Tanah Lot                                                                              Back
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Entrance to caves & holy fresh water spring.    Tanah Lot can't be reached at High Tide.
 
   Tanah Lot is one of the (sad kahyangan) six most holy temples of Bali. Tanah Lot figuratively means  "Temple of the Earth in the Sea." Though I've never seen any, the area between the temple and the cave along the shore line is supposed to be inhabited by poisonous black sea snakes & the main cave under the cliff on the shore side has a large snake which is supposed to bring you good luck if you touch it on the head. I did but don't know if I received the luck as not very long after I pulled a muscle in my leg trying to learn how to surf.
Far left: Nyoman's two youngest daughters at Tanah Lot.

Center: Nyoman coming out of the cave where the large snake lives.

Left: Another view of Tanah Lot.
   On this trip to Tanah lot we took Nyomen's four daughters. The kids don't get to go many places as the cost is prohibitive, just the gas to get anywhere (though inexpensive compaired to the west.) is expensive to the Balinese. The girls went with us quite often, including a trip  to Bali Bird Park & the Reptile park that adjoins it.
   We got an early start as we were going to Pura Ulun Danu Bratan (See some photo's that I took at Lake Bratan Here.) The girls were ready and really excited when we got back to Nyoman's after he had picked me up. They were dressed almost like American kids except that they, all of them, had packed their best sarongs to wear into the temples. Nyoman and I had our sarongs and he had made a star hat for me. So everything in order we were off.
   Approximately half way to Lake Bratan we stopped in a little Balinese restaurant for breakfast. It was small feast and remember there were six of us & even though four were children, I consider Rp. 8,000/ $7.00 U. S. inexpensive, especially since the setting was as pleasant as that one was. We sat on the edge of a rice paddy that climbed in steps up a small mountain. Song birds sang from the fields as well as cages hanging in the restaurant. There were potted plants, including orchards, & pools with fish. The service was excellent and the food tasty, but remember Nyoman being a driver/guild had years to find these little places. Some of the restaurants that cater to tourists aren't nearly as nice even though from the outside they look spectacular & usually cost 4 or 5 times as much. On Bali you have to check out menus & remember that the Balinese know good food & prices the way Truckers do who drive the open highways in the States. So look for quaint little places where you see a few Balinese.
Nyoman enjoying a lemonade. Nyoman and his girls  where the snake lives.
On to Lake Bratan  Here