Monkey Bites and Paris Hilton (My Odd Introduction to Bali)

Gloria and I left Vietnam on a late flight and touched down in Singapore in the wee hours of the morning.  Our flight to Bali wasn't until the morning, so we settled the best that we could into some chairs and attempted to sleep.  I think she succeeded better than I did, but I was able to sleep a little on the flight to Bali.  I woke up in time to see some spectacular aerial views of Java, but I unfortunately didn't think to take any photos.  Sorry, guys.

I had arranged for the place we were staying at to send a driver to the airport.  After paying the $35 for an Indonesian visa, Gloria and I were on our way to the central Balinese city of Ubud, recently popularized by the filming of Eat Pray Love. 

Our accommodations were quite comfortable and affordable: I had booked a room in Nick's Pension for $34/night.  Considering this price also included breakfast, it was a steal.  After we checked into our room, we went out to the Monkey Forest.

The only time I have interacted with monkeys was on the Rock of Gibraltar this past spring.  There, Torrie, Kelly, and I were vehemently warned against touching or feeding the monkeys.  (Our guide, however, referred the the Barbary macaques as "my family" and explained that she had earned the privilege to touch and feed them).  Bali, on the other hand, had no rules against touching the monkeys.  In fact, people were selling bananas to tourists, to feed the monkeys.  I saw a number of banana sellers encouraging tourists to pick up monkeys.  I was wary of this; I'd read that the monkeys in Ubud's monkey forest are at high-risk for obesity due to the unlimited supply of food.  I'd also read about monkeys biting tourists, and I didn't want to be that girl, the one who was bit by a Balinese monkey.

Readers, I am that girl.

I had barely entered the monkey forest and refused the offer to buy bananas when I noticed some especially cute little monkeys.  There was a mama and baby monkey duo scampering around the path.  I noticed some tourists posing with the monkeys while their companions snapped pictures.  I didn't want to touch a monkey, (I thought touching a baby monkey would be especially foolish... I was warned so many times as a child in the north woods of Minnesota to never play with bear cubs that I automatically apply this logic onto any species of wild animal) but Gloria suggested that if I sat on a ledge near the paved path, that I might be able to get close enough for a picture with the monkeys.

Aw, the little one wanted to make friends!  Notice how calm my demeanor is, and how I'm not trying to scoop up either one?  I don't think I deserved what happened next.

Mere seconds after the photo above was captured, A third monkey approached me on my left side (the right side of the photo).  It immediately grabbed at my shawl and I carefully tried to pull away without damaging the fabric or becoming entangled with the monkey.  (Actually, I borrowed that shawl from a friend... 8 years ago.  Sorry I never gave it back, Cathy!  It's just so pretty!).  Unfortunately, the monkey must have been influenced by the same mindset that kept me from returning my friend's wrap to her in a timely manner... because it wouldn't let go.  After a moment of squabbling, the monkey decided to sink its little teeth into my elbow.

I was in a state of shock before I aggressively shook the vicious creature away from me.  Fortunately, the bite hadn't drawn blood and the banana-sellers pointed me to the first aid station, assuring me that the monkeys are "all clean" and carry "not disease."  The guy at the first aid station applied some antiseptic to my mildly broken skin before covering it with a bandage, and telling me that the monkeys in the forest are routinely tested by an Australian veterinarian for any diseases.  He pointed to a certificate on the desk for a Dr. Fuentes... (a later internet confirmed that the doctor has indeed conducted tests and research regarding monkeys in Ubud, but just how often he visits the forest was unclear).  Still, I wasn't very worried about the bite since it hadn't drawn any blood, and since the monkey appeared to be aggressive for a reason rather than being rabid.

I returned to the forest, where Gloria had been waiting for me, with a stronger sense of caution.  I was in the process of photographing some monkeys under a pavilion when I noticed a blonde woman in a long yellow dress.  Part of me wanted to warn her about monkeys who might bite in a territorial dispute over flowy fabric, but she seemed to be enjoying herself as her companion took photos so I carried on my merry way.  A minute later, Gloria came up to me and whispered, "Rosa, don't you think she looks like Paris Hilton?"  Who, the blonde?  I've found that Koreans tend to tell westerners "You look just like so-and-so!" so I brushed off Gloria's celebrity sight.  "Actually, she seems prettier than Paris Hilton."  I was about the leave the pavilion when Gloria insisted, "Rosa, that's really Paris Hilton!"  Finally, I took a closer look at the woman in the yellow dress.  Yes, it was Paris Hilton.  A small crowd had formed and people were taking out their cameras and phones to catch a glimpse of her.  I was ready to continue in the opposite direction, but Gloria really wanted to be in a photo with Paris Hilton.  I relented, but I was mildly ashamed to be acting like the paparazzi.  To her credit, Paris was graceful in ignoring the starstruck crowd and seemed to be enjoying herself with the monkeys.  Still. I felt a little sorry for her; it felt like she had become the tourist attraction that everyone was mad to photograph.

I cropped Gloria out of the picture because she wants to keep the trip under wraps.  Still, here's my shameless pseudo-paparazzi shot of Paris Hilton and her monkey friend.

After we finished out trek through the monkey forest, the travel exhaustion began to set in.  Gloria and I agreed to return to the pension, rest, and later attend a traditional Balinese Legong dance performance which was just a short walk from the pension.  I enjoyed the show, though by the end I was waiting for the curtain call so I could get back to the room and sleep.

I will write about the rest of my time Bali in another entry.  Now, I have to go teach class.  I'm rather proud to have written this long entry in one sitting.  (That bodes well for this blog!).