The Chantilly racecourse during the Prix de diane

Set in one of the world most beautiful racecourse surrounded by forest and the nearby Château de Chantilly with its unique royal stables, the annual Prix de Diane once again is an invitation to elegance and beauty. The Prix de Diane created in 1843, sponsored by Longines since 2011, is specially reserved to three year old thoroughbred fillies. This year winner goes to a horse called Treve from the Haras du Quesnay in Normandy. This year event honours the presence of Simon Baker the actor of the popular “The Mentalist”, Longines Ambassador of Elegance since 2012. And here he is ….

Simon Baker at the Prix de Diane Chantilly

This event is not only for horses but also time for creativity where imagination blends with aesthetic to create fabulous and impressive hats …

Hats galore in Chantilly

And more images on hats …

The “salon particulier” on the first floor of Lapérouse restaurant

What can be more satisfying than dining in a fabulously set up environment that is steeped in history. Well, Paris has it all from the turn of the century era, art nouveau and art deco to modern times the choice is there. Most are happily listed as historic monuments which means that unless permission is granted from the Ministry the original structures must remain untouched. There are quite a few of these historic restaurants and here is just a small selection of some of my favourites. One of my favourite place which was among the few location set for Woody Allen’s ” Midnight in Paris” is Lapérouse with its typical facade that one won’t miss, sitting along the left bank on Quai des Augustins. A secret courtesan’s paradise many decades ago … Intimate and irresistibly romantic, this once popular eatery was taken over in 1860 by Jules Lapérouse who created the famous “petit salon particuliers” on the first floor. The popularity of these “petit salons” seems to have been linked to the fact that according to the French law at the time, adultery cannot be taken into account when it is performed in public places such as in restaurants. Hidden stairways linking the restaurant to underground passages of a former convent and back street were specially made for high ranking officers and politicians allowing to visit these pleasure chambers unnoticed. These “secret entrances” have of course disappeared since, but one sealed wooden door can be seen in one of the rooms … These elegant “salon particuliers” are charmingly decorated with original mirrors, enhanced with a series of flirtatious and seductive style wall paintings which remind me of the 18th century amorous world of Rococo painters like Watteau, Fragonard and Boucher. A particularity are diamond scratches found on the mirrors made by courtesans to make sure of its authenticity – names and signatures dates back from 1850 till the late 1950′s. Regular famous figures include Guy de Maupassant, Emile Zola, Alexandre Dumas and Victor Hugo who used to spend his afternoons with his grandson. Lapérouse was also known to the international high society of the roaring twenties at the height of its fame, with grand names like Duke of Windsor, Aga Khan and Princess Margaret on its guest list.

Most intimate Salon De La Belle Otéro on the the first floor of Lapérouse restaurant

A few steps away from the Gare de l’Est right in the centre of the once popular theatrical world is another famous Brasserie Flo. Once a brewery, the Alsatian style restaurant steeped in its past aura with wooden paneling and wall paintings.

Brasserie Flo

Another of my favourite is the well preserved Belle Epoque style brasserie specialised in seafood is the Brasserie Mollard, artfully designed by the French architect Jean Niermans whose other masterpieces include The Moulin Rouge, Casino de Paris, Folies Bergère and the Negresco Hotel in Nice. Marble pillars with inlaid richly decorated mosaic ceilings show his extravagant taste in blending the Art Nouveau and the Belle Epoque styles.

The Belle Epoque style at the Brasserie Mollard

Another interior view of the Brasserie Mollard …

The Brasserie Mollard

Another jewel of the Belle Epoque is the Montparnasse 1900, first founded in 1858 today listed as one of Paris Historical Monument.

The charming Montparnasse 1900

Another place to try out is the Vaudeville where the charms of marbled pillars and Art Deco style would surely relish your eyes and palate.

The Vaudeville restaurant

The old Maison des Dames des Postes, Télégraphes et Téléphones located near the Musée d’Orsay, was originally constructed as a telegraph office in 1905, as well as to house the women who work as telephone operators. Today it is listed as Paris historic monument and is home to Le Télégraphe restaurant.
To be continued …..

