UbudLife NO. 26 • MARCH - MAY 2016
guide to ubud & beyond, bali lifestyle, people, arts, yoga, spirit, culture and cuisine
NYEPI
HOW TO REINVENT A TRADITION
VEGAN RAW FOOD REVOLUTION MADE GRIYAWAN WORLD OF ART THE PEMUTERAN COAST AMED IN THE WET
free
Ibu Rai, as she was well known to many travelers in the 60’s, was born 1925. She sold food and her “Warung” became quite famous, even travel books recommended it as place to find safe and good quality food for foreigners. Her son, Dewa Gede, opened a restaurant in 1986 at family land and as a tribute to his mother courage and enterprise, called it Ibu Rai Restaurant. He carries on his mother’s. Our restaurant is specially selected for nutrition and natural flavors using the best and freshest ingredients. All are carefully presented and with friendly service. “Hope you enjoy our food with taste of Asian Spices”.
72 Monkey Forest Street Ubud Bali | +62 361 973472 restaurant@iburai.com | www.iburai.com
EDITOR’S NOTE
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UbudLife MAG Om Swastiastu,
editor ubudlife-gsb team
The thing with a quarterly is that it is difficult to remain topical. With our failed monsoon and crazy heat, as one tries to think through the haze of heat and humidity, one wonders what this lovely new year will bring. It is said to be a year that heralds change and lets hope that it will. Some change for the best are badly needed, with more kindness and less craziness, and bad decisions from politicians everywhere.
creative graphic designer dedito ssn.
Closer to home, we approach the Balinese New year. After gorgeous Galungan has passed, Nyepi, the day of silence approaches. The Balinese greet their new year somewhat more meditatively than people of the west. Instead of the wild celebrations that accompany a typical western New year, here we are greeted with silence. Of course, the night before Nyepi is always raucous, as the bad spirits are chased out of town, terrified with Ogoh Ogoh and loud bangs from handmade bamboo bang boxes, but the actual day is completely silent. The idea is to trick the spirits into thinking that everyone has left the island. No lights, no cooking fires, no loud noise. And While traditionally, People spoke in only whispers, One suspects the younger generation are less likely to follow with quite the same enthusiasm. A more worldly youth is not always a good thing, but it is called progress. So this issue we bring you as usual a veritable pot pourri of stories that we hope you will enjoy, with something for everybody who has an interest in Bali and more particularly Ubud! We hope you will enjoy our first issue for 2016 and we wish you a belated Happy New year, first time! Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Om
THE EDITOR
Cover photo by Ayu Sekar These gay jukungs in Amed are the fishermen’s pride and joy. They can be hired to watch a sunrise or take to the sea for a hour or two.
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photographer i gusti ketut windia sales and marketing ketut muliartani finance yukmang susilawati distribution ubudlife-gsb team publisher GSB (gemini studio bali) jalan gunung tangkuban perahu III/4, denpasar barat - bali 80361 p: 0361 8495479, 0361 8447982 e: sales@geministudio-bali.com w: www.ubudlife.com director putu santosa views expressed are not necessarily those of the editor’s and publisher’s. all material copyright ©2010 (gsb) gemini studio bali. the publisher will not be held responsible for copyright infringerment on images supplied by advertiser and, or contributors.
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contents 26
NYEPI: HOW TO REINVENT A TRADITION
56
BALI BATIK STUDIO PEJENG
34
44
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MADE GRIYAWAN
THE PEMUTERAN COAST
VEGAN RAW FOOD REVOLUTION
AMED IN THE WET
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happenings around ubud Divine! Simply Divine The new divine wine bar at Bridges is …simply Divine! Loacted at the level beneath the restaurant, it looks out over the same sublime view of the Wos River and the old Campuhan Bridge, hence the restaurant name. Not only does the new wine bar feature an excellent selection of fine wines, but they also offer great cocktails, many with innovative new mixes. Best of all, Divine has its own purpose built kitchen. With a menu created by Executive Chef Miles, it features easy to eat selections, like smoked Tasmanian Salmon, Parma Ham with Gruyere Bread sticks, Pate de Fois, with a great grape dip, and even a specialty fondue. The menu is full of delicious offerings, which you just want to try. Divine Fridays is now held here in the Wine bar where guests can still enjoy sampling specially selected bottle wines by the glass for a special price together with delicious paired canapés. It is a treat! Divine Wine Bar at Bridges, Jl Raya Campuhan, by the old bridge.
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Tri Originally from East Bali, Ketut Tri Suda Pala is one of the island’s most sough-after natural healers. Not only does Tri have strong healing powers, but he also has a strong passion for environmental activism, permaculture, and traditional medicine. He has taught permaculture and herbal medicine at the Green School, and also teaches traditional medicine at the Nursing School of Gianyar. He Graduated from the Ayurveda Health Study Program in Indonesia’s Hindu University and now devotes his time to healing. He uses herbal medicine, acupuncture, acupressure, and his specialty, pranic healing.
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Bridges Hosts a New Photo Exhibition New Zealand born Bali resident David Metcalf will be presenting a Photo Exhibition at Bridges restaurant Themed “A Love Affair With Asia”. This exhibition showcases 24 beautiful images of nature, people, and cultures across Asia. The launching event will be on Wednesday, 2 March, and the exhibition opens until 31 August 2016. The 25 Exhibits show of Metcalf’s work over the past four years. While the majority of the Images are of Bali, the exhibition will also include other parts of Indonesia as well as Myanmar and India, including Nagaland. “ I have travelled extensively in Asia over the past few years and I believe my photographs express my respect, connection and love of some of the people and places I have had the pleasure of visiting”. The exhibition opens at Bridges on March 2nd 6.30 pm and it will run for six months until August 31st. Any of the photos can be purchased with 20%of the sales going to support Dave’s education and cultural awareness programs in Borneo. Bridges, from 2nd March 2016, Jl. Raya Campuhan, Ubud
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Cata Odata Within Ubud’s constantly evolving artscape, galleries and art spaces come and go. Cata Odata, a new artist driven space located in Penestanan, introduces a fresh model of art infrastructure to Bali. Artist and gallery management, artist in residency programs, internships along with exhibitions and a community space for discussions and workshops combined with a bold future vision. The space is the brainchild of two East Javanese: Ratna Odata, a theatre design and management freelancer who has worked in Bali, Jakarta and Singapore, and Djunaidi Kenyut with 15 years experience as an exhibiting artist, as well as managing arts events and spaces both in Bali and Surabaya. The pair reunited in Ubud to realize a shared dream. Born in 2014, Cata Odata’s main goal is to promote Indonesian artists who are based in East Java and Bali while encouraging global connections and exchanges between artists and the community. Upcoming 2016 events include the solo exhibition by Balinese artist Rio Saren, a photography exhibition by photographers from Jakarta, art workshops led by local artists, and the Bare Journal #3 artist in residency program. www.cataodata.com, Facebook: Cata Odata, Tel: 081212126096 Located opposite the Pura Dalem temple in Penestanan Kelod, look for the white two story building.
Antonius Kho Exhibits in Vietnam Antonious Kho will hold a solo exhibition in Vietnam at La Maison Art & Amp; Wine Club, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Vietnam. It will run from 28 February to 31 March 2016. It is organised by Himiko Visual Spaces, Vietnam. This is my first exhibition in Vietnam, although he has already exhibited in many Asian countries including Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia , Malaysia, China, India and the Philippines. The exhibition will display 25 of his latest paintings. These small 40 x 20 cm or 20 x 20 cm works have the theme, Faces. Faces that is all over in the life of me all this time, the faces that are solid, full of ornament. Ones life shows in the face itself , which is why portraits are always so popular. info@antoniuskho.com (“Mariya girl”) +62818496247 16 UbudLife
SO You Want to be A volunteer? Every year millions of people visit Bali and fall in love with the island, the culture and the people. But even in the midst of all the beauty, it is clear to most who visit that there is a vast disparity in wealth here, and that there are many Balinese people stuck in a cycle of poverty that they may not be able to escape, mainly due to a lack of education. For those who want to support local communities here and help stop the cycle of poverty, Volunteer Programs Bali offers opportunities for real change. Volunteer Programs Bali is an Ubud-based international volunteer organisation that provides free English classes and other activities for underprivileged children in Bali. They also offer workshops and events for local communities, provide donations to villages and temples, offer scholarships for students, and assist with job opportunities for locals who otherwise might not have a chance to get ahead. All programs are designed with the utmost respect for Balinese traditions and values, and aim to inspire and empower local people. Since its inception, VP Bali has placed thousands of volunteers in safe, supportive and sustainable programs that allow them to give back through education, whilst being immersed in authentic Balinese culture. Volunteers can opt for four different teaching programs, two of which are based in Ubud; one in Karangasem; and one for children with special needs. Each program includes a volunteer prep kit prior to arrival that includes information about Bali and the organisation; shared accommodation in a homestay; airport transfers; a local SIM card; and 24-hour support from the VP Bali team. While in Bali, volunteers will teach after-school classes for children from families of all socio-economic levels. The programs use the EAL curriculum, which has been designed for consistency and routine, but teachers are also encouraged to bring their own skills and talents into the lessons including art,
music and dance. This way both students and teachers have fun, which enriches the learning experience and allows for a great deal of inspiration for all.
