As the political situation In Sri Lanka continues to heat up without resolution in sight, and given that Ben’s work is directly linked to matters involving governmental decisions, there is not much work that can be done until things settle down.
That’s a definite invitation for travel…
It is not a difficult decision for us to choose one of our favorite places as our top pick: namely, Bali, Indonesia. We need to be close enough to Sri Lanka that if we need to get back quickly for Ben’s work, we can. We also need to find something that is budget friendly, with cheap flights and hopefully the ability to secure a home exchange.
Luckily for us, it’s the rainy season in Bali and therefore not peak season. And indeed, the luck, or what we prefer to think of as good karma, holds steady for us and we score a home exchange. Not just any exchange, but one we have been to twice before in a quiet section, actually a neighborhood just outside of Ubud, Bali, and have over the years developed a friendship with the owners.
Why Ubud?
Aside from the unusually gorgeous architecture everywhere (homes, temples, shrines, compounds), the lush green abundance of nature, it is one of the easiest places on the planet, for us to be and feel healthy. With Ben’s upcoming last birthday in his fifties we are doing our best to stack the gods of health in our favour. Ubud is a magnet for yogis, with a multitude of studios, good teachers and classes offered at very good prices. It also has a plethora of restaurants which are plant based, probably more than anywhere else on the planet (at least that we know of…)
And then, there are the Balinese. Bali is the only island in Indonesia which is Hindu. A distinct branch of Hinduism which is blended with Balinese culture. There is a soft feminine energy, a strong connection to nature ~ one of the elements in Bali that we both really resonate with. in our experience, Balinese men and women are invariably soft spoken, warm and eager to share their unique cultural heritage. Offerings are put out for the gods twice a day, creating wafts of incense and a sweet sticky rice aroma, combining with the sweet fragrance of Frangipani blossoms, which are everywhere. Somehow the traditional cultural rituals and beliefs have held strong here and survived 600 years of history since the Javanese kings moved their court to Bali.
This is our fourth trip to Bali in the last five years. Ubud is another of those places that has a strong magnetic pull for us. The first time we came to Bali to see the Green School, a feat in architectural bamboo construction. And since then we have kept coming back….
Temples
There is a large temple, which is tucked into the jungle, that we have whizzed by on our motor scooter over the years, always saying.. “One day we should check that out…” And now, having just arrived, it beckons to us to stop by and visit. It is an overcast day and we have the temple complex completely to ourselves. Just us and the gods, and demons. We explore, we sit quietly, we slowly absorb all the beauty of the details, the design, the creativity and grandeur that is so unique to Balinese temples.
On our first visit to Bali, we were extremely fortunate to be invited to a rare ceremony at a temple village. Those memories and that experience have stayed with us over the years. (If you missed seeing this from our 2014 trip, it is definitely worth checking out.)
This holy, revered, place which, for centuries, has been used for ceremonies and festivals and prayer is now completely silent, other than the sounds of the water emanating from the female jug-bearing sculptures and the bird calls.
Water cleans and purifies symbolically. Holy water is sprinkled on everything in Bali. It is used so extensively that Bali-Hinduism is called the holy water religion. Water has always been significant in Hindu religion.
This entity, the small gold figure who sits at the highest point of all Balinese temples, is known as the sun god, the source of life.
The temple is nestled in an ancestral forest with massive trees, orchids, ferns and other tropical flora. Quite magical.
As there is no one else here today at this grand temple, we take the time to stop the clock, sit and sketch in quiet contemplation. Sketching trains the eye to notice details and by doing so our appreciation of the grandiose temple architecture grows.
Offerings are put out daily, morning and early evening. Everywhere. In and around homes, in front of places of work, shops, restaurants and of course temples. Little woven grass mini baskets are filled with flower blossoms and rice. Often incense sticks accompany the offerings. Sometimes if the offerings are in front of a shrine, or a god, there are other more unusual offerings. We have seen small glasses of coffee, cigarettes, anything that might make the gods happy.
A wall over a bridge has one offering after another. Each carefully constructed and filled ~ Balinese women spend many hours quietly and carefully making these ritualistic offerings to the gods.
Certain colors symbolise different gods. Umbrellas, flags and fabrics used in ceremonies have a similar correspondence with the names of deities and directions of the compass. Yellow represents the God Vishnu, the preserver of the universe.
Ganesh, the elephant god is seen quite often in amongst the other Hindu and Balinese gods.
