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Stacy's Finds
The ‘Bali Life’ Category
Nyepi: A Day of Peace and Quiet
If you've ever been to Bali, you know that it's a busy island.
In the more populated residential areas there is a constant stream of low flying airplanes transporting people on and off the island; thousands of motorbikes whizzing by for personal and commercial use and bell ringing bakso (chicken soup) sellers walking up and down neighborhood streets.
Not today though. Except for the chitter chatter of birds, not a creature is stirring; not even a mouse. In fact, on Nyepi, which is the Hindu version of the first day of the year, no one is even allowed to exit his/her property unless a dire emergency requires hospital care. The Balinese go as far as to shut down the international airport in their capital of Denpasar and absolutely not one business is open.
Nyepi is a day of silence and reflection: not a day for working, cooking or even using electricity if you're a good Hindu. Of course, as westerners with two young kids, we're cheating a little bit. We do have the air conditioning running and the dvd player has been put to good use today.
Tonight we will eat by candlelight and spend some time in the pool checking out the stars which are supposed to be very intense in the deep Bali darkness. And tomorrow, it's out to the beach at first light to see the mountains and towering volcano, Mt. Agung, in absolute clarity.
Some people can't handle a day like this – there are Nyepi hotel packages advertised throughout the newspaper, offering respite from silence and reflection. Personally, I could use a few more Nyepis sprinkled throughout the year; once a season would be great.
Maybe next year we'll go even deeper and attempt it without the movies.
The hubby loves this beach for some reason…
When we first moved here, Sunday was all about the food and where we would eat breakfast. Now, it's all about the beach.
Bali has two distinct seasons: dry (May – September) and wet (October – April). I guess we got off lightly this year as except for a few wonderfully dramatic electrical storms and heavy, but brief showers, the "rainy" season wasn't that much different from the dry season we first encountered upon our arrival in early August.
The one thing that does drastically change with each season is the condition of the beaches around the island. During the "wet" season, the place to be is the Nusa Dua area which is located on the eastern side of the southern tip of the island known as the Bukit Peninsula.
Many of the island's top hotels populate this area for obvious reasons: miles and miles of white sand beaches and the turquoise Indian Ocean without a lot of the trash you will find on some of the beaches during this time of year.
Our favorite spot in Nusa Dua is a stretch known as Geger Beach located right in front of the yummy Nusa Dua Beach Grill. Here you will find a family friendly party every Sunday. Except for the cliff top Balinese temple overlooking the south side of the beach, I feel like Geger could be in Greece or on an island off of Italy. The vibe is very international as almost every accent and language can be overheard and the atmosphere is a mixture of European and North Shore, Hawaii surfer chic.
The waves are pumping this time of year and the scene is mostly local expatriates as Bali's tourist season doesn't get into full swing until June. There are beach chairs and umbrellas that you can rent for approximately $7.50 or just tell the friendly staff that you plan to order lunch on the beach or up at the grill and the beach chairs are complimentary. The pizzas ($5) are great and the beers are cold.
To Pembantu or not to Pembantu
I remember being so excited about our "laundry room with a view" back home in Hawaii because that's where I spent most of my time: sorting while the baby napped, washing and drying while the kids watched a movie and folding while they were safely ensconced in school.
The truth is I haven't done a load of laundry since we moved to Bali six months ago. Our housekeeper doesn't even do the laundry. Two or three times a week, Ketut hauls a drawstring bag to the laundry service and for about $2 – $5, brings back a tidy bundle to neatly unpack in everyone's drawers. Everything is ironed from the kid's t-shirts, to David's boxers to our sheets and towels.
Life with a full-time housekeeper and cook (pembantu in Balinese) seems somewhat normal to me now that we've settled in, but believe me, I did my time as an all-American "supermom" back home.
When we were on the final countdown to move here, my fantasy was to be able to sit down to breakfast with my husband and children while breakfast was cooked, served and cleaned up. Imagine…sitting down to breakfast with my family! Before Bali, I cooked, hastily served everyone and then ate my haphazard portion on the run while cleaning, getting Stanley ready for school and David off to work.
