Just another day in Ubud? (Part 2)

See also Part 1 and “Photo Gallery - Just another day in Ubud?”

(Continued from Part 1)

We had spotted the large black bull on our first day in Ubud.  It was now joined by a large tower (“bade”) richly decorated in gold and bearing the portrait of the man to be cremated.

 

Here "size counts", and the size of the bull and tower indicates that this was provided by a wealthy family (although this would put a dent in their fortunes).

 

Participants and spectators alike filled the narrow street, providing a potential market for vendors selling drinks, snacks, sarongs and sashes. A local man offered guided cremation tours with expert commentary. In Bali things don’t happen until the “right time” although what is “right” may not be apparent to outsiders, so eventually gongs rang out, offerings were made, and the many men in matching polo-shirts took their places in the large bamboo frame on which the bull and tower rested. There were chants and cheers; the band struck up a tune; the men took the weight of the structures, and with great excitement the procession set off.

 

 

 

They only moved a short distance before the horns of the bull snagged power and phone lines which had not been pushed up quite high enough by the men with the long bamboo poles. Wires were raised and they were off again, only to stop again a little further on. After a few false starts the wires were eventually cleared and the bull set off down the street. The porters shook the bull, as if to toss off the rider clasping the bull’s neck. This was to symbolise the difficult passage of the soul to the next life. At the street corners the structure was turned so that the spirit would be confused and unable to make its way back to the starting point.

Who needs power lines anyway?

The golden tower followed the bull and it too snagged lines. Relatives ahead of the tower pulled on ropes to symbolise their connection to the deceased. The musicians, friends and relatives people carrying offerings for the cremation, and onlookers followed the procession down the street towards the cemetery and cremation area. I was keen to attend the final stage but Judy was not, so we left the crowd and went for lunch (no pork, thanks).



Not such a happy day for this piglet

As we ate lunch we heard music and shouting. Men with poles were propping up the power lines again – most of the phone lines had already been pulled down. Along came another bull and tower, with attendant crowd. Although the style was similar, this was not the “deluxe” version of the earlier event, but a more modest occasion. We watched with interest until the procession had disappeared down the street then returned to our lunch.

Porters halt as their tower goes
under lines not pulled down by
the earlier procession.

Activities were proceeding smoothly at the palace. Guests and performers were coming and going and traffic at the corner in the centre of Ubud was still held up. The day was hot and humid so we returned to our room ("Nick’s Hidden Cottages”) for a welcome cold drink and swim in the pool.

Our "cottage" (lower right half
of the building on the left
and the inviting pool.

After a rest we returned to the palace area and could see the guests filing past and offering best wishes to the king and his new bride (I’m not sure if she will be a princess or queen). After dinner we returned to the palace. Although many guests were leaving the party was not over. Gatekeepers allowed us in to join the guests as a new round of dancing began. We saw several dances we had not yet seen elsewhere, but this unexpected entertainment was cut short when heavy rain suddenly poured down. Even kings have their days rained on. In the adjacent pavilion an elaborate screen had been set up for guests and we saw the first 20 minutes of a traditional shadow puppet show accompanied by the gamelan orchestra. Clearly this would be a long performance and as we could not follow the dialogue, and hence the subtleties of the action, we left and clutching our small umbrellas made our way across flooded streets to a nearby café.

The trumpeter was outstanding

Casa Luna has a very good continental bakery, so we enjoyed coffee and tarts to the sounds of an excellent 4 piece jazz band with an outstanding trumpeter. The rain grew even heavier and water entered through the open sides of the café forcing the keyboard player and sound mixer to rig up plastic shelters to protect the electronics. After an hour there was no sign of the rain easing so we waded through the water to get into a taxi to take us home. The steep stretch of road at the start of our street looked like a series of rapids and the driver could hardly see through the rain along the unlit road, but after an interesting ride and quick sprint along the path between the padi fields we made it home.

