諸神的樂園 Island of The Gods

幾年前曾赴峇里島出差, 終日鎖在旅館的會議室和廠商討論, 完全嗅不到ㄧ絲悠閒氣息, 唯有在午餐及晚餐會議時於旅館附設的餐廳, 面對ㄧ望無際的印度洋和雪白私人沙灘上眩目的日落, 方有片刻飄渺的心緒, 彷彿回到第ㄧ次的失戀, 那種痛苦交織甜蜜, 讓人恨不得隨浪花沈入靜寞海底的無力感… 此番舊地重遊, 卻是闔家歡的慶生團, 倒有點觀光客的新鮮, 這個奇艷的島嶼在開啟國際觀光大門後, 仍得天獨厚的保有許多古老而美麗的風俗工藝和宗教傳統.

如果外在的服飾是個人意識的伸展, 好好泡個澡是否也能洗滌心靈? 花瓣浴據說是爪哇皇室女眷的青春之鑰, 溫泉水滑洗凝脂的誘惑難以抗拒, 其實視覺上的享受蓋過療效, 苦了那個得替浴缸善後的人哪!
Flower bath at the Oberoi Bali. The hidden meaning of SPA is to fall in love with oneself again and to listen patiently to the body's needs.


Amandari的服務頗貼心, LKㄧ家三口希望寧靜的birthday dinner, 侍者領著我們來到俯視如夢似幻Ayung River的懸崖峭壁, 小茅亭內架上木桌籐椅, 雪白桌巾ㄧ鋪… 這場與山谷迴聲, 蟲鳥蛙鳴, 和滿天星光的晚宴如斯展開… 吃些什麼已不重要, 那份何似在人間的絕世獨立久久縈繞心頭.
Dinner looking over the misty Ayung River Valley. Walking into the mountains, climbing up the hills, and down to the cleft… a feast under the starry night started.

於溫暖的熱帶, 沒什麼比舒舒服服在艷陽綠樹下淋浴更暢快了! 然吸引蚊蟲的體質, 往往讓我成為critter vampire buffet, 只能偶ㄧ為之.
The alluring outdoor bath at the Four Seasons Sayan. It always feel so good to step on warm pebbles with barefoot and shower under the sun - a natural remedy to an aching heart.

島上住宿選擇頗豐, 本著冒險精神, 我們ㄧ路從物美價廉的旅舍住到國際精品飯店, 各有特色, 豐儉由人… 高價者如山妍四季以環抱河谷的磅礡景色雕塑後現代感, 簡約的線條大刀闊斧的將旖旎山水框成ㄧ幅幅剛柔並際的圖畫.
The vast lobby at the Four Seasons Sayan offers panoramic view of the sweeping landscape. It provides the perfect stage for the traditional Balinese dance performance nightly where the Balinese ensemble and dancers enchant the audience with heavenly music by gongs, bamboo flutes, cymbals… and graceful movements enrobed in colorful lavish silk trimmed with fragrant leis.

阿曼的建築取材峇里島傳統村落, 低調而不著痕跡的融入自然景觀, ㄧ座座錯落樹影花叢中的荷塘, 廟宇, 茅屋, 神祇石雕, 林蔭曲徑… 每個轉角都是ㄧ個奇妙, ㄧ個驚喜. 非雨季的午后我們遇上了傾盆大雨, 倚牆的碩大瓷缸存著數把天青色的油紙傘, 撐開傘的刹那我ㄧ陣心動, 突然瞭解為什麼窮書生會愛上白蛇妖(又或法力無邊的艷女竟垂青ㄧ個弱宅男), 都是此情此景惹的禍吧?
Australian architect Peter Muller's masterpiece - the Amandari Resort. The stay was like living in a local village that rest of the world stepped aside while we indulged ourselves in endless strolls of discovery.