Last week we had the pleasure of hosting a new Yoga retreat organized by Mimi for participants from all over Australia. A week of intensive practice combining physical exercises and meditation. Which didn’t prevent the group from also having a good time, as evidenced by their last evening in front of a wood fire on the beach!
Last week, an unusual event took place in Dajuma: the Annual Forum of Development Planning Agencies of the 8 Regencies of Bali + 1 Municipality of Denpasar. Each regency in Bali alternately hosts this annual event. Nearly 100 people exchanged their experiences over two days based on a performance evaluation by the Bali government and central government team. The top three regencies with the best development plans have been announced in this forum. Karangasem in third place, Denpasar in second place and Klungkung in first place. The next forum will take place in Bangli Regency. On the last night of the forum, the Jembrana committee organized the farewell party with Jegog performances and live music.
There is also another way to discover Bali: simply by visiting the villages and more precisely the village schools. By talking to villagers, teachers and students, you can learn a lot about social life in Bali today. This is what is offered to our guests in a tour entitled “Village life and rice farming”: after a long bike ride in the rice fields and a rice farming exercise in real size, they are invited to visit a village and its primary school. A very interesting moment of sharing. As the photo shows, 4 of our guests made it last week and came back absolutely delighted!
Last week we had the pleasure of welcoming a yoga retreat led by Mary Bue from Minneapolis. As stated on her website (marybue.com) “Mary is a songwriter, Nada yogi, traveler, runner, vegan, retreat guide, music and yoga teacher, often traveling this beautiful world. Named best songwriter of 2020 by City Pages, her music addresses sacred subjects and a deep concern for the environment. Her latest album The World is Your Lover was released in 2020 to rave reviews from around the world.”
Last night they celebrated the end of the retreat with a Teppanyaki dinner hosted by our Senior Chef Dedi. And we will have the pleasure of welcoming her again in March 2023 for another yoga retreat. Not to be missed! (http://marybue.com/Bali2023).
Why not take advantage of a holiday in Bali to learn to surf? It is a sporting discipline that transcends the body through direct contact with an environment to which we are not accustomed: the ocean and generates a lot of adrenaline. In Dajuma all the conditions are met for you to discover it. An instructor, son of local fishermen who has been surfing since childhood. A fine sand beach in front of the hotel with long waves ideal for beginners. For the experienced, a free shuttle takes you to the famous Medewi surf spot in about ten minutes. And then surfers and boards can earn a well-deserved rest!
With the beginning of the rainy season, nature in Bali is cleaning up: the flow of the rivers increases enormously and leads to the sea a lot of dead wood which is a blessing for the villagers who use it in the kitchen but not only. Indeed, many pieces of wood have very beautiful shapes and essences that excite the creativity of Balinese artists. Thus are born real works particularly popular with tourists, decorative or utilitarian objects according to their inspiration.
The battle for the environment has very seriously resumed in Bali, after 2 and a half years of pandemic without customers and therefore without means. This is how Dajuma was able to offer 6 bins to the temple of Rambut Siwi to collect and recycle as much as possible of the waste left by the many visitors. Rambut Siwi Temple is indeed very sacred in Bali and visited by thousands of devotees every year. Its exceptional location on a rocky outcrop overlooking the sea also makes it a tourist hotspot, particularly appreciated for its sunsets. A must visit during your next stay in Dajuma!
Last Saturday, all of Bali celebrated the famous goddess Saraswati. In Hindu mythology, she is the wife of Brahma and the goddess of Knowledge and the Arts, personifying the word and the Vedas, the sacred books of Hinduism. On this day, the villagers went to the village temple to pray, while students of all levels meet at their school temple. A special ceremony for new students called “upanayana” was held on this occasion, with the aim of purifying and sharpening their mind. With a sharp mind, students can better assimilate knowledge and faster the learning process in school. It also aims to refine character, speak politely and behave well. Thus, with the Upanayana ceremony, it is hoped that students will have intellectual, social, spiritual and emotional intelligence so that they become role models for the community!
The beach in front of Dajuma is an extraordinary playground for young and old. Protected by its volcanic cape which can be seen more than 300 m away at low tide, the beach offers all kinds of activities, from simple walks in giant potholes to coral rocks which aquatic life fascinates children, to other more sporting activities such as surfing, kite surfing, SUP, sailing or fishing at the cape or at sea with local fishermen. A wonderful world in itself so exotic! But among all these activities there is one very popular in Bali, the kite. All Balinese families do this activity and like to share it with our guests as the picture shows.
What was our surprise last week when our guest and friend Mr. Max Schweizer from Switzerland, coming for the 5th time to Dajuma, presented our reception staff with registration cards from his previous stays as a valuable collection! It touched us a lot because he told us how much these simple cards brought back good memories for him. Welcome dear Max! Enjoy your 5th stay!
