Ili's swimming takes a leap!

Ili's swimming took a giant leap this week, and she swam 10 lengths of the lap pool (25 m length)! It started with a challenge to do two! Well done Ili xx

Happy with her achievements!

Great determination!

And the back floating is new!

The lap pool (25 m). 

Wood carving

One the housekeepers here at our accommodation is from a family of traditional balinese wood carvers — the area around Ubud has a deep history in arts — and he was very happy to show his work and teach Bea and Ili how to carve. They really enjoyed it, and have been back several times to work on their wooden gecko (Ili) and Monitor lizard (Bea).

Tegenungen waterfall

Tegenungen is the closest waterfall to Ubud, so the first one for us to visit. It was very full as Frith and the kids visited it a day following the most incredible evening thunderstorm. The lightning  lit up the night. Nothing like a tropical storm.

Food glorious food

I don't normally post pics of food, but it's sooooo good here. The choice is amazing, from simple Indonesian street food, to basic Indonesian Warongs, to international cuisine. Fresh ingredients freshly cooked = good grub. We still have the Balinese "Babi Guling" to try.

Japanese at Kagemusha, Ubud.  

Balinese Warong (D'warong). 

Watching the chefs in the kitchen @ D'Warong. 

Vegan supper. 

Lazy Sunday

Lazy day hanging out by the pools at the villas here (Beji Indah). Kids improving their swimming loads. Love this little sequence as they were sitting peacefully until Bea splashed iIi on the head — her disproval was clear!

Campuhan Ridge Walk

Had a short walk this afternoon (2 km each way) along the Campuhan Ridge walk, which is walkable from Ubud centre. It was perhaps at it's best before the guest houses, coffee shops and galleries popped up along the route, but that being said there were still some cool views across the rice fields at the end. Rain came down in buckets which gave Bea his moment of craziness to run around soaking himself fully-clothed.

 

Temples around Ubud

We haven't done the tour of the temples on Bali yet, but there are many smaller temples around Ubud to see. I think it's mainly me that finds them interesting . . . can't expect too much enthusiasm from the children over ancient Hindu sites of worship! Of course, they do like nipping around on the scooter.

and it rained, and it rained and it rained!

Tropical downpour pretty much all day again today, so apart from a quick jaunt out on the scooter (4 up!) for dinner we were housebound. Nice place to be housebound ;-)

Offerings to the gods

With the chain of Indonesian islands being largely populated by muslim population, Bali stands out with it's form of Balinese Hinduism.  The children have been interested in the beautiful "canang sari" — which are palm leaves filled with flowers, rice and incense and are placed on temples, roadsides, and outside the houses to keep the Hindu Gods happy. Religion and daily life are intertwined and offerings to the gods are made several times a day, and from what I can understand through meeting people, the beliefs of the younger generation remain as strong as their elders. Bea and Ili have been inspired by the ornateness of the offerings, and have been making their own versions of the "canang sari".

Bea's "canang sari"

Ili's "canang sari" offering. 

Ubud, Bali

Frith is still in Borneo at the moment, and we've come back (we were here early Nov.) to a spot we like just outside Ubud in Bali. The accommodation is set within the most awesome lush, tropical gardens, with river and forest. Bea and Ili spotted the Javan Kingfisher today— a beautiful bird with a ridiculously large beak — tree frogs and monitor lizard tree-climbing. Bea took pics so will post soon. Spent the morning story-writing (English schoolwork) and swimming, and in the afternoon we had a warm tropical downpour.

Majestic Mount Agung

The most sacred mountain on Bali — Mount Agung. We've enjoyed seeing her tower above or disappearing in the clouds across the bay. Would love to hike up to the top, but too much to ask from the children (at the moment ;-)