Bidadari Angels arrive in the bale

Two new beautiful "Bidadari Angels" have flown into Sharing Bali and found a home in our bale.

These days Bidadari Angels are thought of as beautiful, radiant women who inspire loveliness....

but I do love the original ancient Indonesian tale of the Angels that I first heard from Wayan many years ago. There seems to be a few versions, but this short version is how I remember it:

The Bidadari Angels would come down to earth and bathe in a lake was surrounded by shade trees. That magical place was very attractive for angels. The lake became their playground.

One day the angels were bathing in the lake and didn't realise human eyes were watching. The eyes belonged to a young man who lived nearby and spent time in the forest collecting birds and playing his flute. As he was watching the angels he noticed that they had hung their shawls in a tree. They were beautiful soft shawls like he had never seen before, that could only belong to angels. He took on of the shawls and put it under his shirt.

The girls finished their bath and prepared to leave the lake. One girl couldn't find her shawl. Everyone

helped her look but could not find it. The young man was still standing in silence behind the big tree watching the girls looking for the shawl that he took.

“We’ve looked everywhere and we can’t find it. Maybe a deer took it” one of them said.

“We have to go. It’s getting dark.”

“No, don’t leave me here.” the girl started to cry.

“But we can’t stay. I’m sorry, my sister. May the gods protect you tonight.” they told their sister. The other girls then tied their shawls in their waist and held the tips. Then slowly they started to fly. The young man came out from the trees and offered to look after the sad and lonely angel.

The girl then stayed with the man. Time passed by, and they married. For many years, her husband did not tell her about the shawl. He still hid the shawl in the rice barn.

But you can’t hide a bad secret forever. It will show up and eat you someday. And that day came when a black chicken entered his barn and made it messy. The wife took a broom to scare the chicken and got rid of it. Suddenly her eyes saw something shiny in the rice. She approached it and was very surprised when she saw something that very familiar for her a long time ago.

The young man entered the barn and was shocked when he saw his wife was standing there holding a shawl that he had hid all this time.

“It was you?” his wife asked him. She could not believe that her own husband took her shawl. “How could you do this?” she was very disappointed.
“I’m sorry. I just… I don’t want you leave me.” He tried to give an explanation and hoped his wife would forgive him.

“I have to go. I can’t stay here. I don’t belong here.” His wife tied the shawl to her waist and flew. Her husband was left, crying alone.

There seems to be a moral to this story!

This is our Bidadari Angel, the inspiration for our Bali Pink Ribbon Retreats in May 2012 to support Breast Cancer awareness in Bali. I'm sure we will have lots of lovely ladies who inspire loveliness!

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Our passionate views on making healthy holiday escapes accessible to all are featured.

InShape NewsFlash

The rollercoaster ride of business travel…..

Many of our guests on our Sharing Bali fitness retreats feel rejuvenated by the end of the week, but are daunted by the thought of maintaining it once they hit the reality of working life back home. xEspecially those who have a hectic business travel schedule.

After a lifetime of international and domestic business travel in the fashion industry, I've clocked up my share of airports and hotel nights. I've also allowed my wellbeing to take a roller coaster ride along the way.

Rock bottom of the ride....no sleep, jet lag, too many wines, midnight mini bar feasts. Top of the ride (and a hard slog to get there) .... never left home without my workout gear, fruit and water were my snack mates, walked or ran my way around every city. There were periods of coasting, enjoying the ride, but the dips and highs were inevitable and they took their toll!

Not every business traveler gets to stay in 5 star hotels where fitness facilities and good food are more likely to be on tap. Not that this always helps. We are all guilty of staying in the best hotels and only sleeping, eating, and drinking. Why does that tempting chocolate on the pillow always seems to ask for a glass of wine to go with it?

Hotels don’t make it easy. I get so frustrated with hotels that think that providing a gym of some sort ticks the box for wellness. If you are not staying at a deluxe establishment, I can pretty much guarantee you that the gym will be buried in the bowels of the hotel. Find the smallest room, with the lowest ceiling, no windows, grey carpet, and of course the obligatory television sets and there you have it… your centre of wellness. Inspiring.

