A Little Bit of Rome...and a Whole Lot of Sibiu

The time came for us to finally leave Southeast Asia.  Unfortunately, we had a long trip from Indonesia to Romania.  We had to fly to Bangkok...take an overnight flight to Cairo...wait in Cairo until late in the afternoon for our flight to Rome...then, a flight to Bucharest, Romania...and finally a train to Sibiu the following day.  To make it a little more bearable, Lance made plans for a short stay in Rome.  It was a great time to be there because there weren't many tourists and the spring time temperatures were a pleasant change for us.

The Pantheon

The Spanish Steps

Altare Della Patria

Trevi Fountain

On Sunday, it began to rain so we thought it might be a good time to check out the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme (the archaeological museum) which is located near the train station.  

An exhibit featuring a kaleidoscope effect on the statues

We also stopped at the famous La Casa Del Caffee Trazza D'Oro for a cup of coffee.  

La Casa Del Caffee Trazza D'Oro...founded in 1944, is
known for having some of the best coffee in the world.

Here is my idea of a tasty iced coffee!

After a day and a half in Rome we flew to Bucharest...spent the night...then took the train to Sibiu.  We were pleasantly surprised to see the beautiful scenic countryside from the train windows.  

Sibiu is located in the region of Transylvania.  It was designated the European Capital of Culture for the year 2007.  Sibiu is a beautiful city with lovely historic buildings and a great park.    

Soon after arriving we took a guided tour to learn more about this lovely city.

Sibiu is known as the city with eyes.  The gothic style buildings with their heavy tiled roof tops often have small attic windows that appear as eyelids looking down on you.  The locals say, "the eyes of Sibiu are watching you!"     

We arrived just in time for the Sibiu Jazz Festival...which was an unexpected surprise.  The concerts were held on the main city square and the entrance was free.

Food trucks circled the tent where the concerts were held.

Above and Below...our favorite band was from Cuba.  It seemed to be the crowds favorite too.

One of our favorite activities here is to go hiking in the large park that is located about 3 miles from our home.   We go there several times a week. 

We also enjoy visiting the fresh market to shop for fruits and vegetables. 

Lance likes eating his favorite bean and ham soup at the Kulinarium restaurant.  This soup comes in a bread bowl and costs only $4.00.  It makes for a hearty inexpensive lunch.  I prefer the cream of mushroom soup with homemade croutons.  Yum!

In our favorite park is an open air museum, similar to Old World Wisconsin located in our home state.  In Romania they took buildings from each region in the country and placed them in this park.  Below are just a few examples of the many historic buildings you can find there. 

Fresco's located on the inside walls of the church

One evening we enjoyed a wine tasting event sponsored by one of the local restaurants.  As much as possible we try to immerse ourselves into activities that are offered to the local people.  Sometimes it can be a bit intimidating...but we do our best to get involved.  It always seems as though there is someone who knows at least a little bit of English that will talk to you.  

On our way to the grocery store we saw a carnival being set up for the weekend.  We returned on Saturday night to check it out.  It was fun to watch the dancers and see the local products that were being sold.  There were also carnival rides and lots of tasty food.

Romania has been a pleasant surprise for us.  It is much prettier and more interesting than we expected.  In many ways, when it comes to the climate, plants and foods, it reminds us of our home state, Wisconsin.    

Bali...Week Two

Our second week in Bali began with a tour of another part of the island.  We made arrangements with the taxi driver who brought us to Ubud to tour us around the island for the day.  When Gede came to pick us up, we told him we were interested in seeing the east side of the island.  Lance had read that it was much quieter, and that it was a chance to see the real Bali, with fewer tourists.  Surprisingly, that was where Gede had grown up, and he knew exactly how to get us there.  Even more surprising was the restaurant Lance picked out to stop for a drink belonged to Gede's uncle.  We saw many beautiful sights along the way.        

Many roundabouts have large statues in the middle

Above and below...terraced rice fields

When we arrived Gede (on the left) saw his brother making a fruit delivery to the restaurant.  His brother kindly invited us to come to his home later in the day for a drink of coconut water.  

We finally got the chance to see the ocean.  

We stopped for a nice lunch on the beach...then headed over to Gede's village to meet up with his brother.

His brother shares a home with his uncle, wife, and newborn son.  His uncle owns the house.

His wife is holding the baby...the other woman is a visiting friend.

Like many people in Bali, his home had a family temple, plus several outer buildings.

He also had a pig and chickens.

His brother prepared the coconuts, and we enjoyed a drink.  I was given a cup...Lance was not.

It was interesting to see how the local people live in much more humble surroundings.  We were very honored to be invited to his home.

Along with our tour of the island, we saw two different temple dance shows.  The first one involved a group of one hundred male singers and a small group of dancers.  It was very dark inside the theatre so my pictures aren't very good.    

At the end of the show a fire was lit and a man came out to do a dance that involved walking several times through the flames.  It was incredible.  At the very beginning of the video below, you will see him jump into the flames.    

The second show took place at one of the more beautiful temples in town.  

These decorations made from bamboo were at the temple.   On the way home from our visit to the far side of the island we came across a small city lining the street with them.  Gede told us a festival was going to take place there on the weekend.    

Some of the instruments used for the temple show.

Unfortunately, minutes before the show was to begin the skies opened up and it began to pour.  We were directed into a building where the show was put on...but it was a disappointment not see it performed in front of the beautiful temple under a star lit sky. 

We've had a hot, but interesting time in Southeast Asia.  During our visit we have seen many fascinating things...the ancient temples of Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia...the lumbering elephants at Chai Lai Orchid lodge near Chiang Mai, Thailand...the colorful lanterns and beautiful beaches in Hoi An, Vietnam...and the luscious gardens and tranquil atmosphere at Murni's Houses in Ubud, Bali.  All of it a delight for two curious travelers.