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  • Search Results for: ubud

    • monkey forest: ubud

      Posted at 8:00 am by jasminedesirees, on September 16, 2014

      Honestly, after my monkey experiences in Thailand, and at Pura Lempuyang, I was pretty ok with not seeing any monkeys again for a long time, but then I somehow found myself at the Monkey Forest in the center of Ubud.

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      It was basically terrifying, there are tons of monkeys, and they are so used to tourists being there and hand feeding them that they aren’t scared of people, so they will come right up to you, and jump and climb all over you.

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      The monkeys can get kind of territorial over the bananas that people bring in to feed to them, I saw a lot of monkeys chasing each other and fighting, and I tried to stay as far away from that as possible, because I had a friend that visited here a few months ago and she ended up getting bit by one of them.

      I was not taking that chance, I’ve seen Outbreak, I know what happens.

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      A lot of the other people there did not share my feelings, and were letting the monkeys crawl all over them and their children, so they could get pictures taken.

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      There was a tiny new baby monkey that was just about the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. He kept trying to sneak away from his mom to get more bananas from the crowd, and she would grab him by the tail and pull him back against her.

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      I saw one person with a bunch of bananas break off one and hand it to the mother, and she grabbed it, handed it to the baby, and then snatched all of the rest of the bananas out of his hand before he had time to react.

      The Monkey Forest is a pretty famous attraction in Ubud, and you should check it out if you’re there, even if you are terrified of monkeys. As long as you keep your distance, don’t feed them, and don’t try to steal the cute little baby (who would have fit perfectly inside my purse and nobody would have ever been any the wiser) you should make it out unscathed.

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      Posted in Indonesia, travel | 1 Comment | Tagged Bali, Indonesia, monkey, monkey forest, ubud
    • vegetarian: an update

      Posted at 8:08 am by jasminedesirees, on March 28, 2016

      caprese salad

      I will have been vegetarian for two years as of this summer, and I get asked all the time how it’s going, so I decided to do an update on what I usually eat, some of my favourite recipes, and things I want to try.

      Breakfast:

      I make my own granola (loosely based on this recipe) and it’s my favourite thing. I literally wake up in the morning and work out almost every day because if I do I am rewarded with the best breakfast ever, which is fresh berries (I usually do raspberries and blackberries, but strawberries are good too, and blueberries are also a choice someone else might make) with granola and unsweetened vanilla almond milk. SO GOOD.

      If Derek is cooking, he usually makes me an egg, mushroom and onion omelet, cooked dry to the point of being almost burnt. YES.

      Snacks:

      I always have raw almonds and cuties in rotation for snacks, and I keep cans of sweet peas in my cupboard. 60 seconds in the microwave and they are good to go.

      I also love hummus with cucumbers or mini sweet peppers.

      Lunch:

      I eat a lot of salads for lunch, and I usually add nuts or beans to add protein. I’m a pretty terrible vegetarian actually, I hate Tofu or “fake” meat products and I won’t eat eggplant or sweet potato. Want to have me over for supper? I’m really not picky, it’s just that those things are gross.

      Caprese salads are pretty much my jam, and I also eat a ton of soup. I still make this all the time, I almost always have a tupperware of it in my fridge, (sans hamburger) because it’s so delicious and so filling. Derek will eat it all if I’m not paying attention.

      Every once in awhile I’ll have a veggie burger, there are quinoa and garlic ones that I like on the BBQ. I’ve tried making my own black bean burgers and it was a fantastic failure every time.

      Supper:

      Luckily we live someplace where so we can BBQ all year round, otherwise I might actually starve to death. More often than not I chop up veggies (cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, peppers, brussels sprouts) in a piece of tinfoil with olive oil and salt and pepper and roast them on the grill. It’s one of my most favourite things and I never get sick of it.

      Cauliflower Alfredo– I’ve made this a couple of times and it’s seriously so good. I like to add sun-dried tomatoes to the blender as well to give it a little extra flavour, or pesto would work great as well.

      Lentil tacos- Instead of tacos with hamburger, just cook lentils with taco seasoning. I usually make them with lettuce cup taco shells, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, salsa and greek yogurt. Derek likes them too.

      Caprese Portobellos– Sooo good on the BBQ. I soak tomato slices in balsamic, olive oil and salt and pepper, clean and de-gill a portobello mushroom cap, then put the mushrooms and fresh mozzarella into the mushroom caps with a squiggle (it’s a technical cooking term) of balsamic glaze, then BBQ them for about 25 minutes. You have to wait until the mushrooms dry out and deflate a bit, but so worth it.

      Pasta Primavera with Feta- No recipe for this, I just roast veggies (tomatoes, carrots, onion, mushrooms, peppers) in the oven with olive oil, and cook quinoa pasta. When it’s done I toss it all together with extra olive oil, salt and pepper and feta. I had this dish for the first time at Kafe in Ubud, Bali, and I went back and ate there almost every day the whole week because of how amazing it was. I do not grow tired of you (with heart eyes).

