Strolling Ubud

Indeed, Ubud has changed since my first visit here about 11 years ago.  Many streets completely boxed in with galleries, clothing, cafe’s, etc were still open rice fields.  If you walk behind Hanoman Street, you can still glimpse that.  

The busy areas have really amped up!  The locals are still friendly and connect.  The tourist seem more stressed and in a hurry, often not looking up to make eye contact or say hello!  That’s OK!  I didn’t come here for the tourist!

I’ve recommended to many friends that they visit the tourist areas on Monkey Forest Road and Hanoman but then get away from those areas.   One or two blocks of walking will bring a completely different experience.  

Main roads are jammed at peak times of the day making it challenging to get across the street.  However, Balinese drivers tend to be very polite and helpful, waving me across when things are a bit tight.

Here are a few photo’s from my walking here.  I find the back streets, the alleys, the remote places that connect where I want to go.  Or places like upper Sugriwa Street  that quickly becomes a quiet neighborhood climbing slowly to open rice fields and a restaurant.

Streets packed with cars and motorbikes and buses and such yield to empty stretches of peaceful walking.  Local restaurants take shape along these small streets.  

Of course, you see “taxi” drivers everywhere asking… “Transport”… “Transport”… “Transport”, even though you just walked by three other men with the same sign asking the same question.  The best thing to do is simply smile and say thank you.  

I walked for several hours today with my camera!  Here are some other glimpses I saw.  Go slow.  Look up.  Pay attention.  

Someone died near a neighboring temple.  Today, everyone came together to prepare for the cremation tomorrow.  Everyone!  My first visit here I learned that visitors are welcome guest to these noisy and robust cremation ceremonies.  One thing you can’t bring with you is grief and sorrow.  This is a celebration of the Spirit and life of the person who died.  Grief is selfish and slows their Soul journey.  Come but to celebrate!

Road crew!

And finally, I wasn’t sure I could walk home through the little alley.  It was under construction the other direction yesterday.  Today, they moved on toward Hanoman Street.  Everything is done by hand tools.  Sledge hammers break up old concrete.  Metal bars pry out the old cement squares to prepare for the new.  And all this work is provided by women!

Christmas!?

I have absolutely no plans now other than to be still and happy.  This has been an amazing journey on so many levels.  I’m feeling more connected to my inner self than ever before and that’s a gift.  Abraham, speaking through Ester Hicks, recommends for people to come into alignment first before they set out taking actions.  Suddenly, through connections and support I found here, I have a deep understanding of what that means.  

Holiday idea!  Get yourself into a very peaceful, loving and compassionate place inside and take that with you out into the world.  Gift compassion and patience and love to everyone you meet.  Here’s a sign I saw today:

In six days, I leave for Raja Ampat!  What a gift that is to me!!!  And I’ve shifted travel plans now clear that I’ll head to Sri Lanka after that.  Hopefully, I’ll be able to connect with my friend Linda from Sweden who I met her at Nyoman’s last year.  She’s been traveling Sri Lanka since November 13th and has tips to share.  Well, she’s been traveling other than time spent in the hospital for dengue fever!  Yikes!

Once I get to Raja Ampat, I won’t have much access to anything electronic.  I’ll post an update before that and then some photo’s and experiences after!

Happy Holidays!