Bali’s spiritual culture & temples! Elephant Cave, Pura Saraswati Ubud, Tirta Empul Temple sacred springs.
It’s true what travel bloggers say about Southeast Asia: you’ll find the warmest, most generous and welcoming locals here.
So far, I’ve been to Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines (click these country names to see the stories). These were some of my favorite trips ever, and I’m excited to announce I’ll be adding one more to the list… Keep reading to see where I’m journeying!
In this spirit, I’ve decided to finally release Part 2 of my Bali, Indonesia temple tour (see part one here). I put on my Indian robes and pink-tinted glasses, and visited some of Bali’s most sacred spots — including the Pura Sawaswati water temple…
The Elephant Cave temple in Ubud…
… and Tirta Empul, where Hindu devotees bathe under a row of fountains, sourced from the sacred springs.
This month, I’ll be back in S.E. Asia… I’m thrilled to announce that I’m going to Myanmar (Burma) with Yukiro! HK Express, the airline I’ve worked with since its launch, has added a route to Yangon — a destination that was basically closed off to tourists until a few years ago.
I can’t wait to discover this Buddhist country, and hang out with monks and punks. That’s right: Yangon has an old school punk scene, with studded and Mohawked bands like Rebel Riot (above). They rock hard, but also run charities that help the local homeless and children. We’re excited to find out more about this subculture, and take part.
Also, you may have seen on my social media that I’m currently in Hong Kong, filming with with a local company that produces original videos about style tips, travel, food and more. We’ll be shooting nail art tutorials, fashion lookbooks and more that I can’t wait to share with you.
Now, back to my Ubud, Bali temple story. The locations are quite spread out, so I was glad to have Destination Services take me around on a custom tour.
They provided a car, driver and guide for the day, and brought me to all the temples on my wishlist. I’m a big fan of hiring local experts, as they’re versed in the history and culture, and can answer questions about anything you encounter.
Destination Services planned an efficient route that started early to avoided traffic. We got to the Goa Gajah Elephant Cave in Ubud before the crush of tourists (it’s about 30 km from Denpasar).
This has been a holy ground for both Buddhist and Hindu practitioners, for over a thousand years.
Water from these stone statues is used in religious ceremonies. Look closely, and you’ll see large fish swimming in the pond.
(Photos by my friends Cohica Travel, who offer a worldwide guide to sustainable and socially responsible travel.)
There are six of these female water-bearing fountains in total. An endless stream flows out of their pots.
And there it was, the famous entrance! I felt like I was being swallowed up by the iconic “Elephant Cave”. (The demon-like figure was once thought to be an elephant, hence the name.)
Blown away by these intricate Balinese stone carvings of creatures and nature motifs.
Inside the cave, there are three stone idols wrapped in cloth (known as a trimutri of Shiva-lingams). In the past, monks came to meditate inside these dark passages.
Hindu statues like this are found all over Bali. I often drove through intersections that had deities standing right n the middle. Such energy in the poses and expressions.
Outside the rock entrance, a fierce protector raises a sword against negative spirits.
Next, we went to the beautiful purification temple Tirta Empul (or Tampak Siring Temple) around 20 minutes north of Ubud. I could have spent hours taking in the details of the Balinese temple architecture.
The temple pond is considered to be holy, as it was supposedly created by the god Indra.
Bathers come here to purify themselves in the holy springs.
In addition to the purification baths, the Tirta Empul temple has areas for giving offerings and making prayers.
As with any cultural site, it’s important to be respectful to the pilgrims who come here as a spiritual journey. Tourists are welcome as long as they wear the sarongs provided (I didn’t need one because I was already covered), and don’t interrupt the bathers. Photos are allowed, but to be safe, check before taking images.
The inner courtyards are for worshippers only, in order to give them some peace and privacy from the tourists.
Our guide spoke about the mythological stories associated with the water temple.
I exited through this tiny gate guarded by a barong (lion-like protector spirit).
We drove past the famous Ubud rice paddies, or Tegalalang Rice Terrace. The distinctive layered steps are called subak, and make up a traditional Balinese irrigation system.
(There is a entrance fee to walk inside, so we didn’t stop.)
After a scenic twisting drive (past farms, collectives and yoga retreats), we stopped in Ubud city center for lunch and a walk around.
The main Ubud streets are jammed with traffic, and you’ll see a number of touristy gift shops. However, you’ll also see gorgeous puras and other artistic details like these.
Megan and Ryan of Cohica Travel showed me Pura Saraswati, a temple with a long dramatic path bordered by blooming lotus flowers.
The pond and flowering trees make this one of the region’s most beloved temples.
Pura Taman honors Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom and arts. She certainly looks over Ubud, which is considered the cultural capital of the island.
At night, there are dances and performances in this area that surrounds the water gardens.
The Hindu water temple is relatively new — built for the royal family in 1950, by artist and architect Gusti Nyoman Lempad.
Lempad was an accomplished stone carver, and brought these creatures to life.