      Roasted Veggies with Feta- The same concept as above, but with no noodles. Only slightly less good.

      Things I will try if I’m ever home for more than 5 minutes:

      Butternut Squash Linguine– I actually tried to make this once, but I couldn’t find any butternut squash? But this will happen sooner or later.

      Also, I bought myself this cookbook in a frenzy of New Year’s self betterment, and I have yet to make anything out of it. I’ve been traveling a LOT but I will get my life organized and get cooking this month. Just in time for it to be too hot to turn on the oven.

      Perfect.

      I always try to have as many veggies on hand in the house as possible, because it’s SO easy to eat terribly as a vegetarian. Actually the first time I tried it I lived for a week on chocolate, chips and cheese and wondered why I didn’t feel well and concluded that I must need meat to survive.

      The only things I miss about eating meat:

      Crab cakes: Because yum. If I ever gave up vegetarianism I would probably only eat fish which I never actually ate before, but I would become pescatarian to just eat veggies and crap cakes for every meal.

      Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings): If you haven’t had these, stop what you are doing and go find them. Actually the only time I’ve been sad that something is off the menu. I went to Yank Sing in SF for Dim Sum for the first time in a long time, and I remembered that these existed and almost cried. I tried to find out if there is a vegetarian version, but they need actual bones to make them, so that’s probably a no.

       

      Posted in food, life, other things | 0 Comments | Tagged food, meals, recipes, supper, vegetarian
    • biking through bali

      Posted at 9:25 am by jasminedesirees, on March 3, 2015

      mount batur

      During our last few days in Bali we decided to do a biking tour. We had heard great things about it, and thought it would be a fun way to see some more of the countryside.

      We left from a restaurant near Mt. Batur, it was foggy that morning so our view wasn’t as great as I’d hoped.

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      We hopped on our bikes and set off. It was basically terrifying, I go biking pretty often, but we started off on the side of a very busy road, and it was pretty steep, and I was given strict instructions to never use the front brake, so I obviously used it constantly and nearly sent myself flying over the handlebars a few times.

      Once we got going though, it was great. It was a beautiful day, we got to see a lot of different places including a school, a cock-fighting ring and we even met a guy along the road who invited us to come in and check out his house.

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      Our guide was a young guy, he was very friendly and knowledgeable, and told us a lot about Balinese culture, so I thought I would share everything that I learned:

      -a traditional balinese house has 4 buildings. “a compound” one for the parents, one for the kids, a kitchen, and a spiritual room for rituals. The compound is surrounded by a wall on all sides, to keep negative spirits out, and separate the family from the craziness of the outside. There is only one entrance, which is guarded by statues to ward off evil spirits and black magic, and also statues who are there to welcome friends into the home.

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      -Balinese kids don’t get their names until they are 1 1/2 years old. They believe in reincarnation, so until the child is 1 1/2, they believe that the soul of the child still belongs to the ancestor, so it isn’t right to call them by a different name.

      When the child turns 1 1/2, there is a special naming ceremony where they get their names. Before that, they are known as Wayan, Made, Ketut, etc, which actually stand for their birth order, the oldest child is Wayan, the second is Made, and so on. So when you meet Balinese, you will hear these names a lot, but they are not actually the given names, more like a nickname.

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      -Balinese kids go to school 6 days a week, from 7:30 to 1:30. Primary school is free, and mandatory for all children, but middle and high school is very expensive, so many children can not afford to go, especially people from the country, as many of them don’t yet see the value in continued education. They learn 3 languages, Balinesian, Indonesian, and English, starting when they are about 9 years old.

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      – When Balinese children are born, the Balinese believe that they are born with 3 siblings already, the placenta, the blood, and the other birth liquids that come out with them. The placenta of each child, and each generation, is buried within the house compound of the family, as a way to keep part of every family member connected to the home.

      Young adults may go off to the city to find work, or move away for awhile, but they still feel that their home is very important, and they know they will one day return to look after their parents, and start their own families.

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      -Balinese believe it is not safe for children under 3 months to touch the ground because it will make them sick, so you will always see mothers carrying their young children. At 3 months, there is a special ceremony where they touch the ground for the first time, and then they are taught to stand and walk.

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      -Birthdays aren’t a big deal for Balinese children until they get older. At 17 or 18 they will have a ceremony to celebrate the boys becoming men, and the girls becoming women.

      There is another ceremony that takes place right before Balinese people marry. During the ceremony, the points of the 6 front teeth are filed down to be flat across. The Balinese believe that within every person there is both good and evil, and that the filing down of the teeth helps the person to conquer the bad things within themselves, like greed, jealousy and anger.

