1. Bali is one tripped out place! If it isn't the insane animalistic Hindu gods that you find at every corner it's crazy ass real bugs and lizards that make all sorts of new sounds. Plus the greenery smells so good, and the flowers are beautiful. Sometimes I think I see something out the corner of my eye but it's just a statute of some crazy half animal half human god or goddess.
2. The people are kind. They are happy. They aren't poor or suffering. They love children and their families. The biggest question I get from the locals are "Are you travelling alone?" and when I answer "Yes", thats all I get. I dug a bit further on this a couple of times because its not common for a Balinese women to travel on her own, she would always go with someone, either her husband or friend. They are happy for the business so do not care if you are on your own. I have never felt unsafe, but have gotten cat calls from construction men. Maybe they just wanted to practice their English.
3. The food. Amazing. Fresh, local, organic. I took a a local cooking class and I am so happy I did. It was vegetarian and we did a walk through of the market, went to the farm and picked fresh vegetables for the lunch, and made it.. with the help of 3 other women. I learned how to make coconut oil and milk, something I just take advantage from the cans and jars that get exported. Indonesian people eat a primarily vegetarian diet, and eat meat on special occasions and always thank the animals (different from say Indian Hindus who don't eat meat at all). The ingredients are all very simple and seem to be always complimented by coconut sugar. On the other side is the expat restaurateurs meeting the needs of the millions of tourists a year that come through Bali. A lot of them are Australian and if you know anything about the Aussies is that they are doing a pretty spectacular job at creating international dining options and design within this setting. I don't have a favourite yet because they are all my favourites.
4. Rituals / Religion. The Balinese probably spend a third of their life shopping for and creating blessing for their Hindu/Buddhist ritualistic offerings, a big section of their local market is just for gifts to the gods. I think it must be working because if you can afford these offerings, life must be good! If you know anything about Hinduism you know that there are millions of gods. So everyday there is a blessing, today I made blessing for our lunch we picked from a fresh garden and made with some local women. There was blessing at the end of my driveway today, and I was told it was made in general to the staff and guests of the hotel. I'll take it! Even my bicycle had an offering with a burning incense, to protect me and everyone else. I find them to be good fly distractors but also a very beautiful part of their culture. A way of honoring, and taking great care in something that is really quite beautiful. I am able to understand a lot of the stories as well because of my Yogic studies over the decades.
I have now been in Ubud for a week which has included two massages, a pedicure, two banana rice flour pancakes, four yoga classes, one astrology reading, one tibetan bowl meditation, one river rafting experience, a local cooking class, a bike ride through rice fields and villages, a visit to the second biggest and active volcano in Indonesia. Off to the coast now..
2. The people are kind. They are happy. They aren't poor or suffering. They love children and their families. The biggest question I get from the locals are "Are you travelling alone?" and when I answer "Yes", thats all I get. I dug a bit further on this a couple of times because its not common for a Balinese women to travel on her own, she would always go with someone, either her husband or friend. They are happy for the business so do not care if you are on your own. I have never felt unsafe, but have gotten cat calls from construction men. Maybe they just wanted to practice their English.
3. The food. Amazing. Fresh, local, organic. I took a a local cooking class and I am so happy I did. It was vegetarian and we did a walk through of the market, went to the farm and picked fresh vegetables for the lunch, and made it.. with the help of 3 other women. I learned how to make coconut oil and milk, something I just take advantage from the cans and jars that get exported. Indonesian people eat a primarily vegetarian diet, and eat meat on special occasions and always thank the animals (different from say Indian Hindus who don't eat meat at all). The ingredients are all very simple and seem to be always complimented by coconut sugar. On the other side is the expat restaurateurs meeting the needs of the millions of tourists a year that come through Bali. A lot of them are Australian and if you know anything about the Aussies is that they are doing a pretty spectacular job at creating international dining options and design within this setting. I don't have a favourite yet because they are all my favourites.
4. Rituals / Religion. The Balinese probably spend a third of their life shopping for and creating blessing for their Hindu/Buddhist ritualistic offerings, a big section of their local market is just for gifts to the gods. I think it must be working because if you can afford these offerings, life must be good! If you know anything about Hinduism you know that there are millions of gods. So everyday there is a blessing, today I made blessing for our lunch we picked from a fresh garden and made with some local women. There was blessing at the end of my driveway today, and I was told it was made in general to the staff and guests of the hotel. I'll take it! Even my bicycle had an offering with a burning incense, to protect me and everyone else. I find them to be good fly distractors but also a very beautiful part of their culture. A way of honoring, and taking great care in something that is really quite beautiful. I am able to understand a lot of the stories as well because of my Yogic studies over the decades.
I have now been in Ubud for a week which has included two massages, a pedicure, two banana rice flour pancakes, four yoga classes, one astrology reading, one tibetan bowl meditation, one river rafting experience, a local cooking class, a bike ride through rice fields and villages, a visit to the second biggest and active volcano in Indonesia. Off to the coast now..
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