Due to the sheer number of children taking part in the free classes, VP Bali is always happy with new volunteers who apply to make a difference in the lives of these kids. All registration and program fees go towards accommodation and transportation for volunteers, teaching materials, VP Bali staff wages and health care, program expansion, and direct support to Balinese communities in the form of scholarships, workshops and local employment. The organisation cannot accept direct donations of money, but those who want to contribute can donate materials via their Kid’s Wish List or sponsor individual students for scholarships.
www.volunteerprogramsbali.org UbudLife 17
Bali Spirit Festival T
he 9th annual BaliSpirit Festival, a Global Celebration of Yoga, Dance & Music – March 29 until April 3, 2016, is maintaining its reputation as one of the top festivals in the world. The BaliSpirit Festival is a celebration of the richness of culture, the sanctity of the environment, and harmony between people of all nations. BaliSpirit Festival differ the program as daytime and nighttime program. Daytime program offers yoga classes, healing huts, meditations, Dharma Fair (market), and dance classes. Aside from the daytime program, BaliSpirit Festival’s vibrant night concerts inspire visitors from all over the world to rave about the quality and diversity of world music. The Festival’s after-dark lineup is powered by extraordinary musicians and dancers who encourage conscious living and well-being for individuals in communities around the world. Drawing in a global audience of 7000 from over 50 countries, the tranquil town of Ubud in Bali will be transformed into an internatioal cornucopia of world music and yogic fun. The One World Night Music Stage brings together music and traditions from every corner of the planet, staying true to the festival's message of peace, love and positivity, combines genres such as world, folk & electronica, with traditional and modern dance and physical theatre on two stages. Alongside workshops and the organic-healthy Dharma Fair market, the daytime events also feature Healing Huts - a healing village, a Kids Zone and a community music stage which showcases Indonesian and global musicians throughout the day, creating a dynamic and captivating festival vibe.
CELEBRATIONS For year 2016, BaliSpirit Festival also moves to a new daytime program
location in Bhanuswari Resort and Spa, Ubud-Bali. Hidden away in the southern foothills of Bali, just a short 10-minute drive from Ubud city center, Bhanuswari Resort & Spa gives new meaning to the word “tranquility�. The breathtaking beauty of terraced rice fields, towering coconut trees, natural spring-fed streams and luscious flowering gardens envelop this perfectly secluded sanctuary of peace.
BaliSpirit Festival is a global collaboration on love, harmony and positivity. Check http://www.balispiritfestival.com to get the updates for our next Festival!
NYEPI:HOW TO REINVENT A TRADITION by jean couteau • images ayu sekar
I
f you have lived for some time in Indonesia, you have certainly been warned. On the ninth of March comes the day of silence, Nyepi. This day, you keep quiet. No walking or driving around, no cooking, no light. Nothing but silence. You are not allowed to visit friends. You are not even supposed to make love, even though your wife does not cook and the light is off. Last but not least, Bali is totally cut from the world: no flights in, no flights out.
Of course, if you come to Bali, with its reputation of being an exotic land of smiling people, you are ready to “understand”, to accept the fact that the Balinese do indeed have their own spiritual demands. Who knows? Perhaps you came to Bali on a spiritual tour, to purchase at a good price the “Wisdom of the East?” If so, there are chances that you are residing in Ubud, which has handsome gurus who, among
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CULTURE other services, churn out wisdom and art as other Asians do cars. Perhaps one has even sold to you that Nyepi is to become an International – I insist on the word—day of silence, which would be good for ecology and enable mother Earth to better awaken her kundalini. So it feels good to support Nyepi.
It is viewed by visitors to Bali, especially if they are agnostic, as something ‘extraordinary’, a ‘deep sign of spirituality’. Oh dear! But one thing is sure. If Nyepi had been invented not to celebrate the jolly gods of Balinese tradition, but the old Semitic God of international fame, it would be much less popular than it is today in those same circles. And not without good reasons: it is indeed easier to deal with the lesser deities who live in your back garden (teba), that with a God that is all too Encompassing for your own safety. But that is another story. Let us go back to Nyepi. The main problem with this ceremony as it exists today, is that it is not all ‘genuine’ anymore. Because even though it is not an invention – it is deeply rooted in history - many of its contemporary aspects - including the fantastic Ngrupuk procession on its eve- are invented tradition. The expression “invented tradition” is not mine. It came from British Erci Hobsbawn and some 30 years ago – he wrote, I have forgotten the title of the article---that the most famous British traditions – the queens defiles and similar royal paraphernalia etc—were not authentic traditions at all, but symbolic manipulation that aimed at constructing a meaningful past for Britain’s gullible people. I don’t mean to say that the Balinese are gullible and that everything in Nyepi has been invented. Nyepi indeed opens the New Year of the Balinese lunar-solar Saka calendar, at it comes back every year on the day following the dark moon of the kedasa month. It will fall this year on the 9th of March, which will open the year 1938 of the Saka era. This Saka era, dates back to the conquest of Northern India by the Scythian king Kanishka, in 78 AD and is still in use in some parts of India. UbudLife 27
Nyepi has become a key definer of Balinese identity. Until roughly thirty years ago, while it was already a day of silence, this silence was relative, because it was not compulsory: you could cross the road to visit a friend, keep the lights on, watch a telenovela on the TV, and generally have fun – such as playing Chinese dominos, or engage in plays with your wife after she had finished cooking. Nyepi was no big thing. And then, somehow, it all changed. Village guards (pecalang) dressed in Balinese attire, started appearing all over the place. They would see to it that you stayed home, did not ride your bike, and hid the light of your house. A few years ago, television went blank too. Luckily, until today, these pecalang still don’t check what you and your wife are doing, even though she is not cooking, but who knows? It could soon change. So, the fact is that now, the only people allowed to utilize the road on Nyepi are those heading for the hospital, plus of course the pecalang and a few doctors. Unsurprisingly, the change in Nyepi was accompanied with a change in language. Thirty years ago, the only word one knew was Nyepi, it was all. No one, apart a few priests, cared about the theological foundations of the event. But twenty years ago, explanations of the event started coming out in the press. To make silence (=nyepi) was explained, and the wording was not in daily modern Balinese but in Middle-Balinese, the language used two or three hundred years ago: one was now supposed to amati geni (no fire) amati pekaryan (no work--it is unclear whether love-making is part of it), amati lelungaan (no travel) lelangon (no pleasure --it is unclear whether love-making is a pleasure)…It was an explanation that what rooted in and justified by “history”, by the Words of the Origin. Isn’t it interesting? Just like there are Moslems who try to live by rules based on a fourteen centuries old text, there are Balinese who 28 UbudLife
reshape there rites in accordance with the demands of a long dead language --dead, hence sacred of course! Not to mention those who go back to the Indian Veda for similar purposes; but this will be the topic of another article. Yet, not everything is ‘fundamentalist’ in the new Nyepi. The ngrupuk parade on the night before Nyepi is something new too. Until the 1980s or so, there were no giants and others monsters taken along the roads in noise and music. Of course, like now, demons were to be given an ultimate farewell in wait for the day of silence, but this was done by children using the dry beating of bamboo sticks. No demonic figures, no horrific microbes, no rock’n’ roll singing monsters. No signs of modernity. This is the word. The reinvention of tradition new Nyepi is as much a sign of modernity as are tourists, television and cars. Revival of identity is indeed an important component of today’s Balinese modernity. How could it not be. Land is purchased by alien money, population moving in drove to tourist resorts, foreign men and women hunt Balinese beaus and belles, and Western music is making deep inroads in the land of gong and gamelan. Almost all land is no more Balinese and all Balinese are no more actors of a unique culture. If another proof of the unavoidability of change is needed, ask around yourself . Who still know when Nyepi silence begins? At night? Certainly not! Then leak rule over the land. The day of Nyepi comes with the rising of the sun, on the fifth, and last until the following rising of the sun, on the sixth. If the Balinese have lost knowledge of their notion of time, isn’t it yet another sign that the times have truly changed.
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WORLD OF ART
MADEGRIYAWAN by richard horstman • images ayu sekar
“I have been gifted with a curious mind,” says Balinese artist Made Griyawan. “Since I was a child I have always been inquisitive and driven to seek out my own answers to life. As I grew in awareness important questions provoked me. Who am I? Why am I here, and what for?” “For my answers I look to the world around me, along with reflecting on the world within. I observe people’s behaviour, the rhythms of nature, and learn. I have become a dedicated student in the school of life.”
