The City of Ubud

On Wednesday morning we headed back to Bali by boat. The waves were crashing against the sides, we’re guessing up to 10 feet sometimes! A couple of prayers were said, not going to lie! We got to the mainland safe and sound, found a driver, and drove to Ubud, a city inland known for its Balinese culture and rice fields. We were able to find a home stay place that was cozy and downtown, perfect distance to do some shopping! The marketplace was colourful, busy, and full of life. Merchants carried all sorts of baskets on their heads and would convince you to see more of their merchandise. Towards the end of the evening we noticed the sellers giving us cheaper deals but in a way that they were begging us to buy from them. It was hard to be there as a foreigner, them knowing you had money. They would grab our arms as we passed and say “please buy from me for good luck” “for my family” “for my babies”. We were always told “for luck” and from talking with our driver and some other locals, we learned that the Balinese people have a strong belief in karma. They want to do good for others because then they will receive good things from their gods and possibly others. It was so hard to say no to these people sometimes because of their down spirits and begging. There days were spent here, trying to sell trinkets and souvenirs similar to the next stand. Bargaining didn’t seem fair, but they were more than willing just to try to get a dollar. I ended up taking the opportunity to buy some kitchen things, perhaps for my future kitchen?! And some other cultural materials. Our evening was dinner outside in a busier part of town, where across the road was a Hindu ceremony of some sort. It was neat to hear the drumming patterns and people walking past in different colour outfits. Later we walked around some of their temples. It felt like I was in the setting of the show “survivor” where they have the stone walkways and temple areas, with greenery everywhere and the lowlight settings. We also walked through an “orchid garden” of some sort. Sadly, it was a little dark, but still really pretty! It feels strange to be back in the city, where the hustle and bustle of life is the norm. Its different than Jakarta, as the cultural outfits are still worn, and the people are so overly friendly. Every thirty seconds were asked, “Ms.....taxi?” and I say “no, taramakasi” in my sleep. We head back to our place for the evening, excited we have hot water for the first time in a while. Hopefully the geckos and spiders can keep out for the evening. Some pillow talk and oreos always help calm those fears. Little did we know that we would wake up early to the rooster crows.