We went to sleep to the sound of frogs and the pouring rain after an interesting day, just another day in Ubud.

Photo Gallery - Weekend reunion in Jogya

Click this link to enter the Photo Gallery:
https://picasaweb.google.com/110038041647560744460/JogyaReunion#

Photo Gallery - Just another day in Ubud?

Just another day in Ubud? (Part 1)

What is there to do in Ubud when you’ve been to the most popular sites? Sometimes something different happens.

Ubud is often described as the cultural soul and heartland of Bali. Sometimes mass tourism destroys what it comes to see, but in Ubud that hasn’t happened. Ubud is not the unique artistic village of 70 years ago but the great increase in visitor numbers has not destroyed its charm and attraction.

During our first 3 days we covered many of the popular attractions so what were we to do on our final day? Would it be just another day in Ubud?

The Balinese operate 2 calendars of different cycle length in addition to the standard western calendar. They have many special days and holidays, and some days are deemed to be especially auspicious for important ceremonies and events. As luck would have it, Sunday 3rd October, was an especially auspicious day.

Our first stop was the Royal Palace. The issue of “Royalty” in Ubud is confusing. The local “royals” span many connected families. They trace their origins back to a split between princes in the court in nearby Peliatan. Dutch rule from 1906 effectively ended their legal powers but the kings and princes still have sentimental support, influence, prestige, and wealth. Many members of the Ubud family operate business in Ubud, and there are many sites described as “Puri” or “palace.” Australia has a strong connection with the Ubud royal family as Australian women have married into the family and some members have studied in Australia.

 

Decorated Palace Gate


 On this day Puri Saren Agung palace was the setting for traditional celebrations of the wedding of the king, Tjokorda Bagus Dwi Santana Max Kerthayasa, to Happy Selma, an actress & artist from Jakarta. She is a Muslim, and that led to some complications and questions about the significance of some of the rituals. In fact they had sidestepped some problems by earlier marrying in a civil ceremony in Sydney. I learned this from often conflicting stories in the local media and online (so it must be true!).

 Uniformed palace officials checked that only guests were admitted but allowed interested onlookers to look through the gates into the courtyard. We sat in the shade of an adjacent pavilion and watched as the streams of guests arrived, and traffic tried to negotiate the obstructions and road closures.

A quick glimpse at activities in the court yard

On the pavilion’s stage we watched dancers apply makeup, dress in their splendid traditional costumes, and then wait for their time to perform at the palace.

Dancers - dressed and waiting for their call

A final check that makeup is just right

We are on at last

It would be an all-day affair so after a couple of hours we moved on to Jalan Hanoman.


To be continued  (Part 2 to follow soon).

See also the Blog entry  “Photo gallery - Just another day in Ubud”.

A Balinese Cooking Class

"Travel broadens the mind" as a popular saying puts it.  When you consider the many culinary delights available to travellers who are happy to leave their own cuisines behind for a time, we might expand that saying to "Travel broadens the waistline as well as the mind".   Ben's cooking class gave us an interesting insight into the creation of a traditional Balinese dinner which was greatly appreciated by the  16 student-participants.

The delicious dishes we had eaten stimulated our interest in Balinese food which is an expression of Balinese culture and is a creative process worthy of further study. A web search revealed the class at the Anika Guesthouse, Kuta. We booked an afternoon/evening session and went there after my last class at college. There are also famous established classes at Ubud (we had just returned from there) and Sanur (booked, hard for us to get to).



The entrance to
the "classroom"

The entry from a side street near the airport gives no hint of what is within (or more properly "above", as the class is held in its own area above the guest house).  

The "Class room" has an entrance at one end and is open along one side.  Students sit along a central table and look towards the cooking and preparation area.  The traditional materials and decorations all contribute to a sense of involvement and authenticity.  The cooking area contains traditional ovens and places where sates can be grilled over charcoal.



