Amber in Bali
There’s a magical quality about the soft sun and balmy air in Bali that instantly makes you feel calm and serene. The natural beauty, the nourishing food, and the culture of kindness and gratitude inspired me to be more mindful with my body, soul, and the world around me.
In Ubud I experimented with flying yoga, where I hung upside down from colorful cloths fastened precariously to rusted hooks on the ceiling, swinging with wild abandon into various positions, the blood rushing to my head and the fear rushing out of my body. I tried yin yoga, where I at first resisted, and then slowly surrendered to the long, deep stretches; embracing the difficulty as growth and expansion rather than discomfort and unease. I inhaled in all the love and positive energy of the universe and exhaled all the sadness, pain and confusion inside me, creating space to fill with gratitude for being alive.
In Canggu I ate the most visually stunning food I’ve ever seen, packed with the most nutritious ingredients I’ve heard of, from goji berries to acai, cacao nibs to activated charcoal, spirulina to maca powder. Brunches were shaggy half coconuts loaded with chia seeds, dragonfruit, kiwis, bananas and almond butter, sprinkled with hemp seeds and drizzled with agave nectar. Dinners were nasi gorengs or mie gorengs, prawn crackers crackling and fried eggs running. Deserts were pandan crepes with palm sugar and toasted coconut, or street-style pancakes with dark java chocolate and ginger ice cream. Or both.
In Semiyak I shopped like a fiend, finding gorgeous new brands I had never heard of before, every dress that slipped over my body felt like it was made for me, beaded or backless, fluttery silk or flowy chiffon. The styles were tasteful and carefree, sexy and sophisticated, and I hunted down every Uma and Leopold, every Lulu Yasmine. My jewelry obsession was Maison Blonde, which I paid a daily visit to, tried on and fell in love with almost everything, the turquoise charms dangling from the thinnest gold chains, the moonstones glowing in tarnished silver bracelets.
Sunsets were an event, and all other activities (massages, whitewater rafting, visiting spiritual healers, surfing) needed to be timed around this sacred ritual. A viewing place would be chosen, front row beanbags secured, and the wait would begin over a mango smoothie or an ice cold coconut. The most incredible sunsets I’ve ever seen in my life have been in Bali. The blue sky becomes a canvas for nature to write a symphony of color, of breathtaking combinations of flamingo pink and fiery orange, that disc of molten gold dropping inevitably towards the horizon through lilac clouds. You just watch, and watch and it keeps getting better and better until it’s so spectacular that you almost can’t bear it…and then the dazzling climax is over and the whole sky fades into softer, pastel tones. There is a feeling called awe, a feeling that is underrated and under-experienced as we rush around in our normal city lives. Being in Bali and witnessing these masterpieces of nature day after day, one is overtaken by awe, by the overwhelming feeling of appreciation for a higher power, by the feeling of gratitude at knowing that we will get to witness this again, tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day… through no virtue of our own…
Amber's Recommendations
AMBER STAYED AT:
The Chedi Club Tanah Gajah in Ubud - former estate of one of Indonesia’s top art collectors, this classy hotel set in a rice paddy is exquisitely decorated
Pajar House in Ubud - very basic villas in a peaceful green rice paddy with a pretty pool at unbelievably low prices
Desa Seni in Canggu - designed as an enchanting village where you stay in antique wooden huts, swim in the saltwater pool, and partake in daily yoga and meditation
AMBER ATE AT:
Crate Café in Canggu - warehouse style restaurant in a rice paddy full of surfers and the prettiest, healthiest brunch food
Betelnut in Canggu - thatched roof, hippie café with hearty, healthy and delicious food
Bambu in Seminyak - elegant setting with spicy, tastefully presented food and memorable desserts
Barbacoa in Seminyak - sexy, Latin American themed steakhouse- in a rice paddy
Melting Wok Warung in Ubud - casual spot serving rice or noodle curry only, and once you try these, you will understand why they’re the only thing that needs to be on the menu
The Slow in Canggu - utterly, unquestionably cool from the funky art to modern décor to the colorful, fresh food
AMBER PLAYED AT:
The Lawn in Canggu - trendy beach lounge, tan or go for sunset drinks
Echo Beach Club - casual, lively spot with a sunset barbeque and fresh seafood
Ku De Ta in Seminyak - upscale lounge with good DJs, perfect for sunset drinks
The Practice yoga studio in Canggu - excellent classes with highly trained instructors under a stunning vaulted bamboo roof
AMBER SHOPPED AT:
Monsieur Blonde - vintage inspired jewelry and naughty lace lingerie
Uma and Leopold - island chic style, the best backless and beaded dresses
Lulu Yasmine - tasteful Parisian-Balinese fusion fashion
Deus Ex Machina - faded t-shirts and rugged biker gear
AMBER READ:
Hotel K: The Shocking Inside Story of Bali’s Most Notorious Jail by Kathryn Bonella
AMBER LOVED:
The balmy air, the sunset rituals, the culture of gratitude and peace, the traditional Indonesian food and the trendy organic cafes.
READING IN BALI:
Walking near Monkey Forest I found a small bookstore, so of course I wandered in and bought a book to read by my rice paddy pool.
When most people think of Bali they think of sunshine and rainbows, yoga and surfing, a paradise on earth. Hotel K: The Shocking Inside Story of Bali’s Most Notorious Jail is so intriguing as it provides a rare glimpse into the sinister side of Bali; the dark underbelly, what happens when hedonism goes too far. Australian journalist Kathryn Bonella shows us what goes on within the walls of Bali’s infamous prison and the Indonesian criminal justice system. Inside Hotel Kerobokan we meet prostitutes and drug traffickers, rapists and surfers, hapless tourists who ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time. We learn about their sex lives; the babies conceived and aborted in prison, their addictions; fed by a steady stream of drugs circulating around the cells; their crimes; ranging from petty theft to bomb blasts, their escape attempts and suicide attempts, their sentences. Some of the stories are so extreme and Bonella tells them so vividly that it’s hard to believe they’re all true. There are even photos so you can see the bleak conditions in Hotel K and visualize the Australians, Indonesians, Brazilians, Italians and other inmates, all characters playing different roles in this story of Bali’s jail.
This book sheds light on the some of the deeper-seated issues that Indonesia and its most loved island are struggling with, and provides a startling, eye-opening perspective.