Ubud was more beautiful than I ever thought possible. Sure, it’s been recognised for its beautiful spirit and delicious foods in films such as Eat, Pray, Love; but I absolutely wasn’t prepared for the natural scapes, the kindness of the people, the gorgeous art and pattern work scattered throughout the town, or – most strikingly – the colours. We stayed in a lovely resort along the main street called the Alaya, which I could not recommend more highly. It was stunning! With fresh fruits greeting us in our room at the end of every day, luscious locally-made soaps and hair products in the bathroom, a gorgeous few of the pool overlooking some rice fields, daily yoga classes, and a wonderful, huge slate shower in our single-room space… it was everything I could have asked for from Bali. (Not to mention the Alaya was so kind as to gift Rufus and I two cakes: one for my birthday, and one for our anniversary; completely to our surprise!)
//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js
//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js
//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js
//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js
//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js
//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js
I’ve divided these Ubud photos into three posts: Bike Tour, Cooking Class, and Monkey Forest – for your sake as well as mine! Up first: our bike tour.
The ride was long and tiresome, but the green rice fields, laughing faces of cheeky children, and the home cooked meal (with an ice-cold Bintang) at the end made it worth the effort. I’m not quite as sure of myself on a bike as Rufus, so he gets the credit for most of these beautiful photos (as well as hundreds of photos of my butt on a bike, which – surprisingly – didn’t make the cut for this blog). There were a few sections of the trail that almost had me in tears. It was steep, it was rocky, and I have the grace of a newborn deer. But, fuck – it was fun, and cutting through the thick, sticky air caused a welcome rush of fresh breeze to my skin.
Ubud is known for its artists and craftsmen; and this was evident in the beautiful, ornate architecture, statues and archways we passed.
The kids asked us to take their photos, and laughed at our rudimentary Indonesian (thanks, guys). It was hilarious and adorable. If we were to go again, I’d bring lollies and small toys for them – some others did and the kids went crazy.
The geese were adorable! After harvest, the farmers let geese roam through the fields and eat any insects or leftover rice! It was so funny to watch the 20 or-so geese per field play follow the leader: they’d turn in sync and eat together and paddle through the field at the same time – they were like a little marching band.
//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js
//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js
The view from our breakfast table was that of a volcano. The earth below it is still scorched from its last eruption in the 1960’s. That was humbling. We also visited a coffee plantation and were offered some Kopi Lewak – a delicacy all over the world, Kopi Lewak is coffee made from beans that have passed through the intestines of a small, cat-like animal; the Lewak. Yep, poop beans. The Lewak was adorable, and the coffee was quite good… though we learned that some countries charge as much as 300 dollars for one cup. We paid $5. We also learned a fair bit about Balinese home customs during the ride. At one point we were stopped at a property, and our guide spoke about the different houses built on one patch of land – one for meetings, one for the elders to sleep, one for the children to sleep, a kitchen, and a temple. Outside the door of the elders’ bedroom were some rocks. We learned that the number of rocks symbolised the number of children born to that family – with the child’s placenta buried below the rock. This one part of the child’s biology being buried in the Earth signified the child’s bond to the family; to their home.
//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js
//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js
//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js
//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js
If you ever find yourself if Bali, I highly recommend a bike tour in Ubud. You won’t regret it.
sweeternothings 
One thought on “Bicycle tour; Ubud. (Bali, Indonesia)”