Blogs from Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, Asia - page 2

Think first your idea, for regrets are useless… ~ Indonesian Proverb HE SAID... Today we were exploring the outskirts of Ubud– by road and mountain bike. Location Ubud is a bustling mountain town in central Bali. Transport We were travelling to Ubud’s northern fringes in a minibus, cycling for a couple of hours through the countryside, then heading northeast to Sideman in a minibus. Accommodation We checked out of Puri Padi (our accommodation in Ubud for the past three days). Cuisine …Breakfast (Puri Padi, Ubud)… The open-sided dining area at Puri Padi was small and intimate. We were offered a choice between two breakfast options – American or Indonesian. This was our third (and final) Puri Padi breakfast, and I’d favoured the Indonesian option each morning. I enjoyed nasi goreng (stir-fried rice) with a p... read more

With only one drop of indigo, the whole pot of milk is ruined… ~ Indonesian Proverb HE SAID... Today we were exploring the mountain town of Ubud– by foot. Location Ubud is a bustling mountain town in central Bali. Transport Walking. Accommodation Puri Padi. An extensive hotel complex with well-kept gardens. The walk from reception to our room was quite a distance, but enjoyable enough. The room itself was large but basic, with heavy wooden furniture. I loved our small private terrace. The door to the terrace was locked from the inside with a wooden latch, which you had to carefully slide through two wooden staples. It wasn’t exactly secure, but it had an old-world charm. Cuisine …Breakfast (Puri Padi, Ubud)… We enjoyed a late breakfast on our first morning in Ubud, which is very rare ... read more

The Lempuyang Temple. (East Bali on Mt. Lempuyang) This place really is a marvel. It is one of six main temples in Bali and massive. Tourists are only allowed to be in the gathering areas, and the wait to have your picture in the infamous gateway was about 4 hours, and this was a slow day. I appreciated the beauty of this gateway, but not the tourism and social media atmosphere. We turned our attention to the stairs up to the inner prayer part of the temple, which we were not allowed to enter. It has 3 doors. 1 is for entering, the other for exit. The doors in the middle are only open during main/big ceremonies to let the spirits or Gods come in and out, but public do not use this access point. From ... read more

Bali’s New Year’s Eve day, as determined by the Balinese Saka calendar, is a Hindu holiday mainly celebrated in Bali, Indonesia. This year the celebration takes place on March 25th. It is also known as Nyepe Day, or the Day of Silence. On this day, the entire island of Bali turns off all power, stops all traffic, abandons all global activities, including the internet, and remains in silence. Streets are literally empty of all traffic, as only emergency vehicles are allowed, and people are expected to remain in their homes or their yards, but cannot venture on any public streets. All businesses are closed, including the international airport in Denpasar. The intention is multifaceted: to spend quiet time connecting alone or with family; to rest and meditate upon the year, resolving to practice forgiveness for any ... read more

Today is Friday and we have been at the Swallow Guest House since Monday. I wasn’t sure how we would do with the slow pace, spotty wifi and rural setting, but it has been a nice change from our normally crazy life. The quiet countryside, where the only sounds are the roosters crowing, the odd sounding frogs croaking (there are several types and they all sound weird!) and the occasional motor scooter on the little path create a very serene setting. Our days of coffee on the patio, reading, writing, sleeping and swimming are a sure cure to any blood pressure issues and Ken has slept better than he has in years. Our only activity for the day is to head back into Ubud, get some more cash (this time 2.5 million rupiah=$180) which should last ... read more