We took a trip north to Bedugul to check out some hot springs and temples. We decided to go straight to the hot springs because we have been so stressed out (heh heh). Our directions seemed clear and we were following along smoothly when they just sort of ended with, “the destination village is Desa Angseri, but people will know the area as “patung jagung”, ask locals for directions from here.” So we asked a few people and they kept pointing back the way we had come. In my limited, but improving Bahasa Indonesia, I asked how far it was back. We kept asking people and they kept saying back, back. We were nearly back to the original turn in the directions, when we looked up what “patung jagung” meant in our dictionary. We had been asking people where the corn statue is. Not the hot springs. Not the area where the village is located. The corn statue. Thanks, directions. After this, it was very easy to ask directions to the actual hot springs and we drove through some very remote villages, in which everyone stared at us as we bumped along, and finally reached the springs.

Opened in 2007, the springs were funneled into six stone pools which were each enclosed by a bamboo hut with hooks to hang clothes. The springs are nestled within misty, jungle-strewn mountains. Lovely! When we arrived only one other spring pool was occupied and we were showed into our spot. As we soaked and relaxed, more and more Indonesian voices filled the valley. Tiny kids ran everywhere through the springs and one even popped his smiling head into our hut long enough to giggle at his accomplishment. We took a dip in the pool under a waterfall nearby to cool off and soaked for a while longer before heading back up through the bamboo forest to the car. Orchids and other air plants clung to trees and gorgeous flowers hung off of the steep canyon walls.

In this area, the strangeness of Indonesia continued, of course. Along the roadside from which all sorts of terraced agricultural fields could be seen people were selling bunnies! Just teeny bunnies, sold in pairs by many, many people. Why? Who knows!