M
ade Griyawan is no ordinary artist; he is one of the finest practitioners of the Batuan “School” of Balinese traditional painting. A deeply spiritual man, through his art he shares his values and wisdoms. “Religious perspectives determine how we are different, the spiritual, however reveals that we are all one. This is an empowering philosophy,” Griyawan says. Born in 1980 in Batuan Griyawan has succeeded in depicting the religious narratives and localized fables of his culture into beautiful paintings that pulsate with life, and are defined by his own signature style. His imagination and ability to create anew, old narratives, as well as innovative storylines challenges Balinese convention, and sets him apart from his peers. Batuan is situated on a plain flanked by two rivers in the southern central region of Bali, 15 minutes south of Ubud. It’s earliest known record is a royal decree dated 1022. Over the past 3 centuries its artists have played a vital role in performing the rituals of the state that were in high demand from the royal courts of the kingdom of Gianyar. To fulfil the requirements of these ceremonies they became proficient in music, dance, craving and painting. The high concentration of
artists in Banjar Pekandelan, the central part of the area, and previously home to the King’s artists, remains a unique characteristic of Batuan today. Batuan paintings are held with special esteem within the context of Balinese art. They have endured and evolved through the highs and lows of the ever-changing social, economic and political climate that has shaped the island during the past 85 years. Beginning in the early 1930’s, when foreign influences were instrumental in the changing course of traditional painting, the village artists began to develop a unique style of their own. Often dark and moody sketches in black Chinese ink, the compositions were generally dense and crowded. The colour ranged from the pure white of the paper or canvas to deeply saturated dark tones, together creating striking contrasts. The imagery, layered in patterns, appeared to pulsate in visual rhythms out from the painting in waves of swirling motion. In the 1970’s the style was revolutionized, the compositions became larger, highly detailed, dynamic and colourful with universal themes. Of all the genres of Balinese modern traditional painting that evolved from commercial demand, this style is UbudLife 35
the most internationally renowned. It is Made Griyawan’s cultural inheritance. Lineage and the master pupil relationship has played an important role in the development of Batuan painting. The youngest of three boys, all of who followed in footsteps of their father, the accomplished painter Wayan Taweng (1926-2005), Griyawan was sketching and painting at an early age. Taweng himself trained under one of the foremost artists of Batuan, Nyoman Ngendon (1903-1936). Drawing is the fundamental element of the paintings, after which Griyawan adds layers of colour, and then completes the work with fine black outlines. The visual impact is strengthened by the relationship of colours, soft yellows and blues, for example, exist side-by-side, conflicting and vibrating against one another. He is sensitive to adding 36 UbudLife
rhythmic black lines that define seascapes and landscapes creating life and motion. Yet all the while the atmosphere is calming; in these works it is Griyawan’s own personal spirit that comes shining through. The storyline however, is often of the most interest. They may come from his own person experience and beliefs that he transforms into narratives that involve one or two central characters, often a person or sage who are engaged in the challenges of life and commit to a journey seeking higher knowledge. Recently, both social and environmental themes have been a focus. Humour is selectively introduced and plays a vital role in his narratives, which then become playful and light hearted. “I want to make paintings with messages for humanity and of how we must look forward into the future positively,” Griyawan says. “I want them to be soothing and to bring people peace.”
Significant change in Griyawan’s art occurred in 2009. Having fulfilled a sense of competency, stylistically and technically he was determined to explore themes that were more personal, and hence more meaningful as well. As an artist this is where Griyawan began to reveal maturity beyond his age. “As I grow older and more dedicated to my spiritual practise I have become clearer in body and mind; my intuition has become more finely tuned. As a result I am able to receive answers to my questions about life. I then translate these into my work.”
along with giving painting demonstrations. Following this Griyawan’s first solo exhibition will be held at the Omotesando Hills Gallery in Tokyo. www.madegriyawan.com
The sense of community is one of the foundations of the Balinese culture, and indeed the art community as well. Griyawan is constantly socially active, not only building networks, yet sharing his skills and good will. In 2012 responding to a belief that Batuan painting was in decline, he, along with other artists were instrumental in the formation of a new art collective: the Baturulangan Artist’s Association. There has been a resurgence of Batuan painting and this has been evident in three stunning exhibitions in the museums of Ubud since 2012. A regular finalist in one of Indonesia’s most respected art awards, the UOB Painting of the Year Award, Griyawan has just completed a series of 20 paintings on paper for exhibitions in Tokyo in October 2016. Japanese art lovers have long embraced Balinese painting and over the years Griyawan has made many Japanese friends. He will participate in two events, the Tokyo Art Fair where he will exhibit UbudLife 37
FRESH! SPA AD
words • image ayu sekar
Every year on the days following Kuningan, the hamlets in the deeper recesses of Karangasem burst into flower as the girls perform exotic renditions of the sacred Rejang dance.
Vegan Raw Food Revolution by stephanie • images ayu sekar
UBUD FOOD
F
or years now Ubud has been a haven for vegans and raw food revolutionaries who want fresh healthy cuisine minus the meat and animal products. In fact we’re absolutely blessed with an abundance of restaurants and cafes that strive to offer super nutritious plant-based dishes that not are not only good for you, but taste good too. Whether you’ve cut out animal products completely, or just want a spectacular meal sans meat, these are our top picks for stellar spots that are taking vegan and raw food to a whole new level.
Your meal could include dishes like the Jackfruit Tacos with meaty shredded and amply spiced jackfruit in a crispy corn shell with tomato salsa and coconut sour cream, or the Asam Laksa Noodle with barbecued seitan, char siew tofu and a plethora of crunchy veggies in a tangy and fiery broth. The food at Moksa is cleverly created to bring the most out of the pure ingredients. However, unlike some other raw food places, the vibe here is extremely laid-back and utterly unpretentious. You won’t find a ‘healthier than thou’ attitude, and chances are you’ll be greeted by name after just one visit. Made Janur says, “Eating is a personal choice, so we’re not preaching. We’re just a restaurant serving plant-based food.” Chef Made Runatha echoes this sentiment and adds,
MOKSA
How many places do you know of where you can sit down for a meal and gaze out at the exact spot where your food came from? Welcome to Moksa, a gorgeous vegan and raw food restaurant surrounded by expansive permaculture gardens, rice fields and subak system streams. Moksa is the brainchild of I Made Janur and Chef I Made Runatha, both formerly from Fivelements. When they set out to create a restaurant, they knew they wanted to do something different, something communitybased, sustainable, and focused on living foods. Approximately 50 to 70 per cent of the food used in the Moksa kitchen comes directly from their gardens, and each dish is plantbased, only slightly heated if at all, and expertly prepared by Chef Made in a variety of innovative and intensely flavourful ways.
“The restaurant is just about sharing what we have, not all about making money. I really believe that this type of food can heal, and we want people who come here to be happy and healthy.” Puskesmas Ubud II, Gang Damai, Ubud www.moksaubud.com UbudLife 45
FRESH at TAKSU
Located on a quiet corner on the southern stretch of Jalan Goutama, Taksu consists of lovely terraces and pavilions spilling down the side of a jungle-clad ravine. Best known as a holistic healing hotspot for their rejuvenating spa sessions and yoga classes, they are also garnering rave reviews for Fresh, their newest raw food and vegan restaurant set in a tranquil garden. The menu, created by Chef Arif, includes inspired creations made with organic produce sourced from Taksu’s own gardens on site and small organic farms that they have partnered with. Each dish is artfully created using only vegan ingredients, and nothing is heated over 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 degrees Celsius). The culinary creations at Fresh include the Mini Lasagna piled high with vibrant layers of zucchini, sun-dried tomato marinara, almond pesto and citrus salad, the Avocado Tartare with crunchy peppers, fragrant coriander leaves and cashew cream cheese, and the Mini Tacos with baby romaine, walnut carnitas, cashew chipotle and organic heirloom tomatoes.
GARDEN KAFE at THE YOGA BARN
The Yoga Barn has become an iconic institution in Ubud with all manner of yoga classes packing out pretty much all day, every day of the week. But what many people may not know is that the site is also home to a cute little garden cafe that serves up some mean living raw vegan food. The setting here is picturesque with tables looking out over the gardens, terraced lawn, and the amphitheatre of The Yoga Barn. You’ll find plenty of yoga peeps chilling out after their classes, as well as foodies looking for a healthy fix. Settle in at one of the wooden tables under an umbrella and start with a Super Anti-Oxidant Shake or a Liver Detox Shot with carrot and turmeric. Then you have your choice of a Breakfast Bowl filled with nutritious ingredients like fresh fruit, oats and seeds, or if it’s after 11am, an Organic Salad, Raw Coconut Green Curry or the Tricolour Soba Plate to name just a few options.
For those with a sweet tooth, Fresh offers a range of desserts and treats like the Kaffir Lime Tart with ginger coconut crumb and pina colada fruits and the Strawberry Cheesecake with cashew lime cream cheese, fresh strawberries and fruit coulis. You can also peruse the display case for different flavours of organic chocolate from the Ubud Raw Chocolate Factory.
The Garden Kafe also specialises in Ayurvedic cuisine, which is associated with their Kush Ayurvedic Rejuvenation and Detox programs and can be customised for your unique body and mind type. Examples of their Ayurvedic dishes include the Red Lentil Dahl with whole wheat chapati and the hearty Kitcheree Mrdu stew with organic rice, split yellow lentils and a mild spice blend.
