May 23, 2026

May 23, 2026

Last night we went to a dinner hosted by a local family in Ubud, Bali. They are probably in the tourism business. They dressed us in traditional sarongs and fed us one of the best buffet meals of the trip. It included Satay with peanuts and Tempeh (fermented soy bean). Dessert was coconut inside a Pandan-flavored crepe.

This morning we went around the corner from our hotel to the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary. This nature reserve sits in a small forest surrounding three ancient temples and has a population of 1200 Long Tailed Macaques. It is a popular tourist attraction. I always like to see monkeys in the natural habitat. These monkeys are well fed and reproduce rapidly. We saw lots of babies. They are so fertile the sanctuary has started to give vasectomies to the males.

The walking path goes down a gorge and across a stone bridge that is engulfed by a large banyan tree that has air roots everywhere. It looks very cool and jungle-like. The vines growing everywhere remind me of Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

Monkeys are very human-like. We see them eating, playing, swimming, and unfortunately fighting just like people. One monkey has a big bloody gouge in his head. I am sure one benefit of the sanctuary is keeping monkey trouble in the town to a minimum. Near the end, I must have gotten too close to a baby, as a male threatened me with bared teeth.

Our nest stop was a local village to see how the Balinese live. The locals showed us how they make and deliver their daily personal offering. They also demonstrated their bigger village celebrations. Aimee tried to balance the food stuffs on her head but couldn’t quite keep it balanced without help.

We also learned how to extract coconut milk and turn it into coconut oil. We also saw a demonstration of plowing a rice paddy, and the planting of seedlings. That is a job no young Bali person wants to do today. We did this all while sipping on fresh coconut water.

Finally we had a cooking class. Aimee and I made the soup. It was vegetables flavored with a garlic and macadamia nut paste. Afterwards we ate what we made. Apparently we did pretty good. It was tasty.

For entertainment, a group of the local girls did a traditional Bali dance for us. They are quite talented in being able to move every part of their body independently. Between the fingers all going one way, and the eyes and head going the other, it was mesmerizing.

Aimee and I spent the late afternoon lounging by the infinity pool below our balcony.

May 22, 2026

May 22, 2026

From our hotel in Ubud, Bali we drove northwest for fifteen miles. It took forever because of heavy traffic and narrow winding roads. Bali is the size of Delaware but with more than four times the population. Bali is also known as the “land of 10,000 temples”. This one is no exaggeration. They are everywhere. It seems every house has a fairly large family temple compound where their ancestors are revered.

Our first stop is the Bali Butterfly Park Tabanan. Aimee and I enjoyed going to the one in Tucson. As we walked through the netted park, I was initially disappointed that the butterflies seemed to be shy around my camera. My interest peaked when we went to the Pupa Incubator where we were introduced to the Atlas Moth. While not a true butterfly it is a giant. The largest in the Moth/Butterfly family. Plus they are so large they don’t readily fly and are happy to sit on your shirt or hand. This one has large translucent windows.

We were next introduced to the huge Rhinoceros Beetle and a couple foot-long Goliath Stick insects. The Sticks are enormous and much longer than anything we have seen. They also don’t mind crawling on your arm.

Aimee and I spent fifteen minutes walking around the park finally getting some of the smaller butterflies to sit still for a couple photos. They also have a little museum. Not surprisingly if you know her favorite color, Aimee is enamored with an iridescent blue butterfly.

We next drove ten miles north up into the highlands of Bali where the landscape is carved by steep river valleys. Bali is a major rice producer. Growing rice in the highlands requires terracing the landscape. The fields in the Jatiluwih Valley were proclaimed a World Heritage Site for their beauty and the associated water irrigation system. Our timing is near perfect. The rice is mature and starting to turn yellow. If we came just two weeks later, the fields would be empty.

We next drive further up into the highlands of Bali ending at Lake Beratan, a volcanic caldera now filled with water. It is the primary water irrigation source for the rice fields. To make sure they have sufficient water for their crops, the Balinese built a temple to the water goddess Danu. The temple is on two islands just offshore. It makes for a very scenic photo.

On our way out, we luck out and see a village making an offering to Danu. They are all decked out in their Balinese finest and marching en masse. The Bali people make offerings to their gods and ancestors almost daily.

This lake is at 4000 feet making the weather delightful. So much that we hang around and visit the attached market. Aimee bought another dress. It is all shockingly inexpensive.

