'Mooning in Bali

Since yesterday's entry was dedicated to our first few days back in Shanghai, I'll continue in reverse chrono order and tell you a little bit about our honeymoon in Bali. We chose Bali because it seemed like paradise conveniently located near Shanghai. In actuality, the two places aren't that close to one another, and coupled with a two and a half hour delay, it took us 19 hours to get to our destination. But it was worth it. 

Unhappy about the delay

We first traveled to Ubud, in central Bali, and took refuge in the Ubud Hanging Gardens. Perched on the side of a mountain and above the Ayung river, the hotel was gorgeous and its staff members, warm and friendly. We ventured into town a couple of times, exploring Bali's cultural center, its streets lined with temples, handmade jewelry shops and art galleries. Ubud is also home to the Sacred Monkey Forest, to which we, of course, paid a visit. We rode bikes through rice fields and attended a glorious, two-hour yoga session led by a Balinese instructor with sounds of the jungle in the background (just like those sound machines!). 

The second and final part of the trip was spent in Jimbaran for some much-needed beach time -- lounging by and swimming in the Indian Ocean. The highlight there was the three-pound lobster Mike devoured as we sat at a table in the sand with the tide coming in. 

Here are some photos of Ubud, the monkeys, the people, and the beach.