Bali-Ubud Day 1

Sorry peeps it's been a while.
Happy Valentine's Day by the way.
Speaking of which, this post is about a heaven on earth place; Bali! 
Bali is an Indonesian island located on the southern hemisphere, stretching her beauty in the Indian Ocean.

 

Now these little pieces of general information was enough to rock my world. I've never been to Asia or to the south hemisphere so I was to the moon and back excited. After walking kilometers and partying in Singapore with cousins, finally it was time! Bali was calling my name! It is surprisingly cheap to fly from Singapore to Bali and it takes little time to get there. For three and a half hours on the plane I was imagining myself walking around the lotus gardens, The Monkey Forest, rice paddies, Ubud, the restaurants, the spas, the streets, the markets.....and my balloon of imagination popped by the touch of the plane's wheels on the ground. 

The airport is located in Denpasar which is the capital of Bali. We rushed outside the airport and found our self a cab to begin our 90 minutes trip to Ubud . After a deep bargaining session we were on the roads of Bali driving right across the island. I was speechless as I watched the outside world. 

The humid air filled the cab and my lungs through the open window leaving spice and rainforest scents on my nose. The warm breeze gave a kiss on my forehead caressing my hair, as I watched the people working in their stone and wood carving shops. As I looked I found my self dying to find out about those curious looking fruits in the fruit shops. The ever young Banyan trees reach over the rivers to smell the flowers that bloomed just after the rain. It was official: I was in a whole different level. I'm not sure if it's the southern hemisphere's reverse magnetic field or my longing for a vacation: Bali had a tranquilizing effect on my body and soul. Everything in here is in slow motion and you must take your time to understand the way. 

The cab hit the brakes in front of our hotel and in minutes we were in the pool gazing at the incredible view.  The weight Istanbul put on my shoulders suddenly morphed into a white heron and it spread it's wings towards the rice paddy across the view in front, leaving me light as a feather.

After my session of rejuvenation, we were ready to hit the town for a little quest. It was raining cats and dogs at this moment and for a change rain was a very positive mood enhancer. The rain filled the streets with water confidently and my white Hawaianas were buried in that river as I was looking at the gates of the palace with surprise.

 

Our schedule for this afternoon was to go and get a massage, see the Balinese Ramayana Dance and get a good bite to eat. First things first! We had to wipe off the jet lag and the plane seats before we get deeper and deeper in Bali. A nice healing center in the streets of Ubud opened its doors for us. Charmed by the warm welcome I picked an hour long deep tissue treatment massage from the menu and a green tea scented massage oil as a side kick. In minutes I was sliding down the rainbow on and over the clouds! The knot on my back from a prehistoric age, the ache on my thigh, the tiredness of my feet, the spot on my neck was kissed goodbye by the magical hands of my healer. I was lying down listening to the rain, feeling like a Kobe steak, smelling the scents of goodness... What could be better? 

In the end of the session my healer had this proud expression of a small kid who just opened her new box of Legos and assembled the pieces perfectly! Feeling fresh like a pair of polished shoes, we were ready to go see the Ramayana Dance. 

When I watch a dance performance, especially a traditional one, I feel like I figure out how people in that certain geography use their body language. In the Mediterranean Culture  it is clear to the whole world that we speak with our hands and mouth to make an expression bigger than itself. And of that, I am an expert. I didn't want to spoil my curiosity so, I didn't read anything about The Ramayana. 

The dance starts with a very meditative music. It's mostly a humming melody of metallophones, gongs and xylophones. These mystic sounds come from the instrument Gamelan, leaving you with your imagination and self.

The Ramayana Dance is based upon religious beliefs and myths. The one I watched was the most famous myth, telling a story between the beautiful Sita and Prince Rama. My whole color palette changed as I gazed at the costumes and the make up. The patterns and the use of elements of the nature touches all your senses in the most gentle way. The Balinese dancers use their arms while dancing and their movements are very slow and balanced. Facial expressions are a big part of the dance. The women open their eyes while dancing and this makes the whole scene even more interesting. I was pulled out from this meditation by the wild claps of the spectators. The dance was over.

We fed our souls with the most delicious ways so now it was time for our stomach. My husband is an expert of finding the best spots to eat in the places we travel to, therefore, I took the master's hand and he led the way. As we made our way on the Monkey Forest Road: "We are going to eat at Cafe Wayan" my master explained. What I really loved about the dishes in here or in Bali is not only that they were delicious, but their presentation was impeccable too. What us Westerns call plates were made of origami leaves. When the Balinese give their offerings to the Gods they use the same origami leaf plates. The sound of the rain, the coolness of my wine, the existence of my husband, the taste of the duck and the satay, the reflection of the lights against the rain wet grounds, the fresh mystic scents and myself all became one in that spectacular second. I was grateful.

As the mighty night threw a blanket over us back at the hotel, I was sound asleep right on the soft lap of the rainforest, catching power for another day of Bali.

To be continued...