Something to Declare

If it’s Thursday and Friday, it’s still Ubud.

Thursday, March 16. The first item on today’s itinerary was to visit the establishment of Mr. John Hardy, a Canadian who set up a jewelry-making business in Bali (with a store in Soho). We saw the many artisans creating works of silver and gold out of wax molds, carved delicately out of bees’ wax with tiny tools. These molds are then placed in a clay-ey mixture that is then “fired,” (thus melting the wax, and leaving hard, but finely-detailed templates for the precious metals. A very finicky and painstaking process in which the artisans take tiny molded silver links and beads, and hand-link them into gorgeous chains, pendants, rings, earrings, etc.

Then we moved to the showroom, for a shopping spree.

We then had an al fresco lunch of yummy Indonesian dishes with several of the company’s managers and employees.

They were a charming and personable bunch, who were eager to hear about us and our lives in the U.S., and to talk about their lives in Indonesia. (FYI: John Hardy sold his company to a U.S. consortium about twenty years ago and he still resides in Bali).

After lunch, we were bused (again, in numbing and scary traffic)

to the Arma Museum,

where we participated in a Balinese dancing class that involved not only movements of the feet, but also of the hands, head and eyes.

Like the artisanal jewelry-making, the detailed instruction gave us a greater appreciation for the skills of the dancers we’d seen the night before. Stef and I made sure to video record each other’s dance class, to be used as blackmail forever and on a going-forward basis. Sorry, I’m (fortunately!) unable to attach such videos to this blogpost. I can forward upon special request! As Stef said, “Que sarong, sarong.” (Okay, okay, stop groaning.)

Back at the hotel we bought a bottle of Indonesian wine [sic]. The vintner is called Plaga; while they make the wine in Bali, they import the grapes from Australia and Chile. Very drinkable, in my opinion.

Friday, March 17. Today to the Mother Temple, Taman Ayun, the first Hindu temple established by Indian immigrants in the twelfth century.

Then a bus ride back to Ubud, to see the Monkey Forest.

We were warned regarding the necessary etiquette in dealing with these long-tailed macaques. For example, you’re not supposed to look them in the eye (too challenging), or wear jewelry (they tend to snatch it). We were told that, if the monkey were to grab your eyeglasses or stuff from your purse, you shouldn’t fight back. I picked up a piece of food and offered it to a baby macaque, but an adult went for me with his teeth (he wanted it for himself, apparently).

We happened upon a female monkey who looked a little forlorn, and I struck up a conversation that turned into a short therapy session.

I thought things were going really well. But when I told her I didn’t take insurance, she terminated the session and tried to bite me. Talk about a negative transference!

Tonight’s dinner was at Taman Dedari, an extraordinarily beautiful place near our hotel. We shared the moment with our travel friend, Jan.

Decided to try an Indonesian wine , from a vintner called Hatten, which uses grapes grown in Bali. Quite good. Crispy black-spiced duck for me, snapper for Stef, and rice noodles for Jan.

Tomorrow we leave Ubud for Seminyak. Continue to stay tuned to this station!