Today, I am going to tell you about a rare place.
A place blessed by the Gods.
The jungle is lush, the birds, the wind making the palm fronds sing…
It is our little paradise.
The scent of frangipani flowers floats in the air.
This place is timeless. Calm. Restful.
It is located on a ridge overlooking a tropical gorge, bordered by green hills covered with coconut trees.
We found it in 2010.
We had set off for Indonesia to discover the islands of Bali and Java.
I was eager to arrive in Ubud, a royal city, the cultural and artistic capital of Bali.
“Is this your artistic and cultural city, Mom?”
Have you ever found yourself on the other side of the world and felt the gap between the fantasized image and reality?
I was stressed, disoriented.
Lying on the bed of our not-so-great hotel, I thought, eyes closed.
We need someone to help us.
In my notebook, I had written down the name of a Frenchman I had found on the internet.
His name was Thierry Vincent.
He had created a literary café in Ubud with the lovely name of “Rendez-vous doux.”
If you ever go to Ubud, you can stop there.
He welcomed us kindly.
Asked us a few questions.
Then he thought for a moment, and said to us:
– What you are looking for no longer exists in Ubud. But, there is a place not too far from here that you will like.
I hesitate to reveal it to you because it is not too well-known yet. But you will love it.
So, we followed his map, scribbled on a piece of torn paper.
The village was crossed by a road lined with warungs, the small local family restaurants.
From time to time, chickens in their bamboo cages punctuated the side of the road.
The Balinese say they leave the chickens by the side of the road to entertain them (hahaha!).
Disappointed, tired of going back and forth on this road without really knowing where to go, pushed by hunger, we finally stopped at a warung run by a Balinese family.
Why there and not elsewhere, no idea!
After our 100% Balinese meal, we discovered behind the building a parking lot invisible from the road.
At the very end, a Balinese-style door made of carved wood.
Someone had written in brush on a small faded board, “Homestay – Sayan Terrace.”
Next to it, a string to ring a little bell.
“Ding ding ding….”
Nothing.
Ring again.
“Ding ding ding….”
… still nobody.
Shall we leave?
No, let’s wait a bit…
What compelled us to wait in that parking lot in front of that door?
I don’t know, perhaps we can call it intuition?
Then, the door opened.
The first thing we saw was the radiant smile of a young Balinese man with both hands joined at his chest:
Selamat siang! Welcome to Sayan Terrace! (Good afternoon, welcome to Sayan Terrace)
Then, behind him, we saw a tiny glimpse of that view…
You want to sleep? How many nights?
Can we have a look to the bedrooms please?
Follow me.
We went up and down some exhausting, never-ending stairs.
With every climb, we discovered a little more of this incredible panorama.
The guesthouse was nothing special. It was decorated in a rather traditional Balinese style mix.
But what transported us was the beauty of that incredible view.
The jungle, the sound of the Ayun River at our feet, a few rice fields in the distance, and the sacred mountain of the Balinese, Mount Agung…
The place was enchanting.
In the next post, I’ll tell you what happened next.
I can’t wait!!!
Before wishing you an excellent day, I just wanted to inform you that the online shop is decked out in Christmas colors!
I wish you an excellent day,
see you tomorrow 🙂
Nathalie Valmary
Co-founder of Louise Carmen
PS @louisecarmenparis is our Instagram address. Follow us!