Ubud is said to be the cultural heart of Bali after famous artists and spiritualists visited this place and got inspired by the creative environment. Since then, hordes of travelers set out for the town located in the midst of lush green rice fields. Ubud is praised to be the paradise for yoga fans and people with an alternative lifestyle. In the beginning of the 21st century Ubud became known as a popular backpacking destination.…
Christmas in Bali – Everything you need to know about celebrating Christmas in Bali
Today, adults get into a hurry, while meeting the preparations for the big celebration in the eve. Today, children eyes sparkle in expectation of the presents they will receive. Today, Christians from different cultures, in different parts of the world gather with their families and friends to ignite the spirit of Jesus’ birth. Today, we hope and pray that love and peace surround all those who are involved in Christmas festivities – in private as well as in public…
The Bali scooter nightmare: how we managed to get our scooter repaired 4 times
Getting a Scooter Finding a scooter rental for a decent price as a foreigner on Bali isn’t as easy any more. Prices are going up a lot. For Australians it’s very cheap to fly here; for them everything is cheap and they are willing to pay the price. Salesmen will often translate the price – “Only 5 Australian dollars” to rent a scooter for a day. Especially when staying for a month, this is not…
10 rain confessions – How to welcome Bali’s rainy season with a positive attitude
Rain can be annoying Rain can mean an end to an activity, or event you were looking forward to. Rain can force you to stay inside, when you were just about to leave the house. All that, rain can be to some people. A negative aspect of life. Do not be angry with the rain; it simply does not know how to fall upwards. – Vladimir Nabokov Rain can destroy Rain can destroy a whole…
A Balinese “baby shower” – Ceremony for the Baby 42 Days after Birth
How Balinese Hindus celebrate the birth and development of a new family member Religion is very much integrated in Balinese society. In no other country in the world than in Indonesia so many religions live side by side. All the world’s major religions are represented – some more than others: Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims celebrate and pray daily in churches, temples and mosques. Space for prayer and meditation can be found anywhere in Bali.…
Our first week of travel in South East Asia
We have finally started our trip. After we hitchhiked home from Portugal, we took a bit more time home planning stuff than we expected. Our first stop: Bali, Indonesia. After a long flight, we finally landed in Jakarta. It was quite a relief to leave the European winter weather behind and to land in warm Indonesia. We just had one more flight to Bali, just 2 hours away. Before we even left the airport, we…