March 16, 2018

These final days are flying by!  When we arrived 2 months ago it seemed like we had forever stretching out in front of us but somehow “forever” has turned into “just two more sleeps”!  We continue to stay present though and as a result our days magically fill our days with things that make us happy and content.  Ubud is the perfect place for that to happen.  Bali has been described as a place in the world where the wall between “here” and “there” is thinner and my personal belief is that Ubud is at the heart of that reality.  “Synchronicity”, the “stars aligning”, “getting what you need when you need it”.....all of those are comments expressed daily here.

The last time I wrote Barb and I had just returned from a spa day and I think I mentioned that we’d made another appointment as we walked out the door.  Well.....we had that next appointment yesterday and I know I’m still feeling the “love” as it were.  See.....Ubud brings out the inner hippie in all of us.  LOL. :-)

There has been so much to report in about since I last wrote so I’ll just hit a few of the highlights.  One of those highlights was a visit back to the palace in Peliatan (about a 10 minute drive from here) where we went to see the Kecak.  Kecak is traditionally ended with a fire trance dance but I was very disappointed to discover that the Peliatan location has opted out of including the fire dance portion as it damages the floor and Peliatan being a palace.....has decided against that potentiality.  Honestly not having the fire dance at the end really detracted from the overall experience so for any who are reading this and planning to attend a Kecak in Bali.....I strongly encourage you to make sure the fire dance will be performed wherever you’re going to see it.  In Ubud, my favourite so far has been at a temple on the bottom of Hanoman Road.  In fact that was the first one I ever saw so that might have had something to do with it being my favourite.  Right next to that in memorability is the one they do at ARMA during the full and the dark moon (ie: twice per month vs the weekly dates at other locations). The one at ARMA has a more artistic flare but there is sure lots of fire!  :-)

Another significant activity was one that Barb undertook on her own.  She and Jati set off on his bike.....yes.....for those of you who know Barb and who are reading this.....they set off on his bike for a 25’ish minute ride.  For those of you who don’t know Barb....last year we pretty much had to drug her to get her on the back of a bike!!!  This year she’s practically turned into a “biker babe”.  :-). Their destination was a temple called Gunung Kawi where there are 320 steps that have to be traversed (both down and then back up).  Barb’s report back to us was that the down wasn’t so bad as it was still early morning so not too hot BUT the trek back up was blistering and long!  In the end though she said it was well worth it and the temple was stunning and different from any other she’d seen to date.  There are theories about the placement of temples (ie: bottom or top of many stairs or atop a mountain).  One of those theories is that if everyone (rich/poor, young/old, high caste/low caste) has to make the same trek....by the time they reach their destination....they’re all equal.  It’s an interesting concept that has some merit to my way of thinking.  While Barb was off doing that, I was catching up on the blog....yes that was the day that I did it and then forgot to post it until today!

Barb, Tami, Julie, and I also attended a musical concert at a nearby location called Bambu Indah.  It is a unique world class resort that is re-knowned for being “green”.  Everything, as the name suggests, is made from Bamboo and the resort is massive.  It is home to several traditionally styled bungalows where guests can stay.  It is also home to a restaurant, pools, a bamboo elevator, and gardens carved into nature that rival anything you’ve ever seen.  In addition, the building’s architect collaborated with a musician (who makes his own instruments, often from bamboo) to create a space where could discover music wherever they were.  Sometimes the music comes from the wind in the bamboo surrounding the area you’re sitting.  Other times it comes from under your table in the restaurant when you find the harp strings strung there.  Or perhaps it comes at dusk from the frogs in the pond that surrounds an outdoor patio. Or maybe you’ll find it in the strings that are strung on the bamboo support poles that hold up one of the common buildings.  It even comes from walking on the floors as the natural material that’s been bound together squeaks and groans as the poles shift and grind against one another under your weight.  Bambu Indah is definitely a one of a kind place!  We were there to enjoy a performance by the creator of the musical spaces on site.  He’d brought several of his instruments and a few of his friends who then conspired with their gamelon (traditional Balinese xylophone like instrument), their singing bowls, their drums, and their dancing to make magic in this magical space.  We ended that evening with the entire cast and audience cozy together in one of the larger traditional style bungalows. It was easily large enough to accommodate all of us (about 25) and we only were on the main floor. Some people lounged on the beds, others were on the floor, and a few of us were fortunate enough to get a ledge or a bench to use as a chair.  It seems to matter not how long I am here....I still prefer a chair to sitting on the floor!  LOL. :-). 

Another wonderful experience we’ve been able to have again this visit is to see AwaHoshi.  She is an internationally acclaimed sound healer who uses crystal bowls.  We had a small group (just the 5 of us - Tami, Barb, Rhiannon, Julie, and I) session on her deck and it was just as fantastic as I remember from last year.  Laying on mats on her deck while listening to the tune of her range of crystal bowls (she actually plays music with them) and looking up at the wind in the leaves of the surrounding trees is pretty darn perfect!  Even the birds and the wind join in her song.  Today I went back to have a private session with her and I had a butterfly who stayed for the full hour of sound!  Butterflies are a symbol of transformation and so whatever my next steps are I have no doubt they’re going to be supported and successful!  :-)

Food continues to be a very popular theme of our time in Ubud.  It’s easy to have as a theme as there are just so many fantastic options.  It’s hard though because we want to return to places we love but that means that we then cannot discover new places to love.  We’re feeling pretty good about having gotten to as many as we have though and also feeling good that we’ve maintained a balance between slightly higher end options and simple Warungs.  We met up with Jati and Rhiannon for another delicious meal at Ubud Inn (just a couple doors down from us on Monkey Forest) the other night and Ubud Inn did not disappoint.  Not only is it a gorgeous little venue nestled between the street and their gardens but it also has consistently delicious food with a menu so varied they boast entrees from almost every nation in the world!  They also have lava cakes so are one of Barb’s favourite spots to stop AND....they’re so close to home we can literally roll ourselves up the street and down the gang (skinny little walkway) to our rooms. 

Our next big adventure was a bike trip with my friend Komang and 4 of his friends.  Barb, Tami, Rhiannon, Kaye (yes....she’s back from Oz), and I set out at 10:00 in the morning for an Ogoh Ogoh tour through the villages that surround Ubud.  We didn’t have to look hard or travel far before they began to show up and they’re easy to spot from a distance!  Ogoh Ogoh’s are built by individual districts within cities and villages in Bali.  They are massive and each is an incredible piece of art made from wooden forms, paper mache, paint, and both an engineer and an artist’s skill.  Ogoh Ogoh’s are meant to be ugly and scary and believe me....they are!  Their purpose is to invite the spirits from the underworld to join them (ie: enter the cavity inside them).  This invitation is made both by the appearance of the Ogoh Ogoh along with the noise that the people make during “noisy day” between noon and midnight.  The ogoh Ogoh’s are paraded to a central location and each is carried by the men of the village or district that made it.  They’re very proud of their ogoh ogoh and to have been chosen to be a carrier...it is an honour!  They carry these massive and HEAVY creatures on a bamboo platform with a grid of bamboo poles beneath that.  Each man stands in a square of the bamboo grid and holds that grid on his shoulder.  The weight of the grid alone must be massive!  The noise they (and everyone) makes also is believed to conjure up the gods that will bring the carriers of the ogoh ogoh the strength they need for the task.  In truth....I’ve spoken with some of them and they swear that they are able to carry these massive loads with relative ease when the gods are in their corner.  More evidence of the power of belief!

