Goodbye Ubud

Day 6, 23 February 2011
We checked out of Dewa Bungalows at Noon today, to make our way back to the killer-traffic Kuta. Along the way, L decided we should say Halo to an 'old friend'. It has been 5 years (or more I think!) since we've last met our Master woodcarver friend - Mudana. It's kinda interesting how we stumbled upon his little abode. It was my 2nd trip to Bali and L had planned an itinerary for us to take woodcarving lessons from a master woodcarver (a certain Ida Bagus). Both of us didn't speak any Indonesian then (not like we do now), and we had so much trouble asking for directions to this Ida Bagus person... and as fate would have it, we came across this house, up a flight of steps, that led us to - you guessed it - our master woodcarver: Mudana. This humble Indonesian man has never had anyone walk in and request for woodcarving lessons! So we're quite sure we were the first. We offered him a sum of money in exchange for 5 days of lessons. L opted to make a wooden signage while I wanted a photo frame. To cut the story short, it was an interesting experience, having to learn the uses of the various carving tools. But I suppose the most amazing part (for me), was that each mistake I made, Mudana could easily "un-do" it by carving around it, somehow. So really, no amount of mistakes was a mistake! How amazing is that!

Mudana remembers us alright! He was pleasantly surprised by our visit and was so kind to offer us tea, and to take time to show us around his new showroom, in the attic.

the house looked just the way I sorta remembered it, albeit with more carvings.

We spoke about future collaborations and took a couple of photos with the man... speaking of which, I should really email him a copy of those photos, now that he's gotten himself an email address! We also noticed an improvement in his English and figured he must have met and spoken with so many more tourists through the years. We also learnt he was in Singapore a couple of years back, for a woodcarving exhibition! Thanks, darling. For suggesting we dropped by. It was nice to see him again.

our master woodcarver and us

Background: Mudana's grandson/Foreground: wooden mask+carving tools