Ubud continued…

Amani is enjoying relaxing at our Ubud hotel which is called Panoraman Hotel.

And she loves feeding the koi fish in the pond:

This is a photo of her with a friend she made next door at the pizza place:

A few other highlights include amazing yoga at Yoga Barn. Yog and I bought a pass and are trying to go every day. The ambience is beautiful. It gives us something worthwhile to do each day and we’re the better for it. Tina has been here with us and has been enjoying Yoga Barn as well. She watched Amani today so that Yog and I could take a class together.

Amani and I went to the ARMA museum today which is across the street from our hotel. It houses paintings, has beautiful grounds, has some restaurants/spa/villas, etc. We enjoyed drinks at the cafe there which was extremely relaxing and scenic. It seems like a good place to go and meditate…

Other Ubud highlights I had previously mentioned:

– I had mentioned a monkey at our window at Ubud Terrace Hotel which was the first hotel we stayed at here. it was right by Monkey Forest. We were getting ready and Yogesh said, “There’s a monkey at our window.” The window was open and a large monkey (about the size of a 2 year old) was sitting half in and half our of our room. Yog scared him away. Crazy! Yesterday, Amani and I walked through Monkey Forest and she threw a leaf at a monkey. He hissed at her and took two attitude-filled steps toward her. She got scared and clung to me for the rest of our walk.

– Another highlight I had mentioned was about Nyoman, an employee at our current hotel. He read Yog’s palm, prediciting a long life, one marriage, a dip in finances at age 35, and three children…He told me I had health issues relating to my abdominal area and then “cleansed” me by removing the negative energy from around me…I think he had some good talent though he wasn’t totally right on. I hope I can have him read my palm soon.

– Amani had made a friend named Tata at another hotel we stayed at. They couldn’t use language to communicate with each other but walked around the grounds and collected things or handed things to each other. Amani ran to me at one point and said her friend was crying because she wanted a bathing suit like hers. Amani generously gave away one of her two bathing suits and was happy that her friend stopped crying.

– Yog’s been enjoying a dish called Lawar Bali at a scenic cafe by the Ubud Palace called River View Warung. It consists of water spinach, green beans, carrots and grated coconut along with some seasonings. It’s very healthy and I think he’s been there three times already for that dish 🙂

– We visited an “orphanage” last week. The reason I put it in quotes is because it’s more of a center in which assistance is provided to kids who have no parents. The organization makes sure that the kids are taken care of by someone in their family – grandparents, uncles, aunts, etc. and then provide opportunities to support the kids. Some of the things they provide are extracurricular classes, school supplies, clothing, etc. When we arrived, we were able to meet one of the founders of the center and also were able to teach an English class to the 30 ish kids that were there. The kids were incredibly well behaved and interested in learning. Had we prepared something for the opportunity, it might have been more beneficial for the kids, but we sang songs and played simple games like Simon Says. The woman who runs a lot of the programs at the center, Ayu, said that it benefitted her to learn those games so that she could continue playing them with the kids…

Ubud – the south side…

We have been in Ubud now for four nights. At first, we found it too touristic. When we’d walk down the main drag, Monkey Forest Road, we were discouraged to find restaurants with higher prices than the other towns we had visited, high-end shopping with US prices and more tourists than locals. However, we knew that this town would offer us more to do than some of the other towns, so we are sticking it out and trying to create some sort of a routine for ourselves. We also moved to the southern part of town. We’re still pretty central, but away from the major rush and closer to some simple warungs with cheap, good eats, less pricey shopping, and many more locals.

To keep ourselves busy, we’ve signed up for classes at Yoga Barn, which is a gorgeous respite from the noisy streets, with koi fish ponds and amazing architecture that incorporates nature and a zen feel. It’s pretty much geared toward tourists, but you can’t find an atmosphere like this anywhere in Southern California for sure. In fact, most hotels, restaurants, and cafes have amazing ambience, with beautiful design that incorporates Balinese style, luscious landscaping, and a blend between the indoors and outdoors. Our neighbor-turned-sister, Yara, introduced us to Yoga Barn. She did a teacher training session there and pointed us in that direction. Thanks Yara!

