Hello!
With flights to Istanbul booked, we were left with 2 nights to spare, so we made our way to a city in Bali called Ubud.
Ever read/watched Eat Pray Love? Well the Love part of the story takes place in Ubud. This city was one of my favorites. Walking down the streets, we were overjoyed with the lack of garbage and un-appetizing smells. Instead, burning incense filled our nostrils, placed amongst the many offerings to the gods laid out on the sidewalks. The constant heckling that seems to come with traveling SE Asia was replaced with genuine smiles and curious glances. Men and women clad in yoga gear made their way to the serene studios throughout Ubud to practice. "Green" shops and cafes lined the streets, inviting you to join in on the healthy and happy lifestyle that seems to come with the city. Ubud is a fine choice of location to learn about the Balinese culture and language, arts such as painting and woodcarving, Balinese cooking and more. There are galleries on every corner, showing off and offering lessons on sculpting, water photography and even egg painting. It was easy to fall in love with a place so filled with passion and people emanating a real zest for life.
We found a nice hostel with a room overlooking a thriving rice field. Right out our window we could watch the numerous garbage-bag kites soar through the sky, children screaming with delight over having raised theirs highest. We left our windows open at night, and let the birds be our alarm (and yes,it was early rising for us!). We ran into a couple staying in the room across from us who had been in Ubud for 3 weeks. After we mentioned we only had a couple of days, they suggested some must-do's : take a walk through Monkey Forest, and experience a traditional Kecak Fire dance.
So, no time to waste we made our way to the Monkey Forest Sanctuary. Home to over 530 Balinese macaques, or long-tail macaques, this forest is also the home of three holy Temples built during the 14th century, and two graveyards. These monkeys are no strangers to humans, and are found strewn about the sidewalks, stone walls, and hanging from the trees. We seen them sleeping, eating a banana-most likely an entire cluster, stolen from the poor tourist who paid to feed multiple monkeys and ended up surrendering the entire bunch to one of these very adamant creatures-picking through each others hair, scratching bums, and in one case smashing a glass bottle to smithereens. I had one baby monkey climb up beside me and hold my hand. And, admittedly, I had a run in with a particularly hungry monkey while holding a cluster of bananas for another man while Andrew took his picture. Unfortunately, as described above, the bunch could not be saved, as I feared for my own well being over the loss of bananas. Having a large monkey cling onto your leg and begin his ascend was not my idea of fun...Besides my near-death experience (only kidding) we had a great time walking through the forest and watching these crazy human-like animals interact.
That night we bought tickets for the traditional Kecak and Trance dance. So glad we did, as it was one of the most beautiful things we have witnessed. A crowd of men sit cross-legged around a tower of lit candles and incense, chanting in unison, creating a unique and wonderful kind of music, known as gamelan suara. The men sway, stand up, and lie prone as the story develops. Women in elaborate and traditional costume dance using not only their bodies, but their eyes, to tell you the story of trickery, love, magic, and defeat. It's not something that is very easy for me to describe, as the entire experience was so elaborate and touching. It was definitely not something we expected to be so mesmerized by.
The following day, we rented a motorbike and spent a couple of hours in search of a particular fruit and coffee plantation. We were told about a rather unique and very rare type of coffee that was a must-try in Bali. Now, before I explain, you must be a brave coffee-lover to really appreciate this whole process...
The Asian Palm Civet Cat, or Luwok in Balinese, is an animal that roams Indonesia, feeding on only the finest and ripest cherries (fruit of the coffee plant). Coffee plantations around Bali are home to these cats, protecting them from extinction, and capitalizing on their rare ability. Here's the secret. After eating these cherries, the cat eventually poops out the beans which are handpicked out, cleaned, dried, and roasted to perfection. With an intense, but delicate flavor, what sets this coffee apart is that it has almost no aftertaste. The flavor is due to the bean being partially fermented in the cats digestive system. From cat poop to coffee cup, the rarest coffee in the world is born! Gross in theory, but delicious in your cup!
Luwok coffee wasn't our only tester while at this local plantation. We tried vanilla coffee, hot cocoa, lemon tea, and Balinese coffee. All ingredients grown and made fresh on the plantation. There were cinnamon trees, chili peppers, fruits from papaya to pineapple, cocoa and vanilla beans. Local fruits and veggies from the salak fruit to a tiny version of an eggplant. This place was alive and fresh! The men roasted us some kasapa, a Balinese root tasting of a mix between sweet potato and parsnip (absolutely delicious, and filling!). It was a real, local experience.
We thoroughly enjoyed every minute spent in Ubud. The healthy and delicious foods, fresh coffees. Restraurants, yoga studios, and our hostel overlooking the rice fields. It was an unexpected treat to end our time in Indo.
Now, we are bordering Europe and Asia in the beautiful city of Istanbul!
Here's to big changes in our Dream Adventure!
Love to all
A&C
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