Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

Day 1 : PadangBai Ferry to Ubud centre, Campuhan Walk & Kecak dance!

And then I dived my nose right into the touristy chaos and chatter! That's the first impression I had of Bali when my car tried to press its way forward through the immovable traffic. However, it didn't take long to steer my focus from the traffic to the beautiful architecture all along the city!

My most favourite find in Ubud!

I took an early morning ferry from Senggigi to Pedang Bai port in Bali. It was pretty uneventful except the part when I got off the boat. You had to go for an extended vertical lunge and pull yourself up to the docking area from the front deck of the boat. Everyone was twitching the nose at first but then with a little effort, everyone was able to pull themselves up. I, however, got stuck. Two people had to pull me up by my arms. I blame it on the big back pack I had with me.

Approaching Padang Bai port in Bali

My ferry ticket included a shuttle to Ubud center as well. So, after the 2hours boat ride, I found myself on a shuttle which navigated its way through the very busy city of Ubud.

It was some 10minutes walk from the drop off point to my hotel. But I was so hungry and the Sun was so strong, I booked a Gojek (that's a taxi booking app here). My hotel - 'The Runik' was very near to the main street and yet secluded from all the chaos. Perfect location! It was very clean and comfy too. I quickly freshened up and went out for a stroll.

Start of the Campuhan Ridge Walk

Campuhan ridge walk was only 10 minutes walk from my hotel. There was a nice, cool breeze now as the Sun was on its downward journey. The walk started from a temple and ended in another. But I didn't realise that it was the end and continued through the narrow lane winding through cafes and paddy farms and shops and houses.

Walking along a temple at the start of the walk

Something struck me after a while and I took an about turn which was when I realised that I had gone past the destination. That is perfectly acceptable.

Yoga cottages on the ridge walk

On my way back to the main street, I came across the Saraswati temple. A couple of people were distributing leaflets in front of the main gate of that temple. I saw a big board that said - 'Kecak dance every Friday and Monday'. Huh! I was lucky, wasn't I! Because, it was indeed a Friday. I promptly bought a ticket.

Kecak & Fire Dance!

I was back on to the main street now. I continued walking and found myself going inside a bakery that smelt heavenly. I chose a quiet seat on the second floor, overlooking the city. I sat there, admiring the lovely buildings, watching the tourists hustle along and satiating my hunger with an avocado sandwich.

How can you not love this! 😂

In the evening, I went for the Kecak dance. It was an experience in itself. An open area inside the Saraswati temple had seats arranged in concentric circles, much like an amphitheater. The center part had a few clay lamps going. It was 7:30 in the evening, so it was dark but the lamps and little fire lit every nook and corner. The performance started right on time.

Saraswati Temple at night...

I already knew the story of Kumbhakarna's death from Ramayana. So, even though the dance drama was in a foreign language, I was able to get the gist of it from the act. They had all the main characters of Rama, Sita, Laxmana, Hanuman (two of them) and Kumbhakarna of course!

Kecak Dance in action!

The performers started singing in a foreign language but with a very rhythmic tune, interjected by strong sharp notes. The primary dancers were wearing flashy dresses and their impactful expressions kept changing with the changing notes and tunes. The whole arena had a mystic yet charged up atmosphere. The cherry on the top was the backdrop of the beautifully lit stone carved wall of the temple.

That's Hanumana - a snap during the dance performance!

The performance on that night ended with the traditional Balinese Fire dance where the performer was in this tireless dance of fury to put an end to the fire. He looked crazy, a bit possessed even! There were two small kids sitting beside me. They possibly got spooked out by all the weird and wonderful sounds and sights. One of them hid her face in her father's lap - made me smile.

Fire Dance!

I did not understand many a detail of this dance but it was such an electrifying performance! It kept me glued for the entire hour and left me craving for more.

Very pleased with my luck and decision, I got a take away pizza and walked back to the hotel. Had a lazy dinner in bed and then dozed off, happy and sleepy like a baby! 😁

Ooh I'm so happy! 😁

Day 2 : Touristy City Tour

I decided to do the touristy thing and go sightseeing around the city. The receptionist at the hotel was very kind to book me a taxi for the day. The driver who also doubled up as my guide made me a list of places that apparently every tourist should visit. We started early with our first stop at a coffee plantation.

Luwak Coffee Plantation Tour

Vanilla beans for Coffee.

I was expecting a field full of coffee plants and coffee smell. But, it turned out to be a curated tour that demonstrated the process of preparing the Luwak coffee (a specialty) beans. They also had an Asian Palm Civet whose intestines do the major work of fermentation of the coffee cherries and then the rest of the process follows after collecting their poop! The poopy coffee costs a lot too. They gave me five varieties of coffee and five varieties of tea to taste. Somehow, the popular poopy coffee didn't appeal to me though. Guess, I am just not very adventurous, as I was happy to stick to a  lovely ginger concoction.

