A long walk through the rice fields in Ubud started our day. Rice was originally planted only once a year and stored for 12 months in small 'granaries'. But with the Balianese population growth the farmers are planting two crops of rice and one of corn in the dry season. Some farmers are using western methods (chemical fertilizers and tractors), and some are finding that they can not afford that method and are using traditional methods (animal manure for fertilizer, oxen for plowing, scything and winnowing for harvesting.
Here you see tiered rice fields and the irrigation and walkways to the various homes. The white skirted table is actually an alter where the people give the gods their offerings. (Offerings that are placed on the ground are offerings to appease the demons.) It was an overcast day, which was a blessing as it reduced the heat. Rice needs lots of water and heat to mature.
As we hiked through the rice field we encountered:
As we hiked through the rice field we encountered:
Organic farm cooperative.
Local farmer planting a vegetable garden.
Meeting up with scooters on the narrow path.
Machine shed protecting the plow from the elements.
Labourer carrying her work load.
Alter honouring the harvest god for a bountiful harvest.
Caged roosters kept for cock fighting.
Monk carver working on new carvings for the temple.
Wooden alter carving that is being worked on in pieces.
When we finally found our way out of the rice fields by walking very narrow sod pathways between rice field irrigation, we ended up inside a temple where monks were making new carvings for inside the temple. The carvings were being made out of sandalwood.
Our rice paddy walk.
After our walk we traveled by minivan to Ani's Gallery to look at hand painted batiks for sale and we also got to look at her apprentices painting pieces in the workshop.
The batik wax was already on and dried, now the painters are hand painting the colours on to make the picture. The fabric is spread out on two long boards, and any extra paint drips through.
Uni's son and a cousin. I gave them each a Canada pin.
Lunch was at Murni's Cafe. I was in a wonderfully secluded location down near the river, that you couldn't even see at street level. I had a wonderful meal of steamed vegetables and rice that was beautifully presented!!
Steep steps down to the restaurant by the river.
Beautifully presented and delicious meal of Galu galu.
You can not get away from the farmers it seems. Everything looks so lush. No more Typhoons?
ReplyDeleteThat meal makes me hungry but it looks too pretty to eat.
ReplyDelete