A morning in Ubud

It’s cool today, overcast with snippets of blue still in view. It’s one of those days where you can easily lose track of time.  Even now, in the early morning, it could be late afternoon.

From my balcony I can hear the cooing of pigeons, the distant crowing of roosters, and an assortment of other birds.  It feels safe and cosy here, surrounded by a mix of foliage, mainly tall palm trees, with their skinny naked trunks reaching high into the sky.  The palm fronds and coconuts are high above me, reaching toward the sky.

That reminds me, on our tour last week, our guide told us that death by falling coconut is the second biggest killer in Bali.  Number one is road accident, two is falling coconut, and three is drowning.  It’s strange what unusual information stays in my head.

Solar Inspiration

Sunrise and sunset occur every day. How often do we take the time to sit, watch, and enjoy the splendor of these daily events?

Showcase

Hitting the flower market in Bangkok Thailand

And other shots from around the world.

Local Wisdom of the Balinese

Mr Winn, our genuinely friendly and informative guide. In a village outside of Ubud. May ’13

I had a really wonderful experience on Saturday that I’d like to share.

While on a cycle tour of the Balinese countryside I was surprised and delighted to find how wise and knowledgeable our guide was. I’m afraid I can’t remember all his wisdom, so I will share the few snippets I have.

Spiritual Friends

I met up with Mary last night to discuss my retreat options.  I was starting to get confused as to what might be the best choice for me.  I had found retreat centers that looked applicable in many different countries.  We really are spoilt for choice in Asia.  I also felt stalled as some of my initial plans were not progressing due to a lack of response from certain centers and the internal crisis in Burma.