ALL WORK (AND SOME PLAY) IN BALI

This year Indonesia has had its hands full holding the presidency of the G20 - the nineteen countries (plus the EU) that account for over 80% of the world’s gross domestic product, 75% of world trade, and 60% of the world's population.  We’ve had our hands full at the embassy too, helping to support the constant stream of official visitors here in some capacity to take part in G20 meetings and events (including President Biden, who arrives today).  The vast majority of those events have been taking place in Bali.  I mean, I don’t blame Indonesia – Bali is far more scenic and cultural than Jakarta… but it certainly makes things a bit more difficult since we don’t have an embassy or consulate on anything in Bali.  It means I’ve spent quite a bit of time in Bali so far.  A lot of that time was spent in (arguably pretty impressive) conference rooms.  But Andrew has been able to join me on a couple of the trips, and we tacked on a bit of down time to relax and see some of the sights that Bali has to offer.

Arriving in the Bali Airport to support the U.S. delegation to the Health Minister's Meeting.  I spent several days shepherding around the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and her advisors.

Badges?  We don't need no stinkin' badges!  Except, I guess we do.

The room where it happened.  I wanted to be in it...

...but ended up watching and taking notes from the room next door with a live feed on the jumbo-tron.

The Government of Indonesia went all out with evening entertainment that included cultural performances and 80s cover bands.  It was like the Olympics opening ceremony meets global diplomacy. 

After my business was out of the way, Andrew and I had a few days to play.  We hired a driver for the day to show us some of the tourist attractions Bali has on offer.  We stopped at a “cultural park” that had a bunch of enormous statues.  It has only recently been opened, and the main building was still under construction.  We made a quick tour of the place, took some obligatory photos (since the whole park seemed to have been built to appease Indonesians insatiable appetite for selfies), and headed on to the next destination.

The statues in the cultural park were enormous - Andrew for scale.

The statues were a good metaphor for Indonesia in general.  Very impressive at first glance... but don't look too closely at what's going on behind the scenes.

The hike past the gigantic statues culminates at the top of a hill and this building (with yet another enormous statue on top).

Inside, there was a collection of carvings, puppets, and these very lifelike masks.  But most of the building was still under construction.

Another display at the cultural park included room after room of dioramas complete with professional lighting for people to insert themselves and, of course, take selfies.  They even had a changing room at the entrance to the exhibit with various costumes for people to wear.  I mean, they go ALL OUT for selfies here.

Next up, a stop at Uluwatu, Bali’s most well-known and picturesque Balinese Hindu temple complex.  It was nearing mid-day and the heat was approaching broil, so we didn’t get to stay too long.  But I was able to visit Uluwatu again when I returned to Bali for another G20 event, so that made up for the quick first visit.

There are temples at Uluwatu too, but I mainly took photos of the amazing seacliffs.  Also, the place was overrun with monkeys.  We were forewarned to protect our hats and glasses against them.  So I was intent on taking photos quickly so as not to be accosted by primates.

Pretty sure just after we took this picture, a monkey jumped at us out of no where.  Time to go.

The second visit to Uluwatu as part of a G20 evening event included a kecak and fire dance performance.  In this traditional dance/story-telling performance, there are not musical instruments.  Instead, a group of about 50 men do rhythmic chanting throughout the performance.

Why it's called the "fire dance."

It had rained every day leading up to this evening, but like magic, we ended up with a spectacular sunset and a rain-free evening for this event.

We ended the day with lunch and then a visit to a couple of Bali’s beaches.  Can’t go to Bali and not go to the beach!

<Obligatory Bali beach photo>

Sun exposure + constant overheating = permanent red face

We also tacked on a few days in Ubud to our Bali adventure.  Ubud is probably what comes into your head when you think of Bali… lush vegetation, temples, rice fields.  All three were on full display.  The rainy season was in full force, so we had to dodge the rain drops – or just give in to them – most days.  But it didn’t stop us from scoping out the area and picking out a couple more out-of-the-way spots we hope to return to.  As you'll be able to tell from the fact that photos from Ubud dominate this post, Ubud has definitely been a highlight of my trips to Bali so far.

Moonrise over the jungle.

We found a pedestrian-only walking path away from the downtown traffic that led through the rice fields and along some small restaurants (or "warungs") and art shops.

The path also went past a temple closer toward town.

Such fascinating - and colorful - architecture!

We took in an evening cultural dance/story-telling performance at a temple one evening.  The men sitting off to the side are the musical accompaniment - the gamelan, which consists of a bunch of gongs and metal bowls that they hit with mallets.

