Bali

The last place that Elizabeth Gilbert visited in Eat, Pray, Love, Bali is where people smile from the inside out and where the air smells of incense.

The local population is 90% Hindu and they lay out daily offerings in front of stores, homes, and, even, on the beach. The beaches were beautiful and a haven for surfers--mainly Australians (my Australian brother-in-law met my sister here when he came for a surfing trip). We visited the famous Kuta Beach (which was too crowded and the waves too rough for the little ones), Jimbaran Beach (again, the water's too rough for kids), and Nusa Dua Beach which was our favorite because the lagoon is calm and shallow to play in.

I have never been to a place where the spirit is so revered. Daily chores are done from the heart. Little things, like picking fresh flowers and using them to decorate, make the place beautiful and inviting and smell good.

We stayed in a five-bedroom home that featured beautiful, traditional woodcarvings, two outdoor living spaces, a koi pond, and even our own temple. Two local women provided room service and made beautiful meals for us on a daily basis. I have never been served in the home before, but I definitely felt grateful to have had this experience. The women were so gracious and GREAT cooks.

One night, we ate a seafood dinner at Jimbaran Beach. Not a fan of clams, but these were served in the shell with a curried sauce. De-lish. The grilled prawns were huge and all mine because of Sudhagar's allergies.
The best--and longest--day of our trip was an all-day tour which included a little bit of everything (Note: it was a long day for the kids, but well worth it):

• Traditional Balinese theater (Barong and Kris dance)
• Ubud and neighboring villages to watch artists make silver jewelry, batik fabric, and wood carvings
• Countryside drive through rice terraces
• Monkey Forest (I recommend NOT feeding the monkeys...watch other people do it instead. And hold onto your belongings, because one stole my son's toy from our backpack.)
• Lunch with a view of Mt. Kintamani and Batur lake
• Tasting at a coffee, tea, and spice farm
• Sebatu holy spring water temple
• Bedulu elephant cave
  

Interestingly enough, I learned that Bali's cultural center, the interior town of Ubud, is home to many arts and craftsmen who make and sell their goods. According to our tour guide, ubud means "medicine," and I find it fitting that a people so connected to spirit, would believe art is medicine.

On our last night there, Sudhagar and I went on a spa date/tour where we got:

• Spa treatment for 2 including: foot bath, Balinese traditional massage, body scrub, flower/milk bath, ginger tea drink
• Uluwatu Temple tour and Balinese Kecak and Fire Dance at sunset (Note: when locals perform traditional dances, they are blessed by holy men on a daily basis).
• Dinner at Jimbaran Beach
  

I really do believe in the importance of connecting with your spouse on a regular basis. This time of re-centering definitely made us shine from the inside out as so many people asked us if we were on our honeymoon. We have been married for eight years and we actually do feel like newlyweds when we give ourselves this time with each other.