Spurred on by a conversation with one of our recent guests, I put together my top ten tips to avoid the highs and lows. Our guest was inspired and transformed by her time with us, so I knew she would not only benefit from it herself, but was also in a position to help many others in her organization. She’s a woman of action so ideas are underway within a week!

“I have had a chat to my boss and he really likes the idea of me leading something for regional Victoria. So I'm in creation stage at the moment. As soon as it's together I will share it with you for your opinion. Have also sent a note to the organizers of our big conference re some pt and yoga. They loved the idea and are looking to set something up. So creatinchange from one conversation. Thank you for being my muse!”

So here they are. This is not a program for high performance fitness. Just some handy hints.

“Easy and quite obvious when you read them, however the excuses always get in the way”.

(For the serious athletes out there, check out this excellent site: http://www.portableathlete.com/)

1. PLAN, PLAN, PLAN for a healthy journey. Spend equal amounts of time on packing for your wellbeing as much as packing the right reports. It's not being selfish at all. In fact, it will make you happier and hence more productive. Only stay at hotels that allow you to live well. You don’t need 5 star facilities to stay on track.

2. Create a “travel survival kit” that works for you. Commit to traveling with it. Make it a special travel kit that you reach for every time you pack. Don't use it at home or you will have to reassemble it every time you pack for a trip. ie. favourite workout outfit, shoes, water bottle, heart rate monitor, resistance band, skipping rope, a few workout routines written down.
Trying to jam it all into a carryon bag and tempted to take your running shoes out? Don’t even think about it unless you are 100% committed to doing barefoot sessions such as yoga. You’ve just nixed your reason to get outdoors. Use the ten minutes wait at the baggage carousel to check your emails.

3. Try and join a group. Meet some new people. Look up Bootcamps, outdoor groups, yoga classes, running groups etc that accept drop-ins and are close to your hotel. Call them and make a commitment. If you need one-on-one time to get you on track, find a local PT who will do an outdoors session for you near your hotel or workplace. Call them and make a commitment.

4. Hit the ground running. When you check in, ask the front desk for a map of local run/walk tracks. If the hotel staff doesn’t know, speak to the manager and ask them to get their act together! As soon as you get to your room, change your gear and head out for some exercise. If it’s late, do 30 mins of lunges, squats, pushups followed by stretching in your room. Early morning is always the best time to workout. Let it be known that it's your time, don't let anyone take it away from you. At times it's unavoidable, but make up for it in the evenings if that's the case.

5. You need your sleep. Hide the remote. Hotels make it easy to watch television from your bed. Don’t make it a habit.

6. Buy fruit. Have it in your car. Take it to your hotel room. Take it to the office. It's your snack buddy and possibly a light breakfast rather than hotel buffets or muffins!
Staying for a few days? Go shopping. Resist the mini bar!! Find the closest supermarket and do a survival shop. Stock the hotel fridge with yoghurt, fruit, muesli bars, and rice crackers. Anything that will stop you from the temptation of Pringles and Toblerone!

7. Swap the coffee travel mug for your sports water bottle. Take your water bottle from your “travel survival kit” everywhere. Hiring a car at the airport? You’re not ready to leave until the water bottle is in the drink holder. Think of it as an accessory; so treat yourself to something chic.

8. Socializing for work is important. However it can be a trap. No drinks before dinner. That's your time to get out and get active. Limit the alcohol at dinner. Choose small portions. Best to "eat like a prince in the morning and a pauper at night."

9. Share it. Walk the talk, lead the way, and create change. Let it be known that this is how you like to live and encourage your workmates to do the same. Share ideas/tips with your traveling business mates.
Organizing an all day seminar? You are going to be in that conference room for hours, so bring in the PT for a morning outdoor session to kick start the day.

There's a slide in energy at 3pm? Bring on a Pilates instructor to stretch, work through some moves to improve posture and reduce tiredness. Include some healthy options for food. It doesn't have to be about eating lettuce leaves, just cut down on the comfort food... fried food, muffins, sweets etc. Plan to leave the day invigorated, not exhausted.

