Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Bali part 2
A speedboat took us to Menjangan, a national park known for its reef and coral beauty. Warm wind blowing my hair back Fonzy style, san the sleek, crystal blue water and the site of a huge volcano appearing above the clouds in front of us. takes us on this white and blue wooden boat to snorkel off the boat and off from shore. Swimming along the reef, with an amazing array of colors and shapes, both fish and corals, and some stinging mini jellyfish. After lunch on the beach we head back, I sit on the top front end of the boat loving the sun and the wind as the boats speeds ahead. We go towards some fishing boats and slow down a lot, as we see some tuna jumping out of the water, which means dolphins, are here too. I thought that what makes the tuna fatty, yummy and healthy is the fact that in order to survive in the cold water it has higher levels of fatty acids which allow it to keep moving and not freeze. If that is the case, what is it doing here in warm waters, and does it have less omega 3’s because of its ability to swim without it?
Sure enough, dolphins were there, one, two, wait, maybe ten, wow, too many to count! We saw large schools of them, just swimming leisurely as if the Internet was never invented. No worries about real estate or even being on time for yoga, just swimming through life, opening their mouths and swallowing tuna whole. What a day. We were like little kids jumping from one side of the boat to the other, following more dolphins, full of excitement and delight!
A long drive back to Ubud, maybe too long, I am ready to see it. Trying to stay present, I still found myself having an image of what it would be like. A town, not too big, no high rises, lots of shops, a cool market, tons of restaurants, some nice hotels, but none huge and overwhelming. Ubud has its touristic side, yet it has charm. Massages for ten to twenty dollars, “Kafe”, that served amazing lemon ginger tea, or lemongrass, ginger with Indonesian leaves along a raw black current cashew cake, art galleries (or shops), lots of crafts, wood carvings, boutique clothing stores, a yoga store, and lets not forget the monkey forest. We arranged for a temple tour seeing the elephant temple as well as another great temple, beautiful sculptures everywhere.
I entered the Zen massage place, and enjoyed the soft music. I was led through a tunnel, walking of stepping stones set amidst a flow of water, entered my room with hand painted rice fields on the wall, got undressed and lay on the massage table covered with a sheet. The little Balinese woman came in, and moved her hands along my body, first over the sheet, and then with lots of oil, rubbing my body. Next came the spice rub, cinnamon, cloves or other spices were mixed and spread on my skin. She left the room, allowing me to feel abandoned, wanting more hands on as I wait. She returned to spread the dried spice mix a bit further, and then added a freezing cold layer of yogurt on top. I became a whole meal. When she finished one side, I flipped and received the same treatment on the other side. Then she told me to shower. I waited for a second, but she encouraged me to get up. It was funny, it’s almost as if I forgot I was naked. I was showering as she as cleaning the massage table. “You take bath twenty minutes, you drink tea, eat fruit and finish, OK?” Ok I replied. So easy to be obedient to some one demanding me to relax and enjoy.
I bought some Yoga clothes at a cool local shop, spent a few hours there contemplating importing some goods back to the US, even created a whole business plan for it. We ate at Clear Water, which was absolutely awesome. Live bamboo separated the fantastic modern meets local Bali style restaurant, in a way similar but different to the Buddha bar in Paris, amazing detail, great music, wonderful food and reasonable prices. The food was exactly what I love, from a plate of Middle Eastern dips with raw flax seed crackers and some pita crisps, through tofu sachets in yummy peanut sauce, dragon bowl similar to the one in Manhattan, tuna with black pepper along wit a side of wasabi mashed potatoes, and delicious raw chocolate coffee cake or lemon strawberry cake for dessert.
From Ubud we head to Sanur to the Hyatt, hosting a huge complex with lots of pools, a long stretch of beach, and a few restaurants. This was our last stop with the group. I had a wonderful time with them, and felt a great connection. Like all my retreats, the people and my interactions with them, the sharing’s are what make the trip a highlight. We had some bumps relating to the organizing part of the tour, which I was not in charge of. It was hard for me to not be completely in charge, trusting someone else with such a large part of the trip, but a great learning experience, and I am truly grateful for the support, patience and trust of my students.
As I write this from the beach on the Gili Island, I have now created the perfect itinerary for the next one, scouting and figuring out every detail, as Lauren says “ When Doron plans something himself, he has it down to a T.” This phrase does not make sense to me, but I like it. Off to connect to the slow Internet with lots of gratitude, as I still remember sending a handful of letters instead of this easy blog.
Sure enough, dolphins were there, one, two, wait, maybe ten, wow, too many to count! We saw large schools of them, just swimming leisurely as if the Internet was never invented. No worries about real estate or even being on time for yoga, just swimming through life, opening their mouths and swallowing tuna whole. What a day. We were like little kids jumping from one side of the boat to the other, following more dolphins, full of excitement and delight!
