8.09.2010
8.02.2010
7.24.2010
final practice/ Final Performance
Final practice before tomorrows performance
Tomorrow we perform! The costumes are amazing, I feel really honored that they're allowing us to put on a real performance. We're performing the welcoming dance, and the two female dances and only the first male dance we learned. Everyone seems to have had their fills of each other and are just trying to stay composed. We're all eeally tired and hopefully we're ready for the big show tomorrow. Novi and Estee have been preparing press packets and promoting cudamani to the Indonesian public for the duration of the program. We've been featured in a number of local publications and it looks like Cudamani will be bigger and bigger as time passes. Wish us luck!
Tomorrow we perform! The costumes are amazing, I feel really honored that they're allowing us to put on a real performance. We're performing the welcoming dance, and the two female dances and only the first male dance we learned. Everyone seems to have had their fills of each other and are just trying to stay composed. We're all eeally tired and hopefully we're ready for the big show tomorrow. Novi and Estee have been preparing press packets and promoting cudamani to the Indonesian public for the duration of the program. We've been featured in a number of local publications and it looks like Cudamani will be bigger and bigger as time passes. Wish us luck!
tooth filing, wedding. And 3rd dance
One of Pak Dewa's cousins had a traditional wedding ceremony and we were invited! Unfortunately because it is an all day event, we only got to see the first part of it. This involved the Bride dressed in yellow, and priests blessing her and the family. Then there was the tooth filing, we're she and another cousin had the sharp ends of their 6 front teeth buffed down by the priests. This is done as a sort of coming of age ceremony, and to rid oneself of the 6 vices (greed,etc). It was explained to me that only close family is allowed around the platform to protect the person from being taken by bad spirits since they are very vulnerable when this takes place, and that they must keep their eyes open the entire time. It didn't take long for the filing and I was really impressed that neither of them showed any sign of pain.
The entire village sent one family representative with baskets full of gifts for the new couple, and then finally the husband came to the house and they performed a marriage ritual which required them to walk through a line of string together, and to reenact the story of parents giving them away etc. I didnt see some of it because guests must be seated in certain areas of the compound based on their social rank and relationship to the family. As a foreign guest I could only sit on one side, but I still observed plenty. This took a few hours and we sadly had to leave. it was pouring rain through the entire thing so i guess it was better that we left anyway. I was told that there were more ceremony's and outfit changes that would take place later that day.
The group left the Sanggar and went back to have lunch. We separated into our groups and the dancers learned a new female dance, which is one of the most basic dances one learns for legong. I really enjoyed that dance and I actually will be in front for the performance. Pray I dont forget the music ques:/.
The entire village sent one family representative with baskets full of gifts for the new couple, and then finally the husband came to the house and they performed a marriage ritual which required them to walk through a line of string together, and to reenact the story of parents giving them away etc. I didnt see some of it because guests must be seated in certain areas of the compound based on their social rank and relationship to the family. As a foreign guest I could only sit on one side, but I still observed plenty. This took a few hours and we sadly had to leave. it was pouring rain through the entire thing so i guess it was better that we left anyway. I was told that there were more ceremony's and outfit changes that would take place later that day.
The group left the Sanggar and went back to have lunch. We separated into our groups and the dancers learned a new female dance, which is one of the most basic dances one learns for legong. I really enjoyed that dance and I actually will be in front for the performance. Pray I dont forget the music ques:/.
Tunjuk
One of our Master teachers invited us to his home village, Tunjuk, to see a performance and meet his family. It wasn't too long of a drive but I felt motion sick all the time. When we arrived, we went to the village's pondok and we had delicious snacks!! The men played about 5 pieces, that our master composed, and they were contemporary pieces that reflected traditional sounds that also blended what he'd collected on his journey around the world. They were really incredible.
After the performances, he lead us to his family compound, which was huge and was shared by 15 families! Who all lived there not because they couldn't afford their own place, but because they wanted to be close to each other. Even more amazing was the lunch that the women of the family prepared for us. I was in heaven. The family was incredibly generous and we couldn't thank them enough.
After lunch, we headed over to the rice fields for a walk. It was truly incredible. I think that was one of the main highlights of trip. It really makes you appreciate and eat every grain of rice in your bowl when you know the work that went into harvesting it.
The hike was very long as the rice fields were expansive, but we eventually made our way to the town's temple that was nestled into a patch of the forest. The temple was beautiful and had this magical air to it. We were blessed and said a prayer in the temple. Unfortunately I got into a little altercation with another group member and that dampened the day a bit. Some people have no brought-upsy. Any way, after prayer we walked over to a slightly open area where some of the family and gamelan members were waiting for us, playing music and preparing fresh coconut for us. We watched a cock fight (no animals were hurt, its ok) and drank and ate our coconut :). One of the little girls even danced for us, it was adorable. I was really surprised how underexposed alot of the group members were, since most of them had never had fresh coconut before. I'm always greatful for my up bringing; it comes in handy even in southeast asia, which i honestly think was alot like Jamaica anyway.
After the performances, he lead us to his family compound, which was huge and was shared by 15 families! Who all lived there not because they couldn't afford their own place, but because they wanted to be close to each other. Even more amazing was the lunch that the women of the family prepared for us. I was in heaven. The family was incredibly generous and we couldn't thank them enough.
After lunch, we headed over to the rice fields for a walk. It was truly incredible. I think that was one of the main highlights of trip. It really makes you appreciate and eat every grain of rice in your bowl when you know the work that went into harvesting it.
The hike was very long as the rice fields were expansive, but we eventually made our way to the town's temple that was nestled into a patch of the forest. The temple was beautiful and had this magical air to it. We were blessed and said a prayer in the temple. Unfortunately I got into a little altercation with another group member and that dampened the day a bit. Some people have no brought-upsy. Any way, after prayer we walked over to a slightly open area where some of the family and gamelan members were waiting for us, playing music and preparing fresh coconut for us. We watched a cock fight (no animals were hurt, its ok) and drank and ate our coconut :). One of the little girls even danced for us, it was adorable. I was really surprised how underexposed alot of the group members were, since most of them had never had fresh coconut before. I'm always greatful for my up bringing; it comes in handy even in southeast asia, which i honestly think was alot like Jamaica anyway.
