Me, Joel and Chardaie. About to enjoy another delicious Balinese meal. (After watching a dance/theatrical perfomance of the Hindu legend, The Ramayana. Complete with elaborate costuming, dozens of men chanting and shouting to create the rhythmic beat and a man who not only walked on burning coal, but kicked them ferociously around the stage--barely contained by low metal partitions.)
A lovely art gallery featuring a local artist right next to the tiny alley leading to our homestay. Also across the street from "Cafe Des Artistes," a chic restaurant where I sipped a glass of vino and enjoyed Crepes Suzette one evening when my traveling companions opted to head home early-ish.
Ala's Hibiscus. Our "bungalow." Two bedrooms. A terrace. Surrounded by verdan green rice paddies. Fresh breakfast served to our rooms. Hot tea every evening before retiring. Total: price-less at $35.
I enjoyed the ubiquitous stone statues in Ubud.
A typical street in Ubud.
Also a typical street in Ubud.
A typical way to carry fruit to the market or temple in Ubud.
Typical, beautiful woodwork. I was in love with the intricate wood carvings, from picture frame to door frame.
A typical assortment of offerings. These tiny boxes were crafted from banana leaves or other natural materials, filled with bits of rice, cracker, flowers and lemons. I actually spied a few offerings with cigarettes! The offerings are put out periodically throughout the day...everywhere. In front of stores, homes, car dashboards, motorcycles, mailboxes...you get the idea. 
Not your typical tourists to Ubud: Chardaie and me. While Bali is a tourism hotspot for Indonesia, most of the backpackers we met and honeymooners we observed were from Australia or Europe. 8 times out of 10, when we told a curious, friendly Indonesian shopkeeper (or random passerby) where we were from, they responded with an excited "OBAMA!" One man told us to tell his good friend Obama hi when we got back to America.
These little boys had the most adorable laughs. I happily agreed to pose for a picture.
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