Walking near Ubud

Went walking outside of Ubud (Eat, Pray, Love) today, a trail thru terraced, beautiful rice paddies, coffee fields, banana and papaya trees, vanilla bean plants, clove trees, a lovely river, with Sandra ad Dr. Theo, who are from Holland, but have a condominium here and spend three to six weeks several times a year here. It was so fun! Good to be outdoors, walking, no traffic. Along the path, because it is a touristed path, there were several Balinese painters and silversmiths, living and working in small, very basic homes. There were ducks (bebek) wandering through the paddies. Some rice was being harvested, some just planted, some near harvest. There are homestays, bed and breakfasts, and villas going up out in the middle of the fields, because of the growth and popularity of Ubud. Also got to go to Threads of Life, a cooperative dedicated to preserving the art of Ikat weaving, a special type of dyed weaving from Bali, Flores and other near islands. The artists are very talented and dedicated, but without help from outside of Bali, the weavers, all women, will not receive adequate payment for their product. From spinning and then dying the fine threads, to warping the looms and weaving, a piece can take from two to eighteen months. What a wonderful day. And a special discovery when walking back to our car (see the pics)