2/23 Volcano and Rice Paddies.
Today I bought a straw hat. It is small and round and it is what the farmers wear in the rice fields. I couldn’t be more excited about it. We started out the day at 8 AM and traveled to a batik art locale to witness cloth being formed and decorated. I bought a scrunchie. Next, we traveled to the rice terraces where I proceeded to purchase a hat. I am quite enthused about this hat and plan to wear it most of the rest of the trip. After the rice terraces, we made our way to the top of the mountain where we ate lunch overlooking a volcano and a lake. The volcano we overlooked is the “son” of the bigger volcano. The lake is the result of the volcano erupting. I thought it was interesting to see how the plants still had not grown back after all of these years where the lava flowed down the mountain. After lunch, we traveled to a coffee bean farm where we learned how the bean is hulled and roasted after going through the weasel. It is called coffee Luwak and is the most expensive coffee in the world. To be honest, after tasting it, I think I have had better coffee in Springfield MO than I have here in Bali. We had a coffee and tea tasting too. I thought it was very tasty and interesting to learn about the different ingredients that can be used to brew tea. From there, the group traveled to a wood carving shop where we saw firsthand the process of carving, sanding, and staining wood. Although I didn’t purchase anything, I love the smell of wood being sanding. Then, we went for an early dinner of barbecue ribs and French fries. The fries were such a comfort to eat among all of the other bizarre food I am experiencing. Overall a great day.