10. Celebrate! Life is for living. Reward yourself for sticking to it. Whatever makes you happy.... book yourself in for a facial or a massage when you are on the road. Don’t wait until you get home. Business travel shouldn’t be about deprivation, make it celebration of healthy living.

PS. If there are any hotel operators out there reading this, please get in touch. This is just the tip of the iceberg for ideas that I have for you on how to make your hotel a healthier place for your guests and your staff. There’s so much you can do, and before you ask… “what will it cost?”…… very little. We’re not talking about investing in bigger, better gyms. We’re talking about customer service.

testimonial

Just had a lovely email from one of our wonderful guests. We are so lucky... we always have great guests! It makes it all the more worthwhile when people share their thanks.


Hi Karen,
 
I feel so bad that I haven't emailed before now!!
 
I meant to send you a note just to say thankyou so much to everyone there for looking after me so well during my stay in July. It was the most peaceful and relaxing week I think I've ever had and everyone made me feel so welcome and so looked after!
Ayung Sari really is like a little piece of heaven on earth and I will be trying to make it an annual excursion I think for a bit of relaxation and peace!
 
Please pass on my sincere thanks and appreciation to everyone, especially Gusti and little Putu who is just gorgeous... she helped me get through the week without my little girl, but I definitely will have to bring my daughter next time and they can hang out together... they would have such a good time!
 
Thanks again!
 
Best regards,

E

the coconut wireless!

I have been very slack on the Blog scene for a while now. But I'm back and will post the news from the Coconut Wireless as it comes to hand.

Gusti is still creating magic in the kitchen, and Dewi, Ngurah, Gede, Kabal and Agung are all looking after our guests. Putu, who as we all know is queen of Ayung Sari Indah, will soon turn 5 and continues to run circles around all of us.

We have had some great guests from all around the world and look forward to many more. If you would like to keep up with our news more regularly sign up to the Sharing Bali Facebook page for updates.

See you in Bali!

Karen and Wayan

"Awaken In Bali"

We take lots of great photos on our retreats and I have many favourites, but these two are top of the list at the moment. I love nothing more than going on the Volcano Climb every chance I get. It truly is a moment that you are "awakened". And you can't beat an banana leaf for an umbrella. Balinese ingenuity!

These two pics are from Marni Alexander's "Awaken In Bali" retreats.
The next one is on Oct 31. Email me on info@sharingbali.com if you are up for it.

"Selamat Makan" cook book at last!

At long last, I’ve got around to printing the cookbook. Many thanks to those who have kept sending me polite reminders to get it happening! It will be done by October. $25 (including postage within Australia) and it’s yours. Send me an email for details. info@sharingbali.com

There's a few recipes on the blog to keep you going. They are all tagged "recipes". Let me know if you have any requests.

Cremation Ceremony

Wayan has been busy in his family village with a cremation. It’s an important ceremony in Balinese culture and it takes weeks of preparation. There are 34 people being cremated so there are numerous offerings and cremation towers to be made. Today is the last day. The ashes are gathered and placed inside a coconut before being sent out to sea on a small, but beautiful bamboo raft to the next life with everyone's blessings.

new sculptures in the garden

Our gardens are ever-changing and Wayan has a new sculpture project in work alongside the irrigation channel. I think there will be about 15 of these statues by the time he's done.

No trip to the river is complete without a fresh coconut drink along the way. A perfect refresher in the midst of the new jungle walk.

Pak Gading is one of our most favourite visitors

A famous healer and masseuse, he has had no formal training as we know it. His knowledge was passed down from his grandfather. At around 75 years of age, he may have no teeth, but he is lean, with strong, muscular arms that would be the envy of any 20 year old.

Local Balinese see him for all manner of injuries from torn muscles to broken bones. He has healed many an injury for Wayan and myself and is always kind enough to come to our place to work his magic.

For some, he becomes the daily addiction….. “can I book Pak Gading just one more time before I leave?”

He is most popular after the volcano climb. The day starts at 3.15am to get to the top by sunrise. On the drive home everyone is usually happily tired, but there are quite a few tight muscles that could do with some work. One day as we drove down the driveway we could see Pak Gading sitting by the water, looking out over the rice paddies. A sleepy voice from the back of the car spoke for everyone - “what a vision.”

