bali, indonesia: ubud.

I haven’t been updating my blog very frequently, and although the contents of this post are in the past, I’d still like to share some photos and journal entries from one of the most fascinating places I’ve ever traveled in Southeast Asia. During my weeklong holiday in Bali, Indonesia I spent some time near the center of the island in a little village called Ubud. The moment my rickety old bus arrived in this laid-back town situated in the middle of rice paddies that stretch on as far as the eye can see in every direction, I knew I was somewhere incredible. In Ubud monkeys roam freely…. they jump across rooftops, eat leftover prayer offerings in front of homes and stores, and eagerly wait for willing tourists to feed them in the Monkey Forest Sanctuary. Women dress in traditional sarongs with a single white strip of cloth tied across their foreheads. Men navigate the roads by moped while wearing Balinese wraps around their waist and bandana-like cloth piled on their heads. Cafés, massage parlors, temples, and souvenir shops line the streets. The entire place is rich with culture and beauty. I’ve always heard that in Ubud you need a new adjective to describe the word green, and I found that to be true. The rice paddies and trees and plants surrounding the village seemed to explode into every imaginable shade in the spectrum. I have never seen a place so beautiful and exotic. The few days I spent in Ubud were some of the most relaxing and peaceful I’ve ever experienced. I already look forward to returning one day.


balinese boys posing for a photo.


hard at work in the rice paddies.


one of hundreds.

“Ubud. There are no words to adequately describe the beauty of this place. I woke up this morning in a quiet cottage surrounded by lush vegetation and rice paddies. I ate banana pancakes by the hotel pool, and now I am laying here just enjoying the morning. I don’t want to move. I don’t want to read. I don’t even want to meet other tourists. I just want to lay here next to flowers and fountains and soak up every ounce of my surroundings. I have landed in a village of fairy tales. This moment can’t be real. Last night after eating dinner at a street side café I watched a traditional Balinese Kecak dance performed at a nearby temple. It was fascinating to hear dozens of men make music with only their lips…a kind of clicking sound. Ornately dressed men and women danced around a central fire while acting out a story passed on through the generations. An incredible night.

It’s afternoon now and I can easily say that this has been one of the most unique and interesting days of my life. I decided to take a walk this morning through some of the nearby rice fields, and unable to follow a map, ended up in a village far away from Ubud. I have no idea where I was, but ended up making friends with a nice Balinese guy about my age who was working at his family’s art gallery. After talking for a while, I boldly asked if he’d be willing to take me to explore the rice paddies. And that’s what I’ve been doing for the last 2 hours. Right now I am sitting on the ledge of what must be one of the most spectacular places on the island- and maybe in the world. Terraced rice paddies fill the valley below, palm trees stretch into the sky, and men with baskets hanging on poles across their shoulders work in the fields. Green. Everything is green. I can’t get enough of this place. This morning I woke up without a plan for the day, and now I am here. Travel always brings the most unexpected moments. I love the people that you meet along the way and the kind natives who are eager to share their country. Today I can’t stop smiling. I am so thankful.” – July 31, 2008


terraced rice paddies.


monkey forest sanctuary.


my hotel pool. paradise.

“CONTENTMENT. It’s the only word that does justice to my feelings now. How can anyone ever return to “normal” life after experiencing a place like Bali? I’ve only been in Ubud for 2 days, but they have been some of the most incredible I’ve ever experienced. I’ve spent mornings tanning by a pool set in a lush garden, an afternoon whizzing through rice fields and villages on the back of a moped, an evening getting a relaxing massage, and a night watching Balinese dances at historic temples. It doesn’t seem fair that one person should be allowed to experience so much joy. I feel on top of the world now. Last night I saw a traditional trance dance at the Ubud Palace in the center of town. The performance was incredible…a photographers dream. The men and women were all so ornately dressed in layers and layers of decorative silks and jewels. Their faces were covered in outrageous make-up. And their eyes… I’ve never seen eyes move so quickly or express so much emotion. I will never find the right worlds to tell my family and friends about this place. My dreams have come true here.” – August 1, 2008


traditional balinese dance.


trance dance at ubud palace.


kecak dance. (press the play button in the middle of the picture)