Wayan is back from Paris!

A few months ago I wrote a post about Wayan the brother's trip to Paris.

He is back! Here are a couple of pictures of his work that he brought back from his trip...

Ubud Pilates and Gyrotonic Studio

My Pilates studio in Ubud is undergoing some exciting progress. This first fully equipped Pilates and Gyrotonic studio, with top of the line equipment imported from the US and Canada, is situated in Nyuh Kuning, Ubud, just outside Monkey Forest.

At the time of writing, we have the foundation laid and some walls up.

Classes wise, we plan on offering Private, Semi Private and group sessions on both the Mat and equipment. Our aim is to offer as many options as possible to target different needs and budgets.

If you are in Ubud, or even outside Ubud and would like to get fit, tone with some fun, challenging and enjoyable workouts, look us up in a couple of months time!

Our studio website: www.MovementMatters-Bali.com

Our Cycling Adventure

I must admit that I am a super lazy mother and have not taken Eron to a lot of places in Bali even though we are in a touristy island. I am just happy to stay home or at the most step outside our house and mingle with the locals.

The cycling tour was a very spontaneous decision. Dewa the owner of the tour company gave us a very good deal and agreed to let Eron to ride along with the Guide. So the adventure begins..

Coffee plantation visit and coffee tasting.

"I am making some coffee powder here..."

Lunch with great view-Mt Batur.

Getting ready for the bike adventure!

Mini rice field tour.

Mamamia Pizza

Here is our favorite pizza place:  Mamamia on Jl Pengosekan with a new branch recently opened on Jl Hanoman.

I have not eaten a lot of pizzas in my life to justify but Mamamia probably has the best pizza that I've ever tasted. You may strongly disagree after trying it and that is OK.

Watching a friendly Balinese making pizza

Their pizzas are not expensive, range from USD4.5 toUSD5.5 for the whole pizza and it is usually enough to feed two not very hungry adults or one very hungry adult and one hungry child.  They are quite packed in the evening and that tells you their popularity index. 

Our favoriate so far?  Pizza Maninara(I hope to get this spelling right, if not, it is the shrimp and squid one).

Their delivery is free of charge so another reason to stay home to be a couch potato!

Tamanak Children Playground

If you live in Ubud and looking for a children playground, there is a community project called "Tamanak" in Sayan which worth checking out.

It is not a huge ground but enough for Eron to play the whole afternoon, not wanting to go home.

Balinese children normally do not enjoy the luxury of having a "man made" playground for them.  They climb trees, catch fish, swim in the river, fly kite, ride bicycle and among other "natural" activities.

So this garden is different and fun to them.  They are very excited about it.

It is a donation based project with a great intention of setting up a safe and fun place for children to play and explore.  Here is their website and please support them in making this playground better.

http://www.tamanak.org/

Still in Bali?

"Are you still in Bali and will you move there for good?"

My Singaporean friends have mix feelings for my decision of relocating to Bali.  Some are envious, some are neutral, while others raise their eye brows(pretty high).  It is unlike moving to Canada or Australia, you tell people that you are moving to Bali for your son's future and school etc, you will either get a comment that "your are very adventurous" or "you are crazy".

I have mix feelings too.  We moved there in the beginning of this year with the intention to stay for a while and see how it all goes for us in Bali.  To be honest, I was still looking for some other possible countries to move to.

The whole plan about relocation is really for Eron to have a freer, less stressful childhood and school life.  Singapore educational system certainly is great but it is not what I am out for right now.

Sometimes fate will take you to where it wants you to go, it is totally not up to me to plan or choose.  I am highly driven by my desires and goals and will do anything to get it.  And I usually got it.  Until recently.  I tried very hard to find a place to move to where I truly(at least I thought I was) desire but guess what? The harder I tried, the more things do not show up for me.

My work training brought us to Bali last year.  I brought Eron along with no or little intention to wanting to relocate here. Long story short.  Fate has a mind on its own.  This week we are home in Singapore processing our one year temporary resident permit at the Indonesia Embassy.

Will we live in Bali beyond a year.  Most likely.  We are shipping our belongings to Bali and I am setting up a business there.

Will we live in Bali forever?  May be. 

Do I still have desire to relocate or live somewhere else for a while?  Certainly.

