Bali Bits

Last week at this time we were returning from Bali. What an exotic trip that was! After or relaxing time in. Lovina , on the black sands coast, we returned to Ubud for 2 nights, happy to soak up the ambiance of that funky town.  Our rooms were small but central, with gorgeously carved wooden doors and windows. We ate delicious meals and shopped for a few treasures to bring home

, bartering diligently for a few items. It was most interesting to gain some inkling about the consortium that existed, as well as the nearly instantaneous grapevine that carried information ahead of us as we wandered through the three floors of stalls. At first there seemed no organization at all, but random soon dawned on me as order, depending on what I chose to look at. A ripple of comments filtered ahead of me as I walked on and sellers began offering what I had inquired about at the last stalls. Organic! Another adventure in Ubud was our trek through the gorgeous green rice paddies that lay hidden from view in town. At the end of one charming street, cobbled with blocks inscribed by a thousand different visitors, we found a path into the fields. Enchanted by the emerald views, we followed the pathIt wound lazily through farmland and villas, past livestock and organic vegetables. We stopped to visit at one tiny cafe, where we met an amazing Balinese man. He had traveled for ten years as a cook on cruise ships, visiting over 80 countries and learning many languages. Proud of his gardens, he gave me a tour of all the herbs that he grew, then gave us samples of all to touch , crush, taste and smell. We lingered for much longer than planned, enjoying his fascinating tales as he practiced using English. Fresh fruit juices, organic lip balms, exotic Kopi Luwak coffees and a myriad of wonderful sensations made leaving less interesting. Charming, idyllic spot! Did time stand still or had we stepped back? Our last night in Bali was spent in a private villa with our own pool. Quite the indulgence! It was a sultry 31C, cooling to 28C at night. All living areas were outdoor, except the air conditioned bedroom, with it,s glamorous white canopied bed. I particularly enjoyed my private alfresco soaker tub, filled with rose petals and fragrant frangipani. We ordered room service for a late lunch after arrival and spent the rest of our day and evening in the pool or relaxing in our private poolside luxury, coping well. High walls wrapped us in dreamy comfort, but it was a very brief taste of how a privileged few live. We all sensed the fake insulation from the cacaphony of spice, color, texture and exotic wonders of the taste we'd had of Bali beyond. It was so hard to leave.