The Ring(s) of Fire - Bali (Indonesia Part 1)

Bali, Indonesia (MAP)

Approximately 240 million people live along Indonesia’s volcanic archipelago known The Ring Of Fire, where subterranean geological giants wrestle beneath the surface generating earthquakes, mudslides, eruptions, and tsunamis. Incidentally, of much more frequent danger is the other Ring Of Fire experienced when exceeding your personal limits with the spicy local sambal. Although Indonesia has the world’s largest Muslim population, the small Hindu island of Bali offers a beautiful departure from the relentless mosques and strict oppressive rules. Fresh flowers and incense offerings (banten) adorn every business and home, beautiful clothing and dance ceremonies mix with the eerie clanging of the traditional gamelan, and if you are careful, you can still feel the ghostly vibrations of black and white magic of the animist traditions.

Kuta Beach

Pounding surf, plentiful parties, and cheap accommodation draw heaps of tourists to the slummy Kuta Beach area where pockets of charm make the place somehow bearable if you don’t have the funds to relax in Seminyak or the multitudes of 5 star resorts just out of town. Southern Bali is renowned for the famous surf breaks of Padang Padang, Ulu Watu, and Dreamland. I was satisfied just floating in the truly massive rolling swells and bodysurfing the smaller breaks that chewed up and spit out more than a few inattentive people. Back in the safer breaks at Kuta, the waves still punished me as I struggled to survive the physical lessons of surfing.

Ubud

I met my friend Sarah (from London Canada) up in the quiet inland town of Ubud, where we dined by candlelight since the power happened to be out that particular evening*. We spent several days riding on a motorcycle alongside the fertile volcanic terraced rice fields, viewing temples near crater lakes, being teased by exquisite luxury resorts and retreats, and meandering through small villages tucked along the winding roads, and even stumbled upon a cock-fight tournament before returning to the relaxing comforts of Ubud.

After eating tasty organic food at Kafe and discussing the Japanese snowboard and DJ scene with Craig, I wandered across the street and dropped into the otherworldly bliss of a hot stone massage. With my body and mind in a dreamlike state, I glided into the dark Monkey Forest where celebrations were underway for the semi-completion of temple renovations. I felt a little like Alice in her blue meanie Wonderland as the surreal clangs of the eerie gamelan instrument reverberated through the forest as I followed the winding flagstone path. Lost in a strange procession of traditionally dressed Balinese, I flowed towards the performance stage where I was mesmerized by the absolute precision of movements. Heavily painted eyes darted back and forth, hands and arms traced exquisite arcs, eyelashes danced expressions, and toes angled to the night sky as the feet played in exacting dance. Narrated in Bahasa by a single individual, the characters performed the translation for me in a silent enactment of a traditional Balinese tale of love and bravery.

Worthwhile things in Ubud, Bali:

• Take a djembe drumming lesson with Gusti at The Drum Factory near the Monkey Forest. Way cool dude, and a naturally wicked drummer.
• Indulge in an hour and a half hot stone massage from the shop directly across from Kafe café.
• Just outside the information office, walk up the cobbled street and into the rice fields, then at dusk stop for a bite to eat at the organic café.
• Go see the reggae band called Peace Love and Nasi Goreng and then go hit the small nightclub on the edge of town for some great local performers. Craig and I went out there on the day that we found out Michael Jackson passed away.
• Relax for a morning meditation and Qi Gong session with Daniel (danielliox[at]gmail[dot]com).
• Rent a scooter and take the smallest possible roads towards Rendang, or up to Lake Batur, or towards the north west in order to see amazing rice fields.

Worthwhile things in Kuta, Bali:

• Rent a scooter for a day trip down to Dreamland to relax on the beach and watch the surfers, stop in at Ulu Watu temple, and then relax at Bulvari’s cliffside infinity pool bar for a sunset happy hour.
• Go see the Wednesday night band Siztas at Obsession and watch and listen to Marina Sidik shred some good rock & roll . As a writer from Bali said: "With a throaty, husky Janice Joplin style voice, Marina screams rock from every pore of her body, loose and fluid on stage, her body girating to the twisted tunes droning from Sally's deranged approach to rock n roll violin playing". Then dance until the sun comes up at La Vida Loca on Double Six road in Seminyak.

*(I love it when the power goes out and eliminates the underrated annoyances of light pollution. It brought back memories of the massive power outage in Ontario, when we could gaze upon the stars while walking the city streets, and everyone was forced away from their televisions and computers to gather and spend time together.)

Tanah Lot, Bali. A beautiful temple that becomes an island at high tide.

Sania House, Ubud, Bali. This is a beautifully decorated guesthouse in Ubud.

Kuta Beach, Bali. Johnny and I went out for a few hours to see who could swallow the most sea water.

Dreamland, Bali. Surfers make me jealous.

Dreamland, Bali. Some surfers make me even more jealous, but for other reasons.

Dreamland, Bali. This girl can really rip it up!

Dreamland, Bali. This photo just cannot do justice to the absolute ferocity of the ocean on this day. On this day, the swells were too massive for even the surfers to go here.

Cliffside bar, Bulvari Resort, Pecatu, Bali. Sarah and I posing and pretending we could afford to stay at this insane place!

Amed, Bali, Indonesia. Our cool little bungalow overlooking the ocean. We didn't expect to make an overnight journey, but it was getting late and this spot was irresistible.

Town near Lake Batur, Bali, Indonesia. This is a roadside shop where Sarah and I stopped for an omelette dinner and also a game of pool with the locals.

Lake Batur, Bali, Indonesia. An old temple out near the end of the road at the far edge of the lake near the end of the day.

Lake Batur, Bali, Indonesia. The small village near the old temple out near the end of the road at the far edge of the lake near the end of the day. There is SO much garlic grown and dried in this area.

Near Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. A cockfight, though not to the death. We were the only westerners in the makeshift arena, and it took a while to understand the flurry of money, shouting, and fluffing of the birds and fixing of the heel-blades before they did combat.

Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia. A bit of our 'crew' in Bali... Craig, Me, Johnny, Eddie, and Flora.

Udud, Bali, Indonesia. There was a kite festival in Sanur that these kids were practicing for. The size of this kite is CRAZY!

Monkey Forest, Ubud, Bali. These girls are heavily decorated!

Monkey Forest, Ubud, Bali. The movements of even the toes and eyes are so precise in these dancers...

Monkey Forest, Ubud, Bali. This girl was so intense as she fluttered her wings totally embraced in her acting, I am not sure she was even aware of the crowd, or the fact that she was human.

Monkey Forest, Ubud, Bali. These were the women of the love story and the sassy seductresses.

Monkey Forest, Ubud, Bali. The men and boys gathered to gamble money on a simple dice game, betting on squares with mystic hindu gods are drawn.

Near Ubud, Bali. The terraced rice fields climb out of every river valley and up onto the slopes of the volcanoes.

Ubud, Bali. This is one of the short walks just outside the town near many rice fields. This flowing grass was quite unique to the typical rice fields that are seen all the time.