The "class room"

Our class of 16 was only just "multi-national" - a Belgian couple and 14 Australians.  We were welcomed with a glass of refreshing cold Hibiscus tea.  At the end of the table were dishes of herbs and spices to be used in the meal.  Ben, our host and chef, explained the properties and use of each item, noting differences between the Balinese ingredient and Australian equivalent so we could make adjustments when cooking dishes with our own ingredients  (for example, use less Australian garlic as it is stronger than the milder, sweeter Balinese garlic).



The cooking area

 As well as advice on selection and preparation of ingredients we were given insights into how to get the right balance of sweet, sour, salty, bitter and spicy.  That's not an easy task, but a vital one if the food is to taste as it should.

Herbs and spices produce
the typical Balinese flavour

We were shown how (I hesitate to say how much we mastered) to wrap food in banana leaf, fold and seal it.  It's very tricky for clumsy fingers.

The "Balinese food processor" requires strength and perserverence as well as a good technique.  It is a flat grinding stone which is used to reduce coarsely chopped ingredients to a smooth paste used in sauces or as a marinade.  If used incorrectly it is easy to include unwanted fine grit scraped from the stone's surface.

Apron on and ready to go



Making Nasi Goreng - it's all in
the way you grip the wok!

 Even "wok technique" was different.  When making the Nasi Goreng it was necessary to repeatedly press the rice against the wok edges and smooth it out, then recombine it.





Some of the finished dishes - just
waiting to be eagerly consumed



Sates - traditionally just 3
pieces of meat per skewer

So, what did we make and eat?   Mie (Balinese style noodles), beans, nasi goreng, sates, marinated fish steamed in banana leaf, chicken curry, gado gado (mixed vegetable with peanut sauce) .... and more ...

Desserts - I love the sticky black rice with coconut cream milk, and the Balinese crepes with coconut and palm sugar syrup filling.  Just delicious.



Not just a great night's entertainment with a
wonderful dinner, but ... a certificate as well.
(Just to prove we really were there and
we weren't dreaming it all!)



More photos can be seen in the accompanying blog on this site:   

"Photo Gallery - Balinese Cooking Class"

If you are in Bali and want to have this enjoyable experience, here are the contact details.  Mention you saw the ad on the web and you get 30% off the "walk in" price.  (No discount for mentioning that you saw it here.)

Anika - Balinese Cooking Class

Jalan Elang 3, Tuban, Bali, Indonesia

http://cookingclass.anikaguesthouse.com

Email: info@anikaguesthouse.com



Photo Gallery - Balinese Cooking Class

A weekend reunion in Jogya

On Friday 17th September I flew to Jogjakarta (Jogya), a large city in central Java. At the departure gate in Denpasar I noticed a man looking at me. I checked over my shoulder to see if he was looking past me, but no, he was looking at me. After he caught my eye several times he came over. “Do you remember me?” he asked. I’ve met many people here and they all say “Do you remember me?” I replied honestly that his face was very familiar, but I couldn’t place him. I recognised his voice as soon as he said “Oh, you’ve forgotten your teacher”. It was Pak Budi, my Indonesian teacher in Adelaide. I would recognise him on the street in Adelaide, but did not expect to see him there. On the flight he sat in the seat behind me.

At Jogya I was met by my friend Edih Suwadji and his son Denny who came across from Jakarta. I last saw Edih in Adelaide in February 1974. We worked together at CSIRO for about 16 months. We used to say that one day we would meet and visit Borobudur. Now, 36 years later, we had finally caught up and the visit was about to take place.


Borobudur is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is the world's largest Buddhist monument.  The massive structure was completed in about 800 AD but it fell into disuse when the centre of power in Java moved west in about 1000 AD. Ash from nearby volcanoes covered it and then the jungle claimed it. “Recovery work” began under Sir Stamford Raffles in 1814 and continued for many years. A major stabilisation and restoration program was carried out between 1975 and 1982 by the Indonesian Government and UNESCO. Check online (Wiki or other) for details.


