Munduk, Bali

Chive trees give way to coffee give way to rice terraces give way to ocean in this beautiful region. The Balinese believe that the world has three levels-the lowest level, symbolized by the ocean where negative rests (in the human manifestation our feet), the middle level where life takes place as humans try and balance negative and positive forces where villages and rice patties can be found (the body) and the highest level where the positive forces of God reigns in the mountains(our head). From here in munduk we can sit on the deck of our small comfortable home stay and see all three levels. 

We spent most of our two days in Munduk exploring the middle level-the human level and the small villages that seem to hold on to the sides of the mountains for deer life, their red roofs dotting the lush green of the mountains. Our theme here was going on a hike, getting lost, and finding interesting villages along the way. One day we traversed jungle and ended up at an amazing waterfall, watched Balinese doughnuts being made in a small cafe (and tasted them of course) and then took a wrong turn and headed down a windy toad through many tiny villages, smiling at people who always returned the smile and tried to help us find our way. This journey ended at a music shop where we watched an old man make bamboo instruments who also spent about an hour teaching us rhythms and songs to play on them. Our next adventure sent us winding up rice patties where very intricate irrigation systems Are put in place to keep each field wet and ready for growing rice. Then, after our wrong turn, we adventured up through small villages where we poked our heads into a school-it was tiny and simple, and a community temple. 

In Bali everyone wakes and gives offerings to god for a good day and then gives more offerings at the end of the day to thank god for the day. These offerings are given at family temples that are built right into everyone's family compound and at community temples, complete with the three layers, that are in the local community. There are celebrations and rituals for energy thing and July 15th (which also happens to be Adams birthday) is a very important celebration day so everyone was getting their temples ready and decorating for the event. 

We stayed with a very sweet family honestly which we lived.

After our adventures in Munduk we stayed in jimbaren on our way out and hopped a plane for our next country-Cambodia.