Ubud, Bali: Overview 2015
Barry and I were in Ubud again – because we love it there.
One of the great pleasures of being in Bali is the fresh coconuts – everywhere! For a little more than $1.00 U.S., you can enjoy this mineral-rich, hydrating treat.
Coconuts!
.
Not only can you drink the coconut water, you’ll find coconut in many dishes. Here – at the Yoga Barn cafe.
Coconut trees are everywhere.
A stop at Sari Organic for a coconut treat (note the straw is of sustainable coconut too).
Art is everywhere in Bali. Some of the streets in Ubud have patterned pavement.
Artistic pavement.
Ubud street.
Walking down an Ubud street, you will have visual treats everywhere you look.
These donated concrete slabs allowed the Ubud street to be paved.
For this concrete work, the close-by greenery leaves provide a beautiful pattern.
Even the shower floors are beautiful – at Dewa’s.
A wall next to Nyomen’s where we buy many of our gifts in Ubud. Nyomen’s husband carved these faces just to decorate the wall
Eating is a treat in Ubud.
One Sunday night, we tried this buffet in a family compound. Good and the cost? 35,000 Indonesian rupiah = about $2.65 U.S. 🙂
Dessert at Bollero’s – a favorite.
Food choices – from street cart venders to top five-star chefs – are part of the Ubud scene. We often just stopped in at Umah Pizza for a huge green salad – and yes, pizza; it was down the street from our home stay.
Warm volcano chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream – yum – at Bollero’s.
One of Barry’s favorite dishes at Bollero’s – Lemon grass, coconut chicken.
One of my favorites: vegetable/pineapple skewers at Warung Boga Sari
A feast at Dewa’s family compound
With friends at lunch at Bali Buddha
Bollero has photos from the past decorating the walls.
This caramel, peanut butter, chocolate pie was as good as we remembered it! At the Indian restaurant – Bumbu Bali
Usually we make friends as we hang out at Nick’s pool. This year, two Mainland friends came to visit us: Gail from near Seattle and Chris from Chicago.
Lunch at Nick’s with Gail and Chris – and Barry
Enticing walks lured us through the rice fields and all around Ubud.
A shaded walk.
Rice field.
Rice glowing in in the sunlight.
Terraced rice fields.
A big hotel is in the background, and tourists throng through the Ubud Palace, but you don’t have to go far to be away from the crowds.
Husked rice set in the fields to dry
Volcanos in the distance.
Shaded walks.
Plants familiar – and in this case not – but beautiful!
Rice field
Flowers are spectacular.
Rice field and volcano
Planting
We love the Balinese.
Two of our favorite Balinese: Krishna and Rama.
Dressed up for a temple ceremony, another cute Balinese boy
Spas are abundant in Ubud and nearby.
Naya Retreat & Spa – lovely
Barry and Chris at Naya – they came willingly to Rebecca’s Kundalini event 🙂
Of course, monkeys
You’ll see them especial in Monkey Forest
Everything has a reason in Balinese homes. The guards at the gates symbolize the positive and negative aspects of everything. In order for the head of the household to make wise decisions, the guards share both perspectives.
Guardians of the doorway
Ganesha, remover of obstacles, is in the middle of this doorway with the guards on either side
You’ll see classical – and quirky art
Traditional carved puppets
The painter of beautiful, intricate wooden eggs
Friendly painter. Barry met him on a walk through the rice fields near Ubud.
For the first time, we saw a cremation, an important rite of passage for the Balinese Hindus who believe in reincarnation.
Only the frame of the bull remains – and the ashes of the deceased
We went out almost every night for dinner, music, shows . . . Ubud has a range of entertainments within walking distance of our great home stay, Vera Accommodation <http://www.balicheapaccommodation.com/en/Cheap-accommodations/Indonesia/Ubud-Bali/Studio/Vera-Accommodation/1542>.
Hindu stories of the Ramayana come to life
The blacken feet of the trance dancer – he pranced through burning coconut husks! In the front row, I kept backing up so I wouldn’t get burned! How does he do it?
At Bar Luna: an entertaining and informative talk by two Western women who have married Balinese men
Music almost every night. Here we are again at Bar Luna. The performer made his instrument of bamboo – amazing
After Chris rescued a kitten, we went to Villa Kitty, an animal shelter just outside Ubud
Elizabeth (from Australia) is the moving force behind Villa Kitty
When we were there, for the Sunday fundraising buffet, Villa Kitty had 140 rescue cats of all ages and conditions and about 20 dogs. Elizabeth and her staff do wonderful work of rescuing animals as well as educating Bali residents.
Fellow Villa Kitty visitors
Chris and Villa Kitty rescue cats
This Villa Kitty resident looks much like the kitty that John and Sigrid got for us here at the Maui Humane Society – cute cat
Shopping is always an option in Ubud
Friendly faces, great prices
We enjoy being in Bali – especially in Ubud, a town rich in Balinese culture and religion. I also love all the yoga from very well-trained teachers offered in Ubud. My choice is The Yoga Barn almost every day! http://www.theyogabarn.com 🙂 . The Balinese and the visitors we meet there are wonderful, interesting people. Barry and I are sure to return.
Bye to Krishna, Rama and Ayu – until next time.
