A Week at the Beach!

 After sometime in Ubud, which is a bustling cultural hub, we were yearning for some place a little more “out-of-the-way”.  We decided to check out East Bali.  The Eastern coast of Bali offers spectacular underwater diving and snorkeling.  The constant offshore breezes are a refreshing change after the heat of Uluwatu and the humidity in Ubud.  We chose a small inn (only 10 bungalows) on Mendira Beach called Amarta Inn.  This Inn was an amazing find!  The standard rooms were pretty basic, but superbly clean with a small porch, an in-room fan, and a semi-open air bathroom with cold water.  Imagine our delight when we were told the rooms were 120,000 rp per night (~ $13.50) including breakfast!  A 1-hour Balinese massage could be purchased for an additional $6.

The beach, though small, was just out the entrance to the inn.  We were told that 30 years ago the whole coast was just one long stretch of one sand beach.  Unfortunately, development went awry.  As tourism to see these beautiful beaches increased, local developers dynamited the reef for building material.  With the reef destroyed, the beaches eroded.  A concrete “reef” and jetties were then constructed to allow the reef to repair and to try and catch sand to repair the beaches.  It is beginning to work.   

These long stretches of white sand beach still do exist, just a little further north where there is less development.  The most popular of these is Pasar Putih (literally “white sand”). 

Since this region is a bit quieter, we decided to try the local method of travel and rented a scooter. It was easier than I thought it would be, and Colby loved it!!  He sat on the scooter (wearing his helmet) whenever he could and made motor noises.  It was pretty darn cute.

I am glad he likes wearing his helmet since a scooter will be our main mode of transportation in Sumba.  With the scooter, we ventured to Pantai Jasri (Jasri Beach) – a black sand beach about 12km north of Mendira.  Pantai Jasri is more of a local haunt and therefore, much more relaxing.  There was no one trying to sell us lunch, a massage, kites, or sarongs!

These adventures cover about half of our stay at Amarta Inn.  At this point, the rest of the week is a blur for me.  I became violently ill and spent the next two days in bed.  Chris and Colby, I am told, had a spectacular time playing with trucks and shovels at the beach.  We returned to Uluwatu (where I composed this post, but couldn't upload it).  I finally started to eat again!  

We are now in the next phase of our trip.  We are calling this part the business phase.  On Monday, we flew to Singapore for 3 days to finalize our research visas.  Indonesia requires that you step out of the country briefly and visit an Indonesian Embassy.  Most ex-pats take care of this annoyance in Singapore.  While in here, we will meet with some collaborators at A-Star Immunology.  I really know nothing about Singapore and am looking forward to exploring a new place for a few days.   

I will post again soon!        

YARN!

Sorry for the delay in posting.  We have limited internet access recently and then I had a bout with food poisoning.  All better now, so I will put up a post I have had ready for a few days now.  I will update again very soon with a post about our time in East Bali on Mendira beach!

 

Warning: This post, in its entirety, is about yarn and all things fiber.  Read on if you should desire, but if you are not “into” the fiber arts – I don’t want to hear about it!

While in Ubud, we visited a little shop/gallery for Threads of Life.  This magnificent organization helps rural villages on various Indonesian islands to earn a living by selling their textiles for a fair price.  They promote quality over quantity.  They insist that the techniques and materials used are sustainable, and encourage villagers to used traditional techniques and motifs. 

In this little (air-conditioned!) shop, they had displays of plants used for natural dyeing like this tree root that produces a red color.

There were also samples of the yarns used hanging above my head, and wound into fantastic balls.

   

Once I was able to pull myself together (I have not seen or touched yarn in weeks.  I was experiencing withdrawal!), I saw this:

Chris said I was drooling a little at this point.  All I know is that I MUST have one.  As soon as I find a local craftsman to commission one from, I will.  I am assuming I will be asking for several swifts since I know some other individuals who are salivating as they read this (Don’t worry – I will post information when I have it on Ravelry). 

Among the other artifacts on display, was a loom complete with an unfinished cloth.  This black and white checkered design is quite traditional.  In the Hindu culture, white represents good while black represents evil.  Having them on the same cloth represents the balance between good and evil that exists in the world and must be respected.

   

Next I ventured downstairs where some of the traditional weavings were displayed for sale.  They had small cloths (table runner size) and elaborate tapestries fit for a queen like the one below.  This piece is a traditional tubular sarong made in Rindi, Sumba, by the Queen of Rindi herself.  The motifs are represent horse hooves, a symbol of royalty.  This particular sarong was priced at 8,500,000 rp. (or roughly $900 USD). 

Rindi is one of two villages on Sumba that has a Threads of Life weaving cooperatives.  Both villages are on the Eastern part of the island and we will be living on the Northwestern side.  The docents at the Ubud shop said that visitors are welcome to visit the co-op in Rindi.  The Queen is the leader of the co-op and is always delighted to talk to visitors.  I can picture it now....

Christina:  Hi Queen of Rindi! (I suppose some sort of courtesy would be appropriate.)