Today is actually noisy day in Bali and so we had to leave Ubud much earlier than necessary because many of the streets between Ubud and the airport will begin shutting down completely around noon.  We weren’t too worried about us getting to the airport but.....there would be huge problems for Jati to get back from the airport to Ubud (about 1 1/2 hrs).  After he gets back he still has to drop off the car, pick up his bike and Rhiannon, and head home to Kintimani in the mountains (also about 1 1/2 hrs away from Ubud in the other direction) before the final ceremonies for Nyepi (silent day) are finished.  Once all of those spirits from the underworld are inside of the Ogoh Ogoh’s at midnight tonight they will be taken to the forest and burned.  This way the spirits from the underworld will be gone in time for Nyepi (silent day) which begins right after midnight tonight.  Silent Day is also New Year’s Day in the Balinese calendar and you may find it interesting to know that this year the calendar is turning over to 1940 so as we’ve been here in Bali we’ve gone ahead in time according to our Gregorian calendar and our clock but we’ve also gone back in time according to the Balinese calendar!  How’s that for time travel?! :-). 

This afternoon and this evening all of Bali will be alive with partying.  There will be parades and music and dancing and shouting and banging of pots and pans and anything else that will make as much noise as possible to bring out the evil spirits.  Once that job is done and silent day begins the exact opposite will begin.  On Nyepi the entire island shuts down.  Even the international airport will be closed.  No ships will come into port and no vehicles will be on the highways.  No people will be on the streets and no shops or restaurants will be open.  I’m not exaggerating.....all of Bali will be closed!  On Nyepi there are many norms that must be followed.  No one makes any noise...they speak in hushed tones....they spend time with family....there is no electricity (eg. lights) or technology used....many of them will fast for the day.....none of them will use a knife or cut anything in any way....they won’t do any work at all....they will use the time to meditate or consider the year just past and the one they’re entering into.  It is a time for reflection and calm.  

This morning as we drove out of Ubud we could see already that so many Ogoh Ogoh’s were being placed on the streets for the parade that would happen later in the day.  Already we could sense an energy in the air that was precursor to what would begin this afternoon.  As we drove we also began to reflect on some of the things we’ve experienced and the sights we’ve been privy to over the past couple of months.  Nyepi and the preparations for it tend to bring that out in everyone....Balinese or otherwise.  We marvelled at the fact that what was such an unusual sight to us just a few weeks ago now seems to be the norm.  We basked in the warmth of the memories of water blessings, holy places, and the company of friends (new and old).  We considered the reality of the fact that this may be the last time we see these friends or this beautiful place for a very long time or even ever.  We bubbled over with new energy to learn just “one more thing” before saying good bye and we felt grateful for all that we’ve learned.

So on this the eve of Nyepi....we bid Bali a fond farewell ever grateful for this time in a place where the walls between “here” and “there” are very very thin.

Till the next trip.....

Lorrie, Barb, and Tami

March 9, 2018

OMG!  How did that much time pass since I last wrote in this blog?!  Honestly it is a mystery to me how it is possible that when you first begin a trip/adventure the time seems to stretch out in front of you like it is endless but the nearer you get to the end date....that same time begins to FLY BY!  This is definitely the case for us.  We’ve been using a calendar (thanks Summerland Credit Union) to have a common visual that is easy to access and update.  Those little squares have been so full the past several days that there is little white space left on the page!

My last post referenced a movie we were going to see...(I’m Not Your Negro) at BetelNut.  It was a great documentary that proved to be very thought provoking and encouraging of interesting conversation for the rest of that evening but by the next morning our thoughts had turned to what was on our calendar for that day.  A Balinese Cooking class.  :-). What a delicious way to spend a day!  Delicious for so many reasons.  Of course there was the obvious ...that we’d get to eat all that we cooked and boy were we stuffed when we rolled out of there mid afternoon!  But it was also delicious to visit the Ubud market where we learned about everything from Balinese ceremonial offerings to spices and exotic fruit and veg.  We got to experience the back recesses of the market first hand.  For me, it was reminiscent of my very first market in India so many years ago.  The dichotomy of smells that simultaneously assault the senses....fresh and stale/animal and human/perfume of incense blended with the stench of garbage/ the unique aromas of items like durian (smells a bit like a strong cheese) and pandan (smells something like freshly mowed grass)/exotic spices/coffee/and...well you get the idea....  On top of that there is the heat and humidity, the slippery floors, the noise of people bargaining/trolleys making their way down the narrow aisles/dogs barking/vehicles honking/vendors setting up their tourist wares as others take down their domestic produce and local items.  Yes, it is truly a place all abustle!  Life in the market begins before the sun is even up every morning (about 4 a.m.) and it doesn’t really end until about 11 pm.  The switch from a focus on local to tourist sales takes place around 10 or 11 a.m.  But enough about the market because I haven’t even gotten to the cooking yet!

We were taken by van to Ketut’s Cooking School (formerly Payuk Cooking School) in a little village about 15 minutes from the market.  The road led us through rice fields and residential areas.....all sights of the city were left behind.  Did you know there are 4 kinds of ginger?!  Well there are!  And did you know that you have to rock your wrist back and forth in a mortar and pestle about a million times to crush roasted peanuts enough to turn them into peanut sauce?  Well you do! And did you know that Bumbu Bali is a blend of spices (16 I think there were) that are turned into a paste that was then used in every single dish we made at the school?  How did we turn them into a paste you ask.....well.....we had to use a massive log as a pestle (almost as tall as me) that we smashed into an oversized mortar that was on the floor at our feet.....and again......approximately one million smashes are required.  Cooking Bali style is a whole new type of exercise program!  In the end we enjoyed: soup, rice, fried noodles, chicken curry, chicken satay, peanut sauce, fish cooked in banana leaf, sambal (a spicy sauce that has many many recipes but that is served with every meal so the guests can spice things up to their liking), and caramelized bananas with ice cream (we used cooking bananas/plantains that are much firmer and less sweet than the bananas we have at home).  Is your mouth watering yet?  Ours sure were by the time we were finished preparing everything and ready to sit down to eat!  It was all unbelievably delicious and all of the grinding and pounding and chopping was totally worth it.  :-). By the time we arrived back to our rooms all we could think of was laying down in a cool air conditioned room for a quick little cat nap....something we seem to be growing quite accustomed to of late.  LOL!

