Plans are made, adjusted and negotiated, and then finally the workers are called so that something real comes of the plans. In this case its a lovely walking trail and bridge that connects two beaches.
The first of two bridge support runs are in place. The view across to Echo Beach.
Up close and personal with half of the bridge support. The view across to Pererenan Beach.
On the Echo Beach side there’s a lovely, curving path that leads to local food vendors, the famed La Brisa restaurant, and seafood grill operators.
Back at Pererenan Beach, only 800 meters from Ohana, workers are finishing up the concrete tile floor for a semi-circular welcome area. This entire project is shaping up nicely.
Have you ever had a particular moment in an extraordinary location where space and time were forgotten? Or are you seeking such a thing for the first time? In any case, the concept of a paradise is an elusive one, and here in Bali the word gets thrown around quite a bit. So let’s investigate.
When you first learn of Bali you may have read or heard of it as an Island of the Gods. Indeed, there are Balinese temples not just in every village, but in every home too. There are even micro-temples in Balinese shops and warungs (cafes). In addition there are daily offerings to the gods that inhabit each and every corner of this sometimes other-worldly island. Why? Because these gods are very powerful! They need paying attention to, requiring ongoing devotion.
But can an Island of the Gods be a paradise? Is it relevant if the gods aren’t your gods? Or if you don’t believe in any gods?
I think the relevance is this: when you visit Bali you can interact with people who have embraced other values than material goods. The ceremonies and offerings are constant reminders of the limits of the material world.
Like the old saying goes, “You can’t take it with you.”
And so if Bali doesn’t quite live up to your vision of paradise, at least you can be in a place where most if not all of the people aren’t taking advantage of your tourist status in order to rip you off.
So, so you think you can tell Heaven from hell Blue skies from pain Can you tell a green field From a cold steel rail? A smile from a veil? Do you think you can tell? — “Wish You Were Here” – Pink Floyd
Thanks to NOW! Bali for the photos. Follow their Instagram here
The best times for walking are early in the morning or the late afternoon. Not only are the ultraviolet rays milder and thereby less damaging to your skin, it is also cooler (although in the tropics “cool” does not mean “grab a sweater”).
Map: Directly across the road from Ohana Retreat Bali is a lovely walk among rice fields and the Pererenan backroads
Early evening light as we begin the walk from Ohana:
Photo: Formwork for the roof is visible in the distance
On our way to a lovely beach. Perhaps 15-20 minutes across the rice fields, past a lovely creek, and then onto a back road:
At the beach, surprisingly the crowds were out in full force. A few vendors selling satè and bakso etc kept the vibe completely local:
While not recommended, if you had to walk home in the dark, the walking trail is known to be safe.
A roof means many things, and with the rainy season approaching it simply means keeping the crew and the interior spaces dry. To be ready for a February opening we need to get ahead of the wet season.
This upcoming roof pouring (of concrete) will also be a ceiling for two guest bedrooms.
Because the building has a partial basement, the roof has two elevations: a lower one for the residential side and a higher one for the two upstairs guest apartments.
Photo: Our foreman Wayan and a worker doing a thumbs-up.
A rooftop bar is planned for guests only. By keeping the future poolside warung (cafe) and the rooftop bar private we don’t need business permits. They are facilities allowed as part of a Pondak Wisata license (a homestay with guest rentals and services).
The breezes that blow across the roof will be a welcome relief from the tropical heat. Having some shade, an ocean breeze, and a freshly made cocktail or beer will be a total delight!
“Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.” — Scott Adams
I’m becoming more convinced each day that the real benefit of travel, or expat living, or even tourism (although it’s a challenge to slow down enough as a tourist) — is the small everyday kindnesses shared among people who essentially are strangers.
In the following example, we have recently become friends (but only days ago — strangers) with our housekeeper. Kadeh is a young Balinese woman who cleans the four rooms where we rent. She is diligent and friendly and a genuinely lovely person. She also gets paid below the standard wage, from a Balinese owner, and her husband has to work in a town that’s too far away from their home. Fortunately her two kids are taken care of by her extended family and village and so Kadeh can see her children at the end of each day. She also, like many workers in Bali, works six days a week.
Photo: the author, his wife Shelly, and Kadeh, our new friend
One day Kadeh was talking with Shelly and somehow during the conversation Kadeh mentioned that she hasn’t gone shopping in ages. She neither has the extra time nor the money. And so I asked Shelly if she would take Kadeh shopping. After she chose one item (a blouse) for about 55,000 rupiah ($3.78 USD) Kadeh said she was done. Shelly said to pick another item. Then Shelly, with some convincing, helped Kadeh pick a third item (a total for the three items of $10 or $11 USD). At that point Kadeh became emotional and said it was too much. We were being too generous.
Those who make compassion an essential part of their lives find the joy of life. Kindness deepens the spirit and produces rewards that cannot be completely explained in words. It is an experience more powerful than words. To become acquainted with kindness one must be prepared to learn new things and feel new feelings. Kindness is more than a philosophy of the mind. It is a philosophy of the spirit. — Robert J. Furey
The next morning Kadeh thanked me and cried. We hugged and I mentioned that I was happy to help out.
Shelly and I have done some other, modest giving to the workers on our building project and the reaction is the same: a tremendous amount of gratitude for what, to most foreigners, is a very small amount of money.
The reality is that when you spend time in a developing country you realize that the majority of the world lives very modestly, and for the most part, happily. To participate in it, to get some joy from it, to change yourself a bit, reach out with a warm smile. See the other as an equal, in the sense that we are on the same planet, orbiting a blazingly hot sun in a terrifyingly cold universe. The stranger handing you your lovely beverage at the boutique cafe most likely cannot buy one for herself.
You don’t have to do much. Just be a small drop and let the ripple flow.
