Day 6: Ubud

Today we had a traditional Balinese breakfast! Bali rice pudding. It was quite good although it seemed to be drenched in salty milk which I didn’t really like. Nevertheless it hit the spot and it was cool to try something not as European tasting as apple crepes.

After we went to the Senang Hati Foundation, which translates into Happy Hearts. The organization itself is amazing, and it was a ton of fun to learn about the organization and meet the people who live and work there.
Senang Hati is a social organization working to integrate handicapped people into Balinese society. Because Hindus typically see physical handicaps as a form of black magic, those with disabilities are often shut away, especially because cities and villages are rarely handicap accessible.
Since being founded in 2003 Senang Hati has grown from 20 to 270 people who are receiving services like education, physical therapy, career assistance or living at the facility. Some of the residents performed a beautiful Legong dance for us, as well as a musical performance. Despite wheelchairs the dance troupe has performed throughout the island, and their pride and skill was evident even in the short performance we saw.

After a tour we had lunch at the restaurant that residents started and also wander around the on site gallery with art produced by foundation participants. Everyone in our group constantly expresses amazement at how artistic everyone in Bali seems to be. Whole families are skilled artists, almost everyone knows how to play an instrument or dance and they all are self taught! I fell in love with one painting that stared at me throughout lunch, however I didn’t have the $50 on me to buy it. If I am still thinking about it when we return to Ubud I will definitely be finding a taxi to take me out there.
However I did buy a gorgeous hand drawn notecard by Ketut Budiarsa who I was able to meet. Ketut means he is the 4th child in the family, and I was also able to meet his brother, number 5. Both had beautiful artwork, and it turns out that the painting I lusted over is done by their other brother!

For dinner we had a special invitation to Agung Rai’s family compound. Agung generously invited us over after we met him at ARMA Museum last week and was serving us the famed suckling pig. Exploring his compound I was, as usual, astounded by the detailed stone and wood carvings throughout the buildings and in the family temple. Talking with Preeta I learned that because Agung’s family is from a higher caste they have more ornate compounds and more respect from the community.
I decided to try the suckling pig, and also had green papaya salad, fiddlehead fern salad, grilled fish, corn fritters, watermelon, bananas, coconut soup and rice! Despite rather looking forward to the pig, probably due to fond memories of delicious KC barbecue, I found the meat and skin to be rather disgusting! I still ate most of it, because, you know, food waste, but I really didn’t enjoy it. This is actually a great thing for me as it confirms my vegetarianism (especially since I always say I miss pork the most!)

Overall the meal was good, but I definitely enjoyed the fresh bananas the most. Is have been severely missing fresh fruits and vegetables, and despite the containers of peanut butter in my bag, all I want is a giant fresh salad.

Erica and I were lucky, and Agung sat with us for dinner! We must just be good with the Agungs since we were at Agung Prana’s table the other day. Agung Rai was fascinating to talk to, and I learned a number of things. First up we talked about the compound, and the beautiful carvings surrounding us. This led to an important discovery! The stone and wood carvings are replaced by each generation, so despite the fact that Agung’s family has lived there for 9 centuries, the gorgeous sandstone carvings are not that old. This explained a lot for me as I had really been wondering about weatherizing of the temples which are exposed to the seasons.

I also learned that the long grass roofs are replaced every 20 years, and that the rice stores are kept in an attic space above the dining pavilion. Going off the topic of rice, I was able to ask Agung a ton of questions about rice paddys. Here’s what I learned:

Most families still grow their own rice, Agung’s old father is actually the farmer in their family.

Agung grows the 3x a year rice, but it is not the purple Balinese variety.

Compost is the only fertilizer used, organic baby!

The water is drained to plant the rice, then filled to about ankle depth, then repeated a few times before harvest.

Birds are a big issue for rice farmers, sometimes the farmer has to stay out all day to keep chasing the birds away.

There more I’m sure, but I can’t think of anything right now, off to Sudaji tomorrow!