Ubud, Bondalem, Amed..ceremonies to corals

Ubud has changed a lot since we first visited 25yrs ago, but you still only have to walk a short distance up a side lane to be surrounded by rice paddies and rural life as it has always been. A 4hr circular walk, with a stop at an organic warung (restaurant), yes! the times are a changing. We tag along near a guided tour and find out about some of the local and introduced plants and later on in the day at a restaurant over 100 traditional uses for the humble coconut tree. Back in Ubud we eat some traditional Balinese food, a rarity amongst the westernised meals on offer in most places. If only the tourist would ask for it instead of dishes like ”chiken Gordon blue or spageti sauc”.............. A great place to learn deeper aspects of the culture............

Lunch overlooking Kintamani

Heading back to Bondalum we travel via Kintamani, another place visited previously but then it was enshrouded in mist and rain, we are in luck, and the volcano, lake and old caldera are all visible. A touristy buffet lunch at restaurant hanging over the cliff we take in the vista for an hour or so. Our driver tells us he will return to Ubud by driving around the island rather than return by the steep, narrow winding route we take on our way down the back of the volcano.......R

The temple next to Putu’s house is only about 20m away. So, at times of ceremony its a busy place. Odolan is a special time for the temple and the village. There are an incredible amount of different ceremonies, this one is like a temple ‘birthday’. For 5 days leading up to the full moon, offerings and prayers are made. The temple is now ‘dressed in its fineries. Umbrella’s help to shade the Gods. Shrines are wrapped in golden cloth. The offerings are exquisite. Towers of fruit and cakes are brought by beautiful women who skilfully carry them on their heads. To us it’s a spectacle and yet, to the locals its part of everyday life. Their customs and spirituality so entwined into daily existence. Prayers are continuously spoken/sung through loud speakers and this continues till late at night, sometimes restarting at about 1am! As the house is open the volume is such that its even hard to hear each other speak. But this is how it is. Its a wonderful total immersion into life as it is during this ceremony.

I sit with the ‘girls’ and feebly attempt the intricacies of creating some of their offerings. With the dexterity of master weavers, even the 10year olds do an incredible job. The first task is a small ‘box’ made from a long strip of young coconut leaf, split down the centre to give two long pieces to weave. The end result is an exquisite small ‘box’ about 5x5x2cm. This is filled with rice and cooked for about 2 hours. When broken open the rice inside is like a sticky rice brick and delicious. These ‘parcels’ can keep the rice fresh for about 3 days and traditionally were often used for ‘picnics’ or overnight trips.

The girls coach me along and I do eventually turn out a form.....somewhat lacking in the beauty and tightness of the others! I am then relegated to tightening several others, which takes me quite a while compared to their amazing fingers and knowledge.

There are many types of woven decorations , trays, dishes that are skilfully created every day. These are filled with beautiful flowers cakes rice fruit, depending on the type.

We go to the brother temple further down the road to make offering and prayers.

Putu has dressed us in the necessary clothes and there is a wonderful sense of excitement as the whole family head off to the temple on the motor bikes. Many people arrive and many people are leaving. It’s a constant stream of people, all dressed in full temple gear, everyone looking so beautiful. How can everyone look so stunning??

Inside the temple we await whilst one prayer session finishes for ours to begin. Of course we attract a fair amount of attention being the only ‘White people”. Sensory overload abounds inside the temple, it’s all so striking. Fruits flowers colours, incense. Children of all ages sit and wait everyone chats, the women take their offerings up to the various alters. We are warmly welcomed.

The gentle ringing of a bell starts the session. Putu hands us the ‘correct’ flowers to use as we pray with the people. After eah prayer the flowers are placed into the hair band or the back of the headpiece worn by the men. I have neither and my ears aren’t big enough to hold them behind! The session culminates with a blessing from one of the priests with holy water. We drink three times from our hands and the forth tine we spread it over our head and receive rice which we stick to our forehead behind our ears and sprinkle on our heads. Peace, love and beauty.

When we arrive back home there’s more excitement as we share out the foods from the baskets of offerings...which have been brought back home for eating. Imported apples and oranges are prized.

Next door the chanting continues well into the night. .........Ax





Amed 25/8/10

We catch local transport to Amed, about one and half hours away. Negotiating the price somewhat less confronting than usual, with reece playing the hard bargainer. Bamboo Bali is a place we have stayed often and arriving ther feels comfortable. Prices have doubled since 3 years ago but we haggle a bit to reach agreement.

salt making

Situated on the eastern coast, the area is dry compared to the rest of Bali. It sits in the rain shadow of Gunung Agung, the towering volcano that dominates the island. Laying dormant, it last erupted in 1963. Salt making and fishing used to be the main industries here and when we came here ten years ago it was very poor and desolate. Now, many fishermen and saltmakers have sold their land to foreigners who have built accommodation, and the beach is lined with ‘hotels’ and restaurants.

The coral here, as with most of the SE Asia and the Barrier Reef, suffered a mass bleaching in 1998, due to a rise in sea temperature. It also had to cope with dynamite fishing and constant braking from the boats and nets. We are so delighted with the recovery in this area.

There has been, and continues to be a concerted effort to clean up the beaches and look after the coral. The result is evident. The waters are crystal clear, it helps that its dry season and the conditions are perfect. Straight off the beach the corals and fish are abundant.



On our drive back to Legian, Nyoman stops near Goa Lawar for a fish lunch. This area is renowned for the fish sate and we have a fabulous lunch, delicious tastes for $10. This includes Nyoman and his wife and extra ikan pepes which I buy to take home for their boys. ...Ax