Hi, I just wanted to tell you about the most amazing trip I have ever made in all of my travels. Bali...... it's a long way, but so very worth the long hike. I left Honolulu, and flew to Shanghai, it was great to stretch, get a tea at Starbucks in the airport, just enough time to get one of those Chinese name stamps I have always wanted. You know the red ink stampers that every Chinese artist uses...I got to see him carve it right there at the airport, sipping my chai. $50 dollars but well worth it. Haaa It's probably like 20$ in town. I ran into 2 people backpackers from Maui and sat and chatted with them for a bit. You meet the nicest people on the road.

If you love Arts & Crafts, exotic locations, jewelry, and fabric-batiking in particular, you will go crazy in Bali. The shopping monster will have a hold of you. The artisans you will get to meet, and watch in the creative process go back generations in their families. You will have access to places most don't even get to enter. My suggestion is to take another bag inside of your regular suitcase. It's very warm in Bali so keep your clothing light. Cottons are the best, you WILL sweat, keep well hydrated, and you will be fine. It might be a good idea to bright a light jacket in case of rain, but keep it light, remember this is tropical rain and still hot.

Bali is a photographer and artists dream come true. The images above are just a few of the hundreds and hundreds that I took. Just walking down the street to an ATM you will probably come across a temple, flowers, and a sight you've never seen before. The land is rich in moments to be captured. This coming Nov. I will be escorting a group for Craftours again, details are below.....for more info go to.....​https://www.craftours.com/educators/deb-haugen.php

Bali is without doubt one of the most exotic, fascinating, and cultural places around the world, and no one can take you on a crafting adventure better than Craftours!  We have designed every day of your journey to enhance your creativity and inspire you in ways you never thought possible. Our Craftours Celebration of Arts and Crafts in Bali includes a hands-on batiking workshop, a masterful woodcarving  and jewelry-making demonstration, and a painting workshop. Space is limited, so take advantage of this Early Booking Discount and sign up today! - Jim West
PACKAGE INCLUDES: 

• Round-trip International airfare from Los Angeles to Denpasar, Bali. (Business/First Class upgrades available)
• Round-trip transfers to/from the airport and hotel in Bali.
• Private deluxe motor coach and driver the entire time.
• 5-star hotel accommodations in the central part of Ubud & right on the ocean in Nusa Dua. (Suite upgrades available)
• Most meals, including daily breakfast, some lunches & dinners.
• Optional Balinese Cooking lesson with a master Balinese chef.
• Tour and batiking demonstrations at a well known Batik Factory.
• Extraordinary batik fabric shopping at low discounted prices.
• A demonstration of silver jewelry making by local artisans.
• An opportunity for a minimal charge to have a foot massage and fish pedicure. (for a minimal charge)
• Tour of a Balinese coffee plantation and opportunity to by the famous Luwak Coffee.
• Professional Craftours escort throughout your entire journey.
• Four different hands-on arts and crafts workshops with local Balinese master instructors. (class kits included)
• Optional visit to the Elephant Safari Park to ride and photograph these amazing animals.
• Shopping in the Ubud arts & crafts market for hand-made Balinese items.
• An optional visit to the Bali Bird Park.
• Sightseeing tour through the famous Sacred Monkey Forest.
• An optional "fire ceremony and dinner" at the home of a local Balinese resident.
• A private tour and demonstration at an Ikat Weaving Factory.
• Shopping for Balinese paintings in the largest art gallery in Bali.
• A professional local Balinese tour guide during the entire journey.
• Commemorative gifts & more!

I took a scooter ride out to Munggu on the island of Bali,  to watch the sunset with my son. It's not far from Canggu.... Canggu is a resort village on the south coast of the Indonesian island of Bali. It's surrounded by terraced rice paddies and known for beaches like Canggu and Echo, with strong surf. The nearby Seminyak resort area has high-end shops and restaurants. Just south of Seminyak, the beachside town of Kuta is known for its nightlife. North of Canggu, Tanah Lot is a Hindu temple that sits just offshore on a rocky outcrop.

