Our third and final home exchange in Ubud, is a shining jewel in the rice paddy. Even though it is super tiny, when inside it feels very spacious as the doors on 2 sides and windows all open up to green, green everywhere. We have both always admired small spaces for living and it is really true that one needs less than one thinks!
During the nights we have a symphony of nature sounds and noises ~ frogs, birds, crickets….The colors and sounds all contribute to a very relaxing and special stay.
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| This is the view of the wooden Java house, from above. Follow the path which starts on the right till it ends at the artists cottage. The house is surrounded by green on all sides! |
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| Walking this curvy path cut through the rice paddy, lined with flowers and butterflies is a real treat! |
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| The little house came from Java and was reassembled with added touches, on site. |
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| Original carved woodwork creates the banisters. Bamboo blinds can be lowered to enclose the front porch. |
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| On the front porch outside the front door. Designed for shorter people for sure, we bumped our heads the first few times.. This is for sure the smallest house we have lived in and we both LOVED it! |
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| Antique Chinese bed inside takes up almost the whole room. Cosy and comfy. Gorgeous soft wooden floors. |
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| Close up of the carved and painted panels which create the walls. |
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| What an amazing 10 days. Surrounded by nature. |
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| View from the bed inside. |
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| Mini kitchenette, al fresco on the side of the cottage. One needs less than one thinks. |
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| Bed on the left and bathroom on the far left. So easy to make a cup of tea and back in bed with it in minutes! The kitchen is to the left of the doorway, just beyond the bench. |
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| Corner of Chinese bed and entrance to bathroom. |
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| Doors which open on the side to the garden. House is elevated on stilts and feels just like a treasure box in the rice field. |
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| Windows everywhere for light and airflow and a reminder that we are IN the rice paddy! |
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| Getting to the house means following winding paths through lush foliage, after climbing about 60 steps up from the street where we leave our motor scooter at night. |
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| One of the many paths that link houses together. No streets, no cars, just winding narrow paths past houses and rice paddies. |
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| Fabulous vegetarian restaurant a few minutes away.. follow a path here, a path there. A favorite hangout. Ben having Balinese comfort food – “Nasi Campur” |
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| View of our little jewel from the path on the side of the rice paddy. |
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| Ganesh sculpture in front of our house receives the daily offerings, which include blossoms, incense and a splattering of holy water. |
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| Ganesh with a beautiful orange marigold garland on one of the paths near our house. |
The owners of this artists cottage are Noelle (from New Zealand) and Ken (from U.S.) The cottage is one of 3 houses which make up their “compound”. They are both artists and work as jewelers, making one of a kind sacred jewelry inspired by Balinese traditional design and culture. (Previously they sold in Europe and on 5th avenue, but now they only sell from their house.) They spend part of the year in Bali and the rest traveling or in their home in a converted church in Wales. We had a delightful dinner with them one evening in their beautiful main house 2 minutes from the jewel in the rice paddy.
This is all so sweet. I love the colors and patina on all the painted wood. What a special place. And the bed is such a surprise! Is it comfortable?? Where do you make the tea? I’d love to see the kitchen!
Very sweet indeed! The bed is totally comfortable, yes. The kitchen is on the left hand side of the porch, we will add a photo of that so you can see it.
Dreamy surroundings, so beautiful and so lush and green!
Your description of the “jewel” in the rice paddy is spot on!
Hope there are no mosquitoes? (All that standing water?)
Enjoying reading your blog and seeing the photos, as always.
Glad you are enjoying the “virtual travel”. Thanks for the feedback.
There don’t seem to be many mosquitoes as there are so many creatures, such
as frogs and other living in the rice paddies, that they get eaten. That said, we did
use bug spray at dusk for other biting “something”? But no houses have screens,
everything is as open air as possible. In fact, we thought the houses in Nicaragua were
open air and they are, due to the central open courtyard, but in Bali, the open air concept
is taken to another level. (Everything and everywhere is al fresco….)
What an exquisite spot you have landed your selves this time!!
I am loving all the lush green surrounding the house and everywhere!!
A jewel indeed!!!
Nice to hear from you Stan. Exquisite indeed! We had a good run of 3 amazing home exchanges, one after the other!