Day # 10,654 1/2: My favorite aspect of Balinese Hinduism is the strong belief in karma, which is why the terrorist attacks that occurred in Bali in 2002 and 2005 (violent Islamist groups set off several bombs in tourist areas, killing hundreds) were even more of a shock to the locals- they just couldn’t imagine why anyone would choose to act that way. Bali is the only island in Indonesia that is Hindu- Java and Sumatra are fiercely Muslim, and Flores (which we visited next) is strongly Catholic; the religious tension is palpable in some parts of the country, which makes Indonesia feel much more a collection of separate nations than I’d imagined.
In between telling us about Hinduism and the Balinese caste system (both remnants of Indian influence), Budi took us to Gunung Kawi, one of the most famous of the Balinese temples.
By this time, it was pouring rain, which only made the visit better. I could’ve stayed there all day, listening to the rain falling and the resident rooster crowing away.
Budi then took us to Pura Tirtha Empul, which is a temple surrounding what the Hindu people consider one of their holy springs. They come to dip in the spring waters for purification of mind & spirit in an explosion of color and incense smoke and prayer.
After a long day full of sensory overload, it was time to bid Budi adieu. More than a driver or guide, we left Budi as a friend and as an example of the love and cultural passion universal amongst the Balinese people.
Less weighty than our temple visits but nonetheless exciting, we made it back just in time for afternoon tea served on our patio. (Fine, we are bougie, but screw it- interrupting the day for cake & tea is always awesome.)
Virtually all visitors to Ubud spend their nights attending one of the Balinese dance performances put on around town. Because the authentic dances can last up to 18hrs, and we Westerners have the attention span of goldfish, they mercifully put on no-less-amazing, hour-long tourist performances. We weren’t sure what to expect out of the Legong Dance performed at the Ubud Community Hall, but it was spectacular. And made even better by the lovely woman selling cold 50 cent sodas up and down the aisles.
A huge reason why I love traveling is because it introduces me to new perspectives, which I collect like little souvenirs and try to draw upon in my Real Life. Of all the newness of that day in Bali, one thing in particular stuck with me:
Budi mentioned that he used to be an artisan. He was a woodcarver before the bombing of 2005, when his studio and home were destroyed. Despite having to rebuild his life, he said he held no ill feelings; in fact, he completely changed his profession because he wanted visitors to understand the beauty of his home and not to focus on past negativity. The only way to respond to any of life’s setbacks, he said, smiling his big grin, is with love and understanding. Good comes from good, right?
That may be all the religion I need.
To explore my next day’s adventures getting stuck in a rice paddy and coming eye to… eyes… with a serious spider, click here!
Details of the Day:
Accommodations: More on this in another post, but Hotel Kajane is one of the nicest places I’ve ever stayed, anywhere. So much so that Mr. M & I didn’t want to leave the room. Or villa, in this case, as a two-story villa plus private pool costs the same as a regular hotel room back in the states. If you need more incentive, the Kajane spa offers 90-minute massages + flower foot bath for $25. You read that right. $25.
Guide: If you couldn’t already tell, we loved Budi. We were put in contact with him through Hotel Kajane and cannot recommend him highly enough. Bonus #1: his car is immaculate, comfortable, and air-conditioned. Bonus #2: he speaks amazing English… which we supplemented by teaching him the phrase “Keep it real,” complete with fist bump.
The other English slang someone had taught him? He kept saying ‘shit for face’ when referring to men at Balinese gatherings… Mr. M & I were SO confused until we realized he meant ‘shit-faced‘- that they tend to get really drunk! I suggested he leave that one out when interacting with his stuffier clients… maybe just stick with the fist bump.
Balinese Dance Performances: Any hotel you stay at in Ubud will carry the current dance performance schedule. Go with the flow, and see any that’s offered on the night(s) you’re there- every one we saw exceeded expectations.