The Art Deco style of Le Télégraphe restaurant

View of Potala Palace from the roof top of Jokhang Monastery

It is six o’clock in the morning and the sun is barely up, but the streets of Lhasa are already swarming with people scurrying in lines, turning their prayer wheels and murmuring prayers. This is the enduring image of Tibet, the land of holy Lamas, sacred scriptures and butter lamps. Even if much of Tibet was plundered and its monasteries destroyed during the Cultural Revolution following the Chinese invasion, you can still feel the strong religious belief anchored in the hearts of the people. Indeed, since then many of the monasteries have been restored, while some are still undergoing restoration, emerging slowly from the depths of secular communism. One of the main attractions in Lhasa is the Barkhor, home to the reputed Jokhang monastery. Entering this holy place is like being thrown back in time. Even before it opens, people are already queuing before the gates, some are prostrating and praying while others are doing the traditional kora or the holy circuit, walking clockwise around the temple. The Jokhang which, according to legend, was initiated by a Chinese princess (one of the wives of the first king of Tibet) is a labyrinth of chapels adorned with statues representing Tantric deities. Several life-sized statues of holy Lamas and deities are placed in the main assembly hall where the smell of butter lamps and incense can be intoxicating. Murmurs of prayers echoed throughout the inner sanctum, while pilgrims touched their heads on the revered statues while others placed offerings, money and butter lamps. After getting a little dizzy amidst the strong scent of incense, I slowly crawled out among the sea of pilgrims to find myself in the outer hall of the chapels where I walked along with pilgrims turning the many prayer wheels.

Pilgrim in a meditative walking (kora) in Jokhang Monastery

The holy circuit or kora, is a circumambulation around a sacred place, be it a monastery, chapel, prayer wheel or the famous Mt Kailash the holy mountain east of Tibet. At times it may also be performed with bodily prostrations. Encircling a holy place is performed repetitively and Tibetans believe that doing the kora can purify and cleanse their karma.

Turning prayers wheels

Tibetan great assembly hall is unique, it boasts the typical prayer hall structure – dark pillared construction with rows of cushioned seats for monks, various embroidered and painted thankas suspended from the ceiling, chapels with different deities and altars filled with rows of offerings and most of all butter lamps. Frescoes enhanced chapel walls where one can usually find holy scriptures wrapped in embroidered gold cloth.

Monks at their daily prayer in the great assembly hall

More images …

A monk walking in one of the streets of Sera monastery compound

Visiting Tibet would not be complete without stopping by at Sera monastery just a few kilometres out of Lhasa, which is one of the three major monasteries (Drepung, Ganden, Sera) It is a vast Gelukpa monastic compound where there are colleges, assembly hall and dormitories for the monks. “Monk Debates” is a unique tradition which seems to have attracted quite a few visitors. In the afternoons monks would debate intensively over Buddhist scriptures while using bodily gestures and clapping hands. Here are some images taken at Sera monastery ….

And more images …
Click to view slideshow.

Lamas playing musical instruments at the Saga Dawa ceremony in Gyantse

One of my first read on Tibet was the journals and books by Alexandra David-Neel (1868-1969) the French-Belgian explorer and spiritualist who was among the world’s first woman to venture into the land of snows. Spectacular monasteries surrounded by colourful prayer flags perched on hills and mountainous tops make up the unique scenery of the country rugged landscape with pilgrims walking around holy paths from early dawn for their daily kora (meditative walking), whirling their prayer wheels while murmuring prayers. Land of magic and mysteries, Tibet becomes an inspiration for the literary world such as James Hilton classic novel “Lost Horizon” which tells a story of a utopian world of the fictional Shangri-la. His story soon made into the Big Screen, one directed by Frank Capra (1933) and the other a musical version directed by James Jarrot (1973). Even if things has greatly changed since the early 20th century and despite the ongoing Chinese occupation, it is the beauty of their spirituality which has kept their faith and religious beliefs truly alive. To come see the land of snows during the holy month of the Saga Dawa is probably the best time to visit. The month celebrating the birth and death of Buddha falls on the 4th month of the Tibetan calendar which usually coincides around the end of May. Meditative walks and prayers intensify during the holy month with important rituals taking place around Mount Kailash. The end of the sacred month is climaxed with religious ceremonies in monasteries. This is probably one of the best time to come and visit the monasteries and watch the rituals performed by the Lamas such as the one carried out in the fabulous Kunbum Pelkor Chode monastery in Gyantse. The Kunbum, a nine-tier mandala shaped structure is surmounted by a golden dome, small chapels on each floor decorated with fine exquisite Nepali-Tibetan frescoes and can be visited by climbing clockwise.

