Bali Expat Forum - Bali Travel Forum

[BaliLife]

Hi all,

I'm up in Ubud at the moment, and I must admit a lot of negativity that I express on the forum is from more exposure is the 'south of denpasar' area of Bali.. Though I've been up here from time to time over the past 8 years or so, I think being drowned in the commercialized south area has perhaps made me unjustly biased in my views.

I'm glad I came up today, as its remimded me about the true bali and the amazing natural gifts bali has that I fell in love with 8 years ago on my first trip here.

A true eye opener!

Ct

[Roy]

Sorry I missed you during your visit, but I just got back home after spending some three wonderful hours with Doctor Bruce at Café Lotus.

My friend, Leonard Lueras wrote a book about Ubud in 2004. It is titled Ubud Is a Mood. The title is true enough. It is illustrated with some incredible photographs of Ubud and its environs, and those eminent photographers include, (among others), Rio Helmi, Leonard, and my personal favorite, the Indonesian photographer, Rama Surya, whose unique images brilliantly capture the essence of what he views through his lens.

When people, and I’m talking battalions of people aside from me, say that Ubud is the cultural heart of Bali, they are not exaggerating, as that is the truth. Ubud has that earned distinction.

It’s great to hear that you have re-discovered the heart of Bali, or the “real Bali” as this area is often called...although that is an overstatement.

In spite of many changes over the years, Ubud is unquestionably a bastion of Balinese culture, but there are many other areas of Bali away from the “deep south” where one can find the “real Bali.” Moreover, if one looks hard enough, even in the deep south of Bali, the “real Bali” can be found there as well.

Regardless of where one lives or travels within Bali, the “real Bali” and the heart of Bali is always there. In Ubud, it’s just much easier to see.

[Sumatra]

What are you guys doing up at four in he morning?
Are you just getting up for the day or, just going to bed?

Don

[Roy]

What are you guys doing up at four in he morning?

Check the bottom of the home page..."All times are UTC + 8 hours"

Which actually makes it seem that you are posting at 4 in the morning! Cheers!

[mimpimanis]

I'm glad I came up today, as its remimded me about the true bali and the amazing natural gifts bali has that I fell in love with 8 years ago on my first trip here.

Ive been away in a bit of true Bali too - including a trip to Sepang which is an hours drive up mountains roads not on the maps. Call them roads, barely wider than one car with a narrow grass verge on either side, stomach churning drop down the mountain side. If that wasnt bad enough the roads are full of potholes and covered in gravel where previous potholes have been repaired buy filling and tarmacing over and the gravel has all come loose again, making the roads even more treacherous. I was constantly worried about skidding on the gravel off into the abyss below. The family were delighted & amazed when I turned up having driven myself, as were most people we passed in the villages to see not only a tourist driving up there but a female tourist. We got comments and calls from just about everyone we passed. I was very lucky to only have to pass one oncoming vehicle, while the drop was on my side (we only passed three in total on the way home) Unfortunately that vehicle was a truck and whilst I pulled out as far as I dared and waited for him to edge past me, he wasnt very sympathetic and made me pass him, despite my pleas of "saya tidak brani".

So for me, though Ubud may be considered the cultural heart of Bali - it is still commercialised and full of tourists. You can still find a "truer" Bali - if you are going to call it that.

[Roy]

You can still find a "truer" Bali - if you are going to call it that.

Surely, you don't mean Jimbaran do you?

Hey! "Ubud" covers a wide, wide area far beyond Jalan Raya. Plenty of places around here without tourists and traffic.

[mimpimanis]

No Roy, I was referring to Sepang and the other villages like it, up the mountains, with limited access and no sign of tourism.

[Jimbo]

I came back from Maria's Kampung today. They have never seen a tourist so far up in the mountains because there are no real roads. After 25 years of coming here the beauty of the place is breathtaking still but.........No roads, electricity or running water is still a problem for me.

Still my brother in law is now Kepala Desa and he has promised some action....let us see. Although it is beutiful for sure the lack of transport and communication is holding back the developement of the area and the advancement of its people.