A Day in Ubud
Yesterday - long and interesting .......as reported Today, but wait - it’s Now actually being published three days later as the first installment because it’s so long. I know, you’re confused - try my end of it but all will be revealed.......
The day started casually enough - up early, usual routines, rosy dawn filled with all the previously mentioned sounds, Bali cool which is to say-balmy, no rush-no worry, brief review of days flow chart that is always just a rough draft and ..........we’re off and running, boy howdy! Where to begin recalling and unraveling the days events after pretty much pleasantly collapsing at days end - no notes, no more brain space left for thought other then getting to bed and nodding off to sweet Bali dreams that may include dancing Legong beauties https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legong, monkey antics, market place tourist bling and exotic fruit sampling and pyramid enhancing cosmic consciousness expansion........but first, a short drive by our trusty short haul Bemo driver Nyoman to the ATM where money just miraculously pours out to finance it all.
Nyoman’s Bemo - like all the rest, rather rickety, no AC but cheap and do the job - short haul only if you value your life, limb and health....
Rupiahs in hand, our #1 favorite driver Komang and fount of Bali knowledge, picks us up around 9:30am after drooping his kids off at school, to begin the all day exploration. First off, the traffic - also formerly highlighted, yet an endlessly fascinating topic filled with death defying but somehow safe in the rhythm of it excitement and could and may write full separate article on it. The difference between rush hour and not seems mute - maybe 3am is quiet but all other times seem to varying degrees to be pretty much darting motorbikes competing with all other conveyances large and small. We head “out of town”, in reality like driving in LA where one town within the city blends endlessly into another, nothing in between but more of the crowded same O same O. Each new town or village however, can be distinguishable by what they specialize in - stone carvers sculpting large stone statues and temple artifacts, furniture makers, bamboo harvesters and lumber yards, palm and rattan weavers, pottery makers and other artisans of traditional Balinese art, mostly for tourists. About an hour out, the concentrated urban area begins opening up with the occasional rice paddy or farmland wedged between, more sections of tall jungle forest and the roads become narrower, is that possible? and begin to wind sharply into some hill country with the periodic vistas from the bends in the road.
Komang, me riding shotgun, David back seat driver.....
Rice paddies between homes.....
Which way you going?........
One of many central round about statues.......
Those separated prayer hands.....
Monuments tucked in every nook and cranny plus in large plazas
Videos.....
This brief country interlude is gradually, then suddenly transformed into the teaming tourist town of Ubud - clearly different from other towns I’ve been to thus far. Right away it seems to be teeming with foreigners, much higher end shops, many art type galleries, a more festive exciting atmosphere with many venues vying for your attention, every side road becoming more interesting, beckoning you to explore - the place is packed! As Katrinka said, more people then monkeys in the town noted for its large Monkey Forest population.
The Monkey Forrest is our first stop. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubud_Monkey_Forest Komang drops us off in the parking lot near the entrance in order to avoid the traffic jam and parking fees perhaps, and we walk to the large, elaborate, architecturally sophisticated welcoming pavilion where we pay our 80,000 Rupiah or $5.71 entrance fee. David remembers when he visited here in the early nineties that you parked in the dirt lot and walked through a field right into the forest - now, it’s tastefully developed and organized along the lines of a world class nature park , maybe a little Disney-esq. but really quite beautiful. The paved trails climb, descend, wind through and beneath the huge massive banyan and other jungle trees growing tall from the layered hillsides - vines cascade down like wooden rain, orchids grow in bursts of color from trunks and twisted branches, bridges cross deep vertical stream filled chasms and oh.....monkeys everywhere! We are here for monkeys after all and they do not disappoint. David notes there don’t seem to be as many as he remembered on previous visits and asks one of the attendants how come - Have I mentioned before David likes to talk to everybody, especially Balinese in their own language? We find out that there’s one of the many ceremonies that are constantly going on in Bali happening at a big central temple in the park so they put food on the outer perimeter to entice the monkeys away. Apparently we have arrived as the ceremonies have concluded so there’s a continuous parade of brightly costumed locals leaving in long
lines mingled with gaggles of uniformed school kids on a day outing, momentarily drawing my attention away from the monkeys. I’ve seen the little fellows climbing all through the trees and now they’re coming out in droves, mingling unfazed among us human relatives, no doubt thinking we’re the ones to be gawked at, not the other way around - monkey see, monkey do.......
