In and Around Ubud

Bali has a special place in our hearts. We came here for the first time on our honeymoon in October 1994, and it was the first time that we traveled together outside the US. Denpasar was a mid-sized town back then, and Ubud still had the feeling of a small village. So much has changed since our first visit that we hardly recognize it. Ubud still remains the center of Bali’s cultural community, and holds a significant place in the minds of every Balinese. Even with all the changes over the past 10 years, Ubud is still surrounded by gorgeous rice paddies that remind us of our first visit.

We’ve rented a small house for the month, located in the village of Lodtunduh, just outside the now busy town of Ubud. Where Ubud bustles with traffic, people, restaurants and shops, Lodtunduh sits quietly in the famous city’s shadow. Our house faces directly west; overlooking the paddy fields lined with coconut palms and in the distance the mountains of Batakau and Pohon, soar skywards. The paddies have been irrigated, and are waiting for another round of planting, one of the three cycles per year.

The setting sun and clouds play with the colors of dusk and cast dark silhouettes from the coconut palms, reflecting on the still, watery surface of the paddy field. It is a dramatic, panoramic view to behold every evening. At the center of the paddy floats an emerald green island that houses the rice temple and enshrines the Balinese Rice God. Bats, auspicious animals in Asian lore, fly about and are almost indistinguishable from a group of swallows each swooping low over the muddy field, feasting on insects as the dark of night settles in. The variety of different bugs is astounding: giant bees, tiny ants, colorful beetles, brown moths, iridescent butterflies, a rainbow of dragonflies and the delightful fireflies we remember from our childhood. The Southern constellations spread out into the dark sky, looking unfamiliar and mysteriously beautiful.

Bali is just coming out of its annual rainy season. It is hot and humid during the day, with cooling, welcoming showers that come briefly in the afternoons or evenings. The rain and clouds enhance the gorgeous scenery, causing the tropical colors to sparkle through the lingering raindrops. The weather pattern is a refreshing change for us, considering the sky has been mostly a whitish-blue haze that has shimmered in a hot, dry heat during our travels through Southeast Asia. Here, we are reminded by how much clouds add to the mood of the surrounding views.

Because Ubud is a cultural center, various forms of traditional performance art are concentrated here. Tourists can enjoy many staged performances throughout town, often in beautiful gardens set against traditional architecture. However, it’s important to realize that the Balinese also conduct these performances more privately, in their temples, as part of their Hindu ceremonies and most dances are considered quite sacred. The themes for the theater, dance and music are often found in the many Hindu myths that are adopted from the epic Ramayana story. These are intermixed with other traditional religious beliefs that reflect the Hindu-influenced animism that is the basis of the Balinese spiritual life.

In addition to traditional arts, contemporary arts are also flourishing, especially painting, sculpture and jewelry design. Many artists, both Bali natives and foreigners, live, create, and display their work in Ubud. There are a few notable art museums in town. The Asian art scene notices artwork coming from Bali, and is avidly followed by collectors in, but not limited to, Asia.

The main roads of Ubud have been polished up drastically since our last visit. The streets themselves were dusty roads dotted with souvenir shops and currency exchange booths back then. Now stylish restaurants, cafÈs, boutiques, jewelry showrooms and art galleries dominate the sidewalks. We will spend a little time exploring this new face of Ubud.

Mostly, though, we are happy to spend our last month of Global Fusion here among the rice paddies of Lodtunduh. It’s a peaceful, scenic place where we can contemplate the incredible journey that is now nearing its completion, or just sit and watch the rice grow.