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
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