Focus on optimal health ~ yoga, nature, plant-based food
In Sri Lanka we strive to get to yoga classes 2-3 times a week. Here we up the ante and take advantage of the plethora of studios, offerings and great value at $5-8 a class.
Outside one of our favorite yoga studios in Penestanan, the neighborhood we are staying in.
“Intuitive Flow” yoga studio has a sweeping view across the green belt of Ubud and on a clear day one can even see Mt. Agung to the left. Birds fly by, wind flows through ~ Ahhh….
I notice that one of the yoga studios “Radiantly Alive” is offering aerial yoga and jump at the chance to try it. Great way to get upside down easily and reverse the blood flow, with multiple benefits. (Bought a yoga “hammock” to take back to Sri Lanka with us.)
And as always, we look for ways to submerge ourselves in nature ~ places where we can walk and get away from cities and people, and surround ourselves with green and the tranquility of nature. So many good memories of other places in the world, doing the same thing.
And here in Ubud, there is a central green belt, a narrow ridge which winds and curves through the ridge with a valley on either side, thick lush vegetation and forest on both sides, and a wonderful alternative from buzzing around on a motor scooter in town.
The walk starts here, past a temple structure. A river to the right is lined with bamboo and orchids and tree ferns which hug the trunks of trees.
Loving the overcast skies and slight drizzle of rain which infuses the tropical humidity with an air of freshness. Green, green all around.
The path on the top of the Campung ridge attracts many locals who come here for a nature escape or to see the majestic sun set… today being overcast, there are very few other visitors.
The ridge in this large green park in the center of Ubud is comprised of a ribbon-like walk path that connects green “coves”, each a distinct little ecosystem. See below what Peta is staring at…
Ubud has an extraordinary, extensive food culture of plant based restaurants in addition to the traditional Indonesian food which is offered in warungs (small neighborhood restaurants).
For me, Peta, my preferred and healthiest diet and lifestyle is one which is plant-based, fresh and often raw. We manage this quite well in Sri Lankan with an abundance of tropical fruits and making the majority of our meals at home, eating a combination of veggie creations and veggie curries made by Nilu.
Our staple food is tropical fruits:
Some of our favorites here: Starting left and going clockwise: mangosteen, passion fruit, rambutan, mango
And of course the dragon fruit ~ it has a bright fuschia coloured flesh on the inside. Full of antioxidants and a high source of potassium and vitamin C
Definitely our favorite Asian fruit is the mangosteen. Luckily for us, it’s the season here in Bali right now. It is absolutely delicious with fleshy white segments (like a mandarin) but with a unique taste all to itself. Mangosteen is sometimes referred to as “the king of fruit” and that seems like a warranted label.
Ubud is a culinary vortex. For some reason, Ubud has taken to plant based raw food to such an extent that it may indeed be the world capital of raw food and vegan culinary creativity. So many choices, so much yumminess…….
Here are our top 10 raw and/or vegan bits of Balinese deliciousness:
Raw vegan gluten free pizza with mushroom and spinach and cashew cream sauce on a sun-dried tomato crust. Call it what you want, but it is absolutely delicious! (Alchemy restaurant)
Red rice and mung bean wrap filled with corn fritter and veggies ~ guacamole and crispy sweet potato chips. (Zest restaurant)
Coconut flesh calamari coated in sesame seeds (Moksa restaurant)
Breakfast yumminess (Ben): tofu scramble, with eggplant bacon, spinach, tomato salsa and gluten free bread. (Seeds of Life restaurant)
Breakfast yumminess (Peta): fruit smoothie bowl topped with jackfruit, jackfruit, strawberries, dragon fruit, bananas, chia, nuts, tapioca. (Yellow Flower restaurant)
Japanese inspired salad with sesame ginger dressing. (Elephant restaurant)
All veggie nori with cauliflower rice, miso soup and dipping sauce. (Alchemy restaurant)
Laksa soup all full of interesting goodies… (Elephant restaurant)
The exceptional veggie burger (Alchemy restaurant)
Yes it IS the best carrot cake EVER! And yes, it is raw and dairy free, gluten free. (Sage restaurant)
Peta in her element ~ so appreciative of all the variety and quality of plant based foods. (Zest restaurant)
Food highlight for us: the privilege of taking a plant-based 4 hour cooking course with Chef Made. His restaurant Moksa is at t he leading edge of the creative raw food global movement. His plant based culinary creations push the boundary of what one might think is possible with certain ingredients and flavours. watching him work with joy and passion for fresh plant-based food and local ingredients straight from the permaculture farm on site, was such a rare opportunity.
