Day 2 continued

After snorkeling we headed across the north coast, which at first is a very dry volcanic landscape until we got close to Singaraja where there are rich plantations of coffee, cloves and rice. They grow grapes here to produce the local Bali wine Hatten Aga white, red and rose which is not unlike the wine I drank when I was not old enough to drink.

First stop was a trek into the jungle to see the Gitgit Waterfall. On our way up we passed people bathing in the irrigation canal and up further they were washing the intestines of a pig. We passed very small simple houses belonging to people who grew fruits and vegetables in amongst the lush vegetation. We stopped to admire the beautiful Rambutan trees and bought some from the guy who grew them. We sat at a table in front of his house while he told us that his Rambutan was considered some of the best on the island and was sold to high-end hotels.

Rambutan means “hair fruit”. It is about the size of a lemon with bright red skin covered with soft green hair. His Rambutan was about the most beautiful I had seen. It is easily peeled exposing the sweet white fruit around a pit.

The Gitgit Waterfall

Cabe (chili peppers) in a small family garden on our way back down from the waterfall. They like their food hot here so peppers of all kinds are plentiful. I am not a big fan of hot food so I have to be quite careful of some of the condiments that accompany the food. The other night I tried something that looked quite harmless and thought I was going to die.

The road to Permuteran

A late lunch in Singaraja on a pier over the water where we stuffed ourselves with cumi cumi bakar (grilled squid) and of course nasi puti (rice). Then it was on the road again for another two hours to the western part of the island to a beautiful town called Pemuteran where we collapsed at the beach to watch the sunset after another long day.Then it was off to bed because tomorrow was ceremony day.