standing on the ridge of change

The loss of Taman Bebek will chip away at ever more of Bali's rich history

- Stefanie Hauger

Gregorio and I are discussing the Tri Hita Karana, a concept held by Balinese society that encourages one to always be in harmony with god, humans and the environment. This can be felt profoundly amongst the Balinese, deeply generous hosts who graciously offered travellers and settlers not only their island, but its spirits and indeed themselves.

In the beginning this generous gift was gratefully acknowledged and deep connections were made between foreigners and natives. However, at some point, not so long ago, a new wave of less couth visitors have descended upon this paradise, creating ruptures.

‘This is bigger than Taman Bebek’, Gregorio and I mull this over with equal amounts of excitement and trepidation as we sit by an enchanting, jungle-tickled swimming pool that may soon be nothing more than a muddy crater.

Gregorio and Rita von Hildebrand, intrepid travellers, documentary filmmakers, textile collectors and accidental hotel owners, are finding themselves in the midst of a story that truly beggars belief, but which also has the potential to transform from a personal plight into an islandwide crusade to slam on the brakes of ‘the wrong kind of’ change.

A substantial portion of legendary estate Taman Bebek, an exceptionally unique vernacular boutique hotel in Ubud, which the von Hildebrands have owned and managed for the last eight years after its previous owner Made Wijaya passed away, is facing imminent demolition.