Bali - Volcano, Rice Paddies and Craft Villages

We took a couple of trips to see some of Bali's stunning natural atttractions, including a trip up Mount Batur for its views of the sacred volcano, Mount Agung.  Along the way - and on most of our drives - we saw lots and lots of rice paddies, in various states of planting and harvest.  We also checked out some of Ubud's craft villages (the kids insisted on being photographed next to their favorite wood carvings), as well as a nearby botanic gardens, where Amelia and Soren led a scavenger hunt for various animals!  Throughout all of our travels, we had our trusty driver Dedy, who navigated the crazy Bali roads (scooters shooting in every direction, often with whole families aboard), while giving us lots of details about life in Bali.  He even managed to keep his spirits - and our spirits - up when we got stuck in a traffic jam and moved only 4 kilometers in 4 hours - happily we found salvation - and lots of candy - at a mini-mart 3 hours into the drive!