lovely mid-morning snack. We sit, somewhat awkwardly (neither of us have mastered the cross-legged sitting posture!), on a mat in front of the door to their house and watch a variety of little ones sneaking looks at us from behind adjacent doors and windows.
And then we're off for the cross-island taxi ride to Ubud. When we were planning our month in Bali, it appeared that the island was not that big and there were enough roads to ensure access to even some of the remotest areas. What we didn't know was that the average speed on these roads is about 20-25 MPH!! Bali is very mountainous so a trip of 50 miles can take 2-2.5 hours, which this one does.
Turns out our 'on the fly' choice to stay at Samsa Cottages was a very good one. It's on a street just off the main drag through Ubud but set back off the street in such a way that it's absolutely quiet, yet everything is within a very short walk. Ubud is a bustling tourist attraction and apparently very Hindu with an overlay of local legend. Our first day we run head-on into a celebration, complete with parade . . .
Men and women march separately . . .
We're here for eight days and think there will be no shortage of things to do! (That's our street on the right side of the photo.)
Now it's possible that an invitation like this has some dark or ulterior side but honestly, we never see it! We just think - how nice, we get to see a 'real' Balinese home. We thread our way into the recesses of a nearby town and walk the last couple of blocks to Yoman's family compound. He tells us that about 20 extended family members live here and that he inherited his house from his father. As we walk in, we're greeted with surprised looks and everyone who'd been engaged in some sort of meal preparation, clothes washing, et al scatters . . . doubtless, they weren't anticipating guests!
Yoman's wife then brings out a plate of boiled snake fruit and tea. Snake fruit is about the size of a lemon, and the skin looks (and feels) just like the skin of a snake! Because it's been boiled, the skin slips off easily revealing a semi-firm pulpy fruit that is absolutely delicious. Accompanied by tea it's a lovely mid-morning snack. We sit, somewhat awkwardly (neither of us have mastered the cross-legged sitting posture!), on a mat in front of the door to their house and watch a variety of little ones sneaking looks at us from behind adjacent doors and windows.
And then we're off for the cross-island taxi ride to Ubud. When we were planning our month in Bali, it appeared that the island was not that big and there were enough roads to ensure access to even some of the remotest areas. What we didn't know was that the average speed on these roads is about 20-25 MPH!! Bali is very mountainous so a trip of 50 miles can take 2-2.5 hours, which this one does.
Turns out our 'on the fly' choice to stay at Samsa Cottages was a very good one. It's on a street just off the main drag through Ubud but set back off the street in such a way that it's absolutely quiet, yet everything is within a very short walk. Ubud is a bustling tourist attraction and apparently very Hindu with an overlay of local legend. Our first day we run head-on into a celebration, complete with parade . . .
Men and women march separately . . .
We're here for eight days and think there will be no shortage of things to do! (That's our street on the right side of the photo.)
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