A long drive back to Ubud, maybe too long, I am ready to see it. Trying to stay present, I still found myself having an image of what it would be like. A town, not too big, no high rises, lots of shops, a cool market, tons of restaurants, some nice hotels, but none huge and overwhelming. Ubud has its touristic side, yet it has charm. Massages for ten to twenty dollars, “Kafe”, that served amazing lemon ginger tea, or lemongrass, ginger with Indonesian leaves along a raw black current cashew cake, art galleries (or shops), lots of crafts, wood carvings, boutique clothing stores, a yoga store, and lets not forget the monkey forest. We arranged for a temple tour seeing the elephant temple as well as another great temple, beautiful sculptures everywhere.
I entered the Zen massage place, and enjoyed the soft music. I was led through a tunnel, walking of stepping stones set amidst a flow of water, entered my room with hand painted rice fields on the wall, got undressed and lay on the massage table covered with a sheet. The little Balinese woman came in, and moved her hands along my body, first over the sheet, and then with lots of oil, rubbing my body. Next came the spice rub, cinnamon, cloves or other spices were mixed and spread on my skin. She left the room, allowing me to feel abandoned, wanting more hands on as I wait. She returned to spread the dried spice mix a bit further, and then added a freezing cold layer of yogurt on top. I became a whole meal. When she finished one side, I flipped and received the same treatment on the other side. Then she told me to shower. I waited for a second, but she encouraged me to get up. It was funny, it’s almost as if I forgot I was naked. I was showering as she as cleaning the massage table. “You take bath twenty minutes, you drink tea, eat fruit and finish, OK?” Ok I replied. So easy to be obedient to some one demanding me to relax and enjoy.
I bought some Yoga clothes at a cool local shop, spent a few hours there contemplating importing some goods back to the US, even created a whole business plan for it. We ate at Clear Water, which was absolutely awesome. Live bamboo separated the fantastic modern meets local Bali style restaurant, in a way similar but different to the Buddha bar in Paris, amazing detail, great music, wonderful food and reasonable prices. The food was exactly what I love, from a plate of Middle Eastern dips with raw flax seed crackers and some pita crisps, through tofu sachets in yummy peanut sauce, dragon bowl similar to the one in Manhattan, tuna with black pepper along wit a side of wasabi mashed potatoes, and delicious raw chocolate coffee cake or lemon strawberry cake for dessert.
From Ubud we head to Sanur to the Hyatt, hosting a huge complex with lots of pools, a long stretch of beach, and a few restaurants. This was our last stop with the group. I had a wonderful time with them, and felt a great connection. Like all my retreats, the people and my interactions with them, the sharing’s are what make the trip a highlight. We had some bumps relating to the organizing part of the tour, which I was not in charge of. It was hard for me to not be completely in charge, trusting someone else with such a large part of the trip, but a great learning experience, and I am truly grateful for the support, patience and trust of my students.
As I write this from the beach on the Gili Island, I have now created the perfect itinerary for the next one, scouting and figuring out every detail, as Lauren says “ When Doron plans something himself, he has it down to a T.” This phrase does not make sense to me, but I like it. Off to connect to the slow Internet with lots of gratitude, as I still remember sending a handful of letters instead of this easy blog.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Field Trip to Bali
The cool kids sat at the end of the bus. That’s how it was when we would go on field trips in high school. It was complete chaos, but there was excitement in the air.
This trip, everyone is far beyond high school, and it seems as if everyone is equally cool. There are eighteen of us, including an American trip organizer, a Balinese guide, a driver, and the rest of the yoga practitioners.
The airport was the first delight with great sculptures everywhere, many depicting Hindu Gods. A brand new Suzuki van with no seat belts takes us up the mountains as we head towards Munduk,, as the sun was setting over the two lakes.
Marigold necklaces are draped over our necks, as greeting smiles flower around. Water fountains, lotus ponds, and lush vegetation with beautiful flowers are abundant. The cottage is set up on stilts with a dark wooden balcony, over looking the little pond below hosting calm fish unaware of the expansive rice field’s just meters behind them.
Dinner consisted of a vegetarian sampling. Skewers of tofu in a Balinese sauce, tempeh in something like a BBQ sauce, cabbage in peanut sauce, a sort of latke, and Chrysanthemum tea. Every meal is shared with some other friends from the group, exploring diversity of life experiences, listening to stories, and enjoying others on chill mode. The rice terraces on the hills across from us have heard it all by now.
The next day we explored the property, walking through little temples, rice fields, spice plants, ponds, statues everywhere, and magnificent views of the mountains and villages around. What really makes it wonderful are the details, the smile of a passer-by, the gold fish in the pond, the bamboo mini bridge, the beautiful red flowers draping off huge semi translucent bright green leaves, the sounds of water flowing through streams and in and out of ponds.