The next big event we attended was a royal cremation.  I feel so fortunate to have been able to experience one of these both times I’ve been here but for Tami and Barb it was a new experience.  Rhiannon decided to join us for the day and so there were four.  It is difficult to describe just what a royal cremation is like but in an attempt to do so I’ll ask you to imagine that the courtyard outside the Vatican (when the pope is making an appearance) is filled beyond capacity.  Many of the people are devout and others are curious tourists anxious to get a feel for this very unique and special occasion.  Now cross that scene with a busy day at Disneyland.....there are vendors and people are having fun.  It is hot and made even more so by the fact that you’re in the middle of a massive crowd.  The humidity is stifling and you’re not sure if you need a shower or just had one as you’re soaked right through.  Are you getting the picture?  I am not exaggerating.  There are literally thousands of people crammed into the crossroads in front of the Ubud Palace as this is the only city where royal cremations ever take place.  The tower that will carry the body of the deceased (who passed away about 6 weeks earlier) has been under construction at this location for at least a month.  It is 27 meters tall and has been decorated with wings and faces and snakes and a turtle.  It truly is a work of art!  The top.  Section of this tower was just added this morning.  It is a pagoda shaped structure that sits above the body and feels like we’ve just watched the “cake” be iced via a feat of engineering the likes of which none of us has ever seen before.  The pagoda shaped topper is tall.....almost as tall as the tower was before it was added.  This entire structure is built of bamboo and wood.  It must be HEAVY and as we’ve walked past it during its construction we’ve marvelled at the fact that it is supported by nothing more than a few single bamboo poles.  Men have been climbing all over the structure using a portable type of scaffolding to attach the various decorations (wings etc) and never once have we seen it even wiggle on it’s foundation!  If we’d seen nothing else other than the construction of this tower we would have had a forever memory locked in there but honestly....the tower is just one aspect of the grandeur.  In addition to the tower there has been a massive bull built elsewhere and transported to the front of the palace where it has been watching over the proceedings for the two weeks preceding the actual cremation day.  The bull is also massive!  I’m not certain of the height of it but my best guess is that it is about 20’ tall and then add to that the fact that it sits atop a platform that is about 3 feet tall....it too is an imposing figure.  The bull is beautiful!  It is likely made of a wooden framework and paper mache that has then been covered with fabric that actually looks like the hair you’d see on a beautiful big black bull.   This bull is designed to be exactly accurate in all ways.  The ratios of leg to neck and body to head all make it appear like there is really a massive bull standing there in front of the palace!  In addition, the bull’s anatomy is added in detail too.  This year I noticed something I didn’t see last year (but that I’m assured is always there) was the string of sperm that is attached to the bull’s erect penis....yes you read that right!  Even to that detail this bull is perfection and able to demonstrate his good health and fertility as he carries the deceased into the next life.  That is his purpose you see....the body will be carried through the streets (followed by thousands) on that very tall tower for a little more than a km.  Once the cremation site is reached the body will be moved from the tower to inside the body of that bull as it’s back will have been cut open at the cremation site.  Once final prayers have been made over the body now inside the bull it, and the bull, will be burned till there is nothing but ash left.  This year, the same as last, I felt a combination of emotion at being privy to this auspicious event and marvel at the engineering and logistics feat that it all is.  This ceremony (from the time that the body is placed into the tower until it is finished burning) takes the better part of a full day and the entire ceremony (there are many events that occur prior to this and that will take place afterward) will take several weeks (maybe as much as a month).  By the time the body had been moved into the bull I was ready to call it a day and begin to head in the direction of home (still a long walk on a hot day. Very early in the day Barb had become separated from the rest of us so  it was just three of us making our way home around 4:30 that afternoon.  We learned later that Barb had stayed longer and had witnessed the actual cremation so we were able to swap stories about our experiences.  She’d missed the moving of the body from the tower to the bull and we’d missed the burning but in the end we got to hear about and see photos of it all.  

This particular cremation had been for one of the queen’s (second wife of the old king or second mother to the current king if the info I have is actually accurate and there is no guarantee of that! LOL). I am certain it was a queen but the details of which one are where it gets a little murky.  When it is a royal cremation it takes place at this Ubud Palace and it happens within a few weeks of their death but for every other Balinese person the location would be their own village/temple and the cremation would not take place immediately following the death.  In fact, it may be up to 5 years before their body will be cremated and the rest of the ceremonies will occur.  Cremations and the associated ceremonies are very expensive and so villages band together to have group cremations.  Individuals are buried when they die and then exhumed when it is time for the cremation.  Just one more very very interesting thing that is the norm here in Bali.  And just one more fantastic example of what we’ve been privy to as we’ve been given the gift of peeking behind the curtain of this beautiful culture.

So much has happened since I last wrote and with all this running around I’ve found myself in need of a couple new tops so decided to visit Wayan the tailor at Rai Pasti (just a little way up the street and down another tiny gang much like the one we take to get to our accommodation).  I have him a couple of my tops, some fabric I’d picked up in Seminyak, and he promised to get them back to me asap.  I was counting on the ASAP part as I don’t have many clothes here to start with so being without a couple of them meant that I’d be wearing the same thing pretty much every day!  In the end, Wayan came through and I now have my old stuff plus a couple new things to mix it up for the last couple weeks of my time here.  

Neither Barb nor Tami had ever seen Uluwatu and it really is a place that everyone who visits Bali must experience soooo.....we decided to make a massive road trip of it and do both Uluwatu and Tanah Lot in the same day!  And...since we were already in a westerly direction and since Tami hadn’t yet been to La Laguna in Canggu and since Barb and I were happy to go there again....we decided to make it our final stop of the day for sunset at the beach.  What a great day it turned out to be!  We had to be in the car and on the road by 8 a.m. which is early but.....we’re glad we made the effort.  We were slightly ahead of some of the traffic and it meant that we could be at both Uluwatu and Tanah Lot ahead of the afternoon crowds that flock to both places for sunset.  The weather couldn’t have been better (but it was HOT).  Even Barb was sweating for part of it!  That truly is an indication of how hot and humid it was.  Tami is a pretty good sweat’er and I am literally a professional sweat’er but when Barb sweats you know there may soon be flames shooting up from the earth’s surface or that one of us (likely Lorrie) may spontaneously combust at any second!  Even at the top of Tanah Lot (where there is a shaded area that usually is home to a beautiful cross breeze) it was hot enough for the lizards to be moving slow enough that Tami was able to photograph one of them from up close!  In spite of that heat both temples were once again highlights for all three of us.  You could never get tired of visiting either of those phenomenally naturally beautiful locations that are home to a sense of spirituality born in the fact that people have been using them to pray, give offerings, worship, and meditate for thousands of years.  I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again...I attribute some of the magic of Bali and the ‘love bubble’ that is Ubud to the fact that the spiritual practice of the Balinese people is constant and ever present.  All those offerings and gratitude and contemplative intentional practice does something to the ether....the gentle goodness that lives here is tangible.

