Day 10 (Tuesday).
Tarli and I were getting used to our sunrise beach visits and we once again went for a little swim.
The waves were a bit strong so we did not venture in too deep.
Yoga was at 7:30 am again and it was good to stretch out the body after having skipped it the day before because of the 6:30 am pick up for our Nusa Penida trip.
After breakfast Tarli tbirdart.com gave us our final art lesson. We would be sewing onto the art work we had created two days ago. Tarli showed us her technique. It had been a while since I had picked up a needle and thread and so I had to literally start from threading the needle!
It was really cool to use one’s imagination and to decide where to put the sewing. There were a few things to consider – color, the spacing between lines, the orientation (horizontal or vertical) and other artistic qualities. I had a lot of fun not caring about symmetry and perfection and just going with it! I was quite happy with my final product. I only used three different threads of different colors, but I played with the spacing a bit, keeping it a bit uneven in parts. I also had both horizontal and vertical patterns. I also learned how to tie the thread in, before cutting and also backtracking if I made a hole in the wrong spot. It was really quite fun!
I was quite happy with my finished artwork. I was particularly proud of how I created the shadows of the people on the beach by choosing an appropriate shade of blue and also of how I made the sun stand out. Tarli helped me choose the color for the thread though and that was key – it was great to have a teacher on hand.
Everyone was pleased with their artworks and Luba seemed to want to work on hers some more by adding more thread upon her return home and Tarli totally encouraged that.
In the evening afternoon Tarli and I were going to visit the area of my first Bali retreat in January 2020 (right before the pandemic). It was going to be trip down memory lane for me. It was also in Seminyak, but a short 35 minutes south along the beach, not far from Ku De Ta where we had been a few times before.
First we took a Grab to Villa Oceane, the villa where I had housed my first retreat. The owner Edith, a French lady had sold it and left for France. It seemed as though it was a bit unkept and I think it was not being rented out. Sad.
We walked around the corner to Amadea Resorts. We even took the buggy to the restaurant – reenacting the morning ritual to get breakfast four years ago. We had some coffee at the restaurant and also took in the view of what used to be Char Char – a really cool bar we used too hang out at with steps. Great people watching place!
The picture on the left shows the steps of Char Char are still there. The photo on the right is from 2020. I was with Rowan, a friend I had made on the plane ride to Bali from Kuala Lumpur in January 2020.
After that we headed to Motel Mexicola. We had been once before, but Tarli wanted to go one more time. It was well worth it. The tacos were awesome. We also had some delicious ceviche, not to mention the refreshing tequila!
After that we headed to the Flea Market – a souvenir market nearby – and we found some Bali patches for our jackets.
In the evening we went to a rooftop bar – Kahuna – at the Aloft hotel. It was only a 2 minute walk from our lodge. We watched a beautiful sunset and had some good food, celebrating the end of a successful retreat. It was a good farewell celebration for the participants of the unique yoga retreat with art lessons. I even took a dip in the infinity pool on the roof!
Day 11 (Wednesday). Today was our last day in Bali. Tarli and I took one final sunrise walk and dip in the ocean. It was very cloudy and sure enough it rained all day! What good luck we had had. It had barely rained during our trip! Now that we were leaving, it could rain all it wanted!
I had called Dewa once again to take Luba and Irene to the airport at 9:00 am. They had a wonderful trip and it was really great to have them. We said our final goodbyes and they were off to Singapore and a connecting flight to San Francisco.
Tarli and I packed up and checked out at noon. We went over to Balisani Suites for a cooking class. This was really the highlight of the day! We cooked six Balinese dishes – Nasi Goreng (Fried Rice), chicken soup (very broth and delicious), fish satay, steamed chicken and coconut pancakes for desert. We learned about the spices and sauces used and the proportions of each. We also learned that the locals do not follow recipe measurements and just feel the proportions (just like I do!).
I must say, Tarli and I cooked up a fabulous spread and we had a wonderful lunch. We felt very accomplished. We even got certificates! Tarli says I should frame mine. She’s so funny. But in all seriousness we did do most of the prep work and cooking with the guidance of our cook and staff at the Balisani.
Later in the evening we got our final massage and Tarli talked me into getting a facial. I must say it was quite refreshing. We had checked out of our room, but were able to take showers at Benin Spa after our treatments. Soon after, at 9:00 pm, Dewa came to pick us up and we headed for the airport. Time for our next destination – Seoul, Korea.
Stay tune for more from a new country!
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