Elevated over the Avon Valley National Park in the Chittering Valley, the view resembles an exhibition of the Heidelberg School. The scene below could very well have been the inspiration for artists, Frederick McCubbin, Arthur Streeton or Tom …
We make a pit-stop at the Japanese Cemetery, one of the largest Japanese cemeteries …
Representing life and hope, an injured Tiger Quoll is brought to veterinarian Andy (Myles Pollard; A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Drift) after mining mogul Harry (Matt Dyktynski; Black Swan roles include Day One, A Hotel, Evening and Boundary Street) accidentally hits the rare marsupial …
“I would love for my husband to do it as he works so hard & has made so many sacrifices, he deserves it.”
Happy jumping!
Thank you everyone for your entries and keep up the fun times!
Happy travels,
Carmen.
Culture with Como Uma Ubud
The incredible talent of a local 11-year-old boy
No matter where you are in Ubud you’re never far away from an artisan whether they be painters, carpenters, weavers, musicians or those crafting batik patterns. Even the wafting incense in the open dining room at Uma by Como seems to sway in time to the smoky jazz playing in the background.
But beyond the handcrafted villas and lush grounds, are entire villages dedicated to creating exquisite art. Batuan Village is famed for its painting style of the same name depicting village life and history while drawing on Hindu mythology. The drawings in black ink often painted in vibrant colours, are so fine in design many of the artworks take years to complete. The gallery showcases almost 1,000 pieces of 3rd and 4th generation artists, and I’m drawn to a market scene valued at USD 45,000; it does not surprise the President of Indonesia shops here.
Batuan Village Gallery
A few minutes away a new generation of budding artists are hard at work producing equally intricate artworks at the Keliki Painting School. I ask my guide Anom Suyadnya, Uma’s Activity Specialist what sets the artists apart in Ubud and he replies with, “Tourism is thriving so there are many opportunities for artists. For example, the Ritz Carlton in Ubud features Batuan art in every room.”
The dedicated students of the Keliki Painting School
My question seems rather obvious watching the Keliki students at work who are mainly boys. I can’t imagine many 11-year-olds in the Western world working with such dedication and talent; they’re as mesmerising as they are inspiring.
Out own bit of bit of creativity crafted at Como’s cooking school
Carmen Jenner was a guest of the Como Uma Ubud
We generally associate mangoes with the tropics but about an east of Perth in Gingin, there are about 20 commercial growers handpicking their juicy fruit as I write this. The Mediterranean climate in the part of the world allows the fruit spend 120 days on the tree, which is one month more than in the tropics. The extra time before harvesting allows the sugars to become more developed, making them sweeter to eat, and the warm temperature also means minimal …
As the outback scrub gives away to hills of faded gold, the Southern Wheatbelt region is dotted with cattle languidly grazing in paddocks while lorikeets and galas nibble on roadside picnics of seeds. The quintessential outback town of Wagin is at the crossroads of the Great Southern region; with Albany …
Where those of ill-repute reigned over what was once Australia’s roughest port town, Fremantle reinvented itself in the 1950’s with the arrival of Europeans immigrants. Then after winning the America’s Cup in 1987 the town rejoiced as the streets became lined with cafes, bars, shops museums, and buskers; the revellers may have dispersed but the party still remains 30 minutes west of Perth.
Imagine having to pay for the air you breath? Or worse still, not being able to afford it? Injected with Ben Elton’s signature sharp wit, Gasp! will leave you, dare I say it, gasping for air between laughs at this satirical poke at Perth’s mining boom and political landscape. Co-produced with the Queensland Theatre Company and the Black Swan State Theatre Company, Gasp! showcases some of Brisbane’s and Perth’s most talented actors, including Greg McNeill who I had a chat …
On a recent journey to Bali’s tranquil Ubud I didn’t find myself and despite hunting high and low not even Javier Bardem frolicking in the rice paddies either, sorry girls. I did however discover many enticing ways to eat, lay, bend and write, with a few naughty detours along the way.
Set during a time where writers and actors were black-listed by Senator Joseph McCarthy for …
Conspiracy theories will always abound about Pope John Paul I’s death. Never accepted into his sudden position of power after the death of Pope John XXIII, speculation festered about how he met his maker, especially among those closest to him during his brief 33 day reign in the Vatican in 1978. The Last Confession examines the unsolved crime, if in fact a crime was committed?
Tell me about your character Konstantin in The Black Swan State Theatre Company’s production of “The Seagull”?
You’re an Egyptian immigrant working as a taxi-driver to put yourself through university. Your passenger is unbelievably …
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