2019
Moving Worlds Today
23 October 2019
We’ll be leaving this enclosed little haven of Ketut’s villa where most of the day is spent relaxing and chatting over either tea or G and Ts, and transporting ourselves to the heart of busy Ubud in Festival mode. The streets will be filled with ‘women of a certain age’ pushing aside the usual yoga mat-toting ‘wellness’ tourists who frequent this town, as it gears up for the start of the festival tonight. I received a personal email invitation to the gala opening at the Palace tonight, from Janet de Neefe (the festival founder) herself! Rare that translators are included but Pam A and I both got last minute invitations. It is all VIPs, writers and government officials. A good thing I brought along my posh silk sarong and selendang on the off chance of some glamour being required.
Jeffrey and Anna, who have already been in Bali for ten days, joined us at Vila Abihnaya late Monday afternoon adding to the conviviality around our little table. Lots of tales to share of their trip with a three-generation family of friends to Jeffrey’s beloved secret fishing fleet at Perancak in south-west Bali, with its elaborately decorated vessels.
I slipped on my tour guide hat for a few hours yesterday to ensure Pam B got to see some of my Bali treasures - won’t be much time for excursions from now on. Ketut was busy with ceremonies all day so the gorgeous young Jonny was our driver (Ketut’s hopeful future son in law) who drove me once before when I was showing the lovely American girl Jessica around three years ago. Jonny remembered her well. I still had photos of us at the famous rice terrace views back then to show him on my phone. Jonny became my sturdy “stair rail” - Balinese steps are so steep and uneven and almost never have hand rails. (I later heard that Ketut had instructed him to look after this “special lady” well. And he did!)
Pam B was delighted by the peace and beauty of Gunung Kawi Sebatu temple and its gardens and fish ponds. We were the only ones there - a rare thing to not be in a crowd which is why I choose this temple to take my friends to. Then to the Puppet and Mask Museum which I love - many of you reading this have been taken there by me in the past and will remember the grand old Javanese wooden buildings re-erected there to house the extraordinary private collection. Alas, the delightful old man responsible for it all is no longer with us but obviously his vision lives on in others who are taking good care of it all and adding to it. Two of the must-see places in "Toni’s Ubud Essentials" ticked off. (I wrote these notes years ago to share with friends coming to Ubud- let me know if you'd like a copy.)
Dewi Saraswati, the Goddess of Wisdom and Learning, has been given a shiny white coat of paint.
Jeffrey and Anna, who have already been in Bali for ten days, joined us at Vila Abihnaya late Monday afternoon adding to the conviviality around our little table. Lots of tales to share of their trip with a three-generation family of friends to Jeffrey’s beloved secret fishing fleet at Perancak in south-west Bali, with its elaborately decorated vessels.
I slipped on my tour guide hat for a few hours yesterday to ensure Pam B got to see some of my Bali treasures - won’t be much time for excursions from now on. Ketut was busy with ceremonies all day so the gorgeous young Jonny was our driver (Ketut’s hopeful future son in law) who drove me once before when I was showing the lovely American girl Jessica around three years ago. Jonny remembered her well. I still had photos of us at the famous rice terrace views back then to show him on my phone. Jonny became my sturdy “stair rail” - Balinese steps are so steep and uneven and almost never have hand rails. (I later heard that Ketut had instructed him to look after this “special lady” well. And he did!)
Pam B was delighted by the peace and beauty of Gunung Kawi Sebatu temple and its gardens and fish ponds. We were the only ones there - a rare thing to not be in a crowd which is why I choose this temple to take my friends to. Then to the Puppet and Mask Museum which I love - many of you reading this have been taken there by me in the past and will remember the grand old Javanese wooden buildings re-erected there to house the extraordinary private collection. Alas, the delightful old man responsible for it all is no longer with us but obviously his vision lives on in others who are taking good care of it all and adding to it. Two of the must-see places in "Toni’s Ubud Essentials" ticked off. (I wrote these notes years ago to share with friends coming to Ubud- let me know if you'd like a copy.)
Dewi Saraswati, the Goddess of Wisdom and Learning, has been given a shiny white coat of paint.
This is the only one of the six Javanese wooden houses to be painted inside and out - the others are natural wood. Note the pineapple decoration in the ceiling. (I saw similar pineapples used in the décor of England’s Regency Brighton Pavilion!)
My Indolitclub friend Jane arrived from Jakarta, and her friend Helen from Australia – they are staying next door to Puri Saraswati at Mumbul Inn. They joined our party from Payangan for dinner at the magical Pulau Kelapa restaurant. High on the list of Toni’s Ubud Essentials too and did not disappoint. Five Indolitclub members present! We might discover some new writers for next year’s Indolitclub discussions in Sydney.
Country mouse about to become town mouse. Off to Ubud now. We have the day to orient Pam B to the new setting and maybe do a little shopping - won’t be time for it after today.