Is Bali attractive?  Yes and it depends on your likings.

Here are a couple of Eron's pictures, he seems to like it in Bali:)

Chef's afternoon's break

Wayan is leaving for Paris!

Wayan, the brother of my landlord is heading to the airport today, leaving for Paris, France.  He has been going there to work at a zoo for a couple of months each year, for many years.

No, he is not a zoo keeper.  He is a woodcarver and he carves animals figures for display at the zoo.

My Balinese family: My landlord's mom, Wayan the brother, Made the landlord, Made's son.

and Deska.

Nyue Kuning is a wood carving village and almost every man can carve.  There are at least 4 men in my Balinese family who are carvers.  However you can not really tell that they are as they do not do that on a daily basis anymore.  They work either as a driver, villa manager or builder. 

A lot of the male Balinese are fine artists(some women too!) and some of them can not survive by selling their arts and crafts pieces, so they do something else. Is that upsetting? Sure. But they will tell you it is what it is, accept it, work around it and make life better.

Balinese live life.  They live the moment, do what they suppose to do, finish the task and call it a day.  Do they complain about lives?  Sure they do.  But again, they always just look at what is presented in front of them, they get the job done and move on to the next.  They seem to be contented at the end of the day.

Coming from a big city where I used to run from one place to another and doing godzillian things at once, my Balinese friends have inspired me to just simply live life.  

Eco Swasti Cottage, Ubud

Eating at Eco Swasti is such a pleasant experience.  From ingredient to preparation to serving, one can tell that the owner has put in a lot of effort and great ideas in pleasing her customers, and her vegetables.

You can literally taste the garden.  The vegetables which are (mostly) straight from her garden are so fresh and crunchy.  I am not a big fan of green leaf veg but even then, I finished everything on my plate.

Napkin holder. At first I thought they were kid's toy.

It is like eating something straight from the garden, being picked by yourself without any third party handling.  I actually feel very happy after the meal and knowing that my body really appreciate the food.

Yes, there are many restaurants which serve organic foods but this one make almost everything from their kitchen.  I was just being shown a bread making machine(not the one you use at home) in their kitchen.  They make all the sauces and breads, use coconut oil to cook their food and free range meat and eggs in their dishes.

Not forgetting to mention about their cleanliness, they have the cleanest kitchen I have never seen in any restaurants and they can easily beat the one at my house!
 
They also have an amazing organic garden with small animals which the children will appreciate.  And their farm again, is very clean and well organised.  Walking in their garden is such a bliss!

It's such a pity though there are not a whole lot of people who come to their restaurant.  I would love to see more people coming to taste real, healthy(I mean, very healthy) food, from someone who truly care about the environment and their customers.

Way to go Swasti, keep up the good work.

Pilates in Ubud, anyone?

Friends have been asking me about what we have been up to.  No posts, no phone calls, no coffee.

OK. We love Bali so much that I decided to set up a Pilates studio and live here for a while.  That is what I have been up to- looking for a place to set up business, getting the KITAS(work permit) done and working on my company website.

So friends stay tune.  If you are looking for a beautiful place to practice your favorite Pilates routine in Ubud, on amazing pieces of equipment, then please look us up in a few months time!

Oh alright, you want to have a quick peek into exactly what I have been secretly boiling:
www.MovementMatters-Bali.com

On Raya Ngepi Day

Raya Nyepi is the Balinese new year.  If you want to find out more about this festival, please do a search on the internet.  I am going to just write about how this day went for us. 

The whole island of Bali was basically shut.  We were not allowed to go out. It was quiet and completely dark out at night.  No light, no noise.  All stores were closed. We could easily label this day as "Earth Day".

Our homestay host prepared three meals for us on this day.  All meal were pre-cooked before dawn as after which you were not suppose to have any action in the kitchen.  The action and fire would draw the attention of the demons and they would not leave town because of that.

We sat on the terrace restaurant of the homestay and had a very quiet breakfast.  You talked as softly as you could.  The only person who allowed on the street were the policemen, they made sure no one broke the rule.

For Eron this was an interesting experience, imagine coming from a city where everyday is action day.  I told him about the story of the Nyepi and to this day he still remembers it.  It was his first "demon" story and he was totally fascinated.