Queen: Selamat datang (welcome)!

Christina: These tapestries are beautiful.  Would you teach me all of your village secrets regarding traditional ikat weaving and natural dyeing?

Queen: Tidak, bisa Bahasa Inggris.  (I don’t speak English.)

Christina: Selamat pagi.  Apa kabar? Di mana kamar kecil? (Good morning. How are you?  Where is the bathroom?)

Queen: Kiring (to the right)

Christina: Terima kasih (Thanks)

Perhaps, I should practice some more.....

Rice, anyone?

The main staple here is rice.  We have eaten rice prepared in many different ways: steamed, fried, pressed into crackers, etc.  One favorite is the popular Indonesian dish Nasi Goreng which is often served with chicken satay.  But, we hadn’t actually seen any rice fields yet.  So off we went to explore the rice terraces and what better way than by bicycle! 

“Bali Bike-Baik” tours started with a little lesson on how coffee is produced.  They took us to an organic coffee plantation that still processes coffee by hand.  They let us try 2 types of coffee (Bali coffee and ginseng coffee), two teas (lemongrass and ginseng) and hot cocoa made from pure cocoa.  We were also offered a cup (for purchase - 30,000 rp.) of Kopi Luwak.  This coffee has been processed by a civet (locally known as a luwak), an animal which reminded me of a ferret.  The luwak, being very particular, eats only the best coffee berries.  Once digested the luwak excretes the beans.  (Yes, you read that correctly.  The ferret-like animal poops out coffee beans.)  The excrement is then collected, and cleaned we were told, before being made into a rather expensive Indonesian delicacy.  I declined as I am not a coffee drinker.  Chris, however, was just being a weany.

Colby liked all, but the Bali coffee.  It has a bitter taste.  The cocoa was amazing and I actually liked the ginseng coffee.  Chris informed that my pleasure with the ginseng coffee was probably due to the pure cream and the brown sugar it had been prepared with!

 

   

Following the caffeine sampling, we had breakfast overlooking Mount Batur (Gugung Batur).  We learned while dining (to Chris’s morbid amusement) that a tourist fell almost 500 feet into the mouth of this active volcano a few months ago and died.  I quickly inquired about how close we were about to go to this veritable precipice of death.  Fortunately, this distance was as close as we were going to get to the volcano.

The cycling part of the tour took us through 24 km of rice fields from Mt. Batur gently down hill back to Ubud.  There was almost no pedaling! Colby loved it and had a great time talking to his new friend Tim from Singapore.  Don’t they look cute in their little helmets!

The views were stunning as we tripped through rice fields in all stages - growing fields, harvested fields, and newly planted.

The rice is found at the top of these very tall stalks of grass.

We learned that plowing and planting the fields is for those with a Y chromosome, and harvesting the rice is left to the women of the village.

It is then transported by whatever means available.  I am continually impressed by what Indonesians are able to successfully carry on a motorbike.

Once harvested, it is laid out on burlap sacs in the road to dry.  Once dry something mysterious happens and the brown outside shell is removed revealing the white rice inside.  (This part was lost to me as I was lagging behind taking this photo!)

Okay...now for a little business.  I recently learned that it was rather cumbersome to leave a comment.  I have fixed the blog so that you should be able to speak your piece without registering.  So don’t hold back!

Monyet-Monyet

Bali is home to the Long-tailed Macaque. These monkeys are only slightly smaller than Colby. They live in groups of 5-60 called troops. The girls never leave their original troop, while the boys jump to another troop when they are about 5 years old. And they are everywhere! There were monkeys on the way to Uluwatu Beach.

Sometimes they climbed up the cliff to visit us at the Resort.

On Thursday, we left Uluwatu and headed North to Ubud (pronounced Oo-bood) which is known as the artistic center of Bali. Not only is the place silly with art and textiles, it is also home to a plethora of Macaques. We spent our first morning in Ubud visiting the Monkey Forest Sanctuary. This sanctuary was not like the typical animal preserves or zoos at home. The word sanctuary in this instance refers less to a protected area and more to the Hindu temple within the forest.

Another big difference - In the U.S., humans and animals generally occupy separate spaces. In most instances, there is at least a fence maintaining this separation. At the Monkey Forest Sanctuary, there is no attempt to separate primate species made by man or beast. One can fantasize that the Sanctuary is where man can be one with nature – you know a harmonious existence and what not. This is not the case. Instead, getting through the forest is more a test of your stealth and fortitude. Think of it like a video game. You are Mario and the object is to get through the Monkey Forest with your treasures – camera, cell phone, sunglasses, water bottle, and keys. Two unwitting souls actually purchased bananas on their way in!

Colby thought the whole placed ROCKED. He giggled hysterically and ran full force towards the monkeys. He wanted to pet them and hug them and love them.

Admittedly, it was pretty cool. There are 4 troops of monkeys in the Forest currently. We witnessed some inter-troop skirmishes – mostly just yelling matchings (Krra!Krra!). They were all more than willing to be out in the open, though.

And definitely not shy about their daily activities -- sheesh!

