Terracotta Palace

Bali island wasn't just about the beaches like Kuta and along the shores. That was also Denpasar city of which Henry wasn't interested to move there, even if there were even more convenient and better than Kuta and other places. Perhaps because of his upcoming job as a tour guide would be convenient if he stayed at tourist traps locations.

Unlike Kuta, Denpasar was truly differed even from the buildings architectures at there were mostly fashioned with bare red bricks and terracotta materials. Made was used to live at Denpasar once, and he actually loved the city, before he moved again to Pedungan area of which was intermediate between Kuta and Denpasar outskirt.

Made frequently came in an out the city for his business and of course to shop his art crafts materials and family's life's necessity stuffs of which weren't available at his current place. Henry was asked to follow him as to take him visiting his favorite temple in the middle of Denpasar city. Even if not affiliated with his main Pura temple, but the temple became esteemed by Made ever since his childhood.

Made often dubbed the temple 'Terracotta Palace' due to it's architecture was purely classical East Javanese empire, exactly the Majapahit empire. The shrines inside the temple's complex were all built from traditional red brick and terracotta materials, thus earned it's nickname Terracotta Palace.

Together with his mom and his sister in law, Henry followed them all and they went to there by Made's car. The vehicle was the only thing his dad inherited post the death and surely Made and his family were really dependent on that vehicle for their convenience traveling anywhere. They also prepared their offerings prior visiting the temple.

Normally Henry was dressed casually as an outsider instead of dressed in traditional Balinese clothings like Made's and his family members. But however Henry always dressed properly yet casually as a matured guy, especially when in company with Made to the Pura temple for praying.

Made appeared attractive in his traditional attires of which consisted by long tunic top tucked inside beneath two layers of traditional textiles wrapping and also a girdle to secure the wraps at midriff. His jewelleries were pair of large gold earrings traditionally Balinese style and he wore a traditional Balinese headband specified as male's headgear known as: udeng.

Made was a long haired guy with delicate features and rather short height, unlike Henry as typically Chinese guy from outside Bali island. But however that's not appealed to Henry and thus their affair was considered neutral. Henry wished for a guy who's far bigger studder and has legit muscular shape, even hairy feature as his choice. Made knew it already from his prior vision foresaw Henry's soulmate wannabe.

They reached the place and Made parked the car nearby the temple complex. Henry saw the temple's signboard and the temple is known it's actual name: Pura Maospahit Gerenceng. The temple had has already registered by the ministry of culture as the historical monument at Bali island, as well as numerous Candi monuments scattered around the Java island.

The temple's complex fascinated Henry due to the architecture was truly differed from native Balinese of bali island. The temple's walls and entrance was built from bare red bricks and terracotta tiles, so do the with main shrines which have similar shape with ancient Candi temple from old Javanese empire.

But the most interesting one was the temple's main entrance of which bore pair of massive red brick sculptures depicting pair of gate guardian deities flanking both side of the entrance. Made and his family firstly put the offerings against the both gate guardian deities before their image sculptures of which merged within the gate's compound.

They continued their worshipping ritual into the inner sanctum of the temple and inside there were two main large shrines with their distinctively Candi architecture and their historical recounts followed by. Henry just followed the custom, before he listened to Made's lecture about the temple's explanation.

Actuallly Made did never agree if such a particularly rare and historical temple is being promoted as merely tourist trap spot like other Pura temples are. Made also disliked and so infuriated by those barbarous and ill mannered white people tourists those reported by the locals had ever desecrated the Pura temples and sacred places prior. Surely Made did never want such bad things befallen his esteemed temple and also other Pura temples around Bali island.

Thus Made warned Henry to never get any foreign tourists from his guidance to wander around the temple without good purposes. The temple was an exception for Made and surely Henry apprehended Made's meaning. Henry also agreed if such the sacred temples aren't suitable to be exploited as tourist trap spots.

Surely Henry will never enlist any Pura temples into his tourist traps list if he becomes a tour guide eventually. If his tourists were the mainly foreigners, especially the white peoples, Henry thought it was more appropriated to take them to those places which were definitely designated for tourism industry purpose, like art crafts and souvenir centers, also museums and other amusement spots around Bali island.

At least Henry understood the whole problems and he assured Made if the Chinese peoples like him won't be irresponsible for exploiting the locals and misuse the rights given by the locals to the outsiders like Henry. Upon listened to it, Made wished that Henry's job as a tour guide will be realized sooner as he believed Henry was a trustworthy guy who will bring lot of benefits to promote local tourism industry within respect to the local customs and cultures.

Henry's visitation to the Terracotta Palace temple gave him plenty of wisdom thoughts and he gradually understood his purpose at this Bali Island wasn't meaningless and futile. His experiences with plenty of supernatural things along with Made as the little sun of his promised island brought a new insight for his new life after he left behind his old life and memories from Medan city.

After waited for a long time with desperation, Henry passed his test and got his license as a registered tour guide. Upon heard the news, Made congratulated Henry for his success and celebrated it with traditional home cooking lunch provided by Made and his mom at their house. Made prepared a special Balinese spicy chicken dish known as: Betutu, along with other traditional Balinese dishes eaten with rice. At least Henry found a new adopted family in Bali island and he was grateful.