For people who live right on the busiest streets in Ubud, the peacefulness and quietness of this day is much appreciated.  You don't see the usual hassles and buzzles on the street, no one is trying to sell you anything, no pollution, no nothing and I can imagine the whole of Bali island being a "dead" town. No wonder the demons find it boring and decided to leave the island!

We were going to watch the new year's eve parade where the big Ogoh-ogohs were out and calling and scaring away the evil spirits. We did not make it.  We were too tired after a long day and I do not typically like huge crowds.

Eron and I did some of our home school work together and relaxed.

You can really emerge into deep thoughts when you are in a extremely quiet surrounding.  It was the perfect moment, at least for me, to cultivate the inner space and fill it with peace and love.   You see more clearly and realize what is really important in life. 

Looking inwardly, what is sustaining our lives on earth?  Air, food, water, sunshine, shelter and clothing. Can we get those without the use of money?  Absolutely. 

Money is a form of energy exchange and it is important.  But if we  think that nothing is possible without it, we are being controlled by it. It is time to rethink about it's true value.  Someone told me once, "At the end of the day, we can not eat money, if that is what is left for us." 


I had a chat with my Balinese friend the other day.  I was telling them, in Bali, if you have land to grow food, have a shelter, you are rich. They do not agree. 


They told me that they have to spend a lot of monies on religious ceremonies, which almost happen everyday in their lives. They are truly devoted to their traditions and beliefs.

Balinese, in my opinion, are very hard working, contented and down to earth people.  Their religious beliefs and ceremonies are above all else. They live their religion.  I would like to see that their lives continue to flourish rather than going downhill with all the incoming foreign investments and influence.

I would like to see more, much more happy Balinese people. 

The Royal Ngepi day went well, we survived with just candlelight at night.

Spring Cleaning!

Spring time is here.  In Ubud there is no distinct four seasons but it is still good to have this season in mind to give all of us a reason to de-clutter, to clean and to detox.

Came across a great article yesterday and would like to share this with my readers.

Janet Alexander wrote the article below. Janet is a holistic health practitioner and a CHEK Institute faculty. (www.chekinstitute.com)

Spring cleaning time is here and that usually means time to de-clutter your house, work space, wardrobe, car, garage but let's start with the most important house - YOU and your body beautiful. Take an honest look at what you are doing so grab a sheet of paper and make a list of things to do in the following three categories:

1. Keep

2. Toss out/Stop/Remove

3. Change/Start something new.

KEEP going to bed before 10pm.

Eating three balanced meals with protein, carbohydrate and fats.

Daily aerobic sessions to give your ticker aka heart a workout at least 5 x a week.

Pick up some weights and throw them above your head at least 2-3 x a week.

Chill out, relax and recover at least 1 x week.

Talk to a real person at least 1 x a day.

Turn off all electronics at least 2 hours before you hit the hay.

TOSS OUT at least one bad habit as they don't serve a purpose. 
Poor blood sugar control and being dehydrated is a no brainer, get rid of them. Staying up late after midnight is another.
Eating junk food is on this list as well. 
Take the stress out of your body.
Back off on the coffee, alcohol and/or chocolate consumption and give your liver a break. 
If your running shoes have seen better days then go buy a new pair and ladies, take a look at your sports bras. 'The girls' need to be supported so maybe a visit to Victoria Secrets or Lululemon is in order to get new workout gear. 
Be disciplined.

CHANGE your mindset to be good to your body. 

Make a plan of doing one new thing a month be it eating a new vegetable, riding your bike a little longer, getting up when the sun comes up, hike along a mountain trail and make your body sweat a little more, try tai chi or maybe take a leap of faith and go skydiving. 

Be mindful of what you are putting into your body, plant a vegetable garden in your back yard, grow your own herbs (legal ones) so you know where your food is coming from. 

Take the time to write an old fashioned letter to a loved one. 

Re-connect with family and old friends. 

Be curious.

So, look at your sheet of paper. How many things do you have on your KEEP list? Hopefully it is a longer list than the TOSS OUT list but just know it takes 21 days to break a habit so baby steps are OK. As long as you are moving forward that is all that matters. However, before you know it summer will be here and the bikini or board shorts will be calling your name. Make a plan to commit to being fit and healthy NOW. Like your tax return - just get it done! You'll be grateful when you turn 90 and you're still able to dance on table tops, well that's my plan. Who's gonna join me? Red heels will be required!