View of the Kunbum within the walls of the Pelkor Chode monastery in Gyantse

Masked Lamas and musicians enter the ceremonial ground to begin the rituals …

Then the magic fills the air, Lamas in their golden embroidered costumes wearing various animal masks whirl around in a circle while moving their arms and legs to the tune of drums and trumpets. And for a moment I seem to be thrown into the utopian world of Shangri-la….

Lamas wearing masks performing the ritual dance at the Gyantse monastery

Playing beach games with seashells

Some shots of children playing along the beach of Jimbaran ….

Smiling children along Jimbaran Beach

And a mother holding her child ….

Another shot of this little one eager to be photographed once more …

Seaweed farming along the coastal village of Kutuh South Bali

Traditional seaweed farming can still be found in some areas in Bali, Nusa Penida, Lembongan and in Kutuh village in the South. Major usage of this type of Carrageenan tropical seaweed (Eucheuma Cottoni) is widely utilized in the food industry such as agar agar. Thatched bamboo huts where sea farmers work, lined up along the beautiful white sandy beach, one of Bali’s “secret” beaches. Although the areas south of Nusa Dua have been transformed into touristic villas and hotels thus casting aside many traditional sea farmers, the pristine coastal village of Kutuh towards Timbis with its lovely cliffs have been spared and today protected for sustainable living. These villagers are poor and due to their poverty stricken land, many have switched to cultivating the local seaweed to earn their living and some have been working for more than twenty years. Depending on the planting and harvesting which can be daily, the villagers would come spend the day in their working huts, replanting and harvesting seaweed in shallow water mostly in the morning and towards late afternoon at low tide.

Seaweed farmer

Seaweed seedlings are attached to the prepared ropes and replanted at sea …

Preparing the ropes for the seaweed

Cleaning and selecting dried seaweed ready for sale ….

Seaweed farmer

More images on traditional seaweed farming …

Organic chicken Bakso rice noodle soup with garlic and ginger at Atman Cafe

I’ve always been a great fan of organic food and Ubud is haven for all that is green food. Health food business seems to be in vogue and with the more commercialized “yoga” as destination of Bali heavily promoted through the annual Bali Spirit festival, Ubud too will soon be catered to another wave of tourism. Yoga and healing retreats are sprouting and people from around the world arrive in the hope to experience the healing and mystical power of Ubud – the name itself derives from the word “Obat/Ubad” or medicine in Indonesian. The magical aura surrounding Ubud is addictive … this is probably one of the reason why I choose to stay here each time I come to Bali. And despite changing times the charms of Ubud still remain – a legacy handed down by the 8th century Javanese priest Rsi Marhandya who according to legend came to Campuhan (where the two rivers meet) and discovered its healing powers. For decades the tranquil beauty of Ubud has attracted quite a number of soul searching people from around the world and many have made this enchanted place their home. With all this yoga craze going on, more organic restaurants are sprouting in Ubud where most serve very good fusion of Indonesian, international and especially offering the trendy raw food popular with the Yoga crowds. There are quite a few of these organic restaurants and there will probably be more to come. A variety of delicious soups and local specialty are offered at the lovely Atman Cafe on Hanoman street, run by an Australian couple. My rice noodle soup was simply a delight. Bali Buddha is another health food restaurant that has been around for sometime. Located on jalan Jembawan in front of the post office they serve raw food as well as vegan delicacies such as my impressive macrobiotic platter.

Macrobiotic platter of red rice, vegetables, miso soup and seaweed at Bali Buddha

My super raw food temptation lead me to Taksu restaurant located at jalan Gautama Selatan – here is my organic raw green salad with tahini sauce and vegetable juice …

Taksu restaurant

A nice luncheon in a beautifully decorated cozy environment is at Clear Cafe on Hanoman street – here tasting some of its inventive dishes. I started up with raw macro vedic green hornet cooler drink (spirulina, cashew milk, raw cacao coconut mint) and Humus plate served with Pita bread and flax seed crackers followed by snow tofu (coconut crusted tofu with sauteed greens in tamarind sauce and garlic)