Our mornings in Bali are quite different. Ketut arrives at 7:30 a.m. with a beautiful smile, washes the dishes from the night before, sends Stanley across the street to pick up some fresh brown eggs (and to practice his Indonesian) and then gets to work on veggie omelettes, pancakes, fried rice or whatever we have in mind.
Of course, mornings are not always smooth sailing. We still have the lunches to make, the kids to get dressed and the teeth to be brushed. The baby has his meltdowns and I manage to misplace something of importance right before heading out the door, but at least now it seems somewhat manageable and a little more fun.
Most of the expatriates I talk to say they moved to Bali for the culture and experience, but stayed for the help and lifestyle. We are all in agreement that there is no better place for a family with young children to live if you not only want to survive the process of raising your brood, but actually want to enjoy the ride as well.
We're not in Kansas anymore
When I finished reading "Eat, Pray, Love" a couple of years ago, I fantasized about moving to Ubud; finding a cozy Balinese cottage in the middle of a rice paddy with a yoga studio right down the street.
When we actually landed in Ubud for the first time this summer, I couldn't believe my eyes: the quaint artists' village I had envisioned is actually a bustling mecca of restaurants, art galleries, jewelry shops, cafes and spas – not a yoga studio in sight let alone a spare square inch on the topsy turvy sidewalk we attempted to maneuver with the kids. Note to self: Ubud is not the place to bring a stroller; better off with a Kelty backpack carrier, for sure.
Even in the "slow" season which is regarded as October thru April, Ubud is a beehive of activity. Despite the pace though, there is a different energy here that feels deeper, more grounded than many of the coastal towns; you climb the mountain and the temperature drops a few degrees, coconut, banana, banyan and plumeria trees hover along steep precipices overlooking rocky, flowing streams. You have to take your time in Ubud. It is not the kind of place to spend half a day and feel like you've really seen what she has to offer.
The best strategy is to spend a few days and take each street slowly; shop for an hour then people watch inside a cafe and have a fresh watermelon juice or ginger tea. A fantastic souvenir that a few of the shops specialize in is a double-ply parachute fabric hammock; they are bright, durable and will remind the family of Bali for years to come. The jewelry selection is mind boggling, loungy; eco-fabric clothing shops for men and women as well as really fun children's lines such as Dandelion Baby tempt you in every turn.
There is also art everywhere; good and bad. Dismiss the oversized, beret sporting Che Guevara portraits and duck into one of Ubud's smart little art galleries such as T-artspace which features temporary exhibits of contemporary Indonesian artists. Right around the corner you'll find Ganesha Bookshop which has a fabulous collection of Balinese Books and Bali Buddha; where Ubud's "hippy set" go for a great vegetarian meal, organic necessities and locally made products.
If you're in a heartier mood, head to the bright and beautiful two-story Laughing Buddha Bar for a delectable bowl of shrimp wonton soup and live music most nights of the week. And if you're feeling really frisky, head to standing room only Naughty Nuri's which boasts the most famous martinis and ribs on the island.
"The Greatest Wealth Is Health"
There's no way around it: Getting old is not for the faint of heart. Of course, it helps to be mindful and to remember your morning flax seed, but after the big 4-0, sometimes the body just doesn't choose to cooperate.
For the last three weeks, I have been a dutiful wife listening to the gripes and groans from the hubby who has been dealing with a very painful pinched nerve in his neck. Was it the impromptu beach volleyball game? The morning stand up paddle surf session? The wrong pillow, perhaps?
So, week one he tried the massages; week two the chiropractor and week three some x-rays were taken. Along the way, several of our friends insisted that David see a Balinese healer. "You know, an old blind one that can cure anything," whispered our neighbor.
The most famous Balinese healer is Ketut Liyer of "Eat, Pray, Love" fame and he is still alive and well in Ubud enjoying much success as a sought after medicine man. We were open to suggestions from our friends as to whom we should contact for help, but mysteriously, no one could provide us with a name or number. I finally came to the conclusion that we couldn't seek the healer; he would have to find us.
The mantra in Bali is 'expect the unexpected,' so last Wednesday, we visit the home of DHR model, Melati Erhart, to talk shop. She says her hip has been bothering her for the last couple of years and that her healer is coming over shortly to perform an exorcism of sorts. My ears perk up. An exorcism on my husband sounds exactly like what he needs!