After a day of wandering the cliff sides and trails of those two special temples we set off for Canggu and La Laguna.  Canggu is another little city that is generally most popular with a younger crowd but it is also home to some great scenery and in particular one restaurant on the beach that both Barb and I really enjoy and that we wanted to introduce Tami to.  As usual, Jati’s timing was perfect and so we arrived at La Laguna with just the right amount of lead time to find the “best” table to watch the sun set over the Indian Ocean.  It was exquisite!  Honestly, it may stick in my memory bank as one of the most perfect sunsets I’ve ever seen.  Not that the skies were super clear, in fact there were lots of cloud BUT thanks to Tami we saw shapes in those clouds that actually told a story and that were as clear as if they were written on paper. In addition, there was a small pool of water on the beach directly between our table and the ocean/sunset so we got the sunset as a reflection almost more clearly than we did in the sky!  Dinner at La Laguna was also perfect.  All of our meals were delicious and coupled with the view.....nothing could have made it any better.  La Laguna is designed around a gypsy style decor. Nothing particularly Balinese about it except that it conjures up a zen and tranquil and slightly exotic vibe that has everything to do with Bali.  By the time we arrived home that night 13 hours had passed since we’d climbed in the car that morning...yes....it was a long day but a good one!

The next day Barb and I decided we’d treat ourselves to some R and R in the form of a visit to Verona (my favourite local spa).  I opted for the four hand with Ngurah and Mila.  This talented twosome are magical in my estimation and so if you’re in Ubud at Verona on Monkey Forest Rd I encourage you to ask for them by name.  I’ve had other four hand massages but the one they give is different and I LOVE IT!  If there was a way I could bring them home....honestly....I would!  While I was off in la la land with my 4 hand, Barb was enjoying a spice massage and bath.  That meant that her therapist used a blend of spices in the body scrub that followed her massage and that her bath was filled with a spicy sachet vs the flower petals that I was soaking in over in my own little oasis.  Two hours later both of us rolled out of there with smiles on our faces and a second appointment booked for the following week.

I will leave this post here for now and come back to write another as soon as I can. 

So....till then,

Lorrie, Barb, and Tami

February 26, 2018

Having recovered from our very early morning the day after I last wrote.....here we go with another little recap.

Tirta Empul was definitely worth getting up that early for on Feb 19th!  We arrived well before sunrise which allowed time to put our stuff into lockers and for Jati to be able to give all the offerings and prayers that would precede our entry into the holy water.  The first offering was inside the temple and that one was just Jati.  Next all four of us (Barb, Tami, Jati, and I) sat on a platform adjacent to the pools.  This is where Jati made the major offering we’d brought with us and where each of the three of us held our respective smaller offerings and had a few moments of silence to think about things that are important to us.  The offerings had all been ordered two days prior and we’d given Jati the equivalent of $15 CAD to be able to purchase all that would go into them.  The largest box included everything from a whole BBQ chicken to mangosteen and bananas.  It had popcorn and cookies and flowers and incense.  The box it was in was about 14 inches square.  The smaller offerings that each of us held and that were made to the underworld and in the temple prior to entering consisted of a 6 inch tray (woven from special leaves) that was filled with a variety of fresh flowers, some dried grasses, a cookie, and a piece of incense.  After we finished making our small offerings we took a flower from our tray and placed it behind our ear before leaving the tray on the platform we were vacating.  The large box of offerings was left on the offering table during our time in the holy springs and once we were finished and ready to go Jati retrieved our box of offerings as it would now double as our breakfast.  It had served its purpose as an offering and in the process had been blessed so now we’d have the added bonus of feasting on food that had been blessed by the gods during this special ceremony.  There are three pools at Tirta Empul which was constructed in 960 AD.  The first has 13 spouts (11 of which we would bath under), the second pool has two spouts (we used both), and the third pool has six (we are pretty sure we used just one of these but in truth by this time it was getting to be a bit of a blur and Barb was freezing so she’d stopped counting in pool number two :-) ).  The reason that not all spouts are used is that some of them are intended for funeral processes or serious illness etc.  To bathe under the spout you stand waist deep in the water in front of it and cup your hands (right hand on top) to catch some water to watch your face three times then rinse your mouth three times and then drink three times before finally washing the top of your head three times.  The washing of the top of your head can either be done by cupping water over your head or actually dunking your head under the running spout of water.  All of the water is coming from underground natural holy springs that have been used in this way since the beginning of time as far as the local belief goes.  The water is blessed by the gods and a way for the people to connect and be cleansed.  As visitors it is a real honour to be able to fully engage in this ancient and special practice and in all truth there is a tangible sense of calm that accompanies the practice.  Each of us found ourselves in quiet contemplation after this water blessing and each of us echoed our appreciation of the opportunity.  For me, one of the things I will always remember is the magic of having done this pre-dawn and given the fact that it takes quite a long time (30 minutes at least) to make your way through the pools the dawn grew brighter with the passing of each of the spouts.  Each time I looked up from being doused by the water the light was literally getting brighter....there was symbolism in this that was not lost on me.  The change rooms are pretty rustic so perhaps it was a good thing that the electricity wasn’t working so we had to change in the dark.  The concrete and rocks both in and out of the pools is slippery with algae that thrives in this moist climate so whether in the pools, beside the pools, or in the change room “hati hati” (careful) is the order of the day!  As well, I should also mention that the pools are all home to a large number of fish that range in size from minnows to those old guys who are at least a foot long.  The fish get up close during the purification ceremony but none of them actually touch you.  Breakfast (the box that had been blessed) was actually delicious...partly because we were all feeling pretty famished and partly because it was just plain old tasty.  The BBQ chicken was a little hard to take as it had head and feet still attached but once broken apart it appeared a lot more familiar to us from the west.  I’m still in awe of the fact that Jati saved the “best” for last and when he popped a foot into his mouth I developed a whole new level of respect for him.  (Oh ya....he took the claws off before eating it!)

After breakfast we were off in the direction of the luwak coffee plantation as it was time for a little jolt of java.  And...it would be Tami’s first time so we definitely had to make a stop in for some of the world’s MOST expensive coffee.....”catpooccino”. This stop at the coffee plantation would turn out to be a new experience for me too as for the first time ever I learned that the ripe coffee bean (it is red) actually tastes a bit like a sweet cherry!  Never before in all the visits I’ve made to places where coffee is grown and harvested has anyone ever told me/shown me this!  Thanks Jati - you’re an excellent guide!

By the time our coffee “break” was finished and we’d learned everything we could about every plant that grows there (from vanilla to turmeric and pepper to cloves) we were feeling hungry again and since we have to drive right by a restaurant called d’Alas in Tegallalang (by the rice terraces) we thought...what the heck....lets stop....so we did....and as we knew it would be it was delicious.  We were able to get our favourite table that is set apart from any others and overlooking rice fields far below.  There is Balinese music playing softly and the breeze that blows through here is lovely and cool.  The only thing that might have made it a little better would have been if there had been a row of hammocks for each of us to have a little lay down.  It had been an early morning and we were staring to feel it.