Many travellers describe Bali as a place of peace and joy. It’s hard not to agree.
Spirituality is a huge part of the Balinese consciousness, and the ritual offerings are unique to the island. Religion is also expressed here an inclusive way (you’ll often see homes with statues of both Ganesha and Buddha).
I hope you are able to spend at least half a day in Ubud, seeing the temples and culture for yourself. Here are all Indonesia travel posts, including a video of traditional dances, to help you plan a trip to Bali.
Finally — I’m glad you found my Black Friday / Cyber Monday discount codes helpful, for finding the best shopping deals! I’ve just come across a new site, Woznow, which lets you easily search for fashion (by brand or category), and access sales in over 200 stores. For example, the site let me compare leather jackets, see how much they were discounted, and shop them with a tap.
Thanks, everyone, for supporting my fashion and travel adventures over the years! Here’s to finishing 2016 strong, and keeping the momentum going into the New Year.
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Visiting the Depeche Mode theme bar in Tallinn, Estonia! DM Baar, Estonian restaurants & mobile responsive blog theme.
Before we descend into the Tallinn Depeche Mode bar… look closely. Adjust your glasses. Notice anything different? Yarr, La Carmina blog got a makeover!
I’m happy to announce that this site is now fully mobile-friendly, with a streamlined and responsive design. My designers updated the social shares at the bottom, and added a “related posts” option. They made various backend tweaks to prioritise your user experience (such as improved readability, and dynamically scaling images).
If you visit LaCarmina blog on your phone, there’s a handy Menu drop-down bar at the top. The theme also fits your exact screen size (see above screenshots).
A million thank yous to Naomi Rubin of Naomiyaki (my Pirate first mate, illustrator and web designer) and Kevin Wilson (designer, writer and cartoonist) for the magnificent coding and design work. I’m thrilled with how they updated the site. Both of them are based in Portland, OR — please keep them in mind if you’re looking for web design or illustration work! They’ll rock your socks, guaranteed.
One more announcement: as the holidays near, I’ve put up more cute items on my shop — including the striped Peace Now jacket in the first photo!
I’m selling hundreds of items from my personal collection, from $5 + up. These include Japanese Gothic Lolita / Kawaii / Gyaru purses, coats, dresses, accessories, makeup and more. I also have a selection of designer purses (LV, Valentino, Prada) Sanrio Hello Kitty, vintage, Asian labels, you name it.
* Intrigued? I invite you to check out my sales listings here (there are photos, prices and details).
* Then, email gothiccarmina @ gmail dott com, letting me know what you’d like. I’d be glad to do bundle discounts and exact shipping, and work out a great price! Talk soon.
Now, back to tales of travel. Unless you were closely following my Snapchat (@lacarmina), you may have missed that I was in Tallinn, Estonia earlier this year.
I discovered an unexpectedly cool underground culture here — including a dive bar dedicated to the band Depeche Mode! Ever since I heard of DM Baar, “All I ever wanted, all I ever needed” was to visit. Read on for lots of photos.
My travel filmmakers and I spent a few days in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. I’d heard that there was a hip, emerging art / food scene here — and with the help of Visit Tallinn, we got an insider’s look.
You might recall that we were in Helsinki, Finland. From here, it’s only a two hour ferry ride south to Tallinn (which borders the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland). If you’re in Helsinki, we highly recommend that you take this scenic ride to Estonia — it’s possible to do a day trip, but I suggest staying for several days.
There are a few ferries and dozens of departure times each day, as this is a popular route. Definitely book with Tallink Silja, which provides the best service and sailing experience. Tallink Silja’s ships are large and modern, and the VIP area has a full buffet and free magazines. We were even invited up to the captain’s deck to say “tere” (hello in Estonian).
I went out onto the deck to take in the landscape. Before long, I spotted the signature pointed spires of Tallinn: we had arrived!
The capital is small and easy to get around by foot. We stayed in a hotel by the Old Town Square (Raekoja plats). This quaint public area, pictured above, has a town hall and colorful buildings that that date back to 1322.
Not far from Tallinn’s main square is DM Baar, the world’s only Depeche Mode bar! (Address: Voorimehe 4, Tallinn, Estonia). That’s right: there’s a theme bar in Europe entirely dedicated to Depeche Mode, the synthpop / electronic music pioneers from the 80s and 90s.
Look for a black door and hanging red sign, which features the flower cover design of their Violator album (“Personal Jesus” and “Enjoy the Silence” are on this LP.).
Estonia’s Depeche Mode Baar originally opened in 1999, by a die-hard fan. The interior is a homage to the much-loved English band, filled with posters, photos, and rare memorabilia.
As you might expect, DM Baar only plays songs by one artist: Depeche Mode. I adore them, and was excited to drink and listen to their music all night long.
On the left, you can see the giant menu with dozens of cocktails named after Depeche Mode songs, like “People are People” and “Just Can’t Get Enough.” The drinks are standard concoctions (such as gin and orange, rum and Coke) but served with a generous pour.