Thanks Janet for sharing your words of wisdom!

Where do we stay in Ubud?

We have been renting house and rooms at home stays for the past few months that we are here.  Our plan is to move to a permanent home eventually.

The price for accommodations in Ubud varies.  They range from USD15 per night for a basic room to over USD1000 for a luxury villa. Depending on how fancy you want to get.

I rented a house last year with two other friends of mine.  It is located on Jl Jembawan, the same street as Radiantly Alive yoga and Bali Buda restaurant and health food store.  Very convenient.  We paid USD2000 per month for that house.  Modern, clean, nice interior decor and spacious.

The rental included daily cleaning service and cooking (we paid for the grocery).  Ketut, who has since become Eron's baby sitter, was the one looking after the house.  The house also has a nice garden.  We used that for morning yoga, meditation or just simply being there and enjoyed the sound of the nature (including roosters).

House on Jl Jembawan

This house has a nice view of the "jungle" and little stream that runs through the woods.  And this is very common among the accommodations in Ubud.  A lot of them have nice views of  ravine, rice fields and "jungle" view.

The other place that we have stayed was the Indra homestay on Jl Hanoman.  We paid about USD15 per night and that includes a free breakfast and daily cleaning service.  The room was not very impressive but it was clean.

Indra Home Stay

The typical breakfast that you will get at these home stays are banana pancake, toast with eggs, omelet, fruits and tea or coffee.  I enjoyed the food so far.

We are now staying at Rumah Roda on Jl Kajeng, paying about USD20 per night (long term rate).  It comes with free breakfast and a shared swimming pool. They are not super diligent in cleaning the room regularly but the room is spacious with good furniture, and a spacious terrace where you can sit down and enjoy the sunset.  We are very happy with this home stay.

Front of our Roda room

Recently I have another friend who stayed at Krishna on Jl Jembawan, paid about USD15 per night without breakfast, but the cleaning that was being done daily was great.  The place is very quiet and has a beautiful garden with plants, flowers and fruit trees.

Oh, notes about temperature.   There have been both hot and rainy/breezy days since we arrived. Accommodations in Ubud usually will only have ceiling fans. You can get rooms with A/C for about USD30 per night.  Check with them if they have hot shower facility.  The ones that I have stayed have it so far.

WIFI. Almost all accommodations have WIFI but they are not high speed. For regular surfing it is good enough but not if you want to Skype.

Safety issue.   I generally find it safe in Ubud and have not had any problem leaving my valuables in my room while I am out.  Well, I did hear about houses of expats being broken into but generally it is safe at home stays and short term rental private houses and villas.

If you are looking for long term rental, I suggest you look for something which is within a Balinese family compound or live in a house where there will be locals looking after the house.

So it is really about what you are looking for . If you do some research you will find a place that suits your needs.

Yoga in Ubud

There are many yoga studios that you can go to in Ubud.  The big names are the Yoga Barn, Radiantly Alive, Taksu Spa and Yoga.  Also the Intuitive Flow if you are in Penestanan area.

My favorite so far is the Radiantly Alive on Jl Jembawan. It is a smaller studio compare to the Yoga Barn, which means you might see the same people more often than not.  It is fun to meet the same people over and over again in classes, chat with expats who live here or are here on vacations.

I have been doing yoga at Radiantly Alive and  my favorite teachers so far are Noga, Jose, Daniel and Janet.

Noga is very clear with her instructions, she makes sure that everyone could achieve something in every exercise so she gives a lot of modifications and options for people with different levels.

Jose is very playful and funny and he takes great care of his students.

I like Janet's pace, slow and steady, which suits me as a beginner.

And Daniel's classes rock!  His classes are very popular and there is always a very nice flow to his routine. I never get bored doing his classes.  He always has a "theme" for every class that he will talk about throughout. Be it philosophical, physical, emotional or spiritual, you will gain not only physical but also mental strength from doing his classes.  Truly empowering!

Be sure to check out this studio the next time you are here!

Rolfing® SI in Bali

Ok, a bit of an advertising and Q&A here....

What is Rolfing?  When I told people in Bali about the work I do, they all gave me the same look and wondering what roofing work I was into.  Except for a few people who have been "Rolfed", many of the people I spoke to have no clue what it is.

