senses....

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Hello all!

I've decided to quickly update everyone on what is going on here. Well to be honest not much! We've been hanging out in Ubud, and just enjoying our local friends, our wonderful homestay, and the beautiful culture.

I thought everyone would like to know some of the senses that we are having while here..... you know, taste, smell, sights etc!

So we have gotten really good at gauging the time of day without clocks by the sounds here. The mornings are filled with roosters (seriously they start at 5 am and go until about 10) while the afternoons are often filled with various birds and insects buzzing around. If we venture to the streets we likely hear every second man say "TRANSPORT???...." we always answer "No thank you" to which you then get the response of "MAYBE TOMORROW???" to which we just shake our heads and continue on our way. The peddlers here aren't nearly as bad as in Kuta or on the ferries. But they are still a plenty, generally asking you to look around their store... and enticing us with a "special afternoon/morning/monday price" it's amusing, but since we've now been here for awhile, most store owners and drivers know our answer. In the evening it's many drums, chimes and music, as the traditional dances get underway around 7 or 8 each evening. There is a theater place close to our homestay, so we can hear it clear as a bell from our patio!

The smells are fabulous, as the offerings that the locals put out 3 or 4 times a day are filled with flower petals, and incense. Of course being a third world country there is still a bit of a sewage smell now and then, but more often than not, it's the incense and food that overtakes the senses!

As for the sights. This area is full of temples. Tons of beautiful statues line the streets as well as the jungle that surrounds the area, so lots of coconut, banana, mango and papaya trees. If you walk 15 minutes from the main road you are hit with wonderful views of rice paddies that seem to go on for miles. In the morning you can catch the locals working out there, in the afternoon's a lot of bugs! ( and snakes according to JM... I haven't gone there for the fear of seeing one... I admire from a distance!) Most locals are in traditional dress as there is always a ceremony going on it seems. The women dress in beautiful sarongs and sashes, as do the men. It's quite the sight when there is a ton of women carrying baskets of fruit on their heads in a big procession line!!

The tastes are our favorite, as we have never experienced such succulent fruit! Fresh mango's are our favorite, as well as Nasi Garung the local traditional Balinese dish that includes rice, curried coconut, chicken and veggies. Our morning breakfast currently consists of fresh papaya, pineapple, banana and mango as well as fresh coffee, and either scrambled eggs, or pancakes with coconut and banana. DELICIOUS!!! JM is a fan of the chicken curry, and we have taken on the challenge of finding the best spring rolls in town! We try them at every restaurant!!! oh and the chicken satay is always delightful!!

Anyways, just a few notes I thought I'd jot down, as I don't want to forget myself once we leave this beautiful place!!


Much love
Shannon

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