Still Sick
So after four days of being sick, taking over-the counter herbal remedies (diapet) and even “Bali Belly Buster”(which worked for about 7 hours until 3am yesterday) also missing 2 classes, yeah I am done with this whatever it is. I went to the doctor today and missed class again but I had no energy from being up all morning in the bathroom. I’m not vomiting thank goodness but this is too inconvenient. There’s a 24hr clinic that’s down the street I believe mostly for tourists. The doctor tried to get a blood sample from my but i was not having it! So she thinks judging from frequency and symptoms I either have bacterial infection or salmonella. So I’m taking antibiotic, pro-biotic, and a stomach coater, until sunday and if the frequency of the problem persists- its off to the doctor for the blood work. She also said that my blood pressure was 90/50 which is no good soo….
Anyway I am not too worried- even from rest and today’s dosage I was at the group pool party some of the boys decided to have at the hotel. It was fun to have everyone around, and even some of the cudamani guys got in the pool (swimming and water are not really part of balinese culture, perhaps due to beliefs of water demons etc) and it was fun to be around people. We had pizza and soda which also nice to eat again (since i’ve had little ability to eat since getting sick).
So far so good, and unfortunately I’m missing out on the big temple visit tonight in our teacher’s village. This was a really good one, we’re told highly spiritual where there are special mask dances and most foreigners don’t usually get to see. So hopefully the other’s will have good stories to bring back but I know not to risk it.
Anyway I am not too worried- even from rest and today’s dosage I was at the group pool party some of the boys decided to have at the hotel. It was fun to have everyone around, and even some of the cudamani guys got in the pool (swimming and water are not really part of balinese culture, perhaps due to beliefs of water demons etc) and it was fun to be around people. We had pizza and soda which also nice to eat again (since i’ve had little ability to eat since getting sick).
So far so good, and unfortunately I’m missing out on the big temple visit tonight in our teacher’s village. This was a really good one, we’re told highly spiritual where there are special mask dances and most foreigners don’t usually get to see. So hopefully the other’s will have good stories to bring back but I know not to risk it.
Mask demonstration and new male/female coreo
More technique today, also the musicians are learning the new music pieces for both dances. I’m still sick but I wasn’t about to miss another class, so i mustered energy and I think the sweating really helped. The new pieces are really fluid when you get them, but are so technically challenging even missing one day has set me back alot. There are alot of eye movements and my arms are exhausted from the long holds.
I realized that I never really talk about what I do in my evenings. Class is from 9-4, breakfast and day starts around 7a, and after class is usually catching up online, running around to exchange money, and grabbing an early bite to eat so we can go to bed early. Some nights I go swimming at the hotel under the incredible stars. There are bats here too, but its cool. It’s nice to swim at night since no one else is around and i can float to star watch. Some nights it pours and we’re stuck without internet and confined to whatever porch we are on. The thing I hate most are the flies and mosquitoes. I swear I wish i had the mosquito racket here- it would be over for those suckers. The worst part is when my roommate leaves the window open at night because she feels the air is stuffy. I agree but damn the mosquitoes!! i can’t even count the bites i have. And I’m also on anti-histamine thanks to arm swelling from several bites.
Next week is the last week (so soon) and I will be mask-making next week, although with the class I’ve missed I may just switch back to afternoon dance intensive. This is the first year they’re offering an electives option. Other choices were music and dance intensives and also offering making- really important around now because on the 21st of July begins the big village cremation ceremony that only happens i think twice every 3 years. And 100,000s of offerings are being prepared for families and neighbors with bodies that need to be creamated or who’ve recently held their own cremations in the past 3 years and are honouring their dead at the ceremony. Offering making is a huge part of the culture here, there are so many complexities in Balinese traditions and it would probably take years to understand them all.
I realized that I never really talk about what I do in my evenings. Class is from 9-4, breakfast and day starts around 7a, and after class is usually catching up online, running around to exchange money, and grabbing an early bite to eat so we can go to bed early. Some nights I go swimming at the hotel under the incredible stars. There are bats here too, but its cool. It’s nice to swim at night since no one else is around and i can float to star watch. Some nights it pours and we’re stuck without internet and confined to whatever porch we are on. The thing I hate most are the flies and mosquitoes. I swear I wish i had the mosquito racket here- it would be over for those suckers. The worst part is when my roommate leaves the window open at night because she feels the air is stuffy. I agree but damn the mosquitoes!! i can’t even count the bites i have. And I’m also on anti-histamine thanks to arm swelling from several bites.
Next week is the last week (so soon) and I will be mask-making next week, although with the class I’ve missed I may just switch back to afternoon dance intensive. This is the first year they’re offering an electives option. Other choices were music and dance intensives and also offering making- really important around now because on the 21st of July begins the big village cremation ceremony that only happens i think twice every 3 years. And 100,000s of offerings are being prepared for families and neighbors with bodies that need to be creamated or who’ve recently held their own cremations in the past 3 years and are honouring their dead at the ceremony. Offering making is a huge part of the culture here, there are so many complexities in Balinese traditions and it would probably take years to understand them all.
kecak 2 and new dance
So yesterday was all about prep for the temple performance. we got there early to do hair and make up and to go over both dances again.
Unfortunately I was feeling awful. I don’t know what I ate or drank- but bali belly hit in full swing. I felt light headed and had slight fever. But still i stuck it in and went to the temple. That was an awful idea bc we took these 14 passenger buses, and I not only sat in the back, but we managed to go island style and stuff 18 people in. The ride was not at all smooth and i didn’t take dramamine. I think my eyes were closed for an hour just doing breathing exercises. The little girl group for cudamani also packed in with us, and some of the musicians. The little girls were also performing that day and our teacher was going to do a mask dance that is considered very sacred. When we got there I was not at all feeling better, but somehow my fever managed to break while i was there which i found really amazing. Usually for ceremonies like the one we attended, offerings and procedures go on for a couple of days and entire villages participate. This was extra special because not only was the ceremony for a high-priestess (which is rare for a woman to reach such high status) but also she came from a very highly regarded family line of priests (Bali also observes a caste system that differs a bit from the Indian caste system).
As we sat there ready to begin our parts of the ceremony, It began POURING. Torrential down pour, that didn’t seem to have an end. The ceremony continued on, but I couldnt. I ended early and left with Ibu Arini (who had a performance at the Ubud festival) so i didn’t perform. The others told me that it went really well aside from being soaked, and that our other teacher’s mask performance was incredible. The little girls also performed amazingly in the rain as if they were unfazed.
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I missed lessons today because I’m still sick. But i was told that because we’re such fast learners we are learning 2 new pieces this week. It was explained to me as “last week on crack”. Soo. The others also did another kecak which I’m sad to have missed.
Looking forward to a speedy recovery to get to this new piece. Going to rest some more.
