Ubud, Bali, Indonesia (22^nd April 2011)

While Bali’s beaches are one facet of the amazing island, the center of the island offers quite contrasting sceneries. As we were coming back from the Goa Gajah temple near Ubud, our driver stopped at a spot in Tegalalang village which was surrounded by lush green paddy fields. Standing at that viewpoint, we could see picturesque vistas of rice terraces spread around us in whichever direction we faced. The graduated terraces, while helping effective farming of rice in hilly areas, also create a unique landscape for us to enjoy. That is why I would like to call these rice fields, which feed millions of people every day, the ‘Terraces of Life’!