Wednesday we decided to have a rest, which started with walking about 2 hours through the rice fields in the lunch time heat because on the map it looked just like a short walk which is why Jasper could convince me to do it. But after about an hour on the way (with breaks 
), we decided to go back. Funny thing is that in the rice fields in Ubud there are a lot of art and craft stalls on the way and at least two cafes. Hard to imagine that when you go for a walk back home.
Rice field around Ubud
Painter along the rice fields
On the way back we stopped at the organic restaurant (which caters non-organic if organic is unavailable, but if you want you can pick your own vegies in their garden), which had an amazing view over the rice fields.
View from the restaurant in the ricefields
Our next stop was the 24 hours shop which had restocked magnum ice cream. I have waited to find one for ages, because they all have got the commercial, but no one had the ice cream..
Our rest day continued in our swimming pool (yahaa) and at 5pm I was finally ready to sit outside and read my book. Yeah!
In the evening we went to our eat house, where we had some rice wine. That made me even more tired then I already was, so we did nearly not got to the very big celebration last night. It already started at eight with music and dance, but we went there shortly before Midnight because a gamelan teacher, whom we met in our eathouse, told us that after Midnight everyone will start to run through the streets to chase an evil spirit until the morning hours. But when we arrived there was instead a procession, music and theatre at a stage at a street junction. Everyone sat everywhere on the road to watch and so did we. But at 2 we were too tired because we had a long day, so we went back home to bed. Unfortunately this morning we were woken up at 7:30 by new Italian neighbours, who were talking non stop until we finally could not ignore them any longer and got up around 11.
Ceremony at Wednesday Night
Video made during a comedy sketch during the ceremony (apparently it was very funny ):
After all it was a very good day yesterday, though not really a resting day. Therefore Thursday we gave it another go with resting day 2, which was more successful (likely because Jasper had caught a cold and liked to take it slow as well.).
Apart from a big cycle tour on Sunday to the wood carvers in Mas the last days in Ubud were also more for relaxing, shopping (wood carvings) and writing emails / weblog entries. And of course to plan our next stops! I imagined Mas would be a small village with peaceful carvers, but instead it was just a couple of shops distributed along the loong main road. We bought some stuff (partly out of pity) at a wood carver who told us that he gets only few tourists because he does not pay commission to the tour guides.
Today we walked to the Blanco Museum, which is a small palace set in a garden area with some parrots. Inside the museum were a couple of pictures from Blanco, who has a unique style, but in spite of that the place is a bit “protzig” (showing off) as I would say in German. But therefore we also got a welcome drink. We were also allowed to pose with the parrots, yeah!
Me and Parrot (guess a Tukan) at Blanco Museum
Me and more parrots (plus grey parrot and Edelpapagei (German) and welcome drink
Jasper and parrots
Blanco Museum
We also walked to the Water Temple in the Centre of Ubud, which we wanted to see since we arrived two weeks ago.
Water Temple in Ubud
Jasper at Water Temple in Ubud
Locals and Lotus
We also did a small walk towards Nicks Hidden Cottages, where Jaspers parents stayed when they were in Ubud ten years ago. The street towards started in central Ubud, but became quickly rural with a lot of ricefileds and partly even unasphalted.
Ducks on Rice Field near Nicks Hidden Cottages
We want to go to Yogyakarta next to see the magnificient temple Borobodur, We decided not to fly, but to go there overland to have more of a journey towards it (and for me to save some carbon emissions as well). So tomorrow we will leave for a three hour bus ride (or maybe go with Nyoman) to Gilimanuk at the West of Bali from where we will take the one hour ferry to Banyuwangi on Java, where we will stay overnight. The next morning we will take the eight hour train to Surabaya, stay there over night and then take the 6 hour train to Yogyakarta.
Here some more pictures from Ubud. 
Giant stone statue at the entrance of Ubud
Roadsign Ubud
Men making Satee at the side of the road
Construction site with women carrying construction materials in baskets on their head (!)
Locals bathing in the river
Kids buying candy at small shop opposite our favorite eat house
Art market Ubud
Market stall
Kids playing in the lane to Sania's House, our first guesthouse
A few more words on offerings: Offerings are an important part of Balinese Hindu religion. They are a small sample of flowers, food (rice or candy) and often inscents arranged in small baskets made from plants. Every morning the women distriube a few offerings around the house to please the spirits. Shops also place them in front of the house, so you can often see offerings lying on the pavements. Balinese Hindus are not allowed to eat before they made an offering to the spirits. These offerings are placed at places which are connected to food, e.g. tables or the kitchen. At our guest house we also got a small offering every morning. The offerings themselves are later eaten by the chicken (true free range! ), cats or dogs which roam the streets.
Woman putting inscents in an offering for the spirits
Woman making small baskets for offerings
Buddha at Raka House with fresh flowers to please the spirits
Cat sleeping in front of our Bungalow
Tags: Art, Balinese customs, Balinese live, Balinese religion, Blanco Museum, cycling, Hinduism, Lotus, Mas, Offerings, parrots, posing with parrots, Rice fields, Ubud, Water Temple Ubud, Wood carving