One of the oldest Balinese Hindu temples in Ubud - Pura Gunung Kawi was built in the 11th century.  

We happened upon this part museum/part workshop of Balinese wood carvings.

The detail is truly incredible!

No trip to Ubud is complete without a visit to the Tegalalang terraced rice fields.

Bustling downtown Ubud.

"Where did I park the scooter?"  Just kidding - definitely not brave enough to scooter here.

Another one of Ubud's scenic temples - Taman Saraswati Temple.  Not pictured: the Starbucks that's right outside.  (Not kidding.)

The moss-covered statues are so expressive.

Balinese Hindu culture is ever on display in Ubud with residents often wearing traditional dress and making offerings of flowers and seeds at their temples.

Taking a break to take it all in.

So I’ve spent a combined total of about a month in Bali so far.  Most of that time has been spent wearing business suits and running around to meetings… not exactly the usual Bali activities.  Hoping we’ll get back for more leisurely pursuits too – maybe after we’ve visited some other places in the meantime and I no longer primarily associate Bali with long, frantic work days.

 

TRAIN TO BANDUNG

 For the Labor Day long weekend, we decided it was time to venture out of Jakarta.  It also provided us with an opportunity to expand our public transportation experience.  We’re well-versed in the local taxis at this point, so we opted to try our hand at the train system and head to a city called Bandung.

All aboard!

All set for our train voyage.

Admittedly, we didn’t know a whole lot about what Bandung had to offer, but it’s a 3-hour train ride to the east of Jakarta, and that seemed like about the right distance to feel like we were charting new territory.  We also thought it might offer some cleaner air and outdoor recreation options.  Alas, the air was still pretty hazy but we were able to do a day hike at a big nature park, so one out of two ain’t bad, I guess.

That hazy view of the ridgeline in the background isn't mist... it's smog.

Fun fact… nature hikes in Indonesia are a bit less rustic than in the U.S.  We packed our daypacks full of water, snacks, sunblock… all the provisions that would be required for a long day of hiking.  Only thing is, at the park we went to, there were snack shops selling food, drinks, and souvenirs at every turn.  There was even a band playing a native instrument called an angklung – kind of like Indonesia’s version of a marimba – set up right in the middle of the forest.  The destination was a waterfall… and there too, enterprising locals had set up food stalls and had blankets for rent so you could kick your feet up after your trek.  The hike offered some pretty views… and some pretty interesting insight into how Indonesians enjoy “nature.”

Musical entertainment in the middle of the forest.

Only thing creepier than a live monkey...

A pretty walk through the woods... and a rare moment without other people or food stalls in sight.

There were some pretty sights along our hike, like the upstream view of this river...

...but the downstream view provides an example of Indonesia's battle with plastic and waste management.

Our destination!  

We decided to help the local economy by renting a spot to kick our feet up.  We also ordered some food that we thought would be hot and some tea that we thought would be cold.  Wrong on both counts.  The food was a cold dish and the tea was piping hot.  <Insert shrug here>  Go figure.

Here's another fun fact… Indonesians love all things social media – especially selfies.  While we were in Bandung, we also went to a local attraction that had been billed as a “floating market.”  We were expecting some long boats set up on a river or other waterway selling souvenirs and trinkets from their aquatic storefronts.  Turns out, the floating market was basically a tourist trap with a manmade lake, some “boats” selling food, and some carefully choreographed spots for visitors to take photos.  We made one loop and called that good.

This slide was also one of the attractions at the "floating market."  That dark spot you see towards the top is Andrew.  When in Rome, or when presented with a giant slide...

One of the photo op spots... and actually the only photo op I actually took.

The highlight of the weekend by far was the train ride itself.  The train and stations were clean and well-run, and the views of the Indonesian countryside from the train were lovely.  We’ve already started trying to figure out our next destination via train.

Rice fields along the way.

The train station in Bandung - so clean and tidy!

Indonesia has pretty impressive transportation infrastructure that looks other-worldly appearing out of the jungle.

At every train crossing awaited a fleet of mopeds.

THE HONEYMOON PHASE

They say there are four “phases of expatriation” that folks moving abroad experience as they settle into a new environment and culture.  The first phase, in which newly arrived expats feel an excitement and euphoria that comes with starting a new adventure in a new country, is the honeymoon phase.  This definitely is our current phase.  Sure, there have been some bumps in the road – especially trying to figure out how to get set up with a local phone and all the apps needed to transact on this highly electronic economy, and getting up to speed with new processes and systems in the new job.  But for the most part, we have been absorbing and enjoying our first look at a city unlike any in which we have lived before.  

