Day 49 At Sea

Today was another fabulous day. We did have one dark cloud that I included for Holly….. They had a Mongolian Barbeque today which was the best yet. Great job! The Captain announced this morning that we werew diverting to Padangbai Bali to medically evacuate two patients. I got some pretty nice phots during our brief stop in Bali to let off our guests. Tomorrow we will be in Lembar, Lombok, Indonesia. I will be taking a ship’s tour, here is the description: The Fascinating Culture of Lombok
Explore the fascinating culture of Lombok with a visit to Nusa Tenggara Barat Province Museum. Its highlights are the cloth collection, the fine Kris knives and a small Dongson drum. Most of the displays have English captions. One showcase holds "mystical" paraphernalia with amulets used to acquire supernatural force, immunity from weapons or to foretell the future. Your tour than proceeds to Narmada Water Palace, the centerpiece here is a large, artificial lake whose shape resembles Segara Anak in the caldera of the Rinjani Volcano. It was built in 1805 by the Raja of Mataram after he became too old to climb Rinjani to deposit offerings in the sacred lake there. The replica of the volcano's lake was a repository for the Raja's offerings. Taman Narmada takes its name from a sacred Indian river. Its temple, Pura Kalasa, is still used and the Balinese Pujawali celebration is held here annually. Lingsar, a large temple complex built in 1714, is the place of worship for Islam Wetu Telu. The Hindu temple is in the northern section and features a fountain. Continue heading north. The road rises over two small hills offering the best panoramic view of the sea dotted with colorful triangular-sailed fishing catamarans returning home. Senggigi Resort's row of hotels grows by the month, creeping northward along the coast. Enjoy a sumptuous Indonesian buffet lunch served at an international restaurant inside the resort. In the central city of Mataram, you'll stop to visit the pearl shops. More shopping opportunities abound at Banyu Mulek village, famous for handmade pottery. Take a cidomo ride (traditional horse cart) around the village to see the skilled villagers processing clay into beautiful export-quality pottery. At the local school, children are trained to make pottery from a very young age. A visit to a large gallery is included, where you can purchase finished products.