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      biking through bali

      This ceremony is still performed today, as a way to keep up the tradition, but it isn’t done quite as severely now, because of intervention from dentists. In the past, all the teeth would be filed to be straight across, and the straighter the teeth, the more attractive a person was considered. Now, the points may be filed off the canine teeth, and slightly off the other teeth, but it is more as a way to continue with the tradition.

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      biking through bali

      -The traditional Balinese calendar year is only 210 days long, so their years are shorter than ours. They also go by the international calendar as well.

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      biking through bali

      It was really hot the day we went biking, and we were pretty exhausted by the time we got to the end of the trip, but it was really fun, and I’m definitely glad we did it.

      Before heading back to Ubud, we had lunch at this beautiful little restaurant, and they served us strips of soybean bark, possibly, in this amazing teriyaki-ish sauce. I have no idea what it was, so I can’t even try to track it down, but it was so delicious that I have dreams about it sometimes.

      biking through bali

      Posted in Indonesia, travel | 6 Comments | Tagged Bali, bicycle, bike tour, culture, Indonesia, mt. batur, travel
    • tirtta ganga

      Posted at 9:02 am by jasminedesirees, on December 15, 2014

      On our way back from hiking Mount Batur, we stopped in to check out Tirtta Ganga, one of Bali’s gorgeous water palaces. it’s up in the NE part of Bali, so it’s perfect to visit while you’re up in Amed, or on your way back from a day trip out of Ubud.

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      It’s not marked very conspicuously, when our driver pulled over I thought he was just stopping for snacks, because it’s surrounded by walls, with shops and restaurants in front, with just a little gate and a sign over the archway.

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      Luckily it wasn’t very busy when we were there so we were able to check everything out and take lots of pictures without there being a crowd, or a group of random people in all of our photos.

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      tirrta ganga

      The grounds was amazing, with lots of sculptures and water features, and a giant fountain in the middle. There are stepping stones all through the first pool so you can walk around it and look at all of the sculptures.

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      tirrta ganga

      We were told that the waters in Tirtta Ganga were supposed to have spiritual healing properties, and that people were allowed to swim in certain areas, but there wasn’t really anyone to ask, and we didn’t want to accidentally go into the wrong area.

      Also, there are huge Koi fish everywhere, and they definitely could have taken off a pinky toe if they felt so inclined.

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      tirrta ganga

      It was very peaceful, quiet and green, even though there is a more expensive homestay and a nice restaurant along the right side of the property, it doesn’t take away from the ambiance.

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      tirrta ganga

      Also there was a large pool filled with lilypads and gorgeous purple flowers, so that was my favourite part, obviously.

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      tirrta ganga

      Posted in Indonesia, travel | 1 Comment | Tagged amed, Bali, culture, Indonesia, tirrta ganga, travel, ubud, water palace
    • batty

      Posted at 8:08 am by jasminedesirees, on September 11, 2014

      On the way home from the luwak coffee plantation, our driver offered to stop at the Bat Temple so we could check it out on the way back to Ubud. I figured it would be a cool temple with maybe some bat sculptures or something, so I agreed, and was excited to visit.

      We arrived at the temple walls, it was across the road from a beautiful black sand beach, and it looked similar to other temples we’d visited in Bali, maybe a bit busier.

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      I made my way inside, stopping to chat with a few people and getting a sacred belt that everyone needs to wear in order to enter the temple. I wandered around the grounds for a bit, admiring the architecture, and eventually headed toward the main dais.

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      As I walked up the steps toward the altar, I heard a strange high pitch noise, but I couldn’t really tell what it was. I stopped about 10 feet away from the altar, which was positioned right in the entrance of the cave, and I thought it was strange that the beautifully carved figures and floral offerings on the altar were all covered in something white.

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      At about the same moment I realized that, I happened to glance just above the altar to the opening of the cave, and that’s when I saw the bats. Thousands of bats, hanging together, moving, squeaking, occasionally flying back into the cave.

      It was quite literally horrifying, especially since my attitude toward bats can basically be summed up thusly:

      To quote Ace Ventura, “Have you ever seen a bat? They’re hideous! Lifeless, beady eyes; clawed feet; huge, grotesque wings, and fangs! They give you rabies, you know!”

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      It was kind of like a car accident, I couldn’t look away, but I did manage to take a few pictures and get a video. I didn’t think anyone would believe me if I didn’t have evidence.

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      The temple is actually very sacred, you can learn more about it here, and the architecture is beautiful. The temple grounds isn’t very big, so it doesn’t take long to see the whole thing, and it’s definitely not something you’ll soon forget.

