There is a great outdoor market about a 30 minute drive from us...come on down and get a new pair of designer jeans that fell off the back of a truck.

 Balinese hipsters.

 "MEMORIES: COLORED THOUGHTS" I'll have what he's having...

Toilet for a Rp. 1,000 (just under a buck)

Surprise your significant other with a new machete...

 Or snack on some lightly spiced, grilled corn and a coke...

You have to be a little wary of what you purchase though. I got the sweetest pair of grey and moderately worn Levi jeans, but the size marking is wrong on them (no, it really is!) They're too tiny in the waist. HUGE bummer. Some of the clothes are misfits from the factory and that's how they ended up here, so just make sure it fits before you exchange cash and goods! I did get a great pair of shorts though, and a full belly of fresh corn, so, just like the Terminator, I'll be back!

Canang Sari on the roadside. 

Bundles of baskets for offerings.

One of many gates into one of the many temples.

On the steps inside the gate.

Dusk was just an hour or two away and Michael and I jumped on his bike, with nothing but his camera and some Rupiah to get a couple beers. We were on a mission to explore some of the mountainous country side surrounding the village. Besides being magic hour, this is also the time of the day when the daily offerings and trash are being burnt at random spots on the side of the roads.

Two of my new/old favorite items that I found in a hole in the wall (a family run store called Boutique Shop on Jalan Raya).

Embroidered silk

And embroidered cotton

This sweet little dinner jacket killed me when I saw it. I'd been vying to check out this shop, and now that I'm driving my own bike, I could go in and take my time. I could hardly bargain the price with her...I just had to have it. It really reminds me of this gorgeous Valentino jacket I clipped out of a magazine my senior year of high school...yeah, I've remembered it since high school, so of course I had to get it!

I love how much material there is here in the ankle length dress. The weight not only helps it hang beautifully on the body, but it's also a wonderfully versatile piece, instead of just being another cotton summer dress. This  will look great and feel cool for the summer time as well as layered in the fall or winter! Yes, you can wear white in the winter.

Photographed and edited by Michael Lawrence

Butterfly inside...

End of the day, rice paddy boots outside...

Reggae concert. The singer was one happy guy!

Reggae Show from kelly thomas on Vimeo.

Fans of fire were a pretty impressive sight

Hula hoop of fire 

(whatever, I do this one all the time)

As happy as the singer

So, of course, Jake had to have his picture taken too 

(who's the babe on the left?!) 

Girl in costume at the reggae concert

BISA is a Batik studio that also works with natural dyes and is located about 15 minutes outside of Ubud in Penjeng. Pak (Mr.) Agung opened it in 2002 to bring back the ancient trade of batiking. This is done by manually applying wax (called 'canting') into a pattern and is then dyed. More wax may be applied, dyed again, etc. and sometimes goes through several stages, until a beautiful and multi-colored pattern is created. The wax is taken off at the end of the process and voila: batik!

Waxed cloth

Ladies applying wax to cloth

Bowl of wax

Applying wax in 2nd stage

Some of their finest finished pieces on display

I'm kind of on a music video streak, I know, but michael just showed me this one and it's WOAH oh so cool...it's to the new Arcade Fire song "We Used to Wait" and is interactive. At the opening page literally type in your address, the city and state, and then, through google maps and the work of the Chrome Experiments, it shows that place in the music video! I just think that's so cool and Arcade Fire is such a sweet band. There's also a part in the music video where you type in a few words, whatever you want, and then take your cursor and you draw on that screen to make these thin branch like things...it's really very cool.

Just make sure you are in a wifi-friendly zone because there's a lot of action and a few different windows pop as well! Ay yay yay, kids these days, this tech stuff is moving too fast for me!

Scott Pilgrim VS The World...SA-WEET thank you sean

"Canang Sari"
A daily offering, that builds in size depending on the ceremony or holiday.  It is a way to give back to God what has been given to you.  This is done in order to maintain a good energy between the spirits and the people, and is not based on fear, but is both a duty and honor. These baskets usually consist of rice, flowers, and sweets, although there are also sometimes eggs and fruit.  They are usually found at the entrance to every home and store, and beneath statues (and sometimes your feet if you don't watch where you are going...)