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Our first address in Ubud was Monkey Forest Road - named after the Sacred Monkey Forest at the end of the road. The hundreds of macaque monkeys living there are well taken care of and get rations of corn and yams - and of course bananas - every day. The forest is beautiful and tourists can visit for 50,000 Rupiahs -- about $4. Tourists can also buy bananas for the monkeys but this is a risky business. They can get very rambunctious and have a tendency to kleptomania. Upon entry visitors are advised to "Take Care Your Stuff", and that includes things like eyeglasses, cellphones and cameras. I've seen them jump onto the back of a tourist and rifle through pockets and backpacks in hopes of finding a snack. Tourists are also advised not to look them directly in the eye. From a monkey's perspective this is aggressive behavior. |