Ubud,
I can't believe we're parting tomorrow. I don't know where to begin in thanking you for the amazing week I've spent with you. Countless times, I found myself in disbelief that you even exist. How could there be a place as refreshingly beautiful as you? Your countless palm trees, colorful and fragrant flowers, intricately designed doors and statues, shimmering rice paddies, holy temples, and smiling faces still have me awestruck. Thank you for our gracious host family who welcomed us with open arms. They have been kind, fair, and generous. I can still taste Iwayan's breakfasts and see Weyan Sudira's grin as we cheered him on at his local football game. Because of you, Ubud, our family has grown to include them. Thank you for the relaxation that comes with spending time here. It's funny; every day we seemed to slow down more and more–and be perfectly happy with the change of pace. Never needing plans or agendas, my friends and I enjoyed our company more completely. The simple details became moments of joy–a floating butterfly, perfect flower, a swaying branch. Thank you for sharing your spirituality with us. Your invitation to Saraswati–a Hindu celebration–was met with stunned faces. We were nervous to offend you if we "messed up" during the rituals, but that anxiety soon left us when everyone embraced our presence. The temple leaders were patient and led us in our own practice, ensuring we used the correct flowers and placed the rice on our foreheads. You gave us extra blessings for our upcoming travels. The sweet smell of incense on my clothes lingers, reminding me that you, Ubud, are with us in our physical and spiritual journeys. Thank you for your helpful and gracious residents. There are few places in the world that I have felt so completely safe. Taxi drivers gave directions when we did not need transportation, shop owners explained their craft without expectation, and locals were hospitable when we were stuck in the rain without shelter. These simple acts have made me feel even more at home here. And as I sit on the deck of our room at Yobi House, listening to birds and roosters, pigs and insects, I really do feel at home. It's strange to think that by this time tomorrow, I will be exploring a new place. Ubud, I will miss you. You will always, and sincerely, have a special place in my heart. Don't ever change, okay? With all my love–until we meet again, Farrah Have you ever been to Ubud? What was your time like there? For photos of Ubud and other places, check out my Photo Friday posts.
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Food! It's the whole reason that a large group of people even travel in the first place. Take fellow blogger and dear friend, Nate, for instance: while he loves exploring new places and meeting new people, he's all about finding local dishes--the "weirder" the better--and eating as many of them as possible. He literally brings extra antibiotics and medicine for this very purpose. Literally. So, what about Indonesia's food? My friends, it's delicious. Noodles and rice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner...but prepared in so many different fashions and with different options. Here are the must-eats of Bali. Mie Goreng (Fried Rice) Mie Goreng is eaten for every meal of the day. Fried noodles prepared with veggies and/or chicken, with yummy spices. More often than not, it's topped with a over-hard egg. You can also get it as spicy or as mild as you like. Mie Gorang is sold just about everywhere; however, the tastiest meal I had was with our host family in Ubud for a mere $2 USD. Nasi Goreng (Fried Rice) Just like Mie Goreng, Nasi Goreng is offered at all hours. This was Jimmy's favorite, and is prepared with the same spices and egg as Mie Gorang. I would suggest trying them both (of course)! Chicken Satay Oh my goodness. Chicken Satay may have been my favorite meal in Bali. Chicken satay is simply bite-size pieces of chicken grilled on a skewer, served with peanut sauce and rice. It's pretty basic, but unbelievably delicious. I'm pretty sure in the two weeks that we stayed in Indonesia, I ate chicken satay four or five times. Each time it tasted a little different, and was well worth the $3 USD. Seafood Seafood is plentiful on Bali and Gili Trawangan. Prawns, tuna, marlin, snapper, and mahi-mahi are plentiful. Although we (somehow) missed the fresh fish barbecue on Gili T, we had great seafood in Ubud. Our favorites were at Fair Warung Bale. Not only does this restaurant serve up amazing dishes like prawn curry, seafood salad with marlin, and tuna steaks, but it is also a non-profit. At Fair Warung Bale, the rupiah you pay for your meal goes directly to helping the community through free medical consultations, clean water, and youth training programs. Oh, and their homemade baguettes are to die for! Fruit Yeah, you can get pineapple, watermelon, bananas, and papaya at home. But I promise you, the fruit here tastes like heaven. Buy it from street vendors or in a juice or smoothie. Just get it. My tummy is rumbling just thinking about it... Pizza? I don't get it, but Jimmy and Nate are in love with trying pizza in other countries. Nate wrote a post about it over on he and Sarah's travel blog, Hey, Where is My Wife? Check it out.
What are some of your favorite foods in Indonesia? Or other must-eats of Southeast Asia? |
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