Bali Geckos and other night monsters

The one on the right is a Tokay gecko (Gekko gecko). He lived in and around our Ubud accommodation unit, and had an amazingly loud and almost menacing call. He's very pretty though.





This other one is actually a day monster, and he's a skink. In fact, he's a Many-lined sun skink (Eutropis multifasciata).

Too much monkey business

After Sulawesi I headed back to Bali, where we set up residence for a while in Ubud. Our accommodation was just outside the notorious Monkey Forest. We'd walk through it on the way into town.

There's an awful lot of monkeys, and they're not at all friendly. Always entertaining though.

Monkeying around in Ubud's Monkey Forest

You have to visit Ubud's Monkey Forest while you're in Bali. Everyone else does after all. It's got all kinds of spiritual significance, and it's rather beautiful, but for a lot of the visitors, it seems to be only about the monkeys.

No matter that they're nasty, dangerous, unfriendly things that bite and probably have rabies. No matter that the clearly posted rules tell you to avoid even eye contact with them, let alone contact or attempts to feed them. Half the visitors seem determined to do the very opposite!

I followed the rules, but I was amazed to see almost everyone else ignoring them. One (Chinese) tourist waved bananas at one, and successfully tempted it onto his shoulder to pose for a photo. The local lady who had somehow been allowed to sell him the banana leapt up, confiscated it, and screamed at him about his stupidity.

I came across a young European man who was cradling a baby monkey in his lap, stroking it like it was a cuddly little pussycat. The crotchety old man in me took over, and I strode over to him."Have you heard of rabies?" I asked him. He looked confused. "If it bites you, you will die" I told him bluntly. It's not quite true. There's only about a 50% chance.

Most of the monkey-watchers took no notice of the colourful human ceremony going on in the forest. The gamelan band was playing, speeches were being made, lots of food had been brought in for the feast. It was being translated into English, and I gather it was a big once-every-210-days ceremony marking particularly propitious times for cremations. The dukuns (holy men) look after all the relevant calculations. Cremations are joyous occasions, allowing the spirits of the temporarily buried deceased to get on with their reincarnations.

Some of us noticed.

Bali then & now - real estate

I don't recall seeing any Ray White real estate ads when I was in Ubud in the 80s.

Bali then & now - Ubud rural scenes

I first discovered Bali in 1984. I was a decade or two behind many, but it was in time to experience the quiet, unspoilt rural idyll of the Ubud area. I clearly remember the euphoric feeling of strolling the dirt paths through those fabulous rice fields. To the left is a picture I took back then.

Well it's all still there. Still magnificently beautiful, and the other week I was able to stroll the very same rice fields. Some of the footpaths are now paved, and you have to dodge the odd motorcycle and artist's workshop.











And there's a good crop of rice field accommodation places, both modest and luxurious. Plus fabulously trendy rice field cafes, where delicious western and local treats may be slowly enjoyed.

 Bali's still an exceptionally beautiful island.