Ubud

from Echo Beach i move up to Ubud, in the central part of the island.  i plan to spend about a week in Ubud and every minute is packed.  i check my bag at a hotel and head over to the Yoga Barn which is best sumarized as yoga for the masses.  i took a couple of classes which all had great instructors.  they all have legit yogi names like Bex, Bantu, Gypsy, etc. the one thing they do really really good is that all the classes i took had a consistent style which is rare at any yoga studio.  the part that i didn't like was they cram the classes full.  so the better part of me says, hey, it's good that so many people want to do yoga today.  the other part says, 6cm is way to close for yoga mats.  so ultimately, i find another much smaller studio which is fantastic.  i get a pass that allows me to try lots of different types of yoga practices and every day i can feel my core and arms getting stronger.  interestingly, in Ubud, 50% of the classes were men.  at the barn they even offerred a man class.

garden view from my room

clean laundry $1.40US

Indonesian style homes are unique.  it allows multigenerational families to coexist in the same space.  there is a courtyard and a separate cooking area that is shared but the parents and married siblings each have separate living quarters.  after a disappointing first night in a hotel [why do i continue to book these when they are always overpriced and not at all what i want? - convenince i suppose] i found a homestay with a local family.  it's a typical home stay with a private room and bath.  and breakfast. $14/night. the patriarch in this family was wielding a paint brush on a canvas - in the form of nude women which he tried to sell off as 'a painting of you' .  he was harmless enough but not blessed with natural talent.  there is always a dog or two and kids playing in the courtyard.  flying kites or banging on drums or some other kid stuff.  most importantly, they embrace you as if you are one of the family and for my stay i enjoyed seeing the friendly faces every day.

even better, was the string of vegetarian and vegan restaurants on the street i was staying.  one spot had such good gluten free cake that when people arrive at the restaurant they pick out which dessert they want so it can be held for them.

random pink chick on street