On a visit to the vampires in the Pura Goa Lavah

 They are called servants of Satan. People are told about terrible stories and legends about them. They are bats.

 In Bali, a huge number of flying mice live in a cave at the entrance of which is the Goa Lava Temple ("Goa" is a cave, "Lavah" is a bat). It was here that we arrived.

Pura Goa Lawah

 Written sources tell us that from the cave of the temple (built in the 11th century), a whole labyrinth of innumerable tunnels begins. The entrance to the cave is now forbidden. The Balinese explain this by the fact that in the middle of the 20th century numerous researchers, including the UNESCO research group, tried to explore the cave. Since the people entering the cave did not return back, the Balinese barred entry to it.

 About the history of this place is almost nothing known and the Balinese tell tourists various legends. Perhaps the story of the disappearance of people is one of them.

 And so, the temple was created to worship bats. Every evening, local residents bring offerings to them and pray.

Balinese women bring offerings to the temple

 Above the entrance to the temple is attached a golden bat emblem.

Golden bat - symbol of the temple

 We came not just to admire the "vampires", but to see how the bats leave the cave and go in search of the victim, "to drink fresh human blood." Of course, this is a joke. They are looking for food - mosquitoes, midges, etc.

Altar in front of the cave

 We did not calculate, a little, on time and had to wait for the flight of mice about 2 hours.

 When you wait for something, time moves very slowly. The sun has set, but the bats need total darkness. We are sitting near the temple on the bench, waiting. My husband - Michael, stepped on the anthill next to the bench, he was bitten by Balinese ants.

 We went to the coast near the temple, trampled black sand, watched the sunset ...

Beach with black sand

 We began to return and a chicken ran after us. Lost, apparently (there are local houses around the temple, and many hens). The chicken runs, bawls, the sun sets, and it's not in the chicken coop (afraid that the mice will drink his blood). Well, and we are what we help her? He began to pursue us: we are from her, she is behind us. Tired of our indifference, the chicken pinched me by the finger on my leg and, in general, began to peck.

 We are waiting, but bats do not fly ...

 It is already pretty dark.

 And then it began ... bats flew ... Wow!

 If you do not pay attention to the strong smell of manure, the flight of a huge flock of bats is fascinating.

 The show was pleasant. In the fabulous atmosphere of the island, even the most fantastic legends seem to be true.