Constructing a vegan, raw wrap is an art form in itself. This wrap is made of a combination of sun-dried tomatoes and cashew nuts.
Chef Made making Mexican inspired enchilladas, with raw dehydrated pumpkin wraps and creamy nut sauces.
The completed dish. Incredible combination of spicy and creamy sauces with crunchy fresh veggies.
Thank you Chef Made for sharing your insights and knowledge. Such a pleasure!
Permaculture organic farm at Moksa restaurant where some of the veggies are grown. Love the coconut husks used to make the beds.
Ben is lobbying hard for us not to restrict our culinary tour to raw and vegan. It’s true that Ubud has many notable non vegan restaurants, so here is a nod to that world:
Classic traditional Indonesian dish ~ Nasi goreng with pickled mackarel, bean sprouts and all sorts of crunchy and other interesting sides. (Yellow flower restaurant)
Zaru soba and smoked mackarel.. (Kagemusha restaurant)
Karma is certainly with you, and long may it continue, Peta. Looking great! 🙂 🙂
Thanks Johanna.
Peta
How wonderful to return to Bali through your lens! And oh all that yummy food. Adored the video of Peta sketching. Certainly, a great place for Peta to create her gorgeous art! I hope that the political situation in Sri Lanka stabilizes soon but you are definitely in the perfect place to sit it out.
Glad we could take you back for a visit, Lisa. Perhaps we over posted a bit on the food, but actually, we had a hard time selecting from all the delicious dishes we have had since we arrived. Our ode to Ubud’s culinary scene.
We are pretty happy with our political limbo “holding pattern”.
P&B
xox
I love your positive outlook at every situation.
Sounds like you are in perfect harmony and balance there in Bali. Ubud looks like an amazing place to visit, it has long been on my wish list.
Your food photos are simply delicious. I can’t believe how cheap the yoga classes are in this area? Here in the Uk it can be quite expensive.
Enjoy, such a beautiful place😄
Thank you for noticing how we seek to transform challenges that come our way, into something positive.
I hope you get to Bali one day Gilda, as it is a truly magical place. It is easy to be in harmony and balance here. The locals are great role models for tranquility and balance.
The yoga here is definitely good value, better than anywhere else we have been. The restaurants as well. The same kind of plant based restaurant in New York or Spain, would cost 3 to 4 times as much!
Peta
Ubud is a great escape destination.
For us, Ubud is a great “anything” destination 🙂
Peta
Hi fabulous love your writings and photos. I’ve been to Bali and you have vicariously brought me back. Thanks and keep it coming. Miss you guys.
Thanks Heidi for the lovely compliment. Sending you hugs,
P&B
Beautiful post, great reasons to visit Ubud, and it looks like the perfect weather. Enjoy!
Thanks Sharon. The weather was initially hot and humid when we arrived, but shortly after it cooled off with the rains and has been perfect temperature. As is often the case, coming during rainy season which many avoid, allows us to be here, when it is less crowded. Always preferable.
Peta
xox
All that vegan food is very seductive!
Anabel, it is very much so. Very easy in Ubud to eat healthy and delicious and about 30% cheaper to eat out here than in Sri Lanka.
Peta
All that yummy food! What a delight. And probably affordable. Mark and I eat a plant-based diet as well, so we’d love to try all those yummy dishes you mention. Bali has come up more and more in our conversations, so I truly hope we can stay long-term on the island one of these years. I was there backpacking many years ago and would love to visit again and take Mark. Did you see the cheeky monkeys this time?
No good karma for us these weeks, as all we tried to secure a multiple-week house sit in January failed. Apparently, it was not meant to be. Maybe I’ll find out later why… Again, it’s good to be flexible, but when something you hope for or count on doesn’t work out, faith is lost. At least for a little while.
Liesbet, the plant based food here is very affordable, especially compared with prices in Europe or the States. I can totally see you guys living here, it really is a very easy place to live, or so it seems. Yes, we did see the monkeys again and will post about them in one of our upcoming posts.
Sorry to hear that your house sit failed… Not good when something you were counting on falls through. Where was it supposed to be? I hope you find something!!! Best of luck.
Peta
That “perfect” house sit was in Tucson, Arizona. We don’t have any more house sits lined up for the new year. I decided to join Mark to Boston for two weeks in January, which seemed more convenient than staying in Zesty somewhere by myself. It’ll be a chaotic few months, so I hope to get more work done on my memoir.
