Publisher's Synopsis
Chuck Fung and Swami Shoeman are as different as night and day. But when they meet in Ubud, Bali, they become inseparable opposites, thus unwittingly embodying ancient Balinese cosmology. Attempting to make a buck off the ever-burgeoning crowd of spiritual seekers drawn to this paradise island, they pool their talents and enlist the help of a Balinese Shaman. The Shaman spins a cryptic yarn that convinces the hapless chumps that they have extraordinary powers of creative visualization. The Fung Shoe brothers write a book about the wellspring of abundance they have discovered through their meeting with the Shaman. By sheer coincidence and dumb luck, the book becomes a bestseller and a Hollywood movie. Soon Ubud is crawling with book clutching seekers and what was once a quaint exotic village turns into a nightmare of traffic and out of control development. Chuck and Swami hightail it back to the Shaman in a desperate attempt to reverse the tide of events. But are they too late to save Ubud? Foreword One of the finest books about Bali, simply titled "The Island of Bali," was written by Mexican Artist Miguel Covarrubias and first published in 1937. Covarrubias first arrived in Bali in the spring of 1930; when he returned in 1933, he wrote; ..".we were disappointed; the tourist rush was in full swing...the young were developing contempt for Balinese ways...lands were being sold...we feared we had made a mistake in returning." Ironically, more and more tourists would arrive after reading his book. The saga of modern tourism has pretty much followed this pattern since the industry began: the search for the idyllic, the urge to tell others of the "Paradise found," the subsequent mourning for "Paradise Lost." Since David and Swami arrived in Bali in the late 1980s, a great deal has changed. Television, motor bikes, cars, computers, cellphones, ATMs, fancy restaurants, big hotels, boutiques, yoga centers and spas have proliferated. It's tempting to say: "We are disappointed; maybe we made a mistake in returning!" It would be too easy to point the finger and place the blame. But of course when one assigns the blame, there are always three fingers pointing back at oneself. What to do? What can we say? Perhaps, "Bali is ruined, don't bother coming," or, "Bali is still wonderful, we'll see you in Nuris for a Martini, or in the Kafe for a Turmeric liver cleanse." Whatever you do, don't blame us! OK? "The Monster That Ate Ubud" is the first episode in the adventures of Chuck Fung and Swami Shoeman. It explores the lighter side of life's journeys through the tales of this inseparable pair of chumps. There is something very Asian (and particularly Balinese) about this set up. Although almost extinct in most of SE Asia, Shadow Puppetry (Wayang Kulit) is still a big deal in Bali. The stark black animation on a screen is employed by puppeteers (dalangs) to provide a magical and ritualistic enactment of the battle between the forces of good and evil, while delivering wry political and social commentary that may not be acceptable from the masses, but is deemed "fair play" from the mouths of puppets. There are always two clown puppets that deliver the play's main message. These bozos embody all that is foolish in the human condition and allow the Balinese to laugh at themselves while contemplating ethical, spiritual and current political affairs. So popular are the clown puppets that the most famous puppeteer in Bali is known by the name of the two fools he created; "Ceng, Blong" as fans don't recognize the name of the Dalang himself. (I would give you his name, but I can't remember it!) In the telling this tale of our beloved adopted home - Bali - we have embraced this age-old technique. By laughing at our own folly, we invite you to laugh at yours - or Chuck and Swami's if you like - it's all the same: Fung Shoe. Newmi and David
