27 sept. 08 Ubud,Bali

My room is situated on the second floor of a two story bungalow. Twenty five square meters,white washed brick walls.The ceiling is tall,cone shaped,constructed of teak..an inverted matchstick funnel with a ceiling fan spinning slowly in its center to move the humid air.The room is sparsely furnished sans the dark,heavy dresser and queen sized bed..the mattress is soft..sheets milky white.The small bath has a hot water tap.The west wall is all windows,kneecap to ceiling.Outside, daylight is just filling the gray morning sky..it could be mist,, it could be rains on the way..it’s still to early to tell. A barely noticeable breeze moves through the coconut and banana trees in the courtyard,,the monkeys are already enjoying breakfast .Everything is lush..green,except the pinks and reds of the rhododendron,and hibiscus that grows so well here…. Intricately carved doors on the south wall lead to a large covered balcony, the stone tiles are cool under bare feet.,. the clunky bamboo furniture is more comfortable than it looks…Bali is details…everywhere you look..everywhere you go..details….It seems an effort,with no effort at all,has been made to do everything,.the words placement..intention and design come to mind often.Curving paths laden with stepping stones., sweet jasmine and champak tucked into every nook and cranny…water flows everywhere…  Offerings of rice,flowers,incense and sweets are placed in woven palm frond bowls,and presented to the Hindu gods..they cover the temples,the sidewalks and dashboards of taxis. The “city center” is crowded with trendy shops,restaurants and bars..air/con buses loaded with japanese tourists pour into the lot of the main market..taxi drivers and touts constantly offering “transport”. From what i am told by the locals,the terrorist bombings in 2002 and 2005 have scaled back the tourist trade, but i would never know it by looking around.They still use mirrors on poles to search under all the vehicles entering the hotels and resorts….

After 26 hours of travel time, I spent my first few days at the beaches in the south,trying to get a sleep pattern back..Kuta is the party scene..overbuilt and overcrowded..clubs, discoteques and hotels line the main drag.If I was the sort that collected “Hard Rock Café” t-shirts,I could be plus one.The beach is long and deep,the water is warm,waves are good,surfboard rentals cheap…but..paradise it is not… Situated close to the airport, I had the sense that many visitors never leave town..get off the plane..get a sunburn..get back on the plane,.voila!…it gave me anxiety…So after a few days,a few waves,and no burn,I headed here to see if I could find something more suitable…rice paddies,villages and smiling faces…With a 125 cc motorcycle rented for a week and no compass.,i headed north 70km and hiked in,..paradise was waiting…

kuta beach

balance..

rice farmer

savita

sharing oreos

uphill & loaded

separating grain from rice

rice terraces

terraces

paradise waits..