Journal Entry 11 Friday, May 14, 04 Good Karma Bungalows, Amed

Departing our lovely but somewhat desolate, Pool ON the ocean lodging in Candidasa, where we had enjoyed a great pre-evening for a 12th birthday.

To find Morgan’s (12^th) birthday present we rode up to the Bali Aga village in Tenganan, just outside Candidasa.  There are still a few Aga villages left in Bali.  They are small communities that decided to live independently from the rest of Bali rejecting Javanization, religious reform and the caste system.  -I think of them as a bit like the Amish, but of Bali.  

The quiet, peaceful, contained village in the jungle that we visited today is known for its weave of a special kresing cloth.  It is woven some miraculous way with only one weave across or something like that was said to be taught to the women by Bhatara Indra, the god of creation.  It is the only village in Bali that can weave this type of cloth.  The cloth is so important to the village it takes its name from the cloth, which is said to provide protection from evil.  While creating the cloth, offerings are made and rituals are said over it.  Of course we bought one!  Morgan for her gift choose a beautiful large antique multicolored cloth with animals and gods woven into it , another special cloth.  All of this along with some artistic pieces such as palm leaf etched books with the story of Rahwana, a mask, a hand made musical bamboo recorder and a large painted Hindu cloth are being delivered (hopefully) to our home base-bungalow in Jimbaran by the man we bought it from.  We can't carry anything (which is good)!  

Interesting that many of the males of the village, keep at least one good cock for fighting.  We didn't like to think about it.

Drove on that day through the beautiful rice paddies terraced beautifully up the sides of the hills in Tirtagangga with the misty, most sacred, volcano mountain Agung in the distance.  Per chance, along the steep narrow road, were many Balinese dressed in fine sarongs and the men in white headdress they appeared to be having one of their many ceremonies for the rice crops. 

Deciding to stop for a look at the famous Water Palace we were met in the deserted parking area by a mostly-toothless, cute older man who pulled from deep in his pockets and unwrapped with great care two antique silver US coins from the 1800's telling us in bad English how these were his great grandfathers coins, and now he must sell these special coins for 140,000rp (about $16).   We'll.... what do I do?  I asked the boy crowd who had gathered to promote his sale and they showed me how authentic they were because 'they clink' when you brush them together (so yes they are at least ...metal).  Well I began to negotiate when he suddenly put them away and said he would ONLY take the full amount!  WOW! That was weird for a Balinese.  So much that I was convinced they must be authentic.  So I parted with my cash and off we went to pay the entrance fee to the water palace....  

...WELL!!! There in the ticket window were several of the same coins! Specifically on display to warn the gullible tourists …like me.  

Morgan and I had such a good laugh in the garden about it!  Then, a nice reflexology treatment for me.  

On the way out we teased our coin rascal and even went back to him for a photo so we would remember it all.  Showing him the nice photo he suddenly became very anxious and insisted we take his money back, even though we said it was OK!?  Well so I did, but I actually wanted to keep them now because it was such a cute scam, by such a cute old man.  It was worth the loss for all the fun had. 
So here was Morgan's birthday ...and off we went to completing our daily ride this time in Amed, arriving at sunset, checking into our own little el-natural bungalow down by the water.