Unfortunately I was feeling awful. I don’t know what I ate or drank- but bali belly hit in full swing. I felt light headed and had slight fever. But still i stuck it in and went to the temple. That was an awful idea bc we took these 14 passenger buses, and I not only sat in the back, but we managed to go island style and stuff 18 people in. The ride was not at all smooth and i didn’t take dramamine. I think my eyes were closed for an hour just doing breathing exercises. The little girl group for cudamani also packed in with us, and some of the musicians. The little girls were also performing that day and our teacher was going to do a mask dance that is considered very sacred. When we got there I was not at all feeling better, but somehow my fever managed to break while i was there which i found really amazing. Usually for ceremonies like the one we attended, offerings and procedures go on for a couple of days and entire villages participate. This was extra special because not only was the ceremony for a high-priestess (which is rare for a woman to reach such high status) but also she came from a very highly regarded family line of priests (Bali also observes a caste system that differs a bit from the Indian caste system).
As we sat there ready to begin our parts of the ceremony, It began POURING. Torrential down pour, that didn’t seem to have an end. The ceremony continued on, but I couldnt. I ended early and left with Ibu Arini (who had a performance at the Ubud festival) so i didn’t perform. The others told me that it went really well aside from being soaked, and that our other teacher’s mask performance was incredible. The little girls also performed amazingly in the rain as if they were unfazed.
———
I missed lessons today because I’m still sick. But i was told that because we’re such fast learners we are learning 2 new pieces this week. It was explained to me as “last week on crack”. Soo. The others also did another kecak which I’m sad to have missed.
Looking forward to a speedy recovery to get to this new piece. Going to rest some more.
Sunday Sanur beach and Market
We were so tired yesterday I couldn’t even write this entry- I just went straight to bed. Minh and I have been talking about the beach since Wednesday lol. So Pak Danu was gracious enough to take a group of us to Sanur beach in Denpasar, a less crowded beach that happened to be in front of the hyatt lol. Even cuter is that one of the musicians is from the Midwest and has never seen the beach until we took him! He was so happy it was lovely. The sand at that beach was pebble and crushed shells, and there was a. Huge bed of seaweed there so we were careful. Ubud has alot of trees and w’ere mostly under the pondok during the day so the intensity of the sun came as a surprise for us. Being in direct sunlight? No joke. Hope you bring sunscreen, bug spray, and that you enjoy sweating, a lot. We also went to a jewelry market and a clothes Market on our way back. Things here are relatively cheap but we seem to really spend often, so you need to be careful as a tourist. Also every village specialises in a different craft so you’ll want to bring money for that as you travel the island. Most of all, spend time learning to BARGAIN. I’m not good at that but I’m learning quickly. I’ve been haggled a few times so I’m trying to be more alert of the worth of what I’m spending and buying.
For example, go down to the delta (like a 7-11) and you’ll spend 12000 rp, (almost 1.70 usd) for the same box of cereal that sells at a side road store for 7000 rp (less than $1) which adds up! especially since the exchange rate changes every few hours at the money changing stores here. I haven’t seen any money changer that is close to the new york stock exchange listing (9135 to every dollar). So i’ve been losing money simply by going too late to the money changer.
For example, go down to the delta (like a 7-11) and you’ll spend 12000 rp, (almost 1.70 usd) for the same box of cereal that sells at a side road store for 7000 rp (less than $1) which adds up! especially since the exchange rate changes every few hours at the money changing stores here. I haven’t seen any money changer that is close to the new york stock exchange listing (9135 to every dollar). So i’ve been losing money simply by going too late to the money changer.
Monday before Temple Performance
OMG The temple performance has been moved to tomorrow! Last week it was mentioned to us in passing that we’d be performing the two pieces that we just learned in 5 days, and even better at the blessing ceremony of a high priestess!!!
So we spent the day practicing and well I’m nervous!!!! but it will be a good experience… I’m trying not to be homesick but It comes in waves- i just don’t feel social enough and a bit enclosed because of language barrier(again!).
There’s also a big Ubud festival that’s been going on for a few days now and Cudamani has performed every night; i haven’t made it yet. Today we went to get these corset-type undergarments that the women where here under their Kabayas. We’re getting them for our costumes- there is a strange double standard on appropriate attire here in Bali that makes me weary. I sometimes find myself frustrated trying to fit in but on the other hand I have to remind myself that I’m a tourist and it’s obivious to everyone else, so don’t hurt myself trying. It was nice to travel a lttle further out of the city after practice to get the undergarments- I prefer to see that area bc it seemed a bit less tourist oriented and prices were miraculous.
Today we added spears to the male dance piece and also heard and experimental piece from the musicians. Everyone feels better about the male piece bc it’s a less complicated and our teachers are so positive! They are confident that we have the technique down but today definitely assured me otherwise. I think we’ll do well tomorrow. As for the female piece… We shall see. Alot of us may practice tonight just to feel better about it. It’s not that we don’t feel good doing it- it’s just that when u think “I’ve got it” one of the teachers comes over to fix you and you’re like blah!!!! fail!
Working and practicing with the musicians is really helpful and once you start listening to the piece you’re really feeling it. Ibu Arini taught us how to take ques from the music, listening to the changes in the main drum and then the small and large gong to indicate change in movement and pace. I’m pretty excited to learn the new piece and get past this one hehe. Not that it’ll be any easier.
So we spent the day practicing and well I’m nervous!!!! but it will be a good experience… I’m trying not to be homesick but It comes in waves- i just don’t feel social enough and a bit enclosed because of language barrier(again!).
There’s also a big Ubud festival that’s been going on for a few days now and Cudamani has performed every night; i haven’t made it yet. Today we went to get these corset-type undergarments that the women where here under their Kabayas. We’re getting them for our costumes- there is a strange double standard on appropriate attire here in Bali that makes me weary. I sometimes find myself frustrated trying to fit in but on the other hand I have to remind myself that I’m a tourist and it’s obivious to everyone else, so don’t hurt myself trying. It was nice to travel a lttle further out of the city after practice to get the undergarments- I prefer to see that area bc it seemed a bit less tourist oriented and prices were miraculous.
Today we added spears to the male dance piece and also heard and experimental piece from the musicians. Everyone feels better about the male piece bc it’s a less complicated and our teachers are so positive! They are confident that we have the technique down but today definitely assured me otherwise. I think we’ll do well tomorrow. As for the female piece… We shall see. Alot of us may practice tonight just to feel better about it. It’s not that we don’t feel good doing it- it’s just that when u think “I’ve got it” one of the teachers comes over to fix you and you’re like blah!!!! fail!
