Hello from Bunutan!

Wayan showing us the cacao tree/pod

Today my mom and I had a real treat. Wayan Jantuk, the man that will be taking us around Bali starting tomorrow, took us to his village to meet his family. He lives about 15 minutes outside the center of Ubud (driving not walking).

We arrived in his village and he took us out to his family's farm area. They had a portion in the rice paddies, also many chickens and cows. They usually own pigs, but had consumed them during Galungan and Kuningan and were awaiting new ones. We met his father and his mother who were working all day. We got to watch his father climb up the palm tree to get the young green coconut (YUM). We sat for a while over looking the Sungai Ayung (Ayung River), where many people were white water rafting, I said that it looked like live action television. We continued further back behind the rice paddies so that Wayan could show us what a traditional family compond (before cement and electricity, etc). All of the buildings were made out of bamboo, and all the buildings were still the same, a kitchen, a place for the elders in the family, a place to do the ceremonies, etc.

Wayan and his father

walking over a scary bridge

old family compound

me in the rice paddies

really weird looking duck duck goose

After trekking out of the rice paddies, Wayan took us to HIS family compound. He lives with his wife, his two sons, his father and mother (who were still out in the fields), his aunt and uncle, and all of the cousins and their children, 23 people total. His wife, Ayu, had prepared us a delicious and traditional Balinese lunch (the main meal of the day). It was a traditional Nasi Campur. There was the big pile of rice (colored beautifully with turmeric) in the center of the plate, and around that we served ourselves fish curry (with tuna, prawns, and squid), traditional corn fritters, tempeh, and green beans in coconut milk with shredded coconut and the trio of shallots, garlic, and chilies. Everything was garnished with the deep fried shallots. For desert we had black rice pudding (my new favorite), which is the black rice boiled down and cooked with a pandan leave (similar to vanilla) and palm sugar, and put in coconut milk. Also there was the green coconut water to drink and the young coconut flesh (which is almost slimy). It was a wonderful meal with good company!

Wayan and his wife Ayu

a young green coconut

LUNCH (MAKAN SIANG)! Nasi Campur

Wayan's two sons, niece and nephew

Wayan's son and nephew playing with the Barong they had made

Wayan's two sons playing with an incredible sculpture Putu (the elder one) had made

Wayan's two sons drinking hibiscus tea

travelin' woman and her travelin' daughter