Jalan Goutama Selatan, Ubud www.taksuspa.com
Jalan Raya Pengosekan, Ubud www.theyogabarn.com/healingfoods
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SAGE
New to the Nyuh Kuning hood is Sage, an eclectic vegan restaurant where the vibe is contemporary and chic, yet still super cosy, and the food is a fabulous mash-up of different spices and flavours influenced by the owners’ travels around the globe. The underlying concept is good, clean food made with local and organic products and prepared from scratch and by hand. Step inside Sage and you enter a space with bright white walls, inviting wooden tables and cushioned benches next to huge circular windows. Soaring ceilings allow air to flow through, and the massive windows let in plenty of natural light. The menu features a fusion of unique flavours and cooking styles. Take for example the Tempeh Buffalo Wings made with crunchy corn-crusted tempeh served with a creamy vegan ranch and piquant buffalo sauce, or the Lonestar Sandwich with smoky marinated baked tofu topped with lettuce, sliced tomato, pickles and chipotle mayonnaise on homemade flatbread. The veggie bowls and salads are also particularly good value, as you get a huge bowl teeming with fresh ingredients like baked purple sweet potatoes, steamed cauliflower, tofu, spinach and sautÊed carrots. Be sure to check out their dessert board too for delish after-dinner treats. Jalan Nyuh Bulan, Nyuh Kuning, Ubud www.facebook.com/sagerestobali/
EXPLORE UBUD published quarterly Welcome to the by Gemini Studio second edition Bali Design of 90-pages, Communication pocket size Free Guidebook is sown and circulated February 2016 and For further information and advertising booking please contact: Email: sales@geministudio-bali.com • Mobile: 087 86228 3535
ARTISANAL SEA SALT – by ibu kat • image ibu kat, windia
B
ali is changing at warp speed, and many traditional occupations are quickly disappearing. In the space of just a few years young Balinese are turning their backs on generations of farming, fishing, silver smithing and wood carving. They’d rather spend their days working in a spa or restaurant where it’s easier to recharge their smart phones, or in the more lucrative construction industry. Up on the remote coast of north Bali there’s been a long tradition of extracting salt from the sea. It’s very hot, hard work and the returns are small. About 20 families in the community of Les each use one of the salt works along the rocky shore. These are neat squares of earth with a high woven bamboo basket filter in the middle. The salt makers rake the earth very finely, carry it to the filter and tamp it down firmly. Then sea water is carried up from the shore in heavy buckets and poured into the filter or, if the family has enough money for petrol, pumped up using an ancient generator. The salt water is drawn through the earth in the filter by gravity and drips into a catchment tank; from there it’s transferred by hand with a small bucket into flat, shallow plastic-lined drying chambers. Until about five years ago the farmers used hollow coconut logs to dry the salt but this technique is faster and more salt can be dried with each batch. See saltofthesea@weebly.com for pictures of the ancient salt-making process. It takes about 3 days to make each batch of salt and in dry weather every farmer can produce about 500 kilograms a month. The salt is sold to an agent who pays the farmers Rp 3,000/kg so they make about Rp 1.5 juta a month. But they can only farm salt for about 7 months a year because of the weather and other work, and once their costs are deducted the monthly income over a year is less than Rp 800,000 --- about US$ 80. This is less than half of the average minimum wage for Bali. About 18 months ago American-born Indonesian Rucina Ballinger began to come to Les each week to manage a project, and took an interest in the salt farmers. Working with volunteers in Ubud, a strategy was developed to help enhance their income. 54 UbudLife
Rucina buys salt from them for Rp 5,000/kg and brings it to Ubud where it’s further dehydrated in big pans over a gas flame. Helpers package it in ziplock plastic bags which are tucked into drawstring muslin pouches and decorated with an attractive label for retail. Adding value by improving the product, designing packaging and providing a bridge to market has significantly increased farmers’ income. When the salt is packaged and sold this way the farmers realise about Rp. 60,000/kg. These little bags of traditionally harvested sea salt can now be purchased around Ubud as popular gift items. They’re available at Locavore to Go, Mingle, Caramel and the Yoga Shop. Bulk salt is also available for baths and spas.
ARTISAN
A DISAPPEARING CRAFT The salt has a wonderful flavour with an almost sweet after taste. Being filtered through soil mineralizes the salt while removing impurities. The chunky grains make it perfect for sprinkling over sweets or savouries. Salt is bad for us, salt is good for us... what to believe? Three recent studies in the New England Journal of Medicine indicated that too much salt is indeed bad for us, but too little salt can be harmful too. It’s important to get enough high quality natural salt in our diets here in the tropics, where we lose so many electrolytes through perspiration. Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association followed 3,681 middle-aged healthy Europeans for eight years. The participants were divided into three groups: low salt, moderate salt, and high salt consumption. Researchers tracked mortality rates for the three groups with rather surprising results. Of the low-salt group, 50 people died. Of the moderate salt group, 24 people died. But the high-salt group lost only 10 people during the course of the study. Actually sea salt, table salt, kosher salt, flavoured/smoked salt, fleur de sel, Black Hawaiian Sea Salt, ‘organic salt’ and Pink Himalayan Rock Salt are all basically the same chemical, sodium chloride. Only trace amounts of other elements vary. The mineral content of the different salts is not a compelling reason to choose one salt over the other because the amounts are negligible compared to what we get from a sensible diet. Although both contain about 40 % sodium by weight, sea salt and table salt are very different. Sea salt is produced through evaporation of ocean water or water from saltwater lakes, usually with little processing. Depending on the water source, this leaves behind certain trace minerals and elements. The minerals add flavour and colour to sea salt, which also comes in a variety of coarseness levels. Table salt is typically mined from underground salt deposits. It’s heavily processed to eliminate minerals and usually contains moisture absorbents and flow agents such as aluminosilicate to prevent clumping, as well as iodine. Taste the difference.
Les is one of a handful of fishing villages in Bali that has historically farmed sea salt. The young people of Les have more options these days. Tourists are starting to come and snorkel the artificial reefs placed by the Les fisherman. A Singapore company is building a technical training centre in the village to teach local kids to cook for surrounding villas and resorts. One boy has a scholarship for a year-long intensive English and computer course. It’s unlikely that these young people will be content to haul heavy buckets of sea water in the hot sun for a few thousand rupiah. So savour the unique taste of Bali’s artisanal sea salt while you still can. More information at info. saltofthesea@gmail.com UbudLife 55
T
he most treasured memento from my first trip to Bali in the mid 1980’s was an Indonesian batik shirt. Made from assorted pieces of cotton adorned with exotic motifs in vibrant colours, it was sewn together like a patchwork quilt. I wore it relentlessly. It was light and comfortable, and of course, eye catching. At first the attraction was purely aesthetic, yet as I learned about Indonesia my appreciation and passion for batik’s unique cultural significance increased.
Batik is the art of decorating cloth using wax and dye that has been practiced for centuries in Java. While experts cannot agree on the precise origins, traces being found 1,500 years ago in Egypt and the Middle East, Turkey, India, China, Japan and West Africa, what is true, however is that the most highly developed and intricate batik is found in Indonesia.
56 UbudLife
CRAFT
Bali Batik Studio Pejeng by richard horstman • images ayu sekar
The word batik is thought to be derived from ‘ambatik’ that means ‘a cloth with little dots’, yet the combination of patterns and symbols, along with colors, have evolved to reveal stories that define regions and distinctive cultures, while containing sacred significance. The batik making process first involves sketching designs upon cloth, selected areas are then blocked out by brushing or drawing hot wax over them with a canting ( in Java and Bali) and the cloth is then dyed. The parts covered in wax, resist the dye and remain the original color. This process of waxing and dyeing can be repeated to create more elaborate and colorful designs. Wax is removed by boiling the cloth in water, then more wax can be added. A final wash will render the batik ready for wearing or showing.
In 2009, UNESCO designated Indonesian batik as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, affirming its value as a unique testimony of living cultural tradition and identity, and highlighting its human creative genius.
It is believed that batik was originally reserved as an art form for Javanese royalty. During the 19th century the technique became highly developed, aided by the introduction of fine cloth from China, and it became widely practiced, as well being ingrained in Javanese cultural life. Batik is an icon of Indonesian identity that is today enjoying a revival in popularity as Indonesian fashion designers, young and old are embracing hand woven fabrics with fresh modern designs produced with solely organic materials. Following the defeat of the East Javanese Majapahit Hindu kingdom in the late 15th, early 16th century, many of the Javanese aristocracy fled to Bali and here the traditions continued, establishing batik on the island of Bali.
Well aware of the environmental hazards of modern synthetic dyes, Tjok Agung’s initiative is to maintain traditional Indonesian batik methods and work only with natural indigo. Perhaps the oldest dye known to man, indigo has been used for eons. Blue motifs decorated Chinese porcelain centuries ago, while more recently, indigo was made famous in the early 19thcentury by Levi’s, the blue denim working jeans that later covered the most fashion conscious backsides in the western world.
In January I visited the workshop of the renowned local batik producer, Tjokorda Agung Pemayun’s BISA batik studio located in the ground’s of his family’s royal compound in the heart of Pejeng to see how they produce batik there. Their specialty is the natural dyes they uses, in particular, indigo. After working in Denpasar for several years, he moved back to Gianyar and created a small batik workshop specializing in hand-blocked and hand-drawn batiks colored with indigo and other natural dyes.