What better way to see monkeys then just be part of the family, wander about among them in a natural uncaged environment where they’re at home and most likely where we one time resided but somehow evolved and spread over differing environments all over the ever shrinking globe. I could spend all day here - can’t help but watch and smile at all the antics and just plain routine day to day life in monkey world. Not much different than humans doing their thing really, maybe more entertaining on some level perhaps, a brief respite from our human complexities.......I could go on but will just let pictures and a few videos continue the narrative.
Just chillin’, watching the parade of humans going by.......🤔
People people everywhere- monkeys putting up with it, especially when food involved....
Ceremonies ending, time for heading home.....
Always play time in the jungle....
Tarzan would love it here - super Highway in the sky...
Incredible trees - been around a while, seen a few things.......
Who’s watching who.....
Not always followed but best to .....
Looks like old one heading for the trees, had enough of the hoopla down below.....
You talkin’ to me?.........
Conference....
Oops- curious young one clambers up for photo op while mom looks on unconcerned - no doubt not the first time Curious George has done this......Don’t play with the humans!
Both handled their encounter well......
Vines a plenty....
Down into ravine they go....
Young explorer expanding their horizons......
This guy sitting at my feet trying to decide where to go next - just like me......
Grand entrance with lovely fellows to welcome us .....
MONKEY BUSINESS VIDEOS......
More gatherers than hunters.....
Snack time...
Piece of paper provides endless possibilities for entertainment....
Tunnel into magic kingdom.....
Hold still, what’s this......
Hummmmm - what kind of monkey business is going on here, you licensed to pick and groom? 🤔
We could throw something down to them don’t you think.....they look hungry 🍌
Hey kids, are you ditching school today? All right 👍!
I was just thinking - how long before I evolve to the point where I can drive a car and see the world?🧐
IF YOU MADE IT THIS FAR - the day is just getting started so off to the market. This is a Central multi-level market for everything from food, art, jewelry, spices - David’s main mission for the day, clothes and all the tourist collectibles you could possibly want to look at. I’m only browsing and determined not to bring anything home unless I’m realllllly inspired, which so far I’m not. The place is packed bazaar like - narrow cluttered passageways where you duck under stuff, have to squeeze sideways through stacked and hanging stuff, step over who knows what stuff as you run the gauntlet of buy this-buy this, here you need this, must take home fine stuff from Bali, oh please I give you good price.
Amidst all this cacophony we find a couple of elderly ladies behind a tiny table with a small box of all the exotic fruits David wanted me to try, one stop shopping from small venue with delightful cheerful local gals - what could be better, a real plus. David picks out a nice multiple sampling of passion fruit, mangosteen, dragon fruit and rambutan and maybe something else, all of them being pretty foreign to me. We were going to find someplace to sit and eat but they insisted we stay there. They found a stool and box for us to sit on and made room for us in the crowded passageway, some of the other shop keepers huddling in cheerfully around us as they showed us the techniques for opening and eating the fruits. Probably wouldn’t have figured it out but soon became an expert as I yummingly devoured the different textured and tasty fruit. David chattered away with them in Indonesian mixed with some Balinese while I used my tried and true universal jesters and cobbled together sounds that approximated some language somewhere - maybe.....but we understood each other perfectly. They’re all so naturally friendly. What to do with the husks and left overs? No problem, throw them over and behind the tarp strung up as backstop into an empty area to be cleaned out later- maybe much later after it’s composted, who knows. When in Bali.....
David found his spice gal, got what he wanted at decent price and we fought our way out to open air and sunlight. Taking out his sunglasses 🕶, they decided to break right then, lens fell to the ground and as he stooped to retrieve it, he heard a laugh, looked up to see a guy manning a sunglasses booth who promptly offered to sell him a new pair - we all laughed but I told David I could fix them so off we went - what appeared to be a clinched deal, evaporated before the good natured salesmans eyes.
HaHa!
We squirmed our way through the tightly packed motorbikes to the street to find ourselves in front of a good little restaurant called Hippie Fish, had Komang join us for lunch and had the standard local fare call Nasi Goreng that was better quality than most - loved the mixed fried rice and finely chopped vegetables, herbs and fairly hot spices along with nice blended fresh fruit drink. Plenty of fruit so far today, it’s ubiquitous - love that word and liberally applied when it comes to fruit. We waited on Komang to retrieve the car - he always manages to park someplace nearby in whatever crowded place we might be, a real pro. Sometimes he waits hours for us and always finds people to talk with and is never bored, enjoying life - good reminder of being in the present.....
