After a few beach places we decided to go back to Bali but up in the hills, to the legendary spiritual centre (locale of the movie "Eat, Pray, Love") and artistic motherlode town of Ubud ("ooo-Bud") From previous trips, we were expecting some change but still a gentle non-party place. Wrong again. First, the traffic everywhere on Bali is now a nightmare as 21st century vehicles compete on 19th century paths. In the movie, Julia Roberts would now be piloting a muddy Hummer and playing chicken with dump trucks (Beep, Hey!, Shove). Then the heartbreak of mainstreet Ubud ---- miles of deluxe shops, wellness and New Age paraphenalia, mobs of shoppers and motorbikes. Another tragedy of mass tourism. Even the weather is odd, with locals blaming the clouds and rains on the devastating volcano on the next island, plus man-made climate change. Same, same.
But, when in Ubud do as the buddies. We got a retro room at the Warsi Bungalows, $20 with day-bed balcony, breakfast, a/c, hot water. But the big surprise is the views of ancient rice paddies. It turns out the classic Ubud is just hidden behind all the new "developments". The sports field across our street has kids playing just like back home. There are other rice ponds here and there, with the grains almost ready for harvest. Our landlord brings us fresh rambutan fruit right off the tree --- sweet and firm after you get through the prickly peel.
Pat notices that the women do heavy work, like mixing cement or balancing baskets of weighty sand on their heads. Thankfully, women are also still putting out the daily offerings of flowers, rice, and incense --- the classic Bali Hindu ritual. Thing is, down the road at the Monkey Forest the monkeys eat the rice and scatter the rest!
Our last time at the sacred Monkey Forest years ago, Pat was attacked by
the creepy crawlers because she smelled of food. Now they seem to be
more restrained. Will there be more monkey business in Ubud, or is the
artistic, spiritual side just around the corner?
But, when in Ubud do as the buddies. We got a retro room at the Warsi Bungalows, $20 with day-bed balcony, breakfast, a/c, hot water. But the big surprise is the views of ancient rice paddies. It turns out the classic Ubud is just hidden behind all the new "developments". The sports field across our street has kids playing just like back home. There are other rice ponds here and there, with the grains almost ready for harvest. Our landlord brings us fresh rambutan fruit right off the tree --- sweet and firm after you get through the prickly peel.
Pat notices that the women do heavy work, like mixing cement or balancing baskets of weighty sand on their heads. Thankfully, women are also still putting out the daily offerings of flowers, rice, and incense --- the classic Bali Hindu ritual. Thing is, down the road at the Monkey Forest the monkeys eat the rice and scatter the rest!
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