“The process of creating natural indigo dye is incredibly time consuming and labor intensive,” says Agung Antik, who assists her husband in his numerous chores, such as dealing directly with clients, oversees all design work, along with managing the 20 women and 10 men who are his local staff. UbudLife 57
“Hot and arid locations, near the beaches of Bali and the eastern regions of Indonesia are ideal locations to source the indigo leaves,” she continues. “After the small leaves are collected, they are pounded and placed in a large earthen ware pot to which water is added, where they are left from 3-10 days, occasionally stirring during the process of oxidation occurs.” Indigo is obtained from plants in the genus Indigofera, ten kg of leaves makes one kg of thick indigo paste, the end result of a lengthy extraction process. “As many as 30 immersions may be required to produce the characteristic blue colour saturation in one batik sarong. It is a very long process that accounts for the cost of our high quality products,” she adds. In a batik workshop, a small group of women engage in light banter while diligently work away, painting wax upon cloth in preparation before dyeing. Hanging from the walls are an array of carved wooden templates that are used for applying design motifs upon fabrics. Numerous projects are in process and multitudes of fabrics are strewn throughout the space. The hand made wood block design stamps, made by local wood carvers in Pejeng, and the brass stamps made to order in Central Java are an interesting feature of the technical process. Incredible precision is required by the craftsman to make the stamps that are then simply dipped into hot wax and pressed down upon the fabric applying wax to the appropriate areas. Entering the dye workshop, we see large concrete vats containing dye, machinery and electrical winches for lower large fabrics during the immersion process; a cottage industrial landscape. In Ubud itself, at the lower end of Jl Monkey Forest daylight filters down from skylights, flooding the various showrooms with natural 58 UbudLife
l light. The area is filled with beautifully displayed indigo batik fabrics. The motif designs come from throughout Indonesia along with modern and western designs. One of the keys to their success, Agung Antik reveals, has been their willingness to experiment and keep learning, while finetuning their techniques.
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ubud palace-open stage padang tegal kaja-open stage ubud main road-oka kartini arma-open stage ubud water palace-open stage bentuyung village batu karu temple-open stage
7.30 pm 7.00 pm 8.00 pm 7.30 pm 7.30 pm 7.00 pm 7.30 pm
legong dances barong & keris dance kecak ramayana & fire dance wayang wong women performance
ubud palace-open stage wantilan padang tegal kelod pura dalem ubud-open stage arma-open stage bale banjar ubud kelod
7.30 pm 7.00 pm 7.30 pm 7.00 pm 7.30 pm
tue
ramayana ballet kecak fire & trance dance wayang kulit [shadow puppet] legong telek trance culture
ubud palace-open stage jaba pura taman sari-padang tegal kelod kertha accommodation-monkey forest st arma-open stage bale banjar ubud kelod
7.30 pm 7.30 pm 8.00 pm 7.30 pm 7.30 pm
wed
legong & barong dance mask dance [topeng jimat] wayang kulit [shadow puppet] legong dance kecak fire & trance dance jegog [bamboo gamelan]
ubud palace-open stage arma-open stage ubud main road-oka kartini yamasari stage-peliatan open stage padang tegal kaja-open stage pura dalem ubud-open stage
7.30 pm 7.00 pm 8.00 pm 7.30 pm 7.00 pm 7.00 pm
thu
kecak [monkey chant dance] legong dance the barong & keris dance kecak fire & trance dance wayang wong dance wayang kulit [shadow puppet]
puri agung peliatan jaba pura desa kutuh pura dalem ubud-open stage pura taman sari-padang tegal kelod bale banjar ubud kelod pondok bambu-monkey forest st
7.30 pm 7.30 pm 7.30 pm 7.30 pm 7.30 pm 7.30 pm
fri
barong dance legong dance kecak and fire dance wayang kulit [shadow puppet] jegog [bamboo gamelan] barong & keris dance
ubud palace-open stage balerung stage peliatan pura padang kertha-padang tegal kelod ubud main road-oka kartini bentuyung village arma-open stage
7.30 pm 7.30 pm 7.00 pm 8.00 pm 7.00 pm 6.00 pm
legong dance legong dance frog dance legong dance kecak fire & trance dance the magic of jegog
ubud palace-open stage ubud water palace bale banjar ubud kelod pura dalem ubud-open stage pura dalem taman kaja-open stage arma-open stage
7.30 pm 7.30 pm 7.00 pm 7.30 pm 7.30 pm 7.00 pm
every 1st and 15th: gambuh dance
pura desa batuan-open stage
7.00 pm
mon sun
legong of mahabrata kecak fire & trance dance wayang kulit [shadow puppet] legong dance janger dance jegog [bamboo gamelan] kecak fire & trance dance
sat
ubud cultural dance performances
62 UbudLife
TIPS
pura protocol
Tips for how to visit one of Bali’s fabulous temples A
s visitors to Bali we like to know how to visit a temple graciously. Here are a few guidelines to help make a visit more enjoyable. Enjoy! The Balinese are quite open and generally welcome visitors. You can enter most temples freely. Wear a sash around the waist and preferably a sarong. Big temples can hire a sarong at the front gate but it is nice to have your own. You can buy a sash and sarong at Ubud market or Sukawati where the choice is limitless. When there is a ceremony on, the Balinese believe the gods have descended to the temple for the duration. All prayer and dance is performed for the benefit of the gods rather than the tourists. Be respectful. Women who are menstruating must wait outside. Priests (Pedanda) are well respected and the most important person at the ceremony. They occupy the highest position. Show respect and don’t try to climb on scaffolding or steps higher than the officiating priest to get a better view or photo. If you visit a holy spring like Pura Tirtha Empul and decide to try bathing, keep your clothes on and leave the shampoo behind. It is not a bath, but an immersion in holy water, for a spiritual cleansing. Expect to pay a small donation before entering a temple. These donations are put to good use, and help with the upkeep of the grounds and the temple itself. UbudLife 63
64 UbudLife
Ayung Resort Sebali Restaurant
Nacho Mama
Putri Bali Spa
Kopi Kat
Bintang Super Market
Wayan Karja
Terracota
Sri Ratih & Spa
Skin Spa
Villa Beji
Warung Merta Sari
Bali Healing Griya
Nani Spa
We’ar
Kebun
Bambooku Rainbow Spirit Warung Sopa
Milano Spa Down To Earth Cendana
BPD Wr Siam Skin Biah Biah Fresh Soma Bali Star Coffee Yin
Kopi Coffee Nomad Sensatia Nirmala
Ubud Sari Health Resort
Sang Spa
SenS
Red Lotus
White Box
Gunung Merta Bungalow
Kailasha Restaurant
Bale Udang Bebek Tepi Sawah Tepi Sawah Resort N. Sumerta Gallery
WORLD MAP
Pilar Batu
Garden Sopa Villa Beji Indah
Sisi
Taman Beji Spa
Greenfield Buddha Bowl Goddess Jaens Spa Panorama Pizza Bagus
The Pond Damar
de Warung Sang Spa Putri Ubud Spa
ISLAND OF BALI
Kafe Topi
Kafe Arma
Biah-Biah+
Sari Api
Arma Museum Arma Rsort
UBUD
Kunci
Studio Perak
THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA
UBUD LOCATION Ubud, Ubud,lies liesinin the the heart heart of of Bali, Bali, in the centre of the fertile southern rice growing plains. Fertility means much more than the simple sawah or rice fields, it refers to the huge flowering of the arts which happens all around this magical town. Ubud is the home to the arts. Painting, music, dance and gamelan as well as woodcarving, maskmaking and sculpture have attracted visitors for decades. Artists Artistsalso alsoapply applytheir their skills skills to to making making attractive things for visitors. Whole streets, attractive things for visitors. Whole streets, like the Tegallalang Road are lined with like the Tegallalang Road are lined with crafts shop making clever knick knacks to crafts shop making clever knick knacks to tempt buyers. tempt buyers. Out from Ubud are magnificent vistas Out from Ubud are magnificent vistas to to view and temples and wonderous sights view and temples and wonderous sights to to enjoy. Around Ubud there is plenty to enjoy. Around Ubud there is plenty to keep keep a visitor busy for days. Enjoy! a visitor busy for days. Enjoy!
...
UbudLife 65
THE PEMUTERAN COAST
by rachel love • images rachel love, matthew oldfield
66 UbudLife
OUT OF TOWN
Not many visitors get to see the remote northwest corner of Bali, but if you are bold enough to venture away from the island’s busy tourist areas and congested roads, you will discover another world.