First off, apartment living.  Except for our short-term stints for training in Washington, I haven’t lived in an apartment since I was in grad school.  We’ve now moved into what will be our permanent housing for the rest of our three years here – an apartment on the 10^th floor of a 40-story high rise.  I’ll give some more details about our apartment in a future post, but for now, suffice it to say, we are feeling very urban chic in this brand new apartment building with all its bells and whistles.

The view from our apartment.  Happy to have some trees and greenery in view.

One of two pools on the property.  The other is rooftop.  Not too shabby.

Enjoying a sunset happy hour with our neighbors (and my work colleagues).  It's like we have a personal sky bar on the roof of our building.

Our building is in a part of central Jakarta called Menteng.  It’s a short 15-minute walk to the embassy and to all sorts of malls and street food stalls.  Or if we don’t feel like walking (or if it’s just too hot or smoggy), it a $2 cab ride.  I’m very much appreciating the ability to get places on foot, because the traffic is no joke.  We don’t have a car here – and don’t plan on getting one since the taxis are so cheap… and since I have zero interest in trying to drive in Jakarta’s traffic.  

The Sarinah Mall at the end of our block put on a cultural show to celebrate Indonesia's Independence Day on August 17.  

The street in back of our building turns into an outdoor food market every evening.  Makes dinner a snap!

The embassy has a “Community Liaison Office” (CLO) which does a lot of work to help embassy families settle in and keep entertained.  A couple weeks ago, the CLO planned a day trip to Pari Island – one of the “Thousand Islands” chain about an hour boat ride from Jakarta.  Pari Island is one of many of those islands that have tourist facilities for people looking to get out of Jakarta for the day or weekend.  We signed up and headed out along with about 15 colleagues and spent the day lounging on the sand and going for our first snorkel.  Considering it’s so close to Jakarta, the snorkeling was surprisingly good with lots of coral and fish.  The trip was a month to the day from our arrival in Jakarta and it was a welcome change of pace and scenery.

Pulling out of the marina on our way to Pari Island.

We passed a lot of local fishermen in super colorful boats en route.

On-island transportation was a kind of golf-cart-meets-tuk-tuk-meets-pickup-truck.

Enjoying the sand... and the shade.

The island-goers.

A couple weeks later, we went on another CLO-sponsored event – a walking tour of Jakarta’s Chinatown.  We spent about 3 hours with a tour guide getting led through the streets of Chinatown, learning about the history of Chinese Indonesians, and sampling a few local snacks.

The Chinatown entry gate.

We walked by - and through - some of Chinatown's old churches and temples.

They preserved this old Chinese house... but built a huge apartment building around and over it.

Some of the elaborate decor inside the shrines we walked through.

No shortage of candles or incense here.

A typical scene of scooter parking - and omnipresent red and white bunting.  Not sure if there is extra red and white everywhere because of Independence Day... or if it's always on display.

Vendors set up along the narrow streets.

Not much room on these narrow alleys - but that doesn't keep the scooters from inching their way through.

We happened upon a parade along our walking tour route.

Love the costumes and pageantry!

No giant helium balloons... but there were these.

Parade float - Indonesian-style.

Wrapping up the tour by sampling some local tea.

We also joined my colleague (and our apartment neighbor) for a trip about an hour and a half southeast of Jakarta to an area called Sentul.  The area is popular for its hills, rivers, and hiking trails, and it made for a fun day out of the city.  We hired a driver to get us out there – which was key, since the road was questionably 1-lane but was serving 2-way traffic.  The trip to the trailhead was an adventure in and of itself.

Happy to be in the back seat... and not be driving.

Views of rice paddies along the way.

We passed through some very lush vegetation and local villages as we neared the trail head.

Blue sky and greenery!  Such a welcome sight!

On the trail.

A stop to enjoy the shade of a bamboo forest.

A pretty trail along a babbling stream.  It's like I'm in the northwest again!  Except it's a humid 90-ish degrees.

First waterfall sighting in Indonesia!

Celebrating a successful hike with some local fare on the way back to Jakarta.

So, for now at least, all the sights and experiences in our honeymoon phase are still new and exciting.  The next phase will be “culture shock” – and we’ve already had some previews of that.  I mean, we are in a completely different culture, so it’s to be expected.  But for now, we’re taking it all in and looking forward to the next new discoveries.