Bali - Ubud

We said good-bye to our villa at the W the way children say good bye to a house they are moving from (good bye to the Bose surround sound speakers, deep jacuzzi bath, pool, etc). We were off to the cultural center of Bali – Ubud.

Ubud is what everyone probably pictures of Bali – fragrant with a kind of musk-scent, sultry, mystical. We stayed at traditional family compounds, with family temples filled with daily offerings in every nook and cranny. It was relaxing to be in Ubud, and I think we were both relieved that France’s laceration sustained in her motorbike incident kept us on dry land in Ubud for longer than we had planned. We spent our days hiking around rice fields, sampling Balinese food and shopping for souvenirs. . The days just seemed to float by like the incense in the air. My favorite moment in Ubud was visiting the Yoga Barn. The facility was set back from the main road, and you entered a tranquil outdoor area with koi fish ponds and handcarved wood stairs. Upstairs was the open-air yoga room, with views looking out onto the rice fields, palm trees, and butterflies fluttering. My yoga practice that day was definitely the most peaceful experience in Bali so far.