Just over two months ago, I received a text message from a Balinese man – Komang – whom I’ve known … More
Category: Ubud
A Bali Pilgrimage
You Can’t Go Home Again, the title of Thomas Wolfe’s posthumous novel, came to mind recently when I made my … More
Sacred Metal (& Mourning)
This past Saturday evening, satiated from another jam-packed day at the Ubud Writers Festival, and fatigued by the blazing sun, … More
From Beach to Shining Beach
On the tails of my pan-Indonesian/Singapore/Bangkok adventure, I crossed an interminable number of time zones and eventually landed on a … More
An Impromptu Adventure
After weeks of tracking the unpredictable shenanigans of a volcanically-inclined mountain, after some reflection and calculation, and though my intended … More
Behind The Scenes (Of a Balinese Marriage)
Once in awhile, Ubud catches me off guard. Even after 6+ years of island living, I feel like I’m immersed … More
Souvenirs of Sanur
It was time for a break. After weeks of wondering about Mount Agung’s “imminent eruption” and navigating through the crowds … More
Vanilla Supremacy
Once upon a time a Bali dog lived down the lane. Her name was – and still is – Blackie. … More
In Volcanic Limbo
If you were to walk the streets of Ubud the past couple of weeks, you could be forgiven for thinking … More
Red and White on Parade
All over Indonesia today, citizens marked Independence Day – Hari Merdeka. But preparations and celebrations started long ago. Since the … More