Once we were comfortable maneuvering in the Forest and protecting our treasures, we ventured down a set of stone stairs where more temple buildings were located. I felt like we were in an Indiana Jones movie. The staircase is a serpentine staircase.

At the bottom, covered in moss are two gigantic stone Komodo dragons looking out over the jungle river!

“We do not follow maps to buried treasure and X never, ever marks the spot." (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - 1989)

Swedish Tourist Brained by Rock-Wielding Whirling Dervish

On the evening of June 9^th, 2010, a Swedish ornithologist was gravely injured by a rock that plummeted off the dolomite cliffs of Uluwatu Resort. The unsuspecting bird-enthusiast was taken to a 1 band-aid - 1 cot facility where his condition is reportedly “touch-and-go”. The offending rock is believed to have been thrown by a male suspect who is approximately 2 ½ feet tall and weighs about 25lbs. Onlookers describe the culprit as having sandy blonde hair and an impish smile. One man characterized his quick movements as being similar to those of a whirling dervish. The suspect was last seen wearing a puffy white speedo and an orangish stain on his face (possibly spaghetti. If you see the suspect, please call the authorities and do not approach as he is considered dangerous and prone to sudden outbursts.

Uluwatu

Bali.... C3 arrived in Bali a few days ago. We are exactly 12 hours ahead of the folks on the East coast. (I know I sent some emails out stating differently, but that was due to jet lag and stupidity.) Thankfully, our journey was relatively uneventful with the only glitch being luggage. We left with only the baggage pictured for the 3 people for one year.

China Air did a fabulous job and the luggage arrived at our final destination unharmed. In our sleep-deprived state, we left the airport sans one bag. Chris had to rent a scooter to go back for it! The last two days have been about sleep and recovery. I think I finally feel human again.

We are staying at the Uluwatu Resort on the Bukit Penisula. This Resort must have been something a few years back. It is a little rundown and up for sale. Don’t get me wrong. It is a great place to stay, the view is spectacular,

the staff is super-friendly, and the price is right, but it needs a little TLC. The room is large and with a vaulted ceiling. The bathroom is semi-open air, which lets in all sorts of light and a few lizards!

Colby has become good buddies with the staff. Any time he cries, they all come running to find out “why so sad?” (usually because his mean mother is trying to put clothes or sunscreen on him). With all of the beaches and fun outdoor activities, it is not so hard see why the wonder at his occasional melancholy. How could you possibly feel anything negative here?

After our day at the beach, we headed over to the Uluwatu temple last night to see a traditional Balinese dance. The dance starts just before sunset and ends in the dark. The only music comes from the 40 or so men who rhythmically chant for the whole hour. The dancers wear very elaborate costumes and this dance ended with a little fire earning its name – The Fire Dance.

The dancers whole faces are painted on, including their eyebrows. Their movements are very elegant, but punctuated, and originate mostly from their arms as their bodies are bound tightly in their costumes. Their pronounced facial expressions help to tell the story they are trying to convey in the dance. This particular dance was about a beautiful princess who is captured by an evil king. She is ultimately saved by the magical white monkey.

Colby’s little eyes wear like saucers the whole time. It was a true feast for the senses!

Helmet Required

Just a quick post to say we have made it to Taipei and they have free wifi in the airport! Chris asked that I let everyone know that traveling with a toddler on a such a long flight (13 hours) is a contact sport akin to football. A helmet and other protective gear should be worn at all times. The other passengers on our flight were quite gracious (or perhaps desperate for sleep). During one particularly loud screaming fit, Colby was presented with strawberry-banana yogurt, miniature cakes, gummy bears, and a light-up frog. Our next flight leaves in about 2 hours for Bali which should take about 5 hours. I do hope we all arrive with our sanity intact.

Back Blogged

Wow! This month has been SO busy. Let's play catch up!

On Friday April 30th, C3 left our little apartment on Circle Drive (with a slightly larger uhaul than we planned). With all of our belongings packed in the trailer or the jeep we headed cross country on the Loneliest Road in America - US 50.

We drove for 9 days covering a little over 3,000 miles through Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. We stopped in cool towns, and played in tons of playgrounds, parks, and campgrounds. At the end of each day, Colby was exhausted!

He was a fantastic traveler, though - such a little trooper!

While Chris headed to RI to do some lab work and and to check on our lovely tenants in Little Compton, Colby and I spent the next 2.5 weeks in Ohio visiting my family and preparing for the move. Little C and his cousin Preston became BFFs and crowned Daisy the Dog their favorite partner in crime. Absolute Chaos is the only way to describe what ensued with these three at the helm each day.

Astonishingly, the Sowards home is still standing albeit more disorganized than when we arrived (sorry Mom and Dad). The visit ended with an early birthday party for Buzzy. (He'll be 2 this Friday June 4th).

C3 is currently in San Francisco for the next 11 hours. Then China Air will fly us to Taipei and finally to Bali. We have passports, visas, toothbrushes, mac and cheese, and spongebob. Wish us luck!