Clear “Pizza” with avocado zucchini on sunflower herb crust, Snow Tofu and Trinity humus with pita bread and flax seed crackers at Clear Cafe

A stop over in the raw food world of the yogis is at Soma Cafe. Creative and tasty dishes come with the delightful Green Goddess Power drink (celery, parsley, mint, cucumber and lime), long strands of shredded zucchini raw “pasta” in pesto sauce topped with capers olives tomatoes and bell peppers followed by a divine “raw” caramel cheese cake made with honey, Irish moss and cashew milk among the ingredients. They also make excellent organic ice cream …

Soma Cafe

Another place to stop by is Warung Sopa on Jalan Sugriwa where you can pick and choose different side dishes to go with your red rice – nasi campur Sopa style. As for the dessert try out their salak (snake fruit) cake. You won’t be disappointed …

Warung Sopa

The new must try organic restaurant is Dayu’s Warung with her original delicious home cooking. I had a go with her tasty gluten free vegetable filled samosas made with rice flour and sweet potato with mango chutney followed by organic red rice and vegetable curry. Dayu is also a pastry chef making some great inventive chocolates. Her moringa and chai spice chocolates are a must try …

Samosas, organic red rice vegetable curry and moringa chocolates at Dayu’s Warung

A morning walk through Ubud rice fields can be rewarded by stopping by Nila’s Warung Bodag Maliah where she also has her organic garden just right in front of the restaurant. Once again the popular Balinese red rice comes as nasi campur Nila’s style.

Fresh organic garden salad and Nasi Campur at Bodag Maliah Sari Organik

I Ketut Rina performing the Cak Rina Monkey dance

Bare breasted men sit in a circle around the flickering light of torch, raising their hands while reciting rhythmically “cak, cak, cak”. This is an ancient Balinese Sang Hyang trance dance in the form of a religious chant, ritual prayers destined for the spirits ancestors. No visitors to Bali should miss this unique performance which has over the years fascinate choreographers and filmmakers. It was Walter Spies the Dutch painter who in the early 1930′s revolutionized this ancient ritual chant to become the most famous dance in Bali. Together with Limbak and his village troupe of Bedulu they would incorporate other dance movements for the lead dancer eventually adding the Ramayana story line with the army of monkeys as its the central theme.

I Ketut Rina performing the Cak Monkey dance

From a ritual chorus to a dance drama re-imagined by Walter Spies and now the Javanese born choreographer Sardono will also revolutionize the traditional Kecak dance into another contemporary style.

Cak Rina Monkey dance

The new contemporary version of Kecak created in 1974 tells the story of the battle between Sugriwa king of the monkeys and his brother Subali over the Goddess Tara.

Cak Rina dance

I Ketut Rina the Balinese dancer from Teges Kanginan, studied under the guidance of Sardono from a very early age, and after his world travel with the dance group he came back to Bali and founded the Cak Rina Dance. Today his amazing Cak Rina dance can be seen twice a month during the new and full moon in Ubud.

Cak Rina Monkey dance

Unlike the traditional Kecak dance when the dancers usually form a circle, the Cak Rina dancers are mostly free standing with quick wild movements.

Cak Rina monkey dance

Dancers holding torches are unique to this contemporary version of the Kecak.

I Ketut Rina performing the Cak Rina monkey dance

The mythical figure of Barong

Anyone visiting Bali must have seen the Barong and trance dances performed mostly around Ubud area. The Barong is a mythical lion creature, and is considered to have a magical power, he represents the good side of nature. Another figure is Rangda the demon queen who represents the force of evil, and is often connected to the legendary figure of Calon Arang the powerful witch who lived in 11th century Java. The eternal battle between good and evil is shown in the unique performance of Barong. Unlike any other dances the Barong involves the dancers going into deep trance. They are the ones who are fighting against Rangda who then cast a spell on them so that they kill themselves with the kris dagger.

Fighting the evil Rangda

Enters the Barong who in turn fought Rangda and cast a spell to make the bodies of the fighters resistant against the daggers. Dancers fall into trance and the powerful Barong magic begins ….

Barong kris dancer in trance

Prior to the dances a temple priest will perform blessings with offerings and sprinkling holy water to end the trance …

Barong kris dancers in trance

And once again the good lovable Barong triumphs …

The good Barong in the form of a mythical lion figure