Last Saturday morning I was picked up by Rina and Jana by a Karimun car and off we went to Bangli area, to be precised to Lake Batur. We arrived first at Penelokan area at around 12 p.m. and had lunch at some Warung Tarumas. It served both grilled and fried fish, with several spicy options like onion or tomato or nyat-nyat (saffron), and it was really good to be compared to the satisfaction from the buffet restaurants with view along the road.


We then drove to Aga village at the opposite side of Kintamani, about 20 minutes driving by car. We need to cross the lake to get to the legendary Trunyan cemetery (-8° 14' 8.83", +115° 25' 27.25"), an area around this Taru Menyan tree which spreads a special aroma that neutralize the smell from dead bodies that are laid near the tree.


There are maximum 11 bodies to be put there, and whenever new body comes, one should be removed from the line. It is eleven because it is the Balinese' "lucky" number as it is 3 and 7 for Christians. On removing, the skull are kept below the tree while the bones are thrown to the ground. And only the bodies of people who were married with complete body can be put below the tree, while the ones who weren't married or have defects are buried at the cemetery at the border of the village.



When one dies, the body is kept at the house until there is a "good day" to deliver the body to the cemetery. One person will be driving the boat on which the body is laid and the others will go on the other boats. But no female is allowed to deliver the body and follow the ceremony. They can come after the ceremony, but not while it's held because once a woman got mad because of attending the ceremony. They are forbidden ever since.


As any other Balinese, a dead person deserve a Ngaben ceremony. But only when it had collected until 30 dead bodies, together with the ones in the cemetery, then the Ngaben will be held. But in Trunyan, the bodies aren't burnt. Only the wooden doll will be burn as a symbol, while the bodies are kept laying on the ground.




So we finished our tour and headed back to the world, and went home via Gianyar district. We stopped at Gunung Kawi near Tirta Gangga and Tirta Empul, had another tour to the ancient rock temples from centuries ago. I love the Gunung Kawi, which is a bit like Goa Gajah, only this one's Hindu temples, not Buddhism. We were done around sunset time and reached Seminyak at around 8 p.m.





I spent the rest of the night at Jana's place with Tim also, had muesli with milk and fruits and white wine for late dinner and watched the movie Project X. I had so much fun that day, with all the new places I've been and the friendship I have especially with Jana. I really love traveling and adventuring and spend times with best friends and I was glad I have new best friends here in Bali :)