Uluwatu is a town on Bali with nice surf (though a bit too hard for me!) and a beautiful temple. I don't know how old it is, but these trees sure look like they've seen alot!
There were impressive sculptures throughout the temple, from detail work on the tops of buildings and along fences to these figures at an entrance.
I thought this was pretty neat. The things hanging inside the small building here are kind of like chimes. People used to bang them to signal goings-on at the temple.
and who doesn't love baby monkeys? There were monkeys everywhere! You're required to take off all jewelry, sunglasses, etc before going into the temple. At first we thought it was to show respect or a religious requirement, but now I'm sure it's so that you don't end up with a monkey on your head stealing your stuff! Even with the no jewelry rule, while we were there we saw monkeys steal a pretty ribbon from a little girl's dress and make off with several camera cases. You can buy little bags of banana pieces to feed the monkeys, and one guy had a monkey looking like he was willing to trade a stolen camera case for some bananas. they're smart. really, really smart. and fast.
Every night at 6, there's a Kecak dance at the Uluwatu temple. It's super cool - basically tells part of the Ramayana, where Rama's wife Sita is kidnaped and the monkey king Hanuman helps get her back. Instead of musical instruments, there a chorus of ~70 (?) men chanting and singing.
The performance ends with Hanuman captured by the bad guys after setting Sita free. The bad guys tie him up and intend to set him on fire, but at the last second Hanuman breaks free and starts kicking the fire everywhere! go Hanuman go!!
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