Pura Saraswati is small but beautiful. I'm sure this place is beyond gorgeous when all the flowers are in bloom, and we were lucky to find one lone pink lotus in the pond.
on Thursday nights they do Balinese dance demonstrations, so if you look closely you can see where they are wired for lights and a sound system... but despite this temple being built to cater to tourists it was one of my favorite that we visited.
for one, there was no one there. Jackie and I had the place to ourselves, save a group of local boys who ran through. and secondly... I did mention it was behind Starbucks right?
I wouldn't dis the local Indonesian coffee by ordering that here, but they did offer a lemon iced tea that was fantastic for cooling off from the heat. there is also a small cafe opposite of Starbucks that [I assume] would offer a more local selection.
I suppose this is as good a place as any to tell you about these little offerings. walking around Bali you will see hundreds of these small arrangements. each one serves a specific purpose - everything from "for good business" to "for pool safety" depending on where the offering is placed and what it consists of. there are persons who have the designated task of setting these offerings in their place and lighting the incense. these ones are outside the temple, but they are placed everywhere - in doorways and next to the pool and by small shrines.
we really enjoyed out visit to the lotus temple... plenty of interesting things to photograph and no one elbowing you out of the way. it really is a hidden gem in the heart of Ubud. I would definitely recommend stopping by if you find yourself in town and in need of a quiet escape.