We have lunch not far down the road. Aimee and I both have Fried Falafel with hummus from locally grown chickpeas. We both also tried their Beetroot Juice sweetened with Palm Sugar. It is bright red and tasty but has a very earthy after-taste. When we got back to the hotel, Aimee wanted to walk around Ubud. She found another dress she needed. It is a little dangerous though as the many motorcycles like to use the sidewalk to cut around traffic.

May 21, 2026

May 21, 2026

Our hotel was built on the site of the former Ambarrukmo Palace of the Yogyakarta Sultan. Much of that palace still exists and is attached to the hotel. Last night we had a private dinner in a former audience hall. The food was delivered by palanquin by waiters wearing sarongs. (Sarong means ‘to cover’ in Malay) Our meal started with a Banana Crepe snack. I cannot stand the taste of bananas. I tried it anyway and found it surprisingly tasty. It makes me wonder if the US gets some different banana variety.

We were also served Java Beer. It was tasty but turned out to be non-alcoholic. It was developed a hundred years ago for the Muslim Sultan to entertain beer-loving Dutch envoys. Spices are used to provide the taste and foamy brown color. Aimee and I accidentally discovered it offered at breakfast this morning. We both had several glasses of this cinnamon infused beverage.

Today is a travel day. We checked out of our hotel and drove to the new Yogyakarta airport. It is over an hour away on the southern coastline. After security, Aimee had to buy an Oriental jacket to wear when she plays Mahjong with the ladies at home. While we were waiting for our flight to board, everyone in the airport suddenly rose at 10 am and listened to the national anthem being played over the loudspeaker. It caught me off-guard.

Our hour flight east took us down the length of Java and across to the island of Bali. Like Singapore, the Bali Strait is only 1.5 miles wide. As we land I can tell Bali is different. We see speed boats and para-sailing in the harbor. As we drive to our hotel I see colorful statues everywhere. That is because Bali is Hindu, while Java is virtually all Muslim. Beer and Pork will be easier to find here. Muslim traders took over the islands in the 14th century starting in Malaysia and spreading east. That explains the names of the major Javan cities. e.g. Jakarta (Victory Accomplished) got its new name when conquered by a Muslim Sultan. One ruler resisted and fled east. Bali was a small unimportant island that served as a refuge for the Hindu faithful.

When we flew east from Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta we gained an hour. We should have lost it. Oddly going east to Bali, we returned to KL time. That is due to a warped time zone map here. Because of heavy traffic and narrow roads, it took us an hour and half to drive the 22 miles to our hotel in Ubud.

May 20, 2026

May 20, 2026

After having some delicious Mango last night, I tried to get out of my fruit comfort zone this morning. Instead of Orange, I had some tasty Guava juice. And besides Watermelon and Dragon Fruit, I tried the Snakefruit. I get the name now, as after breaking open and peeling, the rind looks incredibly like real snake skin that has recently been shed. The fruit is firm and mildly sweet with a couple huge nuts inside. Tropical fruit tastes so much better when it is fresh.

After breakfast we drove seven miles east of our hotel to the Prambanan Archeological Complex. The star attraction is the World Heritage site of Prambanan Temple. This is the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia. It was built in the 9th century in the same time frame as Borobodur. This site is dedicated to the Hindu Trinity of Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver, and Shiva the Destroyer.

Around the three main temples are hundreds of auxiliary structures. The temples had a short life span. An eruption by Merapi buried the complex and caused the king to move his palace far to the east. It was rediscovered by the Dutch and Sir Raffles, but lots of items were carried off as souvenirs. Only recently were major efforts to clean up and rebuild the temples undertaken. Most of the structures remain as piles of stone rubble. There are a series of bas-relief panels circling the main temples, many of which are retelling the Ramayana story we watched a couple days ago.

We climbed up the main Shiva temple and explored the four interiors with our guide. There are statues inside each one. Aimee and I then walked around exploring the smaller temples. The general architecture looks similar to Hindu temples we visited in India many years ago. The many tall pointed temples are supposed to remind you of the sacred Himalayan Mountains.

Our temple tour was interrupted on more than one occasion by young Javans wanting to take a picture with us. Or at least with Aimee. I can’t blame the young boys. I like taking photos of her too.

We rented a golf cart to drive us to see the other temples in the park. We stopped to explore Sewu, a Buddhist Temple. While not as grand, I liked this one a little better as there were far fewer visitors making it a more relaxing experience.