The next day (the 20th) was a pretty quiet morning because it was this day that we were scheduled to visit the English school, Prima Santi, in Batubulong about 30 minutes outside of Ubud.  This is the same school that we’d visited twice last year and it would be a full 18 months since we met the kids for the first time.  They’d grown soooo much and their English was so improved.  They were still just as enthusiastic and appreciative as ever and each of us enjoyed our respective classes (they split us up between three classrooms so as many kids as possible would be able to benefit from having a native English speaker answer whatever questions they may have.  I had the oldest group (these were the kids I’d first worked with a year and a half ago). They were 14-15 years old.  I remembered most of them and found it interesting that almost all of them still had the same career goals that they did last year.  Their interests range from policing to nursing and business.  There were a couple of nurses, three doctors, one psychologist, one artist, one for the army and three accountants.....yes they all have clear (and somewhat lofty) goals.  I have little doubt that each of them will achieve their dreams!  This English school is in addition to their regular studies so they attend in the evenings from 6:30-8 pm.  For a student to be able to attend this school they must pay $100 USD/year in tuition.  So for any of you who are reading this and who would like to sponsor a child to attend...please connect with me and I’ll be happy to make that possible for you.  This year Barb, Tami and I took a few basic primer books for their library as well as new notebooks and pens for the 50 kids we worked with that night.  We also had a few boxes of pencil crayons that were used as prizes to encourage the kids in a younger class to keep going with their studies.  We were all able to spend some time with this younger group prior to our classes arriving and at the end of our time with them each of them said good bye and thanked us by touching their forehead to the back of our hand.  Once again, this act brought tears to my eyes....it is such a humble gesture and given with such authenticity.....it’s impossible not to be moved.

Prior to our arrival at the English school we’d stopped along the road to get a few photos of the elusive crocodile tree!  There was a perfect specimen standing right along the roadside so it was too good an opportunity to pass up!  As well, we freaked out a woman who was simply walking home carrying her large jug of water on her head as I’ve been wanting to get a photo of this for more than a year!  I have one now and in fact it’s a video that is evidence of just how much weight these women can carry on their heads!  We also stopped along the way for dinner at a really interesting little restaurant that is focused on recreating a traditional experience for it’s guests.  They’ve only been open for a couple of months and already have constructed a typical family compound as well as adjacent rice fields that are farmed in the old style with cows and all by hand.  The demand for production and efficiency has cost them some of their traditional knowledge and the land some of it’s natural resources so their is a rising interest in wanting to return to the old ways.  Unfortunately the government is insisting that they use machines and technology to ensure high levels of production from the land.  Hopefully their grass roots movement will be able to shift the direction.  Our dinner was as good as the view and a local fellow who stopped by for a chat (he’s been a guide in Bali for 30+ years) made for some interesting conversation.  He’s involved with this restaurant/interpretive centre and the changes he’s seen during his time as a guide (not all good) keep him motivated to continue on this track.

The 21st was a day of rest for all of us so nothing really new to report until the 22nd when we went to visit my friends Kathy and Farley from Kelowna as they’d just arrived in Ubud for the first time.  They were staying at the Lebah Villa and it is located along the rice field walk (it is one of the ones we pass every time we take the bikes to Sari Organik for lunch). They have a beautiful location and view of the Campuan Ridge walk from their patio and infinity pool and we had a fun evening of Balinese wine, Bintang, and stories.  It needed to be an early night for us though as Tami and Barb would be leaving at 4 am to get to the Water Temple in time for sunrise.  I’d opted out of this trip as I’m still fighting a bad head cold (since Feb 8th) and all I want to do is sleep!  

Feb 23rd. The girls had a great day on the road and got some amazing shots of the temple on the lake at sunrise.  There is one in particular that Tami got where the temple actually looks like it’s been painted with gold and that is nothing more than the morning light!  I remember one time I was there last year....we’d been shooting for sunrise that time too and although we didn’t quite make it to see the sunrise....we were the only people on the property and it is truly an amazing place to visit!  While Barb and Tami were off with Jati on their road trip they also took in the waterfall and a view of the twin lakes.  Speaking of ‘view’ they also had lunch at the same spot we did last year....up there at the top of the world....at a place called “The View”.  This time though they were totally encased in cloud so their view from “the view” was non existent!  I took advantage of my lazy day to enjoy a leisurely shower, go for a reflexology treatment and get caught up on a little reading before meeting Rhiannon for a long leisurely lunch.  In fact, it was so long that we were still sitting there (at Maha) when Barb and Tami returned from their big adventure! 

The next couple of days were really just about getting reflexology treatments, playing SkipBo and eating.  Tami and Barb have been kicking my butt but I’m pretty sure I’m just biding my time till I start playing to win.  LOL. On the evening of the 24th we’d arranged with several people to meet at Il Giardino (Italian) for drinks and dinner.  There were 9 of us (Julie, Julie, Moira, Farley, Kathy, Sandeh, Tami, Barb, and I) and as always dinner in this magical little garden oasis was another treat.  The next night we supped at Ubud Terrace Warung (virtually across the street and one of our favourite places to eat).  From our table we had an amazing view of the sunset and it was the best one we’ve seen to date.  Lots of colour and taking up the whole of the sky that we could see.

Feb 26th is a special day for me as it is my grandson, Kingston’s birthday.  He turned 9 today.  In celebration (and also because I’m hoping it will help me beat this crazy cold) Tami, Rhiannon, and I were off for a session of salt healing.  All you have to do is breathe in salt “dust” and hold it in your lungs for 7 seconds in a quiet darkened room in comfy chairs where the temperature is set at a wonderfully cool 20 degrees for 45 minutes.  Yep....I can totally do this!  :-). Afterward Barb met us and we headed into ARMA for a wander through the gardens ending at their Thai restaurant for another excellent dinner in a magical setting.  I’ve written in this blog about ARMA before but it cannot be said often enough that this beautiful garden and museum is worth a visit whenever you’re in Ubud.  Agung Rai, the founder/benefactor, seems to be ever present as well as I’ve seen him every single time I’ve visited regardless of the time of day!  This day was no exception.  There he was sitting on a bench in the gardens chatting with a guest and inviting all who passed to take their time and enjoy the ambiance.

This morning (the 27th) we headed out bright and early (well bright and early for me) as we were out the door by 8 am with a plan to go for breakfast at Maha.  Barb had a hankering for their French toast and I’m always up for their corn fritter breakfast plate.  Tami succumbed to the corn fritters this morning too so today we had breakfast with the bunnies.  But....we were so early that even Maha wasn’t open when we first arrived!   Things really are slower and quiet here in the mornings (except at the market!). So while we were waiting for Maha to get their grills fired up we set out for a little walk to pick up my laundry at Mae Mae’s, back to the room to drop it off, and then back to Maha where they were now ready to receive us.  Their large latte with an extra shot is the best in town for my taste and given it’s proximity to our place here....we’ve become frequent visitors there.....so much so that even the rabbits seem to be hopping closer and closer to our table in the back yard.  This morning we even had a visit from a little bird that might have been some kind of a humming bird.  It was so tiny and had a long beak but didn’t sit long enough anywhere for us to be able to get a photo.  After breakfast it was back to the room for me as I had a work meeting scheduled online and Barb and Tami had planned a trip to the Delta store where there are seemingly endless options for Bali style snacks and treats.  I wonder what they’ll bring home today?  :-). Yum yum!  Tonight the three of us have plans to go to BetelNut (a restaurant/club) up on Jalan Raya as they’re going to be showing a movie called “I’m Not Your Negro”.  It’s supposed to be very good and quite thought provoking.  Ubud is great for offering up that type of thought provoking activity and we’re happy to seize the opportunities as they arise.    Tomorrow morning we’re booked into a cooking class so have to be ready for the day out front at 8 a.m. so it will be another early morning again tomorrow.  More on that the next time but for now will sign off.  Bali continues to be good to us and we’re enjoying every day of it to the fullest.

