Beatiful road, but a very long and steady climb. Getting a bit higher (max 600 mtrs) it was a bit cooler, but still over 30C. So we lost a lot of sweat again. The traffic became a bit quieter, but not very. Bali seems to be a crowded place. On our way we enbjoyed the jungle, which is very dense, and the magnificent rice-terraces for which the island is famous. Also we passed some botanic gardens, one of which we visited. We got free Bali-coffee (good stuff!) and lemon tea, all made from the revenue of the same garden. We of course were asked to buy some items in the little shop. It became a bottle of perfume for really little money. Later we arrived in Bangli, where we stayed in the ancient Royal Palace. Some information on that: during the old days this country was divided in many small sultanates, ruled by the sultan, or king. The Dutch colonial rulers used this social infrastructure as an intstrument for intermediation between itself and the ordinary people. Since the japanese occupation this complete system doesn’t exist any more. But we stayed with the son in law of the last sultan, who had worked for the Dutch (he was 82) and who spoke Dutch with us. He pinced Eveline in her knees, hands and elbows " in order to check if her blood circulation was alright". I think he beleived it himself. The accommodation was very basic though, with a big water container and a little pan in it in the toiletroom as our only water supply. We slept very good though, as all the time untill now.

The main door of the former Sultan’s palace, our guest house.

The golden doors of the rooms we didn’t get….

The silver door of our very basic room.