Since we are in temple mode, we were ferried outside the park less than a mile away to another Buddhist temple called Plaosan. All three temple sites are different but similar. On the way out of this temple we passed through a local market where Aimee bought some Palazzo Pants and a Caftan dress. I bought some prepackaged Coconut Water to cool off.

We have lunch in a restaurant surrounded by rice paddies. The food was good but the outdoor environment made for a sweaty meal. It has been a long time since I have sweated this much. Interestingly the closest plot had been planted with new rice seedlings this morning. Clumps are scattered around awaiting more planting tomorrow. Paddy is the Anglicization of the Malay word 'padi' (rice plant).

We stopped again at the local Batik store. After mulling it overnight Aimee had to go back and get some more fabric.

May 19, 2026

May 19, 2026

Last night we drove into downtown Yogyakarta, Indonesia to have dinner and then watch a traditional dance performance of Ramayana, an epic Hindu love story. It was a cross between ballet and opera. Aimee and I both found it boring. Although Aimee enjoyed watching the Gamelan band provide the background music. I still find it fascinating that the culture of a majority Muslim country could rely so heavily on ancient Hindu scripture. It is also interesting that the costumes of the lady performers are so revealing compared to their daytime wear. We were also surprised to see so many Dutch tourists. There must be some weird fascination about visiting former colonies of your homeland.

This morning we drove west crossing the new World Heritage site called the Cosmological Axis of Yogyakarta. Supposedly the local king drew an imaginary line from Mt Merapi to our north down through his palace in the center of town, south to the seashore. I am not sure I understand the meaning of this new designation.

We continued on northwest to another World Heritage Site at Borobodur. This is the largest Buddhist temple in the world. Built in the 9th century, it sits atop a small hill. I assumed Indonesia was not a tourist mecca. But it seems tourists overwhelm every destination today. So many want to see Borobodur that visitation is now limited and time sensitive. We have the 9 am time slot and we are limited to one hour. Also to avoid damage to the temple, we are required to wear bamboo sandals for the climb.

Borobudur is built like a step pyramid with each level representing a stage in the enlightenment of the Buddha. The first several levels have bas-relief sculptures ornamenting all the walls. Our guide showed us some examples of the stories illustrated in the carvings. Some are still in pretty good condition while others show wear and deterioration.

The top of the structure is the most interesting. Surrounding the central dome are 72 bell-shaped Stupas with a Buddha inside each one. Two have the tops removed so the Buddha is revealed. The top is also the most photogenic spot. If only I didn't have to share it with a hundred other visitors.

From Borobodur, we drive to the nearby farming village of Candirejo. We see one farmer processing soybeans to make a traditional food called Tempeh. The soybeans are steamed and then allowed to ferment inside a leaf with some yeast. Shockingly, they are using soybeans imported from the US. Much of Indonesian agriculture is so antiquated.

On the way back to our hotel, we stopped at two more Buddhist temples. Both are small. The first, Pawon temple is very tiny with an empty chamber inside. The second, Mandut Temple, is larger but has scaffolding on it because it is undergoing restoration. The interior has three Buddha statues. Our guide demonstrates that one of the Buddha's many hand gestures represents the Chinese yin-yang symbol. Borobodur, Pawon, and Mendut lie on a straight line. There must have been some long forgotten ritual relationship between the three temples.

There is a large Banyan tree nearby. It had hundreds of air roots hanging like a curtain. They are searching for ground contact. I didn’t realize that is how the Banyan expands. The air roots are strong enough to swing from like Tarzan. We then explored the Mendut Monastery adjoining it.

After lunch, we stopped at another Batik shop. This time Aimee was looking for Batik rayon to make me a shirt but came up unsuccessful.

May 18, 2026

May 18, 2026

Our hotel has a great buffet. The previous night I had the items I rarely get at home because they are not on Aimee’s preferred list, including Japanese Sushi and grilled Calamari. The breakfast was just as diverse. I took the opportunity this morning to try a couple items I have been on the lookout for. I had a bowl of Nasi Lemak (fatty rice), the national dish of Malaysia. I followed it with a bowl of Laksa Kari. The key word is Kari, which is the Malay form of Curry. That adds the spice flavor I love and had been hunting. Last night we went to the 39th floor rooftop for a drink of the locals beers Bintang and Bali Hai. We watched the sun set behind our nearby smoking volcano.

