namaste' my journey...

After Nyepi Marcia Meloa (aka mikey) and his couple of his friends head to Ubud.  The first night I share a room with Marcia and her son Kevin at Donald guesthouse of Gotama Rd.  It was a nice place.  That night we went to Labong to hear a live reggae band.  We had a ball dancing and singing all night.  We met up with Maria a couchsurfing I will be staying with the next night.  After much fun at the reggae band we had back to Donald and crash.  The next day we walk around ubud site seeing getting massages etc.  Tonight we are going to see Michael Franti in concert.  Tasha, Tanya and Lampot are coming from Candi Dasa to join us.  He is doing a benefit for a local school.  The show is amazing I get to chat with him and after and yes I got my pix with him.  We went out to a local bar after.  Marcia and her son went back to Canggu.  The next day we decide that Mikey, dasha, rustan, Maria and I are going to climb mt. Batur, which is a volcano to watch the sunrise.  We leave ubud at 2:30 am and head out to mt batur for our 2 hour hike in the dark…the sunrise was amazing…truly breath taking…the mountains over the clouds making it look like pillows you could jump on with the reflection of the suns vibrant colors all over them.  After hiking up one of our guides yon and I decide to run back down…since we get down before everyone else he takes me on his bike to see the lake…again so beautiful…When we are finished with the mountain we head to Besakih Temple.  Here there is a month long Panca Wali Krama Ceremony going on. This is one of the biggest temple ceremonies, which is held once every 10 years.  The main purpose of this ceremony is to purify the universe and be in harmony with it.  Balinese Hindu people from all around the island will come to Besakih (the mother temple) to pray and bring their offerings.  When the Balinese do any kind of holiday or offering they get dressed in traditional Balinese clothes, which are so beautiful to look at.  From young to old they are all dressed to impress.