Candidasa - Ubud
It is time to leave the coast behind for the hinterland; we may not see it again until we finish the tour. After Made picks us up in Candidasa, we are on our way to Ubud accompanied by a light rain.
Ubud has long been a centre of arts and culture, and as such has been an attraction for westerners for as long as they have been coming to Bali. We'll be staying here for three nights and using it as a base for more adventures. Our digs are a few kilometres from the centre of Ubud, but the hotel runs a regular shuttle service; we indulge their hospitality after checking in, and grab a lift into town.
We've heard about the famous Babi guling (Suckling pig), and as it is already lunch time, decide what better time than now to check it out. The restaurant has moved since I was last here, and is now reminiscent of the food court in a shopping complex - devoid of all authenticity. It is now a "Get 'em in, serve 'em quick, and get 'em out again" deal. The meal was no better, actually, not as good as many pork roasts I've had at home - two out of five stars.
After lunch we wander along Monkey Forest Rd., and I muse on how much busier it has become since I was here 3 years ago; more traffic and more construction. I used to enjoy staying here, and maybe the outskirts of town are still as beguiling, but the inskirts have become tragically over-commercialised. Tacky souvenir shops, western sports outlets, and over-the-top restaurants serving western style 'cuisine' are squeezed between traditional Balinese temples, houses and rice paddies. I fear that development will over run what once made this a special place to visit.
Be careful Ubud; don't shit in your own nest!
Ubud has long been a centre of arts and culture, and as such has been an attraction for westerners for as long as they have been coming to Bali. We'll be staying here for three nights and using it as a base for more adventures. Our digs are a few kilometres from the centre of Ubud, but the hotel runs a regular shuttle service; we indulge their hospitality after checking in, and grab a lift into town.
After lunch we wander along Monkey Forest Rd., and I muse on how much busier it has become since I was here 3 years ago; more traffic and more construction. I used to enjoy staying here, and maybe the outskirts of town are still as beguiling, but the inskirts have become tragically over-commercialised. Tacky souvenir shops, western sports outlets, and over-the-top restaurants serving western style 'cuisine' are squeezed between traditional Balinese temples, houses and rice paddies. I fear that development will over run what once made this a special place to visit.
Be careful Ubud; don't shit in your own nest!
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