Bali: Ubud

Unlike Loyola, Monash University gives its students an entire week for studying before final exams as opposed to one measly day. Since none of us would actually study that far in advance anyway, we decided to spend the allotted week in Bali, Indonesia. Perhaps we were not hitting the books during that time, but it was still a learning experience.

Our first Bali destination was Ubud, an inland village with an abundance of culture and a lack of air conditioning. From our first day in Ubud, we could tell that we would be very sweaty and smelly for the duration of the trip. But once I was able to look past my physical discomfort, I was able to absorb all that Ubud had to offer: street vendors, the huge village market, rice fields, the monkey forest (filled with thieves disguised as adorable little primates) and beautiful temples. Possibly one of my favorite moments in Bali was when my two friends and I discovered a gorgeous temple tucked behind a Starbucks (yes, a Starbucks in Bali!). This particular temple was intricate to a breathtaking degree if one is not expecting to find it. Its symmetry was designated by the pathway that lead straight down the middle; on either side were lily pad-infested waters, yellow-green and dotted with pink flowers. At the end of the path was the entrance, where about ten steps lead up to a flamboyant red and gold-plated door. The door was covered in both swirling floral designs and hard geometrical lines, the combination of which might remind one of early Italian Renaissance art. To the left, right and above the door were stone figures with large eyes and ferocious teeth, which are clearly figures of Hindu worship. The entrance continued to wind up into a pyramid-like shape, and both sides of the entrance sprawled outwards to create a sort of patio. The fact that such a beautiful structure could exist behind an American coffee shop reflects the merging of Eastern and Western cultures.

Ubud was unlike any place I had ever been before. Its beauty and uniqueness is something that I will always remember, and I hope that some day I may return to experience it all over again.