Bali Bliss - Lotus and Sarongs

The week at the beach ended in P'Nicki Von Buren and Rekha's wedding extravaganza that started at their enchanting Canggu estate that the Von Burens founded 34 years ago.

The attention to detail, the atmosphere, the everything was so finely done, very Lotus (arts de Vivre), extremely elegant. The first night was about stumbling into each other in the dark in our sarongs and watching a kecak dance on the sand to the sound of the ocean and roaring of fire as Rama, Sita and Hunuman danced followed then by a trancelike fire dance.

Malina and Carla

The Dancefloor in Sarongs

Carla, Tulaya and I

John Erskine on the decks

P'Moo

The second day recovery was difficult, mine was spent on the beach, then later a dinner at the Hotel Tugu. Impressive was the conversion of the Tugu lobby to a lobby disco. . . and let's not forget the exodus of friends from Bkk and all over . . . also the bride and groom dancing.

P'Mai and P'Nicki

John (on the decks again)

Wan, P'Eric and I

Then to Sunday wedding brunch and my last day in Bali . . .we all loved the very cheeky cowboy magician P'Tai who came from Krabi. .

By day

Earth Fish

.and the mandatory picture infront of the "dome" . . yes, we can see each other in the reflection.

Congrats to the most beautifully elegant and sophisticated couple. Did get a chance to speak to the bride much, she was absolutely stunning and her husband as dashing as ever. Leny Chandra . . .

Now that is bliss if ever there was . . . feeling fully charged now, but be all that love that Bali gave me. Thanks.

Bali Bliss - The Beach

After a sumblime weekend in the magical kingdom of Ubud we then descended down to the beach, Seminyak to be precise. I was staying at Jamie's place, one of the "Balinese" who's family came to the island over 30 years ago. Not actually Balinese but from New Zealand but as local as they come, great guy, an amazing surfer, with a compound he is converting in the middle of Seminyak, not to mention the coolest girlfriend ever, Merissa, they really took care of me.

Shopping in Seminyak is not to be missed . . .Susan and I fell in love with the tin things, I am told they are for ceremonies (I lugged one back to bkk for susan). I am also in love with Biasa and will always be.

Then of course the surfing . . .I got SLAMMED on the first day but was then rescued by a dude who thought I was crazy to keep going back in and getting caught in close-outs. He turned out to be friends with Jamie and is working on his surf film shot with a 16 mm camera, probably one of the last surf films to be shot in film .. . he showed me the long version of the trailer, it felt totally different, very refereshing . . .It's called Hangs Upon Nothing. I have not seen anything like it and as Jeremy's background is as an animator, well, the artwork that comes with it is quite special. For that I am glad I got slammed by close outs to see something new, with a lot of soul, love how he shows the journey and the graininess of it, you have to be half crazy to take a camera in the waves and he does exactly that. It was out of pity and sheer amazement that I think Jeremy came to talk to me. That was the only day like that though, the other surf days were smaller gentle and perfect. Next time I will learn the tricks.

Seminyak

Obessessed I was still with sambal mata and simple warungs. This is the one in front of Jamie's place, only open at night as the dude works the days as chef of Waterbomb, the water park.

a little customer

Chef

And also living like a hippie or at least version 2.0 of hippie-dom where I was connected to wifi and able to work at my own pace, still connected to the world, yet unconnected at the same time. That is bliss.

Kitsune did a night in Bali, that was interesting, wish Andre was around. The Balinese promoter kids were very sweet, I met Luigi with Hamish, not sure however, if the non-local counterparts (not the French) understands much the concept of letting loose and not giving a toss, necessary ingredients for having a good time and and that money can't buy you love (Bali gets it, so does Bkk). Nonetheless, I had fun and it was nice to see old friends, from everywhere.

Kim and I

Merissa and I

Then it was to Uluwatu to Saloni's place where the architecture did feel like it rose from the ground and the view when sitting in the pod called Tatouin is that of the water meetin horizon or what infinity would look like anyway to me.

Totouin (reference is Star Wars)

Saloni

Mystery twin kittens (friends with Dog called Dude)

Giorgio and I

What fun the day was and I left after Josh Green handed Panama over to Giorgio . . .

From Uluwatu I went to Metis, the sister resto to Warisan to dinner with old friends from london - I love how in Bali the world converges especially because of Andrew and Jonathan's wedding also Nicki's and Rekha's - yes, Bali is the island of the gods as well as of weddings . . . and exodus. . . .

Bali Bliss - The Jungle

Bali is called the Island of the Gods for good reason, the energy there is like nowhere else, it sucks you in and throws you out and sometimes can bring you to a miserable low and then other times it is like a life/energy booster in itself. No surprise really when there is jungle and river to beach and cliffs, mother nature in a good mood to give this island really everything it could ever need. It is magical. Even the swarm of Auzzie touriests and Euro-trash in the island in August does not take away from what it gave to me this time around.

First stop of my trip was Andrew's and Jonathan's Civil Union in Ubud and the origin of my trip back to Bali. The ceremony was at Linda Garland's estate where I was actually also staying with Susan. It was glorious - the energy was so powerful that I felt the hairs on my arms raised the whole time, I was not the only one. . . It was also a little reunion for me with close friends . . . It was definitely what could be called London, HK and New Zealand coming together. A civil union like no other . . .

Andrew and Jonathan

Giorgio and Saloni

Me

Giorgio and Saloni

The ceremony and reception were beautiful and very sentimental. Andrew and Jonathan's attention to detail is quite something, and the Buffles napkins a treat, not to mention the outdoor screening of archives of daily life on the island from years back on film in the garden. Then the speeches of course, giggles and tears with Jackie Collins and Dynasty references, stories and true love.

Waking up at the estate is also something else, it is in the middle of the jungle, and on a river. Soul-food I think that is called. Not only was that enriching but so was the bubur ayam - an indonesian version of congee served with sambal mata, I am officially obsessed. Then the brunch back at Villa Tupai, a coordinated bbq with bloody mary's . . followed by a massage at the estate.

Burbur Ayam

Julie and Ruby (Andrew's sis and mum)

Maria and Susan

Linda the Masseuse

It was definitely hard to say good bye to our room and the estate the next day but the beach beckoned . . .

Our last stop before going to the beach . . . Babi Guling and the market. The BEST on the island. For sure.

Andrew and Jonathan, thank you for getting married guys, it opened up my heart and led me to be a hippie or at least version 2.0 for now. Inspired by your year-long travels. Congratulations Buffles.