Ubud, Bali: cheap eats and great culture

We arrived in Bali late on March 1st and were greeted at the airport by someone from our hotel holding a "Mr Evan Gilbert" sign. We were able to bypass all of the taxi drivers begging to use them for a ride as well as the money exchangers who were smiling and waving at us just itching to give us a bad exchange rate. As soon as we arrived at our hotel, Tegal Sari (in Ubud, www.tegal-sari.com), we immediately acknowledged the drastic price difference from Australia. A 675ml beer was only $2 in our mini fridge! Coke only 60 cents!

We were given the option to have breakfast in their restaurant or have it brought to our room. We chose to eat breakfast on our porch overlooking the rice fields every morning. Breakfast was great! We had the choice between eggs, omelette, pancakes, a jaffle (thought it would have been a mispelled waffle, but no, it's a toasted sandwhich), and few Indonesia breakfast options. We went for the pancakes and omelette the first day with fresh banana juice for Evan and fresh pineapple juice for Michelle.

One US dollar equals $8950 rupiah, so we felt like kings after we went to the money exchange and left with almost a million rupiahs. Then we were off to the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary. We didn't buy any bananas to feed the monkeys and encourage them to jump on us, but within 2 minutes one was hugging Evan's leg. There were so many monkeys! Old fat ones, mothers nursing their itty bitty babies, juveniles that were causing trouble (going after the water bottle in Evan's pocket).





Evan had researched some cheap eats in town, so we started our search for "Satri's" for lunch. On our way we were handed brochures about massages and spa treatments every 50 feet. When we finally found it (had to walk through an art gallery and someone's courtyard where they were hanging their laundry and doing dishes), we were ready for a feast! Evan ordered a cocktail made with Arak and Brem which got him significantly buzzed off of one drink. Michelle had a nice cold beer. The food was delicious - Nasi Goreng (fried rice, chicken, eg and satay skewers) and Chicken with coconut. Yumm! And, all for $7!!! After lunch we decided to try out one of the massage places called Padma Hasta. Evan chose the "Lulur" package - a one hour massage and skin treatment to help exfoliate. Michelle chose the "Tropical" package - a one hour massage finished with freezing cold papaya spread all over her. Then a refreshing rose bath after the massages. Total cost for both of our treatments - $20! We could stay here forever!!!

That evening we took in a Kecak show. The story is told through a choir of about 100 men who sit in a circle and sing and chant. A few girls come out and dance around them. It ended with a fire dance where a guy is lulled into the trance by the sounds of the choir and walks on a bed of burning coconut husks. What a day!

On Monday morning we went to Museum Neka which contains many Indonesian and Balinese paintins as well as western artists that have settled in Bali. Two of our favorite artists were Arie Smit and Theo Meier. The details on the Balinese artwork was very intricate.





After the museum, we went off on a search to find another one of Evan's researched restaurants called Made's Warung. I think they hide all of the good places to keep them quiet and cheap, because we have had the hardest time finding places even when we have an address! This one was up some stairs, through some rice fields and tucked way way back. But, again, it was amazing and well worth the hunt.





That afternoon we splurged again at a spa, but this one (Pertenin Spa) was a little more upscale. We both had a one hour massage and Michelle also had a one hour facial - all for $22. The massage was the best one that Michelle has ever had (seriously, best ever!!)! Wow! While Michelle was getting her facial, Evan got his haircut, so he no longer looks like a bum.

That night we watched a Legong dance which was even more entertaining than the Kecak. Their were nine different parts of the program with different dancers telling different stories and surrounded by men playing the gamelan. The way the female dancer (colors were mostly gold, pink, orange, yellow) moved and positioned their fingers was amazing. Their silk outfits were gorgeous as were their headpieces and makeup.

The culture here is beautiful and their religion is apart of everything they do. They are constantly putting out offerings whether they are at work or home (they even left one outside our room every night). Their offerings are made out of bamboo leaves and filled with incense, flowers, food (rice or a bag of liquid). They have so many ceremonies for different stages in life - birth, puberty (teeth filing), marriage and death (cremation) and everyone in the neighborhood helps with every ceremony.