Barb, Tami, and Lorrie

February 18, 2018

OMG!  Time flies?  Is that a legitimate excuse for not having written anything in this blog for so long?  Perhaps not.....an apology it must be....so sorry for my tardiness friends and readers.  I fear you’ve become tired of checking in only to discover nothing new.  On the upside, I’ve been keeping some brief notes so will expand on those today and you’ll end up with a veritable book to keep you reading late into the night tonight. A lot can happen in 10 days and so here goes.....

Feb 7th our friend Tami arrived.  Barb and I accompanied Jati for the drive to the airport in Denpasar (about 1 1/2 hours away). It was during the trip down that Barb spied something that even Jati had never seen!  There right along side of us were two workers on their motorbikes.  Each of them had creatively perched their wheelbarrow atop the bike so they could sit inside the bucket of it.  The wheel stuck out behind them and the handles were above their heads.  It was an ingenious way to transport their equipment!  One of them also had a full size shovel strapped to the side of his bike down by his foot.  The two men were sporting safety conscious gear for the bike ride (ie: helmets) but for the construction site they were either coming from or en route to...their footwear was varied and neither would have passed any work safe regulations I’ve ever heard of.  One was in motorcycle boots and the other was wearing the Bali national footwear of flip flops.  Seriously, that is the national footwear here and it is all pretty much anyone wears regardless of the work they’re doing.  It is so uncommon to see anything other than flip flops on a construction site that in truth, I cannot think of a single time I’ve seen anyone not in flip flops on a job site in all the months I’ve been here.  But enough about our drive to the airport.....back to Tami.....She’d just completed a 3 week tour of Vietnam and Cambodia and was ready for a little R and R Bali style and we were ready to show her just how to do that.  We’d been practicing that fine art for the 3 weeks she’d been trekking so we felt ready to share some of our experience with her.  We started off with a very important stop between the airport and Ubud.  It was for ice cream in Sanur.  For those of you who are ice cream connoisseurs you’ll appreciate knowing that it is some of the best gelato any of us has ever had!  And....they have 48 flavours to choose from.  Yes, well worth the little detour and short stop.  From Sanur to Ubud the drive was uneventful except for getting to see the maze of vehicles that is usual during that busy time of day through the eyes of a newbie again.  It is always a great reminder to have a first-timer visit as the insanity of the traffic actually almost becomes “normal” as we become desensitized to it over time.  Once we had Tami safely ensconced in her beautiful room at Rumah Jepun there was just enough time to get freshened up for dinner.  We were all feeling pretty tired and so it was a quick and quiet dinner at Pissarri which has become our go to place for Cap Cay (pronounced chap chai).  Cap Cay is a traditional Balinese dish that consists of a rich beef broth and a myriad of veggies simmered till they are just tender crisp mounded up in the middle of the bowl.  There’s a little chicken added for those who want it and a side of rice makes it a perfect meal.  Not only is it easy on the tummy after a long day of travel but it is divinely delicious as well.  Oh ya...and the price of it (including chicken and rice and a bottle of water) is under $5 CAD!  Pissarri is also a favourite of ours as it is virtually next door to our accommodation and the restaurant looks out over rice fields right here in the middle of town.  What’s not to love?!

The next morning, Feb 8th, Tami and Barb walked while I worked.  I’ve been keeping up with clients during my time here in Bali and thanks to Skype, FaceTime and Google Hangouts it’s all been going smoothly.  Oh ya...and the fact that Rumah Kita (our accommodation) has a good wifi connection is a pretty critical part of that too!  Barb was able to give Tami a comprehensive foot tour of the area around here and by the time they returned I’d finished with my last meeting of the morning.  By that time all of us were ready for a coffee break (as you can see...life isn’t too difficult here!) and so we wandered across the street and down a few shops to a little place called Maha where bunny rabbits hop freely in the back yard and where the lattes are delicious!  It was over coffee that we determined it was time to introduce Tami to one more of the special treats we enjoy here in Bali....a massage at Verona.  I made appointments for the three of us and by the time we walked up to Verona from Maha they were ready for us.  Tami and I opted for the four-hand massage with body scrub and bath, while Barb chose the Lalur special with scrub, bath, and a pedicure too.  By the time we strolled out of Verona a couple hours later all three of us were feeling some kind of wonderful and our day was not yet over.  Julie (Tami’s host) had planned a little soirée and the three of us were invited so it was a quick change into clean clothes and a wander down the little gang (alley) that leads from our place to Tami’s/Julie’s.  Julie’s party was great and we got to meet some new people as well as say hello to old friends again.  The last time I’d seen Christina (from Estonia) she was just pregnant and this time she had her 5 month old son Simon in tow.  Julie (from Belgium) was also just back to her place here in Ubud and it was great to catch up with her too.  Kaye (from Australia was a new friend for all of us and as it turned out....would become a great friend with the three of us.  By the time Julie’s party was nearing an end the three of us were done in and so off to our respective beds we trundled having been sated with wine and cheese and other nibblies as a finish to our magical massages from the afternoon. 

On Feb 9th Tami joined us here on our patio for a leisurely breakfast and as soon as that was done we were off to the Pyramids of Chi for Sound Healing with Tracy.  We were joined by our new friend Kaye from the night before and this would turn out to be the first of many activities we would do together as you’ll see when you read on.  Our sound healing in the pyramid was fantastic!  One of my favourites to date in fact.  It’s not that they’re all that different from one another but for me there are differences in the way I feel when I emerge from the hour long session.  Sometimes they use different instruments, sometimes they’re louder, sometimes they include chanting or singing, sometimes nature gets in on the act with thunder and rain, and well....you get the picture.  After our session in the pyramid the four of us enjoyed a delicious lunch that was topped off by a piece of passion fruit cheesecake for dessert.  Yep....life here isn’t hard to take at all!  By the time we wandered out of the restaurant at the pyramids, Agung, our driver, was waiting to take us home where we sat around on our patio reliving the afternoons activities while enjoying a drink (or two).  Day turned to night and we decided it was time to go out for another bite of something delicious.  This time we decided on the Ubud Terrace Warung as it too is almost across the street from us and once again the price is very very right.  My favourite meal there is coconut chicken (served with rice and spinach).  Believe it or not, the price for that meal is $3.50!  When I’m there I also like to splurge and order an avocado juice as well.  Now I know that might not sound all that delicious to those of you who haven’t yet had one but rest assured...it is!  They blend up the avocado with just enough ice and water to make it liquid and add a little sugar syrup to taste.  To make it even better they drizzle the inside of the glass with chocolate syrup and voila....there you have a beautiful/healthy/delicious avocado juice.  

