Bali - Ubud - Elephant Caves

View of a typical rice paddy field.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:27:55 -0800

athanur
View of a typical rice paddy field.

Nice scene.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:27:57 -0800

athanur
Nice scene.

My rickety mountain bike that I hired. I only wish I had my own bike there!

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:28:01 -0800

athanur
My rickety mountain bike that I hired. I only wish I had my own bike there!

A curious name mixing up English (swan), Dewi (Bahasa) and Bali. This is a typical artist's place outside of Ubud.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:28:04 -0800

athanur
A curious name mixing up English (swan), Dewi (Bahasa) and Bali. This is a typical artist's place outside of Ubud.

One more artist's place near the Elephant Cave.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:28:06 -0800

athanur
One more artist's place near the Elephant Cave.

Announcement to visitors. I suppose bikinis, thong underwear and swimming trunks are out of question.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:28:07 -0800

athanur
Announcement to visitors. I suppose bikinis, thong underwear and swimming trunks are out of question.

View of entrance to Elephant Cave.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:28:09 -0800

athanur
View of entrance to Elephant Cave.

You can vaguely recognize what these stones must have looked like.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:28:12 -0800

athanur
You can vaguely recognize what these stones must have looked like.

Drinking the water from the fountain for eternal youth.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:28:21 -0800

athanur
Drinking the water from the fountain for eternal youth.

Now can I get back to being 25 years old?

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:28:24 -0800

athanur
Now can I get back to being 25 years old?

The entrance to the cave. Note the huge "Barong" behind one of the umbrellas.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:28:27 -0800

athanur
The entrance to the cave. Note the huge "Barong" behind one of the umbrellas.

Example of a statue inside the Elephant Cave. Unlike Indian Hinduism, many deities in Bali lack intricate carvings/paintings.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:28:29 -0800

athanur
Example of a statue inside the Elephant Cave. Unlike Indian Hinduism, many deities in Bali lack intricate carvings/paintings.

The offerings you see in front of the stone deity is typical of Bali. Every house has a little sachet of flowers, incense sticks and some fruit.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:28:32 -0800

athanur
The offerings you see in front of the stone deity is typical of Bali. Every house has a little sachet of flowers, incense sticks and some fruit.

The 3 lingams (yoni) depicting Shiva.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:28:41 -0800

athanur
The 3 lingams (yoni) depicting Shiva.

Entrance to the Elephant Cave. The carving is of Barong.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:28:43 -0800

athanur
Entrance to the Elephant Cave. The carving is of Barong.

This carving of a dragon is entirely made of sugar. Wonder how they did that.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:28:46 -0800

athanur
This carving of a dragon is entirely made of sugar. Wonder how they did that.

Another snapshot of the dragon made entirely of sugar.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:28:48 -0800

athanur
Another snapshot of the dragon made entirely of sugar.

This one is made of dough -- similar to cookie dough. Hindu cultures have always used food to anoint the gods and appease them, hoping it will bring more food and prosperity in the future.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:28:54 -0800

athanur
This one is made of dough -- similar to cookie dough. Hindu cultures have always used food to anoint the gods and appease them, hoping it will bring more food and prosperity in the future.

This collection is the Hindu trinity or the so-called trimurti, Brahma, Wisnu and Siwa (Balinese spellings). What's interesting is that the iconography is not ornate, but rather symbolic.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:28:57 -0800

athanur
This collection is the Hindu trinity or the so-called trimurti, Brahma, Wisnu and Siwa (Balinese spellings). What's interesting is that the iconography is not ornate, but rather symbolic.

Some random tree I found interesting.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:28:58 -0800

athanur
Some random tree I found interesting.

These are the heads of statues that fell many years ago and they haven't been moved.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:29:04 -0800

athanur
These are the heads of statues that fell many years ago and they haven't been moved.

A closeup view of the head (I think it's a monkey god).

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:29:10 -0800

athanur
A closeup view of the head (I think it's a monkey god).

In the foreground are the fallen heads of statues; a waterfall in the background.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:29:15 -0800

athanur
In the foreground are the fallen heads of statues; a waterfall in the background.

athanur's photo

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:29:17 -0800

athanur

Another view of the fallen head.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:29:19 -0800

athanur
Another view of the fallen head.

Typical god figures and the food offerings to god.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:29:21 -0800

athanur
Typical god figures and the food offerings to god.

This figures were discovered many years ago during an excavation.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:29:24 -0800

athanur
This figures were discovered many years ago during an excavation.

Some more examples of excavated figures.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:29:27 -0800

athanur
Some more examples of excavated figures.

Some random cave entrance.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:29:31 -0800

athanur
Some random cave entrance.

Another view of the cave entrance.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:29:35 -0800

athanur
Another view of the cave entrance.

Some fruit; I forgot the name.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:29:39 -0800

athanur
Some fruit; I forgot the name.

Another fruit. God knows what this name is.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:29:42 -0800

athanur
Another fruit. God knows what this name is.

Dense thickets around the temple.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:29:44 -0800

athanur
Dense thickets around the temple.

Pineapple.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:29:46 -0800

athanur
Pineapple.

Dense thickets again; in the distance you can see a building.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:29:48 -0800

athanur
Dense thickets again; in the distance you can see a building.

More examples of cave excavations.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:29:55 -0800

athanur
More examples of cave excavations.

My guide (and priest) during my visit to the temple. He lives and works here.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:29:57 -0800

athanur
My guide (and priest) during my visit to the temple. He lives and works here.

Lovely shot of spider with an intact web.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:30:00 -0800

athanur
Lovely shot of spider with an intact web.

Some local flower.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:30:05 -0800

athanur
Some local flower.

Another view of the flower.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:30:06 -0800

athanur
Another view of the flower.

This picture was taken on the way back to Ubud. The road leads to a resort.

nobody@smugmug.com (athanur) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:30:09 -0800

athanur
This picture was taken on the way back to Ubud. The road leads to a resort.