Aloha & Sanpai jumpa, Renée
"Where in the world are Barry and Renee?" 
I used to live in Bali when I was a child, but I don’t remember too much unfortunately. I really enjoyed reading your post and the photos. I hope to go back someday!
Hi Stephanie: I too hope you can go back to Bali. Some people say there are now too many tourists, but we don’t find that to be true if you go a bit away from the main tourist spots. The culture and religion are real aspects of the daily life for the Balinese. Good luck in going back. Aloha, Renee
Hi! Visit Bali is my dream. One day I’ll make this, maybe… I have a female kintamani dog, called Bali, as I talked you at the Bali dog post. It’s a medium to big size dog, with erect ears, longhaired, usually white. They’re different from the Bali street dog. I have a kintamani, but I have a doubt: how rare is kintamani dog outside Bali? Do you know another person outside Indonesia who have this dog?
Hi Rosita: I don’t know anyone with a Kintamani. I think you have a very special dog. Aloha, Renee
Oh, thank you, my dear! And my beloved Bali IS a special dog – for me, as well. I would to write an autobiographic book about my life with my dogs – including Bali -, one day, maybe… Do you would buy my book, when I write it? 😉
Yes, let me know. I would love to learn more about your life. I will buy your book. 🙂 Aloha, Renee
Oh, thank you, my dear! 😀
I’m planing a trip to Bali AND Gili islands, one day, and I’m asking you if you know anyone of these islands and what’s your opinion about the Gilis? :)🐾🌸
Hi Rosita – my very best commenter 🙂 : I have to admit that we have only been to Bali. And most of our time there has been in Ubud because we love it so much. Because we live on Maui and are on the water all the time, we aren’t so eager to go to beaches when we travel. I know that other travelers we’ve met have loved going to the Gilis. The Gilis are quiet, isolated islands with NO motor vehicles and are known for diving. Maybe the next time Barry and I get to go to Bali, we will venture out to the Gili Islands. Aloha, Renee
Oh, your commentary revealed perfect place to me! 😀 I can live on Gili Meno during 6 months, if I want, in the future?
Hi Rosita: Another challenge is the Bali visa. At least for U.S. citizens, we can have a travel visa for 30 days and then we have to renew it – for another 30 days. Check with an Indonesian embassy for the rules for Brazilians. Some travelers do stay longer – but I know one who has overstayed the visa so long that she can’t really leave Bali ever. If the police learn of her status, she will be in big trouble. So, it’s good to check out the possibilities before you go. However, Gili does sound ideal in many ways. Good luck. Aloha, Renee
Can I leave my dogs to Gili, if I want?
Hi Rosita: Maybe, but it probably wouldn’t be very easy. Or you might be able to take your dogs to Gili, but it might not be very easy (or cheap) to get them home. Because some dogs in Indonesia (and many other parts of the world) have rabies, Hawaii, for instance, has strict restrictions on dogs coming to our islands. You would need to check Indonesian rules and Brazil’s. It would probably much better for them if you left your dogs home with a loving, reliable friend. Has anyone reading this comment tried to take their dog to (or
from) Bali or the Gilis? Aloha, Renee
Oh, ok. 😉
I have a malinois dog, who I call Djoko (you can read it as Joko). He’s brown with a black muzzle, and I read in some sites that this’s the color of dogs sacrificed for bangbunken ceremony in Bali, and I have one doubt: my Djoko’s now with 1 year, and in that ceremony they use puppies or dogs of any age?
Hi Rosita: I’ve never seen an animal sacrificed in Bali – but I have heard that it does happen at some temple ceremonies. And I’ve heard about the black dogs being the ones the Balinese like to use for that ritual. I don’t know if the age of the dog matters. But this is another reason for you not to take your dogs with you.
Like you, our son likes to take his dog with him wherever he goes. Sometimes that is okay, but other times probably not. Taking a dog that is even partially black to Bali might be okay, but maybe not. I wouldn’t do it. Sorry for this negative news. Good luck in your search. Aloha, Renee
I would like to move to Maceió or Vitória, when I end university. And I will take my dogs, of course! 🙂 I wouldn’t like to go to the Heaven if my dogs can’t go to the Heaven. My dogs are my safe haven, they helped me in so much situations, I don’t have words to describe what I feel about dogs. Cleo, my yorkshire terrier helped me so much last year, when I lost my grandpa to the lung cancer, this miserable disease! I hate the tobacco/cigarette industry! but I think my dogs are gifts from God, they help me so much on difficult moments. ❤️ Sincerely, I prefer dogs than persons. And I would like to have another dog. Mommy’s planning buy a rare chocolate yorkshire terrier 😀 and I agree with that, because I’m a dog hoarder hahaha 😂😂😂😂 but, serious, I like rare dogs – I have one of the most rare dog breeds on the world: a white female KBD (Kintamani Bali Dog) called Bali. The KBD (Kintamani Bali Dog) is an emerging dog breed from Indonesia, but they’re very rare outside their homeland. And I also have a brown with a back muzzle malinois shepherd (or simply mali) called Djoko, as I talked you. I like rare dogs, but I also like street dogs, because they have so much endurance. ☺️💜🐾 What do you think about rare dog breeds?