Who have I seen in Ubud so far?

Since being in Ubud I would say that apart from the Balinese themselves, who seem to be all about ceremonies and creating art, are French and Japanese tourists. Ubud attracts a different kind of tourist than Kuta, there's no doubt. There is also no doubt that people seeking a truer view of traditional Balinese life will gets in Ubud rather than in the Kuta area. I have seen people walking around, riding on bicylces and the occassional few on motorbikes. All these ways work for Ubud, with its quiet streets, winding lanes and slow speed. Exploring the greater Ubud area today was wonderful.

I was looking for guest houses and while I found many, I also found a photogallery of opportunities. Almost every few minutes I'd see some postcard scene, with Balinese people carrying things in traditional dress, a sweeping valley with locals farmimg or a street scene with old ladies chatting and kids playing. Just north of Jl. Raya Ubud, I snapped a photo of a guy climbing a 50ft coconut tree to hack fruit off. No safety gear or anyone else the around, he was up there in about 30 seconds. The Ubud area has been homebase for the arts for a long time, both Balinese and the foreigners who have been living in Bali since the 20's. One can see why, go in any direction and you will come across lovely narrow winding roads that overlook the most photogenic rice fields.

The landscape is a natural backdrop for a painting when Balinese people placed in the frame. I recently read an article about Ubud in which some westerners were saying its getting too crowded. I can understand that sentiment, especially with the new Bintang supermarket sitting like a pimple on a chin up there in Campuhan, but Ubud is still way cool in my opinion. For those who move here the first thing you might notice is the absence of nightlife. I asked a guy in a bar last night, what was going on. He told me that apart from where we were the only thing to do was listen to the beds bugs. People will long for these days in 20 years time, after the 'Kuta Karnival', McDonalds, KFC, Paddy's and all the other crap we come to Bali to get away from, come to Ubud.