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      Posted in Indonesia, travel | 0 Comments | Tagged Bali, bats, Goh Lawah Temple, Indonesia, temple, travel
    • bali homestay

      Posted at 8:00 am by jasminedesirees, on September 5, 2014

      While we were in Ubud, we stayed in a traditional Balinese homestay, which had been turned into a hotel. They are very common in Ubud, and the one we were staying in was wonderful, the woman who owned it was the sweetest lady, and even though we were out the door by 5 a.m. every single day we stayed there, she always left a little breakfast package on the front desk for us to grab on our way out.

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      I especially loved the gardens. The whole home is situated around the gardens in the center, complete with fountains, statues and beautiful flowers, as well as a temple for the family to pray at.

      As pretty as it was, there were a few downfalls, so I wanted to share them in case any one else is going to be staying in one of these, so you can prepare accordingly before you arrive.
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      If you are staying in a homestay in the middle of the city, bring ear plugs. There is a lot of noise, and it can be hard to sleep. The first night we stayed there, I was kept awake about half the night by dogs barking in the neighborhood.

      Just when they finally stopped, the fan in our room started squeaking, this loud, horrible squawking noise, but we couldn’t turn it off because it was so hot in our room and there was no air conditioning.

      Finally, just when the fan stopped squeaking, almost down to the minute, the roosters started crowing. It was so perfectly timed that I briefly wondered if I was being secretly filmed for a reality TV show. Earplugs are definitely your friend.

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      Also, an eye mask. The room we were staying in was all brick, but on the one side of the room there were decorative cut outs along the top of the wall that were open to the outside to let in more light.

      There was a mosquito net around the bed to keep the bugs out, and it was really pretty, for awhile, but eventually I wanted to go to sleep and it was too bright in the room. Luckily, my airplane eye mask saved the day.

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      The last thing I wanted to mention is that our bathroom was outside, on a balcony. It was completely open to the air, which was unexpected, but it was actually really nice showering outside with the sky above you. It was in the city, so it’s possible I put on a bit of a show for people in surrounding buildings, but you can’t have everything in life.

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      I don’t think all of the homestay bathrooms are set up this way, even within our hotel I don’t think they were, so if you want to make sure that your bathroom is indoors, just check with the hotel before you book.

      All in all, it was a really great experience, and I would absolutely stay there again.

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      Posted in Indonesia, travel | 0 Comments | Tagged accommodations, Bali, homestay, Indonesia, travel
    • pura lempuyang

      Posted at 8:00 am by jasminedesirees, on September 1, 2014

      We only spent two days in Bali, even though I was completely in love with it, because we really wanted to go to Labuan Bajo to do some diving, so we had to be kind of picky about the things we were going to do.

      I had seen pictures of the Pura Lempuyang temple, and it was so gorgeous I really wanted to go. I didn’t realize how far it was from Ubud, about 2 1/2 hours, but we did some other things on the way back so it wasn’t too bad. When I told the lady at our homestay where we wanted to go, she was kind of surprised, because apparently not a lot of tourists go there.

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      She kind of tried to talk us out of it, because it was kind of far away, and she tried to convince us to go to the top of the volcano instead, which sounded kind of amazing, but also really busy, since it’s one of those things that a lot of tourists do when they are in Bali. But she had been to Pura Lempuyang herself, and told us how gorgeous it was, so we decided to check it out.

      We set out at about 5 a.m., with our driver, who was really cool and had traveled all over the world. He ended up climbing up to the top of the mountain with us, even though he didn’t have to, and along the way he told us all about the Hindu religion in Bali, what they believe, and how it’s different from Hinduism in India. It was really interesting.

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      The climb itself was kind of arduous. We knew going into it that it was 1700 steps to the top, but what we didn’t know was that there was actually a lot of walking and climbing of stairs before we even arrived at the 1700 stairs. I had to bribe myself with Oreos just to keep my legs moving.

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      It was kind of chilly out when we left, at least 4 people told us to bring jackets and wear pants, but we didn’t listen and thank goodness for that.

      I was cold for about the first 15 steps, but once we really got into the climb I was so hot and sweaty that I was very glad I didn’t wear more clothing. I did bring a sarong though, since you need one to enter the temples, so bring one if you’ll be visiting, or they rent them at the bottom.

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      Unfortunately, it was kind of cloudy and foggy on the day that we visited, but just as we were arriving it cleared off for a few minutes so we could see the gorgeous view, including the volcano.

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      The views were gorgeous, and my legs were shaking so bad the next day I could barely walk, but the most memorable thing for me was the monkeys.

      We were told at the bottom of the climb that the monkeys at the top were very aggressive and would bite and attack people who were climbing up, especially if they were carrying food, so we were each given a thick wooden walking stick, and given a crash course in monkey beating.

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      Luckily I didn’t have to use my vicious new skill, but I totally would have if one of those monkeys had tried to steal my Oreos.

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      Posted in Indonesia, travel | 5 Comments | Tagged Bali, hindu, Indonesia, pura lempuyang, temples, travel
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