This morning we checked out and drove the two hours to the other big city in the center of Java, Yogyakarta. This region is the only one ruled by a king. In many ways Indonesia is a collection of widely diverse states and cultures. Despite the high cost of oil today, there is no shortage of vehicles on the road, especially motorcycles. Interestingly if you call their Uber (Grab) you might have to jump on the back of a motorbike. One reason there are so many vehicles is that the price of diesel is subsidized. It is merely $1.50/gal. That is part of the ‘resource curse’. There is no incentive to use domestic resources economically. Indonesia used to be an oil exporter and a member of OPEC. No longer. They are now an importer.

We had a bathroom break at a Batik craft shop. Batik is not only used for clothing but also for making beautiful art. The pieces we saw make our attempt yesterday look pretty childish.

We stopped for the day in the old part of the city called Kota-gede, or Big City. We first walked through the market where the local food stuffs are sold. Tropical Asia is so different than our own. There are blue Duck eggs and tiny quail eggs. The ground spices are not displayed in colorful bins like Morocco. Here they were recently dug out of the ground. It is 'grind your own' Turmeric tubers, Cinnamon bark and Lemongrass stalks. Sugar comes from Palm trees. And the fruits are all things you will never see at home. Snakefruit is called that because of the scales on the covering.

We then walked through the Great Mosque of Kotagede. It is the oldest built almost 500 years ago. It looks nothing like those we have seen in the Middle East. Its structure is Javanese with distinctive elements of Hindu and Buddhism. So much so that the entrance gate has the head of a Hindu demon, which is taboo in Islam. There is no minaret or dome anywhere.

We next explored the traditional Javanese music culture. It uses all percussion instruments called Gamelan. They are bronze instruments that are struck to make a sound. The instruments range from bells, to xylophones to gongs. Gong is a Javanese word. We listened to a bunch of young students play these instruments while munching on some local snacks. Then we were recruited to try it ourselves. A young Java girl taught me how to play the gong in a band. I was a slow learner but provided the encore sound at the end.

After lunch, we drove to our Yogyakarta hotel. After checking in, I drank a beer while watching Aimee swim in the hotel pool. One benefit of travelling in the Third World is living like a king despite a shoe-string budget.

May 17, 2026

May 17, 2026

We awoke on the 20th floor of our Surakarta, Indonesia hotel. I looked out to enjoy the view over the city and noticed two giant mountains looming over us. Oooh! The one one on the left is the 10,000 ft Mt. Merapi (Fire Mountain). It is the most active volcano in Indonesia and it is smoking! I forgot that Indonesia is a major part of the Ring of Fire.

After breakfast we drove an hour east up the slopes of another even taller stratovolcano, Mt Lawu. Fortunately this one seems to be dormant. The steep ride up the slopes is a nice change of pace. It is cooler and more scenic Our first stop is a tea plantation. Volcanic soil is incredibly fertile. The Dutch took advantage of this and introduced tea during the colonial period. After walking amongst the plants, we stop and have some local tea along with Fried Cassava and a Banana Fritter. Aimee and I are not big tea fans.

Our next stop is at Sukuh Temple. These ruins were first documented by Sir Raffles of Singapore fame. He was temporarily governor here when the British were fighting over control of the East Indies trade. Sukuh is a Hindu temple from the 15th century. It was one of the last to be built before most of the island was converted to Islam. Hindu temples are much more interesting than Muslim ruins because of the preponderance of figures. In particular, based on some of the explicit depictions, this one must have been used for sex and fertility education.

Since the temple was built late in the Hindu period, it has unique elements that diverge from the older Javanese norm. After going through a gate with a Shiva Linga, we enter a courtyard with wall stories and a pyramid at the far end.

Our last stop was at a tall waterfall cascading down the mountain slope. Aimee and I both thought a nearby wall of water was more interesting. We have seen large waterfalls everywhere.

We went to a local restaurant for lunch. Since this is Indonesia, Fried Banana was on the menu again. I filled up on Fried shrimp along with potatoes and vegetables. For dessert we had a Rice Coconut concoction wrapped in a Banana Leaf. We finished with some delicious fresh Mango and an odd fruit called Mangosteen. We had to pry it open to enjoy the garlic-shaped interior fruit.

On the way back down the mountain to our hotel, I noticed all the rice paddies along the road. Planting and cultivation is all manual in small plots. Java gets three crops per year. At one stage in the growth, the paddies are flooded. It has several purposes, but the primary reason is to control weeds and pests without the need for chemicals.