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H
ere, you will be amply rewarded with vineyards heavy with bunches of grapes, dramatic windswept coastal temples, and activities such as snorkelling, scuba diving, horse-riding, dolphin watching, and trekking through the massive and spectacular West Bali National Park. The journey to the coastal district of Pemuteran incorporates a segment of the most gorgeous scenery on the island, including three beautiful lakes and a series of pretty hillside villages where nearly every gateway is adorned with orange and pink bougainvillea. Along the roadside, cloves and coffee beans can be seen drying on mats in the sun, and at every turn there is a vista of palm trees, rice terraces, deep valleys and jungle, with the volcanoes and the sea constantly shimmering in the distance. 68 UbudLife
Pemuteran lies in the shadow of Bali’s central volcanic mountain range, which isolates it from the south, making the region less humid. The sea is calmer here and free of strong currents and waves, and the landscape is amazing, with the Tiga Saudara Mountains behind and Java’s volcano alley to one side. The district is famous for its artistic heritage and dance tradition. The style of the gold and silver work, together with the weaving, pottery and instrument-making is very distinctive and unique. For hundreds of years this was the part of Bali that was most open to foreign influence, as Chinese and Muslim traders brought their products, religion and culture through the port of Singaraja. The incredible variety of the countryside makes this historical area diverse, interesting and delightful.
In Pemuteran village, you will find a string of hotels, restaurants and dive centres along the main road, and a scenic, dark-sand beach that leads to a superb dive site with great drop-offs just one kilometre offshore. The reefs, known as Pura Tembok, Close Encounter and Napoleon, are dominated by soft corals, sponges and sea fans, with numerous fish including silver fusiliers, blue dancers, damsel fish, and occasional manta rays. In the 1990s the coast suffered environmental degradation from destructive fishing using bombs and cyanide, and in 1998 the House Reef at Pemuteran was devastated by El Niño. This prompted the highly successful Karang Lestari Coral Restoration Project, using Biorock technology, in which large holding domes are sunk with live coral samples. The reef receives electronic stimulus from shore and responds with remarkable growth rates. Furthermore, the local community has declared the reefs as protected no-fishing zones, for eco-tourism
use only, with the village retaining rights to all snorkelling income from tourists. This serves to reinforce the basic understanding that each fish has more value in the sea than in a net or on the end of a fishing line. Even the dolphins have returned.
The nearby village of Perancak, meanwhile, is the home of a small community-run turtle conservation programme, aimed at saving new turtle nests from predators including poachers hoping to sell the eggs in the markets. If you visit Perancak you can adopt a nest and release a baby turtle into the sea. Labuhan Lalang, 17 kilometres west of Pemuteran is the jump-off point for the tiny uninhabited Menjangan Island, which is located within the boundaries of the National Park. The excellent coral reefs surrounding the island offer some of Bali’s best wall-diving and snorkelling sites, with diverse marine life, good visibility and pristine coral reefs extending deep into the ocean floor. Here one can view some of the best soft corals, sponges, and Bali’s greatest diversity of gorgonian fans – which attract huge numbers of small reef fish including brightly coloured parrot fish, yellow back fusiliers, powder-blue surgeon fish, damsel fish, puffer fish, unicorn fish, barracuda and silvery jacks. Boats can be chartered from the Labuhan Lalang visitors’ centre, along with snorkelling equipment. Dive trips are better arranged from Pemuteran. If you wish to go hiking in the National Park, you can obtain the necessary permits at the visitor centre in Labuhan Lalang; an official guide is compulsory as visitors are not allowed UbudLife 69
to trek on their own. Established in 1984, the 760 square kilometres of forested mountain slopes, savannah, rainforest, monsoon forest, mangrove swamp, coastal flats and offshore reefs are the last remaining pristine areas on the island. The Park is home to 200 species of flora and 150 species of fauna including Javan rusa deer, mouse deer, barking deer, long-tailed macaques, civet cats, black leaf-eating monkeys, wild boar, pangolin, and the last of the island’s wild banteng from which the deer-like Balinese cattle are descended. The Park's profuse and beautiful bird life boasts over 250 different species and is only place where the Bali Starling can be found in its natural habitat. Extremely rare, this is the only surviving bird endemic to Bali, and is one of the world's most endangered species. It is a striking snow-white in colour, featuring black wingtips and tail, silky feathers, and brilliant blue rings around its eyes. At the Bali Starling Pre-Release Centre, birds that have been bred in captivity are acquainted with the food sources of the natural environment and encouraged to nest in native trees before being released. On a final note, you might wish to visit Brahma Arama Vihara at Banjar – a striking Thai-style Theravada Buddhist temple, with a bright orange roof and colourful statues of Buddha and other figures. It was founded in 1958 by a Balinese monk and rebuilt in
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1971. The views down to the coast are stunning, and visitors are welcome as long as they dress modestly, lower their voices and walk barefoot. Just three kilometres from here is Air Panas Banjar, a natural spring and water shrine, with hot water gushing out from the mouths of carved ‘naga’ (serpents) into three pools. The healing sulfurous water cascading from spouts onto your back from a height of two or three metres, at perhaps 200 kilos per minute, is the ultimate massage.
Ultimate indeed. Visit northwest Bali and it’s quite possible that you will never want to leave.
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LEGEND:
Provincial capital
Town
Places of interest
Village
Mountain
TAMAN SARI RESORT AMERTHA BALI VILLAS
MENJANGAN ISLAND
BAL
Pemuteran Reef Building
Secret Bay
Gilimanuk Ja v a Fer r y to Cekik
LETKOL WISNU AIRSTRIP Pulaki Banyupoh Kertakawat Pemuteran Gondol Melanting Penyabangan Musi
Sumberkelampok
Blimbingsari
Klatakan
Gerokgak
Mt. Musi 1224
Mt. Merbuk 1386
Sumbersari
Antur
Lovina
Gobleg
Bestala Mayong Busungbiu
Tambling Mund
BA
Subuk
LI
Candikusuma
ST
Pupuan Pujungan Mt
Tegalasih
R
Airanakan
Pe
a B e a ch
Pancoran
Mt. Mesehe 1344
Pangkungdedari Melaya
vin
Kalibukbuk Labuhan Haji Kaliasem Pengastulan Temukus Kalisada Seririt Dencarik Tigawasa Bubunan Banjar Sidetapa Tegallenga Ringdikit Cempaga Asah Goble
Puri Jati [muck-diving]
Celukan Bawang
Taman Nasional Bali Barat (West Bali National Park)
Temple
A
E I S
Lo
Sumberkima Goris Banyuwedang Labuhan lalang
Lake
A
Banyubiru
IT
NEGARA
Cupel Munduk Perancak
Munduk Yehkuning
Batungsel
Tista
Batuagung
Sanda Mendoyo Yehbuah Delod Berawah
Bat
Manggissari Asahduren
Rambutsiwi Yehsumbul Yehembang Pesinggahan Mede wi B eac Medewi h
Belimbing
Ampadan
Balia
Balian Beach
Suraberata Selemad Antosari n B Lalanglinggah Bajera Ba ea ch Soka Soka Bea ch Kerambi Beraban
IN
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Tib
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Tanah
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Padang Sulub
Uluw
Airport/Airstrip
Air Sanih
Sangsit Kubutambahan Beji
Bungkulan
emaron
ran Panji
Bukti
Jagaraga Bila
SINGARAJA Banyuning
Tamblang
Sukasada
Pacung
Julah Bondalem Tejakula Les
Tegal
Pegayaman Gitgit
Asahpanji
Catur
Mt. Catur 2096 Kembangmerta
Tembok Muntidesa
Bayun
Yehketipat
Bantang Penulisan
Kintamani
Lake Bratan
Bedugul
tukaru
Apuan
Wongaya
T ul a
Tulamben
Seribatu
Taro
Besakih Pempatan Buyan
Puhu
Buahan Petang Pujung Luwus
