Papaya, guava, mangosteen and Marquisa make up our new fruit smoothie this morning and it's pretty tasty! From our 3rd floor apartment I peak through the curtains to check on the weather and it's not raining, a good start to the day. Alvin is putting the finishing touches on a few of our new designs. "I'll meet you at the internet in an hour or so," as I head out the door, hoping I won't need the umbrella I haven't bought yet.

"Transport, taxi, transport", nearly all the Balinese men I pass on the sidewalk offer an alternative to my morning walk. "No thanks, just walking,." as I smile and think to myself how many taxis does Ubud really need? As I arrive early (before 9 am) at my internet shop it's all but empty and the girls say "anywhere you like". My first email message is a bit of a disappointment. My longtime friend Cyril, whom I've recently connected with again has informed me that he's not permitted to send any foodstuffs or liquids to Indonesia. For the last while I've been gearing up to promote his wonderful salad dressing and marinade here as it's next to impossible to find in Bali. From time to time you can get lucky with a small bottle of 1000 Island dressing. If you live on the lower mainland you maybe fortunate enough to find Oma's Garden, Mediterranean Dressing and Marinade on the grocery store shelf.

I continue to read and write a few more emails and Alvin comes in with a freshly baked loaf of rye bread and a sinfully rich heart-shaped chocolate truffle dusted with cocoa powder and embellished with bright red flowers on the side. Luckily for me, there are 2 fabulous bakeries nearby the internet shop which Alvin frequents whenever we feel the need for a yummy treat (which can be almost daily)! The Bali Buddha is my favorite with a bakery/health food shop on the main floor and up the dark wooden stairs with purple colored walls leads up to the 2nd story restaurant. People reading the morning Jakarta Post or Deepak Chopra's latest book - while lounging on large overstuffed cushions and enjoying some delicious vegetarian faire. Bright red, orange and yellow Bird's of Paradise flow from the clear hourglass shaped vases with unique multi colored stones anchoring the base of the vase. Tunes from Cat Stevens, Jimi Hendrix to traditional Balinese gamelon music can be heard throughout the day. While reading, eating and visiting with fellow travellers from around the world several hours can pass and in this atmoshere you can easily while away the afternoon. The second floor is open to the elements without windows, covered with a thatched high pitched roof held together with large bamboo posts and thick brown rope. If you're lucky enough to get a seat overlooking the street you can keep an eye on the passers by at the same time. The streets are very crowded with many tour buses, bemos (small public transport vans) motorbikes, taxis, pedestrians.....the majority coming in for the day from Kuta. It quietens down around dinner time again. There must be a ceremony today as we're being re-routed on our way to Celuk (che-look). There are many ceremonies in Bali every month or should I say every week! There are more celebrations here than I can count. Recently our friend Rob from Australia even happened apon a cremation ceremony on the street. Really glad it was him and not me on that one. We were invited to a cremation when in Bali last time around and I just couldn't bring myself to accept that offer, the wedding was great, a cremation I don't think so! Rob also told us about a talking monkey at one of the "dance shows", he sounds well-versed too... ha ha...I've seen many monkeys over the years but never heard a talking one yet.

After a slow ride through tons of traffic we arrive at Wayan's house to see the progression of our designs. He presents us with a large golden ocean pearl (we bought from a pearl farm in Lombok) which he artistically combined with silver and gold into a ring setting. Once again he's successfully captured our design and brought it to life. While Wayan's 4-yr old daughter looks at us questioningly with her big brown eyes and curly,brown, wispy shoulder length hair. Ah yes...is this what you're after as I pull from our pack a bag of sweet, juicy Mandarin oranges. A soft, shy smile lights up her face. I think we're onto something here. One by one she manages to finish most of the oranges before the other kids arrive home from school. In back of the house is a separate 2-toilet outhouse as I enter I think to myself these kids don't have a lot but they find ways to make the most of what they do have. Large palm leaves with rusty nails securing them to the hard-packed ground and one of the boys carries his clear tub of marbles which he proudly attaches his name tag to.

A few new designs and many hours later we make our way through the rush hour traffic on the narrow streets to get back to Ubud before dark.

From our apartment in the evening we hear beer tins falling one by one down the stairs blown by huge gusts of wind...Alvin and I say to each other, do you think Ralph's had a few???