In addition, Amani and I are taking painting classes. My teacher, Nyoman, is a master of traditional Balinese art, which is very detailed. He’s helping me paint a Balinese dancer/ Saraswati Devi. Amani’s teacher is the son of my teacher. He’s a 25 year old guy with a jovial smile. Amani is super-focused during her one hour lessons with him. I’m in the next room over learning at the same time.

Amani is also taking woodcarving classes! This is a huge test of patience because she has to hammer a chisel into wood for an hour at a time with help from her teacher. She’s hanging in there and wanting to go back to finish her project which is a heart.

Our hotel has a huge koi fish pond. Amani loves feeding the fish crackers or bread.
Yogesh got a nice haircut – handsome!

Motorbiking around Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Cenigan

I’m in Ubud right now writing this blog entry that took place several days ago (maybe 3?). I was an exhilarating day! Photos to come (unbelievable sights…)

Well, we decided to rent motorbikes and explore. At $5/bike for the day, the price couldn’t be beat. Between Yogesh, our friend Noortje (from the Netherlands, also staying at Segara Beach Inn), Amani and I, we rented 2 bikes. They were automatic motorbikes – much like Vespas, but not so fancy. We headed out of our little neighborhood (Jungut Batu beach) and toward Mushroom Beach, where many tourists stay.

I’m so glad that we chose to follow Katrina and stay at Jungut Batu instead of the other beaches. She put it best – if you want local culture over beaches, Jungut Batu is the way to go. Our beach had a lot of broken coral underfoot which made it hard to swim during low tide (it hurt a little to put your feet down on the ground.) Mushroom beach didn’t have this issue, but instead, had the issue of too many tourists, expensive housing, and difficulty in getting to know the locals and culture. Our beach was rich with culture, had exquisite scenery, and you could go in the ocean, especially around 10am when the tide was high and the coral pieces were left behind.

Here is a photo of Yogesh getting on a motorbike for the first time in Bali:

We rode beyond Mushroom beach, weaving around the shores, through small streets looking for Lembongan Village (which I think we found but it had far fewer shops than I had imagined), and toward a bridge to the nearby island of Nusa Cenigan. We found the bridge but half of it was broken. The locals said we could ride our motorbikes over it but recommended one rider per bike so that the load wouldn’t be as heavy. Seeing that the broken part of the bridge consisted of bamboo tied together and wooden planks laid on top, I was happy to hop off the bike I was sharing with Noortje and walk. Noortje was an expert rider (skilled by having had plenty of experience with her Vespa at home). She and Yogesh were able to ride across the narrow wooden planks without difficulty as I snapped pictures.

By the way, Amani was in pure heaven, being able to ride on a motorbike with her daddy and feel the wind in her face. To top it off, i bought her a soft drink before crossing the bridge which must have made it her best day ever. With the heat around here, I figure the more liquid I get in her the better, and sometimes she gets lucky enough to get a Sprite. 🙂 By the end of our loop around Nusa Cenigan, her day got even better. You’ll see why shortly.

After we crossed the bridge, Noortje asked me if I wanted to drive the bike. I did. She hopped on with Yogesh and Amani after giving me a tutorial, and I rode. I was wobbly at first, and my heart was in my mouth quite a few times, but I rode. My worst moment was when I was trying to ride up a steep hill and halfway up, I panicked, hit the brakes, and put my feet down. Yogesh and Noortje had to rescue me by pushing my very heavy bike up the hill while I walked.

My most exhilarating moments included driving with Noortje on the back of the bike and not killing her (I was so touched by her faith in me!) and riding over the not-broken half of the bridge. I wasn’t going to do it but Noortje and Yogesh encouraged me to and I made if half way across successfully while Noortje walked (I asked her to – I think she would have sat on the bike if I let her – she had that much faith in me…more than i had in myself!). At the halfway point, I got off the bike and a local rode it across the broken part for me. As i got off the bridge, some Australians laughed warm-heartedly and commended me for having a successful first bike ride.

