Visiting Threads Of Life in Ubud Bali

Ubud is a cultural center of Bali and a place many visitors head straight for.

Myself I don’t know too much about Ubud and am starting to get up there more often to search out the attractions large and small.

Today I rode the main road around Denpasar towards Sanur then turned north up to Ubud. I must say I think the traffic is getting worse over here, the level of pollution from trucks, buses and 2 stroke motorbikes was very high today. I even saw a motorbike accident. While riding along the Bypass that runs north of Denpasar a 2 stroke rider (young male) was weaving aggressively in and out of traffic. I saw him about 10 feet ahead of me zip out and try to go round a truck, without looking of course. Next thing I heard was the smack of plastic as the rider who hit him came crashing through in the opposite direction. Both people were on the floor and bystanders helped the female rider hobble off to the side. I tell you there are some maniacs riding out here and I have to make allowances for other people not looking where they are going.

Arriving in Ubud just over an hour after I left I stopped at Bali Buddha Cafe on Jl Jimbawan off of Jl. Raya Ubud for an Italian salad sandwich and a pot of lemon tea. I followed this up with a pot of Bali Kopi and the bill was 38,000rp. Bali Buddha attracts the gentler Earth conscious type and also serves great food.

I jumped on the bike and rode further down Jl. Raya Ubud to Jl. Kajeng, only a few minutes away. My mission was to visit Threads Of Life, a shop / museum dedicated to keeping alive the traditional weaving arts of Indonesia. Arriving I was surprised how small the place was and once inside talked to Weti who is a weaver herself. The upstairs area contains a variety of items that are made from batik, including these shirts which were on sale for 300,000 - 600,000rp.

The basement had a selection of ikats, the rectangular cloths that are popular all over the archipelago. All the items are for sale and I checked out of the nicer ikats that was going for 1.5m rp.

Weti told me an English fellow named William Ingram wrote a book on weaving in Indonesia and was a big influence on the people by opening the shop. Its good to see small independent groups of people starting businesses that keep traditions alive.

The street where the shop is located on is a pretty little alley with artshops and homestays. You can check out Threads Of Life in 15 minutes its so small. Outside the shop are pots containing indigo and other plants used for dying the thread, the art doesn’t allow cutting corners.

Threads Of Life (Indonesian Textile Center)
Jl. Kajeng 24
Ubud
Bali 80571

0361 972187
tac@threadsoflife.com