Tips & Tricks:
Although Bali is often thought of as a high-end island destination, it still is a developing nation, and many of the Balinese make their living from tourism. For that reason, you WILL be accosted by people aggressively trying to sell you sarongs, woodcarvings, tours, taxi rides, the list goes on and on. Similarly, the roads are not set up for mass tourism. Do not expect to keep a strict schedule- you may likely be held up by a procession, parade, or other religious celebration.
Sarongs and sashes are required for both men & women to enter the Balinese temples. Rent yours from the gate in front and consider bringing a scarf or shawl to cover your shoulders, too.
Amazing post and amazing colorful pictures .Regards
Thank you! It really was an amazing place to visit.
I agree!!! The photos are brilliant. I personally have not had the privilege to travel to Bali, but after reading this blog I seriously feel like Ive been there. Excellent blog! So happy I came across it today :)
Thank you, Tara! What a compliment! :) Here's hoping you make it to beautiful Bali sometime soon!
I'm going to be in Asia for 10 months and can't wait to get to Bali! Great post :) artijalan@wordpress.com
Oh my goodness, you're going to have so much fun! Especially as a photographer... you'll absolutely love Bali. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Thanks, I can't wait! I'll definitely be updating my blog with new photographs :)
Thank photos ....very cool :(
Thank you!
This post inspired me to get there, saving money.
I'm so glad! You'll get there, and it'll be worth the wait. ;) By the way, you take such gorgeous photos of Phuket! Looks like I need to make another trip out to Southeast Asia...
Those images are beautiful, thank you so much for sharing.
Aww, thank you so much... and thanks for reading!
Thanks for posting, I love Bali, and other neighboring islands. I m from North Sumatra, it also has a nice and quiet vacation destination, Toba Lake.
You're so right... it's an absolutely gorgeous part of the world. I wish I had known about Toba Lake when we were there. Perhaps I need to take another trip out? :)
Thanks for posting, I love Bali, and other neighboring islands. I m from North Sumatra, it also has a nice and quiet vacation destination, Toba Lake.
I can definitely understand why you would almost feel like royalty there...gorgeous. Simply gorgeous... :)
Oh my goodness, it really is. The photos kinda take themselves! Thanks for stopping by!
Bali is one of my favorite places to escape to. Great blog and absolutely gorgeous pictures - Nicole
Isn't Bali amazing? I'm all amped to go back now! :) Thank you so much for visiting, Nicole!
"Good comes from good, right? That may be all the religion I need." YES!
I know! Budi pretty much summed up all of life in a few conversational words. At the very least, I told him he needs to add 'Guru' to his business card.
Thanks for sharing! Bali has been a major tourist attraction since years.One of my relatives gifted me a stylish belt from Bali.Since then ,I wanted to visit the place...and now...your detailed description and the colorful photographs says it all. :-)
Thank you for stopping by! And best of luck getting to Bali... you'll make it, and I promise it'll be worth the wait. :)
sweet pics
Thanks!
Looks like an adventure without leaving the hotel!
Not gonna lie... we spent a lot of possible-sightseeing-time just enjoying that hotel. So nice.
What a beautiful and magical place. I'm tempted to grab my passport and make like Elizabeth Gilbert -- I'll eat, pray and love. Congrats on being Freshly Pressed. This post definitely deserves it.
Thank you so much... really, those are such kind words. Give into temptation- in my experience, grabbing my passport has yet to be the wrong decision! Thanks again.
Wow! Looks like an amazing trip. Loved your travel pointers too.
It was one of my all-time favorite trips Ever. So amazing. And yay! I'm glad the practical info was somewhat... practical!
Reblogged this on Make Her Busy.
This is so fabulous - just a huge I Wish I was there. not a round trip ;)
Ha! I love that and am heretofore warning you I may steal it: "Not a round trip." Thank you for visiting!
Reblogged this on Perspectives - Hadas Weinberger's blog and commented: simply gorgeous
I visited Bali a year ago. It is soo great to see these pictures and be reminded how rich and colorful Bali is in its culture. Thank you for giving folks a taste of Bali.
Isn't it an amazing place? All this Bali talk has got me itching to return... there's just nowhere else like it. Thank you so much for stopping by!