But let me reverse to the part where I was walking over the bridge to Nusa Cenigan. I was in awe of the clearness and blueness of the water beneath us. And the backdrop of the trees and the island were something out of a movie. It was a breathtaking view. I captured it with my digital camera.

As we circled the island, we saw lots of greenery, some locals, a few cows, and a few ladies and children selling handmade, simple jewelry. I got a beaded bracelet from a woman and her kids. Amani got a shark-tooth necklace of all things (her choice of course). She insisted on sleeping with it for the next few nights even knowing the risks of being poked by it!

By the time we were nearing the end of our Nusa Cenigan loop, we were hot and getting hungry. I saw a sign that said, “Warung Ocean Breeze”. A warung is a streetside cafe usually. I suggested we go and everyone agreed. What awaited us was beyond our expectation. On a slight height sat a gorgeous, yet simple, restaurant that, as the name stated, caught the ocean breeze beautifully. It was as if we had found an oasis in the dessert. Beautiful Balinese instrumental music danced on the gentle breeze, and an awesome view of the ocean and surrounding scenery welcomed us. We sat down and ordered drinks – Amani and I got Nusa Bunga juice (hibiscus flower juice – refreshing, sweet and delicious). Our food was delicious too. We spent a long time there talking, resting, admiring. All the while, Amani had the best kind of pastime she could possibly ask for. There was a sweet puppy named Lolly that belonged to the owners of the restaurant. She played with him, carried him, followed him to the owners’ home across the street, met the owners’ children by following him, hugged him, and this went on and on. She did take a break to eat her meal, but it was secondary to her time with Lolly. He was really cute actually. She asked Yogesh and me if she could have a Lolly-sized dog when we got back. We both said, “We’ll see,” and our resolution to not have pets weaken each time we witness her love affair with animals.

On the dog note, she played with Lookie (Wayan and Wayan’s dog at Segara Inn), Lolly at Warung Ocean Breeze, Leelee, a dog she ran into in Ubud while walking, and one more dog whose name also started with an L. Not sure if it’s always the case that dog names start with L. By the way, the dogs here are mostly stray dogs, but some families do choose to feed and thus keep a dog as a pet, and families can also tell you if a dog is friendly or not. Most are, but it’s best to stay away from the stray ones.

Speaking of names, all Balinese people have one of four-ish names, based on birth order:

First born names : Wayan, Putu, Gede, Ni Luh(female only)
Second born names : Made, Kadek, Nengah
Third born names : Nyoman, Komang
Fourth born names : Ketut

This makes it hard to keep everyone straight but I think nicknames or additions to names are commonly used.

On June 28, we headed to Ubud, after long goodbyes with our newly-made friends. We promised we would return with our families/friends towards the end of our trip.

I’ll blog about Ubud shortly. Highlights include:
– the monkey at our window at Ubud Terrace hotel
– Amani’s friend “Tata” at the second hotel we stayed at
– Nyoman healer/housekeeper at Panorama Hotel
– painting class with Nyoman
– Yog’s River View Warung
– the “orphanage”
– our future yoga lessons at Yoga Barn and Amani’s future woodcarving classes

Tina comes to town on July 3-10. We are really looking forward to that. We will celebrate her birthday with her!

Then my parents join us on July 19 until the end of our trip (Aug 8). Wohoo!

And Deepali comes to Bali as well on July 24 – Aug 2 (another birthday to be celebrated!) We are excited to share the adventure with friends and family!

More pix from Nusa Lembongan

Thanks to my friend Noortje, from the Netherlands, I was able to get some photos off of my camera and onto this blog. If you go back to prior posts, you will see some additional photos. I still have many more photos to add, but that will come when it comes. As Kakek says, “Slowly, slowly…” It seems that term is common around here – it means to go slowly, and also to be careful. I like living that way!