Culik
Mt. Agung 3142
Kayuambua
Angantiga
Kayubihi
PURI WIRATA Dive Resort & Spa CORAL VIEW VILLAS Euro Dive Bali
Pengotan Penyebah
Sandakan
m
Mt. Abang 2153
Penulisan Sekardadi
Nungkung
t. Batukaru Pacung 2276 l Soka Jatiluwih Senganan
Kedisan
Penelokan
Pelaga
Pekarangan Baturiti
Lake Batur
y n Ba
Candi Kuning
Baturinggit Kubu Rubaya
Trunyan
be
gan duk
Tianyar
Mt. Batur Batur 1717
Pancasari
Lake Buyan Lake Tamblingan
Penuktukan
Sambirenteng
Gentah
Bakungan Penginyahan
k
eg
BALI MAP
Surfing spots
Diving spots
Harbour
Ababi
Jemeluk Wall Amed Bunutan Reef Jemeluk Japanese Wreck Bunutan
Abang
Gili Selang Lempuyang
Tirta Gangga Mt. Seraya Menanga 1175 Muncan AMLAPURA Seraya Selat Payangan Bebandem Tampaksiring Rendang Iseh Bangbang Bukit Bucu BANGLI Subagan Kuwum Ceking Sibetan Tembuku Sindu Buruan Ujung Saren Padpadan Kawan Sidakarya Marga Sembung Bunutan Tegallalang Paseban Asak Jasri Ngis Tenganan Jasri Batusari Timbrah Petak Manggis Sidemen Bugbug Petulu Timpag Wanasari Sangeh Buitan deg Sibang Bongkasa Ulakan Candidasa Talibeng Selat Sengkidu Biaha UBUD Blahkiuh antas Alas Kedaton Mimpang Akah Blayu Peliatan h Bedulu Padangbai A m u k B a n d i Tepekong c KLUNGKUNG ) a d as a Be ay bok Denkayu Abiansemal Silayukti Sidan Tihingan Samsam TABANAN Kutri Dawan ( Lom Ferry Channel lands Mas Is i GIANYAR il itan Mambal G Kamasan Goa Lawah Blue Lagoon Fast Boats Padangbai (Bali ) Kengetan Mengwi Gelgel Bone Tanjung Sari Sakah Gubug IT Silakarang Kusamba bubiyu Blahbatuh Tanjung Jepun Kediri Sibang RA Angantaka T Kemenuh S Lebih Muncan Pejaten Batuan OK Darmasaba Sukawati Keramas Yeh Gangga Pandakgede Singapadu MB O L Fe Beraban Sempidi rry Batubulan Celuk Pa h Lot da ng ba Ubung Lumintang T i (B Tohpati I ali ) A Kerobokan DENPASAR Canggu - Le R B e Brawa Canggu Padanggalak mb h T Sumerta a ar ( Muding Shipwreck SD S Sental Lom Umalas Pengubengan Canggu Renon Sanur bok Blue Corner Buyuk ) Jungutbatu Batubelig Sanur Kutampi Sindhu Ped LEMBONGAN ISLAND Legi Petitenget Telaga Sanglah an Sampalan Lembongan Toyapakeh B e Seminyak Batujimbar Pegok Kut ac Sentalkangin Legian Gelogorcarik Semawang CENINGAN ISLAND aB Pidada Gelagah e Crystal Bay Kuta Pesanggaran Blanjong Metakih Ponjok Kuta Bayuh Suana Malibu SERANGAN ISLAND Tuban Manta Point Semaya Serangan NGURAH RAI Batumandeg Pejukutan BENOA HARBOUR TERNATIONAL AIRPORT Ambengan Tanjung Benoa Kedonganan Batukandik Pendem Jimbaran Bay Tanglad Soyor Jimbaran Bungkit Bingin Anta Pelilit Manta Point Tabuanan Mumbul Ramoan g Padang Sedihing Bualu Geger Sekartaji Kampial ban Nusa Dua Ungasan Batuabah Sawangan watu N Pecatu Babahan
Sebatu
Penebel Perean Pitra
Sulahan Singarata
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Amed inITSthe Wet ELEMENTAL! by ayu sekar • images jill alexander
74 UbudLife
SEASONS
Amed, the beautiful still natural area in Bali’s east, is usually known for its dry, dry weather and great diving. The hills that tumble down into the gin clear seas are covered with dry yellow grasses and rain is the last thing on anyone’s mind.
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B
ut come the end of the year and everything changes along with the monsoon. Grey clouds start to gather and the first drops of rain start to fall. Overnight, the landscape changes, as the first shoots of green appear and it looks like spring. Soon, within days the whole landscape becomes green, instead of yellow. It starts to look like the rest of Bali. You start to get the feel of being at one with the elements, and, in this very dry area, rain is really something to celebrate.
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The rainy season is a happy time as the local folk plant the corn that helps to see them through the year. While I was driving by through a deluge, I saw an Australian tourist standing under a roof that was pouring water to the ground. While he stood there smiling broadly, in this mini waterfall, his wife took photos.
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Further along, a group of young boys were doing a kind of victory dance in the rain. Smiling and laughing, they were just enjoying the rain. The rainy season is the time for long walks though the beautiful hinterland. With the cooler weather it makes walking and exploring a perfect option. Yet there is no need to do anything much. Curl up in a hammock, or a cushiony day bed, with a good book, and just take it easy. There is no thing more relaxing than listening to the gentle rain. But when the rain stops and the sun comes out there is no better time to take a walk. The verdant hills are fresh and alive with new vegetation and everything is bright and new. The cooler temperatures make walking a pleasure and it is easy to find a helpful guide who will show you beautiful ways to enjoy the fabulous landscapes. Waterfalls, forests, or a long walk along the beach where fishermen may sit mending their nets or doing other maintenance chores to keep their gear in tip top condition. They are all pleasing options. 78 UbudLife
.The wet season can also be the time for a long relaxing lunch at one of Amed’s nicer restaurants. MMM at the Hidden Paradise Resort looks out to the beach, as does Sails, with its panoramic view over the bay. These restaurants have plenty of fish and also an array of western dishes and Indonesian specialties. Time to take it easy and linger over an enjoyable meal. There is no need to be fearful of the rain, especially in the tropics. It brings much needed sustenance to the people and turns dry Amed into a place of lush beauty.
Enjoy the difference.
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nEXT ISSUE image ayu sekar
A Magical Walk Rafting the Ayung The Pyramids of Chi Robot Men of Tenganan The Karangasem Cashew Story
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RESTAURANTS Bali Star Coffee Jl. Dewi Sita, Ubud Phone: +62 89671188648 www.balistar-coffee.com
ACCOMMODATION Arma Resort Jl. Pengosekan, Ubud Phone: 0361 976659 www.armaresort.com Ayung Resort Desa Melinggih Kelod, Payangan, Ubud Phone: 0361 9001333 www.ayungresortubud.com Cendana Resort & Spa Jl. Monkey Forest, Ubud Phone: 0361 973243 www.cendanaresort-spa.com Gunung Merta Bungalow Jl. Andong, Peliatan, Ubud Phone: 0361 975463 Kupu Kupu Barong Jl. Kedewatan, Ubud Phone: 0361 975478 www.dewanggaubud.com Om Ham Retreat Jl. Tirta Tawar, Ubud Phone: 0361 9000352 www.omhamretreat .com Melati Cottages Jl. Raya Penestanan Kaja, Ubud Phone: 0361 974650 www.melati-cottages.com Ubud Sari Health Resort Jl. Kajeng, Ubud Phone: 0361 974393 www.ubudsari.com Sri Ratih Cottages & Spa Jl. Raya Campuhan 1, Ubud Phone: 0361 975638 www.sriratih.com SenS Hotel & Resort Jl. Sukma, Tebesaya, Peliatan, Ubud Phone: 0361 8493328 www.senshotelsresorts.com Terrace Abing Resort Banjar Kebon, Tegallalang, Ubud Phone: 0361 980970 www.abingterrace.com
Bridges Jl. Raya Campuhan, Ubud Phone: 0361 970095 www.bridgesbali.com Biah Biah Jl. Goutama, Ubud Phone: 0361 978249 Biah-Biah+ Jl. Pengosekan, Ubud Phone: 0361 8015124 Bollero Bar & Resto Jl. Dewi Sita, Ubud Phone: 0361 972872 www.bollerobali.com Buddha Bowl Jl. Raya Pengosekan, Ubud Phone: +62 81339339928 Cafe Des Artistes Jl. Bisma 9x, Ubud Phone: 0361 972706 www.cafedesartistesbali.com CP LOUNGE Jl. Monkey Forest, Ubud Phone: 0361 978954 www.cp-lounge.com DIVINE Jl. Raya Campuhan, Ubud Phone: 0361 970095 www.bridgesbali.com Down To Earth Jl. Goutama Selatan, Ubud Phone: 03617835545 www.earthcafeubud.com de Warung Jl. Raya Monkey Forest, Ubud Phone: 0361 971465 www.dewarung.com Ibu Rai Restaurant Jl. Monkey Forest 72, Ubud Phone: 973472 www.iburai.com Juice Ja Cafe Jl. Dewi Sita, Ubud Phone: 0361 971056 Kebun Jl. Raya Hanoman 44B, Ubud www.kebunbistro.com
Kopi Coffee Ubud Market 2F, Ubud Phone: +62 89621071118 www.kopi-coffee.com KAFE Jl. Raya Hanoman 48B, Ubud Phone: 0361 970992 Kafe Topi Jl. Nyuh Kuning No.2, Ubud Phone: 0361 8235151 NOMAD Jl. Raya Ubud 35, Ubud Phone: 0361 977169 www.nomad-bali.com Sri Ratih Cafe & Jewelry Jl. Raya Campuhan 1, Ubud Phone: 0361 975638 www.sriratih.com Taksu Fresh Jl. Goutama Selatan, Ubud Phone: 0361 4792525 www.taksuyoga.com Warung Sopa Garden Jl. Nyuh Kuning 2, Ubud Phone: 0361 2801340 Warung Alami Jl. Penestanan, Ubud Phone: 081 23913754 www.warungalami.jombo.com Warung Citta Ovest Jl. Dewi Sita, Ubud Phone: 0361 971352 Warung Siam Jl. Goutama, Ubud Phone: +62 81239655905 Wijaya Kusuma Restaurant Desa Melinggih Kelod, Payangan Phone: 0361 9001333 www.ayungresortubud.com
