Today we woke up to the sound of rain bouncing off the swimming pool and roofs outside our room, so it seemed as good a day as any to relax and enjoy a bit of a lie-in. Apparently, Bali has had a very wet wet season so far this January. But, it’s a minor inconvenience compared to back in the UK as – if nothing else – it’s warm rain and it can be quite spectacular, as it was the previous evening.

By mid morning the rain had abated and the sun popped out for a while, drying out most of what was left, so the two of us ventured out to explore different parts of Ubud before ending up at Mingle cafe for brunch and a rendezvous with my old friend Alison. We timed it well as the rain returned whilst we were there, a great excuse to linger and chat for longer whilst also watching the world go by. People watching is a particular pleasure here due to the combination of nationalities, backgrounds (and dress). Plus, the food’s always good. I tried something different, crispy fried tempe and tofu with a home-made sambal sauce.

Finally, the rain called it a day, giving us the opportunity to explore more of the backstreets, nooks and crannies of Ubud before returning home to relax. Here’s a couple of shots from our explorations.

We tried somewhere different for our evening meal – a cafe just a few doors down the road from where we’re staying. The food was perfectly edible, but nothing to write home about. What was far more enjoyable was our next venue. Alison had told us that Made (another old acquaintance) was playing with a band at Otokafe, on the corner of Monkey Forest Rd and Jalan Pengosekan. I’ve been coming here long enough to remember when the site was rice paddies, but I was impressed by the venue and Made and the band were excellent. They covered a lot of rock and blues classics with real style, so much so that we stayed right to the end of their set. Gosh, a late night in Ubud, whatever next?

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