'Abdul' arrives and takes David into the guest bale (bah-lay) to diagnose the problem. Without an explanation, he pinpoints the exact excruciating spot. Melati translates while he pokes and prods and then gets down to work. I excuse myself to eat some lunch and can hear the yelps and screams coming from the guest house as Abdul physically lifts the tendons up from below David's left shoulder blade.
David walks out in a daze, hoping that what he just went through will pay off in a few days. Abdul offers him an ancient Balinese herbal remedy called jamu which is a potent brown mixture chock full of ginger and local honey from his village. He winks at us as Melati translates that this traditional 'cure-all' drink will not only help heal David's neck but will also give his virility a big boost.
Not exactly the kind of exorcism I had in mind, but it's all about the baby steps, isn't it?
Have Your Brunch and Eat it Too
The Balinese are famous for their love of children. Ceremonies to insure good luck in life start in utero and Balinese infants are not even allowed to touch the ground until six months of age when yet another elaborate celebration takes place to honor the event.
How did the children of Bali inspire this God-like reverence, you ask? I'm not sure, but it is a relief to vacation or live in a place where children are not only valued, but actually welcomed into nice shops, restaurants and hotels. It is not unusual for one of our sons to be whisked away into a waiter or salesgirl's arms as if he or she had never seen a child before. This kind of experience definitely helps to set the tone of an afternoon or evening especially if you've just barely survived a meltdown or are in desperate need of a 5-minute break.
On any given evening and early morning in Bali, you'll find the island's hipsters dancing the night away at the internationally renowned, Ku De Ta restaurant and bar. But on Sundays, the bright red umbrellas and breathtaking ocean views are reserved for the little people as the grounds are filled with the sounds of laughing children instead of world famous beats.
At no extra charge, younger kids are free to swim in the pool (which is located in the middle of the restaurant), enjoy really creative art activities in the kiddie tent, jump in the bouncy castle or nibble on one of the mini-burgers offered on the kids' bar-b-que. The older guys can rent a surfboard on the beach for $5 and get a surf in if they're fairly experienced or pick up a really cool Panama style beach hat on the beach in front of the restaurant.
While the kids are entertained, parents enjoy a REALLY nice breakfast (I love the ricotta pancakes) and maybe a Corona or two….
Living in Sanur
Four months ago, our family moved here from Hawaii not knowing much about the island of Bali or where we would settle down. We spent the first month hopping from hotel to hotel in areas like Ubud, Seminyak, and Jimbaran. By the end of that month, we were all exhausted and desperate to find a place to call home.
We decided to put a deposit down on a really beautiful house in Jimbaran within walking distance to the beach even though the town didn't totally fit our family's needs. As it was a new house and needed one more week to be completed, a friend offered his house in Sanur for us to hunker down while he was away on business. To be honest, I hadn't given Sanur too much respect or allowed the time to explore it due to all of the negative things I had read on the web: boring, nothing to do, crummy beach, etc. Read More …
Chocolate is Good For You
It has been almost four months since our family arrived on the island of Bali. I have to say that I'm already feeling like a local. I know where to go for the best cup of coffee, freshest grilled mahi mahi, shadiest spot on the beach, and even the best place to buy diapers in bulk.
There's no question that the hands down winner of our favorite restaurant; especially for the mind blowing chocolate desserts goes to the Casa Luna Restaurant located in the bustling mountain town of Ubud. Chocolate mousse, chocolate decadence, flourless chocolate cake – you name it, they make it and along with the ambiance, it's magical!
Built on a lush, steep ravine; Casa Luna is the successful dream child of powerhouse Bali expat, Janet De Neefe, who arrived on the island in 1974 and has built an iconic empire that includes two fabulous restaurants (Casa Luna & Indus), a world famous cooking school, and a charming hotel in downtown Ubud called the Honeymoon Guesthouses. She is the author of a delicious book called "Fragrant Rice" and also spearheaded the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival which is gaining tremendous momentum. Last October, the festival attracted internationally acclaimed guest writers including Fatima Bhutto and Wole Soyinka.