Mt. Batur Volcano Climb

As much as we like to keep an element of surprise to this trip, we do get a lot of “how far, how high” questions. So here you go, this is what you’re up for on the climb and it’s worth the effort!

tofu, tempe and tomato dish

This one is quick and easy. Lots of chopping of ingredients and then you are ready to go. Its just about equal parts potato, tempe and tofu. Add extra chillies if you like a spicy dish. Serve with rice and a dish that has lots of greens for a healthy balance.

1 medium potato cut into fine strips
5 cubes tofu cut into fine strips
10cm x 5cm piece of tempecut into fine strips
1 tomato roughly diced
salt and pepper
cooking oil

sambal
3 small onions
3 sections garlic
2 small chilies

Cook potato, tofu and tempe separately in pre-heated oil in a wok until golden brown. Drain excess oil.
Finely chop onions, garlic and chillies. Cook in wok until golden brown.
Add tomato pieces, salt and pepper.
mix cooked potato, tofu and tempe back into the wok.
Cook for 1-2 minutes.

"Chocolate Substitutes" - steamed pumpkin, banana and coconut parcels

Sometimes the discussion around the table at Sharing Bali heads in the direction of "chocolate". Everyone's chocolate habits are confessed. There are preferences for nightly hits of dark chocolate, and some who claim to eat it for it's anti-oxidant value! There is not a scrap of chocolate to be had at Sharing Bali even though it is grown as a crop locally. Everyone seems to get through the week without it as we do have some sweet treats as part of the menu. This seems to be one of the favourites that Gusti whips up for us. We include it in our cooking classes and there is a lot of fun to be had achieving the pyramid shaped perfectly wrapped banana leaf parcel!

3 cups finely chopped pumpkin
1 cup riceflour
1/2 spoon salt
1/2 spoon palm sugar shavings
1 cup fresh grated coconut
2-3 drops vanilla
2-3 pandan leaves (optional)
1/4 cup water
sliced bananas
banana leaves for wrapping (10cms x 15cms)

Sprinkle salt over the chopped pumpkin. This helps soften the pumpkin. Spirnkle in the water and mix by hand, squeexing the water through the pumpkin. Drain off excess water.
Add flour, sugar and coconut and continue mixing by hand. Add vanilla essence and extra water, if needed, to keep it moist.
Place a spoonful of the mixture onto a banana leaf, add a slice of banana if you like. Wrap the banana leaf around it to form a nice pyramid. Rolling the leaf up and folding over the ends is a less tricky option.
Steam for 15 - 20 minutes.

Body4U hits Sharing Bali!

We were lucky enough to have the most delightful bunch of gals from Body4U join us for a few days on a very special retreat. Angela and the girls lived life to the max. Running, rafting, volcano trekking, swimming, not to mention enjoying the food, our staff and life in general.

Angela sets a very high energy level and I can only imagine that any of her clients that she is training at the Body4U gym in Cleveland must get a sensational workout!

The pic is from a "coffee stop" after a trek. Made from fresh local coffee, ground vanilla and soy milk. Delicious. It got us up the last bit of the long hill!

Oh yes, did I mention the singing...........

monkeys in the trees

This is a little like "where's wally" but if you look really hard you can see the monkeys in the trees in the photos. They come up close to our bungalow in the afternoons, usually when I am just thinking about having a bit of a nap.

There is a family of about five and they chase each other, looking for the new bamboo shoots to chew on. We have staring contests through the trees, and as soon as I lift the camera they dash off!

more recipes from our cookbook - "pepes" spicy steamed fish

Gusti makes several fish dishes, but this one would have to be a favourite. You only need small pieces of fish. The sambal provides all of the flavour. We use a small river fish that has been semi-dried but any fresh fish fillet would be fine. If you don't have banana leaves handy, you can use foil, especially if you are going to throw them on the grill.

pepes (steamed spicy fish)