Asian Palm Civet - The Poop Master 😛

Tegalalang rice terrace

Next stop - Tegalalang rice terrace. I am guilty of not doing my homework before visiting any of these places. So, again, just by hearing the name, I had pictured a serene walk through some rice terrace cultivation. This only turned out to be partly true. The other part consisted of a very commercial front house hosting a ticket-counter, a café, a makeshift bird's nest for a photo point and a crazy swing.

During the Rice Terrace Walk...

The swing was hanging from two long palm trees (which was even swaying quite a bit - I observed it minutely!) and you would be swinging into this deep valley of rice terraces! Crazy, I tell you! I could never brave such a thing, so I watched the tourists getting on that swing, giddy with  a child-like excitement!

The Crazy Swing! 😨

Wood Carving Workshop & Factory

After some terrace walk and crazy swing watch, we made our way towards the Pura Tirtha Empul. On the way, I found myself distracted by this road side wood workshop and had to stop! It was just mind blowing - the sheer size and details of each of the wood work not to mention the conceptual design in itself left me in awe.

In the wood carving workshop !

I spent a lovely time there, looking and touching the wood work, watching the people in action and also, ended up trying out a little bit of wood carving myself! This was not on the itinerary but this had to be the most delightful part of the day!

I'm in awe with such beautiful wood carvings!

Pura Tirtha Empul

We reached the holy springs of Pura Tirtha Empul in due time. Before entering, just at the gate, they helped me wear a sarong which was a custom here. Then I walked around the courtyard, enjoying the artwork on the temple walls and the purification pools. There were a series of waterspouts through which water gushed out into these pools.

Holy Spring in Tirtha Empul.

You could bathe in this water of the holy springs which is considered as the ritual for purification process. Most of the visitors were doing the same, locals and tourists alike. The whole ambience made me feel like I was thrown back to some centuries in the pages of history. It was a beautiful time travel.

Love the expressions on them 😊

By now, I was a bit hungry, so I sat in the waiting area and treated myself to a few snacks I was carrying. The exit from this temple was through a lane winding its way through many gift shops. On one such shop, I found a bag of rice-peanut crackers. A perfect blend of crunch and spice - this turned out to be the first Indonesian snack that I thoroughly enjoyed and it was not just because I was hungry!

Loved this rice-peanut snack!

Puri Goa Gajah

My next stop for the day was Puri Goa Gajah or the Elephant Cave. The entrance to the Elephant Cave would just make you gasp. The carving on this entrance is out worldly with a huge masked face  (these are thought to have been done to ward off evil - it's only one theory though) wearing a typical Balinese expression, done with extreme intricacy as usual.

Look at the grand entrance!

Within the cave, there was a stone statue of Hindu God, Ganesha and also a Shiva lingam. There was also a bathing pool (similar but not quite extravagant like the one in Tirtha Empul) outside the cave, on the big open area. You would also find a series of stupas, imagery of Buddhism.

In the canopy, towards a Buddhist temple ruin.

There was a long stair that would take you down in a canopy where you would find the roots of this giant tree (I think it was banyan but not sure). These were some of the most beautiful roots I have ever seen. You would also find a little waterfall and some remains of old temple like structures. I quite liked the Goa Gajah experience - very rusty and mystic. Also, I loved the confluence of religious symbols here - Hinduism and Buddhism. Not to forget the majestic roots - my another favourite!

The giant tree and it's majestic roots!

Tegenungan Waterfall

I refreshed myself with a big coconut drink before heading to my last stop for the day i.e. Tegenungan Waterfall. Okay, I know I didn't do my homework, so really no one to blame here but I would happily skip this. Don't get me wrong, the waterfall was nice on its own but the associated commercial setup just didn't work for me. You would have to take quite a few stairs down to get to the waterfall and then tip toe across a wooden plank before getting in the pool of water formed by the fall.

Tegenungan Waterfall.

It was a nice springy spray once you get in the water but it was too crowded. I still did the whole walk and soak in the water thing but then quickly climbed my way back up and sheltered myself in a quiet corner with a cone of dragon fruit ice cream. One advantage of places being this touristy is - you get exotic ice creams like that of dragon fruit!

Egg shell painting in a gift shop!

Back to City Centre

After the whole day of hopping across multiple spots, some of which were stunning and some not so much, I retired in a painting shop in the main street in Ubud. I was casually strolling by and that was when the paintings caught my eyes. Most of them were done on acrylic medium and almost all of them had a lovely play on bright colours and bold brush strokes. I was lost in the paintings when suddenly my tummy grumbled and I had to leave the shop to fulfill my need for food.

Beautiful Acrylic Paintings!

I met Subho from the trek gang for dinner. We went to a arty-farty restaurant and indulged in a big meal followed by a not so big (as I would have liked it to be) dessert. We took our elaborate dinner discussions to the hotel balcony where we happily chatted away the rest of the evening...

Just a Café!😍

Day 3 : Strolling Around The Town

It was technically my last day of this Indonesian stint. I woke up with a mixed feeling. It's about time I go back home but it's always so nice to be on holidays too! And with that conundrum, I started my day with a lazy stroll. Last days are always for doing nothing at all. I had a big breakfast at a roadside café and then set off for the day. The plan was to just potter around.

Balinese décor for religious festivals...