Working and practicing with the musicians is really helpful and once you start listening to the piece you’re really feeling it. Ibu Arini taught us how to take ques from the music, listening to the changes in the main drum and then the small and large gong to indicate change in movement and pace. I’m pretty excited to learn the new piece and get past this one hehe. Not that it’ll be any easier.
Temple
We went to two temples today (trust me there are ALOT of temples), the first was about 40 mins drive away from Ubud, the scenery on the way was really incredible. This temple had the most amazing tree (trees are also very sacred here) and was also where a sacred stream that connected to underwater hotsprings from the dormant volcano was. People bath there and pray there. There are also said to be special eels that rarely appear in the spring area, but of course they were no where to be seen that day. On the hill was a palace where one of the famed leaders in Bali’s more recent history held gala events and entertained until he was overthrown. I was standing on my own staring blankly at a bridge and then I was acosted by this woman selling mini-bananas. Of course I felt bad and bought a $3 bunch of mini-bananas :(.
We left there and drove an hour up the mountain, to a temple located on the edge of the volcano crater. There we gave offerings and were blessed by a priest. We had lunch at this chinese buffet, which wasnt amazing, but the view…..ugh the view was breathtaking. Unfortunately it was getting late and we didnt have time to go closer to the volcano where there is still new ground and ash from the last trickle from a few years ago.
We left there and drove an hour up the mountain, to a temple located on the edge of the volcano crater. There we gave offerings and were blessed by a priest. We had lunch at this chinese buffet, which wasnt amazing, but the view…..ugh the view was breathtaking. Unfortunately it was getting late and we didnt have time to go closer to the volcano where there is still new ground and ash from the last trickle from a few years ago.
Dancing with music/ trying the instruments
Today we had the opportunity to try practicing both pieces with the musicians playing the music live. It made such a difference. We were able to hear and recognize cues for movements in the music that I sure couldn’t hear before with the recorded pieces. Also I think the musicians were really excited because the piece went from 8 minutes to 6 so we were moving very quickly.
During the second half of the practice time, we had the chance to switch with the musicians. They went off to the pondok to learn one of the dance pieces while we stayed and tried our hands at the instruments. There are a couple of instruments in the gamelan, ugal, gangsa, flute, drums, and gongs to name a few. They had us on the smaller gangsas, which are all tuned to different pitches. It was incredibly difficult!!!!! First off, not only do you have to follow the rhythm with the mallet, but you also need to follow whatever note you hit with your mallet (right hand) with the left hand to quite the previous note! Sure, you’re thinking, easy!! Not for me, not for someone with limited hand-eye coordination let alone trying to following the previous note with my left hand…right…. that was a very difficult practice.
Also that night, Ethan and I went to karaoke at Flava to meet up with Estee and some of her friends. It was really early so most of the fun people hadn’t shown yet, and we had the restaurant all to ourselves. It was alot of fun and it was great to meet people outside of the group. There’s a really colourful and diverse population in Ubud and I’m really excited to hopefully meet more people.
During the second half of the practice time, we had the chance to switch with the musicians. They went off to the pondok to learn one of the dance pieces while we stayed and tried our hands at the instruments. There are a couple of instruments in the gamelan, ugal, gangsa, flute, drums, and gongs to name a few. They had us on the smaller gangsas, which are all tuned to different pitches. It was incredibly difficult!!!!! First off, not only do you have to follow the rhythm with the mallet, but you also need to follow whatever note you hit with your mallet (right hand) with the left hand to quite the previous note! Sure, you’re thinking, easy!! Not for me, not for someone with limited hand-eye coordination let alone trying to following the previous note with my left hand…right…. that was a very difficult practice.
Also that night, Ethan and I went to karaoke at Flava to meet up with Estee and some of her friends. It was really early so most of the fun people hadn’t shown yet, and we had the restaurant all to ourselves. It was alot of fun and it was great to meet people outside of the group. There’s a really colourful and diverse population in Ubud and I’m really excited to hopefully meet more people.
Kecak dance and dance demonstrations
Today some of the musicians in the gamelan played a short demonstrations for us. They were really incredible. Its great to hear them since most of them have been playing together for 10 years at least. Pak Dewa, attempted to explain how some of the mechanics of the gamelan work, how the percussion players listen for cues from specific players and certain instruments.
We ended the day by learning a form of Kecak, where we all sat in a semi-circle facing each other, and created rhythm in body movement and vocalisations. The leader will call out a command to the group and we’d immediately follow in different vocal sections and then join in sounds and movements. It was really fun and some people looked pretty into it (and crazy).
We ended the day by learning a form of Kecak, where we all sat in a semi-circle facing each other, and created rhythm in body movement and vocalisations. The leader will call out a command to the group and we’d immediately follow in different vocal sections and then join in sounds and movements. It was really fun and some people looked pretty into it (and crazy).
Day 3/4- Practice
Today was our first day of practice. We started with another, but brief ,orientation, and began practice a little later then we will tomorrow. PRACTICE WAS INTENSE. Look, I don’t know if you’ve ever seen Balinese dance. If you haven’t, look it up. And then look at this video of our first practice. And then try it yourself. Sweating yet? YEAH. This is perhaps the most intense thing I’ve ever tried. Our teacher, Ibu Arini, is perhaps one of the best known women dancers in Bali. The artisan culture/practices here are highly coveted, and generally if you’re parents are dancers, so are your grandparents, cousins, siblings, and so forth. Ibu Arini also brings her two granddaughters to the practices with her, they are SO.CUTE. And talented!!! but I’ll get to that in a minute.
Practice today. Well. First we learned the woman’s style of dance. Ibu Arini taught us a dance combination that she created specifically to teach the basic movements of Balinese dance. I HAVE NEVER SWEAT SO MUCH IN MY LIFE. And i’m seriously thanking God right now for being in good shape, only because that’s the only/main thing i have going for me. I’m not good at learning choreography very quickly(anyone who’s tried to teach me, cough mike kotey cough haha knows i need to go over it 50 times minimum) but somehow I managed today. Women’s dance uses movement in the hips, emphasis is placed on curves in body alignment, and motions are generally fluid (as I gather thus far). The arms are always raised- elbows are above your heart and hands and feet are flexed. The AMAZING thing is the teachers- they are very interactive and will reposition/realign your body to get you in the right position. So if you’re not a physical/touch person get over it. They are amazingly patient and people here are unbelievable genuine.
