Ubud, an enchanting town in tropical Bali's undulating hills, has arrived with panache on the global literary scene.
Judging from this year's splendid 2010 Writers & Readers Festival, it would be worth blocking out Oct. 5-9, 2011 for some top-class literary tourism. The 2011 theme is "Nanduring karang awak": Cultivate the land within" — a line from an old Balinese poem. Attendees will be encouraged to explore the great global commons of mind and heart in just the spot to do so with stunning views of Mount Agung.
In the wake of the Bali terrorist bombings in 2002, which left locals scarred and tourists scared, Janet de Neefe, a long-term Ubudian, decided to try to transform a disaster into an opportunity. Mix a bit of paradise and lavish creature comforts, add a dash of cultural magic, stir with persistence and presto . . . Ubud has become one of the top literary festivals in the world.
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