We had to look up those restaurants you ate at. Wonderful! And affordable for its quality and presentation! I only remember eating very local and on the streets when I was in SE Asia before. That was VERY cheap.
Liesbet, the same kind of beautifully presented vegan food in U.S. or Europe is just exorbitant mostly because this kind of raw plant based preparation is time consuming and also has to be super fresh to be good… With our focus on health right now, we are very happy to have the opportunity to be here for the food. Bali does not have a huge culture of street food as in other parts of Asia. Mostly it’s pig and they do love their chicken soup with meat balls.
P
Yikes! The alternative looks and sounds much better. 🙂
It was also at the peak of rainy season when I took my best friend to Bali after months of convincing — he used to think that the island was too touristy — and he ended up loving every single moment of the stay. From 2010 to 2015 I traveled to Bali quite often, sometimes even more than once a year. But since 2015 onward I haven’t set foot on the island again. I miss the calming sound of the local traditional instruments, the exquisite temples, the rich culture. From your photos it seems that many things remain the same since the last time I came to Bali, which is nice to know.
Bama, if the Dutch invaders who maintained control over Bali for more than three hundred years, could not fundamentally affect Balinese culture, religion and spirit, then it’s reasonable to think that a few years or even a few decades of 21st century digital nomads and global tourists, won’t make that much of a dent either. To be sure, there is more traffic and people than there used to be, and there is construction here and there and less rice paddies in Ubud specifically, but the fundamentals of Bali will endure, I trust.
Thanks for stopping by to read us and for your thoughtful comments.
Ben
We are planning a trip to Bali next year with little Leon- already taking notes thanks to this post! Thanks for the amazing insight, Peta and Ben!
Maya so great to hear from you! Happy to answer any questions or make recommendations… Email me 🙂 You will be in foodie, massage, nature heaven here.
xoxox
Peta
Great pictures and good looking food!
Thanks Or, so great to know you are reading us and enjoying. OMG the food!!!!
xoxox
Moma
I love traveling with you two – you take me to places I’ll never visit and you show parts that most tourists never get to. My dad loved to travel and would have gone someplace new every two weeks. My mom, who was terrified of planes (she was the most superstitious person in the world) loved to travel not so much. They compromised with about 2 trips a year and much planning the rest of the year for the next place to visit.
One place they absolutely loved was Bali. It was a skeptical side trek from their trip to Singapore. Though they only saw the more typical tourist areas, they came back raving about the beauty of the place and of the people. They fell in love with the Balinese for their inner and outer beauty. Of all the places my folks travelled to, their passion for Bali remains strongest with me.
As always you’ve immersed me in your experiences.
I was Bat Mitzvah at age 50, (20 years ago!) studying for almost 2 years with a group of adults from my temple. At our Torah reading, every other person read one of the Ten Commandments. I was assigned the section immediately following: An altar of earth you shall make for Me. Then it goes on to discuss sacrifices. I absolutely hated my portion. I felt slighted and humiliated and nearly decided to forego the ceremony at all.
But as I continued to struggle with it, I realized that it means that God asks and expects of us exactly what we’re able to give. God doesn’t demand jewels or priceless objects; God doesn’t only welcome the wealthy, the brilliant, the accomplished. No matter where in the world we stand, we can at least pick up a fistful of dirt and offer it.
Your images of the beautiful baskets of flowers and rice reminded me that sincerity and humility are enduring gifts, and that gifts to God are universal and are ultimately gifts to mankind. We are all connected no matter the name of the faith we practice and even if we don’t.
I’ve taken too much of your space, but I have to say that the photo of Peta walking the foggy path toward the lone palm tree is exquisite on so many levels.
Oh, and the food. This is where the phrase, too pretty to eat, has real meaning.
And one final note: I only get notification about your newest blog posts from Peta’s broadcast on email. So, thank you for that. (Sometimes I hunt the Internet to see if you’ve posted something new and you nearly always have.)
Sharon thank you for such a thorough and interesting response to this blog post. In actual fact, I (Peta) am not a fan of flying either, but I recognise that in order to travel I have to suffer through and deal with my fears and the realities of planes and airports. I do always travel with my prayer beads given to me by a Thai Buddhist monk years ago and they have served me well, as I focus on bead counting meditation as needed.
