Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

We flew from Singapore to Bali and took a 45 minute car ride to Ubud. We only slotted Bali originally because of the location. Cheap flights to and from Bali from Asia, and even cheaper flights to Australian cities made it too good to pass up. Of course once we decided to scuba certify, it became a no-brainer. We went in with little to no expectations.

Our first impressions were amazing. The small city in the middle of Bali rests up fairly high in the hills with beautiful views of rice terraces and rain forests. The Main Street, while too busy to be a great place to hang out, is littered with back to back restaurants, bars, and temples.

Some of the restaurants are even built into the old temple architecture. It was absolutely stunning. Every restaurant or shop had its own feel and look due to the Balinese architecture. Even the school was gorgeous.

We stayed in a private villa about a five minute walk to the Main Street. Unique in the sense that you had to walk the entire route since the path was just large enough for motorcycles but not cars, the villa provided not only beautiful views but also a fantastic breeze at all times.

In the mornings, we could see the volcanoes in the distance, but more than once, we didn’t sit outside due to the slight chill in the air. (After being in Southeast Asia for many months, the coolness was welcomed.) I loved the weather.

We spent a few days just wandering around the small city and enjoying the local sites and people. One morning we wandered over to Monkey Park. Here, wild monkeys live free in the small forest and entertain tourists and locals.

The monkeys occasionally get a little aggressive in trying to get bananas or bags of food or even bottles of water. We were aware prior to entering the park so went empty-handed.

None of the monkeys messed with us, but they did jump on several other people who had bags and food. (We later read that the monkeys here and in other monkey parks across Bali have learned that they can steal from the people passing through and then give the bounty to the park workers for candy. The monkeys are clearly clever.)

But it was amazing to see them up close and personal in a mostly natural habitat.

Another morning we went for a walk down the Champaun Trail. This is a beautiful walk through the hills just outside of Ubud that includes some amazing views of rice terraces.

It was a nice little workout, but by the end of it, we were all very sweaty. The rice terraces are a must see in Bali.

We were fortunate to meet up with another worldschooler family. Wendy and her 10 year old helped us navigate various restaurants and local adventures. The kids loved playing with her kiddo, and Scott and I enjoyed visiting with her. She even babysat one evening so Scott and I could go out.

That reminds me… There is a fabulous boutique hotel and fine dining place just outside of Ubud called The Luxe. It was built by a Canadian and is an eco-building. It’s special in many senses, including that to eat there, you call them and they come pick you up on motorcycles.

The drive is short but fabulous. The food was equally wonderful. We ended up going back two more times for breakfast with the kids. The scenery was stunning. The food was delicious. And the service was impeccable.

An interesting thing we saw throughout the stay was how construction was done. You’ll see in this photo that most of the heavy lifting is done by the women. On their heads. Climbing up steep paths. The physical strength of these women must be immense.

We were also fortunate to be in Ubud during rice harvest. We saw this group harvesting the rice.

Based on the hour of watching them, we guess they could clear the entire field in about four hours. We asked how they were compensated and found out the team is paid by the field. And while no one seemed to be moving in a huge hurry, they never stopped moving. Slow and steady…

We learned some about the Balinese religion which seems to be mostly Hindu with some Buddhist traits.

The incense lighting for the blessings throughout the day will forever be etched into my memory. Their offerings included the incense, flowers, and sometimes candies or fruits. The small offering is made on a leaf that has been woven into a small plate. The offerings remain in place, so there are the small leaf plates scattered throughout the city. It sounds “litter-ish”, but it was actually quite endearing.

Overall, Ubud was amazing. Scott and I have even discussed it as a possibility to live in. It’s ridiculously cheap in terms of living, and the weather was perfect. I wouldn’t necessarily live next to the hustle and bustle of the Main Street, but living outside of the city a ways would be dreamy.

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