After our day of music instruction, different members of our group went to explore the area of Ubud.
One group of students went to the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, just a short walk from the Guest House and one of the most popular tourist attractions in all of Bali. This forested site truly is a sanctuary, with a sprawling forest, a river canyon, multiple temples, towering tropical trees, carvings, and statues. It would be worth a visit for the dense nature and sculptures alone, but the fact that it is filled with over 1,000 macaque monkeys means that around every corner there is the opportunity to see the entertaining monkey interactions. When I went to the sanctuary, one of my favorite parts was watching a group of monkeys playing in a small water pool. The way they were taking turns jumping into the water, splashing themselves and each other, and even doing cannonballs into the pool from up high in the trees, felt very human to me. Part of what makes monkeys sacred in Bali is connected to Hindu principles of human-animal kinship, and there is no animal more closely related to humans than monkeys. At the sanctuary, they also have gamelan and theater performances in the main temple. For a small entry fee, this activity is already one of my highlights from being in Bali.
While another group went into downtown Ubud to walk around, myself, Levin, Caroline, Erin, and Jiho took a rideshare up to Plant Bistro, which is nestled in the lush Campuhan river valley. Plant Bistro is a destination restaruant in and of itself, perched up on a high overlook with 180 degree views of the valley, and just adjacent to the museum dedicated to painter Antonio Blanco. The open-air dining room is filled with gorgeous hanging plants, chandeliers, and buzzing with the friendly staff in their matching straw hats. The only thing more impressive than its decor and fertile surroundings is its extensive vegan menu. Plant Bistro serves high-quality Italian pasta dishes, crafted vegan sushi, unique meat substitutes (they boast a watermelon-based tuna and a marinated carrot salmon), and lots of drinks to choose from. I tried the Avocado Tuna Tartare, and the watermelon had a shocking taste and texture reminiscent of raw fish. It was even approved by the fish lovers of the group! I also got a charcoal bamboo pasta that was stuffed with vegan goat cheese and drizzled with a creamy beet sauce. This was definitely one of the most memorable dining experiences I have had in a long time, and I hope to go back to try more creations, and to visit the Antonio Blanco Renaissance Museum when it’s open.
The sun was beginning to set when we walked across the road to the Campuhan Ridge Walk, a paved pathway that traverses one of the valley ridges. This is also a popular tourist attraction, and a nice opportunity to feel immersed in nature. The pathway isn’t too long, and undulates up and down amongst the foliage. While the clouds obscured much of the sunset, we were still able to enjoy the subtle pinks and orange hues of the sky as the sun went to sleep over the valley.
On the ride back, we got to see the heart of Ubud- and the Ubud palace- at night. It was filled with activity and so many tourist shops. I reflected on how dense Ubud feels, yet how close the absolutely serene nature still remains.
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