Your parents were spot on. The energy and beauty of the Balinese people is palpable and different to anywhere else. Somehow their culture, religion and rituals have survived all the hundreds of years of foreign interference, yesterday military troops and today invasive hordes of tourists. For us, as you know, we are quite good at avoiding the masses by getting off the beaten track and counter programming our travels when possible to be in popular places during their low seasons.
So interesting that you still remember your Bat Mitzvah portion so clearly and that you chose to go through this religious ritual at a mature age. Sometimes I think Bar and Bat Mitzvah’s are “wasted” on 13 year olds Most of the time, they are NOT adults, far from it. It would be interesting if more people considered the Bar/Bat Mitzvah age-optional process.
Thanks for your compliment on that particular photograph… the light and sky were so incredible that I think I will always remember that exact moment.
(We are working on finding someone to fix our blog as it should, but does not, automatically send out posts as it used to in the past.) Thanks so much for reading us and for your support and feedback which we always enjoy!
Peta
I feel like I’ve just taken a mini vacation in Bali after reading this. Everything about this post makes me want to immerse myself in it. The food! omg – the food!! ❤️
I have yet to try a mangosteen and you’re not the first person I’ve heard it called the king of fruit. Thanks for the clue that this is the in-season. I’ll have to make a trip to the Asian market today and see what they have.
Love the photo of you (Peta), sketching. Definitely the perfect place to be, surrounded by so much inspiration!
So glad to take you on a mini vacation to Bali… a lot more coming up! It is hard to say what is the best thing about being here, but the food certainly ranks way up high! And it was very hard to choose which photos to feature.
If you CAN find mangosteen, do try them. They are hard to open if you don’t know how.. To open them , take the small green stem out and then there will be a fleshy white opening which you can push on and the hard shell will crack open and the white jewels will be awaiting you. Careful though there is one pit inside each segment.
It has been a long time since we have taken time to just sit and sketch.. it certainly slows time down and helps one to remember a moment in time.
Peta
Oh my gosh. Ubud has always been a dream destination for me for many of the reasons you are enjoying it so much! Being able to just pop in there (albeit for unfortunate political reasons) is just unbelievable to me way over here, many hours and dollars away! I’m go glad to at least get in a visit with you – *especially* you two who savor things to the max.
Lex, you are absolutely right re location… the first time we came here to Bali, we came from Nicaragua and it was a whale of a trip. Being in Asia already certainly makes a huge difference in terms of ease of getting here and cost for sure.
Glad to have you enjoy along with us via the blog. Lots more coming up….!
Peta
I enjoyed being taken back to Bali through your wonderful photo gallery, Peta. Your peaceful existence is enviable. How many years have you been practising Yoga? Love the headstand image and the colourful food looks so healthy and nutritious. Enjoy your stay and happy sketching. xx
Syliva, we have both been practising yoga for about 20 years and it is definitely our preferred form of exercise/movement. Yoga has seen me through many a rough patch. The food here is off the charts , healthy delicious. In fact, my carnivore boyfriend is morphing into a mostly vegan diet here and is perfectly happy!
Thanks for the compliment on the photos, so glad you enjoyed a return “peek” back into Bali
Peta
Wonderful, Peta and Ben! The aerial yoga looks so intriguing. I think this would be the only way I can stand on my head these days, due to neck and shoulder problems.
Deb
Thanks Deb. The aerial yoga was so much fun. I even bought myself one of the hammock contraptions to take back to Sri Lanka so I hang upside down easily.
Peta
I love your sketch, Peta.
Thanks so much Tracey. I’m rather rusty but hopefully sketching is like riding a bike.
Peta
I am inspired by your positive way of dealing with challenges that come your way. The post could have been a story of the problems in Sri Lanka and instead I feel as though I have just been on an exotic journey where the food is made for me. I’d also love to try the aerial yoga! It’s fabulous that you were able to secure a home exchange, especially one you knew would work so well. I shall be hoping things settle for Ben to return to work. Until then may Bali wrap you in its lush green and welcoming ways.
Thank you Sue for the compliment and nice feedback. The situation in Sri Lanka remains in limbo, and there was nothing productive to do while there, so may as well get in some travels.
Actually when we arrived we had another home exchange which we didn’t love… it was sharing a house with a couple that were quite present and a not too comfy bedroom. So I wrote to our friends offering them an additional week of exchange in the future, and just like that, we packed up, moved out and into the most beautiful exchange ever!! Good save.
Bali is definitely wrapping us in its lush beauty..
Peta
Ubud is a perfect place for a getaway.
It is indeed. And luckily for us being in Asia already, it is a short hop and skip away….