Edih stands at the base of a fog covered Borobudur

The gates to the park were shut when arrived at 6 on Saturday morning, and fog covered the site. With my temporary resident’s permit I got “domestic” rather than “international” visitor entry (quicker and cheaper). The lower levels of the massive stupa rose up ahead of us into the cloud. The morning sun soon burnt away the fog so that as we moved higher up we saw blue sky overhead, but this was only temporary as haze soon covered the sky. It’s an amazing structure. It sits on a square foundation about 120 metres across, and was probably surrounded by an artificial lake. Above the foundation are 9 “platforms” of decreasing size. The lower 6 are square, and the top 3 are circular. The walls of each layer are decorated with reliefs (2672) depicting real or mythological events, and with niches containing 504 statues of the seated Buddha. The topmost platform supports a massive bell-shaped “stupa” surrounded by 72 smaller stupas, each containing a Buddha.




Morning fog lingers in the valley

As Indonesia’s most visited destination it is usually crowded. People were everywhere on the structure, posing for photos beside everything. I was asked to join many groups for photos, and even hold small children, so I guess that despite increasing international visitation, many locals still regard westerners with some curiosity.

The large central stupa is surrounded by many small
bell-like stupas, each containing a Buddha
(this one has been opened up to show the Buddha)

Our next destination, the 8th century Prambanan Temple, also a World Heritage site, was quite different. Some say it was the Hindu response to the nearby Buddhist structure at Borobudur. There are several temple clusters, but the main site contains 9 tall pagodas surrounded by the ruins of many small structures. The site was badly damaged by a severe earthquake in 2006. At the centre of a rectangle of the formed by the 4 smaller structures is the largest pagoda (46m high). Each massive structure, decorated with carvings of Hindu deities, has a central chamber reached by steps at the front face. Around these large structures were smaller structures, and beyond the wall surrounding the main structures are the remains of many small structures. Restoration and reassembly will be a massive jigsaw puzzle.

One of the Prambanan structures

That evening in Jogya we ate local delicacies at a street stall where we sat cross legged on tarpaulins at long low tables, and later at another stall we sat on the footpath and drank “burnt coffees” – tall glasses of filter coffee with a small floating piece of charcoaled timber. It was a strange but not unpleasant flavour sensation. Edih heard music indicating traditional dancing so we got to see a Wayang dance performance. Several short pieces gave me a taste of the Javanese way of using dance and music to tell traditional stories.

The highlight of the morning was our second stop - Karaton Ngayogyakarta Palace – home of the Sultan of Jogya (the city is “his”). At the main pavilion we found seats for the exhibition of Wayang dancing. Again there was a “camera tax”. I asked a Nikon user what he paid – Rp1000. I said I was charged 2000. He asked why, so I said that they knew Canon was twice the camera. He laughed. Canon - Nikon rivalry is international. The “Wayang” mythological and cautionary stories comprise many small “scenes” involving almost 300 named characters which depict various aspects of the perpetual struggle between good and evil.




Javanese dancer as the Monkey



Hand-made puppets used
to tell traditional stories

 At the rear of the sultan’s palace were workshops and studios where we watched artisans making leather shadow puppets and more conventional puppets. Nearby we saw the various stages in Batik cloth production. The beautiful cloths are the result of lengthy and laborious efforts – tracing out the cartoons, waxing (in stages), “painting” on the dyes, setting, boiling to remove the wax and more.



These were the highlights. The main purpose of the trip was to fulfil the wish to see Edih and visit Borobudur together (as dreamed of in 1973), and both goals were achieved. It’s unlikely we will meet again but it was a brief and satisfying reunion. I returned to Bali and the College on Monday morning.

Online again - Blogs to come

Yesterday the college IT team provided me with a network link to my room.  Although it is slower than the link I previously enjoyed it is a relief to have a working link again.  Now I feel "connected" again.   I'll post a report on my trip to Jogya and then prepare a Photo gallery of shots from that trip.