Back to the main temple grounds. More families coming... © Evan Hwong Photographs

The bigger the basket, the richer the family. Richness requires more offerings... so if you imagine every little thing you buy, you pinch out a small part of it to offer back as a way of thanks. © Evan Hwong Photographs

One of these baskets has a duck. Alive. I'm serious. © Evan Hwong Photographs

A ceremony in progress. It was a holy ritual and I couldn't go any closer unless I want to pray along with them. In the background on the top left you can see the holy shrine towering above the worshipers. © Evan Hwong Photographs

As the first family were praying, the others await for their turn and did some last minute checklist on their inventories. © Evan Hwong Photographs

I recorded this on video, which you can see from the link below. Am not a videographer, hence the shaky hands. © Evan Hwong Photographs

Is the duck still alive? © Evan Hwong Photographs

After the first family is done, they bring back other offerings that have been blessed by the priest to be offered to their family temple. If you notice those white stuffs on their forehead and neck... that's rice. © Evan Hwong Photographs

"Stop staring at me or I spank you with this pandan paddle!" © Evan Hwong Photographs

The second family then began their turn after the first family left the temple grounds... which was my cue to leave as well. © Evan Hwong Photographs

On the way to Mount Batukaru, we passed by civilization. On the way back down we took a different route passing by the Jatiluwih rice terraces. © Evan Hwong Photographs

Harvesting the local Balinese rice. © Evan Hwong Photographs

What's remarkable about Bali was the fact that 60% of the domestic industry depended on tourism (arts, crafts, etc) while another 40% heavily depended on agriculture, out of which only half of it are for export. Rice in Bali were planted in abundance but not for export. © Evan Hwong Photographs

Unfortunately even as there's so many fields of it, the amount of rice is not enough for everyone on the ever growing population of the island, and the Balinese had to resort to planting paddy seeds from China. © Evan Hwong Photographs

The reason's simple: One cycle of harvest for Balinese rice takes up to six month. So most farmers are only paid twice a year if they depend merely on paddy fields. Chinese rice cycle takes four months. 3 times profit. Because of that, Balinese rice are mostly saved for special occasions like ceremonies or festivals. © Evan Hwong Photographs

Did I mention they farm everything by HAND? Only a few would use that tiny little motorized thing but everything else was from blood, sweat and tears. © Evan Hwong Photographs

In the fertile volcanic foothills of Batukaru Mountains you'll see an abundance of tropical fruits, spices, vegetables and flowers. It is no wonder that the community here is considered Bali's farming elite. For the Balinese, cultivation of land is a creative art and a communal effort, and the people of Jatiluwih have created a true masterpiece - an endless and intricate jigsaw of finely curved rice terraces in brilliant shades of green. © Evan Hwong Photographs

Took a quick pit stop at a small warong, or food stall. Everyone was garbed in their finest traditional costumes, even the cop in the foreground with his back facing me. © Evan Hwong Photographs

A cup of traditional coffee, hard boiled egg and a biscuit for only 5,000rp. That's perhaps US 50¢. © Evan Hwong Photographs

We ended the day's tour and I asked my driver to drop me off at Kuta street to recce it for another day's long trek since it's almost 5pm; a drive down from Mount Batukaru to Kuta takes about 2hrs so I'm not in the mood to walk far. © Evan Hwong Photographs

Paid homage and my respects to the 2002 Bali bombing site of what once was the Paddy's Pub which claimed the lives of 202 people. © Evan Hwong Photographs

Looking at the list of lives lost at Ground Zero, I couldn't help but be angered at how stupid some extremists can be. But saddened when I saw at the bottom of the plaque, a small carved block saying, "Happy birthday, Joey". RIP all of you. © Evan Hwong Photographs

Shuttle bus doubling as a public bus for locals and tourist colorfully line up the streets of Kuta while peddlers alongside the road sit and wait for unsuspecting tourists to sell their overpriced stuffs. One even offered me, "You want gers? Many bootyful gers? No? Yew like bois? Oso many many bois!" What a way to end the day from one culture at one end of the island to another. © Evan Hwong Photographs