The In-Between Days Here's some words about what happens to us on the days in between our outings. In general, most days have some combination of swimming, eating and wandering about. But we also like to go the Pondok Pekak library because it has a lovely simple peaceful feel to it. We refill our big water jug and get new books for Abbey and maybe a new book for me or Mike. Occasionally we watch a bit of a dance rehearsal there, or listen in on a language less...

Wayan Outing Parts 3 & 4 Part 3 For this outing we left early in the morning in order to walk amongst the rice fields in cool weather. Wayan picked us up at the hotel with his boy Putu - the same age as Abbey. He took us to the rice fields around his village. We squelched thru the narrow dividers that separate the paddies, occasionally losing a shoe and rescuing it again. When we heard a wooden clanging sound Wayan explained that was a large bell used to a...

Wayan Outing Part 2 On Wednesday, we set out at 9am and headed straight for an organic coffee plantation. Here they process coffee passed through the famous Civet cat. We saw one of the cats half-sleeping next to a plate of coffee beans. Apparently they are quite discerning, and will only eat the best beans. For the uninitiated, Civet cat coffee is of the most expensive coffee in the world. I believe it costs $20 a cup in Vancouver. The beans are consumed by th...

Three times so far, we have hired a driver to show us some sights outside Ubud. His name is Wayan and is a friend of friends of ours who have been coming to this hotel for 7 years. Look for parts 1, 2 & 3. And there will probably be more :) Wayan Outing Part 1 On Sunday, we started the day with a visit to a village called Mas that specializes in woodwork. We watched some carvers at work and then were toured around the extensive gallery, with hopes that we ...

Woosh. Out of peaceful sleepy surfer beachland and into shopland and feasts of restaurants and girls waving massage pamphlets boasting $6 massages...and a variety of sumptuous choice. The shopping part is so teasing! Clothes and bags and wooden bowls and carvings and jewelry and furniture and and and. We're at the start of our trip...and so can't commit to carrying much. Despite this, we have finally purchased the long promised new Abbey dress and she and I have ...