Here are more Nusa Lembongan photos…

1. Wayan (runs our hotel – such a nice person with a radiant smile), her daughter Maday, and Amani
2. India and Amani (Amani was in love with India and called up to India’s room each day to see if India could play or go swimming. India graciously took Amani swimming several times and helped Amani feel more comfortable in the water. She also built sandcastles with Amani and played with her in the ocean).
3. India and Amani again.
4. One shot as we were walking to the full moon ceremony (many nicer ones to come!)
5. A photo while at the ceremony.

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Some photos from Nusa Lembongan

I’ll share pix from the temple ceremonies later – they are on my digital camera. It was so colorful and the children especially looked so nice, all dressed up in traditional garb.

Here are some pix from yesterday…

That’s Amani’s Balinese grandpa, “Kakek” (which means grandpa). He gave her a coconut from his tree, some other interesting local fruit, and a cupcake. She liked the fruit but the cupcake won her over.

Yogesh is enjoying the coconut water -nice and sweet. We also enjoyed a chat by moonlight with “grandpa” who explained the religion of the island to us. The Balinese believe in three main gods: god of the water, sun, and wind/air. It’s sweet and simple and makes sense when you live on an island and those three really can affect your life dramatically.

Below are as follows:
– Amani with Balinese friend Maday
– The full moon as seen in the early morning around 6am
– Amani with Austrailian friend named India
– Kakay (“grandpa” all dressed up)…

Why is Nusa Lembongan out of a storybook?

Upon our arrival to the island, we decided we’d follow Katrina and her kids. They had experienced Bali and Nusa Lembongan before and seemed to be interested in meeting locals, learning the language, etc. (not your typical tourists). They said they were staying at a place called Segara Beach Inn which only has four rooms, but is right on the beach, and costs $15/night if you just want to use the ceiling fan or $25/night if you want to use the AC. Luckily, they had a room available for us and we went with the AC.

The room is simple, but so is life here. You instantly feel like you don’t need much when you’re here. It’s an instant “let go” feeling. We dropped our few items in our room and went into the ocean. The ocean here is used for seaweed farming and isn’t ideal for swimming but it was good enough. There are many other beaches to explore here and we’ll definitely do that soon.

Amani wanted to swim in a pool (she’s been choosing that over the ocean here) and so we bought a drink at the hotel two doors down and swam for a long while. I hope she can swim independently by the end of our trip. It’s gotta happen – we’ve been swimming at least twice a day so far.

So after swimming, we were able to slowly melt into the storybook feel of Nusa Lembongan. We had a lovely dinner cooked by a woman footsteps away. Balinese children are on vacation, so we met her kids and admired the way they helped their mom run the business. The restaurant was pretty basic, in fact, it was a patio connected to the owner’s home kitchen. We sipped fresh fruit juices and ate rice with tempeh and green beans (and other items) as red ants crawled on the banister next to us, two dogs play-fought in the patio area where we sat, and a rooster crowed intermittently in the background.

Amani wanted to see the rooster. So we asked and then were led to the back of the house. There we saw roosters, hens, and chicks. Wayan, the wife who cooked our delicious meal, introduced us to her husband who gave Amani cornmeal to feed the chickens. Amani was instantly comfortable and occupied. We talked the husband about his life and the island. He said his family (which consisted of about 70 smaller families) is the largest on the island. He was about our age though he looked older because of the sun. He used to surf but had to give it up after getting married because that is when the men have to get a job and be responsible. He worked in constuction.

He said that the island has changed dramatically since he was a kid. In 1982, he met the first tourists that he had ever encountered on Nusa Lembongan. They were three surfers who were faced with no accommodations or food. He helped out by letting the guys pitch a tent in the backyard (where the chickens are). Today, accommodations/food, and thus jobs, are plentiful. He grieved the loss of his virgin island, but also informed us that the people are very happy to have jobs and to have an easier way to make money.