OMG!  I have to take a break from this massive missive and interject a current event.  Barb just came out of the room with a couple of items of laundry that need to be hand washed.  We have a sunny day and so it is the perfect time to put out the clothes dryer on the lawn so they can drip onto the grass.  The part that you really need to know is the comment she made as she was hanging up the clothes.....”Now that’s the first time I’ve done laundry in my pearls” she said.  “I think I could get used to this!”  Yep....island life.....

Now back to the catch-up blog.....Feb 10th was a morning of work for me and once again Barb and Tami went for a long walk so I could have privacy for my meetings.  Afterward we’d planned to all meet at Cendana poolside for lunch.  It was a gorgeous day!  Sunshine and blue skies.  Unfortunately, the chairs around the back pool at Cendana were all full so we had to use the front pool.  This was my first time at the front pool and it will be the last for me!  Usually we sit at the back pool where the restaurant staff are happy to have us use the pool while we have our meal...but this guy out front (front desk worker) he was a man with a mission and he wasn’t going to leave us alone!  Fortunately before too much time passed one of the groups from the back pool left and we were able to move to the back where we enjoyed the rest of the afternoon in the peace and quiet of that rice field view swimming around the pool while the little birds joined us at the pools edge for a mini bird bath.  It was perfect....as Cendana usually is.  After a full afternoon at the pool we were off to the Peliatan Palace for a Balinese cultural performance.  This would be my first time to the Peliatan location and I loved it!  There are not a lot of people in attendance at this location and it is set outdoors with a stunning backdrop of stairs leading up to the door into the palace.  The troupe that performs at this location is called Gunung Sari and their orchestra has been performing periodically at locations such as Paris, London, Europe, Australia, Mexico, and the USA since it was founded in 1926.  The dancers too are world class and they literally took my breath away during their performance a couple of times.  The show included a Welcome Dance, the Dance of a Young Soldier, the Kenyan Terompong (a male dancing as a female while playing a unique traditional instrument), the Legong (the dance of the girls), the dance of the Courtship of the Bees, and the Barong (a holy animal that lives in the forest and that is the symbol of all things good).  All in all, it was a great night that was made even better by the fact that we were introduced to a sweet treat called Molen prior to the performance.  Molen are a kind of pastry that is wrapped around any number of flavours (vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, cheese, black rice, jackfruit, etc) and then deep fried till crispy and delicious.  It is our new favourite thing!   Jati joined the four of us and a great night was had by all.

Feb 11th dawned to be another beautiful day.  The heavy rains seem to be behind us now.  It appears to have shifted into more of what I remember from last year where we have sunny skies in the morning and then possible rain storms in the afternoon/evening but those rains are only about 15-20 minutes in duration.....much more palatable!  Today the plan was for Motor bikes through rice fields and beyond.  Barb hopped on the back of Jati’s bike, Tami onto Made’s, and I called my friend Wayan and asked him to bring a friend for Kaye and I.  The four of us set out from in front of Warsa Bungalow at about 11:00 and the adventure began.  The rice fields as always were gorgeous.  Our first stop was Sari Organic for lunch with our four drivers in tow.  From there it was further into the rice fields (which became an actual ‘off-road’ adventure!). Once we were through the fields and back onto the roads we headed in the direction of the I Made Ada Museum, School, and Gallery where ultimately a couple of purchases were made. Interestingly, of the eight of us, I was the only one who’d ever been to this iconic location.  I say iconic as I Made Ada is considered to be one of the few remaining master carvers and with his specialty being the Garuda Bird (Indonesia’s national emblem) he is held in even higher regard.  His works are very often what is gifted to visiting royalty and VIP’s.  A visit to his gallery is made extra special by the fact that the entrance is large enough to drive a full size vehicle right inside.  As well, the entrance is formed out of concrete in the form of a giant Garuda with wings fully spread and being ridden by Vishnu. It is a massive work of art and yet loses none of the detail that Made Ada is renowned for.  As is typical for us, luck was on our side and the rains fell while we were inside the gallery stopping just in time for our exit.  From the gallery we continued our journey through the village of Petulu so Tami would have a chance to see the thousands of white herons who call this tiny village home every night.  Believe it or not....they fly here from all over the island to roost and as this is also the end of the nesting season there are even more of them in residence as they’re still too young to fly out to the rice fields for the day.  Even though it had already been a wonderfully full day it wasn’t over yet as we’d made plans to meet Jati and Rhiannon for dinner at Who’s Who.  Once again....that restaurant didn’t disappoint.....all of our meals were fantastic!  It’s not as inexpensive as many of the other places we frequent here (ie: $3-$5/meal) but heh....every once in a while a little splurge is a good thing.  Even at the higher prices it was still very affordable...I think my entire meal of curry, rice, fantastic dessert of creme caramel, and delicious home made iced tea was just a little more than $12CAD.  We arrived home in time to pack for Gili as we had to set the alarm for 5:15 to be up in time to catch the shuttle to Pedang Bai where we’d catch our Fast Boat.  But.....as we were gathering up our small bags for the trip it occurred to all of us that it would be great if Kaye could come along so.....into the wee hours of the morning the changes were made, additional ticket purchased, rooms re-booked to accommodate four, and the adventure was underway.  Wahoo!

The morning of February 12th came much earlier than I’d have liked.  Likely due in part to our last minute adjustments the night before.Early morning/short night!  It was bad enough that we’d kept ourselves up with our changes but we’d also had to drag Jati out of bed to come back on his bike to pick up the cash for Kay’s ticket to Gili ($560,000 IDR for the return trip including shuttle to and from Pedang Bai-an amazing price!  A special promotion to encourage business post Mt. Agung issues.). Once Jati had money in hand he was able to make a late night call to his contact in Pedang Bai and e-transfer him the money for Kaye’s ticket.  I emailed the hotel and all of us crossed our fingers in the hope that they’d be able to accommodate our change in number.  The Patagonia Van picked us up in front of Warsa Bungalow just after 7.  We were starting to wonder if they’d be coming or not as we were there for them shortly before 6:30 a.m.  They were running on Bali time.  The drive to Padang Bai was not much fun as van left me a little car sick and knowing there was a boat ride still to come didn’t leave me in great spirits but a vendor selling fresh fruit at waiting platform in Pedang Bai brightened my day.  The rest of my group has gone over to a nearby restaurant for coffee and I’m staying here with the bags.  I’ll head over in that direction just prior to our departure to borrow their bathroom as I remember the toilet on the boats is not really meant to be used!  LOL. People continue to arrive here at the office (we’re traveling on the Patagonia FastBoat today).  The waiting area is quite a distance from the water as it is just too crowded near the water so they keep us all up here away from the crowds.  Just had a vendor trying to sell me sunglasses.....I guess he couldn’t see the ones on the top of my head!  I wouldn’t have minded except that he was smoking and after my recent van ride (car sick) the cigarette smoke was even less welcome than usual.  When we began our day waiting out on Monkey Forest (6:30 am) things were very very quiet....eerily so in fact.  But...within minutes the hustle and bustle began and by the time we left at 7:05 traffic was back up to typical and it could have been mid day.  As we passed the market area across from the palace (the market that is used in the movie Eat, Pray, Love) things were even busier.  Cars and bikes were parked in every inch of space available and vendors were busy making deals with their products and produce.

