A fun trip to the hills above Ubud in Bali, Indonesia. Left from Denpasar early morning on Saturday and arrive after about 2hrs. Some time to set up camp and then an afternoon hike of about 9km. Mostly roads, but a few footpaths and cuts across the paddies. I did try to make a significant shortcut at one point when rain arrived but i met a steep ravine and had to turn back. Landscape was heavily agricultural, mostly rice but with bananas, oranges, cattle grass and all kinds of vegetables also seen. Small scale animal husbandry also seen, mainly cows and pigs, with some chickens and ducks. At one point i came across a cockfight (photo of a crowd of people. The baskets on the left of the image are for holding and transporting the birds). Cockfighting is illegal in most of the country but permitted in Bali for cultural reasons . I was invited in but i decided not to join. In general, people were really friendly and intrigued by my presence. I suppose they don't get so many hikers in this part. People were quite curious about my dog as well, and i got offered several more dogs if i wanted them.
Its the week of Galungan festival, which is when dead ancestors are supposed to revist peoples' homes,and that is why there are many decorations in the streets. You will also see household and field shrines which receive offerings and devotions daily.
Day two was a short 3km loop before returning to Denpasar. Again, mostly farm land being prepared for the second rice season. I was interested to see oxen plough being used, as that is rarely seen in Java (where i have spent most of my time)
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