Visit to Mother Temple on the Volcano Gunung Agung

Lotsa strange and wonderful fruits on the road to Besakih

Yummy food from Padang, West Sumatra

Yes, that's a whole roasted pig (well, half actually). For my carnivore friends: word on the street is - it's yummy!

Elsa Mama on the long way down.

Made, Elsa, me. Happy to be together with Made again and with my kid - what more could this mama want!!!

Teddy and Elsa at one of the main doorways of Besakih

Elsa, made, Nyoman at the top of the steep steps. You can get a sense of the height of the place.

 Part of our group at the top, Teddy's got his recording gear in the bag on his chest - gathered some great sounds!

Lunch break on the way up. Truth? Me carsick b/c of crazy windy roads and car fumes so we had to stop and get some air)

Not sure about this - must be some very important sacred rock - perhaps a remnant of a temple from long ago?

This is all made of fried, colored rice dough!

Thursday we took a trip to the Mother Temple of Besakih (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Temple_of_Besakih). Ted and I went there 17 years ago with Made and Nyoman and this year D'Ayu accompanied us along with Made and Nyoman and their niece Ni Putu. We were lucky to make it there as there was an annual ceremony (Upacara) happening there (lasting a month) so the temple complex was decked out with flags and gamelan and all the inner temples were decorated with various kinds of offerings. We prayed in there in two different places. D'Ayu supplied us with all the necessary offerings - beautiful canang sari and flowers and kwangen. We went on the second to last day of the ceremony so apparently it wasn't as crowded as it had been, which was good because it was incredibly crowded, I thought! Lots of pics to come soon (connection very slow right now...)