Ubud - Blogabond

After Lovina and all the rain we arrived in Ubud, a small cultural shopping city north of Denpassar, Bali. On the bus we met a couple of French guys, a couple of Dutch girls and a German guy, Sirko. Together with Sirko we checked into a guesthouse with a swimming pool on the main street [Monkey Forest Road] and then started to discover some of the best food had on the trip so far! After the delicious curry in Permeturan i thought it would be difficult to find better on the island, however over the three days in Ubud i can't recall eating or drinking one bad thing! Gorgeous food and lots of coffee milkshakes and really fresh juices!

On the first day we did a bit of shopping in the famous tourist market there and then in the evening we went for a meal together with some Dutch people we had met in the guesthouse in Yogyakarta. We also started to spend a lot of time sorting laundry [after the rain] and the next part of our trip, leaving Bali and reaching somewhere in Flores [...and somehow more importantly!].

Apres Lovina, Ubud! La ville des rencontres! Dans le bus nous avons rencontres des francais, des hollandaises et surtout Sirko, un allemand. Nous sommes reste dans le meme homestay, proche de la foret aux singes, et avons passe nos 2 jours a profiter ensemble de la bonne nourriture et des fantastiques cocktails pur jus a tomber par terre. Le premier jour, nous sommes alle au marche (pour les touristes hein) faire quelques emplettes. Dur dur les negociations! Sinon Ubud est une ville tres agreable ou il fait bon se promener. On s'y sent bien. Et vu que c'est la ville des rencontres, nous sommes tombes par hasard sur 2 couples de hollandais qu'on avait rencontre a Yogjakarta!

On the second day of our stay, we rented a scooter and headed off into the country surrounding Ubud and in truth it didn't start that well. We went to a place called the elephant cave and neither did we see any elephants or enjoy it. It just felt like on big tourist trap with people on every corner asking you either to pay them to be their guide or to enter their 'different' temple! There wasn't anything that special about it and the most amusing part was watching a couple of europeans doing some yoga/meditation by a pool as their master had a shifty cigarette while sitting on a stone and giving the odd chant. Why would you do that in a place like that? Serenity i think not. However the afternoon got much better, plane ticket confirmed to Maumere [Flores] for the next day and the discovery of the places where they make much of the stuff for sale on the market and stalls.

While asking for directions we were invited in by a lovely lady who made plates like we had bought at GitGit waterfalls [70Rph]. She showed us the processing and even let me break a few things trying, then at a very reasonable price she sold us four coasters that we appreciate greatly. The real price of the plate was revealed as 15Rph and the starting price of the stall seller had been 150Rph! On the way home we stopped off at a sublime cafe overlooking a rice field and as the rain came and the rainbows formed, we sat back and enjoyed a few drinks!

Then on the way home i reaslied that i had lost my wallet, that sinking natural feeling that is confirmed on opening the bag! We went back as night fell and the rain fell - thankfully after another scare and breaking their toilet door - Lenaic discovered the wallet, saved me and landed me a sarong from a lady who had helped for 40Rph!!! Thankfully a good end to the day was completed with more great food in Sirko's company and in the morning we had a flight to catch...

"Le deuxieme jour, nous avons loue un scooter pour nous balader autour d'Ubud, decouvrir l'elephant cave (bof-bof sauf pour voir des europeens en pleine seance de yoga/meditation avec un maitre et tout...dans un lieu tres touristique), un vieux chaudron (qu'on a jamais trouve), et les fameuses rizieres en terrasses (magnifiques). De petites routes en petites routes, on s'est un peu perdu. Et c'est en demandant notre chemin qu'on est tombe sur une dame tres gentille qui tenaient un atelier de fabrication d'assiettes au decor de mozaique, justement les meme qu'on avait achete quelques jours plus tot ( beaucoup plus cher que son prix de vente, degoutes!). Elle nous invite a venir voir le processus de fabrication, Brian s'essaie a couper une plaque de verre pour en faire des petits bouts, pas facile, c'est un coup de main a prendre!

Une fois notre chemin retrouve, nous nous sommes arrete boire un milkshake (encore!) dans un endroit avec vue panoramique sur des rizieres. Jusque la tout allait bien mais alors qu'on rentrait sur Ubud, Brian se demande ou est son portefeuille....aie aie aie, il ne l'a pas! Et hop de retour a l'endroit du milkshake...qui entre temps avait ferme! On alerte un voisin qui gentillement nous aide. Il verifie dans les toilettes en demontant la serrure...rien. Par chance, il etait la ou on s'etait assis... ouf!"La femme du voisin n'a cependant pas perdue le nord, elle est arrivee avec ses sarongs a vendre! Brian lui en a pris un histoire de remercier.

The town of meeting people and shopping!

Ubud, Indonesia

Heading South?