Ubud, Bali

What better place to end the summer of a lifetime than in Bali? Another one of those mythical places in my mind, Bali seemed to me somewhere you go if you want an absolute slice of zen beachy heaven. In a way this was a correct assumption and in a way it wasn't at all. 

Let's start with some assumption-busting realities: 

1. The Quiet: Everyone, EVERYONE, knows about this island and they come here by the droves. Perhaps few of these tourists know much about the country as a whole. So...Bali is one of 17,508 islands of the Indonesian archipelago, a region of the world affected by earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis, all thanks to its location on the Ring of Fire. It's the 12th largest of the islands with a majority religion of Balinese Hinduism, making it a religious minority in this part of the world. 
2. The Zen: Motorbike is the main mode of transport on this large volcanic island. Roads can be iffy and traffic is mental. Crossing a small chunk of the island can take hours depending on the time of day. 
3. The Beaches: Depending on what time of year you go and where you go, beaches range from rocky to clean and quiet to absolute carnage. But Bali is particularly susceptible to ocean currents that push all that oceanic plastic that people pretend doesn't exist right onto the shores of beaches across the south coast. 

And still. It's easy to understand why so many people arrive here and stay put, some for a lifetime. Our first stop on the great Balinese tour took us to the town of Ubud, lying inland and north of the airport, a two-hour drive in traffic. The journey winds its way through rice paddies and ancient temples by the hundreds.

Upon arrival in Ubud proper, we made our way to a fairly inexpensive hotel. Our room, complete with French doors to access the pool, made us quickly forget the stress of the drive there:

Ubud's big draw with tourists is its trade in yoga. Iconic venues like Yoga Barn (with their showy acroyogis practising in the communal space) offer a plethora of daily classes and retreats that keen zen seekers come to find. Less famous places were more my cup of tea and Rosa and I made our way to classes under thatched yoga shalas at various points around the town. Classes were cheap, plentiful and really good; the world's yoga teachers seem to take up residency here at some point or another in their careers.

Between yoga time and pool time, we hopped around the streets of Ubud, a town that effectively caters to its tourist trade. Veggie and vegan fare reigns supreme and shops touting silver, batik, tshirts fill the streets. It'd be easy to get overwhelmed but it was also easy to love. Along the way, temples and shrines dedicated to various gods serve as reminders to the culture and religion.

Temples welcomed members of the public, as long as those going in were modestly and appropriately dressed. We never seemed to quite be this--between beach wear, yoga wear and skinny strapped shirts, we opted to look on from the outside and admire the often-terrifying carvings. 

Entry-way to a shrine:

Bali's other notable resident, the monkey, also seemed to make their presence known. Our hotel was only a short walk away from Monkey Forest, a place where no snack food is safe. Considering my Thailand monkey experience, I opted to stay far, far away from this place.

We only had three full days in Ubud and that didn't quite feel like enough. The more famous temples at Tanah Lot and Besakih beckoned, as did more yoga. But another part of the island was calling and so we bid a sad farewell to Ubud and made our way to the beach at Canggu on the southwest coast. I'll be back though, it's one of those feelings this place gives you.