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From Yogya to Bali
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My first impression of Bali wasn't overwhelming - after all, we got dropped off at the Ubung bus station and hordes of people came jumping after the tourists (we were three) to take them away by taxi and bemo, being happy to overcharge the stupid tourists. Though I planned to stay one night in Denpasar to meet with a servas host in Nusa Dua the next day, I got so fed up with the constant hustling that I jumped in the next bemo and sat there for about an hour until it left. My destination was Ubud. I was told by a fellow passenger that the fare will be 20000 rupiah ($2), which is about 3 times as much as the locals pay. I thought he was kidding but the driver actually asked for his 20000. I switched to another bemo, paid another tourist rate and made it to Ubud in the early afternoon. "Ubud is a remarkable town in the middle of the island of Bali. For more than a century, it has been the island's preeminent center for fine arts, dance and music. While it once was a haven for scruffy backpackers, cosmic seekers, artists and bohemians, Ubud is now a hot spot for literati, glitterati, art collectors and connoisseurs. Famous names walk its busy sidewalks everyday. Elegant five star hotels and sprawling mansions now stand on its outskirts, overlooking the most prized views in Bali. Nonetheless, Ubud is still popular with backpackers, mystics and all the finest fringe elements of global society. Ubud is not "ruined". Its character is too strong to be destroyed. It still draws people who add something; people who are actively involved in art, nature, anthropology, music, dance, architecture, environmentalism, "alternative modalities," and more".
Getting there, I was shocked to see that the harassment of tourists continued. I checked into a charming little place called "Arunja I" which was run by lovely Ni Ketut Diarti. I had my own room and bathroom and a small front seating area and lots of green plants. I paid 30000 rupiah and was happy as a clam. The first evening, I went to see the Kecak and Fire Dance which are part of the Ramayana Story. The Kecak Dance tells the Indian story of Ramayana. Rama, a warrior and rightful heir to the throne of Ayodya, is exiled with his wife Sita to a faraway desert. There, an evil king spies Sita, falls in love with her, and sends a golden deer to lure Rama away. Sita is captured, and Rama rounds up his armies to defeat those of the evil king and rescue her. Rama is the man in green dancing in the center of the circle, the golden deer is in yellow in the back.
What makes the Kecak such a fascinating dance to watch are the fifty or so men in the checkered pants. They are both the choir and the props, providing the music for the story in a series of constant vocal chants that change with the mood of the actors. They don't sit still, either, they wave their arms to simulate fire, and reposition themselves around the stage to represent wind and fire, prison cells, and unseen hand of protection from the gods. The next day, I explored the surroundings of Ubud, checked out the town and its art works, went to the Museum Puri Lukisan which has paintings and sculptures of traditional and new Balinese artists on display. I also went to the Monkey Forrest sanctuary where I bought some bananas to feed to the monkeys but I was accosted by them before I could give the bananas to them. Later the day, I discovered a little bakery that served up some yummy eclairs and where I met an Aussie chap and his Indonesian wife Riri. We swapped travel stories and I decided to go to the sukawati market with Riri the next day. So, to the market we went where Riri spent hours sorting through little purses which she planned to buy for her friends. Looking around, I saw nothing of interest to me and i was bored out of my mind looking as the market was juts like any other market I had seen (I thought we would be going to the Sukawati art market). Anyhow, I managed to buy two dresses for 35000 rupiah(less than $4 for both). Later, while checking out silver stores, I bought a simple silver ring so I can pretend I am engaged/married.
Back in Ubud, drinking tea and eating an eclair, my headache which had been rather persistent during the day, became worse and I head to head for my accommodation. I went to bed around 4 with fever and hot and cold spills. It was no fun and this mess was to last for the next 6 days. I hadn't felt that shitty since Peru, where I got pneumonia. nevertheless, there was more to explore, so the next day I headed out again and went to the Antonio Blanco Gallery. I know Dali but I had never heard of Antonia Blanco, who was often compared with the eccentric Dali. I walked through the museum which has a great selection of his work. He not only painted but he also made many of the frames himself. Many of the paintings pictured his Balinese wife who was a well-known dancer. Now, his son Mario continues his father's legacy and paints and sculptures for a living.
On Friday, I left Ubud to head to Denpasar to meet up with Wayan and his family. Wayan picked me up at the bus station and me, my backpack and him left on his motorcycle to go to his village, Sading. His family too life in a big family compound with a family temple; his parents, brothers, aunts and uncles, plus 2 pigs, lots of chickens and two fighting cooks. At his house, I ate klepon which is made of sweet sticky rice and comes in green and black color. Wayan and his wife are both English teachers (though his wife speaks almost no English). As a teacher, Wayan wears government uniforms, every day a different color uniform. Therefore, one should recognize government employees in the street on the their uniforms. I got to sleep in Wayan's son bedroom and this was good. As I hadn't recovered from my sickness, I had 3 miserable days at Wayan's place. I got so sick of rice and fried food that just looking at or smelling it made me almost throw up. So, off we went to the supermarket and I bought bread, some cheese and tomatoes and cucumber. That's what I ate during the next two days. I still was very tired and had an upset stomach so that I had to sleep periodically during the day. His mom wanted to feed me all the time but I told her that I only want tea. So, if I wasn't asleep, I watched Wayans mom engage in the elaborate process of preparing offerings. Making offerings and placing them in front of the house, all over the house and on the temple seems to be the all-consuming activity of the day for Balinese women (and sometimes men). Sometimes, I can't help but think these people are slaves to their religion. Although I felt miserable during most of my stay with Wayan, I enjoyed seeing Balinese life up-close and personal.
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