After lunch, which is provided by the program (home cooked!!!!), we learned a bit of basic Male dance steps. Male dance focuses alot on the 2nd position ballet turnout, and you do not move your hips. Steps seem to be more prominent but there’s still a noticeable fluidity in motion.
Finally at the end of practice, three of the little girls gave us a small demonstration. They were amazing!!!! I have to take notes from them honestly. They are so sweet and shy but when they dance.. the maturity and skill is already evident. Truly unbelievable.
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Day 4:
This is the first trip that I’m not out immediately doing my own thing. I still haven’t really adjusted to having a roommate and I’m not sleeping well- I think that has a lot to do with the slow start on personal adventures. Bali is a really great place to just pick up and decide to go to- if you have the money for the ticket at least. Once you get here things are relatively cheap and tour guides are everywhere. So are taxis. It seems like alot of Dutch travelers do that; I hate to pull this card but I haven’t seen any black tourists yet, although one of the teachers explained to me that all types of immigrants are now coming to live in Bali. So today was our second practice day. Up bright and early at 7a for shower #1 and breakfast. Practice starts at 9, and lasts until around 1230-1 ish for lunch learning to basics to female dance. Then after lunch male basics until 4p. I take at least 3 showers a day here, because of the amount of sweating I do and to stave off mosiquitos. Dancing is beyond challenging. I’m using muscles I forgot about, and just about every move requires a turn-out and a flexed foot. The humidity is actually really helpful for my joints. Our teachers seem very happy with our progress. So happy in fact that they told us we’re to perform next week for a temple ceremony the group was invited to!!! The exciting part of that means dance hair and make up but man next week?!!!! One of the other dancers gasped out loud!!! Haha we were all shocked. The male dance is going better, and I can’t say enough how important our teachers are. To have world-renouned masters teach us is really beyond an honour. Makes you work twice as hard just to show respect. I’ve been eating really well and there are so many amazing things here I want to bring back for people. I’m really exhausted tonight and opted to go back to the hotel instead of watching the women’s gamelan practice with the rest of the group tonight. I’m way to tired and it’s nice to have a little space- although the group is full of nice and interesting people I just appreciate my rare alone time. I can’t believe I only have 19days left here! Crazy. I’m definitely taking notes on my next trip to Bali.
Practice today. Well. First we learned the woman’s style of dance. Ibu Arini taught us a dance combination that she created specifically to teach the basic movements of Balinese dance. I HAVE NEVER SWEAT SO MUCH IN MY LIFE. And i’m seriously thanking God right now for being in good shape, only because that’s the only/main thing i have going for me. I’m not good at learning choreography very quickly(anyone who’s tried to teach me, cough mike kotey cough haha knows i need to go over it 50 times minimum) but somehow I managed today. Women’s dance uses movement in the hips, emphasis is placed on curves in body alignment, and motions are generally fluid (as I gather thus far). The arms are always raised- elbows are above your heart and hands and feet are flexed. The AMAZING thing is the teachers- they are very interactive and will reposition/realign your body to get you in the right position. So if you’re not a physical/touch person get over it. They are amazingly patient and people here are unbelievable genuine.
After lunch, which is provided by the program (home cooked!!!!), we learned a bit of basic Male dance steps. Male dance focuses alot on the 2nd position ballet turnout, and you do not move your hips. Steps seem to be more prominent but there’s still a noticeable fluidity in motion.
Finally at the end of practice, three of the little girls gave us a small demonstration. They were amazing!!!! I have to take notes from them honestly. They are so sweet and shy but when they dance.. the maturity and skill is already evident. Truly unbelievable.
--------------------------
Day 4:
This is the first trip that I’m not out immediately doing my own thing. I still haven’t really adjusted to having a roommate and I’m not sleeping well- I think that has a lot to do with the slow start on personal adventures. Bali is a really great place to just pick up and decide to go to- if you have the money for the ticket at least. Once you get here things are relatively cheap and tour guides are everywhere. So are taxis. It seems like alot of Dutch travelers do that; I hate to pull this card but I haven’t seen any black tourists yet, although one of the teachers explained to me that all types of immigrants are now coming to live in Bali. So today was our second practice day. Up bright and early at 7a for shower #1 and breakfast. Practice starts at 9, and lasts until around 1230-1 ish for lunch learning to basics to female dance. Then after lunch male basics until 4p. I take at least 3 showers a day here, because of the amount of sweating I do and to stave off mosiquitos. Dancing is beyond challenging. I’m using muscles I forgot about, and just about every move requires a turn-out and a flexed foot. The humidity is actually really helpful for my joints. Our teachers seem very happy with our progress. So happy in fact that they told us we’re to perform next week for a temple ceremony the group was invited to!!! The exciting part of that means dance hair and make up but man next week?!!!! One of the other dancers gasped out loud!!! Haha we were all shocked. The male dance is going better, and I can’t say enough how important our teachers are. To have world-renouned masters teach us is really beyond an honour. Makes you work twice as hard just to show respect. I’ve been eating really well and there are so many amazing things here I want to bring back for people. I’m really exhausted tonight and opted to go back to the hotel instead of watching the women’s gamelan practice with the rest of the group tonight. I’m way to tired and it’s nice to have a little space- although the group is full of nice and interesting people I just appreciate my rare alone time. I can’t believe I only have 19days left here! Crazy. I’m definitely taking notes on my next trip to Bali.
Some things I've noticed so far...
There is so much to say everyday- everything from daily life observations to personal experience- it’s really difficult to fit it into a one-entry-per-day style of blogging. I really hate to summarize but I’m so exhausted and the internet at the hotel is not the most cooperative. I’m trying my best to make this as comprehensive as possible!
some things I notice about Ubud/Bali:
1. look down when you walk. And definitely look up for cars and motorists! The streets, even in the capital, are TINY. and even better, the “sidewalks” have huge uncovered holes in them. Someone said today, “well you’d think with all the tourists…”. and I said “look, obviously Balinese people have something called common sense to look where they walk. so what? its not like our government that doesn’t believe we can avoid falling in a hole….or rather intentionally fall in the hole and sue.”
2. don’t drink/ingest the water. I’ve already absent-mindedly broken this rule from the moment i brushed my teeth. They tell you to use the bottled water but I guess I’m taking my chances on Bali belly. sigh.
3. Driving. There are no rules. Ok so i’m exaggerating but since the first car ride to the hotel I’m asking myself and the driver, are there any rules of the road? because it’s like, a free for all here. I thought Jamaica was bad. It seems to work really well, i haven’t seen any accidents and motorists dont seem angry or even to use their horns. But yeah…. people drive on the left side and most people ride motorbikes. As far as the rules i do see applied, drive slow, be considerate, and use impulse….. traffic lights are decorative.:)
4. Like animals. Because they’re everywhere and they’re cute. They also jaywalk and just appear next to you in the restaurant.
