BALI - Island of gods - Part 1

Written by Mélody Besnard Posted on 27 Jan. 2023

bali

BALI

No words, or too many to be able to describe the beauty and the magical atmosphere that reigns in this little earthly paradise….

I am in ecstasy over this lush vegetation and this Pantone green…

Pictures will say more than words, so I invite you to follow our stories to be able to take in the sights…!

However, I will try to share my first two weeks here with you.

First of all, I stayed for 10 days with my friend Chloé (from the AWILD brand) who is opening her boutique in Canggu (I invite you to go there if you are in Bali), so I had the chance to experience the "local" life of an expat there and it was really great!

I managed to establish my little routine in Canggu, yoga and meditation facing the rice fields in the morning, breakfast in different cafes in Canggu (I'll make a list of my favorite spots at the end) then we didn't slack off because from the second day, we were already on the GOJEK (local motorcycle taxi, very practical for people like me who can't drive a motorcycle...) browsing the different suppliers to develop the clothing collection and order the first rattan and bamboo baskets.

A huge thank you to Chloé, because without her, I would always be looking for a good tailor...!!

In the evening, after spending 2/3 hours on the motorbikes and running between Canggu and the capital Denpasar (horrible but interesting to see because it's really authentic and full of fabric shops), we go to bed very early and get up at dawn, but that's often the case when traveling, we're so excited that we can't sleep anymore!

At lunchtime, we stop to eat in small local warungs (Indian restaurants) where we can taste all these delicious dishes with a thousand flavors (be careful, often very spicy due to their sambals, small sauces which accompany the dishes)

Vegetarian? This is paradise because even in these small warungs lost in the depths of the jungle, there is always the option of tempeh or tofu and for me, it is paradise!!

The local drink, jamu, a medicinal herbal drink considered an elixir of life for 1200 years… it is a mixture of curcumin, ginger, lemongrass, cinnamon and tamarind… a real detox and a real pleasure to sip!

Then, for dessert, we have the choice between so many tropical fruits... my favorite: mangoustine (which is not a mixture of mango and langoustine but a delicious fruit!), fried dragon fruit, passion fruit, lychees... in short, I love it!

Bali is a paradise of landscapes of rice fields, coconut trees and other vegetation, but it is also hell for motorbike traffic on the road;… and when you ride a motorbike every day, it can quickly drive you crazy (and get intoxicated by the smells…)

Especially between Canggu and Denpasar, but also in the center of Ubud...

Fortunately, if you step away a little, you quickly find yourself back in the lush nature...

Enough to make you quickly forget those few horrible hours spent riding on the sidewalks on your motorbike to overtake!!!

Bali is the contrast between the paradise of healthy yogis who walk barefoot in the streets, and who go to the numerous organic stores with their yoga mat under their arm, and the local traditions that cannot be missed….

There are always small offerings everywhere (in front of houses, in cars, shops...), it smells of incense everywhere, there is a background of Gamelan music (traditional instrumental music) everywhere in the streets, we come across temples and statues of divinities every 50 meters, there are ceremonies about every 2 days... it's just magical to see....

All this gives such a special and incomparable atmosphere….

Bali is also the many sunsets over the Indian Ocean, breathtaking landscapes, a little rain sometimes but fortunately not as much as I thought, but Bali is above all the kindness of its people that appeals...

Each Balinese house has its own temple, and generally families live with all generations together (grandparents, parents, children, etc.)

Balinese people (both men and women) are all called Wayan, Made, Nyoman and Ketut (according to birth order), so it's a bit difficult to recognize each other!!

The craftsmanship is amazing, but I'll do a special post on that so I can explain everything in detail!

Batik, endek, all these incredible fabrics, rattan, palm leaf or bamboo basketwork, mother-of-pearl beads, silver and wood or coconut work...

I will come back to this later because there is a lot to say and for the moment I am still in the research and creation phase (which is pure joy I must admit!)

I celebrated my birthday here, and I was able to meet an incredible healer (my trip here had several objectives: the creation of my new collection but also the healing after this serious accident...so I am very happy to be aligned on this path here!) and we then did a MELUKAT, a typically Balinese ritual of purification of the body and mind, accompanied by our adorable couturier Oka and his family whom I thank infinitely because they had also prepared lots of delicious Indonesian dishes for us.

In short, a memory that will remain engraved in my heart.

After these 10 intense and incredible days, I left alone for Ubud, a small town in the jungle, where the yogi temple is located. I will stay there for 20 days, basing myself here while traveling the roads on a motorbike taxi to meet different artisans... The center of Ubud is very touristy and full of motorbikes, but we quickly escaped by going for a walk around and getting lost in the rice fields... In the morning, we stock up on coconut water and find small warungs with an incredible view...

In the evening, it is possible to get a massage for less than $10, so it's a good little pace of life...!

I'll just say that the only small problem is not being able to drive my own scooter to be more independent and spend less, but in any case, given their driving, I think that even if I could I wouldn't risk it too much!!

That's it for this little recap of my first two weeks in Bali, I'll do a little post soon and in the meantime, I'll leave you some photos below to make you dream, but don't hesitate to follow us on our Instagram stories!

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