Here is the partial answer to your question.

(resources: www.rolf.org)

What is Rolfing^® Structural Integration?

Named after its founder, Dr Ida P. Rolf, Rolfing Structural Integration is a form of bodywork that reorganizes the connective tissues, called fascia, that permeate the entire body. 

More than fifty years ago, Dr. Rolf recognized that the body is inherently a system of seamless networks of tissues rather than a collection of separate parts. These connective tissues surround, support and penetrate all of the muscles, bones, nerves and organs. Rolfing Structural Integration works on this web-like complex of connective tissues to release, realign and balance the whole body, thus potentially resolving discomfort, reducing compensations and alleviating pain. Rolfing SI aims to restore flexibility, revitalize your energy and leave you feeling more comfortable in your body.
Essentially, the Rolfing process enables the body to regain the natural integrity of its form, thus enhancing postural efficiency and your freedom of movement.

What are the benefits?

Rolfing Structural Integration has the ability to dramatically alter a person's posture and structure. Rolfing SI can potentialy resolve discomfort, release tension and alleviate pain. Rolfing SI aims to restore flexibility, revitalize your energy and leave you feeling more comfortable in your body. The genius of the work rests on Dr. Rolf’s insight that the body is more at ease and functions most effectively when its structure is balanced in gravity. 

Athletes, dancers, children, business professionals, and people from all walks of life have benefited from Rolfing SI. People seek Rolfing SI as a way to ease pain and chronic stress, and improve performance in their professional and daily activities. It's estimated that more than 1 million people have received Rolfing work.

Research has demonstrated that Rolfing SI creates a more efficient use of the muscles, allows the body to conserve energy, and creates more economical and refined patterns of movement. Research also shows that Rolfing SI significantly reduces chronic stress and changes in the body structure. For example, a study showed that Rolfing SI significantly reduced the spinal curvature of subjects with lordosis (sway back); it also showed that Rolfing SI enhances neurological functioning.

The term "Rolfing" is the nickname that many clients and practitioners give this work. It is now a registered service mark in 38 countries.

Single Mother in Ubud

I am not sure about life in other cities in Bali.  But as a single mother I received much support from the Ubud community.

First and foremost, the childcare is cheap.  I paid Eron's baby sitter, Ketut USD10 for a full day care.  The care can sometimes last as long as 10 hours per day, depending on my activity for the day.

Ketut is a very loving and caring lady who always greet us with the biggest smile.  Her husband Made, our regular driver, is a humble and gentle man.  They have a two year old boy, Putu and a 6 months old baby, Kadek.

So the childcare part is taken care of......

If you have school age children, there are a few great kinder garden and schools to choose from.  Being a firm Steiner education believer, I do not think that I will be settling for anything less as I will be sending Eron to the Spring kinder garden, Pelangi or the Green School.  There is also a Steiner home school group that I would like to eventually look into.  (The group is closed temporary)

Food....

We all know that nutrition plays a key role in child development (and so does play).  Like I said in my previous blog, the food in Ubud is cheap yet good.  You do not have to worry about McDonald's or KFC, because so far we have not seen any fast food restaurant in Ubud.  You can eat great tasty nutritious food even with a budget.

For people who are gluten and dairy intolerant, do not worry. You will find that the staple diet of the Balinese is really mainly rice, vegetable and meat.  Ketut told me that because wheat flour is more expensive to get, the locals would just use rice flour for making their food.  People here also do not drink lots of cows milk. They use coconut milk instead for cooking and making drink.

If you are a vegetarian (although I do not advocate vegetarian diet for children, but many parents prefer to, it is totally very personal), you will find loads of vegetables and fruits to choose from at the markets (and restaurants).  Eat all the vegetables you want at a super affordable price.
Asa, the Pilates teacher at Ubud Pilates told me that she spends about USD40 a week for grocery for her family of four.  

Nature....

In Ubud you will get all the nature you are longing for. Rice field paddy might be just in front of your house, not to mention jungles and streams, crickets, frogs and gecko, mountains and rivers etc.  Not to forget about the great sunshine you get everyday, 365 days a year.

Toys.....

