Ubud

We worked our way back to Bali from Lombok, since we'll be heading home from the airport in Bali. I guess I thought before coming to Bali that it was all about the beaches, but I now realize that it's really all about the culture, and Ubud is the cultural center. The temples, the ceremonies, the beliefs of the Balinese people are fascinating. The religion of the majority of Bali's population is a mixture of Hinduism and ancient animistic religions of the native Balinese people, and it's such a large part of their lives, it's evident everywhere. Every household has multiple shrines, and offerings are made every day. The culture is portrayed in dance like I've never seen- the "cak" of kacek is mesmerizing, legong is beautiful. Ubud isn't just a place, it's an experience!

Kecak-  Known as the Ramayana Monkey Chant, the piece, performed by a circle of 150 or more performers wearing checked cloth around their waists, percussively chanting "cak" and throwing up their arms, depicts a battle from theRamayana where the monkey-like Vanara helped Prince Rama fight the evil King Ravana. However, Kecak has roots in sanghyang, a trance-inducing exorcism dance.<sup>[2]- wikipedia)


Legong- A refined dance form characterized by intricate finger movements, complicated footwork, and expressive gestures and facial expressions.-wikipedia)</sup>