Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Such a simple statement, but couldn't be more true here on this small island.

Bali is covered with creeping vines, many kinds of trees including fruit trees with bananas, coconut, durian, jackfruit, mandarins and colorful, exotic flowers. This landscape is the polar opposite of our city-life in Istanbul.

But what's most impressive is the terraced rice paddies surrounding the village of Ubud where we are staying.
The view of the green hills surrounding our hotel, Alila Villas, in Ubud, Bali.
Today, Jason and I completed (survived) a 38-kilometer bike ride, starting near Mt. Batur, a still-active volcano. This intense ride allowed us to see some of the lush countryside. We rode past countless vibrant rice paddies, even stopping to see the harvest (done by hand) upclose.

We continued on through the hills and small villages where we saw beautifully decorated and architecturally-appealing Hindu temples. Each village has 3 main temples, and each family has one temple - ranging from the most simple statue to the ornate. This area is like a photographer's dream - if only I weren't just peddling by them!

We did capture many photographs on our trek, but how can you truly capture the beauty of this place? 

Tagged: , ,

2 comments:

jaz@octoberfarm said...

bali sounds a lot like bermuda! have fun!

Joy said...

Thank you! Never been to Bermuda yet - always heard about the pink sands. Maybe we'll add it to our travel list someday. :)