Birds’ Eye View

I had just enough time to spare before a late morning magazine meeting to lay back on a comfy couch at one of my favorite resting places in Ubud; the top floor of Warung Semesta on Monkey Forest Road. From my perch on the 2nd floor, I peer down on unsuspecting pedestrians, dogs, trucks, motorbikes, cars, tourist buses and an assortment of other sights whirring by.

People carry and deliver whatever they can possibly haul onto a truck or bike, regardless of weight or potential risk; I’ve seen wheelbarrows, bicycles and mid-sized pieces of furniture tied on to the backs of bikes – often precariously so. If nothing else, these people have a knack for ingenuity.

It’s a unique view of Bali, one rarely appreciated by those who only see what drives, stops or walks up ahead.

After a few months of snapping away from up high, here’s a taste of what I’ve seen.