In the center of this little town, a side street leads to the brink of the Pakerisan gorge at Gunung Kawi, where long flight of steps leads down to the river itself. This is Bali’s ‘valley of the kings’, hewn in the cliffs on both sides of the river appear massive commemorative monuments to 11th-century kings and queens. Although, strictly speaking, Gunung Kawi is not a temple, it is considered a holy place. Beyond a group of three ponds is the sanctuary itself, in the form of a square pool in the centre of which is a small open shrine containing a stone throne. Note particularly the pipes from which the water flows: although overgrown with moss in the course of years, they are still fine examples of Balinese stone-carving skill.