In 2001, Depeche Mode members Martin Gore, Andy Fletcher and Christian Eigner came to Tallinn to perform a concert. That evening, they graced DM Bar with their presence and parted all night! The walls are filled with photographic evidence, as well as snapshots of other visiting celebrities.
The bar has several large TVs, which continuously broadcast Depeche Mode live concerts and music videos. There typically aren’t too many customers here, and they tend to be fellow fans. I enjoyed relaxing on the lounge chairs with my friends, and nodding along to their famous tracks.
DM Baar has a large, cavernous second room. (If scientists ever invent teleportation, I’d have a big birthday party here.) I spotted a red lamp with the “Playing The Angel” album cover logo.
The adjoining room has private booths, lit by the glowing DM font from their “Tour of the Universe.”
I uploaded a short video on Instagram, which lets you see and hear the Depeche Mode bar for yourself. You can hear the sounds of their 1987 single: “I’m taking a ride. With my best friend. I hope he never lets me down again.”
If you’re a Depeche Mode fan, you simply must make a pilgrimage to their themed bar in Tallinn, Estonia. And even if you’re not familiar with their music, I’d recommend coming here for the magnificent songs and atmosphere. After all, as Dave Gahan sings, “Is it a sin / To be flexible / When the boat comes in?”
(The bar had lots of Depeche Mode items on display — you can shop their music and merchandise below, with a click.)
In addition to a cool nightlife, Tallinn (pronounced “Tahh-lean”) has a creative culinary scene. I didn’t know anything about Estonian food, and was pleased by what I discovered.
We ate lunch at Fabrik, one of the city’s top rated restaurants. As you may have seen on my Snapchat (@lacarmina), their Nordic style menu and interior decor are feasts for the eyes.
We sat down in this modern / minimal interior (my favorite type of decor), and whetted our appetites with shots of Vana Tallinn. This is a dark, spicy rum-based liqueur that warms your bones right up.
Fabrik’s menu is inspired by the seasons and high-quality produce: the dishes are playful, and presented in eye-catching color. Case in point above: beetroot with sea buckthorn (little orange berries with medicinal properties), goat milk yogurt and shiso — three ingredients that play unexpectedly well together.
The same goes for the smoked eel consomme with king trumpet mushrooms, and seabass with leche de tigre and coriander. And don’t leave without trying a sweet or two from Fabrik’s glass case of desserts.
As you can see, Tallinn is a study in contrasts. It’s an old city filled with historic architecture, but with a hipster creative culture that has sprung up fairly recently.
Estonia is a wonderful destination for foodies. In Nordic Europe and Scandinavia, open-faced sandwiches on dark grain breads are a favorite dish. The local version is called võileib, which means “butter bread” — and once again, it’s prepared in tantalising colors.
We had another memorable meal at Leib Resto & Aed, an atmospheric restaurant with a large garden, surrounded by Tallinn’s old Town Wall. Chef Janno Lepik and sommelier Kristjan Peäske create local, seasonal food that is innovative, yet based on traditional cooking.
The word “leib” refers to Estonian black bread: warm, honest, filled with dark grains. The fresh-baked bread that they served was so good that I took home an entire loaf for later!
The menu’s simple farm-fresh ingredients come together in creative dishes, such as Kalamatsi dairy soft cheese with Intsu farm tomatoes, marinated onion seeds and coriander.
We started by tasting their homemade liqueurs, made with black currant or rhubarb. Next came a clean, soulful soup and flatbreads; as always, the presentation was delightful.
The mains proved why Leib Resto ranks consistently among the best restaurants in Tallinn: it’s a fine-dining menu, in an unstuffy and rustic setting.
Highlights include the pike perch with cauliflower cream, slow-cooked Liivimaa grass-fed beef cheek with potato foam and marinated vegetables, and desserts topped with fresh edible flowers.
It’s fascinating to see the contemporary culture in Tallinn, a city with numerous historical influences. Above is Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, built when the country was part of the Russian Empire. Estonia was also a republic of the Soviet Union from 1940 until its independence on August 20, 1991.
Above, a cyclist performs tricks in front of the Liberty Cross monument in Tallinn’s Freedom Square. This was established in 2009 as a memorial for those who died while fighting for Estonia’s freedom and independence.
Let me assure you that Estonia is a safe and modern country today. There’s a feeling of young energy here, especially in the artistic scenes. (Photos by La Carmina and Borderless Media.)
From street art to sugar skull bars, Tallinn rocks!
Coming up, I’ll take you inside Tallinn’s art factories and collectives, run by young creatives. There’s so much to discover here — I’m glad we spent a few days exploring.
Isn’t it wonderful that there’s a Depeche Mode bar in Estonia? (I uploaded a short video of our visit here.)
If you also love this UK synthpop band, enjoy these favorite items below that I’ve picked out. And don’t forget to check out my clothing and accessories sale, before items are gone!
LA CARMINA