5. Don’t show your shoulders or wear above-knee shorts. Bali is essentially Hindu and Muslim with a few scattered christian groups. Even traditionally however, women cover their shoulders and wear knee length shorts at best. Only children and tourists do otherwise.
6.Insect repellent and antibiotics. I’m under attack here and usually I don’t get bitten by bugs. There are also small spiders that I’m not sure if i’ve been bitten by them, and also tiny natts and these big black ants that I don’t believe bite but still…. not a fan of those since they crawl into the toilet bowls and anywhere they possibly can. As for antibiotics, even the Balinese often get diherria so be advised no one is safe!
That’s it for now, i’ll of course keep adding more as I go.
some things I notice about Ubud/Bali:
1. look down when you walk. And definitely look up for cars and motorists! The streets, even in the capital, are TINY. and even better, the “sidewalks” have huge uncovered holes in them. Someone said today, “well you’d think with all the tourists…”. and I said “look, obviously Balinese people have something called common sense to look where they walk. so what? its not like our government that doesn’t believe we can avoid falling in a hole….or rather intentionally fall in the hole and sue.”
2. don’t drink/ingest the water. I’ve already absent-mindedly broken this rule from the moment i brushed my teeth. They tell you to use the bottled water but I guess I’m taking my chances on Bali belly. sigh.
3. Driving. There are no rules. Ok so i’m exaggerating but since the first car ride to the hotel I’m asking myself and the driver, are there any rules of the road? because it’s like, a free for all here. I thought Jamaica was bad. It seems to work really well, i haven’t seen any accidents and motorists dont seem angry or even to use their horns. But yeah…. people drive on the left side and most people ride motorbikes. As far as the rules i do see applied, drive slow, be considerate, and use impulse….. traffic lights are decorative.:)
4. Like animals. Because they’re everywhere and they’re cute. They also jaywalk and just appear next to you in the restaurant.
5. Don’t show your shoulders or wear above-knee shorts. Bali is essentially Hindu and Muslim with a few scattered christian groups. Even traditionally however, women cover their shoulders and wear knee length shorts at best. Only children and tourists do otherwise.
6.Insect repellent and antibiotics. I’m under attack here and usually I don’t get bitten by bugs. There are also small spiders that I’m not sure if i’ve been bitten by them, and also tiny natts and these big black ants that I don’t believe bite but still…. not a fan of those since they crawl into the toilet bowls and anywhere they possibly can. As for antibiotics, even the Balinese often get diherria so be advised no one is safe!
That’s it for now, i’ll of course keep adding more as I go.
Day 2 (yesterday) Bali arts festival and Orientation
Yesterday was a very full day. We had our first group meeting/orientation at the Pondok, which is the family house compound where we take our dance lessons.
The architecture here is a mixture of traditional southeast asian styles, almost all buildings are compound style, with an entry gate to the properties and a few open terraces and the main house. People seem to take great advantage of the weather and natural beauty of the land.
This year’s group of students is much smaller than the years before. There are more teachers than students, which is proving to be beyond beneficial in such difficult practices. Everyday we’re to split into two groups, one group of musicians focusing on the Gamelan (i’ll explain that in a minute!) and the other group traditional Balinese dance (my group!). Amazingly everyone in my group are experienced or professional dancers. I think that it’s generally the same for the musicians; practically everyone has had basic experience with the Gamelan. That being said that doesn’t make it any less challenging! We are honoured to have some of the best, if not the best, master teachers in Bali. I think that this trip is going to be life changing- I can already feel it.
Other than orientation we had the chance to go back to Denpasar, the capital city of Bali. It’s about an hour drive away. There we went to the Bali Arts Festival, created to preserve and advance traditional culture in the island as it surcomes to the western and northern asian influences. The festival lasts for a month and has hundreds of performers and craftsmen. The day that we went, cudamani's women gamelan group performed and so did the little girl dance group. They were both amazing. I really need to get used to the late nights, since everything starts a few hours after schedule and takes a few hours to perform. We were all exhausted by the end of the night but glad to have seen so many amazing performances.
The architecture here is a mixture of traditional southeast asian styles, almost all buildings are compound style, with an entry gate to the properties and a few open terraces and the main house. People seem to take great advantage of the weather and natural beauty of the land.
This year’s group of students is much smaller than the years before. There are more teachers than students, which is proving to be beyond beneficial in such difficult practices. Everyday we’re to split into two groups, one group of musicians focusing on the Gamelan (i’ll explain that in a minute!) and the other group traditional Balinese dance (my group!). Amazingly everyone in my group are experienced or professional dancers. I think that it’s generally the same for the musicians; practically everyone has had basic experience with the Gamelan. That being said that doesn’t make it any less challenging! We are honoured to have some of the best, if not the best, master teachers in Bali. I think that this trip is going to be life changing- I can already feel it.
Other than orientation we had the chance to go back to Denpasar, the capital city of Bali. It’s about an hour drive away. There we went to the Bali Arts Festival, created to preserve and advance traditional culture in the island as it surcomes to the western and northern asian influences. The festival lasts for a month and has hundreds of performers and craftsmen. The day that we went, cudamani's women gamelan group performed and so did the little girl dance group. They were both amazing. I really need to get used to the late nights, since everything starts a few hours after schedule and takes a few hours to perform. We were all exhausted by the end of the night but glad to have seen so many amazing performances.
Hello from Bali!
After 41 hours of travel and a 7hr nap I’m finally able to make a post. My journey began friday morning at 630a EST, drove to DC, flight to ATL on Delta Airlines(who charge for EVERYTHING I might add) wait and then transfer to LA.
