３３日目：
メルボルン観光へ。Flinders street 駅前にあるFederation Squareにあるacmi(=Australian center for the moving image)という映像センターがある。入場は無料で、昔ながらのゲームから最先端の技術を駆使したゲームや、昔のパラパラめくって楽しむ映画から最近の映画の映像、その他、映画で使用したコスチュームの展示、インタビュー映像など、子供から大人まで楽しめるスペースがたくさんある。（有料のスペースもあります。）
Known as Tampak Siring, this temple is an active place of worship for the Balinese and it is visited in droves by both foreigners and locals alike. In the photo above is the natural springs that are on the temple grounds. The other attraction is a pool into which water from the spring runs and people wait to wash and purify themselves. When we visited, it was absolutely packed with visitors lined up waiting to wash away the bad luck. This brings us to our bonus picture for the week:
The temple is a common stop on day tours from Ubud, which can easily be arranged through either hotels or one of the million touts on the streets.
We like to eat, and one of the main things that drives us to travel is our stomachs. There is a magical world of food out there that, despite the amazing variety of eateries in Tokyo, you just will not find in one location. We also both like to cook, which means that in addition to simply sampling the amazing food on offer, the best memento that we can take with us in our overstuffed bags is the knowledge of how to cook it at home. At Paon Bali Cooking School, we were able to stuff both our bellies and our minds. Read more
Nestled in right along the main street in Ubud is everyone’s favorite/hated neighbor, Starbucks. I’m always torn upon seeing these, and I see them whereever I go, because at the same time it is both comforting to see something of home, and it is simultaneously the epitome of corporate expansionism and a sign that the west is corrupting every last native tourist destination. Either way, we liked the way they at least tried to do up their sign in a traditional, wooden style as Bali in general, and specifically Ubud is known for it’s woodworking.
If you head to Bali, chances are you will be staying in the jam-packed tourist area of Kuta. This area is filled with cheap (often run-down) hotels, as well as restaurants and cafes, and more souvenier shops selling wooden penises than you could shake a stick at (pun intended). One of the reasons that this area has become popular, in addition to its proximity to the airport, is it’s beach. On first site, the beach is quite beautiful as it stretches off into the distance. Of course, on closer look, you see that it is filled with trash, both on the beach and in the water, making any swimming experience feel like you paddling through a garbage can. However, it certainly looks quite nice.