We adventured off property and let destiny take our feet through the jungle, passing homes with bird cages holding quiet pretty blue birds, vanilla beans for sale off of someone’s front yard, coffee beans laid down to dry, wandering dogs, and mopeds everywhere. Everyone from young to old is on a moped. All Japanese made.
We took a trip to a coffee and spice plantation and sampled some fox shit coffee. It’s not really a fox, but looks similar. The fox goes out at night, searching for the best coffee beans, it is a very picky animal. It eats the coffee bean, digesting only the skin, and then poops out the bean. Since the fox is so picky this is considered the best bean one can find. We had to try it once, as Wayan our guide told us, “Try it once and that’s it, you don’t want to drink shit twice!” This coffee is sold for $500 in Japan.
After morning yoga and breakfast we head to the beach. We arrive in Pemuteran, at the magnificent resort of Taman Sari Bali Cottages, and really, I would call it no name except the experience of bliss.
What can I say? Heaven is here. I would stay here for a month without blinking. Beautiful grass dotted with flowers, sculptures and Japanese like lanterns. Our room has an amazing outdoor shower surrounded by pebbles, with a huge marble floored porch, a step from the little pond that flows as a stream between the rooms, gold fish, a sculpture fountain, and perfectly organized vegetation surround it. Large Indonesian wood furniture with blue cushions decorated with butterflies sewn on it. The awning is made of perfectly tight tied palm leaves. I’ll stop here as I feel like nothing would portray the amazingness of this place. I tried to take photos but even they do not do justice. The swimming pool by the ocean is wonderful and warm. Everywhere you look there are sculptures or statues, amazing vegetation and water streams.
Off to teach the afternoon session, a Dharma talk, presenting my path, the relationship of Yoga and Zen – Zoga! Stay tuned more coming soon…
Love, D
This trip, everyone is far beyond high school, and it seems as if everyone is equally cool. There are eighteen of us, including an American trip organizer, a Balinese guide, a driver, and the rest of the yoga practitioners.
The airport was the first delight with great sculptures everywhere, many depicting Hindu Gods. A brand new Suzuki van with no seat belts takes us up the mountains as we head towards Munduk,, as the sun was setting over the two lakes.
Marigold necklaces are draped over our necks, as greeting smiles flower around. Water fountains, lotus ponds, and lush vegetation with beautiful flowers are abundant. The cottage is set up on stilts with a dark wooden balcony, over looking the little pond below hosting calm fish unaware of the expansive rice field’s just meters behind them.
Dinner consisted of a vegetarian sampling. Skewers of tofu in a Balinese sauce, tempeh in something like a BBQ sauce, cabbage in peanut sauce, a sort of latke, and Chrysanthemum tea. Every meal is shared with some other friends from the group, exploring diversity of life experiences, listening to stories, and enjoying others on chill mode. The rice terraces on the hills across from us have heard it all by now.
The next day we explored the property, walking through little temples, rice fields, spice plants, ponds, statues everywhere, and magnificent views of the mountains and villages around. What really makes it wonderful are the details, the smile of a passer-by, the gold fish in the pond, the bamboo mini bridge, the beautiful red flowers draping off huge semi translucent bright green leaves, the sounds of water flowing through streams and in and out of ponds.
We adventured off property and let destiny take our feet through the jungle, passing homes with bird cages holding quiet pretty blue birds, vanilla beans for sale off of someone’s front yard, coffee beans laid down to dry, wandering dogs, and mopeds everywhere. Everyone from young to old is on a moped. All Japanese made.
We took a trip to a coffee and spice plantation and sampled some fox shit coffee. It’s not really a fox, but looks similar. The fox goes out at night, searching for the best coffee beans, it is a very picky animal. It eats the coffee bean, digesting only the skin, and then poops out the bean. Since the fox is so picky this is considered the best bean one can find. We had to try it once, as Wayan our guide told us, “Try it once and that’s it, you don’t want to drink shit twice!” This coffee is sold for $500 in Japan.
After morning yoga and breakfast we head to the beach. We arrive in Pemuteran, at the magnificent resort of Taman Sari Bali Cottages, and really, I would call it no name except the experience of bliss.
What can I say? Heaven is here. I would stay here for a month without blinking. Beautiful grass dotted with flowers, sculptures and Japanese like lanterns. Our room has an amazing outdoor shower surrounded by pebbles, with a huge marble floored porch, a step from the little pond that flows as a stream between the rooms, gold fish, a sculpture fountain, and perfectly organized vegetation surround it. Large Indonesian wood furniture with blue cushions decorated with butterflies sewn on it. The awning is made of perfectly tight tied palm leaves. I’ll stop here as I feel like nothing would portray the amazingness of this place. I tried to take photos but even they do not do justice. The swimming pool by the ocean is wonderful and warm. Everywhere you look there are sculptures or statues, amazing vegetation and water streams.
Off to teach the afternoon session, a Dharma talk, presenting my path, the relationship of Yoga and Zen – Zoga! Stay tuned more coming soon…
Love, D
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