Bali-wood
Trip Start
Apr 08, 2010
1
33
48
Trip End
Jul 08, 2010
Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia
Saturday, May 29, 2010
In contrast to Indonesia's predominantly Muslim population, that of Bali is over 90% Hindu. There are little prayer offerings left everywhere from the roadside to shops to hotels, and each family has its own shrine. The island is famous for its culture of art, music and dance, not to mention the friendliness of its people. Renu and I were wowed by the level of warmth and how everyone went out of his or her way to help us.
The blog title is a play on the Indian movie industry but really refers to our obsession with all the wooden handicrafts we saw. Whether an armoire, sculpture, or bowl, the workmanship was amazing. We managed to tack on a couple pieces of art and saw the coolest table made from salvaged fishing boats. At this stage our future home will probably look like a game lodge cum Buddhist temple.
Our home base was Uma Sapna, a peaceful, cute collection of villas just off the main strip in the beach town of Seminyak. Seminyak is fairly bizarre because it has third-world style two-lane streets with open gutters, which are flanked by upscale shops and restaurants. I wouldn't say that the town is picturesque; however, there is definitely something very charming and likeable about it. On our first day there, a Sunday, a ton of local families were just hanging out at the beach and playing around in the water. It gave us a great appreciation to see the locals enjoying the beach every bit as much as the tourists. Except for some of the high-end shopping and fancier restaurants, Bali is soooo cheap. Most of our cab rides were $1, and 90 min massages at a nice place only $25. And all the tasty Balinese and Indonesian food was extremely affordable.
Perhaps enchanted by the tropical weather and island lifestyle, Renu and I agreed that it felt like we were on honeymoon. Our private villa was truly an oasis of calm (and air conditioning). Each morning began with breakfast on our deck and each day ended with a sigh of relief upon stepping into our cool room. We relished our time there and were especially relaxed knowing we didn't have to pack again for 6 nights. In fact, our stay at Uma Sapna was our longest in any one location for our entire trip. Amplifying the honeymoon vibe was our very romantic beachfront, alfresco dinner at the Hotel Samaya.
Besides hanging out in Seminyak, we took two day trips as well. We hired a driver named Putu based on the recommendation of a couple we met in Buenos Aires (thanks, Swathee and Shyam!). Putu was a surfing fanatic and all-around good guy that took us to Ubud, a town set in the center of the island among densely forested hills and rice paddies. We stopped for lunch at the infamous Naughty Nuri's, a shack of a restaurant that served maybe the best spare ribs I've ever had. My dad was ribbing me (pun intended) that I've been saying everything I have is the best. While I know that setting plays a huge role in one's enjoyment, I've gotta say that we've been having some spectacular food. More bests to come in the near future.
Our second day trip was with Putu's buddy, Made (Mah-day). Our first stop was to check out a massive sculpture still under construction of Vishnu and Garuda. We had to run for cover as a heavy downpour delayed our viewing by a few minutes. Despite being the dry season, it rained throughout our time in Bali, but usually only a few minutes a day. Our next stops were Padang Padang and another famous surfer's beach because I wanted to see what all the fuss was about; surfers from all over the world flock to Bali for its warm waters and clean sand breaks. The beaches didn't disappoint. As sunset approached, we made our way to the cliff-top temple of Uluwatu. We didn't get to see too much because of some sort of big religious week. People from all over the island were travelling to the temple to make offerings, so it was completely packed with both locals and tourists. We did get to see the notorious monkeys that are known to steal from tourists. After the hustle and bustle, we repaired to the Bulgari Hotel for a drink before dinner. Oh. My. God. That place was out of control. It is set on a cliffside and was just stunning. We also had great cocktails and bar snacks.
One common theme around the island was the prevalence of Eat, Pray, Love because Julia Roberts had recently been there filming. I don't know much about that, but Renu seemed pretty excited. I'm sure I'll get roped into seeing that horror of a chick flick.
Would I recommend Bali? Absolutely! But before you consider going, I would ask you, in the words of Larry David, "do you respect wood?"
Comments
I'm sitting at my desk reading this.........................It's difficult to refocus and get back to work.
I think what you two are doing and have been doing is "the best." A suggestion: You may want to consider buying Powerball tickets when you return.
Rain, despite all the Indian population and temples, did you feel Indian flavor in the area. I did not from the photos.