He told us about a big full moon ceremony that happens every 6 months. The ceremony would be happening tomorrow and we were welcome to join given that we each don a sarong that he was willing to let us borrow. On a separate note, he also offered to let us use his surfboard and gave us a verbal introductory lesson. Wow, no hesitation to make a stronger feel at home…

His backyard area, the free roaming chickens, the banana trees and other lush foliage, the community feel, and the warm and humid weather all reminded me of Yog’s family’s village of Sarai. The only difference is that here, many more people speak English, and it’s much more laid back.

After leaving their home, we chatted with the locals that own our hotel, the guy who owns Mega Store down the street (the store is like a 7-11 but much smaller!), and tourists from Australia and Holland. Everyone Balinese knew each other, related or not. They welcomed us with warmth and an easy going nature. All the tourists seemed open and friendly as well. By dusk, Amani was playing on the sand with all the children and dogs she could gather. We were sitting and chatting with new friends. The sun set and the temperature cooled to what must have been 75 degrees, and we watched the night sky as a lightening show took place every few seconds in the distance. It was a glorious and relaxing day; one that is difficult to capture in words. If I could capture it well with words, I’d write a tale about a small quaint town somewhere in the middle of a children’s happy storybook.

Not Ubud, … Nusa Lembongan

We were at the grocery store, “Hardy’s” where I was trying out a unique foot spa (Amani refused to watch)…

…when we decided to ask about “fast boats” to Nusa Lembongan. The prices seemed pretty high but we knew we had to haggle a bit to get a price we’d consider. An Australian woman was there inquiring as well. She was asking about the public boats which were $15 each way. We were being quoted $40 each way. If you know us well, then you know we were immediately interested in the public boats. 🙂

It turned out that the tour guy talked us out of the public boats by reducing his price for a “Scoot boat” to $20 each way. We, as well as the Australian woman, Katrina, and her two kids, Louis (15) and India (13), got on that boat to Nusa Lembongan about an hour and a half later. We grabbed just our backpacks and left our two carry-ons at the hotel in Sanur. It’s 8:13pm now and we’ve been here since noon. Yogesh and I both agree that we feel like we’re in a storybook land in which people are so friendly, paradise surrounds us, and thus the day seemed surreal.

A sweaty Amani on the bus after arriving in Nusa Lembongan:

Sunset at our beach … Jungut Batu beach:

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Special moments in Sanur

Indonesian Food

We have been loving the food here…lots of fried rice, noodles, vegetables, seafood, etc. My friend Samir mentioned a dish called gado-gado which I tried yesterday. It consisted of tempeh, lots of raw and cooked vegetables, cut up boiled egg, and a thick and delicious peanut sauce that was poured over the top. I loved trying that authentic dish as many of the menu items here are catered to tourists and are very familiar.

Speaking of good cooking, last night we had plans to go to the “night market” which is a 20 minute walk away. With Amani, it seemed easier to catch a “bimo” which is like a mini van with the doors permanently open. It is different from a taxi because it seats many (the two benches inside are arranged against the longest two walls of the van) and it is a shared form of transportation (you can hop on and off while others are doing the same). The bimo cost us $1 and our meal at the night market cost us about $3.80. We had fried noodles and veggies, a mango smoothie, and mixed deep fried foods (battered bananas and veggies, eggrolls, etc.) all made at little food stalls where Balinesians mingled with their families. The fried foods cost us $2 and ended up being a small grocery bag full of the mixed variety. We ate a few and gave the rest to the hotel staff when we returned.

The lovely part about the evening was that the electricity went out right as we were showering to get ready for the night market. So we showered by cell phone flashlight, walked a little ways in the dark and admired the full moon, and then enjoyed night market sans electricity. Each food cart had a table with plastic stools to sit and enjoy the meal. Candles were placed on the tables making the environment more basic and the experience more unique.