​ It was so great to be riding thru the rice paddies, hair blowing, the sunset coming. Bali is just an amazing place. One steeped in a rich history and culture. I took this photograph to then at a later date do a pen and ink. Below you will see what I came up with. The great thing about urban sketching is that you are the editor, you can alter the pic in any way you'd like. I left out bikes, I alter here and there.
On this drawing I used pen and ink first, it's in my sketchbook, a Stillman and Birn. I love these books because they are heavy enough 180 lb. paper to take just about anything you want to put in there. I have used watercolor, markers, Gouache, and nothing bleeds thru. They are the best I've found. I have a thing for sketchbooks....I have funky fool-around books that are thin, I usually use just ball point pen and pencil on those. The Stillman & Birn books are my all time favorites for serious urban sketching, that you intend to keep.

What I love about sketching in Bali is the lovely little surprises you find. If you're looking for exotic places this fits the bill, there are temples everywhere, shrines, and the colorful people and locations make it an urban sketchers dream come true. Keeping a journal of your trip makes it a personal glimpse into your very own travel experience. You can also do it by keeping paper goods like a ticket receipt, a napkin from a favorite restaurant, or maybe a map. You can use these to cut up and paste into your sketchbook for your kept memories of the experience. It's so fun looking for goodies to include and to work into your book. It's scrapbooking on the run. I like to grab what I can and then add to my pages at a later date.

Sometimes I'll sketch something quick, just the bare bones of something, to add to it at a later date. That's what I did with the above, I sketched quickly in black Micron pen, and then added color, markers, and gouache, when I had the time. There are times when you sit and sketch forever, but other times when you might just have a moment you grab a quick photo. I love sitting going thru pics of a trip when I get home and have plenty of time, to draw, to edit, and go over pics to keep and add to my books. Keeping a travel sketchbook is joy to me. http://www.craftours.com/trips/?page=bali_crafts_1020
#sketchbooks #Stiiman&Birns #Micronpens #Travel #urbansketch #debhaugen #Craftours #Bali #travelers #scrapbooking #Canggu #Indonesia
​

I'm going to Bali once again this year, and you really need to treat yourself. Come and go with us. This trip, this trip what to say....It's an explosion of color, of sites, and sounds you have never heard before. It's a step back into an exotic time,  it's gorgeous Indonesia! Here's a memory off of our last trip in 2018.

Stepping off of the long flight from the U.S. you feel relieved to be off that darn plane, filled with anticipation on what's to come. You are hit by the warmth, the humidity,  the sounds and smells. Bali is rich, it's rich in history, and culture, it's rich in exotic green growth. The people are amazing. I was picked up at midnight by one of our group guides, as we went thru the night air, I was so glad to be in this strange land. It's one of those moments when you really are so happy to be alive. I feel alive when I travel, the newness of a place, the excitement of discovery, that's why we all travel right?  

After a good nights sleep I meet the group, what a lovely group of people I have to join me on this journey. The Hotel in Ubud is amazing, and right away you can tell the quality of this travel will be fantastic. LOOK at that pool!
This is an Arts & Crafts tour of Bali, a land rich in history.
We take off in our thankfully, air conditioned deluxe motor coach to drive thru the beautiful layered green rice paddies,  banana trees, and palms lead the way through this gorgeous country. The scooters zip by us, and our guide tells us that they are like Mosquitos. Haaaa they really do look like busy little bugs going every which way, I am impressed by their scooter skills for sure.
We are so fortunate to be "hands on" with many of the experiences. We see just how difficult it is to hold a hunk of wood with your 2 feet, while you chisel the face of your wooden mask. We have found a new appreciation for these skilled artists as we walk thru the workshops and showrooms we are privy to visit.!
We get to see them using techniques they have used for hundreds of years, passed down through a family. Grandfather's always sitting near by as supervisors.
The batik teachers are wonderful. We stand and watch his demonstration before attempting our own designs, and watch as the dye men dip our fabrics into the dark dye vats full of rich color. The steam from the warm washings to remove the wax, fills the air, and we marvel at the beautiful pieces that emerge before our very eyes!
On to the Elephant Sanctuary, a beautiful locale that these Sumatran elephants are so lucky to have. They are tended to and nurtured, fed, and exercised, they seem very content. I'm leaving so much out but I think you can get the drift of this fabulous trip. It is an amazing opportunity to get behind the scenes into crafts peoples workshops, and explore a rich cultured nation.

Come with us to explore the Arts & Crafts of Bali Nov. 2-10 2019
http://www.craftours.com/trips/?page=bali_crafts_1119