Not only do I truly enjoy your posts, but I also get great pleasure reading all the comments and your replies.
Thanks Steve, that is really good to know. Thanks for mentioning.
Peta
Bali sounds (and looks) like a wonderful place to visit! You are lucky to get to go so often!
Bali is definitely something special, it is called “The island of the gods” for good reason. We are lucky!! Being based in Asia gives us many wonderful locations close by and with relatively inexpensive flights.
Peta
Peta, we’ve been to Bali a couple of times, and each time we based ourselves in Ubud for all the reasons you discuss. There are certainly more remote and private locations, but for the combination of convenience and culture, it’s our favorite. I remember our first trip there years ago, and this isn’t an adjective I use lightly … it was magical. I always have a hard time when people ask me what my favorite place is, but Bali always pops up on the top of the list. I recognize some of the temples in your post. Thanks for a good memory. ~James
James, Ubud has certainly gained in popularity over the years, since we were first there, five years ago and it can be crowded and maddening. By basing ourselves in a neighborhood away from the center, we have always found that we can find the quiet and serenity without the madness. Totally agree.. it is absolutely magical, for so many reasons. Could easily live there!
Peta
Paradise to paradise, wonderful title! It is so obvious from your photos and words how much you love Bali and beautiful Ubud. We’ve traveled to many amazing places but from an aesthetic perspective of everyday life Bali ranks tops—from the food presentation, to offerings, to textiles, to rice fields and temples, everything is just so lovely and visually pleasing.
You also got me envious with the aerial yoga. I would love to try this.
Happy holidays to you and Ben. All the best in 2019 and I hope the situation in Sri Lanka improves.
Caroline, one might think that Bali’s appeal is most pronounced when coming from a less paradise like location, as a break from a busy city life and yet, coming from a fabulous tropical paradise such as Sri Lanka, none of Bali’s magic was diminished. It is fabulous regardless where one comes from.
The aerial yoga was so much fun that I promptly bought myself one of the hammocks and am taking it back for my bedroom in Sri Lanka so I can hang upside down at will!
Wishing you both the same and a great 2019. The situation in Sri Lanka is now thankfully positively resolved.
Peta & Ben
So enticing!! I’ve wanted to visit Bali for years, and then put that desire aside, thinking that perhaps I had missed the opportunity and it had become too “touristy.” But I see from your post and your comments that it has not. So you’ve rekindled my interest!
The food looks exquisite. And I enjoy seeing the temples and sacred art, your daily activities, your walks, and sketching, and beautiful yoga practice.
Do you ever think of living in Ubud?
Laurel, Bali of course attracts loads of tourists for good reason. But if you take that entire population and carve off the large segment that heads for the beaches, you get to a more manageable number. Then in Ubud itself, there are about four streets that do get congested and busy especially in the high season. However, there are still areas that are less busy. When you do decide to go, do email me and I will be happy to give you some recommendations.
As you will see in our next and final post on Bali, we took a day road trip and quickly one gets into rural areas with very few foreigners.
Oh yes we certainly did think of living in Ubud and still do think about it. When we did our first SEAsian assessment of where to live, we ended up with a top three list of which Ubud Bali was one (the other two were Galle Sri Lanka and Hoi An, Viet Nam). Ben’s work determined that we based ourselves in Sri Lanka, but we could easily and happily live in Ubud. Who knows? Maybe we will…
Peta
So grateful for all of these Bali posts. Hey, my sister is a teacher at the Green School! I am planning on a full tour, of course.
We LOVE the Green School!! That is what brought us to Bali the very first time. We had been working with bamboo construction in Nicaragua and were so excited to see what has been done architecture wise in Bali at the Green School and aside from that aspect, that has to be the coolest school ever! Wish my kids could have attended. How lucky your sister is to work there and what a treat it will be to visit her there. Of that I have no doubt.
Enjoy!!
Peta
Bali would indeed be a great place to wait out the political storm. I quite like the rainy season in the tropics since it usually means more bearable temperatures, or at least clouds to block the hot sun. Any word on when you might go back? I hope things settle down for the people of Sri Lanka.
We too enjoy the rainy season. It allows for more quiet reflective time, especially when in Bali and one can enjoy the pleasures of being in nature so easily. And it definitely breaks the heat ~ although we were lucky as we were there in December, the temperatures were quite pleasant this time!
Things have settled down in Sri Lanka and happy to report that resolution was democratic and non violent. Making our way back after India…
Peta