8hr downtime in LA and off to the airport for a 1am redeye to Taipei on China Airlines. 14hr flight and 3 hr wait, and finally to Bali on a 5 hr flight with a 1hr car ride to Ubud. Whew. So a well deserved nap indeed! Anyway we’re about 11hrs ahead of EST here. If anyone needs me use skype (Candace.fong)! I choose to get a visa on arrival, citizend from 63 countries qualify for it and you get a 30day tourist visa at customs. Costs $25 usd and was a painless process. The program had the music teacher, Dewa, there waiting for me to take me to the village. Driving here is, instinctual to say the least. Between stray dogs and motorists I still don have a real sense of driving rules here except to drive slow and use your horn. That said it’s not loud and there were surprisingly no arguements or accidents. The road to the hotel was lined with each villages crafts. We passed the stone carvers, wood carvers, painters and jewelers on the way….. All I can say is I’m nervous about how I’m going to get all of these planned souveniers back home!!! Haha my shoppers eye was twitching!! The village/town I’m in is practically an artist village of dancers, musicians, and visual artists. All I’ve been seeing, even on the road, is smiles! I’m staying at the Artini 3 Cottages in Ubud and it is beautiful. For those of you who like my mother, who are “particular” about the bathrooms…. well its a bit, out-dated so perhaps this isn’t your place to stay in Bali haha. But the staff is incredibly friendly and helpful, and they make my bed and change our towels everyday :)
I’ve yet to meet my roommate yet but from the emails I’m excited to meet her! From the bottom of my heart I am forever grateful to everyone who made this trip possible. I can’t wait to share this journey with you all. I woke up from my nap and stepped out onto the veranda and that feeling of “everything in it’s right place” washed over me- it was meant for me to be here. Big day ahead tomorrow! Much love <3
8hr downtime in LA and off to the airport for a 1am redeye to Taipei on China Airlines. 14hr flight and 3 hr wait, and finally to Bali on a 5 hr flight with a 1hr car ride to Ubud. Whew. So a well deserved nap indeed! Anyway we’re about 11hrs ahead of EST here. If anyone needs me use skype (Candace.fong)! I choose to get a visa on arrival, citizend from 63 countries qualify for it and you get a 30day tourist visa at customs. Costs $25 usd and was a painless process. The program had the music teacher, Dewa, there waiting for me to take me to the village. Driving here is, instinctual to say the least. Between stray dogs and motorists I still don have a real sense of driving rules here except to drive slow and use your horn. That said it’s not loud and there were surprisingly no arguements or accidents. The road to the hotel was lined with each villages crafts. We passed the stone carvers, wood carvers, painters and jewelers on the way….. All I can say is I’m nervous about how I’m going to get all of these planned souveniers back home!!! Haha my shoppers eye was twitching!! The village/town I’m in is practically an artist village of dancers, musicians, and visual artists. All I’ve been seeing, even on the road, is smiles! I’m staying at the Artini 3 Cottages in Ubud and it is beautiful. For those of you who like my mother, who are “particular” about the bathrooms…. well its a bit, out-dated so perhaps this isn’t your place to stay in Bali haha. But the staff is incredibly friendly and helpful, and they make my bed and change our towels everyday :)
I’ve yet to meet my roommate yet but from the emails I’m excited to meet her! From the bottom of my heart I am forever grateful to everyone who made this trip possible. I can’t wait to share this journey with you all. I woke up from my nap and stepped out onto the veranda and that feeling of “everything in it’s right place” washed over me- it was meant for me to be here. Big day ahead tomorrow! Much love <3
7.08.2009
Back to U.S
After about 3 hours of sleep, i was up at 7am, out of the hotel at 7:30, and on my way to the find the rail station to the airport. I took the subway to the stop I got off at when I first arrived, but had a hella bad time finding the line for the airport. Also what was confusing is that the rail line for the airport goes to other parts of Spain!!! Why didn't I anticipate this?!!! Luckily a nice family, or should i say father, from Ohio were also waiting for the same train. My flight boarded at 9:30 and i think I was cutting it a bit close. After a crowded train ride I finally got to the airport. It's a pretty nice airport.
Also the day that I left, apparently tour de France was going to be passing through Montjuic, which they had set up for the night we went there.
The first flight was to Amsterdam, which by the way, is beautiful from the sky. I'd really like to visit soon! We also flew over France, but it was pretty cloudy. It was raining when we arrived. Amsterdam's airport is really nice also, and reminds me of Narita in Japan.
There was absolutely no wait time, and I soon departed back to Dulles. I must admit that my stomach and the dutch cheese in my breakfast on the plane were not agreeing! there was loud arguing (in forms of growling to human ears) that i'm sure contributed to the nausea I felt the entire second flight! This time it was a younger girl from Iran sitting next to me, who slept most of the time and wake up only to reapply her makeup. It was smooth sailing until we were closer to Dulles, when there was a tremendous amount of turbulance and the nausea intensified. I was practically hugging the gag-bag just waiting for the plane food to, uhm, return. The last 15mins were painful, and people Dulles is such a lame airport to fly back into. There are 3 levels of security and it's crowded!!!
Anyway I'm back, I learned alot about myself and what is important to me on this trip. I can't wait until the next one, and i hope to return to Barcelona in the near future!
Also the day that I left, apparently tour de France was going to be passing through Montjuic, which they had set up for the night we went there.
The first flight was to Amsterdam, which by the way, is beautiful from the sky. I'd really like to visit soon! We also flew over France, but it was pretty cloudy. It was raining when we arrived. Amsterdam's airport is really nice also, and reminds me of Narita in Japan.
There was absolutely no wait time, and I soon departed back to Dulles. I must admit that my stomach and the dutch cheese in my breakfast on the plane were not agreeing! there was loud arguing (in forms of growling to human ears) that i'm sure contributed to the nausea I felt the entire second flight! This time it was a younger girl from Iran sitting next to me, who slept most of the time and wake up only to reapply her makeup. It was smooth sailing until we were closer to Dulles, when there was a tremendous amount of turbulance and the nausea intensified. I was practically hugging the gag-bag just waiting for the plane food to, uhm, return. The last 15mins were painful, and people Dulles is such a lame airport to fly back into. There are 3 levels of security and it's crowded!!!
Anyway I'm back, I learned alot about myself and what is important to me on this trip. I can't wait until the next one, and i hope to return to Barcelona in the near future!
7.07.2009
Day 4
So, I'm back in the states. But I'll update you on my last full day and airplane ride back. Also i corrected a few spelling and name errors in the previous post.
---------
FINAL FULL DAY:
---------
My final full day in barcelona was very hectic! i tried to squeeze everything i didnt want to miss into Monday, but unfortunately a bit of souvenir shopping (cough cough you know who you are) lost me a few hours, so i didn't explore Montjuic area.
I started the day early(for once!!!) by visiting the famous market that is back in La Rambla/old town area, called, La Boqueria.
It had so many amazing little stands, with very interesting things to eat. Note the egg stand!!! who knew there were so many types of eggs to eat! and the candy stand. Also there's a photo of the natural juice that was pretty popular and common, which was made from freshly squeezed fruits. I think Melo was my favourite. Sara and I later had Kiwi that day, which although it was the most popular I didnt enjoy it as much.
