Roosters, Thunder, and Galungan

A quick post before bed. I had a highly productive day in Denpasar. My friend / driver / translator Wayan and I hit the road just after 9am. It was a brilliant sunny day. My new puppy, Shanti, slept the whole time in the back seat.

I tied up loose ends, took care of business, etc. Also got a new phone - blackberry, so you can expect lots more mobile uploads from me ;)

Arrived back in Ubud just after 3pm. The streets look absolutely beautiful. The Balinese have been preparing giant pieces of bamboo and decorating them, to put out front of their houses. These "penjors" are for Galungan, which begins tomorrow.

Galungan is a Balinese holiday that is celebrated every 210 days, and always falls on a Wednesday. It literally means "When the Dharma is winning." During this holiday, the Balinese gods visit the Earth and leave on Kuningan, the 10th and last day of the holiday. 

The day will be spent with family and at the temples, giving offerings. The day after Galungan is a time for a holiday, visiting friends, maybe taking the opportunity to head for the mountains for a picnic. Everyone is still seen to be in their 'Sunday best' as they take to the streets to enjoy the festive spirit that Galungan brings to Bali.


I took a quick nap before meeting my parents for dinner. All I could hear was the neighbors roosters crowing and thunder. I am beginning to really love these sounds. The sounds of living somewhere remote and the sounds of the tropics. I can see palm trees from my bedroom window and I still can't really believe it. 

Green Village Bali - My Dream Home

I had the pleasure today of accompanying my new friend who is an architect to "The Green Village" in Bali. She has spent her 20's in London, designing high-end flats. Now currently living in Australia, she - who will go unnamed - has come to Bali to see how they build with bamboo.

I found my dream home today and also had the pleasure of sitting down with Elora Hardy, the CEO and lead designer for Green Village. Elora is daughter of the famous jeweler and business man John Hardy, who recently built the widely publicized and successful international "Green School" 25 minutes from Ubud, Bali. Elora was born in Bali and educated in the U.S. and got some major experience and exposure working as a sole print designer for fashion icon, Donna Karan, in New York City. Elora is beautiful, high-energy, humble and absolutely sweet. I look forward to hanging out with her again, seeing as I have now found a home in Ubud. It's no Green Village, but it's perfect for the time being.

Upon arriving at Green Village, my architect friend and I were offered fresh hand towels and a glass of cold coconut water. Heaven. We got to tour two of the homes, one which was a show home and is still for sale $400,000 US. 

Everything from the floors and the counters to the beams and the walls are made of various sizes of bamboo. Elora told me 5 different species are used, which are grown on Bali and also imported from Java. A small amount of concrete is used during construction to pour into the base of the large bamboo beams, so that they have a solid foundation in the rock that is used. The bamboo is treated before building to protect it from sun, rain and insects. Walking around this beautiful home today was surreal. The detail and attention to craftsmanship is truly world class.

I kept day-dreaming about waking in the master bedroom, having a shower in the open air, and enjoying a coffee or perhaps doing yoga. Absolute peace. With the palm trees swaying in the background, and the fresh coconut juice......  sigh. I have my work cut out for me!

Check out the pictures and please click on the website below for more information.

<3 Bali Chick

Green Village Website: www.greenvillagebali.com/

Green School Website: www.greenschool.org

Interview with Elora Hardy for The Yak Magazine ( Bali ) :

www.greenvillagebali.com/2011/12/green-village-on-the-yak-magazine/

Bali Christmas Poem

Twas the night before Christmas in Bali, and all through the huts, not a creature was stirring, not even the coconuts. The Bintang's were chillin in the fridge, with care, in hopes that St. Buddha would soon be there.

The Aussie's were nestled snug in their beds, while visions of sic swells danced in their heads. Papa in his shorts, and I in my sarong, had just settled down for a hit from the bong ( Hookah )

When out in the palm tree, there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, tore open the bamboo shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen frangipani's, gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below. When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny Bali deer.

"Now Palm tree! now, Banana leaf! now, Hibiscus and Papaya! On, Mango! On, Pineapple! on, Bamboo and Guava! To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL :) ❤ ✦ ✧ ✩ ❤ ✦ ✧ ✩ ❤ ✦ ✧ ✩ ❤ ✦ ✧ ✩