Hippie Fish Cafe - love the name but......what does it mean? 🤷♂️
OK - this Yesterday-Today has now become The Day AFTER Yesterday Today so am hitting the PUBLISH button now, on this Halloween 🎃 Day in Bali AM but yet to be in US ........🤪! I will check with my “handlers” about today’s schedule and will attempt to wade back in with the conclusion of the adventures to Ubud before heading out on the next journey, the temple at Tabanan. That will be the last major venture out before journey home next Tuesday.
The day started casually enough - up early, usual routines, rosy dawn filled with all the previously mentioned sounds, Bali cool which is to say-balmy, no rush-no worry, brief review of days flow chart that is always just a rough draft and ..........we’re off and running, boy howdy! Where to begin recalling and unraveling the days events after pretty much pleasantly collapsing at days end - no notes, no more brain space left for thought other then getting to bed and nodding off to sweet Bali dreams that may include dancing Legong beauties https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legong, monkey antics, market place tourist bling and exotic fruit sampling and pyramid enhancing cosmic consciousness expansion........but first, a short drive by our trusty short haul Bemo driver Nyoman to the ATM where money just miraculously pours out to finance it all.
Nyoman’s Bemo - like all the rest, rather rickety, no AC but cheap and do the job - short haul only if you value your life, limb and health....
Mom and two daughters on way to school - sometimes 4, even 5 .....
All around utility vehicle...
Bule’s - foreigners in the mix everywhere.....
Rupiahs in hand, our #1 favorite driver Komang and fount of Bali knowledge, picks us up around 9:30am after drooping his kids off at school, to begin the all day exploration. First off, the traffic - also formerly highlighted, yet an endlessly fascinating topic filled with death defying but somehow safe in the rhythm of it excitement and could and may write full separate article on it. The difference between rush hour and not seems mute - maybe 3am is quiet but all other times seem to varying degrees to be pretty much darting motorbikes competing with all other conveyances large and small. We head “out of town”, in reality like driving in LA where one town within the city blends endlessly into another, nothing in between but more of the crowded same O same O. Each new town or village however, can be distinguishable by what they specialize in - stone carvers sculpting large stone statues and temple artifacts, furniture makers, bamboo harvesters and lumber yards, palm and rattan weavers, pottery makers and other artisans of traditional Balinese art, mostly for tourists. About an hour out, the concentrated urban area begins opening up with the occasional rice paddy or farmland wedged between, more sections of tall jungle forest and the roads become narrower, is that possible? and begin to wind sharply into some hill country with the periodic vistas from the bends in the road.
Komang, me riding shotgun, David back seat driver.....
Rice paddies between homes.....
One of many central round about statues.......
Those separated prayer hands.....
Monuments tucked in every nook and cranny plus in large plazas
These pigs are not going to a happy place but will no doubt be yummy to someone......
Videos.....
This brief country interlude is gradually, then suddenly transformed into the teaming tourist town of Ubud - clearly different from other towns I’ve been to thus far. Right away it seems to be teeming with foreigners, much higher end shops, many art type galleries, a more festive exciting atmosphere with many venues vying for your attention, every side road becoming more interesting, beckoning you to explore - the place is packed! As Katrinka said, more people then monkeys in the town noted for its large Monkey Forest population.
The Monkey Forrest is our first stop. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubud_Monkey_Forest Komang drops us off in the parking lot near the entrance in order to avoid the traffic jam and parking fees perhaps, and we walk to the large, elaborate, architecturally sophisticated welcoming pavilion where we pay our 80,000 Rupiah or $5.71 entrance fee. David remembers when he visited here in the early nineties that you parked in the dirt lot and walked through a field right into the forest - now, it’s tastefully developed and organized along the lines of a world class nature park , maybe a little Disney-esq. but really quite beautiful. The paved trails climb, descend, wind through and beneath the huge massive banyan and other jungle trees growing tall from the layered hillsides - vines cascade down like wooden rain, orchids grow in bursts of color from trunks and twisted branches, bridges cross deep vertical stream filled chasms and oh.....monkeys everywhere! We are here for monkeys after all and they do not disappoint. David notes there don’t seem to be as many as he remembered on previous visits and asks one of the attendants how come - Have I mentioned before David likes to talk to everybody, especially Balinese in their own language? We find out that there’s one of the many ceremonies that are constantly going on in Bali happening at a big central temple in the park so they put food on the outer perimeter to entice the monkeys away. Apparently we have arrived as the ceremonies have concluded so there’s a continuous parade of brightly costumed locals leaving in long
lines mingled with gaggles of uniformed school kids on a day outing, momentarily drawing my attention away from the monkeys. I’ve seen the little fellows climbing all through the trees and now they’re coming out in droves, mingling unfazed among us human relatives, no doubt thinking we’re the ones to be gawked at, not the other way around - monkey see, monkey do.......