Hey there. I'm really sorry to be boring, but I've just started this blog of mine, about something that's really important for me, and I'm kind of a beginner in the art of blogging. Anyway, I would really apreciate if you just took a quick look at it just to tell me what you think of it. Thanks so much, Amelie. Ps: Cool blog!
Amazing! It's a great post. :) Bali is incredible.
Aww, thank you! Bali was so much more... everything!... than I thought it would be. It really is an incredible place.
A land of magic!
So, so true!
This is beautiful! loved to read your Bali adventures and insights. :) Truly a land of magic and color!
Thank you! And yes- Bali is so unbelievably colorful and rich, in every sense of the word.
Thank you for sharing. I love your pictures and narration. Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed. Please feel free to visit my blog at http://germch55.wordpress.com for virtual tours of New York.
Thank you so much, Gerard! Your blog is fantastic! It's introduced me to so many new aspects of my own city... and made me feel a little bad about being a New Yorker without ever having seen some of these wonderful places... Lots to do!
Muito lindo o lugar, deve ser muito legal ir para la ^^
Fascinating, this is why I love Wordpress, lovely post, nice writing and great adventure photography. Very tempted to put Bali high on my list of things to save for now! Thanks, joe
Thank you so much, Joe! I'm glad this led me to your blog, as well- you're such an amazing photographer.
Thank-you! It's just a hobby, still lots to learn but improving all the time. Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed of course, I will be checking back regularly.
looking to go here soon. hopefully. Fitness first people.
I hope you make it! Beautiful, beautiful country. Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks so much for posting this! I plan on visiting Bali in about a year. The conversation you wrote regarding what Budi said about the bombings and "good comes from good, right?" gave me goosebumps! that is so powerful and admirable!
I know... it was really inspiring. It's amazing how people can slip in & out of your life so quickly, yet still manage to leave such an imprint. Thank you so much for stopping by!
Beautiful photos and breezy write-up. I thoroughly enjoyed the virtual trip!
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Gotta love those virtual trips when the other kind can't come soon enough! :)
True! :)
I grew up on the next island over, and we spent summer holidays at Grandma's house in Bali -- the pictures you've taken are lovely and authentic snapshots! (:
I'm immediately jealous of your childhood summers- that sounds lovely! Have you been back since?
Bali has been on list for a while and this beautiful post just makes me want to go all the more. Thank you for sharing and congrats on being Freshly Pressed.
Thank you for such kind words, Cosette! What a nice compliment. I hope you make it to beautiful Bali soon!
Lovely Post! Your beautiful pictures made me want to go to Indonesia tomorrow! Adieu, scribbler
Thank you, scribbler! Revisiting this trip made ME want to go there tomorrow! :) The beauty of travel blogging...
:) Adieu, scribbler
Fantastic photos. I can't wait to visit.
You will SO enjoy it. I'll vouch for it. ;)
How colorful everything is there!
Oh my goodness. The explosions of color everywhere were amazing. I ended up with thousands of photos just trying to capture it all!
It's beautiful - like a rainbow brought to earth. Thank you again for sharing!
Ahh there's just something about Asian cultures that offer so much warmth...
Definitely true in Bali! I can't wait to do more exploring in Asia.
Congrats on being Freshly Pressed! My husband and I just got back from a 3-4 month hiatus in Bali...the sacred springs were wonderful. Somehow, we managed to get the whole place to ourselves, because we left Ubud early in the morning, before the crowd. I truly miss being there and learning about their rich culture...
Oooh, I can't even imagine how magical that must've been to see Tirtha Empul without the crowds. Actually... just to be in Bali for 3-4 months! Nice job on that! :)
This is a great blog. I totally enjoyed your experience and look forward to experiencing this rich spiritual journey one day soon. Magdalene
Thank you so much, Magdalene! I hope you're able to experience Bali soon... 'rich spiritual journey' is one of the best ways I've heard it described!
Lovely photos!
Thank you, fatima!
AMAZING post. I've been obsessing over Bali for quite a while now and I'm glad to have found you on the Freshly Pressed section. Gorgeous photos as well. I hope to experience Bali the way you did.