Although I had no intention to explore the Barri Gothic, I stumbled into it while looking for a store. This area is the oldest part of the city, where ruins date back to the Roman empire. Unfortunately I couldn't see inside of the cathedral- i was wearing a tank top and you can't enter if you have any bare areas of skin showing.
Photos:
walking down the old streets next to the famous cathedral
the roman city wall
I also walked down La Rambla 5 times that day!!! It was crazy and unintentional. I experienced it when no one was there, which was a great opportunity to see the Place de la Boqueira, where a mosaic pavement by Joan Miro was created.
It was also where the famous umbrella shop building was. The building still has original chinese inspired design from when it was an umbrella shop way back. Its now some uninteresting place that i cant remember. But the building was really nice.
I met up with Sara, and we went to the beach at Port Olimpic. The important thing to note was that I went TOPLESS. YES, LIBERATE YOUR BREASTS IN EUROPE WOMEN!!!! along with sagging, aged breasts, and other young a,b, and c cups, I bared my chest. I must admit, i would have felt the liberation better if i ran up and down the beach for a while, but alas it was not recommended since it was an area with high volume of tourists.sad times. I'd like to note that Sara is not as crazy as I am, and sported a really nice bathing suit, both pieces, while we were there.
After the beach, I set back out on my mission to find said gift for said un-named individual, who owes me and better like this gift!!!!, back in La Rambla area :(. It was busy as hell. We spent way to much time running back and forth to find a gift. Finally around 9 when all of the stores were closing I settled on something i thought was appropriate and we wobbled back to the hotel( because our legs were giving out). Mind you we still hadn't eaten dinner! and we only had a kiwi drink for lunch:(.
Batina and Raoul, who I mentioned meeting the night before, offered to pick us up and take us to Tibidabo *** please know that i butchered the hell out of that name, and its more than likely wrong!!!*******, which is this area in the hills above the city. They picked us up in Raoul's car, and off we went. We made a drive through Montjuic, but the Font Magica, a huge famous fountain that has a crazy 30min display of water show at scheduled times, was not on. We continued our drive past many interesting museums and finally at the Olimpic arenas, which were really cool. Montjuic is lovely at night, very tranquil and lots of parks, which was such a relief from the crowded areas of the city.
We proceed to drive across town, and grabbed a bite at Batina and Raoul's local haunt, a kebab/falafel place down the street from their apartment! It was so delicious,and amazingly affordable!!!!
pure, unadulterated, joy!!!
At this time it's about midnight, and we journey on, through eixample, up up up, to our goal in the hills. We enter a bar-- with gorgeous, breath-taking views of Barcelona. The photos I took could not compare to the experience. I was so happy to end my trip in a beautiful place, with beautiful friends and atmosphere. We went downstairs into the dance floor and terrace area of the bar, which opened into an area on the hill with even more beautiful views, lit by small torches and moonlight. Beautiful end.
---------
FINAL FULL DAY:
---------
My final full day in barcelona was very hectic! i tried to squeeze everything i didnt want to miss into Monday, but unfortunately a bit of souvenir shopping (cough cough you know who you are) lost me a few hours, so i didn't explore Montjuic area.
I started the day early(for once!!!) by visiting the famous market that is back in La Rambla/old town area, called, La Boqueria.
It had so many amazing little stands, with very interesting things to eat. Note the egg stand!!! who knew there were so many types of eggs to eat! and the candy stand. Also there's a photo of the natural juice that was pretty popular and common, which was made from freshly squeezed fruits. I think Melo was my favourite. Sara and I later had Kiwi that day, which although it was the most popular I didnt enjoy it as much.
Although I had no intention to explore the Barri Gothic, I stumbled into it while looking for a store. This area is the oldest part of the city, where ruins date back to the Roman empire. Unfortunately I couldn't see inside of the cathedral- i was wearing a tank top and you can't enter if you have any bare areas of skin showing.
Photos:
walking down the old streets next to the famous cathedral
the roman city wall
I also walked down La Rambla 5 times that day!!! It was crazy and unintentional. I experienced it when no one was there, which was a great opportunity to see the Place de la Boqueira, where a mosaic pavement by Joan Miro was created.
It was also where the famous umbrella shop building was. The building still has original chinese inspired design from when it was an umbrella shop way back. Its now some uninteresting place that i cant remember. But the building was really nice.
I met up with Sara, and we went to the beach at Port Olimpic. The important thing to note was that I went TOPLESS. YES, LIBERATE YOUR BREASTS IN EUROPE WOMEN!!!! along with sagging, aged breasts, and other young a,b, and c cups, I bared my chest. I must admit, i would have felt the liberation better if i ran up and down the beach for a while, but alas it was not recommended since it was an area with high volume of tourists.sad times. I'd like to note that Sara is not as crazy as I am, and sported a really nice bathing suit, both pieces, while we were there.
After the beach, I set back out on my mission to find said gift for said un-named individual, who owes me and better like this gift!!!!, back in La Rambla area :(. It was busy as hell. We spent way to much time running back and forth to find a gift. Finally around 9 when all of the stores were closing I settled on something i thought was appropriate and we wobbled back to the hotel( because our legs were giving out). Mind you we still hadn't eaten dinner! and we only had a kiwi drink for lunch:(.
Batina and Raoul, who I mentioned meeting the night before, offered to pick us up and take us to Tibidabo *** please know that i butchered the hell out of that name, and its more than likely wrong!!!*******, which is this area in the hills above the city. They picked us up in Raoul's car, and off we went. We made a drive through Montjuic, but the Font Magica, a huge famous fountain that has a crazy 30min display of water show at scheduled times, was not on. We continued our drive past many interesting museums and finally at the Olimpic arenas, which were really cool. Montjuic is lovely at night, very tranquil and lots of parks, which was such a relief from the crowded areas of the city.
We proceed to drive across town, and grabbed a bite at Batina and Raoul's local haunt, a kebab/falafel place down the street from their apartment! It was so delicious,and amazingly affordable!!!!
pure, unadulterated, joy!!!
At this time it's about midnight, and we journey on, through eixample, up up up, to our goal in the hills. We enter a bar-- with gorgeous, breath-taking views of Barcelona. The photos I took could not compare to the experience. I was so happy to end my trip in a beautiful place, with beautiful friends and atmosphere. We went downstairs into the dance floor and terrace area of the bar, which opened into an area on the hill with even more beautiful views, lit by small torches and moonlight. Beautiful end.
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