What better way to see monkeys then just be part of the family, wander about among them in a natural uncaged environment where they’re at home and most likely where we one time resided but somehow evolved and spread over differing environments all over the ever shrinking globe. I could spend all day here - can’t help but watch and smile at all the antics and just plain routine day to day life in monkey world. Not much different than humans doing their thing really, maybe more entertaining on some level perhaps, a brief respite from our human complexities.......I could go on but will just let pictures and a few videos continue the narrative.
Just chillin’, watching the parade of humans going by.......🤔
People people everywhere- monkeys putting up with it, especially when food involved....
Ceremonies ending, time for heading home.....
Always play time in the jungle....
Tarzan would love it here - super Highway in the sky...
Incredible trees - been around a while, seen a few things.......
Not always followed but best to .....
Looks like old one heading for the trees, had enough of the hoopla down below.....
You talkin’ to me?.........
Conference....
Oops- curious young one clambers up for photo op while mom looks on unconcerned - no doubt not the first time Curious George has done this......Don’t play with the humans!
Both handled their encounter well......
Vines a plenty....
Young explorer expanding their horizons......
This guy sitting at my feet trying to decide where to go next - just like me......
Grand entrance with lovely fellows to welcome us .....
Snack time...
Piece of paper provides endless possibilities for entertainment....
Tunnel into magic kingdom.....
Hold still, what’s this......
Hummmmm - what kind of monkey business is going on here, you licensed to pick and groom? 🤔
We could throw something down to them don’t you think.....they look hungry 🍌
I was just thinking - how long before I evolve to the point where I can drive a car and see the world?🧐
Amidst all this cacophony we find a couple of elderly ladies behind a tiny table with a small box of all the exotic fruits David wanted me to try, one stop shopping from small venue with delightful cheerful local gals - what could be better, a real plus. David picks out a nice multiple sampling of passion fruit, mangosteen, dragon fruit and rambutan and maybe something else, all of them being pretty foreign to me. We were going to find someplace to sit and eat but they insisted we stay there. They found a stool and box for us to sit on and made room for us in the crowded passageway, some of the other shop keepers huddling in cheerfully around us as they showed us the techniques for opening and eating the fruits. Probably wouldn’t have figured it out but soon became an expert as I yummingly devoured the different textured and tasty fruit. David chattered away with them in Indonesian mixed with some Balinese while I used my tried and true universal jesters and cobbled together sounds that approximated some language somewhere - maybe.....but we understood each other perfectly. They’re all so naturally friendly. What to do with the husks and left overs? No problem, throw them over and behind the tarp strung up as backstop into an empty area to be cleaned out later- maybe much later after it’s composted, who knows. When in Bali.....
David found his spice gal, got what he wanted at decent price and we fought our way out to open air and sunlight. Taking out his sunglasses 🕶, they decided to break right then, lens fell to the ground and as he stooped to retrieve it, he heard a laugh, looked up to see a guy manning a sunglasses booth who promptly offered to sell him a new pair - we all laughed but I told David I could fix them so off we went - what appeared to be a clinched deal, evaporated before the good natured salesmans eyes.
HaHa!
Hippie Fish Cafe - love the name but......what does it mean? 🤷♂️
OK - this Yesterday-Today has now become The Day AFTER Yesterday Today so am hitting the PUBLISH button now, on this Halloween 🎃 Day in Bali AM but yet to be in US ........🤪! I will check with my “handlers” about today’s schedule and will attempt to wade back in with the conclusion of the adventures to Ubud before heading out on the next journey, the temple at Tabanan. That will be the last major venture out before journey home next Tuesday.
I'm exhausted. Edifyed, intrigued, impressed and dazzled but exhausted even all the way over here. Your tour guide/handler in the guise of David is a godsend! I will read part two later today. Off shortly to give blood at RC and then sweat at Anne's new house. Ciao you intrepid! traveler
ReplyDeleteNasi goreng!!! Remember it well from my days in college when we visited a few of the Dutch Indonesian friends. Great blog to help us see what is wreaking havoc with your joints. You do move about a bit in Bali!!
ReplyDelete