Tat Twam Asi

I got back. Was a mixed bag of a trip. Had fun in parts, missed people and laptop at times, was enligtened at times. I think I already spoke at length on the trip to a couple of friends so lost the enthu to describe the trip. Instead let me try talking about a Bali I did not know existed.

Bali is a very nice & peaceful place. There are 2 sides to it. The Beaches (Kuta, Sanur etc) where the money, the resorts, the villas, the parties, designer swim wear and wealthy tourists are. Then there are the Interiors of Bali (Ubud) where the nature and artists co habit. I chose Ubud to holiday. Balinese people tend to be very attached to the nature and earth. For people who have never been to Bali if I can stretch your imagination a lot, they reminded me of the Navi`s of Pandora (Also had to do with a saying they have ).They are artistic ,religious, ritualistic, settled and at peace with the nature. I am surprised at how little they want from life. Its not like they are cut off the rest of the world and ignorant of the charms of the world. They are completely connected through the tourists who come and stay for months, through internet and television that the tourists brought along. But they still choose a simplistic life form . It was a new minimalistic experience. Like I went back in time. Where people create and then sit in a place and smile.
A few things I did not know before this visit , some about my own religion

• Almost all people in Bali are Hindus. Having never been religious -Its nice to see people adopt the Gita into their way of living without a commercial aspect to it. We went on a cycling trip down a volcanic mountain and in the process every kid in the village would stop and wish me " good morning with a big smile". 100% strike rate there. Apparently it comes from the philosophy they learn early on in life. "Tat Twam Asi" . I am you & you are me. If you are happy, I am happy. Without exaggerating if you can imagine a way of living around it then you have seen Bali.
• Hinduism in its orginal form is practiced there with the same ceremonies, same gods and similar caste system. For the longest period they called it the philosophy of the holy water (cheesy yes:)) for its flexibility and ability to take the form of the container.
• Their daily life involves a lot of artistically designed ceremonies to please the gods. The whole family creates something out of wood or stone or leaves regularly to decorate the temple. And each Balinese house has its own temple!! complete with rock stupas and stone carvings and mandap in their own courtyard. One guy told me its the pleasure of creating something artistic everyday that keeps him in Bali.
• Their music is an exact replica of forest sounds.It felt like harmonious noises (I do not get it one bit as hard as I tried:))
• The zillion tourists in Ubud are almost entirely Australians and Europeans. They are extremely friendly. Some of whom I met at coffee shops were staying there for months to unwind and get away from the world. They usually rent a motor bike and bike around the farms and rice paddy fields and seem to be loving it.

A lot of these observations are through conversations with people I met there. Maybe four  days are not enough to judge & stamp a place but they are long enough to like a place.