NIGHT LIFE CP Lounge Jl. Monkey Forest, Ubud Phone: 0361 978954 www.cp-lounge.com Cafe Havana Jl. Dewi Sita, Ubud Phone: 0361 972973 www.cafehavanabali.com UbudLife 81
SPAS Aura Theraphy Spa Ubud Aura Retreat Center Jl. Hanoman 888, Ubud Phone: 0361 972956 www.ubudaura.com Bali Healing Spa Jl. Raya Ubud, Ubud Phone: 0361 27997658 www.balihealingspa.com
SHOPS Bambooku Jl. Hanoman 32, Ubud Phone: 0361 7803119 www.bambooku.com Kunci Jl. Hanoman, Ubud Phone: 0361 971050 www.kuncicottonknit.com
PROPERTY Red Lotus Property Jl. Sukma, Br. Tebesaya, Ubud Phone: 970980 www.redlotusbaliproperty.com
GALLERIES
Nirmala - Work On T’shirt Jl. Hanoman 2, Ubud Phone: 0361 7475404
Pilar Batu Gallery Jl. Pengosekan, Ubud Phone: 0361 978197 www.pilarbatu.com
FRESH Spa Jl. Dewi Sita, Ubud Phone: 0361 8493677
Rainbow Spirit Jl. Hanoman 38, Ubud Phone: 0361 3699978 www.rainbowspiritbali.com
Tanah Tho Gallery Jl. Raya Lodtunduh, Ubud Phone: 0361 981482 www.tanahtho.com
KUSH Ayurvedic Rejuvenation Spa Yoga Barn - Jl. Pengosekan, Ubud Phone: 0361 971236 www.yogabarn.com/kush
Sensatia Botanicals Jl. Monkey Forest 64, Ubud Phone: 0361 3400011 www.sensatia.com
Milano Salon Jl. Monkey Forest Road, Ubud Phone: 0361 973488 prs_milano@yahoo.com
Studio Perak Jl. Hanoman, Ubud Phone: 0361 974244 Jl. Monkey Forest, Ubud Phone: 081 236 51809 www.dketut37@yahoo.com
Bali Botanical Day Spa Jl. Raya Sanggingan, Ubud Phone: 0361 976739
Nani Spa Jl. Monkey Forest, Ubud Hp: 082 3404 15848 Sang Spa 1 Reborn Monkey Forest Road, Ubud Phone: 0361 973236 www.sangspaubud.com Sang Spa 2 Jl. Raya Jembawan 13B, Ubud Phone: 0361 9277222 www.sangspaubud.com Sang Spa 3 Monkey Forest Road, Ubud Phone: 0361 9277333 www.sangspaubud.com Sedona Spa Jl. Raya Campuhan, Ubud Phone: 0361 975770 www.sedonaspa-ubud.com SKIN Organic Spa and Waxing Salon Jl. Gotama 24 & Jl. Sanggingan 36, Ubud Phone: 0361 975615 & 0361 975604 rsvp@ubudSkinOrganic.com Taksu Spa and Restaurant Jl. Gootama Selatan, Ubud Phone: 0361 971490 www.taksuspa.com
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CERAMICS Sari Api Ceramics Jl. Raya Pengosekan, Ubud Phone: 0361 971056
SISI Jl. Nyuh Kuning No.2, Ubud Phone: 0361 8235151 www.sisibag.com SISI + NANAN Jl. Hanoman, Ubud Hp: 085 1007 65896 YIN Jl. Dewi Sita, Ubud Phone: 0361 970718 Jl. Monkey Forest, Ubud Phone: 0361 8468510 Jl. Hanoman Phone: 085 100801879 www.yinjewelryforthesoul.com
ARTISTS Wayan Karja [Painter] Jl. Penestanan, Ubud Hp: 081 239 76419 Wayan Sila [Owl House] Jl. Bisma, Ubud Phone: 977649 | Mobile: 081 8566861
YOGA CENTRE Yoga Barn Jl. Pengosekan, Ubud-Bali Phone: 971236 www.theyogabarn.com
SPORT/RECREATION Bali Adventure Rafting Bypass Ngurah Rai, Pesanggaran Phone: 0361 721480 www.baliadventuretours.co
Ashyana Candidasa Jl. Raya Candidasa, Karangasem Phone: 0363 41359 www.ashyanacandidasa.com
Sepeda Bali Green Adventure Cycling Jl. Nyuh Bojog, Ubud Phone: 0361 978631 www.sepedabali.com
Coral View Villas Jl.Raya Bunutan Amed, Karangasem Phone: 0363 23493 www.coralviewvillas.com
Ubud Stables Desa Pupuan, Br. Timbul, Tegallalang Phone: +62 81339585666 www.ubudstables.com
USEFUL NUMBERS
EAST BALI SECTION
Le-Zat Restaurant Jl. Raya Candidasa, Karangase Phone: 0363 41538, 41539 www.balicateringservices.com Le 48 Hotel & Restaurant Jl. Raya Candidasa 48, Karangasem Phone: 0363 41177 www.lezatbeachrestaurant.com
Ambulance Airport Authority
118 751011
Bali Police Department
227711
Directory Inquiries
108/112
Fire Brigade
113
Immigration
751038
International Red Cros
226465
Post Office Search and Rescue
161 751111
Sanglah Public Hospital
227911
Tourist information Center
753540
Time Ubud Tourist Information
103 973286
Puri Wirata Dive Resort and Spa Jl. Raya Bunutan, Amed, Karangasem Phone: 0363 23523 www.puriwirata.com Tirta Ayu Hotel & Restaurant Jl.Tirta Gangga, Karangasem Phone: 0363 22503 www.hoteltirtagangga.com Villarossa Candidasa Jl.Candidasa, Karangasem Phone: 0363 42062 www.villarossa.org
MUSEUMS ARMA ( Agung Rai Museum of Art ) Jl. Raya Pengosekan, Ubud Phone: 974228 Antonio Blanco Renaissance Museum Jl. Raya Campuhan, Ubud Phone: 975502 Museum Puri Lukisan Ubud Jl. Raya Ubud, Ubud, Gianyar Phone: 975136 Neka Art Museum Jl. Raya Sanggingan Phone: 975074
Villa Sasoon Jl. Puri Bagus Candidasa, Karangasem Phone: 0363 41511 www.villasasoon.com Watergarden Hotel Restaurant & Spa Jl. Raya Candidasa, Karangasem Phone: 0363 41540
CONSULATES Australia
241118
Brazil
757775
Czech Republic
286465
Denmark & Norway
701070
French
285485
Germany
288535
Hungary
287701
Italy
701005
Japan
227628
Mexico
223266
Netherlands
761502
Pendet Museum Jl. Nyuh Kuning, Ubud Phone: 971338
Spain/Portugal
769286
Sweden & Finland
288407
Switzerland
751735
Rudana Museum Jl. Raya Cok Rai Pudak, Peliatan, Ubud Phone: 975779
Unitedkingdom
270601
USA
233605 UbudLife 83
LAST WORD
Sutra Mark Ulyseas
Selfies at one time meant self-gratification. Now they are a socially acceptable display of narcissism. Words seep into sinews and translate the sublime to the absurd for benign bovines ruminating with their fingers hip hopping across a keyboard. This is a homo sapien’s version of chewing the cud. Homo sapien is Latin for ‘wise person’. (Latin homō, man + Latin sapiēns, wise, rational, present participle of sapere, to be wise). A comforting definition considering we evolved from apes. Time is moving so fast that in a blink of an eye a pure thought is deliberately discarded like an unborn child and comforting misconception embraced. Life changes like a chameleon in the throes of the mating season. The moment is all that counts. Regrets can always be passed onto another life time. Beneath the veneer of social obligations lies an uninhibited spontaneous being shackled by guilt. Perhaps the devil is in the details. A mundane life with a large dose of mendacity, interspersed with selfies helps one move to the rhythms of the drums, conundrums. Absence of mind is essential to achieve best results. And in the melee of the madding crowd there remains a spark. But what do we light? The big bang is now a roll in the hay. And the light at the end of tunnel is just the end of a ciggy. We go on living like rabbits, proliferating and being killed in the millions every year. Perhaps we are like Bill Murray, the protagonist in the movie Groundhog Day where he relives the worst day of his life every day. And like Bill we may perhaps one day awake to another Sutra where we are different beings full of love, understanding, humble and non-violent. I shall leave you with this quote that is self-explanatory: Groundhog Day is now associated in the minds of many spiritual seekers with redemption, rebirth and the process of
moving to a higher plain. Professor Angela Zito, the co-director of the Centre for Religion and Media at New York University, told me that Groundhog Day illustrated the Buddhist notion of samsara, the continuing cycle of rebirth that individuals try to escape. In the older form of Buddhist belief, she said, no one can escape to nirvana unless they work hard and lead a very good life. But in the teachings of the slightly more recently established Mahayana Buddhism, no one can escape samsara until everyone else does. "That's why you have what are called bodhisattvas who reach the brink of nirvana and come back for others," she said. "The Dalai Lama is considered one living bodhisattva, but Bill Murray could also be one." https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/ Groundhog_Day_(film) The sutra continues to entwine us all together from birth to death. One for all, and all for nothing. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Om
Mark Ulyseas Publisher/Editor, http://www.liveencounters.net Free online magazine from village earth.
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