I have to say- Bali is a pretty darn good thing to obsess over. :) It's mesmerizing! I'm also hoping that you get to experience Bali sometime soon!
Really amazing pictures and by the looks of things, Bali was completely magical, and a world full of vibrancy and life..I would love to visit one day!! As well as visiting China, The Caribbean,Latin and Central America (Its an ancestral thing, Abuela was from Panama! ;D)...Lovely!!
You're better at describing it than I! Absolutely- magical, vibrant, and 100% full of life. Here's hoping you make it to ALL the places on your list!
:D I hope I do, Ms Dulce, I hope I do..If I had the money I'd take a break now..
Your beautiful photos took me back to my stay in Ubud many years ago. I also loved your informative commentary as well.
I love that aspect of reading travel blogs- how they help you revisit past travels. I'm so happy this post did that. :) Thank you for stopping by!
I went to Bali two years ago and absolutely fell in love with it. Loved the food too. Maybe I will write about it one day on my blog! :) Well written! Come visit mine some time too :) http://virginialicious.com/
Mmmm, yes, the food... fabulous food... Your blog is dangerous, virginialicious! Love it, but I was overcome with this strong urge to make a quick trip into Chinatown for munchies :)
Gotta check out "China Boy"!! Let me know how it goes although... DC Chinatown is kinda weak ;)
Fantastic post. I believe in Karma, which means that for sharing this much beauty and joy, you will receive it in return. Thank you for bringing me a wonderful piece of another land into my little world.
Such kind words that I really do appreciate... thank you so much!
Your post makes me want to go to Bali, great job and cheers to you on FP! Keep it real :)
Ha, thank you!! Shame on me for teaching poor Budi Bad 90's Street Slang. Better than 'shit for face' though, right?
Right! :)
Wonderful! Such lovely pictures and descriptions. I would love to travel to Bali and I am interested in Hinduism and Buddhism. The Temples, culture and traditions there are extraordinary and they enable one to focus on what is really important such as kindness, honesty, meditation, compassion, tranquility, etc. Thank you for sharing as it gave me a great taste of what Bali is like.
I totally agree. More than any other place I've been, Bali has a magical sense of tranquility among the chaos... such a wonderful arena for self-reflection. Here's hoping you get to beautiful Bali!
Very nice. Looks like you had a wonderful Bali experience! This just validated my interest in Buddhism. Thank you!
Aww, thank you so much! And best of luck exploring your interest in Buddhism- from what Budi taught me, it sounds like a fascinating and fulfilling religious philosophy!
Beautiful and stunning! What a wonderful place and experience for you!
Stunning is the absolute perfect word. :) Amazing experience, in every possible way.
Very cool. Bali is definitely on my to-do list.
It hadn't been on my travel list before we were headed to Southeast Asia, and after having been, I can't imagine not being more interested! I hope you get a chance to visit!
amazing post.wonderful pics..........enjoyed the tour and learnt a lot from Budi's philosophy.Thats what religion is,thats what faith teaches us.
I'm not sure Budi will ever know just how much he taught me that day. I suppose you just try to keep spreading that good begets good philosophy around, right? :)
very wonderful post.. i love your photos, they clearly depict the rich culture in bali. thanks for sharing..
I'm glad you liked the photos! I found it really difficult to capture all that culture and beauty and life in the confines of a picture frame. Thank you for reading!
Great blog.. I quite enjoy it... I always love Bali..
Thank you so much! And I agree- Bali will always have a special place in my heart!
Hello! Brilliant blog - I must admit, I am very interested in visiting Bali - I'm always travelling and usually let fate (I call it fate but its actually just coincidence) lead the way! I know this may sound a bit... woosey-ish (?) of me, but was it dangerous there? Anything I should look out for? Apart from the pick pockets of course!
Hi dagadooga, and thank you for stopping by! Not woosey-ish at all! Bali didn't feel dangerous at all (we visited Jimbaran, Ubud, and Sanur). The street hawkers were some of the most aggressive I've ever encountered, but I didn't fear for my safety one bit. I suppose I have to add in the disclaimer to use common sense, keep wallets out of back pockets, etc. You'll have a wonderful trip!