Sorry,  there is not really a store that you can buy toys from.  Children here play with rocks, water, grass and sticks.  They do not need expensive toys, because they make their own and have great fun playing with them.

For you, the parents....

Because childcare cost is so low, take the opportunity to do lots of yoga, Pilates, sound healing, Qi Gong, dance and many other retreat programs that are constantly running throughout the year at many locations in Ubud. You will be a loving parent if you spend time to love yourself and do things for your spiritual growth.

Perhaps I have covered a few important things on the list, I will add more here or on another post, stay tune. :)

Food in Ubud

The first restaurant that I went to in Ubud was the Kafe on Hanoman Street.  With mixed reviews about food in Bali from my friends and clients, I was quite curious about my first meal in Bali.

Turned out to be a pleasant experience! We had freshly squeezed juice, some organic red rice and grilled chicken.  The whole meal cost us about USD5.  It was very cheap according to our Singapore standard!  Great quality, fresh and good portion enough to feed both me and Eron as a very light lunch.

So I was impressed.

And then the second meal at the Bali Buda.....

Pretty much the same standard and price as the Kafe. Bali Buda is located on Jl Jembawan, the same street as our rented house.  On the menu they have both western and local food, including pizzas.  Our favorite so far is the Soto Ayam (free range chicken soup served with rice, USD2.2) and Pizza Jungle Chicken(also with free range chicken, USD4).  Eron and I usually will just share a Soto Ayam and a juice for lunch as we could not eat much in the hot days.

Bali Buda also has a retail store that sells organic produce, skin and health products, homemade pastry and bread, raw honey, coconut oil and kambocha in glass bottles etc.  You can get cool and fresh coconut water (in glass bottle, USD2) here but we prefer to go next door to a little stall for fresh coconut water (from huge young coconut) for USD1.  Eron loves coconut water and he usually can have one huge coconut a day, by himself.

The other place that we have been was Mamamia, on Jl Pegosekan, serve super cheap (USD3 to USD5), big portion yummy pizzas.  My friend and I went together and the both of us shared two pizzas, a big bottle of mineral water and a juice, cost us about USD12.  We certainly were very hungry when we got there but that meal filled us up pretty good.

Not to leave out the unique Clear Cafe, on Hanoman Street.  Try their Tuna Burger for USD4.5 and milkshake for about USD3.  Enjoy the atmosphere that they created at the restaurant including the odd-shaped, natural wooden dining tables.  Whether you are here for your first date or just catching up with your friends, I am sure you will have a wonderful time!

There are many more restaurants like the above in Ubud serving different taste buds and they are all great.  I have not been to one that I dislike so far.  If you are a budget traveler, you can have a simpler meal at the local "Warung" (eating place).  For USD4 or less you could have a great local healthy dish and a drink. 

Why Bali the Island of God?

Out of so many places, why do we choose Bali?

You will not read about how Bali was attracting us and so we chose to come here etc, in fact, it is the opposite.

Bali was not on my list first of all when I started planning for our relocation.  There were many places in the world which I was more attracted to than Bali.

Somehow, I guess you can call it fate, the doors of my dream places did not open.  But Bali's did.

We came to Bali for the first time in Oct 2012 with high expectations for the Island of God.  Nope. My first impression was disappoinment.  The traffic, cars, run down buildings and chaos were not on my high hope list at all.

"I will not live here!"  I thought.

We had to stay in Bali for a few months because of my Rolfing training. My intention was pretty much set to move on to somewhere else after that trip.

Things start changing after I had my first coconut water and many more after that.  Yes you heard it right,  I am a big fan of coconut water. The unlimited fresh coconuts that I can have at a very cheap price became one of my reasons to come and live in Bali!

And then the food, the artistic and holistic atmosphere, the very nice and humble Balinese, the expats that we met etc draw us closer and closer to Bali.

Will share more in following posts!

The Beginning

Welcome to my first blog ever!

This blog is created to celebrate the start of a new life in Ubud, Bali for me and my boy, Eron. We moved to Bali in the beginning of 2013 with a passion and love for holistic living.

You will read things that are happening to us on a day to day life.  So if you are thinking of moving to Bali, this blog might be able to give you some insights of our life in Ubud.

The experience have been fun, challenging, interesting and rewarding. So, first of all, find out why we choose to go to Bali....