Bali: the girls trip - pure fantasticness!
Ubud, Bali Indonesia
October 2014
"a trip of fantasticness"
From the very first restaurant until the last; the tours, the shopping, and the villa... it was all-perfect! But how could it not be with four girlfriends on holiday in Bali? This is my Art Girls group - in photo above, left to right: Helena, Jenny, Barbara, and me.
(lunch in a hut with a first-class view of the rice fields)
Our villa was AMAZING!
The Villa, "A River Runs Through It", was in Ubud. It was designed by David Seligman, a set & furniture designer for Hollywood movies.
There was artwork everywhere, fabulously quirky furniture and even a door that we were tempted to try and put in our suitcases (photo below)... a Feast of Fantasticness (Barbara's term - love it). A perfect place for the "art" girl's getaway!
The villa was perched in the treetops - really! The top floor had no walls, interior or exterior. It had fabulous spaces to eat, relax, and dance! Which we did do one night... after a few bottles of champagne.
The kitchen with one of the many tables we could choose for our meals.
There were two women who made us breakfast every morning (pancakes shown below) and one evening they cooked us a wonderful dinner with local cuisine. They also provided housekeeping.
"mirror selfie"
This floor had two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a sitting room with wrap-around windows where you could look out onto the treetops and the river.
I want this door too! It was the bathroom door in my room.
This was the lower bedroom. It had a very nice bathroom through the door.
Another bedroom with a Balinese sofa that shared the art studio.
More vignettes of art. Two Americans own the villa and one is an artist. Most of the paintings are hers. We fantasized about running off to Bali to live in a villa and create art {BIG SIGH}!!
Bali is always all about the Buddha!
The grounds...
Jenny, painting one morning while in the little hut in the garden.
A small but nice pool that, we enjoyed in the evenings after the sun went down.
Barbara posing in front of "the door" while Helena practiced her photography.
Mornings were about coffee and chatting.
We had a nice mix of touring around Ubud, along with spending quiet time at the villa doing what we each love...
Helena taking photos and reading from "Rojak", the book that her short story was published in. The book signing just happened to be in Ubud the same days we were there so we all were at her book launch to support her!
Barbara writing, reading, and spending time with the resident dogs.
Jenny painting and shopping...
Okay this one is a bit corny - but I really like it. Look closely in the "O" and you can see Jenny painting.
Creating the daily offering at our Villa...
Offerings are daily devotional gifts to the Balenese belief system. They are primarily made of palm leaf, flowers, and food and are usually created by the women.
The sights of Ubud
We opted to stay in Ubud - a quieter part of Bali, famous for its arts and crafts. Much of the town and nearby villages seem to consist of artists' workshops and galleries.
It is also home to the stunning Tegalalang rice terraces, which are postcard perfect. This is a tourist destination, but if you arrive early you pretty much have the paddies to yourself.
"Subak" is the name of the irrigation system used for the rice fields. Created in the 9th century, today they are considered a UNESCO world Heritage Site. The system consists of 5 terraced rice fields and water temples covering nearly 40 acres.
In Indonesia, and especially in Bali, rice is a very important part of the people's lives. No meal is complete without rice as well as rice is an essential part of social and religious ceremonies. A scarecrow guarding the entrance to the terraces.
A juice break with a view of the terraces....
Our guide - how did he keep track of four women, all talking at the same time ??? He even sang traditional music to us while he drove us around.
Odalan - the temple festival
They say that there is never a day in Bali without a ceremony of some kind - baby ceremonies, coming of age, weddings, cremations, and temple festivals. We happened upon a temple that was preparing for Odalan.
Odalan is a Hindu festival to observe a temple’s anniversary. The celebration occurs every 210 days, as the Balenese calendar is 210 days long. This temple ceremony usually lasts for three days, but larger ones (which occur every 5, 10, 30 or 100 years) can last for 11 days or longer.
The decorated poles are called Penjours. Made of bamboo, they symbolize the dominance of good (dharma) over evil (adharma). They also serve to offer thanks to God for the fruits of the earth. I love how they create an arch over the walkway.
The decorations for the Odalan were quite extravagant. I have been in many temples but this was the first one I have seen decorated to this degree. It was wonderful! I wished D was with me to see it.
These lion/dragon like figures represent Barong and Rangda, characters in Bali mythology. Barong is the king who symbolizes good spirits and he is the enemy of Rangda (bad). At the ceremonies they recreate a colorful dance that tells the story of their eternal fighting.
The masks of Barong and Rangda are considered sacred, and a priest must offer blessings by sprinkling them with holy water taken from Mount Agung.
Placing flowers on the statues for the upcoming ceremony.
The festival had not officially begun, but many people were at the temple praying and making offerings.
Although there is dancing and food, the celebration is really for religious reasons. The Balinese honor the deities that rule over the temple.
The people of the community
I had fun photographing this father and son. How adorable.
The father knew I was taking the photos, but not the son. As soon as the son realized it, he hid from me. He then followed me around the temple, but each time I tried to take his photo, he would hide. Helena captured this photo of me interacting with them (I did not know she was taking it).
Respecting their traditions by wearing our sarongs and traditional adat (sash). Both men and woman should not enter a temple in Bali without both.
There are so many colorful ‘tedung’ or umbrellas decorating Bali. The word tedung means ‘to guard or protect’. In the temples, they use them for auspicious occasions and holy Hindu ceremonies. In earlier days, they were always associated with temple activity, but today they are "in vogue" and you can see them at every hotel and many homes.
There are five main colors of umbrellas (red, white, black yellow and black & white checked). They symbolize dedication to the Hindu religion with each one honoring a different God.
The black-and-white design symbolizes dualism in life, such as good and evil, brightness and darkness, as well as men and women.
To me, the tedungs are a symbol of Bali.
As we were walking around a side path from the main village, I made a new friend. This gentleman asked me where I was from - I always say Singapore which usually gets a big smile and a "you don't look Singaporean"! Than I say "America". When you say the United States - they always ask - "where?" He then told me he worked at the monkey temple. We chatted for a while and then I asked to take his photo. Several of the local women around were getting a big kick out of the exchange. I love this photo.
We then saw this group of workers taking a break. They wanted us to take their photo. The women were especially giggly asking us to take the young man's photo.
A local artist working on a traditionally styled Bali painting called Kamasan, named for the village where it originated. They use muted colors with strong outlines and figures painted either in profile or three-quarters view. They are usually images of everyday life, traditional costumes, and animals.
This was my very first "girls trip" and it could not have been more fun! Thank you Helena, Jenny, and Barbara.... where will 2015 take us ???
More beautiful photos. I love Ubud. Ive been going to Bali since I was a kid and despite all the changes Ubud is still one of my favourite places on the planet.
Posted by: Tanya | January 20, 2015 at 01:11 AM
Fantasticness is absolutely the right word. What a wonderful villa and lucky you to get to go on an art trip with like-minded friends. Wonderful photos. Makes me really nostalgic for Bali.
Posted by: Carol aka Traveller | January 12, 2015 at 10:43 PM
Lovely Cathy! Sounds like a great trip. I always enjoy going to Bali -- especially as a Hindu, it is interesting to see the similarities and differences in the way Hinduism is followed there and in India.
Posted by: Seetha Sharma | January 11, 2015 at 10:59 PM
What an amazing trip and SO fun to share it with girl friends!!
Posted by: Kathy | January 11, 2015 at 09:47 PM