6 small fish fillets
2 tomatoes diced
1 spoon oil
banana leaves for wrapping (approx 20cm x 15cm)

sambal
3 small onions
5 pieces garlic
3 small chillies
3cm piece ginger
2 whole macadamia nuts
3cm piece white ginger (kencur)
2 pieces 2cm turmeric
3 lemongrass stalks finely chopped
pinch salt

place all sambal ingredients in mortar, and crush with pestle
add tomatoes and continue crushing
gently mix in 1 spoon oil


steam banana leaves for 1 minute to make them more pliable
generously coat 1 fish fillet with sambal and place on banana leaf
wrap and secure ends with toothpicks
steam for 15 mins (or place on grill)

Best served with rice and a cucumber salad for freshness. A Bintang beer does seem to be the perfect drink to finish it off.

pepes (steamed spicy fish)

pepes (steamed spicy fish)

6 small fish fillets
2 tomatoes diced
1 spoon oil
banana leaves for wrapping (approx 20cm x 15cm)

sambal
6 small onions
5 pieces garlic
3 small chillies
3cm piece ginger
2 whole macadamia nuts
3cm piece white ginger (kencur)
2 pieces 2cm turmeric
3 lemongrass stalks finely chopped
pinch salt

place all sambal ingredients in mortar and crush with pestle
add tomatoes and continue crushing
gently mix in 1 spoon oil


fish

steam banana leaves for 1 minute to make them more pliable
generously coat 1 fish fillet with sambal and place on banana leaf
wrap and secure ends with toothpicks
steam for 15 mins (or place on grill)

the breakfast favourite - banana pancake

Wayan has always served fresh fruit and banana pancakes for our guests for breakfast as the Balinese tend to eat a variety of rice puddings (burbur) for breakfast, which is not for everyone.

1 banana
1 egg
juice of ½ lemon
2 spoons rice flour
¼ cup milk
pinch cinnamon
1-2 drops vanilla essence
1 lime
grated coconut and palm sugar for garnish
salt
butter for cooking

Combine egg, lemon juice, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in a dish. Mix with a fork.
Gradually add milk until a smooth, pouring consistency is achieved.
Fold in flour. Add more milk if necessary. (we prefer a thin mix)

Peel banana. Cut in half lengthwise and place in boiling water for 1-2 mins until slightly soft.
Remove from water.

Melt a touch of butter to grease a small shallow frypan.
Pour in a thin layer of pancake mixture.
Cook until golden brown. Just before ready, place banana in centre of pancake and wrap edges over. Cook for a further 30 seconds.
Place on plate and garnish with grated coconut and palm sugar. Serve with a piece of lime.

favourite recipes from Boot Camp - peanut sambal

PEANUT SAMBAL - the most delicious peanut sauce that is used for sate, mixing with green vegetables or just for dipping with rice crackers. There are two parts to the recipe, start with preparing the fried sambal (sambal goreng).

fried sambal
5 small onions finely sliced
4 garlic sections finely sliced
3 small chillies finely sliced
pinch salt
cooking oil

toss onions, garlic and chilli in pre heated oil in a wok over a high flame until golden brown
add pinch salt during cooking
remove from wok, drain excess oil and put aside to cool

peanut mix
1 cup fresh, unsalted peanuts
1 teaspoon palm sugar (may be substituted with brown sugar)
pinch salt
½ tiny lime
cooking oil

toss peanuts in pre heated oil in a wok over a high flame for 2-3 minutes
remove and drain excess oil
crush cooked peanuts using mortar and pestle until a dry paste
add cooled sambal to mortar and continue crushing with pestle
gradually add 1-2 tablespoons cold water to make textured, creamy consistency
add palm sugar and pinch of salt and continue grinding
finally add squeeze tiny lime and mix in
(nb: if using blender instead of mortar and pestle do not overblend to a smooth paste. A slightly crunchy texture is much nicer)



GREEN BEANS WITH PEANUT SAMBAL (sayur pelecing) a simple but tasty dish that spices up green leafy vegetables. We usually use beans and/or jungle fern (paku), but a variety of green vegetables may be used. Try spinach or snow peas. The peanut sambal is found in the previous sambal section.

30 or so green string beans
small bunch jungle fern (or other green vegetable)
1 cup peanut sambal

wash and trim greens
cut into bite size pieces
blanch the greens in boiling water, drain
gradually mix through peanut sambal by hand – enough to coat the greens