It's not just a name...there are monkey's in that forest

Slept most of the way through the night.  I woke up a couple of times a bit disoriented, but went back to sleep.  Around 8, I pulled myself out of bed, took a shower and went looking for breakfast.  There were words of an American breakfast the night before so I was excited.  The restaurant is an indoor/outdoor room surounded by lush vegetation and far enough of the road to make is disappear.  

I ordered the American with eggs.  This include orange juice - as in the color not the fruit, tasted like sesame seeds and I decided I liked it; coffee - tasty and just what I needed; fruit with yogurt - no recognizable fruit, but it was good, strange textures; banana bread - like change-your-life-I-realize-I've-never-really-eaten-banana-bread; and an omelet heavily laced with dill and rice.  This was all clearly labelled on the menu, but it was still a bit of a surprise.  I decided dill in eggs works, but I had to eat at least half the omelet before I decided this.   The rice well it was awesome, and I imagined that it came out of the rice field I could see from my room.

After breakfast, I went and explored Ubud, which is a cool mountain town filled with artists - according to Oka.  It was a cool little town and everyone was just starting to stir; I guess the Balinese are late risers.  Shopkeepers were putting out their offerings, which consisted of a grass container with flowers, incense, and treats like crackers or candy.  

I discussed these offerings with Oka later in the day and he explained that in Bali there are 3 levels of spirits: low level - can be bad natured; middle level where we are and upper level.  These offerings are made to all levels and as Oka said they are a bit of negotiation - I give you this, if you give me that - mostly for protection. 

After I got oriented, I went to the monkey forest.  I had read on tripadvisor that the monkeys were fat from over feeding and this would not be a good stop - this was not true.  The monkeys were not fat, and they were super cute.

The bigger male monkeys did seem a bit mean and I steered clear of them, but after about an hour I realized that they were okay, and I didn't mind stepping around them when they were in the middle of their inspection.

After the monkey forest, I headed back to the hotel and met Oka.  We had an action packed afternoon: bird park, icat and batik factory, sunset herons roosting and then finally traditonal balinese music and dance, which I can sum up as chang-chang-cha-chang-chang; I can move my index finger separate from my ring finger - imagine early crumping.

The bird park was awesome.  So many cool birds, too many awesome photographs.  The big fruit bats were my favorite, but I never got a good photo of them; there was lots of yawning and stretching.  I quite like these weird pheasants that strangely remind me of Gill and I.

After the dance, I stopped for dinner and had spring rolls, crispy duck and traditional accompaniment: rice, cabbage and long bean saute, and 3 sauces of pickle, sauted onion and tomato chili.  They were all really good and I ate everything, which I think delighted and horrified my lovely waiter.  I finished the meal with traditional black rice pudding that was also full of dates and coconut milk. All-in-all pretty darn tasty, but let's not tell Oka because he said no Balinese food for several days, as you have to ease yourself into it.

I finished my day walking back to my room in the warm rain, dodging cute tree frogs - everyone should walk in the rain in Bali - at least once.