We arrived in Ubud on the 23rd of July 2013 with two suitcases and a bag full of trust. For ten days we looked for the perfect Villa to rent and one day in our search we stopped on the side of a road and rang a Real Estate agent, "Shanti" told us on the phone that she couldn't help us and I was about to hang up when she said "oh you could always rent my brother's house. I will get my other brother who lives next door to come and pick you up from your Hotel tomorrow morning and he will show you my brother's house". The next morning the most beautiful soulful/crazy character Yusa rocked up to take us on a wonderful journey that has lasted for over a year! We did not rent Yusa's brothers house (who just happens to be the world famous electric guitarist Balawan) but instead we packed up our stuff and moved into one of Yusa's villas. We stayed there for 3 weeks until our dream home became available.
Yusa and his wife Tiwi were Balinese Lawyers who met and fell in love at college, but their careers in law didn't last long as they found the bureaucracy and corruption too much to handle. They now run a complex of Villas on the outskirts of Ubud www.thecarikubudvilla.com. Tiwi is so talented she creates the most lovely Kebayas (a tradional Balinese blouse worn by women for ceremony) I'm gathering quite a collection as these pieces are so individual and specific ceremonies require you to wear specific colours (a good excuse for my collection) if you are interested in her creations just look her up on Tiwikebayasbali.weebly.com
Tiwi and Yusa have three gorgeous kids GoGo, Ivy, and Keona. Keona is a gift from the Gods. Two years ago Yusa was sitting at a hospital in Denpassar waiting to visit his sister when out of the blue a nurse came up to him and asked if he would be interested in giving a baby girl a home. She had just been born and her parents could'nt look after her and nobody else would take her. Yusa said he'd go home and talk to his wife.....after their first son Gogo was born Tiwi became pregnant and unfortunately miscarried a baby girl at 5 months and now they both believed that the Gods had returned her to them in the gift of Keona. Says a lot about these beautiful people parents again at 45 trying to make a living to support two kids and without a blink they welcome with open arms a third. I just love these people Yusa has nursed his dying sister, bathed and cared for his aging mother who has a broken heart and has never spoken a word since her beloved husband died over 5 years ago.
So we catch up for our obligatory card game once a month , Tiwi brings out a plate of delicious Pisang Goreng (fried bananas) and Balinese Kopi (coffee) which is thick and black and surprisingly very good and we're off playing for hours chatting and laughing away....just another day here in paradise.
Love to you all.
J
PS: Look what Young Putri found in the pool yesterday morning, this little bat was flapping around trying to keep his head above water can you see he is missing some fingers poor thing. Well she scooped him out and as quick as a wink ba Pak Ken made him a bed and put him in the pool room (thats where the bats sleep during the day its under the house nice and dark) and this morning we happily found the bed empty....like I said just another day!
Tiwi and Yusa have three gorgeous kids GoGo, Ivy, and Keona. Keona is a gift from the Gods. Two years ago Yusa was sitting at a hospital in Denpassar waiting to visit his sister when out of the blue a nurse came up to him and asked if he would be interested in giving a baby girl a home. She had just been born and her parents could'nt look after her and nobody else would take her. Yusa said he'd go home and talk to his wife.....after their first son Gogo was born Tiwi became pregnant and unfortunately miscarried a baby girl at 5 months and now they both believed that the Gods had returned her to them in the gift of Keona. Says a lot about these beautiful people parents again at 45 trying to make a living to support two kids and without a blink they welcome with open arms a third. I just love these people Yusa has nursed his dying sister, bathed and cared for his aging mother who has a broken heart and has never spoken a word since her beloved husband died over 5 years ago.
So we catch up for our obligatory card game once a month , Tiwi brings out a plate of delicious Pisang Goreng (fried bananas) and Balinese Kopi (coffee) which is thick and black and surprisingly very good and we're off playing for hours chatting and laughing away....just another day here in paradise.
Love to you all.
J
PS: Look what Young Putri found in the pool yesterday morning, this little bat was flapping around trying to keep his head above water can you see he is missing some fingers poor thing. Well she scooped him out and as quick as a wink ba Pak Ken made him a bed and put him in the pool room (thats where the bats sleep during the day its under the house nice and dark) and this morning we happily found the bed empty....like I said just another day!
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