I remember visiting Bali in 2000 and absolutely falling in love with it! The offerings on every street corner (woven baskets of fruit, flowers, biscuits and incense) were overpowering in smell - but by day 3 were just another amazing aspect of bali-life! Fabulous blog!
It's hard not to, right? Bali is just so full of life! Smell, color, taste, prayer... all my senses were on overload.
A very interesting and informative post. Thank you for sharing!
I'm so glad that you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by!
Bali..... i am falling in love with it.... :)
Oh my goodness, already there! It was a whirlwind romance. :)
surely, must have been.. :)
wow your photos are stunning! thanks for sharing!
Thank you! Although I must admit the beauty of Bail itself (and my fail-proof camera) had a lot more to do with it than I! ;)
nice picture.... sir....
I didn't know that Bali had such a strong belief in Karma! And the photos here are stunning! Looks like another destination added to me travel list!
I learned SO much from Budi about karma and Balinese Hinduism in general. Just fascinating. Definitely add to your travel list- you'll love it. Thank you so much for stopping by!
I am in love with this post!
What a wonderful compliment! Thank you for making my day. :)
Reblogged this on The Footsteps of my Travels and commented: Bali is a place that I'm excited to one day visit. Anyone I have talked to, who has visited, has had nothing but praise to share.
Reblogged this on The Footsteps of my Travels and commented: One place high on my travel bucket list. Anyone I have spoke with, who has visited, has had nothing but praise to share.
Thank you! I think Bali's culture runs so deep that it's impossible to go and NOT have an amazing experience to share. Here's hoping you make it to Bali!
Pingback: ALAMKLUSA RESORT & SPA – Klusa, Payangan, Ubud « Info Lowongan Hospitality
[…] Bali for Beginners, Part Two (spendyourdays.wordpress.com) […]
Pingback: Aston International Indonesia – Regional Office Bali « Info Lowongan Hospitality
[…] Bali for Beginners, Part Two (spendyourdays.wordpress.com) […]
thank you
thank YOU! :)
Pingback: Balinese Burial | FARSIDE TRAVEL STORIES
[…] Bali for Beginners, Part Two (spendyourdays.wordpress.com) […]
great blog!
Thank you so much!
very very very nice tropical country :)
Isn't it? I can't wait to go back.
Pingback: One European’s view of Obama’s America « larrysmusings
[…] http://spendyourdays.wordpress.com/2012/08/04/bali-for-beginners-part-two/ […]
Pingback: The Sahita Luxury Residence & Villa « Info Lowongan Hospitality
[…] Bali for Beginners, Part Two (spendyourdays.wordpress.com) […]
Pingback: Cooking to save a culture @Rumah Desa – Tabanan | FARSIDE TRAVEL
[…] Bali for Beginners, Part Two (spendyourdays.wordpress.com) […]
Pingback: Viva Brasil, Ilha Grande Part 2: Paradise Found « Spend Your Days
[…] Mr. M & I have a list of what we call our ’5 Star Places.’ (After putting this in writing, I realize it has the unfortunate distinction of sounding both elitist and unoriginal. We need to come up with a new moniker… does ‘Illest Cribs’ sound any better?) Snooty and trite though I may be, the sentiment remains that they are our Absolute Most Favorite Places We’ve Ever Stayed. The Illest Cribs currently number five, and Vila Pedra Mar is among them. (In case you’re curious, the other two out of five that I’ve mentioned thus far in the blogosphere are Hotel Coeur des Alpes in Zermatt, Switzerland and Hotel Kajane in Ubud, Bali.) […]
Pingback: Lounging in Langkawi | Spend Your Days
[…] 5 hotels we’ve ever stayed anywhere in the world (along with places in Zermatt, Switzerland, Bali, and off the coast of Rio de Janeiro). It’s that […]
Pingback: Bali for Beginners, Part One | Spend Your Days
[…] To explore the rest of the day’s adventures getting schooled on karma, click here! […]