I walked around the main street, admiring the architectural beauty. Almost every building looked like an old palace or a temple, only to be repurposed as a café or a shop or a homestay or a spa or even a workshop. The buildings were adorned with the big masked faces and ornate stone and wood carvings , very typical of Balinese architecture. Every other door had a couple of stone figurines holding the most amusing expressions. I absolutely adored them.

Just a homestay on the street! 😍

I went to the Ubud Palace and found little kids were getting their dancing lessons! It was such a sweet coincidence. I watched them dance and fuss on their practice lessons. Then, following the street, went inside the Water palace.

Dance class in Ubud Palace!

I got myself another ticket for a traditional dance performance for that evening. Then, I went to the Saraswati temple where I had watched the Kecak dance, couple of days before. I wore the Sarang again and this time, made sure to get a picture of myself in it. I again found myself gaping at the beautiful architecture in all these palaces and temples. They were all so intricate and especially, the expressions were always so intriguing!

Inside the Ubud Palace...

I walked all the way to the Monkey forest and returned back the other way, doing a complete loop around the town.

Welcome to the Monkey Forest!

Then I ventured into the narrow lanes of Ubud. There are many such connectors that's spread across the whole city, slightly hidden from the main street. They take you to a completely different world of stretched out farm lands and traditional Balinese houses and wood carving workshops.

A sudden alley way...

Whilst ambling into one such path, I came across a nice walk through a rice field. I came across a couple of local people preparing the soil for more paddy plantation. A café called Orange farm in the middle of this rice field seemed very popular.

Café in the middle of a paddy field.

So, I walked a little further and found a quaint café for myself. I sat on a bench facing the paddy field. Tiny birds came dancing around and the Sun mercifully dimmed it's glow. I sat there watching the surrounding and sipping fresh mango juice...I didn't want to leave this place. So serene...

Where I spent the afternoon 😚

After spending a good leisurely time in the middle of the rice field, I walked back to the main street and right into the narrow lanes of the Ubud Art Market. It's a big thing in Ubud. There are multiple  such art markets which is basically streets lined up with shops selling handicraft products. The ones with bamboo really impressed me. Overwhelmed, I bought myself a xylophone made of bamboo!

I'm happy with my haul ! 😁

I headed back to the hotel for a quick freshening up before dinner and the dance performance that night. After a little rest, I went out to have my dinner. I, first, did a recee to and fro along the two main streets, trying to make the best pick for my last dinner in Ubud (and in Indonesia!). I almost zeroed in on one when it started spitting a few raindrops! I obviously wasn't carrying any umbrella. I was glad that I had made my decision before the rain decided to downpour and went inside the restaurant!

I'm so clever! 😂

I went for a complete Balinese meal tonight. My experiments with local food in the warungs hadn't been successful so far but it was my last night in Indonesia and the restaurant looked really good, so I dared.

Fortune favours the bold! Ah, what a choice of food that was! Simply delicious! The meat melted in my mouth and the spices left a tingling craving for more.

The best Balinese meal at 'Casa Luna'!

Feeling really happy and full after my dinner, I made my way to the dance performance which was at the Water Palace tonight. The open air stage was lit with gorgeous lights flicking it's shadow in the carvings on the Palace walls. Being open air, all our seats were wet from the short burst of rain an hour back. I used my shirt sleeve to try and give my bum a dry seating. Wasn't much of a help, to be honest. But as soon as the performance started, none of that mattered anymore.

Traditional Dance Performance...

I had a front row seat today but sadly, I didn't understand the story depicted through this dance at all. Most of the depictions were in local language. I still enjoyed the fancy glitters and the amusing expressions of the performers. The performance continued for just over an hour. It ended with a huge round of applause from the audience.

And that brought me to the end of my exploration in Ubud. I walked back to my hotel, thinking of the fast and fantastic fortnight in Indonesia and my flight the next day!

Walking past The Ubud Palace at night...

Day 4 : Fly back

Guess what, I'm sitting in the airport and staring at my ticket right now! The flight seat is 43K and I can't help but chuckle! Okay brain, 43K is not 43,000 IDR...it's just 43K. Indonesian Rupaiya has really messed up my metric system. Even after a fortnight, I still can't not feel amused by the notes. A meal for a lakh... a coffee for a 50 thousand...a day of snorkeling for a million...! Ooh! Funny when you think of it without the currency unit.

I was just so engrossed in writing about this trip, I almost missed my flight! I was reviewing the Rinjani summit push part and then I suddenly heard this name - Srijita Pal being announced! Good thing, I sat right by the gate. Phew!

That was close, eh ! 😳

In the flight now, heading back to Kolkata. I miss home now...always do, after a while. I'm this confused soul caught in the midway between home and wilderness. I don't regret it!

This whole trip has been fascinating, every day bringing in new dimensions in terms of - scenery, culture, people, emotions and also, food! I will probably be soaking in all these memories for a while now as I return to the comfort of home and whilst I secure enough holidays and money for my next venture! Terimakasi (thank you, in Indonesian) if you read this whole drudgery! See you until the next one...

Time to soak in the memories now 😇