During the week I was up at Nuanu City for my daughter’s birthday festivities, which included a tour of the enormous facility just south of Tabanan. The place has come a long way since the first time I was there. That was around two years ago when they first started building the beach club and besides a few building sites there wasn’t much to see. Now, I must say, it is literally amazing. We jumped on the mini bus and checked out a number of sites starting with the fascinating Labyrinth art gallery – full of local artists’ works, The Magic Gardens, featuring exotic butterflies, orchids and the botanical gallery of weird and wonderful jungle insects, and then onto check the alpacas in their pen. The Nuanu spa called Lumiera is a special place. There we experienced a specialty of the house – a bush whacking with eucalyptus leaves. That was inside the world’s largest wood fired dome-like sauna room. What a cleansing experience! I had to sit down for a little while after that and fortunately Lumiera has many interesting places to sit. The enormous sauna room with a majestic view to the jungle was a good place for that. There are also hot tubs and freezing cold plunge pools, which they tell me are great for your health to plunge in and out of – I have my doubts. There is also a large swimming pool looking out to the jungle and an adjacent health-foucussed restaurant sited next to the pool. You can get a pass for the spa, try all their treatments and spend a very healthy and relaxing day there I’m sure. We then stopped at Luna Beach Club for a delicious meal and finish of the birthday festivities and day out. Nuanu City is truly breathtaking and day tours are available for anyone interrested in taking a look. The concept of Nuanu City is like an all-encompassing environmentally-conscious, health, and holistic space to visit as a tourist and also to live full time. That would be a little like living at a wellness and health version of Disneyland – in a good way.
Nyepi, the day of silence, is coming in fast. Friday next week it kicks off and most places in town will be closed by lunch time (most supermarkets are open all day, so please don’t panic). It is a good idea to get prepared for a chilled day at home, or spend it in some fancy hotel etc. There are plenty of options in how to spend your Nyepi, but personally I find the best is actually to do it Bali style and fast at home for as long as you can and get into a mediative state while viewing the stars at night. You could also possibly download the new Bob Dylan movie, A Complete Unknown and reconnect with Bob and all his old tracks. What a great movie that is and well worth a viewing. I couldn’t believe it didn’t receive a single award at the recent Academy Awards. But what a load of codswallop that has become. I checked out the winning movies and couldn’t believe they were all about prostitutes, transvestites and sex changers. I have nothing personally against anyone doing what they want to do, go ahead, but the Academy Awards, I don’t know, call me old fashioned, but I don’t think all movies need to be uber-woke. Sounds like brain-washing to me.
Anyway, it’s my birthday today so I will cry if I want to!
Have a good weekend.
Photos above are from the Nuanu City tour, Batubelig Beach and a night out at Iron Fairies and Red Ruby.
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Highlights in the Bali nightlife this week? There are always plenty of parties and shows on around the island…. Bali never ceases to amaze! Check out all the events, both featured and regular, on thebeatbali.com/bali-events.
Happy week to you all.