Ocean and Pool Swimming

We’ve been in the ocean a few times and in the gorgeous pools of our hotel even more. The ocean here is somewhat like bay water – shallow for a long distance with no waves. I have lovely pictures of Amani and Yogesh playing in the water but they are on my digital camera and I have no way to share those pictures until I get home since I can’t upload them without my laptop. It’s a little cumbersome to take pictures with the ipad, so unfortunately, this blog will not have all the pictures uploaded until we return home.

At one point, Amani and i were wading in the water and about 50-70 silver fish, about 3-5 inches long each, jumped out of the water simultaneously! Their jump was long and graceful. They did it twice, passing right in front of us and delighting us. Amani called them flying fish but I think they were doing more of a long jump 🙂

The pools of our hotel are so lovely because they don’t seem to contain chlorine or at least not much of it. I’m not sure how they stay so clean and fresh. They are surrounded by lush landscaping, mostly plumeria trees, that makes you feel like you’re in a mini jungle. Birds chirp their lyrical tunes while you swim. Lovely.

Balinese Dance

One night, we went out for dinner and the restaurant happened to have a show going on. So for $12, we ate and enjoyed a show, while dear Amani put her head down on the table and snoozed. She is loving it here but by 6 or 7pm, she goes from awake to asleep in the blink of an eye. On this night, she completely missed dinner and the fresh fruit juices we ordered.

The dancers were gorgeous and have a way of moving their arms that is so graceful. Young girls learn Balinese dance beach side and we’ve stopped to watch them practice. Even at a young age, the girls are able to move with such grace and precision. A live “band” often sits on the ground behind the dancers and plays a variety of instruments. I think they are called a gamelan. They play with an intensity that increases as the dance goes on. Yogesh says it sounds a lot like the bhajans that are held in his parents’ village in India. Manjiras, or mini-cymbal like instruments, are used in both, the Indian bhajans and in the Balinese gamelans.

Beach Biking

Yesterday we rented bikes ($2 each for two bikes for half a day), and rode along the beach walk. On the ride, you see lines of restaurants (many touristic, some authentic), small shops selling sarongs, hats, wood carvings, etc., kids playing, etc. We rode for a few hours and stopped for gelato at one point. It reminded me of riding around the bay in San Diego, but much more picturesque and humid.

I don’t think there’s much more to do here in Sanur, so we’re moving onto Ubud very soon.

Some Sanur pix follow:

1. Traditional boat seen along most beaches
2. Balinese band – “gamelan”
3. Beautiful Balinese dancer
4. My baby and me sharing a coconut water
5. Amani noticed the heart shaped cut out
6. Amani is so happy in the water
7. Amani believes she can swim but always has a little hand in one of ours
8. Amani and daddy sharing a banana split – it had papaya in it too…

First days in the town of Sanur

This is our first time living in another country for the summer with our little Amani. She’s four now and we felt that the time was right to take her on an adventure. We want her to learn about other cultures and to become flexible and accepting. We also wanted her to have a summer of being free, being able to make discoveries, and to explore nature…Bali seemed to fit the bill.

We arrived in Denpasar on June 19, 2013. My friend Theresa, who had spent a summer in Bali twelve years ago, was still in touch with her driver in Bali – her “Balinese father”, Ketut. We were lucky enough to be connected to him beforehand via email and he was there waiting for us at the airport. He drove us to Sanur upon our request.

Sanur is a town about 20 minutes from the airport. It’s not as touristic as Kuta, which is why we chose it. It has beautiful beaches that are gentle enough for children to swim without worry. Our hotel, Swastika, had a gorgeous pool. We paid $70 for our first night there. Since the bathroom left a lot to be desired, and overall, we felt it was overpriced, we walked over to the hotel next door the next day to check out their rooms. We found a gorgeous new room in the Ramayana Hotel for $60 per night (they had older rooms for $30/night but we couldn’t resist the nicer, newer room). It was a huge upgrade, so we took it. Funny thing is, both hotels are owned by the same person. I’m not sure why there’s such a mismatch in pricing.

Below is the shared pool of Ramayana and Swastika hotels. Amani is looking for butterflies..
Just added some airport photos too.