Return to Bali

On our return to Bali, we wanted to see something beyond beautiful beaches. Ubud is the center of Balinese culture, ancient and modern, and travelers inevitably make it a stop on any Bali itinerary. There are temples around every corner, interspersed with art galleries and museums, shops featuring carved and sculpted handicrafts, and hip cafés. The town is definitely driven by tourism, but you don’t have to go far to escape it. Ubud sits in the middle of rice fields and small villages leading out to the mountains further north. We stayed in a homestay down a small street just west of the center. There were at least four generations living in the compound, made up of one main house and adjoining rooms around a multilevel courtyard. Three rooms were available for rent to visitors. There were a couple of raised platforms for the family to eat or visit with neighbors, or sometimes sleep. They brought in the family’s motorbikes overnight, and set them near the rabbit cage. The man of the house cared for his birds, bathing them by hand with spritzes from a hose. One of the grandma-aged ladies made a delicious coconut pancake or French toast with a fresh fruit salad for us each morning. Our room was all wood with an ornate door, blessings with incense outside (refreshed and lit daily), and overlooked a small river through palms and thick, greenery.

Ubud on Two Wheels

Though daunting at first with the heavy traffic on the two main streets, we decided to get a motorbike and explore on our own.  Pura Gunung Kawi Sebatu is a peaceful temple complex set in the forest and known for its holy water springs with curative properties, calming pools and public baths. It’s located about 15 miles outside of town. The roofs of many of its buildings are thatched from the black, hairy part of the palm leaf. Toward the back are a large set of pools. We sat and talked for a while there with a university student who was on holiday and doing a bit of her own exploring. She was particularly interested in a black and white carp among the rest that were more common colors. She kept trying to call it, wanting to touch it for luck we thought, but it wasn’t cooperating. She took it personally, saying it didn’t like her, but then laughed it off. She was so happy to hear we had been exploring her country and enjoying it so much. One of her dreams is to go to the US and see Disney someday. An older man entered the same pool with his clothes on (shirt and sarong, worn by all who enter the temple grounds) and dunked under the water several times, smoothing it over his head before proceeding to dip under the surface and collect all the change at the bottom of the 3-4 foot pool.

In the afternoon we visited the relief, Yeh Pulu, almost 100 feet of carved cliff face. The site was covered with vegetation and volcanic ash for many years. There is still a lot of mystery and theories about the site’s origin and use, but it was likely a 13th century hermitage. A very old holy lady there, a “pemangku” threw some water on us as we passed the sculpture of Ganesh toward the back, and asked for a small “donation” for the blessing. There were some beautiful rice paddy views near here, and places for a short trek.

Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave) is in a nice, natural setting, 20 minutes or so out of town. Built in the 9th century, the cave was rediscovered in the 1920s. Entering through a giant,  mouth carved into the stone, the cave is filled with relics and small shrines, especially to Shiva. It is further said to have been a Buddhism Sanctuary. There is also a long, quiet walking trail starting above, passing some temple buildings, shrines and sculptures, and then heading down to the Pekerisan River, with some picturesque rapids and small waterfalls. Thick vines hanging down from mossy rockfaces above added to the jungle atmosphere.

Dance Performance at Ubud Palace

One evening we saw a performance of Legong and Barong dance at the Royal Palace. It was a cool setting, and though we have no way of knowing how talented the local troupe (Sekehe Gong Panca Artha) who performed was, we were duly impressed. The control and coordination the dancers have in moving their bodies, especially their hands and eyes, is amazing. First there was a leading overture, played on various traditional instruments. This gamelan music is heard all over Indonesia, but Bali is particularly famous for this style. The main sound is carried by xylophone-like instrument with something that looks like a hammer used to strike it, accompanied by flutes, strings and gongs. The Legong story was a classic tale of 13th century romance and intrigue. Next came the Barong dance. The Barong is a powerful character, danced by two people sharing one costume. The costume is something like the lion/dragon seen in some Chinese festivals. The final section of the performance was the dance drama Sunda Upasunda, brothers who were kings. The story is taken from the Hindu epic Mahabharata and describes the brothers’ desire to take over the universe, subsequent meeting of the gods on what to do about this threat, temptation of the brothers by the seductive heavenly nymphs, and battle between the brothers over who gets the girl resulting in an impasse since their powers are equal. The whole exhausting, unresolved affair is so disheartening the brothers abandon their plans for taking over the heavens.

Photos of our time in Ubud can be viewed HERE.