Tickets to Gili were less expensive this year than last.  This is likely due to a promotional special that was prompted by less business caused by volcano interruption.  Lucky us!  This year we each paid 560,000 IDR ($56 CAD) and that included the shuttle from our accommodation to the boat.  Last year we paid about $75/person and that did not include the transportation which we paid about $60 return for.  Patagonia is also a new company and supposedly their boat is the biggest and the fastest of them all as well.  I’ve got my fingers and toes crossed that it is as the little one we went on last year required that we climb down a hanging ladder from the front of the boat to the beach....a challenge to say the least!  This boat is advertised as having a substantial ramp....yes....my fingers are crossed.  

Padang Bai is a bustling little village.  The number of tourists heading out of here to neighbouring islands on one of the many many boats coupled with the industry that calls it home results in a wide variety of sights and sounds.  I’ve only ever been here for departure and return trips by boat and each time it is the same.....a chaotic little place that somehow all seems to function and make sense.  

When the time came for us to head down to the boat we followed one of the Patagonia staff and he helped to keep the vendors at bay but still they clamoured all around us in the hope that we’d buy just one little item from their basket of wares.  Arriving on the boat was a welcome relief as the interior was huge (4 seats on each side of the middle aisle) and air conditioning ....glorious air conditioning....that worked like only a new unit can.  I could feel the smile returning to my face!  :-). Our crossing took just a few minutes over the usual 1.5 hours and was uneventful....and.....the boat pulled right up to the dock and we were able to step off the boat onto a set of stairs which were easy to traverse.  Wahoo!  Things are looking up!  :-).

It felt like coming home....the familiarity of the little docking area on Gili Air hadn’t changed a bit.  We decided to make our way directly to the hotel (Scallywag’s Smugglers) to confirm that they’d in fact received my late night missive about the room booking changes.  We were met in the Smugglers reception with huge smiles and an open bar so in no time we each had a delicious cider in hand while the staff got the paperwork done for our rooms.  Yes....they’d received the email and were able to accommodate us as though there had never been any changes at all.  Our rooms were as comfortable as they were last year but we didn’t linger there long as there was much to see and do and an iced coffee was calling to us.

The next four days were spent exploring the island and enjoying the beach from the comfort of our reserved lounge chairs.  The views were amazing with the exception of two women (one in particular) who were wearing bottoms only and not using any discretion at all.  While this may be common in many locations around the world it seemed really inappropriate in this nation where this practice is definitely not the norm.  When I asked one of the servers I remember from last year if that was typical here....he replied, “no, but we just pretend we are like the horses wearing blinders around the island and keep our eyes straight ahead.”  What a great attitude!  My feeling about it is that as a guest in another culture it is incumbent on me to show respect and follow as best I can the norms of that location.  I’m sure I’m not always 100% successful but I set my intention and do my best.

Another familiar face from last year that I was happy to see again was Lenny, a beach vendor who comes over from Lombok every day to work.  She’s been doing this since she was 5 years old and at her mothers side.  What a beautiful soul she is.  She has some really pretty stuff too and so we did our best to lighten her load.  :-)

There is no motorized transport of any kind on Gili....only horse and cart, electric scooters, and bicycles.  I took the opportunity to use my complimentary bike to explore all of the changes that had happened on the island since I was last there just a year ago.  It was amazing that so much had been done in such a short space of time!  The main road up the centre of the island through the village had been totally replaced and paved for a full 2 km.  Many of the structures on the beach side of the road that rings the island have been closed and rebuilt on the land side.  Portions of the ring road have been redone in cobblestone style brick that meanders its way through the new shops and restaurants.  Yes....a lot can happen in a year!  It is still lovely and not overly busy but I can see the writing on the wall.....I’m glad I was here last year to see it before even these few changes took effect.

All four of us had a great time on the island.  The only downer was that I managed to pick up a cold bug a few days before our trip here and so have been grateful for an air conditioned comfortable room to hole up in when I was feeling at my worst.  In fact, I’ve still got this cold hanging on and I’m actually on my way to see a Balinese healer/massage therapist at Kaye’s home while she and Tami are at the Pyramids for another sound healing.  Barb has plans to see the same healer right after my appointment so we’re very grateful for the use of Kaye’s place while she is out for the afternoon.  My fingers are crossed that she will be able to move me closer to healthy a little more quickly than I seem able to do on my own.

I’m almost caught up on this blog and so will definitely be able to get it posted by the end of today as it is far too long overdue.....but for now...I’ll step away from the keyboard long enough to hit that massage table.  :-)

I’m back from my healing massage (2 hours/$20 CAD) and I feel good now but boy oh boy she found some tender spots and went deep on them!  I’ve never had Rolfing but I’m guessing that might have been some of what I had today based on the little I know about it.  I’m certain that I have no facia left stuck on anything!  It’s all good though and I’d recommend Agung for anyone wanting healing therapeutic massage.  Barb is with her now.....I’ll be interested to hear how it is for her.  :-)

I need to back track just a little and mention our return trip from Gili.  That boat ride was not nearly as smooth as the one going over!  In fact we rocked and we rolled the entire way.  It was even rough enough for the staff to give out seasick pills right at the outset of our journey.  Unfortunately that seasick pill was not enough for a few people so we had an “interesting” journey home.

We’ve really been laying pretty low since arriving back in Ubud....recovering from our mini vacation I guess!  LOL. Not sure how far we’ll stray tonight either after these amazing massages and sound healing.  In fact, I am pretty sure that Tami and Kaye will have had an early dinner at the Pyramids after their sound healing so it is unlikely they’ll want to go anywhere.  I’m seriously thinking a nice bowl of cap cay just around the corner might be in order tonight.

We have a super early morning tomorrow as we’re leaving for Tirta Empul at 4 a.m.  That will put us there ahead of all the tourists and give us an opportunity to experience the spirit of that special place the way it was meant to be.  It is a holy spring and Jati has made arrangements for special offerings that he will make on our behalf prior to our entering the springs.  We will have to don sarongs and climb right into the pools (there are three pools in all).  Oh ya....and there are some BIG fish in those pools with you!  Once in the pools you visit each of the spouts of water that is forever flowing.  At each spout you rinse your mouth and wash your face and head, make a prayer, and move to the next.  I can’t remember how many spouts there are in all but there are a lot.  I think there are 13 in the first pool (but you only go to 11 of them normally) and I think each of the other two pools have about 5 or 6 in them.  It will be a special morning for all of us.  Afterward we plan to stop in at one of the coffee plantations so Tami can be introduced to Lewak coffee and if you have never heard of that before I encourage you to google it!  :-)

So for now I will sign off and say.....until next time.  Hopefully I won’t leave it so long that it has to be another book!

Lorrie, Barb, and Tami